Evening star., 1926-11-21
MAYA Tomb Forced to Hang Head Downward on Rope

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the ropes and we all nodded our heads
approvingly. ,4
the lamp. was pure-white vessel,
which had fallen apart. and from It
streamed cleaning. shining objects.
We landed as carefully az though
stepping on a mound of eggs BEFORE
taking our feet from the rooses we
called to the men above TO make the
ropes fast and to be ready Tor our
signals.
Leaving the lantern standirg as II
was and no longer troubled py al
currents, we lit our candies. Inrecuy
in the center of the pit was large
mound and crowning twas the white
vase, made of translucent material
like alabaster, carved from solid
block and engraved with leaf design
in highly coffvertionalized meanders,
combined with geometrical designs
around the rim and. sides. It was
broken into several pisces, but these
were large, and the whole, was quickly
and easily fitted together into the
original shape.
about a, quart. contained quantity
of exquisite Jade beads and pendants.
a large plaque with surfaces richly
carvd and representing conventional
lied human figures with religious re-
gala. a poIished jade globe over an
inch in diameter and shining clear IN
spite OF the ages OF dust. oblong pend
ants. and thin, minutely carved ear
ornaments. This was but tenth OF
what the vessel had once held. the
rest we found later in the heaped-up
material beneath it.
50
At a signal anxiously exected. the
other men came swirling down
the ropes like firemen sliding down a
brass pole to answer an alarm. Then
we all went to work. Each Of the men
had had long experience in similar
labors under my. supervision. occa-
sionally was heard swift intake OF
breath and a man would hold UP some
Interesting flnd and then settle Rack
to his task. While they worked 1
made notes. numbered the specimens
and helped to pack them In the safety
boxes.
Thus the work went on. Occasion
ally we had to stop to kill q tzeentuin,
q big, fat, crablike spider. Tzeentum
spiders can give an ugly sting. pro.
ducing fever hard 10 subdue. an1
at Ilkn6S Lney ScEht W 0WttA So
hidden crevices. BY reason OF tneir
fat bodies and quick movements Kill
ing them is not always easy.
We found temple vases. incense
burners. tripod vessels. cylindrfcat
urns. some of which were perfect,
others raarred and many broken. We
obtained FRAGMENTS OF large, hards
baked earthen vessels OF complicated
design. Unbroken. these must have
been at least 36 inches high. We &c.
cured also chipped fiints OF nne work
manship and OF unknown use.
All these and many other nnds
came to US from this mound, and
after 1t had been gone over carefully
| by hand and had then been screened.
we decided we had left nothing OF
value. and as with one mind we be-
gan to think OF supper. Pedro
swarnled up one of the ropes hand
over hand, followed by his brother.
and they hoisted the specimen cases
and tools. The rest of the workers
followed one by one.
I was the last to leave the mysteri-
Gus burial chamber. which seemed to
name itself by occult suggestion The
Sepulcher of the High Priest. And
as I left its dark depths behind me
the mysterious atmosphere7which no
one. probably, will ever be able to
ldissipate-seemed to cling to me.
When we arrived at. the top Of the
'sduare.walled shaft 1t was IL o'clock
al. night, and all the people OF the
plantation were there. Anxiously
awaiting us. The families OF the men
who .accornpanied me were in hys.
terical state.
Ropes had been brought and an
attempt was about to be made at our
rescue With our specimen cases held
aloft and in the midst of a rejoicing
crowd, we returned to the plantation
house, and soon. the noise died away
and we all slept.
fCopyrirht 1921