7. Represents the statue of Chac-Mool uncovered at the depth of 8
meters. At the sides are seen the frame-work "of trunks of trees of 2 to
2-1/2 inches in diameter, secured with vines." The inclined plane on
which it was drawn to the surface is visible, as are some of the ten
Indian laborers, in working costume.
8. The statue has now been drawn to the upper part of the inclined
plane. The ropes of habin bark are attached to the figure. Near the
sculptured slabs at the right, already shown in 3, 5 and 6, Mrs. Le
Plongeon appears seated.
9. Shows the capstan that served to raise the statue, the size of which
is apparent by comparison with the figure of the Indian near it.
10. Apparently the same locality as 4. The method of moving the statue
over the fragments of sculpture and other impediments is shown.
11. The size and appearance of the statue, "half as large again as the
natural size," is here distinctly pictured, together with Dr. Le
Plongeon standing in the rear of his discovery. The head-dress,
trappings and sandals are clearly defined.
12. The statue is seen on the rude wagon on which it had been
transported to Pisté, a distance of 3 or 4 miles. In the rear is seen
the stone church of Pisté, surmounted by a cross, described in
_Charnay's Cités et Ruines Américaines_, page 336, and by Dr. Le
Plongeon, in the _Mexican Memorial_. Nearly all the small towns have
similar Churches, built from the ruins of Indian buildings. It is
probable that some of the choicest works of art, too large to be easily
destroyed, were put out of sight in the construction of these edifices
by the fanatical conquerors of the 16th century.
NOTE. The numbers of the pictures do not agree with those in the
_Mexican Memorial_.]
It appears that Dr. Le Plongeon, on his arrival in Yucatan, in 1873,
first visited Uxmal, where he made explorations and took photographs. He
then prepared himself to undertake the more difficult and dangerous
visit to Chichen-Itza. While there, the discovery of the statue,
Chac-Mool, was made, and it was excavated in the manner described by the
discoverer in the last pages of the _Mexican Memorial_. Dr. Le Plongeon
had formed a design of sending the statue and certain bas-reliefs,
together with plans and photographs, to the Centennial Exhibition, and
had prepared these articles for removal, when a sudden revolution
occasioned the disarming of his Indian laborers, who for some time had
served for a protection, and all further operations were suspended, as
longer residence in that exposed region without arms was sheer madness.
It was at that time that Dr. Le Plongeon wrote the following Memorial to
the Mexican President, Senor Don Sebastian Lerdo de Tejada, which is
given nearly entire, as it makes a statement of his claims and wishes,
and contains very important information concerning the discovery of the
statue, and gives an idea of his method of exploration.
The account here given of experiences resulting in a discovery so
surprising, must interest even those sceptical in regard to the progress
in art of the American aborigines; and it must also be remembered that,
almost without exception, late as well as early travellers in this
region have become enthusiastic and imaginative when brought into
contact with these monuments of a measureless past,[63-*]--none of them
more so, perhaps, than Brasseur de Bourbourg, whose works nevertheless
contain a mine of most valuable information aside from hypotheses.
Accompanying the Memorial, a set of photographs, some of them similar to
those copied in heliotype, was sent to Mexico for the information of the
President, but the numbers in the last pages of that paper, referring to
the special set of photographs, do not correspond to the pictures
presented here, as there were no means of verifying the subjects, except
from the descriptions.
NOTE.--It will be observed that Dr. Le Plongeon's spelling of the
word _Chac-Mool_, differs from that adopted by the writer in
deference to prevailing usage in Yucatan. The discoverer always
spells the word _Chaacmol_, although in the long letter to the
writer, on the subject of Maya antiquities, introduced at the close
of this paper, the more usual spelling has been adopted by the
printer, contrary to the text of Dr. Le Plongeon.
MEMORIAL PRESENTED TO THE MEXICAN GOVERNMENT, AND AFTERWARDS
PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF YUCATAN, APRIL 19 AND 21,
1876.
_To the President of the Mexican Republic_,