Page:A Study of the Manuscript Troano.djvu/269

Rh As another example we select the two characters, S 1 and T 1, which are often found associated; as at U 6, V 6; U 16, V 16; W 3, X 3; and at W 17 and X 17, we find them in the same line, but always in the two columns they should be, if the theory above advanced as to the order in which the inscription is to be read be correct. If the first of these two characters (which we may designate by m and n) should fall in the right of the two associate columns, then the other should be one line lower in the left of the two columns, thus: Such we find to be the case by referring to T 7, S 8, to T 15, S 16, and V 1 1, U 12. But the evidence does not stop here. By examining Dr. Rau's photograph of the right tablet, we may extend this combination. We observe that S 6, our a, and T 6, our b and c combined, are followed in S 7 by a character not heretofore alluded to. This we will designate by d. Following these, at T 7 is our m, at S 8 our n, and at T 8 Kan, as shown in the annexed diagram 1.

Commencing with V 13 we find the same combination, except that one additional character is introduced thus: V 13 a, U 14 b, V 14 c, U 15 d, V 15 x, (the introduced character is x,) U 16 m, V 16 n, U 17 Kan, as shown in diagram 2. Referring now to the figure of the Tablet on the back wall of Altar Casa No 3, forming the frontispiece of Stephen's "Central America," Vol. II, we see that there are four columns of characters on each side. At the bottom of the second column of the right side we find our character a, and at the top of columns three and four our characters b and c precisely as they should follow according to our theory.

Turning again to our Plate IX and going over the entire inscription in this way, taking two columns together, thus, AB, CD, EF, ST, UV, and WX, we shall find frequent repetitions of such combinations, not to be found in any other way. The full force of this statement cannot be understood except by a thorough and careful study of the plate. If I am