their half-naked roots fifty, or a hundred feet around, binding down the ruins, and shading them with their branches. We sat down on the very edge of the wall, and strove, in vain, to penetrate the mystery by which we were surrounded. Who were the people that built this city? In the ruined cities of Egypt-even in the long lost Petra, the stranger knows the story of the people whose vestiges are around him. America, say historians, was peopled by savages; but savages never reared these structures; savages never carved these stones. We asked the Indians who made them, and their dull answer was, 'Quien sabe?' who knows? There were no associations connected with the place; none of those stirring recollections which hallow Rome, Athens, and

The world's great mistress on the Egyptian plain;'

but architecture, sculpture, and painting-all the arts which embellish life, had flourished in this overgrown forest; orators, warriors, and statesmen; beauty, ambition, and glory, had lived and passed away, and none knew that such things had been, or could tell of their past existence. Books, the records of knowledge, are silent on this theme. The city was desolate! No remnant of this race hangs round the ruins, with traditions handed down from father to son, and from generation to generation. It lay before us like a shattered bark in the midst of the ocean; her masts gone-her name effaced-her crew perished; and none to tell whence she came, to whom she belonged, how long on her voyage, or what caused her destruction; her lost people to be traced only by some fancied resemblance in the construction of the vessel, and perhaps never to be known at all. The place where we sat-was it a citadel, from which an unknown people had sounded the trumpet of war? or a temple for the worship of the God of peace? or did the inhabitants worship the idols made with their own hands, and offer sacrifices on the stones before them? All was mystery-dark, impenetrable mystery-and every circumstance increased it. In Egypt, the colossal skeletons of gigantic temples stand in the unwatered sands, in all the nakedness of desolation; here, an immense forest shrouded the ruins, hiding them from sight; heightening the impression and moral effect, and giving an intensity and almost wildness to the interest.

"The extent of this ruined city along the river, is more than two miles. There is one monument on the opposite side of the river, at the distance of a mile, on the top of a mountain two thousand feet high. Whether the city ever crossed the river, and extended to that monument, it is impossible to say. All the rear is an unexplored forest, in which there may be ruins. There are no remains of palaces or private buildings, and the principal part is that which stands on the bank of the river, and may, perhaps, with propriety, be called the temple.

"This temple is an oblong inclosure. The front, or river wall, extends on a right line north and south, six hundred and twenty-four feet,

and is from sixty to ninety feet in height. It is made of cut stones, from three to six feet in length, and a foot and a half in breadth. In many places the stones have been thrown down by bushes growing out of the crevices; and in one place there is a small opening, from which the ruins are sometimes called by the Indians, Las Ventanas, or the windows. The other three sides consist of ranges of steps, and pyramidal structures, rising from thirty to one hundred and forty feet on the slope. "Near the southwest corner of the river wall and the south wall, is a recess, which was probably once occupied by a colossal monument, fronting the water. Beyond are the remains of two small pyramidal structures, to the largest of which is attached a wall, running along the west bank of the river. This appears to have been a gateway, or principal entrance from the water. The south wall runs at right angles to the river, beginning with a range of steps about thirty feet high, and each step about eighteen inches square. At the southeast corner is a massive pyramidal structure, one hundred feet high on the slope. On the right, are other remains of terraces and pyramidal buildings; and here also was probably a gateway, by a passage about twenty feet wide, into a quadrangular area two hundred and fifty feet square, two sides of which are massive pyramids, one hundred and twenty feet high on the slope. "At the foot of these structures, and in different parts of the quadrangular area, are numerous remains of sculpture; among others a colossal monument richly sculptured, fallen and ruined. Behind it, fragments of sculpture thrown from their places by trees, are strewed and lying loose on the side of the pyramid, from the base to the top; and among them our attention was forcibly arrested by rows of death's-heads of gigantic proportions, still standing in their places about half-way up the side of the pyramid. The effect was extraordinary. Among the fragments lying on the ground near this place, is a remarkable portrait. It is probably the portrait of some king, chieftain, or sage. The mouth is injured, and part of the ornament over the wreath that crowns the head. The expression is noble and severe, and the whole character shows a close imitation of nature. Another column, or idol, stands with its face to the east, about six feet from the base of the pyramidal wall. It is thirteen feet in height, four feet in front, and three deep, sculptured on all four of its sides from the base to the top, and one of the richest and most elaborate specimens in the whole extent of the ruins. Originally it was painted, the marks of red color being still distinctly visible. Before it, at a distance of about eight feet, is a large block of sculptured stone, which the Indians call an altar. The subject of the front is a full-length figure, the face wanting beard, and of a feminine cast, though the dress seems that of a man. On the two sides are rows of hieroglyphics, which probably recite the history of this mysterious personage.

Near this is a remarkable altar, which presents as curious a subject of speculation as any monument in Copan. The altars, like the idols, are all of a single block of stone. In general, they are not so richly

ornamented, and are more faded and worn, or covered with moss; some were completely buried, and of others it was difficult to make out more than the form. All differed in fashion, and doubtless had some distinct and peculiar reference to the idols before which they stood. This stands on four globes, cut out of the same stone; the sculpture is in bas-relief, and it is the only specimen of that kind found at Copan, all the rest being in bold alto-relievo. It is six feet square, and four feet high, and the top is divided into thirty-six tablets of hieroglyphics, which, beyond doubt, record some event in the history of the mysterious people who once inhabited the city.

On the west side are the two principal personages, chiefs or warriors, with their faces opposite each other, and apparently engaged in argument, or negotiation. The other fourteen are divided into two equal parties, and seem to be following their leaders. Each of the two principal figures are seated, cross-legged, in the Oriental fashion, on a hieroglyphic, which probably designates his name and office, or character; and on three of which, the serpent forms a part. Between the two principal personages is a remarkable cartouche, containing two hieroglyphics well preserved, which remind us strongly of the Egyptian method of giving the names of the kings, or heroes, in whose honor monuments were erected. The head-dresses are remarkable for their curious and complicated form; the figures have all breastplates, and one of the two principal characters holds in his hand an instrument, which may, perhaps, be considered a sceptre; each of the others holds an object, which can be only a subject of speculation and conjecture. It may be a weapon of war, and if so, it is the only thing of the kind found represented at Copan. In other countries, battle scenes, warriors, and weapons of war, are among the most prominent subjects of sculpture; and from the entire absence of them here, there is reason to believe that the people were not warlike, but peaceable, and easily subdued.

Mr. Stephens, to whose "Incidents of travel in Central America," we again refer with great satisfaction, in speaking of the ruins of Quirigua, observes: "They ascended to the top of a pyramidal structure, about twenty-five feet, and descending by steps on the other side, at a short distance beyond came to a colossal head, two yards in diameter, almost buried by an enormous tree, and covered with moss. Near it was a large altar; proceeding three or four hundred yards to the north, they reached a collection of monuments of the same general character with those at Copan, but twice or three times as high.

"The first is about twenty feet high, five feet six inches on two sides, and two feet eight, on the other two. The front, represents the figure of a man, well preserved-the back, that of a woman, much defaced; the sides are covered with hieroglyphics, but in bas-relief, and of exactly the same style as those at Copan.

"Another is twenty-three feet out of the ground, with figures of men on the front and back, and hieroglyphics, in bas-relief, on the sides, and surrounded by a base, projecting fifteen or sixteen feet from it.

"At a short distance is an obelisk, or carved stone, twenty-six feet out of the ground, and probably six or eight feet under it. It is leaning twelve feet two inches out of the perpendicular, and seems ready to fall. The side toward the ground represents the figure of a man, very perfect, and finely sculptured-the other two contain hieroglyphics, in bas-relief. In size and sculpture, this is the finest of the whole.

"A statue, ten feet high, is lying on the ground, covered with moss and herbage; and another, about the same size of this, with its face upward. Others, of a similar kind, are found in the same vicinity.

"The general character of these ruins, is the same as at Copan; the monuments are much larger, but they are sculptured in relief, less rich in design, and more faded and worn, probably being of a much older date. "Of one thing there is no doubt: a large city once stood there. Its name is lost-its history unknown. For centuries it has lain as if covered with the lava of Vesuvius; every traveller from Yzabal to Guatimala has passed within three hours of it, and yet there it lay-like the rockbuilt city of Edom-unvisited, unsought, and unknown."

Mr. Stephens, in the work above referred to, after describing the ruins of Santa Cruz del Quichi, another city of Central America, evidently of modern date, observes: "We consider this place important, from the fact that its history is known, and its date is fixed. It was in its greatest splendor when Alvarado conquered it-it proves the character of the buildings which the Indians of that day constructed, and its ruins confirm the glowing accounts given by Cortez and his companions, of the splendor displayed in the edifices of Mexico. The point to which we directed our attention, was to discover some resemblance to the ruins of Copan and Quirigua; but we did not find statues, or carved figures, or hieroglyphics, nor could we learn that any had ever been found there. If there had been such evidences, we should have considered these remains the works of the same race of people; but in the absence of such evidences, we believed that Copan and Quirigua, were cities of another race, and of a much older date."

Of Palenque, another city in ruins, Mr. Stephens remarks: "The ruins of Palenque are the first which awakened attention to the existence of ancient and unknown cities in America, and on that account, are more interesting to the public than any other. The Indians, and the people of Palenque, say that they cover a space of sixty miles-ten times larger than New-York, and three times as large as London."

Of a building, supposed to be a palace, Mr. Stephens says: "It stands on an artificial elevation, of an oblong form, forty feet high, three hundred and ten feet in front and rear, and two hundred and sixty feet on each side. This elevation was paved with stone, which has been thrown down by the growth of trees, and its form is hardly distinguishable.

"The building stands with its face to the east, and measures two hundred and twenty-eight feet, by one hundred and eighty feet deep. Its height is not more than twenty-five feet, and all around, it had a broad

projecting cornice of stone. The front contained fourteen doorways, about nine feet wide each, and the intervening piers are between six and seven feet wide. On the left, in approaching the palace, eight of the piers have fallen down, as has also the corner on the right, and the terrace underneath is cumbered with ruins. But six piers remain entire,

and the rest of the front is open.

"The building was constructed of stone, with a mortar of lime and sand, and the whole front was covered with stucco, and painted. The piers were ornamented with spirited figures in bas-relief; on the top are three hieroglyphics, sunk in the stucco; it is inclosed by a richly ornamented border, about ten feet high, and six wide, of which only part remains. The principal personage stands in an upright position, and in profile. The head represents a different species from any now existing in that region of country, and indicates a race of people now lost and unknown. He holds in his hand a staff, or sceptre, and opposite his hands are the marks of these hieroglyphics, which have decayed or been broken off; at his feet are two naked figures, seated cross-legged, and apparently suppliants. The hieroglyphics doubtless tell its story. The stucco is of admirable consistency, and hard as stone. It was painted, and in different places about it we discovered the remains of red, blue, yellow, black, and white.

"The building has two parallel corridors, running lengthwise on all four of its sides. The floors are of a cement as hard as the best seen in the remains of Roman baths and cisterns. The walls are about ten feet high, and on each side of the principal entrance ornamented with medallions, of which the borders only remain. This, perhaps, contained the busts of the royal family.

"From the centre door a range of stone steps, thirty feet long, leads to a rectangular courtyard, eighty feet by seventy. On each side of the steps are grim and gigantic figures carved in stone, nine or ten feet high. This courtyard was encumbered with trees, so that we could hardly see across it, and so filled with rubbish, that we were obliged to make excavations of several feet before the figures could be drawn.

"Such is, in fact, only a description of the supposed palace of Palenque, from which the reader will form some idea of the profusion of its ornaments of their unique and striking character, and of their mournful effect, shrouded by trees; and perhaps, with him as with us, fancy will paint it as it was before the hand of time had swept over it-perfect in its amplitude and rich decorations, and occupied by the strange people, whose portraits and figures adorn its walls.

"Here," says Stephens, "were the remains of a cultivated, polished, and peculiar people, who have passed through all the stages incident to the rise and fall of nations-reached their golden age, and perished entirely unknown: the links which connected them with the human family were severed and lost, and those were the only memorials of their footsteps upon earth. We lived in the ruined palace of their kings, we went