The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1898-01-22
a WONDERFUL STAIRWAY.
Remarkable Ruins Recently Discovered
in Central America.
rlol6-tf

IN tSnlfal America.
George Byron Gordon. the explorer
in The January Century, gives n ac-
cunt CT recent discoveries at topan.
under the title of "'nhe Mysterious City
OF Honduras" MIR. Gordon says:
the most extraordinary feature that
our excavations have yet brought to
liGh': is the hierOglyphic stairway al
ready refsrrsd to. Facing the plaza at
southern end; it occupied u central no
sition on .thc western side of the high
pyramidial elevation that forms the
northern wing OF the main structure.
Even i'll the sad state of ruin in which
we ID hold il now, it affords 4 maGniti-
cert spectacle. What must it have been
IN lin" days when II was entire, and
reached from the floor of tho plaza to
the entrance of the temple that stood on
the height n hundred feet above!
When discovered in 1894, this stairway
was completely buried beneath the de-
hris fallen from the temple, of which
not one stone remained upon another
The upper part OF the stairway itself
had also been thrown from its place as
II by an earthquake, and lay strown
upon the lower portion When at
length. after months of labor, on which
from fifty to one hundred men were
emrlSyed, the fallen material was
cleared away. an acre Of ground was
covered with broken sculptures remov-
ID during the progress OF the work, and
me lower steps were found unharmed In
the centre OF the stairway at the base
IS throne, or pedestal rising to the
hfth step. and projecting eight feet In
front. The design upon its face Is
rich in sculpture and delicate in detail
1t Is made uo in pant of handsome
faces, masks. DEATHS heads. and scrolls
beautifully carved, and disposed with
perfect symmetry, hut the ensemble is
perfectly unintellig.hle. On the face Of
C;ich step in the stairway is a row of
hieroglyphs. carved in medium relief
running dhe entire length. AT intervals
IN the ascent the centre is occupied bv
4 human figure of Noble and com
lnanuihg appearance, arrayed in splen-
dId attire, seated on the steps. The nm
per parts OF all these figures were
broken away, but the pieces of several
were recovered and restored. On each
side was solid balustrade two feet
mick; the upper parts OF these were
1''so broken away, but by careful study
ana comparison, enough was recover
.u 10 enable us to make owt the GU
rinns and complicated design. por-
trait like busts issuing from the laws
"i groteSquc monsters standing out
'apoh these halustradeS. and repeated n
regular intervals, formed their nrinci-
pal adornment
Notwithstanding the arduous toll,
under the fiery rays of tropical SIM
me examining of this stairway, in the
construction or which the ancient
ScuipiorS exhausted the resources of
their art. was 4 fascinating labor and
WAS performed under the constant
S,!muious of expectation, and the ey
cltenenJ or discovery. When tho In ct
,'hN work was done. and stood upon
me broken throne ut the base of tho
stairway. to take n last look at the
Nrche Oh my labors. so familiar had
grown with every feature Of tho nlocn
that il seemed to cost but lttIa erfnr,
ui the mind To roll aside the mist that
ma the past, and restore again the
shattered fabric. From nv pnsitfon T
could see the whole plaza. with It's
monuments and temple crowned pvr,-
mus. In front Of me the smootb
vr'irh'ad pavement stretched away
westward TO 4 range of terraces Ina.
bounds it in that direction. hut Icovns
unrestricted the view of the moun-
tainS beyond the valley. In other DAYS
the parting shafts Of the sun strurI,
me temple. and its fcuibtured walls
adorned with paint and Stucco, flashed
m the light, until the shadows. mount
1hE me throne and climbing the stair
way, shot above the highest tower ana
a moment the peaks stood dark and
sigahiic against tho dazzling sunset
hueS. crowned With glory: then mo
cHlorS iaG"i rapidly giving way to n
pale glow above The mountains, while
sudden darkness fell upon the valley.
Mnsing on the scene | was dlmiy
aware Of n long array OF shadows nro-
Jected from the past. Nor was it al
together fancy. This plaza has wit
nesGed many a scene of august pomn
and many gi!itcring pageant. Many
z priestly procession with solemn rites
has trod these scu!ptured stairs. and
here, doubtless. on many a day famous
IN the annals Of The nation, the
i'!uincd warriors Of Co, returning with
victorious banners. bowed before the
throne where their monarch sat in
state and proudly reviewed them as
they passed
Col. Emil Frey. formerly president
OF the Swiss republic and for five years
Swiss Minister to Washington, is nj
present direct0rin-chicf OF the inter
national telegraph system Of E,urope
a n In he