Lower coast gazette., 1913-10-25
Rediscoyering a Dead
Nation.

Nation.
It has long been known that the
great ruins in Mexico were built by a
mysterious race that inhabited the
land long before the Aztecs, or their
conquerors, the Spaniards. When Cor
tez and his priests burned the Aztec
library, they destroyed, 1t has been
supposed, the last record Of the forgot
ten race. According to the New York
Tribune, however, Prof. Ramon Mena
has recently discovered a key to the
secret that enables him to reveal much
of the history of this strange people.
Most of the great ruins of Mexico
are covered with inscriptions and carv-
lngs that were until recently totally
undecipherable. One day, while ex-
ploring the ruins of Xochicalco, Pro
lessor Mena discovered a stone that
bore a double carving. Onrone size
was the original, done by the men
who built the temple; on the other
side, cut by some Aztec priest, VAS a
translation Of this carving in the pic.
ture-writing of the Nahuatl tongue Of
he Aztecs, d language partly known
Today. Working with this key, Pro.
lessor Mena has been able to declpher
the carvings that adorn the walls of
The ruins.
The facts that he gathered are brief.
ly these: About five thousand years
ago a race, light of skin, prominent OF
nose, high Of forehead, and numbering
at least 100000, 900 people. dwelt in
AlgsY{ttebs 1kasestafirnssrea fcitiesss
Militia, PalenQue, ~Chichen-Itza, one of
unknown name on the Gulf of Cali.
fornia, and Xochicalco. From the name
Of the last, which means .'Ihe House
Of the Yellow King" it appears that
this was the capital Of the empire.
The carvings revealed, too, the story
Of a young man of unknown origin
who possessed a thorough knowledge
OF building. He Travelled through Mex.
leo, teaching the builders art and SUI
pervising in each city the building Of a
temple. Then he disappeared, saying
ne would return to teach them more
after they had thoroughly mastered
the art Of masonry. He was called
Quetzalccatl, on account of the mark
of a feathered serpent that he carved
on every stone of every temple. This
signature is significant in that it
proves that all these scattered ruins;
were built by the same tribe and de.
signed by the same master mind.
The memory Of Quetzalcoatl and his
promise to return still survived among
the Aztecs in the sixteenh century, for
when Cortez landed with his troops,
the fair-skinned Spaniard was hailed
as the lost leader of the forgotten
tribe. Cortez, by. his cruelty, quickly
disillusioned them.
In the Nahuatl tongue the name of
the dead race was Quiche, but it is not
known what they called themselves in
their own language. No more is It
known whence this tribe came. On the
walls of Xochicalco, Quetzalcoatl has
left a portrait of himself. The face is
strong and fearless, the brow high and
the eyes r turned toward the west.
Other figures appear that seem to DC
Buddhas, yet they wear on their heads
the curving horns that are usually as
ISOLATED in the Orient with images OF
Vishnu. Everything points, as far as
the. carving can reveal, to the Oriental
origin Of the architect IL not or the
race itself.
What become of the Clutches is as
puzzling as their origin. There is some
evidence that the downfall began with
the departure of the mysterious Quet-
zalcoatl. 1t is certain that war did not
end the nations existence, for no
bones of defending armies are found
about the ruins. On the other hand.
a large humber of bones found in the
crumbling houses suggest that pesti.
lence may have been the destroyer.
There are traces in the ruins, too, of
earthquakes and of floods.
Another thing that puzzles Profess
sor Mena is the manner in which these
people moved huge blocks OF stone
and hoisted them up to the high walls.
1t is forty.fiye miles from xochicalco
to the nearest quarry, and many OF
these blocks weight over ten tons. AS
yet, no traces Of machinery have been
found.
NO TIME FOR PLAY.
Ten year-old William came home
one day in a regrettable state of disor-
der and a somewhat bruised face.
20 Willie! Willie!" exclaimed his
mother, shocked and grieved. "You
have disobeyed me again! How often
have l told you not to play with that