The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1890-03-06
CITY Or TIKI IEClENTS:
One Of The Wonders Of tho WOIld--Csn-
tor Of q Dense Population.


Interesting and extensive ruins Of the
cities Of those mysterious races who an
tedate the Spanish invasion Of central
America, and whose history is carved in
the symbols Of an unknown tongue on
many tablets and monuments Of stone,
are those Of Palenque, which Is on the
ga meridian west Of Greenwich and
about II degrees and 20 minutes north
latitude, in Chiapas, on the border lands
Of old Mexico and Yucatan.
Palenque was visited by nearly half
score Of travellers before its exploration
under competent direction was attempted
in 1870 by Stephens and Catherwood.
But they reached the site at the begin
ming Of the rainy season, at the end Of a
journey Of extraordinary difficulty, and
conducted their researches under quite as
diseouraging conditions as did any Of
their predecessors. Since then there has
been no effort whatever to bring to light
the archaeological riches Of this wonder
full ruin.
The work Of exploration was done with
extraordinary intelligence and thorough
ness under the circumstances, and q wise
discretion was undoubtedly exercised in
the selection Of the subjects for descriP-
ton and illustration, but the explorers
turned away at last with hearts full Of
regret over their inability to lay bare
more than the most prominent and east
est accessible features Of the vast monu-
mental piles that form the ruins Of what
must once have been the center Of q
dense and ntelligent, II even morally
hopelessly degenerate, population. Steph-
ems says: ave were exceedingly anx-
ions to make excavations, clear out the
mass Of rubbish, and lay the whole plat
form bare, but this was impossible. 1t
was probably paved with stones or ce-
ment, and from the profusion Of orna-
ment in other parts, there Is reason to
believe that many curious and interest
ing specimens may be brought to light.
The agreeable work Is left for the future
traveller, who may 60 there better pre-
pared with men and materials, and with
more knowledge Of what he has 10 en-
counter. "
PAlenque was accidentally stumbled
upon by q party Of spaniards who were
travelling In the interior Of Mexico in 1850.
They had wandered in search Of things
new and strange into the region north Of
Chiapas when they all at once found in
the midst Of q vastsolitude ancient stone
buildings, the remains Of a vast city, still
embracing from eighteen to twenty-iour
miles in extent, and known to the Indians
by the name Casas de Piedras. The In
dians themselves could give no account
Of its origin. To this day It is not known
by what name 1t was called, and the
name given to It, Palenque, is taken from
the village near which the ruins stand.
Two exploring parties sent out by Spain,
one under Captain Del Rio in 1887, the
other under Captain Dupaix In lsO5-6-7,
made reports upon the Palenque ruins,
which reports were published in 1892 and
1885 respectively. too long after the work
Of exploration to accomplish any desirA-
bic result.
When visited by the American explor-
ers the ruins were overgrown with 30
denRe . forest Of gigantic trees and tan
gled underground that q person ten yards
distant in any direction could not be seen.
And having no axes or shovels or spades,
but only the matchete-a short, broad
bladed sword Of the Indians with which
to clear away this accumulation Of cen
turies Of luxuriant vegetable growth, but
little, compared with the entire task
could be accomplished.
Fine buildings, constructed Of stone,
with a mortar Of lime and sand, were
found here, the outer wslls Of which were
covered with stucco and painted. The
principal Of these structures was the So
called palace. II faces the east and meas
ures 22s feet front BY $50 feet deep. It
stands on an artificial elevation forty feet
high, 80 feet in front and rear, and 26O
feet on each side. This elevation was
originally faced with stone, but the crowd
ing vegetation has left naught but the
foundation standing. The palace is not
more than twenty-five feet high, but 4 Is
rendered very imposing By : broad pro-
jecting eorniee Of stone. The front IL
pierced by fourteen arched doorways,
about nine feet wide each, and the inter
vening piers are between sig and seven
feet wide. The piers which remain stand
ing are Ornamented with figures in bas-
relief and with intaglio Inscriptions in
hieoroglyphics. In some Of these the
remains Of red, blue, yellow, black and
white pigments were discovered. The
figures, usually drawn or engraved In pro-
file, are Of persons, male and female, in
attitudes Of worship generally, clad fan
tastically and Ornamented with indescrib-
able. headdresses, necklaces, and jeweled
Tegalia. Every tablet contains an inscrip-
ton in symbols Of the forgotten tongue
which, II It could be read, would prob
ably tell the history Of the picture. The
palace was divided and partitioned by
interior walls Of masonry into q multi.
plicity Of small rooms opening upon In
terior courts, Of which there were four.
In one Of the rooms was an deliberately
carved altar Of stone; in another there
were sculptured tablets; and on the east
and west sides Of q court sox7O feet in