The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-10-31
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New YORK Herald: Far down III the
wilderness of Mexico amid fever in
tested swamps and the wild and I'M
restrained forest growth of untold ages,
lie the ruins of number of ancient
cities that had fallen into decay long
before Columbus started on his Voy-
age of discovery end which nave al
ways been shrouded in the deepest
mystery.
Few explorers have ever visited them
and those who have experienced such
hardships that the stories they told
were not calculated to encourage 9TH
ers to follow their example.
Notwithstanding these objections.
however, and in spite of the fearful
death dealing doors that arise from the
sWampy forests that have to be tray
eled through, a party of the best
known scientists of the present day
formed themselves into an expedition
recently and penetrated the wilderness
to where the crumbling cities lay.
They spent three months among the
ruins of uXmal, in Yucatan, and have
brought back the first absolutely au-
thentic pictures OF them that the world
has ever had. Among the party was
Professor William II. Holmes, who IN
til recently was curator of the depart
ment of anthropolOgy of the Field Co
lumbar museum, when he took his
seat as curator of the national museum
at Washington. It is to him that the
Herald is indebted for the accompany
ing Illustrations. which are from the
original photographs and drawings he
made on the spot. They show for the
first time, just how the ruined cities
look today.
''Uxmal," said Professor Holmes.
was reached after wearisome jour
ney in a Mexican wagon from Ticul,
the terminus of the railroad. Several
noteworthy ruins we're passed on the
way, as we'll as one of the finest plan
tiguing climb over the foothills was
another incident of the expedition, but
at length we reached the plain in the
center of which we found the ruins of
this once magnificent capital of a ma
ton now extinct.
I'VE reached Uxmal one evening just
as night was settling down We did
not get a chance to see much of the
ruins then. as shadows fall quickly in
the tropics, SO we camped near by, on
the edge of a little wood We we're
astir early the next morning, while it
was yet dark, and saw the faint
CLEANS of light begin to peep through
the mists, and then we witnessed
most beautiful sight-the sun rising
over this ruined metropolis. We looked
out upon the ruined city and it pre-
scented a wonderful sight. Here in the
foreground was what had once been
an enormous palace, slowly rotting
away under the unrelenting hand of
time; there a massive stone edifce that
might once have been the residence of
some long forgotten lord, and further
in the distance could be seen the faint
outlines of huge pyramid.
Even in their crumbling state the
grandeur of the mighty structures held
us spell-bound. In many instances the
houses were roofess and half buried in
the deep forest growth. but even this
did not detract from their imposing
beauty, nor from their superb proper
tons. But over all hung the spell of
death, for in the market places where
once wealthy merchants had met and
bargained, the desert lion now holds
his court at night, and instead of their
voices his awful note goes echoing
down the ruined corridors.
Now we made our way among the
weeds and underbrush to the nearest
of the great structures, and soon stood
before a mighty pyramid, upon whose
summit rested a gorgeous temple. The
pyramid was built of q sort of yellow
ish limestone, evidently quarried from
in the vicinity by this an
Gent people. We stoodia it's base and
looked up. For 80 feet its steep sides
rose without break, and in the most
graceful proportions it gradually mar
rowed at the top. until high over our
heads we could see the outlines of the
beautiful building that crowned it.
we measured the base and found it to
be exactly 240 feet long by 100 wide.
we walked around this mammoth
pile of eXquisitely heWn stone and on
the further side came TO a magnificent |
broad stairway which rose directly |
from the roadway and led to the very
top of the pyramid, terminating at the !
threshold of the temple doorway Each !
step was wide and long and made of |
the same smoothly dressed stone. For !
a moment we stood and admired this !
mighty piece of workmanship, and |
then. with a feeling somewhat akin to |
awe. began the long ascent. Up for !
over hundred steps we vent, stopping |
now and then to rest and admire the !
pyramid. work executed for all time,
and one that will doubtless stand there |
forever, unless perchance an earth
quake should throw it down.
cat last we reached the top of the
stairs. and found ourselves standing
lpon a little court. Immediately lin front
IF the main entrance to the temple,
which we learned was called the Tenn
lie of the Magician. The summit of
he pyramid measured so feet LONG by
2 wide, and the temple occupied this
entire space, save for little walkway
hat ran around between its base and
he edge of the pyramid.
a GRAND HALL.
Gas we crossed the court and entered
he decaying structure we found it
contained only three rooms. but they
we're big ones. We stood in the CEN
raj. OF main. one and looked around.
Extending around the base of the wall,
ave for a short distance along the
lorthern front, was q broad band of
What had once been colored decoration.
\ bove this and extending to the cell
ng were beautifully chiselled lattice
york panels Over the doorway were
our large panels filed with unique
culDtures. the upper member Of each
icing a masl. of rare form. But no
there in the room was there the slight
st vestige of any furniture or move
bIe thing. Everything was as silent
S the grave. Not the slightest trace
f lie was apparent anywhere, not
ven a spider to break the mo1otony
f that awful solitude.
1.-THE facade of this temple we found
0 be about 90 feet square. and it was
most ornate AID striking piece of
omposite sculpture. The large piece
hove the doorway was occupied by a