The Ruins Of Palenque.

THE RUINS OF PALENQUE .

MF . MALER describes m the French La Nature some important results o obtained by him in a recent visit to the famous Mexican ruins of Palenqne . Taking the Palace of Kings for his point of departure , he made excursions in all directions . He came upon innumerable heaps of stone , the last remains of once solid monuments . He found hundreds of houses , partly standing , partly demolished ; small bridges ; aqueducts in which , even now , the water flows so fresh and pure that M . Maler ancl his companions could not help

taking a drink of it . The number of temples ancl palaces still standing on their pyramidal base , more or less great , is ( counting the large Palace of the Kings with its tower as a single edifice ) exactly a dozen . The result of M . Maler ' s researches relative to the great extent of the ruined city , especially in a east and west direction , is quite in accordance with the accounts of the oldest explorers . He only disagrees with those modern explorers who , having only visited the buildings situate close to the Royal Palace without penetrating

further into the almost impenetrable forest , have cast doubts upon the abundance of the ruins . M . Maler describes in detail one of his new discoveries •—a temple hitherto ignored , which contains in its sanctuary a mysterious sculpture with a figure of a cross , affording much food for thought to American archaeologists . To give an idea of the incredible thickness of the forests in these wild places , M . Maler states that the new temple is at no great distance from the centre of the ruins , being quite close to the Temple of the Cross

( known long ago ) ancl the Temple of the Trophy . These three temples are situated at a short distance from the Royal Palace , towards the south-westthat is , in the direction of the Cerro Alto del Palenqne , with their facades towards a little triangular space , of which they occupy the three angles . They are built on an almost identical plan , which may be called the typical plan of the temples of Palenqne . Bach of them is raised on a pyramid , which , in the case of each of the temples already known , is detached on all sides , while in

the case of the newly found one , it rests against the slope of the Cerro Alto . The distance of one temple from the other did not appear to exceed 150 metres , and of the commencement of one pyramid from another not 50 metres . On the platform of the pyramid , at a length of , perhaps , 40 metres , rises the newlyfound temple , which , from its base to the verge of the stone roof , does not excead a height of eight metres . It is built entirel y of calcareous ashlars , dressed along the edges . The facadeor external part of the vestibuleonce

, , formed , like the two neighbouring temples , by four pillars which support the stone roof , has , unfortunately , already yielded , to the sad work of vegetation , which , is to be regretted , as the pillars were generally ornamented with superb figures in stucco richly painted . The bottom of the sanctuary , in the central chamber , is adorned with sculptures , the most curiousatPalenque . They are

executed on three slabs of calcareous stone , of one metre 81 centimetres in height , by two metres 89 centimetres in total breadth . The two pillars which support the vaults of the sanctuary were formerly , as in the other temples , decorated with scul ptured figures on large slabs of calcareous stone , which unf ortiinately have disappeared . Some fragments of these figures , representing richlyvestured personages , still lie on the threshold . The sculpture at the bottom of the sanctuary is still perfectly preserved and quite visible , notwithstanding its feeble relief . On a species of pedestal rises a cross , of a design even more striking than that of the neighbouring temple so well known . The cross is surmounted by a strange head , bearing on its neck a collar with a medallion .