ar on the side
of the opening through which the statue is seen emerging. The slabs are
elaborately wrought, and represent, the one a tiger holding something in
his paw, and the other a bird of prey, with talons similarly employed.

During the early portion of his residence and explorations at
Chichen-Itza, Dr. Le Plongeon was assisted by Government troops, who
acted as a guard against hostile Indians--_sublivados_[59-*]--as these
ruins lie outside the limits of territory considered safe for
occupation; and though this protection was soon withdrawn, and the
discoverer was obliged to rely solely upon arms furnished to his
laborers, still he was not disheartened by the dangers of his
undertaking, nor dissuaded by the appeals of his friends from
persevering in his labors.

The first object discovered at this place, as will be learned from the
_Mexican Memorial_, was a long stone, half interred among the others,
which proved to be the base of a sculptured reclining tiger, of much
the same size, proportions and execution as the statue of Chac-Mool, as
is apparent from a photograph of the tiger in the general collection.
The head, of human form, which was wanting, was afterwards found at some
distance, in a pile of carved stones. The next objects that appeared
were the bas-reliefs, presumably those pictured in 3, 5, 6 and 8. The
mound of stones where the excavation was made was, according to Dr. Le
Plongeon, the pedestal that supported the effigy of the tiger. Work was
commenced at the top of the heap of stones, which were rudely thrown
together, rendering the labor difficult and dangerous. An excavation was
made measuring 7 meters in depth, which was protected by a trestle-work,
and at this depth a rough calcareous stone urn was secured which
contained a little dust, and upon it a coarse earthen cover. This was
near the head of the statue, which then appeared. The work of liberating
the statue required a deepening of the trench 1-1/2 meters more. A
picture in heliotype copied from a series of six photographs, showing
the various positions assumed by the figure during the process of
excavation, can be consulted upon the second page following. This work
of art was raised by Dr. Le Plongeon, with the assistance of his wife
and ten Indian laborers, by his own ingenuity, and without other
engineering apparatus than he had contrived from the trees and vines,
making use also of the bark, from which he constructed ropes. Dr. Le
Plo