"I set out with the proposition that they are not Cyclopean, and do not resemble the works of Greek or Roman."
We admit the negative to the first and last proposition, but not to the second,—for the sculpture at Uxmal is not only as fine, but distinctly of a Grecian character: the meander, or square running border, is essentially Grecian; and even his own description,—viz., "Composition of leaves and flowers, and the ornaments known everywhere as grecques." Here is the distinct phrase of his own selection, brought as evidence against his conclusion on the second proposition.
The engravings in Waldeck's folio work of the same Ruins, substantiate every description by Stephens, as being correct: the whole façades have, to the eye, an appearance in regard to the character of the ornaments, which compels the looker-on to exclaim, "Grecian knowledge has been there!"
"There is nothing in Europe like them. [the Ruins] We must then look to Asia or Africa. It has been supposed that at different periods of time, vessels from Japan and China have been thrown Upon the Western coast of America. [i. e. on the Pacific Ocean] The civilization, cultivation, and science of those countries are known to date back from a very early antiquity."
The latter sentence does not admit of question; but that the Chinese or Japanese possessed navigation, with "its means and appliances," at a period to meet these Ruins, or to cover "a very early antiquity," cannot for a moment be sustained by history or even tradition.
Mr. Stephens does not claim China and Japan as the nations building these Cities, but rejects them upon the ground of Architectural comparison. We instantly join in this decision, and to it add the impossibility from the want of navigable means; but, says the Traveller, the supposition is, that they (the vessels) were "thrown upon the Western coast of America," and thereby expressing that the arrival of those vessels was accidental. We will prove the impossibility of this,—for any vessel in the North Pacific Ocean, having left China or Japan, and becoming unmanageable from loss of rudder, the prevailing East-wind would not only prevent the vessel from reaching the Western coast of America, but actually would drive the ship BACK to China or Japan! This last sentence is not given to refute Mr. Stephens, but those writers who may have (as he states) even "supposed" the possibility of vessels being accidentally "thrown upon the Western coast of America." Nature would prevent it. This celebrated "East-wind" we shall have occasion to analyze and explain, in the investigation of the first voyage around the Continent of Africa by the Tyrians. In the Pacific Ocean the East wind would prevent accidental arrival on the shores of the Western Continent; but in the Atlantic Ocean the same wind would aid and expedite such an arrival, which, however, would be upon the Eastern, and not the Western coast of America!
"The monuments of India have been made familiar to us. The remains of Hindu architecture exhibit immense excavations in the rock, either entirely artificial, or made by enlarging natural caverns, supported in front by large columns cut out of the rock, with a dark gloomy interior. Among all these American Ruins there is not a single excavation. The surface of the country abounding in mountain sides, seems to invite it; but, instead of being under ground, the striking feature of these Ruins is, that the buildings stand on lofty artificial elevations; and it can hardly be supposed that a people emigrating to a new country, with that strong natural impulse to perpetuate, and retain under their eyes memorials of home, would have gone so directly counter to National and Religious associations."
The reasoning in the latter part of the foregone extract, is founded upon Nature, and therefore just,—it cannot be shaken,—it cannot be even assaulted;—we claim this admission, however, for our own position also, when in the next chapter we bring forward the "memorials of home," and the "national and religious associations,"—for upon the Analogies, the corner-stone of this Epoch is founded.
"In Sculpture, too, the Hindus differ entirely. Their subjects are far more hideous, being, in general, representations of human beings, distorted, deformed, and unnatural,—very often many-headed, or with three or four arms and legs thrown out from the same body."
The Hindu is rejected, and justly, from the want of similitude; the field is now narrowed for the combat,—the argument is brought, in his estimation, to one nation only.