OBSTACLES TO EXPLORATION. 305 



ered by a dense forest of gigantic trees, with a growth 

 of brush and underwood unknown in the wooded des- 

 erts of our own country, and impenetrable in any direc- 

 tion except by cutting a way with a machete. What 

 lies buried in that forest it is impossible to «say of my 

 own knowledge ; without a guide, we might have gone 

 within a hundred feet of all the buildings without dis- 

 covering one of them. 



Captain Del Rio, the first explorer, with men and 

 means at command, states in his report, that in the ex- 

 ecution of his commission he cut down and burned all 

 the woods ; he does not say how far, but, judging from 

 the breaches and excavations made in the interior of the 

 buildings, probably for miles around. Captain Dupaix, 

 acting under a royal commission, and with all the re- 

 sources such a commission would give, did not discover 

 any more buildings than those mentioned by Del Rio, 

 and we saw only the same ; but, having the benefit of 

 them as guides, at least of Del Rio (for at that time we 

 had not seen Dupaix' s work), we of course saw things 

 which escaped their observation, just as those who come 

 after us will see what escaped ours. This place, howev- 

 er, was the principal object of our expedition, and it was 

 our wish and intention to make a thorough exploration. 

 Respect for my official character, the special tenour of 

 my passport, and letters from Mexican authorities, gave 

 me every facility. The prefect assumed that I was sent 

 by my government expressly to explore the ruins ; and 

 every person in Palenque except our friend the alcalde, 

 and even he as much as the perversity of his disposi- 

 tion would permit, was disposed to assist us. But there 

 were accidental difficulties which were insuperable. 

 First, it was the rainy season. This, under any circum- 

 stances, would have made it difficult ; but as the rains 



Vol. II.— Q, Q 



