Durango semi-weekly herald., 1906-04-09
ANCIENT RUNS OF MEXICO.
Cnerravaca. Mexieo. Mnrca 10.


When we left Mexico City 1t was
with tae Intention of spending only
one das at cuernavaca, but we found
the surroundings 20 dclightful that
We are n0w on our fourth day and
have Just returned from the market.
which is especially interesting today.
owing to the fact that the place 10
filed with men. women and children
who have come from the surrounding
country, towns as well, for a distance
of 20 to 50 miles. with their wares,
vegetables. etc. to sell. The new
comcrs not only occupy All the vacant
space In the market bat have their
wares spread out on side streets and
are ready to drive bargains with the
natives as well as visiting Americans
Rut there is a limit to ones carrying
capacity. hence bargains, are passed
NJ and we are now writing and walt
ing for the hour dial to mark twelve.
when full justice Will be done tne
meals served at the La Veil Vista.
Had we the time we would like 10
visit some of the mammoih caves on
this side OF the slope as they are said
to be remarkable in many ways, but
being unable to do so we obtain much
data and give same for benefit OF Her
aid readers who may be interested, or
some day visit this section and de-
eide TO see them.
In our last letter we referred to the
ancient Aztec ruins, but the most In
teresting parts, perhaps, of these an
cient monuments are those below the
surface OF the ground. The most I'M
portant are three, also the cave OF
Amates, which Is situated near lit
Tie stream at the foot of the southern
slope of the mill; about 1870 meters
from the western sido OF the monu-
ment Is the first cavern, entirely ex-
cavated in the limestone rock that
forms the hill. Tho entrance, whose
sides are straight, not arched, is LIS
meters high and l.30 meters wide. 1t
gives entrance to gallery two me
ters wide and 10 long. running north
and south; after the first eight me
ters 1t rises rapidly. Here some steps
were cut at the time of the visit OF
the ill-mtcd Curlotta, to aid her in
the exploration OF these subterranean
passages At The end OF the rise on
the rleht-hand side one enters an
apartment hyc meters square, whose
walls are plastered with yellowish
greasy mortar, the roof arched and
three motors in height and two me
ters 50 centimeters In width, that
slowly contracts to 80 centlmeters
and ends In an opening that is closed
by two large rocks chiselcd TO face.
This passage Is called 1.-The Chin
ney." Returning towards the en-
trance. at sE motors distant from
which. on tN riehthand side, there
Is an arch, whore a very narrow pas
sage begins from northwest to south
east, nine meters long and one wide,
with very irregular roof. in places
not over 10 ccntimeters in height.
Passing this gallery one enters an.
other. three meters high. two wide
and II long, continuing in the same
direction. that terminates in small
cave curving from east TO west, and
serves as an entrance to a saloon 26
meters long, nine wide and two meters
so centiineters high. whose greatest
length is fro msouthwest to north
east. Tho isof Of this saloon is al
most flnt aud Is sustained by four pill
lars two meters and half hign. of
cut stone, united by a yellowish soft
and greasy mortar. In an angle OF
this saloon is another chimney or
ventllating hole two meters In diam
eter at the base. decreasing in size to
80 oentimeters terminating in a tube
of cut stone whose extremity is lost
In darkness. The Tetlama Indians
say that on certain days of the year
the sun shines into this chamber
through the tube, and for this reason
they have given 1t the name of "Tne
Grotto of the Sun"
1t is said that the walls of these
srottos and passages were formerly
tinted red, but If so the coloring mat
ter is entirely gone. In the few
places whore the stucco is preserved
the color is yellowish black.
There mas never been thorough
and complete investigation made OF
these ruins. as explorers have beer
content to 20 as far as they could
with little trouble and no risk. and
it Is probable that the enterprislnp
and perseverlng archaeologist who
makes a thorough exploration of these
passages win unearth what Will throw
additional light on tae history of the
pre-spaniah inhabitants Of Spanisl
America.
After an exploration OF these gal
lcrles and an examination OF the
sculpturcd masses Of rock, one won
ders who and why and when and how
No Iron or powder were available
whom they were built: the mechanical
arts wero IN their infancy They
must have been persevoring old art
ists-the chaps that cut these rocks
and dug these holes, on par with
the race that occupied the cliffs In
the Manoos canon
There arc caves in other parts OF
the world smail ones. There are