Durango semi-weekly herald., 1906-04-05

shin of the man thus honored. AS tor
wealth, the Republic is fast nearing
the head, and it will not be long
when the country will be on solid
financial basis. This one thing can
be accredited to the Diaz administra-
ton and is popular with the business
and monled element.
In the national palace building Is
located the national museum. but we
leave this for another letter.
Mexico City, March IL.
the national museum occupies part
of the Palace block that was formerly
the mint. At the entrance are heavy
bronze doors under portal oil Cor
lnthian columns which admit the Wis.
itor to a charming patio in which may
be seen splendid specimens of the pc
culiar plants of Mexico. On either
side of the court n broad stone stair
way leads to the upper story OF the
museum which is devoted to the ma
tural history exhibit. The ground
tIauities Here the visitor will find
wonderful collection of prehistoric
remains. Among the most wonderful
things to be seen are the names OF
the parties commemorated. They
are as massive as the monOliths and
as dreadful to contemplate as the
Sacrifical stone. 1t is not necessary
for the visitor to pronounce any of
these names which are frightful For
gods and goddesses alike he may use
the universal name of what's his
name" and all will he well; they
don't understand English. As one en-
ters the first thing that greets the
vision Is the so-called Aztec calendar
stone, cast of which may also be
seen in the national museum at Wash
ington. The stone was first found
200 years ago, but buried again at
1t was discovered again-it had not
stirred probably-220 feet west of the
main entrance to the national palace.
Certainly it Is a wonderful thing. II
is an immense block of solid porphy
ry nearly IL feet square, about three
feet thick and weighs nearly 25 tons
On this block is engraved a disk more
than eleven and a half feet in diane.
Ter. In the center is carved the face
of man: some say 1t represents the
sun, others think he is the man of
the moon and the months. Around
hi Nt.N1g t,,
circles. 1t is now generally believed
that 1t had more to do with slaughter
than with seasons. Bandelier, the
highest authority, concludes that this
stone was sort of neither milestone
In the Aztec sacrifices. His words
are: at served as the base of the
smaller perforated stone to which the
victim was tied. and upon tne two
stones the gladatorial sacrifice was
performed"
the next object tnat was of most
interest was what is known as the
sacrifical stone, a cylinder OF porphy-
ny, two and three-quarters feet high,
eight and one half feet in diameter
and 27 feet in circumference 1t was
found near the southwest corner OF
the cathedral in 1891. Its surface
bears reliefs nearly an inch high. In
the center is a circular basin one and
nalf feet in diameter and six inches
deep. Around this are seven rings
bearing signs similar to those on the
calendar stone. Around the rims are
30 figures representing warriors hold
Ing men and women (supposod to be
victims for sacritice) by their hair.
The date of the stone is 1854 The
basin In the center Of the stone is
where were placed the hearts OF the
victims intended for sacrifice and to
keep the basin from Overlooking with
blood is little drainage canal about
two Inches deep and the same in
width extending to the edge OF the
stone. AS we gaZed at the stone IL
was possible to imagine the savage
race shouting and yelling as they
drew forth the blood of the victims
who had been selected TO appease the
wrath of the gods, many OF whom are
exhibited about the room, the prin-
cipe one being that of the idol HUT
zilopochtiih BeXIti. the chief god of
Mexico. II is two.faced, as well as
two-named. image In porphyry,
nearly nine feet high. 1t is n massive |
affair and one that evidently inspired
awe In the savage race. There are
dozens of gods Of various sizes. |
among them Chas-Mool tgod OF hre) |
represented by two figures. AS one
studies the sun-dial, sacrifcal stone
and gods. the immense size and
weight the thought comes that the
race must have been energetic and
possessed OF means of moving stones
of great weight, means that have tax
I'd the ingenuity OF modern times to
put In place.
Going to another department one
Encounters relics Of Hidalgo-his
his cane. a portrait OF Cor
ez, the helmet of Alvarado, the car
'lage and silver service Of Maximil-