Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1939-06-29
Page Three

/ four sides, making the sum of them
all 364, and the landing makes 365.
the number of days in the year The
year, the months, the zodiac signs
are worked into these structures,
and are found many times.
We were at the Civic Center Of
what was once a densely populated
city. The estimate is quarter Of
a million people, 1000 years ago.
Beyond this Center they lived in
wooden shacks for miles, huts JUST
as they have now. But the thou
sands of these huts (bohios) have
utterly perished with the beings
who built them. But now look
around you A dozen grey and hoary
limestone structures are in view
There are temples, towers, colon
nades, with great variety in shape.
and diversity in outline. This plot
of As acres has been elevated, by
human hands, to a common level
some DO feet For quarter of a.
mile an elevated causeway runs
straight to the sacred lake.
You are told the story of human
sacrifice. A million people are starv.
ing. Corn need rain Something
must be done. The Rain-god must
be appeased in time of drought.
Kukulkan, the raingod is calling
for a bride in his cool dwelling
place the lake. The most beautiful
maiden is clad in white Priests
are ready to perform ceremonies,
and 100000 supplicants gather from
many adjacent cities and tribes.
Celebrants are robed in gorgeous
colors, and up the high steps to the
temple they climb, for the rites that
will wed Kukulkan to the gaily
decked bride. Then the procession
moves down the sacred way to the
sacred lake. At a small temple at
the edge of the lake, the rite is
completed, the girl is tossed into
the green waters. The wedding is
over.
I ascended the steep stairs with
emperor, priests and mobiles. I took
part in rites Of baptism and incense.
Descending I joined In the pomp
and procession, along the causeway
lined with awe-stricken thousands.
l stood by the little victim, while
she drew her last breath, and took
her last look encircled by the multi
tudes, and witnessed the quick de-
scent that made her one with the
rain-god To her it was a voluntary
offering, the noblest she could ever
make for her people, the highest
honor that could ever come to her,
and she rejoiced while others wept.
My vision ended, I looked around.....
1t was glorious tropic after
noon Birds were singing. Kindly
nature smiled. She had not forgot
ten the little maiden-maiden'
hair fern grew were last her inno-
cent feet had pressed-ivy clothed
the brink of the fearful abyss Ed
ward Thompson dredged the lake,
found 90 skeletons, and many Offer
ings of silver and gold. They point
ed out the spot where the living
plunged, to climb again
with aid of ropes, friends, and a cer-
tain tree.
Back at the Temple, with fash
light we made a perilous climb of 90
feet within to a secret chamber. We
saw an alarming sight. The light
flashed on a red leopard, made with
shining eyes of cleaning jade, look
ing straight at us. The spots on the
body and tail numbered 10 or so,
and they were of the same green
gems, sparkling under the flash
light. This jaguar, emblem of the
nation, had been the throne of the
emperor. Startling too are the SER
pents which frame the stairway, ono
head on each side, the body the bal
ustrade, the rattles standing
above the temple. This
unique idea is worked out in all
the buildings. Some one said "If
we only knew what it is all about!"
Well, every day we are finding out
more and more what il is all about.
H. Scott.