The climax. [volume] (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1887-1897, 1889-12-25
LAST OF THE AzTECS.
STRANGE PEOPLE AND PRACTICES
FOUND IN SOUTHERN MEXICO.

A Wonderful Pyramid Is Found Covered
with Fantastic HisrUgiyphics-1lons
Of skulls Adorn Its Interior-A Core
spondent's Wonderful Experience.
A correspondent of the City of Mexico
Two Republics states that he has disoov-
cred peculiar people in the extreme
southern portion of Mexico whom he
believes to be the remnant of the great
Aztec race, who formerly inhabited the
whole of this southwestern country.
He says; Il am at present, to the best
of my judgment, about $50 miles south
east Of the Palenque ruins, but whether
in the state Of Chiapas or Tabasco, or in
the republic of Guatemala, am unable
to say"
He became lost in the tropical forest,
when, coming to a beaten path, he fol-
lowed it until he found himself in a
peopled town, whose inhabitants were
entirely different from those he had ever
seen in Mexico, in customs, dress, houses,
temples and language. These people
took him for a God.
He says; 81 fronted to the east anu
pointed to the sun. They seemed to I'M
derstand by it that it was for whom
for ages their forefathers had waited.
In the center of a double line of priests,
with my servants behind me, I was es-
corted to a large truncated pyramid
which hithertOfore had been obscured
from my sight by the vegetation. The
great mass of rock, which 1 afterwards
measured, covered several acres of land,
with perpendicular height Of $50 feet.
its truncated apex being fully 200
feet square. A broad staircase leads from
the ground to the two large temples sur
mounting it. The other three sides are
covered with anaglyphs sculptured in
unshapely way, but speaking a record of
years. This monster pyramid is inclosed
with a high fence Of solid masonry, and
is topped with peculiar network of ser
penis. Within it are two mammoth one
story buildings of block granite, covered
with fantastic hieroglyphs. Thousands of
skulls in separate inches adOrn their inner
sides-being, in a word, veritable Col
gothas. These are the charnel houses
where for centuries the heads of the
victims of festal sacrifices have been
gathered.
was, with my servants, taken to one
side of the pyramid, which was pierced
with tunnel. In this opening we were
led by the priests. Our way was lighted
by cocoa nut shell lamps, which revealed
to us other tunnels branching from the
one we were traversing. About midway
of the pyramids, I should judge, we came
into spacious vaulted chamber which
was brilliantly illuminated from the roof,
which was many feet above us. About
the room were scattered instruments
made of copper not known to me. The
walls were lined with discs of precious
metals, studded with emeraids and other
stones common to the Aztec period.
Manifesting that was hungry, was
surprised to see q priest step to the center
of tine chamber and in modulated voice
issue a number of commands. In mo
t1ent afterwards there appeared upon a
copper table without any one being near
it peculiarly shell shaped server loaded
with fruit. The table was supported by
only one leg, and how the fruit reached
its destination without being placed there
by human hands is a mystery.
My mozos were badly scared by what
had occurred since we entered the town
and they did not relinquish their vigil
ance for a moment and eyed one another
curiously after the fruit feat.
I must say that was astonished, but
having before seen such magical doings
it did not impress me with such awe,
though it did cause me surprise.
By a sign told the priests desired
to be alone with my men. Great was
my establishment when one OF them led
me to a highly polished piece of metal
and indicated to me that by placing my
hands upon it 1 could when l desired
both see and communicate with them by
signs. He touched his fingers, by way
Of explanation, to it and the whole town
was pictured upon the metal. I saw
about the streets, which were laid out
with due precision TO the cardinal points,
the inhabitants offering up prayers with
their heads inclined to the east. I mo-
toned to the priest to have them arise.
He spoke into an aperture near at hand
in a whisper, but a voice, which must
have been echoed in thunder tones from
an instrument on the outside, was heard
in its revelations through the pyramid
tunnel to our chamber. The people
arose.
The priest, with many bows, conducted
me to ball that hung in mid air in the
central part of the chamber. He put it
to my ear. / stepped back amazed. The
noise as Of thousand voices ] heard in
the brief moment that had the pecu-
liarly constructed globe to my ear. From
this time on l was positive in my belief
that the Aztecs were the masters of cleo
tricity; that they controlled the electri-
cal currents in the air, which did their
bidding better than our system of wires.
In one corner of the room 1 saw large
urn, in which there appeared 10 be earth.
approached it, but was warned away
by the priest, who indicated to me that
If touched it would die. I understood
in moment that it was the great posi-
tive battery that worked in connection
with the earth negative. No LIQUIDS or
wire connected it with any place.
was left by my priest friends, who
moved out of the great hall backwards,
with their hands projecting ON a level
with their heads toward me.
My mozOs, whose ignorance of science
made them superstitiOus, as soon as the
departure of the white robed men had
taken place, beseeched me to leave the
pyramid at once, but protested against
such move, believing it worth our lives
to attempt it so soon. explained the
telling them to wait day or
two and would deliver them from
danger, and they agreed with me.
was enabled to keep my promise on the
following day, after we had seen many
interesting sights.
fully intended to release my serv-
ants on the following day and take
chances with these strange people, who,
am convinced, are the last Of the Aztecs.
/ may be able to fathom their secrets and
penetrate the mystery Of Plato's Atlantis.