Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-03

OF their property and others came to work
Tor them, or occupy half ruined houses,
winch belonged to one, and others dug
Tor treasure. OF these latter it is said that
there We're fortunate ones, and there are
Well to do families pointed out whose
'alhers We're poor; and where else could
!hey nave attained their easy circumst ances
Is asked but by discovery of some hidden
treasure. Thus the city exists today bear
ing the characteristic name the Old One
counting a population of 5000 souls where
formerly there lived between fifty and
hundred thousand. The land about is fer
tile and there are legends of mines rich in
gold and silver that were worked. Numer-
Gus little Indian villages which supplied
the old city. with its labor are on all sides
OF it. Some thirty ruined churches, con-
vents and monasteries, some in heaps some
almost intact, occupied by pigs instead of
priests. still attest to the greatness of the
city before its destruction
TO the explorer and sightseer the place
Is a veritable city of entertainments. Ruins
That lie now as they lay when the final
shock sent the people rushing forth to the
refuge of the forests tempt one to wander
through the dark passages and into YER
dure-choked vaults. The roCfless cathedral
faces the great plaza and running at right
angles to 1t on the left Is the old palace of
the viceroy which was restored ten years
ago by President Barillas, who made
movement to rebuild portions of the city.
Inc facade of this splendid edifice consists
OF two-storied row Of arches supported
upon solid stone columns of great thickness
and still in the center above are the ar
mortal bearings granted by the Emperor
Charles V to the loyal and noble city The
plaza which it fronts is large enough for the
review OF great army. There is a great
FOUNTAIN In the center, and in a corner be-
yond 1t Is thriving little spot freouented
by Indians, merchants and market women
come from the coast below and from the
cold heights above, to barter and sell their
wares, fruits and vegetables.
Exploring the Ruins.
On the occasion Of a recent visit my at
tention was attracted to a walled inclosure
covering a space equal about to one of orr
city squares. Climbing over a broken mart
Of the wall into the Enclosure found the
place covered with ruins, flowers, wild
vines and debris. In the far corner stood
the walls of an old church, the doors and
windows blocked up with stones and to the
right was a rambling wing like structure
with an entrance from the street occupied
as stable. Near the center of the in
closure was round tower-like structure
resembling somewhat an old-fashioned fort
without the embrasures. By placing stones
and timber against the outside of this
curious old structure, and with the aid of
the trees and vines growing out Of the
crevices, pulled myself to the top and was
surprised to find the tower contained four
teen little cells arranged in circle all
opening into a circular court with the ex-
ception OF one which was bricked up. The
cells were all the same size, about eight
feet in depth, and were connected by
mysterious subterranean passage only large
enough to admit the passage, Of a good
sized boy.
Connecting this strange place with the
wing occupied as stable was a long pas
sage mostly ruin. At the end of this was a
hole in the wall through which thrusting
my head looked down upon the horses
III the stable. There was a youth there,
bright eyed and alert. who readily con-
scented to show me some of the ruins which
he said was the fOrms~ monastery of tn.
Capuch!n monks. 1 asked him what the
tower-like structure was for and shaking
his head obviously. he answered:
The Torture Chamber.
"Quien sabe senior, what the friars used
those cells for? Something not good to
speak Of" and leading me to a gloomy pas
sage between great walls he pointed to two
cavities facing each other, from each of
which he said had been removed a skeleton
Of some unfortunate who had been walled
in alive. He then led the way to what he
| said was the torture chamber 1t was down
an incline beneath the round structure with
| the cells which had first attracted my at
tention. There was an entrance which had
been sealed up with cobble stones and in
! turn 1t had been opened by pulling the
stones out sufficiently to leave a hole ad-
hitting human body. I scrambled in the
| dim light over loose stones. bricks and
debris, and at the end of the passage land
| ed upon a hard pavement. As my ewes
became accustomed to the gloom I found
| that we were in a subterranean chamber
| corresponding in shape and size to the
| round structure above. A massive central
pillar of stone supported the roof of the
| vaulted chamber and three or four oval
] chute-like apertures choked with weeds ad-
mitted most unhallowed light.
This was what my guide called the tor
| ture chamber, and a more dismal hole for
/ the devil himself to carry on his diabolical
piottings could scarcely be imagined. The