KUINS OF PALENQUE. 



Peesonal Nakf.ative. 



Peofitixg by my experience at Chicken Itza in 1889 I prefaced the expedition to 

 Palenque in 1890-91 by a visit to the city of Mexico, where the English Minister, 

 Sir Spencer St. John, gave me the kindest assistance in obtaining from Sehor Mariscal, 

 the Minister of Foreign Affairs, a letter of introduction to the Governor of the State of 

 Chiapas, as well as a general letter of recommendation addressed to all local officers. 



Thus equipped I started for Palenque, crossing the Gulf from the port of Vera Cruz 

 to Progreso in Yucatan, and thence travelling in a small coasting-steamer to the port 

 of Laguna. Here the usual delays commenced ; the arrival of my heavy baggage was 

 delayed by storms in the Gulf, and when it did arrive, although the Federal Govern- 

 ment had given orders that everything should be passed through the Custom House 

 free of duty, the Customs officials found it necessary to open every package, weigh the 

 contents, and make out elaborate lists — much more, I believe, to satisfy their own 

 curiosity than, as they stated, to ensure the unquestioned passage of my baggage into 

 the neighbouring State of Chiapas. There was then a further delay before arrange- 

 ments could be concluded for the hire of a small steamer to convey us and our baggage 

 across the Laguna del Carmen and up the River Usumacinta as far as the village of 

 Monte Cristo. At Laguna I was joined by Mr. Hugh Price, who had come out from 

 England as a volunteer to join the expedition and undertake the work of surveying 

 the ruins. We had also an addition to our party in M. Ludovic Chambon, a young 

 Frenchman on a tour through Mexico, who was desirous to see something of its 

 antiquities. 



The passage from Laguna to Monte Cristo should have taken about thirty-six hours, 

 but, what with running on sandbanks and the breakdown of machinery, it took us 

 three days and two nights. The mouths of the Usumacinta are unrivalled in Central 

 America in the size of their alligators and the number and ferocity of their mosquitos, 

 and at the narrow entrance of the river we stuck fast with a falling tide and passed 



biol. cente.-amee., ArchsEol., Vol. IV., April 1896. b 



