After finishing the measurements of the causeway we began to ascend the mound. About halfway up the slope, the men stopped and pointed to a place where, lying with its face on the ground, was the stone of the cross. As this tablet had been the subject of much investigation, and is undoubtedly, with respect to its meaning, the most remarkable monument at Palenque, I was anxious to examine it with the utmost care. I directed the Indians to turn it over and thoroughly clean it from moss and dirt, so as to enable me to make a sketch of it. I found that, in consequence of the action of the earth upon the face of the stone, parts of the sculpture were difficult to trace, but the central figures were quite distinct. I was able to make a satisfactory outline, chiefly confining my attention to the cross, the bird surmounting it, and the dress of the man, having in his hands what seemed to be a child, which he was presenting as a votive offering. The bird, with its long double tail feathers, was probably the representation of the Quetzal, the sacred bird of the Quichés, and thus it may be assumed that the temple in which this tablet formed the centre of the altar-piece, was dedicated to the worship of the god Quetzalcoatl. But, judging by the peculiarities of the dress worn by the principal worshipper, I formed the opinion that he was not, as has previously been supposed, a priest offering sacrifice. The worshippers and the offerings have, I believe, other significations.[81] The temple, placed upon the top of the mound, must have been—when it was externally perfect—a graceful and well proportioned shrine; but when I saw it, the outer walls were so enveloped in brushwood and enclosed by trees, that it was not practicable to do more than obtain a conception of its proportions. After having measured the length, breadth and height, and made a ground plan, I examined the interior. A corridor ran along the front; within was the chamber which had contained the inscribed stone slabs which formed the back of the altar, in the centre of which had been the figure of the cross. This, and the right and left hand tablets, had been all closely joined together so as to form one subject,[82] the meaning of which was probably explained by the hieroglyphic characters. The right hand tablet, which had been removed, I had already seen at the museum in Washington.