The sun., 1894-10-14

was borne in big canoes from qusrrles on the
mainland, for these qusrries can still be seen"
Yes: in Il are many chambers. for the most
| part store and treasure houses. and beneath It's
base lie crypts, the burning places Of the ca
the holy sanctuary, OF the Heart, which you,
being Of the brotherhood, may, perhaps, be per.
And. che led us across the courtyard TO the
foot OF a stairway forty feet or more IN breadth,
sE each Of S saps Il tSDSTssRsT SSrsRa by
TIP these flights we toiled slowly, followed by
the ladies and the guard, till at length our labor
was rewarded and we stood upon the dizzy edge
Gsred r@ By low wall % large s enough 70 give stand
ing room 70 several thousand people. On the
western side Of this platform stood . small mar
BILE house used as place TO store fuel and as n
watch tower by the priests, who were on duty
day and night tending the sacred fire which
hared in brazier from its roof. situated at
some distance from this house and Immediately
in front OF It was small altar wrcathed with
flowers but for the rest the area was empty
The CITY beneath us was built upon low,
heart-shaped island. so hollow in its centre that
II might have been the crater Of some volcano,
or, perhaps, mere ridge OF land enclosing
in length bv air across AZ its widest and I seemei
to float like huge green leaf upon the lake the
holy water of these Indians, OF which the cir
ses excepted y' @ iSnd was ,tM only % Visible to oo ihs
night Elsewh here the eye met nothing but blue
expanses Of water. limitless and desolate, utfre-
leved by any sail or sign Of life.
Amid these waters the island CLEANED like an
emerald. Here were gardens filled with gor-
Reous flowers and clumps Of beautiful palms
reeds that grew In the shadows around the
shores. so luxuriant was the vegetation. ferti-
lied year by year wit the rich mud Of the lake,
and SO lovely were the trees and flowers In the
soft light Of the morning. that the place seemed
like n paradise rather than n home Of men, and
"a was the island 81 was the city that was built
upon one end OF II.
Following the lines of the land upon which II
stood, II was heart-shaprd n heart Of cold white
marble lying within u heart " glowing green
All about IL ran moat filled with water from
the lake. and on the hithcr side of this moat
stood n wall hfty feet or more in height built OF
great blocks of the white limestone that formed
the bedrock Of the island, which wall was every
where sculptmred with allcgorical devices and
Within the oblong of this wall lay the city,
city OF palaces, pyramids, and temples, or, rath-
err the remains of IT, for we could see nj u glance
that the popuiation was unable to keep So many
streets and e,li1ices In repair Thus palm trees
were TO he found growing through the fiat
pyramids. while many of the streets and ave-
nues were green with Grass and ferns. a narrow
pathway In the centre of them showing how few
were the feet Of the passers by.
Even in the square beneath us the signs OF
traffic were rare. and there was little of the
hustle of people engaged In the business OF life,
although this place had been the scene Of last
nights fcastng. and would again soon be filled
with men and women hockinR to The pyramid.
Now and again some graceful, languid girl, n
reed basket In her hand. might he seen visiting
the booths where rations OF fish from the lake,
distributed, according to the wants of each fam
lily. Or. perhaps. party of men on their way to
labor in the gardens stopped to smoke and talk
together in u fashion that showed time 10 be OF
little value to them. Here and there. also. a
few. very few, children PLAYED together with
flowers for toy toys In the shadows Of the palaces.
central squares: but this was all for the rest OF
the place seemed empty and asleep.