THE TEMPLE OF THE JAGUARS 



277 



The element of real clanger was furnished by the disintegrating wall 

 material and the loose stones of the grouting. These stone fragments were 

 some of them quite large and had been placed by the ancient builders in the 

 plastic mass of grouting much like the nodules in the pudding stone. The 



softer mortar wearing 

 away with the erosion 

 of the centuries has left 

 the stones outcropping, 

 at times falling of their 

 own weight and always 

 a constant factor of dan- 

 ger to those working be- 

 neath them. Then too 

 the high winds and rain 

 storms that prevailed 

 at this season, while 

 they aided the growing 

 crops and made the lux- 

 uriant vegetation, also 

 increased the difficul- 

 ties of the undertaking 

 in hand. Once we had 

 the work on the north- 

 ern facade all done, and 

 well done it was too. 

 The long sections were 

 duly marked and noted, 

 nothing remained but 

 the hot sun to do its 

 part in drying and 

 hardening the plastic 

 paper surface. Even 

 while we were looking 

 at it with tired backs 

 but satisfied hearts, 

 black cloud heads ap- 

 peared in the east, they 

 rose rapidly and hid the 

 sun. We at once put 

 the heavy tarpaulins 

 over the molded sur- 

 faces fixing them in 

 place by the iron force- 



Making the molds in a temperature of 130° F. was no 

 easy task. The photograph shows the mold of the head 

 completed. t The serpent tail capital weighs nearly three 

 tons 



