File:Incidents of travel in Central America, Chiapas, and Yucatan (1858) (14577240229).jpg

Identifier: incidentsoftrave11step (find matches)
Title: Incidents of travel in Central America, Chiapas, and Yucatan
Year: 1858 (1850s)
Authors: Stephens, John L, 1805-1852
Subjects: Indians of Central America Indians of Mexico Mayas
Publisher: New York : Harper & Brothers
Contributing Library: Brigham Young University-Idaho, David O. McKay Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Brigham Young University-Idaho

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and the outerone was split in two lengthwise. They lapped overthe doorway about a foot at each end, and were asfirmly secured as any stones in the building, havingbeen built in when the wall was constructed. For-tunately, we had two crowbars, and the doorwaybeing filled up with earth both inside and out, themen were enabled to stand above the beam, and usethe crowbars to advantage. They began inside, andin about two hours cleared the lintel directly overthe doorway, but the ends were still firmly secured.The beams were about ten feet long, and to keepthe whole wall from falling and crushing them, itwas necessary to knock away the stones over thecentre, and make an arch in proportion to the base.The wall was four feet thick over the doorway, in-creasing in thickness with the receding of the innerarch, and the whole was a solid mass, the mortarbeing nearly as hard as the stone. As the breachwas enlarged it became dangerous to stand near it;the crowbar had to be thrown aside, and the men
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K A 11 A 11Carved. Htom oi Sapott Woocl A TRYING TIME. 405 cut down small trees, which they used as a sort ofbattering-ram, striking at the mortar and smallstones used for filling up, on loosening which thelarger stones fell. To save the beams, we con-structed an inclined plane two or three feet abovethem, resting against the inner wall, which caughtthe stones and carried them off. As the breach in-creased it became really dangerous to work underit, and one of the men refused to do so any longer.The beams were almost within my grasp, but if theragged mass above should fall, it would certainlybury the beams and the men too, either of whichwould be disagreeable. Fortunately, we had thebest set of assistants that ever came out to us fromNohcacab, and their pride was enlisted in the cause.At length, alums* against hope, having broken arude arch almost to the roof, the inner beam wasgot out uninjured. Still the others were not safe,but, with great labour, anxiety, and good fortune, thewhol

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