The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-01-18
THP HONDURAS EXPEDITION.
,rus FROM THE PEABODY MUyEUN
rypr ORERy AT THE GREAT RUINS.

r.. WAX the, WIN DO for the Coia~bias
r,nos,tiou at CopAn-Cleariug Away the
Uebris-Taking Casts ana Photograph
Tho beginning at Copan OF the actual WORE
ot,he Honduras expedition is reported at the
ponhody Museum as the earliest news from
tha. source which Is OF public Importance.
1ho decree by which the Government OF Hon.
d,ras has transferred to the museum. for q
,,riod Of ten years. the care Of all the ancient
ruins contained In that republic. was issued
NO longer ago than July last In abort time
,he means had been subscribed for the work
n tho first year. and an exploring party was
o,uipped which started from Cambridge over
two months ago.
The director OF the expedition. Prof. +. W.
Putnam. whose work as chief Of his depart
ment Of archaeological science in the CO.
mmbinn Exposition added to his duties as
Harvard Professor OF American Arch
zoology and Ethnology. and Curator OF
the museum. will prevent him from leav-
ING tho country this year. guides the
active explorers by written counsel. Tho
other official members OF the organization are
NJ II. Saville. scientific assistant: j. G. Owens.
executive officer. and H. W. Price. resident
agent with Mr.. C. W. Bowdtch. Boston law
yer, and Mr.. T. c. Lowell. treasurer OF the
museum trustees serving as a committee.
As students with Prof. Putnam. the younEe
arclrolosists have been fully prepared for the
present important task assigned them. In ad-
dtion to work in tho museum. each has had
considerable field experience.
The route fixed in tho early half OF tho CEN
tu.y by Stephens was followed with little d.
yergcnce for the entire distance from 1zabal 10
Copan. with train Of twenty-six pack
mule, and four riding mules The trav
ellers arrived at Copan on Dec. 10.
Their fonts were pitched close to the steps Of
the 81 the St od re-
over il to which earlier observers hive re-
ierrcd. In this spot the underbrush has. been
n sssGy N shs f.ctut ccot js
as the wss,sra Court ,sn OF sE .mt
the pr "as Visitors report as Well pre-:
hath. Tas and T's It's
iam nfn in nSpr a in Wow o It. as mny
be hoped. the explorers will feel themscl
a, home They say that Fragments Of carved
having evidently been broken away from tn.
bodies Of the various structures. and ~ fire.;
ulent instances such portions can be replaced
So as to perfectly restore the original features.
Tho work Of clearing away the debris around
tie court Is; IN progress with force Of thirty
Is to be built for the useof the expedition;
This will Re Of logs and poles, with n matched
roof. and 1t will contain Il storage room for the
accumulation OF specimens in addition to the
living and sleeping rooms The members OF
the party report themselves IN good health.
sasm in regard to tho proposed investiga-
tons. They already report progress in the
early plans for, obtaining representations OF
Inscriptions and of figures carved on the mon
oliths. affairs. &C., in tho form Of moulds and
photographs.
' The Impressive character of tho monuments
under invest igation has lost little through the
lapse Of centuries. BY the development OF u
dense lores, vegetation nature has aided in
the general Of these s.eient ruins
10 some eases the massive walls OF stone have
been rent by tho force In the growth OF mighty
roots.
Our country has hitherto permitted the ex-
plorations of Mexico and OF Central America
TO be chiefly tho work OF European archgolog-
ssociations-who nevertheless in tho more
elaborate recent work have continued to nc
Sste as the first ants9ry
thst s!nTis return viii be be- given u'0 AZ
Gaf G%s thff d%RSss sne stoar rs
Ercat! plain Of Sensett with the pyrnmidal ter
fed hill ot TeEampua. containing traces of
towers and remains OF water reservoirs. those
& 0rH" S hs dyson s 81 Gias0
H" "a a'f The t0"7dss'' ex Hs % ali
IN s Tassns: Th sasf sss
such task have appeared great. and in a mar
rative Of a journey through Central America
an English traveller refers to his band OF six
Indians. whom he had to 20 before him. OPEN
ing the road with their machetes where it was
oyersrown with branches. Tho visits to Co.
In 1858 and in 1885. when tho SAME conditions
recorded by stephens existed.
!, The valley OF the Rio Copan Is hemmed In by
an s 4sS $50 Sb by e SanA T Rs
walls. constructed Of immense blocks OF stone.
are twenty-il ieet in thickness at the base.
formed II terraces, The principal structure.
generally regarded as temple. is In the
more than 800 feet in ION" one directon
and e24 feet in the lesser dimension
facing the river: where the wal ]. perpendicular
Fl Ths s sa SIXTY to ninety feet high
the gods. OF the Mayas. is ono OF the grand
types. Among the ruins are innum erahle
statues. obeisks. and columns covered with
singular sculptures and heroglyphs. Tho
colossal statues. covered on tho side and on
tho back and front with emblomatic figures.
arc most remarkable.
:, Tho material collected In the early course of
this exploration will be placed In tho Column
bian Exposition with such additions ns the
Guatemalan and Honduras Governments in
response to an official appeal from Prof.
Putnam. may contribute to mid the pro-
posed comparative study of tho Arch
tmhu u from the entire research Of ten years
acquire oIe-half as q permanent possession.
comprehensive series will no thus brought
where scientific methods can be applied to the
study OF the great problem involved.