PLAN OF THE RUINS. 



337 



CHAPTER XX. 



Plan of the Ruins.— Pyramidal Structure.— A Building.— Stucco Ornaments.— 

 Human Figures. — Tablets. — Remarkable Hieroglyphics. — Range of Pillars.— 

 Stone Terrace. — Another Building. — A large Tablet. — A Cross. — Conjectures 

 in regard to this Cross. — Beautiful Sculpture. — A Platform. — Curious De- 

 vices. — A Statue. — Another Pyramidal Structure, surmounted by a Building. — 

 Corridors. — A curious Bas-relief. — Stone Tablets, with Figures in Bas-relief. — 

 Tablets and Figures. — The Oratorio.— More Pyramidal Structures and Build- 

 ings.— Extent of the Ruins. — These Ruins the Remains of a polished and pe- 

 culiar People. — Antiquity of Palenque. 



The plan opposite indicates the position of all the 

 buildings which have been discovered at Palenque. 

 There are remains of others in the same vicinity, but 

 so utterly dilapidated that we have not thought it worth 

 while to give any description of them, nor even to in- 

 dicate their places on the plan. 



From the palace no other building is visible. Passing 

 out by what is called the subterraneous passage, you de- 

 scend the southwest corner of the terrace, and at the foot 

 immediately commence ascending a ruined pyramidal 

 structure, which appears once to have had steps on all its 

 sides. These steps have been thrown down by the trees, 

 and it is necessary to clamber over stones, aiding the feet 

 by clinging to the branches. The ascent is so steep, 

 that if the first man displaces a stone it bounds down 

 the side of the pyramid, and wo to those behind. About 

 half way up, through openings in the trees, is seen the 



Vol. II. — U u 29 



