"
"Yes," assented the professor. "Probably
Kurzon, which we now seek, was buried deep for
nearly five hundred years before Columbus landed
at San Salvadore. The specimens of writing and
architecture heretofore disclosed indicate that.
But, as a matter of fact, it is very hard to
decipher the Mayan pictographs. So far, little but
the ability to read their calendars and numerical
system is possessed by us, though we are gradually
making headway.
"Now this is the map of the district, and by the
markings you can see where I hope to find what
I seek. We shall begin digging here," and he
made a small mark with a pencil on the map.
"Of course," the professor explained, "I may be
wrong, and it will take some time to discover the
error if we make one. When a city is buried thirty
or forty feet deep beneath earth and great trees
have grown over it, it is not easy to dig down to it."
"How do you ever expect to find it?" asked Ned.
"Well, we will sink shafts here and there. If
we find carved stones, the remains of ancient
pottery and weapons, parts of buildings or building
stones, we shall know we are on the right
track," was the answer. "And now that I have
shown you the map, and explained how valuable
it is, I will put it away again. We shall begin
our excavations in the morning."
"At what point?" asked Tom.
"At a point I shall indicate after a further
consultation of the map. I must see the configuration
of the country by daylight to decide.
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