.,%^
^\*,
e>.
^
IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET {MT-3)
A
<°
1.0
I.I
1.25
1.4
18
m
^/
^
s^
/a
/:
0>
/A
Hiotographic
Sdences
Corporation
33 WEST MAIN STREET
WEBSTER, N.Y. 14S80
(716)872-4503
\
•^
:\
\
LV
CIHM/ICMH
Microfiche
Series.
CIHM/ICMH
Collection de
microfiches.
Canadian Instituta for Historical Microraproductions
institut Canadian da microraproductions historiquas
1980
i
Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et bibliographiques
The Institute has attemi;}ted to obtain the best
original copy available for filmir^g. Features of this
copy which may be bibliographically unique,
which may alter any of the images in the
reproduction, or which may significamly change
the usual method of filming, are checked below.
D
D
D
Coloured covers/
Couverture de couleur
I I Covers damaged/
Couverture endommagde
Covers restored and/or laminated/
Couverture restaurde et/ou pellicul^e
Cover title missing/
Le titre de couverture manque
Coloured maps/
Cartes gdographiques en couleur
Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/
Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire)
Coloured plates and/or illustrations/
Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur
Bound with other material/
Reli6 avec d'autres documents
D
Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion
along interior margin/
La reliure serr^e peut causer de I'ombre ou de la
distortion le long de la marge intdrieure
Blank leaves added during restoration may
appear within the text. Whenever possible, these
have been omitted from filming/
II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajoutdes
lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans le texte,
mais, lorsque cela dtait possible, ces pages n'ont
pas 6t6 film6es.
Additional comments:/
Commentaires suppldmentaires:
L'lnstitut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire
qu'il lui a «t6 possible de se procurer. Les details
de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-Atre uniques du
point de vue bibliographique. qui peuvent modifier
une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une
modification dans la methods normale de filmage
sont indiquds ci-dessous.
I I Coloured pages/
Pages de couleur
Pages damaged/
Pages endommag^es
Pages restored and/oi
Pages restaurdes et/ou pelliculdes
Pages discoloured, stained or foxei
Pages di&color^es, tachet6es ou piqudes
Pages detached/
Pages d^tachdes
Showthroughy
Transparence
Quality of prir
Quality indgale de I'impression
Includes supplementary materia
Comprend du materiel supplementaire
Only edition available/
Seule Edition disponible
I I Pages damaged/
I I Pages restored and/or laminated/
I I Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/
I I Pages detached/
r~~| Showthrough/
I I Quality of print varies/
I I Includes supplementary material/
I I Only edition available/
D
Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata
slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to
ensure the best possible image/
Les pages totalement ou partiellement
obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata, une pelure,
etc., ont dt6 filmdes d nouveau de fa^on d
obtenir la meilleure image possible.
This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/
Ce document est film6 au taux de reduction indiqu6 ci-dessous.
10X 14X 18X 22X
7
12X
16X
20X
26X
30X
24X
28X
32X
'6
6tails
18 du
lodifier
ir une
Image
IS
The copy filmed here has been reproduced thanks
to the generosity of:
Library of the Public
Archives of Canada
The images appearing here are the best quality
possible considering the condition and legibility
of the original copy and in keeping with the
filming contract specifications.
Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed
beginning with the front cover and ending on
the last page with a printed or illustrated impres-
sion, or the back cover when appropriate. All
other original! copies are filmed beginning on the
first page with a printed or illustrated impres-
sion, and ending on the last page with a printed
or illustrated impression.
The last recorded frame on each microfiche
shall contain the symbol ^^> (meaning "CON-
TINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"),
whichever applies.
IVIaps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at
different reduction ratios. Those too large to be
entirely included in one exposure are filmed
beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to
right and top to bottom, as many frames as
required. The following diagrams illustrate the
method:
L'exemplaire film* fut reproduit grAce A la
gAn6rosit6 de:
La bibliotndque des Archives
pubiiques du Canada
Las images suivantes ont At* reproduites avec le
plus grand soin, compte tenu de la condition at
de la nettet* de l'exemplaire film«, et en
conformity avec les conditions du contrat de
filma.3e.
Les exempiaires originaux dont la couverture en
papier est imprimie sont filmAs en commenpant
par le premier plat et en terminant soit par la
derniAre page qui comporte une empreinte
d'impression ou d'iilustration, soit par le second
plat, salon le cas. Tous les autres exempiaires
originaux sont filmis en commenpant par la
premiere page qui comporte une empreinte
d'impression ou d'iilustration et en terminant par
la derniire page qui comporte une telle
empreinte.
Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la
dernidre image de cheque microfiche,, selon le
cas: le symbole — ► signifie "A SUIVRE ", le
symbols V signifie "FIN ".
Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre
film^s A des taux de rMuction diffdrents.
Lorsque le document est trop grand pour #tre
reproduit an un seul clich6, il est film* A partir
de Tangle supArieur gauche, de gauche A droite,
et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre
d'images n^cessaire. Les diagrammes suivants
illustrent la m6thode.
>rrata
to
pelure,
n d
D
32X
1
2
3
1
2
3
4
5
6
THE ^YOKKS
or
iriTBERT HOWE BANCROFT.
THE WORKS
5F
HUBERT HOWE BANCROFT.
VOLUME III.
THE NATIVE RACES.
Vol. III. MYTHS AND LANGUAGES,
SAN FRANCISCO :
A. L. BANCROFT & COMPANY, PUBLISHERS.
1883.
EntorcJ iiccor.lin- t.i Art < f CngrcHs in Iho Yoar 1S82, l.y
nuBi:]!T u. ];anxroI'T,
In Ibu Office of tlu! l.i'jnirian i.f ( oii'srcstf, at WosUuigton.
All ni.jll., n,.iimf(.
COXTENTS OF THIS YOLUME.
MYTHOLOGY.
CHAPTER I.
SPEECH AND SI'ECILATION.
VXr.K,
Difference lietwecn ISran iiiid r.rutcs— Mind-Laii'.'ua^.'o and Smil-Lan-
f;ua;,'o--(>ii'jiii (if I,aiij,'iia^'c: A (lift of tin- Civati.r, a Jliiiiiaii lu-
voiitioii, or an Kvulntion— Nature ami \ alue of .Myth -» )ri;.'in of
Mydi: Tlie Divine Idea, a I'ielion of Soreery, tlie Creation of a
Desipiinjj; I'riestliood <tri;iin of Worsliiji, of Prayer, of Saeriliec
— I'Vtiehisni and the Origin of Aninial-Worsliip— IJoli^non and .My-
tholoyy ] , 1
CHAPTER II.
ORIOIX AND END OF TIIIXOS.
<i>uielie Creation-Myth— A/tee ( »ri;.'in-.Mytli.s— The TVipaf^os— 'Nrontezu.
ma and tlic Coyote— The .Moc|uis- The (Jreat Spider's Wehcf tiie
I'inias— Navajo and I'uehlo Creations -( trij,'iii of Clear J.ake and
Lake Tahoc— Chareya of the Cahrocs - Mount Shasta, the Wij,'-
wani of the (Jreat Spirit- Idaho Sprin-s ami Wat.'r I'alls - How
Dillereneesin Lan;,'ua,L:e < >c,urrcd — Vchl. the Creator of the 'I'lilin-
keets— The IJaven and the I >oir .(o
CHAPTER III.
riivsicAr. MVTiis.
Sun, AFoon, and Stars -Kdijises 'I'he .Mo.,ii i'c r^onified in the T,an.l
of the Creseent— Fire — How the ( 'oyoir Sudc I'ire for tlir ( ahroes
— Ifow the Frof,' Lost His Tail — How the Coyote Stol,. lire for
the Navajos— Wind and Tliumler -The Four Winds and the Cross
—Water, the First of Fleniental Thin^rs— Its Saered and Cleansing'
Power— Earth and Sky— Kartlupiakes and N'olcauoes— Mountain"
—How the Hawk and Crow Huilt the Coast I!an,ire -Tlie .Moun-
tains of Voseniite
108
IV
(ttNTF.NTS.
CllATTKU IV.
I'Atii:
nXniM, MVTHol.txiY.
llnlc-i ,\---i;.'iici| ti) AiiiniMls Aiij;iiri('s from tlicir Mii.'ciiii'iits Tlic 111-
iiiiiciu'il Owl 'riiii'ljiiy .\riiiii:iN M('i:iiuiir|iliiisi'il Men i'hc
0;;rcws.Sniiirn'l of N'mii-oiivi-r Ulaiiil Monkt-ys iiinl ltc;i\('i> -
l"allcii Men Tlic Siicrnl Aniiiials -I'l-oniiiii-iirf of (lie Itiid An
KiiililiMii of (lie Wind 'I'lu- Scr|i('iit, an I'lnililt'iii of t!ii' l,iuliliiiri;j
— Not S|)ciially coniu'cti'il willi Mvil 'I'lic Sciiicnt of the I'lU'lilos
— Tlic Walcr-Snakf 0|iliiolalry I'l-oniiin'iuc of tin- Do;.', or tin-
CoyMii.' ( Jciicrally tlioii;;li not al\\a\s a l!cac\iplfnt I'owrr How
tlif Coyoic let Salmon n|i (lie Ivlaniatli l)anM' .Mai-alpif and Sad
Death iif I ho (.'ovKte 121
CHAPTKll V.
(IIIDS, Sfl'i:i!N.\Tll;U, l!i;iN(iS, AM) WOltsnil'.
l',>kiiiii> Witcln rafi Tin- 'riniicli and the Kiinia;,'as — Kn^jans of the
Aleuts The Thlinkeets, the llaidahs, an<l the Xootkas I'aiadiM-
].o>t of the (>kana,i;aiis The Sali>h, the Chillams, the ( hinooks,
tlie Caynses, the Wall.i Walla^ iilid the Ne/ I'eices Sjio-lione
(ilioiiN Northern ( 'aiifoinia The Sim at Monterey Oiiiot and
< 'liini.vvhinieh AnlaL;iini>-tie (lods of Lower ''alifornia Coman-
ehes, A|iaehes, and Navajos- .Monteznma of the riM'iiins .Mo(|ais
uiid .Mojave>-- Primeval llace of Northern ( 'alit'ornia 1 td
CHAl'TER VI.
(KIDS, sri'i:i;NATru.u, ]'.i;i\iis, and \voi;sim>.
(iods and l!eli;^ions l!ite.s of Chihuahua, Soiiora, I)uran.Lro, and Si-
lialoji The Mexican Iteliuion, rei-eived with dillerent de^jrees of
eredulity liy dill'erent ehiNses of the |peo]de ( tpinions of dill'ei-eiil
Writers as to its Nature .Monotheism of Ne/aiiuahoyot! Present
eolidition of the Stnily of Mexican Mylliolouy - 'J"e/.eatli|ioea —
I'layers to Him in the time of l*e--lileuce, of \\'ar, for those in Au-
tlimity Prayer used Ity an Ahxilvini; Priest (leiinim'ness of the
fore''oiiiL' I'ravers — Cliaracter and Works of Saha'nm ITS
CHAPTER VII.
(K)IJS, SCPEnXATrUAI. UKINdS, AND WOlIimill'.
Juui;:'*' of Te/<'atli])0('a — His Seals at the Street-corners - \'arions
I.(';i;eiuls about liis Lite on Kartli t^uet/aleoitl -His |)e\tcrily in
the Mechauieal Arts—His Peli^jions (>h>er\aiiees -The Weallli
and Nimhleuessof his Adherents -l-lximlsioii from 'I'ula of (^>net-
zalcoatl hy Tezeatlipoca uml lluitzili)i)oclitIi — The Magic Draught
CONTKNTS.
u;i.
lL'7
III
I'AOE.
— Iliiciii.ir, i.r \ciniic, Kin;: of tlic Ti.liccs, .'iml tin- NFi^f..rimn'.s
lirnii-lit ii|i.iii liiiii ami liis !.,.,.|.|,- l.y Trzralli|MM'jt in vaiioiis .lis-
t-xnsv^ </iicl/aln.atl in Cliolula niHnin- Ar.niini^ .,f llic I'.irtli
nnil Life of </nct/al.catl lli« ii.'MtIr rimra.trr !!.• .li.w n]. llm
^I.'Nican (•aliMHirr Inri.lcnts „i l,is Kxil,. anil of liis .Fmirncy to
I'lapalla. as iclali'il anil ('innnicnti'd ii|Min li.v vaiinuH writers I'miH-
Hcur's i,l,.,i-,al.ini! Ilii't.dictzalcnatl Myths (iturl/alcua!! .•..ii-,i,h.i-, ,1
a Snn-d.i.l liy Tylur, an.l as a Daun-IIcn. l.y IJiii.tmi Helps -
D.iiiiciifdi Til,. Cudici's — Liui;,' Discnssiiiii of tli. (^icl/alroatl
Mytlis l.y J. G. Mulier 037
CHAPTEll Viri.
(lODS, StTKUXATI'ltAl, Jil:iN(iS, ANO \VORSItIl\
Various ■wconnls of tin- I'.irtli, ()ri;;in, and Derivation of ilie name of
tlie .Mexiran War (hhI, llnit/ilo|.o,liili, of ids Temide, Ima^^c,
<'''"''■ 'li'il. I'Vstivals, and ids dei.uly, or |,a;,'e, I'aynal ('la\i-er()
— Itotnrini -Aeosta Soils -Salia-mi— II. 'irera 'l'on|uemada J.
(i. Midler's Siininiaty of the lluit/.ilo|.o<htli Myths, their ( tri;.'in,
Itehition. ami Si;r,iilieation Tylor ("odex V^ttieanns 'I'laloe,
(iod of Water, esiiecially of Wain, and of Monntairis ( 'iavi^^cro,
(Jama, and IxtlilxoehitI— Prayer in tinje of Droii^^ht ('amar^^'o,
Motolinia, Meiidieta, and the Vatican t'odex on the Saerihees to
'J'lal.M- The Deeorations of his Victims and tlie places of their
Kxeention -Catherine Uuslics for the Service of the Water (Jod —
Ili-hway Uohheries l.y the i'riests at this time Decorations and
lm|ilcmcnts of the I'riests I'nnishments for ( •(■remonial ( MVenees
-^The Whirl|.o,.l of Pantitlan— lma-es<,f the Mountains in honor
of tlie Tlaloe Festival- of the comiu-' Uain and Mnlilation of the
Imap'sof tho Mountains— (ieneral Prominence in the enlt of Tla-
loe, of the Nuniljcr Four, tin- Cross, and the Snake 28S
CHAl'TEli IX.
rioT)s, srrnKNATfUAi, ]!i:iNfis, and wonsiiip.
The Mother or all-nourishin-- dodders under various names and in
various aspects II, r I'Vast in th,. Kleventh A/tec month ( )cli-
pani/tli l'estivalsoftliei;i;;hthnM.nth, llneytecuilhuitl, and of the
Fourth, Hueytozoztli — The deilicatiou of women that dieil in
ehild-hirth-TIie (ioildess of Water under various names and in
varmusaspiM'ts— Ceremonies of the Maptism or lustration of cliil-
dren The Coddess ,.f Love, her various names and as|ieets Pite.s
of eonfi'ssion an<I ahs.dutiou - The Cod of tire and his varimis
iiames-llis f,-stivals in the tenth numtli Xoec.tlveli and in the
fi^^htcenth month Vzeali; also his (juadriennial festival iu the
latt.-r mouth The ^vat festival ,.f every lifty-two years; li;,ditiii-
the new lire -The C<jd of Hades, and Teoyaondiiue, collector of the
VI
(ONTKNTS.
VAi;i:.
Mollis iif till' fiilli'M Imivf -T)ciriciitiiiii of dcail rnlcrH iiinl Ihtoc-i
Mi\rnall, (iix! of limit in;.', ami lii.s fcant in (lie fonrirriitii ninntli.
(/nccliolli A'liiions otlicr Mcxii uii ilcitics Festival in tin- sn onil
iiioiiili, 'l'!a('a\i|M'liiiali/tli, willi iiotirc nf the ^'lailiatorial >a(ril)r('s
( 'iiiii|ilrlf S\ Mo|i>is of tlic fcstival.Huf (jic Mi'xica'. ('aiciidar, lixnl
and luovaltic — T('ni|ilt'H ami I'lii'stn ;(iy
CHAPTKll X.
GODS, Sfl'KKNATrUAr. lU'lXdS, AND WOIISIIII'.
IU\cniicsof till- Mi'xiian 'I'mipics N'ant iiimilicr of the T'ricsis- AFcxi-
«'an Sarciilolal System i'l'ii'slesses- 'I'lie Orders of 'I'laiiiax acii-
yotl and 'i'eiiio.litiii/tli — l!eli;,'ious Devotees itaptism Ciniini-
I'isjon -('oinniMiiiMn {''a.^ts and I'l'iianee lilooil-draw in;,' lliiiiiaii
Saerilires 'riie (iods of tile 'I'arasros Priests aiid 'i'eiii|de St-
vire of M ieiioacan \\'orsj'i|i in ,lali>eo ( )a jaca - N'otaii ami (^>iiet«
/alcoatl 'J'raNels of X'otan 'I'lie A|icpstli' ,Vixi'|ieroriia--' 'avc
near Xnstialinaca -Tlie Princess Pinopiau -\Vor-»iiiii of <'c;>taiiiin-
lox —Tree Worsliip JUtl
CHAPTER \I.
OODS, SlTEUNATlliAI, llKIXi.s, AND WOI'.SIITP.
^laya Paiitlieon Zamiii'i Ciii^nlean 'I'iie (lods of "N'ncatMH- Tlic
SviiiImiI of tiie ('ro>s in America Unman Sacriliccs in N iiialan —
Pric-lsof \'matan ( Inatcmalan Paiitlieoii Tepcn and llnrakaii —
A\ili\ ami llacavit/. The ller•oe^^ of w Sai'rcd itonk l/nicln-
(lods W'orsliip of tlie Clioles, Maiicli: ., It/aes, Lacamloncs, ami
others- Tradition of ( 'oini/aliual — Fasts — Priests of (Inateinala —
(lods, Worship, and Priests of Nicara;,'na - W'cnsiiip on tlie Mo>-
(jnito Coast (Jods and \Vor>liip of tlie Istlimians — Phallic Wor-
ship in America -llil
CHAPTEIl XII.
FUTrUE STA'fi:,
Abori;jinal Ideas of Future (leneral Conceptions of Souls— F'uHiro
Stale of the Aleuts, Chepewyans, Nativi'sat MiHiank Sound, and
(>kana;:aiis — Happy Land of the Sali>h ami ( 'hinooUs Conceptions
of Heaven and Hell of the Nez Perecs, Flatheads, and llaidahs -
The IJealnis of (^»na\vtcaht and Chayher - Itidiefs of the Son;^hies,
Clallanis, and Pciid d'Oreilles- The Future Stale of the Calil'or-
iiiaii and Nevada Trihes, ('(unanches, Puehlos, Navajos, Apaches,
Mofjuis, Maricojias, Vuinas, and others— The Sun H(nise of the
Mexicans— Tlahican and Micthin — Cmidition of the Dead -Jour-
ney of the Dead — F'uture of the Tlascaltec.t and other Nations .')10
C'DNTKNTS.
tU
i,a."j;guages.
CHAPTEU I.
IXTnODrCTICN to LAXiilAOES.
i'A»;r..
Nativo Lan;,'ua,u't'H in Advance «>l' Suciul ('iist..iiis— riiiiiMcfiTistic In.li-
viiluiilily of Airicricaii T.>ri;,'iics |''rci|iiciit Occiiirciici> i.f |,(,ii;r
Word-* -Hi'ilii|ilii'atii>iH, l'"ii'i[Ufiitativt:s, uinl l>u ' liitrrtiiltnl
I-aii;,'iia^'('s ■(icstiiii'-I,aii;,'ua;.'(' — Slavo and (■liiiiiinl, .lai;.'ons -
I'iM'ilii' Siato l,aii;,'iia^'i'.H Tlii- Tiiincli, A/>cc, and Ma; a 'l'..n;;ii(-t
The Lai-;L,'ir l''aniilii's Inland Kany:na;,'i' as a'l'i'st nf Oijoin sii,,i.
larilifs in Lniflatud Langiiaj,'us— IMan of this ^" Htitj'atiitn O.')!
CHAPTEll II.
UYPEltnoltKAN LAXdlAdKa.
Distinctiim liotwcon Eskimo and AnKTican — Kskinin I'rdnunciation
and iK'clcnsii.n -^Dialirts tif tliu Konia^ras and Aleuts haii;,'iia,L;o
of the Tlilinkeets— ||y|M)tliefiiaI Allinities— Tlie Tinneli Kaniily
and its Dialeets— Kastern, Western, Central, and Sontlnrn llivi-
sions t'lie|iewyan Declension— ( (ratoriial Display in tlie Siieoeh
of the Kutchins -Dialects of the Atinihs and l';,'alen/os Coniiiared
—Specimen of thfKoltshane 'ron;,'ne - 'I'acnily Cntturals ilonpali
Vocalinlary - A]>ache Dialects Lipan Lord's IVayer Navajo
Words— Comparative Vocabulary of the Tinneli Family .^74
CHAPTER III.
COLfMIilAN LAXarAOES,
The Ilaidah, its Construction and Conju^'ation— The Nass Lan^uaj^c
and its Dialects — Hellacoida and Chimsyan Comparisons— 'J'ho
Nootka Lanj,'na^'es of Vancouver Island -N'anainio Ten Connnand-
nients and Lord's Trayer— A/tec AnaIo;,ri,.s Eraser and 'I'honipsiui
liiver r.anj,'na;j;es — The Neetlakai)aninck (iranimar an<l Lord's
Prayer— ^Sound Lanj,nnijj:es— The Salisli Family —Flathead (nam-
mar and Lm-d's I'rayer — The Kootenai— The Saliai.tin Family -
Nez IVrce ( oammar— Yakima L(nd's Prayer -Sahaptin State and
Slave Lan;,Mia;,'es— The Chinook Family— (irammar of the (.'hinook
Language— A/tec Allinities— The C'.inook Jargon C04
CHAPTER IV.
C.VLIFOKXIAX LAXGUAGES.
Multijilicity of Tongues— Vakon, Klamath, and Palaik Comparisons-
Pitt Kiverand Wintoon Vocabularies— Weeyot, Wislmsk, Weitspek,
I I
via
CONTENTS.
PACE.
mill KliiK'k r'oinimri.sons— Tiaiij,nia;:os of llnnilxtMt Pmy — Puttor
Valley, liussiaii ami l'",i'l Itivcr Lanpiia;,'('.s — I'diimi Lan^'iia;.'cs -
(ialliiioiiici'i) (iraniiiiar - Traiis-l'aciiic ('i)m](ari.si)ii.s ( 'liciciiyciii
Lord's I'raycr [,aii;,'iia;,'('s of tlu; Saeraiiicnto, Sail Joaf|iiiii, Napa,
and Scdionia Valleys 'I"lu; (Ulupiie aii<I other Iiaii;,nia;;cs nf San
J"'raiirisco l>ay -liwusieii and Ksleiic of Monterey Santa Ciarji
Lord's Prayer .Miitsiindrainiiiar - Ijaii;;iia^tos of the Missions Santa,
("riiz, San Antonio ne Padna, Soledad, and San Mi;;Liel 'I'alcliii
liramniur — Thu Dialects ol Santa Cruz and other Jslamls (iJJo
CHAPTER V.
SIIOSUONK I-.XNGUAGES,
Aztec-Soiiora roiinectioiis with the Shoshone Family — The Ttah, T'o-
liianche, Moijni, Kizh, Netela, Keehi, Caliiiillo, aii<l Chemehnevi —
Kastern and Western Slioslione, or Wihinasht — The ISannaiU and
l)i^';;i'r, or ShoslmUee -The I'tah and its Dialeets The ( iii>hiite,
Washoe, Paiiilee, Piute, SaMi]iitehe, and Mono Po|inlar lieliefas
to the Aztec I'.lement in the North— (iriiiinrs Law — Shoshone, Co-
manche, anil Moi|iii Comiiaralive Taole-- Netela Stanza Kizh
(Iranmiar The Lord's Prayer in two Dialects of the Kizh t'luMiie-
hiievi and (.'aluiillo liraniinar — Coniparative Vocabulary (i«i<l
CHAPTER YI.
THE Pl'EBLO, COLORADO UIVElt, AXU LOWEIl CALIFORNIA LAMir.VGES.
Traces of the Aztec not found anion;;' the Piieldos of New Mexico and
Arizona 'I'lie l''ive Lan;j;iia;ii's of the Piiehlos, the (^Mieres, the
Te;j:ua,the I'icoris, Jemez, aiitl Ziini — Pnelilo t/omiiarative N'malm-
lary -The Viinia and its Dialects, the Maricoiia, ('uchaii, .Mnjave,
Diej;iieno, Y«iii]iais, and Vavi|iais — Tlu- (.'ocliimi and I'ericii, with
their Dialects of Lower California —(itiaicuri (lraniniar--Pater
Noster ill Three Cochimi Dialects — The Laii;rnaj,a's of Lower Cali-
fornia wholly Isolated (JSd
CHAPTER VII.
THE PIMA, OPA'l'A, AM) CEUI LAXQUAGES.
Pima Alto and IJajo— Papa^^o— Pima (Jrammar — Pormation of Plnralft
— Personal Pronoun — Conju^jation -(/lassiiication of Verhs - Ad-
verlis — Prei)ositioiis, ('onjunctious, and Interjections- Syntax of
the Pima Prayers in diirerent dialects The Ojiata and I'.udeve —
Eudeve (Jramniar — Conjii;.'ation of Active and Passive ^*erhs —
I^ord's Prayer — Oiiata (irainmar — Deidensiou Possessive Pronoun
■ — t.'oiiju;j;ation -Ceri Lan;;ua;,'e with its Dialects, (itiaymi and Te-
poca— Ceri N'ocahulary (UU
r
cox'i' i:\Ts.
CHAPTEIl VIIT.
XKW Mi;XIC.V\ I-ANdf.UinS.
Thernl,ita;,ml its Diak-.-ts -C.l.it;, ( ;...,„„.„■ UhWfu- Diflm-nro.
"f the .M.iy,., VM,,m-, an,! T..ini,..-,.-(„,u,.ar,,iiv.. VrM^alMilary -
< .■•lM|a Lnnl-s I 'layer -Th,. Taialmiiiara aixl its Diak.'ls The
laralnni.aia(;ra.M,„ar- Ta.aliumara l..,nl-s I'lavr in t \vu IHalc.fs
- 11m. (-un.li,., til,. TohoM,, (1m. .IiiJiiM,.. il... I'iio, 111,. SMina tli,-
Hnnan-a, the Tul.ar, tli,. Initiia T,.,jaii„ T,.ia,i,. ( M-aninM,- -
.Sl.c..-ma.n .,f tlu- 'IVjan,, --Tli.. T..,„.liMaiia T..,M.|Miana ( lianiiiiar
and LonlsPrayer-A,.ax.H.aM,l its l)u!,.,ts, th,. T.,,.ia, Sal.ail..>
aiu .\.xmiu.-T1m. Za.at...., i-umnr. .Ma;..|Hl.., iluit,...!.., (; -hi.
flu e, (.,.l„tlan, TlaxoMuilt,.,.. T..,.»,..n,., ;„„! T,.|„.,a,M. -Tii,. ( ■„„,
a>i,l Its Dialects, til,. Aluin/i.at, T..a,ua,.it/,-a, an.! .\tc.a,-an-< •.,ra
Oiaiiiniar
7ii(i
CHAPTEPv IX.
THF AZTKO AM) Or.nil LANVir VCKS.
Xali,m.,r Azt,H., ri.i..Iii,iM.,., an.l T.,1,..,. la„;„.a;,..s i.l,.,.ii,,,I -Analiuar
tlM. al.„n;:inal s,.at „f tli. .V,u; T.m,:;,,,. -Tli,. Azl..,- tli,. ..|,l..st
lan-ua-,! ii, AMaliiiac-lSi.auty anl i;i,lnM..s „f tl,,. \/t,.,.--T,..ti
iiMMiy ,.t ,1,.. ^li>si.,„an.s an.l ,.arly wii„.,s i„ i,s fav,„-^Si,c.,.iiiM.„
from 1 ar,.,l..s Manual -(Irannnar ,.t th,. A.to,. Lan^n.a.v \.„...
L,.nls 1 lay..,- -Tl.,. (),,„„! a M,M,.,>yllal,i,. I.inm.a;,,. .,< A>,;il,i,a..
-KelatM.nsiui. dain.e.l with tl... Cl.i.M.s,. a,.,l ( •|.,.r„h..c.-Ut.,.,.i
(.laiimiar-Otouii Lord's IVayoi- in l)iir,.ivut JJialocts 7';j
CHVPTER X.
LAXGT-AOI-S OF CEXTIiAI, .VXD S,)rTIIi:KN M"XirO
TlH. Pamo ana its I)iaIo,.ts-The ^F..,.„ ..f .;„a„a.j„at., ainl tlio Sierra
'■',"■''"""• '^"■'^' t.Mi,lM,a,.anan,l its (Iran, mar Tl„. M,.tli|.
t/,,M.aan,l its ( ;ran.ma.--TlM- ( Vi.ii,..,. Th.. Mixt..,.an,l ;; . I)iah.,'ts
--M.xto,(..an.niar ThoAmns;;,,, CImm.Ii,,, Ma/at..,., ( •„;.,.(..,• Cha-
',"". llujian,.,., Chii.ant,..., a,„l P,,,,,,!,,,.,, Tl... /.„„.(,.,. .n.l ;,,
■-iMnar riu. Mi.i..--Mii., ,;,,„„„,,, ,„„, ,^,„,,,.^ I.,,v,.r-Tlu.
ilt.ave ot tiio Isthmns ,.f ■IVhnantqK.c.-.ilmivc Nunitrals.' 74..
CHAPT]:i{ XT.
Tin-; ^[AVA-griciii' 1. w.irvciKS
The Maya.(),.i..h,^ tl... I,an^„a;,es „f ,1,. rnUur,\ xi.dnns of C,unal
Ain.....a^-l-,,H,me.-ati,M. „f the ^[e..il....s ,„• ,his r;,„iilv ..Hv h,t.
!'•' Anal,,,i,.s with l.an;,'„a;,'es„f.tlM. (I|,l \V„,i,l i:,„.,rsV,,,vers
'I' >1m. li,ir,„l.al, Chiapane,., Ch,.!, Tx..n,lal, /...i„e, an.l /..(/l '-
l"l<,.n,l.,(,,„„„„,_Tli.. Man.. ..r Zakh.,,ahka,, (^.i..lM•. ( ;,,.....
"■^" - ak,h„im.| |,,.,,l-s Prayer Maya (iranmiar T„(,ma,. (Iram-
"""•-l.n,mac Dialeets-Huastee (;.a...mar
I o'j
'
CONTEXTS.
CHAPTER XII.
I.AXOUAaES OF IIOXDrnAS, NICAH.UU-.V, COSTA IUCA, and the ISTHMUa
or J)Auii:x.
Tlio f'aril) an Tmiiorted Laii;.,'uaj.'c— Tlic Mosijuito Lans;iia^'o— Tlio Poya,
Tov, ka, Sock, ValiLMito, Kama, Cookra, Wonlwa, ami other Laii-
gua-L's in llon.liiias Tile Cliinital -.Mowjiiito (Jiamniar— hove
Son;,' in tlie .Mosiiuito Lan,Lrua;,'e -("oniiiarativo Vonilinlary of
Honiluias Ton^'ui-s-TlR'Coril.ici, Chorotc-a, Cliontai, and Oiutifiii
in Nicara;,'ua ( iianinianif tiic Oiotina or Naitiandan— Cuniiiarison
iK-fwi'cn tlic ((n.lifia and < 'liurott-a -Tiio ('iiiii(|ui, (;uatu:s(), Tiri-
bi, and others in Cosia Ifica -Tahinianca Vocaiinlary— Diversity
of Siieeeh on the Isthnuis of Darien— Enumeration of Lan^'iiages
— Comparative Vocubuhiry
PAcn.
1
THE Is-ATIVE RACES
OF THK
PACIFIC STATES.
MYTHOLOGY, LAIS^GUAGES.
CHAPTER I.
SPEECH AND SPECULATIOX.
DiFFK.,KNX-K nmvKKN Man AND l$KrTK>,-M,Nn LANru'AaK AND Sorr-LAV-
ovxoK-Onuns „f Lakouauic: A Gift „k t„k Ckkatok, a Hcmav
INVKNTION, „K AX Ev<.LL'm,.N--XATCKK AM. ValL-K ,..- MvTH-()u,„rv OF
Mvth: I„k Dcvink Idka, A FicTroN of SonrKKV. T„k C.KArrov ok a
).SH;n-,N.> 1 .iIKSTHOO„-ORI..IVoF Wo,;s„„., „K PiuYKR. of SACRm.K-l
iKTKH.SM AND TUE OlilalN OF A.VIMAL - WollsHIl.-lU.T.aao.V AM, Mv-
TUOLOllV. *
IIiTiFEirro we l.avo bohold .Man only in his matori-il
or-UMLsni: as a wild thou-h intclkrtual animal A\V
have watclK-.l the inteivo.irse of mienltured niin.l with
Its envmmnu-nt. We have seen how. t.. ei..t!ie hhnseir
the sava.^v ,„hs the beast: h.nv, hke animals. priniitivJ
•"••H const.-urts his hahitaticm. provides I'ond! rears a
iaimy, exere.ses a.,thoritv. hoMs propertv. w.ues war
ha ni all this the savaj-e ,s hnt one remove from the
hrute. Aseen.linj.- the scale, we have exan.ined the fnvt
>4.iges of lumian projrress and analv/ed an inHpic-nt eiv-
hza ion ^\ewdl now pass the Ironiier which 'sc-parates
mnk.n.l from annnal-kind, and enter the don.ain of the
"';;'t^''-'^t Hnd supernatural; phenomena which philo.s-'
oph\ pureh [.ositive cainiot explain.
Vol., in. 1 ^
I
SrEEClI AND SPECULATION'.
!
TIic priinarv iiidiciition of an absolute superiority in
man over other animals is the iaeulty oi" sjn'cch; not
those nuite or vocal symbols, expressive ol' ])assion and
tmolion, displayed alike in brutes and men; but the
power to separate ideas, to generate in the mind and
embody in ^vords, secjuenees of thoujiht. 1'rue. upon the
tlnvshold ol' this in(|uirv. as in whatever rehites to
jiriinitiveman. we find the lirute creation hotly ])ursuinu,
and disj)utinii" lor a share in this projiressional [xmer.
In coi:nnon with man. animals |M)ssess all the organs t)f
siMisation. They see. hear. I'eel, taste, and smell. They
have even the organs of sijeech: but thev have not
speech. The source ol' this wonderful faculty lies further
back, obscured by the mists which ever settle round the
innnaterial. A\ liether brutes have souls, according to
the Ai'istotelean theory of soul, or whether brute-soid is
iunnortal. or of (piality and destiny unlike and inferior
to that of man-soul, we see in them unmistakable evi-
di'iice ol mental faculties. The hiiiher order of animals
possess the lower order of inti'llectual perceptions. Thus
jji'lde is manifested by the caparisoned horse, shame by
the bi'aten dosi', will by the stubborn nude, lirutes
h,i\e mi'uiory; they manifest line and hate, joy and
sorrow, iiratitude and reven;^'e. They are courau'cous or
cowai'diy, subtle or simple, not merely up to the meas-
ui'e ol" what we commonly term instinct, but with evi-
dent exiM'i'ise of jud<inient ; and, to a certain ])oint, we
miuht e\en claim for them foresight, as in laying in a
stoi'e of food for winter. Ihit with all this there seems
to be a lack of true or connected thought, and of the fac-
idty of abstraction, whereby conceptions are analyzed
and impressions dclined.
They have also a language, such as it is; indeed, all
till' \arieties of language conunon to man. What ges-
ture-language can be more expressive than that employed
by till' horse with its ears and by the dog with its tail,
whei'ein are manifestations of every shade of joy. sor-
row, courage, i'ear, shame, and anger? In thi'ir brutish
physiognomy, jdso, one may read the language of tho
f
i
THOUGHT AND EXl'llESSION.
emotions, Avhii'li, if not mj (Iclicutclv pictinvd as in tlio
I'iU'L' of man, is none the loss ilistinctivc. Xor aiv tlu'V
Avitlioiit tlii'ir vocal laniira'TO. l']vt'r\- f()\vl and ovcry
(|ua(lnn)C'(l jiosscsses tlio jiowcr of communicating intdli-
,!jcnce 1)V means of tlio voice. 'llu'\ have tlu ir noii-e of
gladness, their si«:nal cry of danjier, their notes of
anjier and of uoe. Tims ue see in hrutes nut oidy in-
ti'llijience hnt the poAver of connnunicatin|j,' iiitelli,L:ence.
]*)iit intellijience is not thoujiht, neither is expre.-sion
si)eech. The language of hrutes, like themselves, is soul-
less.
The next indication of man's superiority over hrutes, is
the laculty of worship. The wild heast, to escape the
storm. Hies howling to its den; the savage, awe-stricken,
turns and })rays. Tiie lowest man perceives a hand he-
hind tlu' lightning, hears a voice ahi'oad upon the storm,
lor which the highest hrutt; has neither eye nor ear. This
essential of humanity we see primordially displayed in
mythic phenomena; in the first struggle of spiritual man-
hood to find expression. Language is symhol significant
of thought, mythology is synd)ol significant of soul. The
one is the first distinctive sound that separates ihe ideal
from the material, the other the first respiration of the
sold which distiniiuishes the innnortal from the animal,
l^anguage is thought incarnate; mythology, soul incar-
nate. The one is the instrument of thought, as Ihe other
is the essence of thought. Neither /s thought; hot h are
closely akin to thought; scjiai'ated from <itlier. in somi^
" rm, pi'rfect intellectual manhood cannot dexciop. I
do not mean to say with some, that thoughl witliout
sjieech camiot exist; unless ])y sjieech is meant any foiiii
of ex[)ression symholical. emotional, or xocal, or uidess
})\ thought is meant something more than mere self-
consciousness without se(iuence and without ahstraction.
There can he no douht tliat spt-ech is the living hreath'
of thought, and that the exercise of sj)eech reacts upon
the mental arid emotional faculties. In hrutes is found
neither speech nor myth; in the deaf and dumh, thought
and Ixdief ure shadowy and undefined; in infants,
SPEECH AND SPECULATIOX.
tluHiglit is but as a fleeting cloud passing over tlie brain.
Yet for all tliis, deaf unites and children who have no
adequate form of expression cannot ])e placed inthecate-
gorv of brutes. Tiie invention of tlie finger-alithabet
opened a way to the understanding of the deaf and diunl) ;
])iit long before this is learned, in everv instance, these
unfortunates invent a gesture-language of tlieir own, in
which they think as well as speak. And could we but see
the strangely contorted imagery wiiich takes possession
of a gesture-thinker's brain, we should l)etter ai)[)reciate
the value of words. So, into the mouth of children
words are put, round which thoughts coalesce; but evi-
dences of ideas are discovered some time betoic they can
be fully expressed by signs or sounds. Kant held the
oi)inion that the mind of a deaf unite is incai)able of
development, but the wonderful sii(!cess of our modern
institutions has dissipated forever that idea.
The sou! of man is a half-conscious inspiration from
which perception and expression are inse[>arable. Na-
ture speaks to it in that subtle symi)athy by which the
immaterial within holds converse with the immaterial
without, in the soft Avhisperings of the ))ree/,e, in the
fearful bellowings of the tempest. Between the soul
and l>ody there is the closest sympathy, an interaction in
every relation. Therefore these voices of nature speak-
ing to nature's offspring, are answered back in various
wavs jiccording to the various oriianisms addressed. The
animal, the intellectual, the s[)iritual, whatsoever the
entity consists of, responds, and responding ex [)ands and
unfolds. Once give an animal the ])ower to s[)eiik and
mental development ensues; lor speech cannot contimie
without ideas, and ideas cannot spring up without intel-
lectual evolution. A dim. half-conscious, lirutish thought
there may be; but tlie faculty of abstraction, sequences
of thought, without words either spoken or uns[)oken.
cannot e.xist.
It is not at all probable that a system of gesture-lan-
gunge was ever em[)loved by any })rimitive people, prior
or in preference to vocal language. To communicate by
I
■ it.
ORIGIN OF LANGUAGE.
f^iLriis ivf|uir('s no little skill and ini[)lios a di'^ivt' of arti-
licc and Ibrcthoiijilit I'ar lioyond that iv((uin'd in vocal
or omotional l.iniinaiiv. Lon;; hoforc a cliild arrivi's at
the point of inti'llijii'nco noci's,sar\ roroonvcvinji' tlioiii^ht
])y siuns, it is well advanced in a vocal lan>j.nage t»l" it.s
own.
In iiivtliolo.u>', langnajie assnnies personality and inde-
jH'ndence. Often the signidcance of the word hecomes
the essential idea. Zens from nieaninu' simply sky. he-
comes lioil of the sky: l^os, oriiiinally the dawn, is made
the ji'ochk'ss of the o[)eninj;' day. Not the iik-a htit the
exj)ressi()n of tlie idea hecomes the deit\" And so. hy
tliese creations of fancy, the ima;j,i nation expands; in
the emhodiiiient of the idea, the mind enlarges with its
own creation. Then yet holder metaphoi's are thrown
oil' like soap-hid)hles, which no sooner lake form in
words than they are also deified. Thus .soul and thouiiht
and spi'ech act and react on one another, all the evoln-
tinus ol" conception seeking vent in sound or s[)eculation;
and thus hmguage, the ex[)ression of mind, and mythol-
ogy, the ex[>i'ession of soul, become the exponents of
divine hiunanity.
liut what tlien is Language, what is ^lytli. and whence
are tiiey? IJroadly, the term language may he ap-
liku'd to whatevei' social beings em[)loy to conmnmi-
cate passion or sentiment, or to inlhience one another;
whatcNcr is made a \ehicle of intelligence. ideogra[)hic
or phonetic, is language. In this 'lategorx' may be placed,
as we have seen, gestures, both instinctive and artificial;
emotional exiiression. displayed in I'orm or feature; \<)cal
sounds, such as tiie cries of l)irds. the howling of beasts.
Indeed, language is everywhere, in everytiiing. While
listening to the rippling brook, the roaring sea. the nun'-
nuiring forest, as well as to the still small voice within,
we are but readinii' iVom the Nocabidary of nature.
Thus construed, the princi[)le assumes a variety
of shaiies. and may be followed through successive
.stages of develoiHuent. In fact, neither form nor feature
can be set in motion, or even left in a state of ivi)ose,
T
6 SPEECH AND SPECULATION.
without convoviiii!; iiiti'Uiiioncc to the o])sorv('r. Tho
{•oiiiitoiiiinco of iiiiiii, Avhethor it will or not, juMpotually
sjK'aks, iiiid speaks in most exfjuisite shades of siunili-
cance. and with expression far more delicate tiian that
employed hy tongue or pen. "^rhe face is thi^ ivllex of
the soul: a trans[)aren(^y which .glows with light, divine
or devilish, thrown u]»on it fi'oni within. It is a poi-
trait of individual intelligence, u photogiaph of the iinier
])eing. a mi-asure of innate intelligence. And in all
jHTtaining to the actions and passions of mankind, what
can he more expressive than the language of the emo-
tions? There are the soft, silent wooings of love, the
frantic fury of hate, the dancing delirium ol' joy, the
hungry ci'avings of desire, the settled melanchoU of dead
liopes. J5ut more definitely, language is articulate
human speech or symholic expression of ideas.
How man first learned to speak, and whence the power
of speech was originally derived, are (piestions coucei-n-
ing which tradition is unconmuniicative. Even mythol-
ogy, which attempts the solution of supernatinal mys-
teries, the explanation of all phenomena not otherwise
accounted for, has little to say as to the genesis of this
most potential of all human powers.
Many theories have heen advanced concerning the
origin of language, l^ome of them are exjjloded ; others
in various stages of modification remain, no two [)hi-
lologists thinking exactly alike. The main hypotheses
are three; the su])ordinate ones are legion. Obvious-
ly. siK'ech nmst he either a direct, completed gift of the
Creator, with one or more independent hegimiings; oi' a
human invention; or an evolution from a natural germ.
Schleicher conceives pi-imordial language to he a sim-
ple organism of vocal gestures; (lould Brown helieves
language to he partly natural and i)ai'tly artificial ; A(hun
Smith and Dugtdd Stewart give to man the creation and
development of speech l)y his own artificial invention.
According to Heroditus. the Phrygians and tlie I\!iyptians
disputed over the ((uestion of the anticpiity of their lan-
guages. i*sannnetichus thereupon confided two babes to
S
SCIENCE OF rillLOLOGY.
tho caro of goats, apart from ovc'r\- liunian sound. At
tlic end of two years tlu'V woro heard to proiioiiiuv tho
word ^/'o.s. tlie riirv^rian for hroad. Tho IMirvLiians
thei-t'foro claiinod for their lanjiiiaue the seniority.
In ancient times it was thought that thi're was some
one ])rimeval tonune. a central hingiiiiiie from which all
the languiiges of the earth radiated. The ^^ythic,
Ethiopic. Chinese. (Ireek. i^atin. and other languages
advanced (daims for this .seniority. IMato helieved lan-
guage to he an invention of the goils. and hy them given
to man. Orthodo.x religionists did not hesitate to ailirm
that l[e])rew, the language of I'aradise. was not only
given in a perfected state to man. hut was miraculously
preserved in a state of purity for the chosen Israel.
After the dispersion from Bahel. such nations as relapsed
into harharism hecame harharic in speech. And in tho
roots of everv dialect of hoth the old world and tho
new. the Fathers were al>le to discern llehrew analogies
sullicient to conHrm them in their dogma. Indeed other
helief was heresy.
There were others who held that, when gesture-lan-
guage and the language of the emotions were found
insuMicient for the growing necessities of man. hy com-
mon consent, it was agreed that certain ohjects should ho
represented hy certain sounds, and that so. when a word
had heeu invented for every ohject, language was made.
Another doctrine, called hy Mr. Wedgwood, its enthu-
siastic advocate. 'onomato[)u'ia.' and hy Professor Ma.K
Miiller the 'how-wow' tlu'orv, explains the origin of
language in the efl()rt of man to imitate the ci'ies of
nature. Tiuis. for doi;- the i)rimitive lannuaLieless mini
would say how-wow: to the rivulet, the wind, the hii-ds
and Iieasts. n;uucs wc'e a[)i)lied whicli as lar as possihlo
were hut rcpi-o(hictions of the sounds made hy these ele-
ments or animals.
Thus philology uj) to a comparatively late ])erio(' was
a spectdation rather than a science. Thilosophcrs sought
to know whence language ciune ratlier tlian what lan-
guage is. J]ut when the great discovery concernin ; tho
SPEECH AND SPECULATION.
Ariuii and Semitic fiimilios was iiiado, comparativo
l)hilol()2,iHt,s went to work after the manner oi' praetieal
investi;iator.s in otlier branche.s of .stndy, by collectin;:',
cla.s.sifvinji' and^ comparing vocabularies, and there-
from .strikin;i out a path ))ackward to original trunks.
( ^italojiues of languages were published, one in 1800 ))y
llervas, a Spanish .lesuit, containing three hinidred dia-
lects, followed by Adelung and Vater's ^lithridates, from
1800-17. But not until Sanscrit was made a subject of
l^uropean study did it become apparent that allinities of
tongues are subject to the laws that govern allinities
of l)lood. Then it was that a similarity was discovered,
not only between the Sanscrit and the (jireek and Latin
tongues, but between these languages and the Teutonic,
Celtic, lrani(!, and Indic, all of which became united in
the great Arian family. At the same time, the ancient
language of the .lews, the Arabic, and the Ai'amaic —
which constitute the Semitic familv — were foinid to be
totally dilferent from tiio Arian in their radical struc-
ture. From these investigations, philologists Avere no
less convinct\i that the Indo-European languages Avere
all of the same stock, than that the Semitic idioms did
ncjt belong to it. The (hK;trine of the Fathers therefore
would not stand; for it was found that all languages
were n(jt derivations from the Hebrew, nor from any
t)ther known central tongue.
Then too, the subordination of tongues to the laws of
evolution ))ecame ap[)arent. It was discovered that lan-
guage was in a state of constant change; that, with all
its variations, human speech could be grouped into fami-
lies, and degrees of relationship ascertained; and that, by
the comparison of vocal)ularies, a classification at once
morphological and genealogical could be made. A'ai'ieties
of tongues, as numberless as the ])hases of humanity,
could Ite traced l)ack towards their beginnings and resolved
into earlier forms. It was discovered that in the first
order of linguistic development, words are monosyllabic.
In this rudimentary stage, to which the (Chinese, Tibetan,
and perhaps the Japanese belong, roots, or sounds ex-
VARIATIONS OF LANGUAGE.
prcHslvo only of tho inatei'ial or siiMstiUitial parts of
things, art! iisoil. In tlio second stajiv. ('alU'd the l»oly-
.svntlu'tic, a,i;iire;iative, or a;jrjilutinate, a niodilyin^ ter-
mination. si,nnilit;ant of the rehitions of i(h'as or thin|j;s
to each othei", is allixed or ghied to tlie root. To the
a;j;'ihitinate hmgnages Ijelonjj; tlie American and Tnra-
nian I'amilies. In tlie tiiird, called the intlectional
staji;e. which comprises only the Arian and Si-mitic fami-
lies, the two elements are more perfectly develojied, and
it is only in this stage that langnage can attain the
highest degree of richness and relinement.
While these stages or conditions are recognized hy all,
it is claimed on one side that althoiigli settU'il languages
retain their grannnatical character, every agglutinate
l.inguage must once have heen monosyllabic, or radical,
and every inllectional language once agglutinate; and on
the other side it is averred that the assertion is incapable
of proof for no historical evidence exists of any one
type ever having passed from one of these stages to
another. Xow if speech is a perfected gift of the Crea-|
tor. how happens it that we find language in every stage
of develoi);n.'nt or rehipse, from the clnckings of Thlin-
keets to tlie classic lines of Homer and of Shakspeare?i
In his physiological structure, so far as is known. Man is
neither more nor less perfect now than in the days of
Adam. How then if language is an organism, is it, nn-
like other organisms, subject to extreme and sudden
change? In animated nature there are two principles;
one iixed and iinishcd as an organism, subject to per-
petual birth and decay, but incapable of advancing or
retrograding; the other, elemental life, the germ or cen-
tre of a futm-e development. The one grows, the other
unfolds. We have no evidence that instincts and
organic functions were more or less perfect in the be-
ginning than now. If therefore language is an instinct
or an organism, a perfect gift of the (h'eator. how can it
exist otherwise than in a concrete and perfect state like
other instincts and organisms?
The absurdity that human speech is the invention of
10
SPrECII AND RrECULATION.
li I I
j)riinitivo mini — tlmt upon hoiiic jiriissy knoll acompanv
of luiir-clail liiirhiiriiin.s mot, mid without words invi'iitcd
words, witjjout Hi^nilicant sounds produced soimds sig-
niHciiut of I'vvi'v ohirct, tlieivin hy mutual consi'ut
originatinji' a lauuuaiic — mav bo sot asido. Of all coii-
jootui'os ooucoi'niujj; tlio oi-ifiin of lau^ua^'o. tho liviHttliosis
that words aro an artillcial invontion is tho loast tonaltlo.
And what is most surprisin,i; to us, at tho pivsont day,
is that suoh mon as LcH'ko and Adam Smith and l)u;ial«l
Stowart could for a mouiont have ontortainod tho idoa.
Obviously, without lanjzuajio thoro could bo no culture,
and without culture, words never could have boon in-
vented. A\'oi-ds aro the s\nibols of obiects and ideas.
(V'rtain words may be arbitrarily selected, and. )iy tho
tacit a,iiroomont or general concurrence of S(M'ioty, may
bo made to sijiiiily certain thiujrs. And in this sense
Avords may orijiinato conventionally. Hut though words
may have boon conventionally selected, they wore noyor
selected by conventions. Wo then have tho discoveries
of modern jjliilolojiists, not only to positively deny tho
infallibility of the common-oriiiin theory, but to bring
Ibrward a nunil)er of other claimants for the jiroatest
anti(iuity, as well entitled to a hoarinji as tho Hebrew.
Diversity in the orijiin of s[)oeeh does not of necessity
im[)ly diversity in tho orijiin of race. Thus with a
unity of race, circumstances may be conceived in
which indepoudont tonjiues may hav^ arisen in dilVoront
localities; wherea!- with a diversity of race, but one laii-
<iua;j;o hypothetic . ly may have boon given to all. A
common origin is robable, a diversity of origin is pos-
sible; neither can » proved or dis[)royed. The radical
dilVerences in the s ucture of the three great typos, the
monosyllabic, the ; rglutinato, and the inflectional; and
the inhoront hetor< goneitiosof the several families of the
same type, as of the Chinese and Siamese, of tho ^VnKU'icaii
and I'uranian. or even of the Arian and Semitic, would
seem to })resont insurmountable olrstacles to tho tlRH)ry
of a common origin; while on tho other hand the Avon-
dorful mutations of typos and trunks, the known trans-
! !
UNIVEllSALITY OF SrEEril.
11
formiitioiis of laii'XUiijro, mid tlie idt'iitifications by some
]»liil(>I(),L:ists. of tlio siinio .st<H'k in I'lich of tlu' tlirct' pro-
jiri'ssioiml ^tajjos, roiidi'i* the tliuory of a uiiit\ of oi'i-
piii in lan^niago cqnally prohahlo. Thoivfore thr (jUi's-
tion of nnity or diversity of ton^nes, as wo speak of
nnitv or diversity of race, can l>c of bnt little moment
to lis. Lan^ua^e shows the connection between iiiitions
widely sejiaiated, leads ns bark iK'Vond tnulition into
till' oliscnre past, follows the sinnosities of niij;rations,
indicates epochs in human develoi)ment, i)oints towards
the oriiiin \>i' })eo[)les, serves us a guide in following the
radiation of races from common centres. Y«'t a simi-
larity in the soimd, or even in the construction of two
woi'ds, does not necessarily imply relationship. Two
totallv distind lannuages mav have borrowed tlie same
word I'rom a third language; \vhi(!h fattt would never
e>itablish relationship between the l)ori'owers. AVhen
like forms are Ibund in dillerent languages, in order
to estal)lish a relationship, historical evidence must be
applied a* a test, and the words followed up to their
roots.
Strippeil of technicalities, the question lu'fore ns is
reduced to a few simple propositions. All men speak;
there never yet was found a nation without articulate
language. Aside from individual and abnormal excep-
tions, no primitive tribe has ever been discovered, where
])art of tlie peoi^le spoke, and part were s[)eechless. Lan-
guage is as nuic.h a part of man, as any i)hysical con-
stituent: yet unlike physical organs, as the eye. the ear,
the hand, laiiiiiucve is not born with the individual. It
is not in the blood. The Caucasian infant stolen by
Ai)aches, caimot converse with its own mother when
restored to her a few years after.
Therefore speec^h is not an independent, perfected gift
of the Creator, but an incidental acipiirement. Further-
more language is an attribute of society. It belongs to
the peoi)le and not to the individual. The child Ik fore
mentioned, if dropped by the Apaches among the bears
and by them nurtured and reared, is doomed to mutism
"
12
SPEECH AND SrECl'LATIOX.
'i
or l)o:ir-l;inp:u;iiiV. Afau was mailc a social Ik'Iii;:'; siH'och
was made as a UK'aiis of coimMiiuicatiiii:' iiit('Hi,i:t'n('o hc-
twecii social bt'injrs; one iii(li\i(liial aloiir iii'vor coukl
oril^iiiato. or ovcii preserve a laiimiaiiv.
IJiit how then liai)i>eiis it. il man did not make it. and
(lod did not give it him. that human speech is miiwrsal.'
With the orjj,anism ol" man the Cri'ator implants the
ornans of speech. AVith the elemental and progressional
life of man the (^vator implants the jii-rm of s[K'ecli,
In conmion with the elenu'nt of j)ro<ji,ress and eivili/ation,
i.tnate from the hei^inninii'. spt'ech has developed l)\'slow
dejiivesthronjih thousands of cvcles and l)v \arious stajies,
marchiiiii' steadily iorward with the I'orward march of
the inti'llect. (\)mi)arative philolojiv, in common with
all otlu'r sciences, accords to man a I'emoti' anti(|nity.
J>unsen estimates that at le. st twi-nty thousand years are
reipiired lor a language to pass from one rudimentary
i^tage to another.
The mind receives impressions and the soul intuitions,
and to throw them olV in some form is an ahsoluti' neces-
sity. I'ainful imj)ressions tend to produce hodily contor-
tions and dolorous sounds; pleasant impressions to illu-
mine the features and to make nmsical the Aoice. And
not only is this compre.ssed emotion destined to lind e.\-
])ression. hut to im[)ress itself upon others. Mmotion is
essentially sym|)athetie. \\ hy certain ohji'cts are repre-
•^omt!
'uted
i\ certain sounds we can never know,
think that hetween every word and the object or idea
whii'h it represents, there was in the fust instance an
intimate ri>lationshi[). J)V di'gi'ees certain natural ar-
ticulations heeame associated with certain ideas; then
ni'w nanu's were suggested hy some fancied analog\' to
objects already named. l"]verything I'lsi' being e(pial,
similar conditions and causations produce similar im-
d I
])ressions and are e\[)resse(l hy snuilar sounds, llt-nci' a
cci'tain unilbrmity between all human tongui's; and a ten-
dency in man to imitate the sounds in nature, tlu' cries
of animals, the melodies of winds and waters, accounts
lor the origin of manv words.
4
MYTHOLOGY.
13
:y to
IIIKll.
From ^'ivinn' oxpivssioii in some outward form to our
inward emotion tlioro is no e.s('a[)o, J^i't us now a])ply
to tlic ('\j)n'ssion of tW'linjj; and emotion tiio same law
of evolution wliieii governs all social and intellectual
plienomoia. and I'rom a languajie of exclamations, we
l.'ave lirst the monosvUahic noini and vei'h, then auxil-
liaries. — ad\erhs. adjectives, prepositions and pro-
nouus. — and linally inilections of })arts of speech hy
which the finer shades of meaninj;' may he ex[)ressed.
'fhe sj)onti aeons outhursts of ieelinji'. oi' the meta-
])horical e\i)ri'ssions of emotion, arisinji instinctively
and acting almost siundtani'ously with the <'oncej)tion
or im[)ression made upon the mind, develop with tiini'
into settled forms of speech. Man speaks as hirds
lly or fishes Nwim. The Creator supplies the orjians
and implants the instinct. Speech, tliou^uh intuitive,
is more than intuition; for. as we have seen, s[)eec)i
is a social rather than an individual attrihute. Dar-
win i)erceives in lanj:ua;j.e not only a spontaneous j^en-
eratiou. hut a natural selection of jirannnatical foi-ms;
the hesi woi'ds, the clearest and shortest expressions,
«'ontinually dispiacinji' the weaker. So words are made
to fit occasie:is. and dro})[)ed as soon as better ones can
he found.
Jianiiuai^i's are not inherited, yet lanjiuafic is an in-
heritance. Lani'uajie is not artificially invented, yet
lan,iiua;ivs are hut conscjitional agreements. Languages
are not a coi'ci'ete pei'fcct"d gift of the Creator, yet the
gi'rm of language is ineradicahly im|)lante(l in man, and
was tliert' implanted hy none hut man's Creator. This
then is Language: it is an acipiisition. hut an actpiisi-
tion from necessity: it is a gift. hut. when given, an
undeveloi»ed gei'ui : it is an artifice, in so far as it is
developed hy the application of individual agencies.
Here, for a Avhile. we will leave Language and turn
to Mythology, the niijlho!^ 'fahle' and lotjox 'speech' of
the ( Jrccians.
L nder anal > ><is mythology is ojkmi to broad \ et sig-
r
14
SPEECH AND SPECULATION.
nificant interpretations. As made up of legendan- ac-
counts of places and personages, it is liistory ; as relating
to the genesis of the gods, the nature and adventures
of divinities, it is religion; plaxied in the category of
science, it is the science of fable; of philosojihy, the
])hilosophy of intuitive Ijeliefs. A mass of fragmentary
truth and iiction not open to ratiojialistic criticism; a
system of tradition, genealogical and political, conlbund-
ing the subjective with the objective; a partition wall of
allegories, built of dead facts cemented with wild I'an-
cies, — it looms ever between the immeasurable and the
measural)le past. .
Thick black clouds, portentous of evil, hang threaten-
ingly over the savage during his entire lile. (lenii
nuu'imu' in the ilowing river, in the rustling branches
are felt the breathings of the gods, goblins dance in
vapory twilight, and demons howl in the darkness,
in the myths of wild, untutored man, is displayed
that inherent desire to account for the origin of things,
which, even at the present time, commands the pro-
foundest attention of philosophy; and, as we look l)ai'k
upon the absurd conceptions of our savage ancestry with
feelings akin to pity and disgust, so may the speculations
of our own times ai)pear to those who shall come after us.
Those weird tales which to us are puerility or poetry, ac-
cording as we please to regiii'd them, were to their believ-
ers history, science, and relitiion. Yet this elVort, which
continues from the beginning io the end, is not valueless;
in it is embodied the soul of human i)rogress, AVithout
mythology, the only dooi* at once to the ideal and iinier
life of primitive peoj)les and to their heroic and historic
1
)ast would l)e Ibrever closed to us. Xothiim so rellect?
their heart-secrets, exposes tt) our view their springs of
action, shadows forth the sources of their hoju's and
fears, exhibits the models after which tlu'y moul^led
their lives.
\\'ithin crude poetic imagery are enrolled their re-
ligious beliefs, are laid the foundations of their systems
of worship, are portrayed their thoughts concei-ning
A f
li
m
IT
I
ALL MYTHS FOUNDED ON FACT.
15
causations and the destinies of niani\ind. I'ndei" s\ m-
l-'jlic, vi'ils is shrouded their ancient national s[)irit. all
that can ))e known of their early history and })oi)idar
ideas. Thus are explained the fundamental laws of na-
ture; thus we are told how earth si)ranji' from chaos, how
men and hetists and jjlants were made, how heaven was
piojiled. and eai'th, and what were the I'elative poweis
and succi'ssive dynasties of the ^'ods. Heroes are uiade
gods; gods arc materialized and hrought down to men.
Of the value of mythology it is unnecessary hfiv to
speak. Xever was there a time in the history of phi-
losophy when the .character, customs, and heliei's of
aboriginal man. and everything a|)pertainingto hiui. were
held in such high esteem ])y scholars as at present. As
the ultiuiate of humap knowledge is a[)[)roached, the in-
(|uii'i'r is thrown ])ack upon the past; anil more and more
the fai't hecouies api)arent, that what is. is 1)ut a re-
})roil action of what has heen; that in the earlier stages
of human d<'velo[)ment may he foimd the countei'j)ai't of
«'\i'r\- pjiase of modern social lil'e. HiLiher and more
heti'i'ogeneous as are our present systems of politics and
l)hil()so[)hy, every })rinciple. when tracked to its begin-
ning. i)roves to have been evohcd. not originated.
As there never yet was found a people without a lan-
guage, so every nation has its mythologv. souie popular
and attractive lorui for preserving historical tradition
auil pri'sentiug ethical maxiuis; and as by the rauge
of their voj'iibidaries we may follow men through all
the stages of their progri'ss in governuient. douieslic,
alltirs aud uiechanical arts. so. by beliefs expressed, we
luiy deteruiiue at any given epoi-li iu the history of a
race tlieir ideal and iutellectual coudition. AVithout the
substauce there can be no shadow, without the object
there can be no nauie for it; therefoie when we (iiid a
language without a word to denote i)roperty or chastity,
we may be sure that the wealth and wouien of the tril)e
are held in counnon; and when in a system of mythology
certain imjjortaut metaphysical or a's'thetic ideas and at-
tributes are wanting, it is evident that the intellect of
i ,
IG
SrEECH AND SPECULATION.
its composers lias not yet reached beyond a certain low
point of conception.
Moreover, as in things evil may be found a spirit
of good, so in falde we find an element of truth.
It is now a recognized principle of i)hilosoi)hy, that no
religious belief, however crude, nor any historical tra-
dition, however absurd, can be held by the majority of a
people for any considerable time as true, without having
in the beginning some foundation in fact. More espe-
cially is the truth of this principle apparent Avhen we
(consider that in all the nndtitudinous beliefs of all aues,
held by peoples savage and civilized, there exist a con-
currence of ideas and a coincidence of opinion. Human
conce[)tions of sui)ernat>u'al aft'airs spring irom like intui-
tions. As human nature is essentially the same throuiih-
out the world and throughout time, so tbe religious
instincts which I'oi-m a part of that universal humanity
generate and develop in like manner under like con-
ditions. The desire to penetrate hidden sui'roundings
and tbe nietliod of attempting it aw to a certain extent
common to all. All wonder at the mysterious; all
attempt the solution of mysteries; all primarily possess
ei[ui\\ laeilities foi- arriving at correct conclusions. The
genesis of belief is uniform, and the results under like
conditions analogous.
We may conclude that the purposes for which these
fictitious narratives were so carefully })reserved and
handi'd down to posterity were two-fold, — to keep alive
(;ertain facts and to inculcate certain doctrines.
Sometbing there nnist have ])een in every legend, in
every tradition, in ;'very belief, which has ever been en-
tertained by the majority of a people, to recommen<l it
to the minds of men in the first instance. I'hror abso-
lute cainiot exist; false doctrine without iui amalgam of
verity speedily crumbles, and the more monstrous the
falsity tbe more ra})id its decomposition. Myths were
the oracles of our savage ancestors; their creed, the rule
of their life, prized by them as men now prize their
faith; and, by whatevei' savage philosophy these strange
tin
m
^1
VALIE OF MYTIIOLOCV.
17
; all
)Oss(:s.s
Tlie
T like
conceits wore eliminated, tlu'ir efVect upon tlie ])o])ular
miinl WHS vital. Anaxaiioras. Soi'rates. Trotaiioras, and
l'][)iciirus well knew and boldly ja-oclainied that the
p)ds ot" the (Jreciaus were disi'e[)utahle characters, not
the kind of deities to make or govern worlds: yet so
deep rootetl in the hearts oi' the people were the maxims
of the past, that lor these e\])i'essions one hei'etic was
ca>^t into ])rison. another expelled iVom Athens, and
another forced to driidv the hemlock. And the less
a fahle i)resents the appearance of prohaoility. the moic
i:rotesi|ue and exti'ava;j:ant it is. the less the likelihood
oi' its havinii oi'iiiinated in pm-e invention; foi' no ex-
traxaiiantly al)surd invention without a particde of truth
could 1»\' any [)ossihility have he 'U ])almed oil' ujion a
jieople. and hy them accepted, revered, recited. |)i-eser\rd
as \*M'ita!tle incident or solution of mystery, and handed
down to those most dear to them, to l)e in like manner
held as sacred.
I'herefore we may he sure that there never was a
myth without a meaniuLi: that mythology is not a hnu-
dle of ridiculous fancies invented I'or vuliiar anmsement ;
that there is not one of these stories, no matter how
silly or ahsui'd. which was not founded in lact. which did
not n\\{'{' hold a si,iinilicanci>. "And tliou,i:h 1 have well
wciulied and considereil all this." concludeil Lord Uacon.
nearly three hundred years aiio. '"and thoroniihly h'vw
into the levity which the mind induli:cs I'or allenoi'ie.s
and illusions, yet 1 cannot hut retain a hiuh value for
the aui-icnt mytholo,:.iy.'" Indeed, to aucit'iit m\ths has
heeii attrihiited the presi'rxation of shattei'ed fraLiuicnt -
of lost science's, even as some lia\'e alle^icMl that we air
inde!)ted to th • writiuijs of Democi'ltus and Aristotle for
modern ^I'eo.Lii'aphical discoveries.
That these dnctile narratives have suiVend in their
transmission to us. that throuuh the ma,<inif\ ini: and
refractiuii' inlluences of time, and the ii:iioiance and
fanaticism of those to whom they were (iist recited, we
i-eceive them nmtilati'd and distorti'd. there can he no
douht. Not one in a thousand of those aboriLiinal
VUL. 111. J °
|r
18
SPEECH AXD S^ ECULATION.
■'lit ■.
Ix-litf; which were held })y the people of the Pacific
Coast at the time of its first occujjation by foreigners,
has been preserved. And for tlie originality and
])urit3' of such as we ha\'e, in many instances, no one
can vouch. Certain writers who saw in tlie native
i'ablo probable evidence of the presence of an apostle, or
a mii-aculous interposition in the aifairs of benighted
heathendom, could but render the narrative in accord-
an(;e with tlieir [)repossessions. 'I'he (U'sire of some to
pi'ovi' a certain oriuin for the Indians, and the contempt
ol" others ibr native character, also led to imperfect or
(•i)lored narrations. Ihit ha.i)[iily. enouiih has hei-n jire-
ser\ed in authentic pic^ture-writinjis. and by nari'ators
whose inteiiritv and intelliLience are ahoxe sii icion. to
^ive us a fail' insiiiht into the native psycliokuical struc-
ture and belief; and if the Unouledi'-e we have is but iu-
iinitesimal in comj)ai'ison with what has been lost, we
may thereby learn to prize more hijihly such as we haxc.
Aiiain we come to the ever-riH-uriinu.' (luestion —
Whence is if.' Whence arise belief. Avor^hip. sujiersti-
tion? Whence the strikin:-' likeness in all supernatural
conceptions bi'tween nations and apes the most diverse?
Wli\' is it that so many peopk's. during' tlie successive
staples of their pro,uri'ss. have their creation myth, their
o'.'iiiin mytli. their llood myth, their animal, and j)laut.
and i>ianet myths? This I'oincidence of exolutiou can
scarcely be the result of accident. Mytholoiiies. then,
l)ein.:.i' like laniiuaiics conmion to mankind, unitbrm in
substance yet varying in detail, what ibilows with re-
gai'd to the essential system ot" their superuatiu'al con-
''i'[)tions? Is it a perfected ,i:ift of the Creator, the
in\c'ntion of a desijiiiing' priesthood, or a spontaneous
p'ueration and natural de\elopment? So broad a ([uvs-
tiou. iuvolvin,^' as it does the wei;xhtiest niipttei's con-
nerled with man. may scai'cely expi'ct exactly the same
answer from any two persons. Origin of life, origin (f
mind, origin of belief, are as nuich ])roblems to the
profoundest philosopher of to-day. as they were to the
iirst wondering bewildered savage wlu) wandered
through primeval forests.
OrJClIN OF liKLIEF.
19
T/.T' is (It'Jni'l In' llorhcrt SpciuHT as '"tlio CD^'riliiia-
tiou ol' a;'li(>!is. or tlii'ir coiitiuiious uiljustnu'ut; ' hy
I. ewes as "a series of definite and .successive elianp's,
l);>th ol' structure and composition, uhich take i)lac(i
within an individual without destroying its idi'utity : '
l)y Schelliniz' as ••the tendenc\- to individuation:" hy
Uicheraud as "•a collection ol" jtlu'noniena which succeeil
each other durin,^' a limited time in an orLianized Ixxly;'
an I hy De lUainvilleas •"the two-fold intei'nal niovcment
ol" coiui)o><itiou and dec,()m[)osition. at once general mid
contimious."' According to Hume. Mind is hut a hundlo
of ideas ami iuipressions which are the sum of all knowl-
I'diic and couseijuently. •" thi' only t!iini:s known to exist. '
In the positivi' philosophy of Auguste ( 'omte. intd-
li'ctual development is divided into three phases; nanu'ly,
the Supernatural, in which the mind seeks I'oi^ super-
natural causes; the ^^etaphysicid. wherein ahstract
foi'ces ai'e set uj) in placi' of sui)ernatural agencies; and
the Positive, which incpiires into the laws which engender
phenomena. .\[artineau, commenting upon intuition and
the minds i)lace in nature, ehargi's the current doctrine of
evolution with excluding the element of life from de\'e!-
opiug organisms. I'ntil the origin of mind, and the rela-
tion of luiud to its enviromnent is determined, the (origin
of the supernatural nmst remain unaccounted i'or. Vet wo
may follow the princi[)le of worshi[) hack to very near
its soui'ce. if we !U'e unal)le entirely to account for it.
We ha\-e seen how the inahility of hrntes to form in'
tlie mind long serpicnces of thought. })revents s[)eech ;
so. ni [)rimitive societies, when successions of mn'ecorded
events are forgotten hcl'ore an\' concej)tion of genenil
laws can he loriued therefrom, polytheism in its grossest
form is sure to prevail. Not until the earlier stages of
])rogress are passed, and. from u nudtitude of correlative
and oit-re|)eated experiences, general deductions made,
ca^n there he any higher religious conceptions than that
ol an in(U'i)endent (>ause for every consequence.
I>y some it is alleged that the ndigious sentiment is a
divine idea perfected hy the Creator and im[>lante(l in
20
SPEECH AND SPECrL.VTIOX.
ill i
m;\u MS ])iirt of l»ir< nutinv, Ik'I'or' his (livor;ioii('t' from
II pi'iinitivc centre. Siii^uhirlv ('iiouiili. the I'mIIkts oI'
the Cliiirch rt'l'crrcd the origin of (hhli' us Avell iis the
origin of ihct to the Jlehrew S('ri[)tiii'es. Supiioitcd h_v
the soimiU'st sophistry, they wiw in every myth. (Jreciiiii
or harhariiiii. a biblical diai'actei". Thus the (J reek
Hercules uas none othiM" than the llebi'ew Sanijjson:
Arlon was Jonah, and ])eucalion Noah. Other mytho-
logical characters were sui)|)ose(l by them to have been
incarnated (lends, who disa[)[)eared after working for a
time their evil upon men.
Thei'e have been those wiio held mytlis to be thi'
fictions of soi'cery. as there are now those who believe
that lorms of worship) were invented by a designing
priesthood, or that mythology is l)ut a collection of tales.
physiciil. ethical and historical, invented by the sages
and ancient wise men of the nation, for the ])urj)ose of
ov(>rawing the wicked and encouraging the good. Some
(leclare that religion is a factitious or accidental social
phenomenon: others that it is an aggregation of organ-
ized human experiences; others that it is a bundle of
.sentiments which were originally projected by the im-
agination, and ultimately adopted as entities; otlu'i's
that it is a, feeling or emotion, the genesis of which is
due to surrounding circumstances.
Many believe all mythological personages to have heen
once real human heroes, the foundations of whose his-
tories were laid in truth, while the structure was reai'ed
by j'ancv. The l']gyptians informed Herodotus that their
deities — the last of whom was Orus soi; of Osiris, the
Apollo of the Orecians — wei'e originally their ki'igs.
Others allirm that myths are but symbolic ideas deified:
that they are ))ut the eiubodimeut of a maxim in the
form of an allegory, and that under tlu'se allcLorical
lorms were taught history, religion, law and morality.
Intermingled with all these hy|)otheses .:re elements
of truth, and yet none of them api)ear to be satisfying
i'xplanations. All imply that religion, in some ibrm. is
an essential constituent of humanitw and that whate\er
ijisF. ()[•' Tin: riuMiTivK phikstiiood.
21
l)0('ll
■ llis-
rrni't'd
their
>. the
ii'iiis.
ilii'd:
I the
»ri(';il
ty.
lU'llts
lyiiiti'
•in. is
itover
I
its ori,Liin rnd ruuctions. it lias exercised IVoiii tli(^ earliest
;i':vs iiud does yet exercise the most ])<)\verlid intlueiice
iqioii man ; worUinu: like lea\-en in the Imiii). keepiirj.'
the world in a lei'ineiit. stiri'iiiji' up men to action. Ijand-
iiiLi' and disnuttim;' nations, nniting and di\idinu,' coiii-
iiiiinities. and lonniii;^' the nncleiis ol' nnml)erless socie-
ties and institutions.
In e\('ry society, small and great, there are nndoiiht-
I'dly certain intellects of (|nicker than ordinary |)erce|)-
tion. which seize n|)on occasions, and hy a. skilll'nl um'
of means ohtain a mastery over inferior minds. It is
thus tliat political and sicial. as well as ecclesiastical
l)()\\cr arist's. \ot that the leader erciites a want — he
i^ hut the mouth-piece or anient of jient-iip human in-
stincts. One ol" these instincts is deiiendente. That
we ari' cri-ated suliordinate. not a!)solnte nor unre-
strained, is a tact from which none can escape. Thral-
dom, constant and insurmonntal)le. we feel we lane
iiiheriteil. Most naturally, therefore, the masses of
mankind seek from amonji' their fellows some eml>odi-
mcnt of jjower. and raiiLiin^i' tlu'iiiseUes under the han-
ner ol' leaders, follow hlindly whithersoe\-er they are
led. l*ercei\iii;^ the power thus placed in their hands,
tlu-^e liorn leaders of men are not slow to invent mt'ans
for retaininii and increasin:.!' it. To the iiKpiiry of the
child or unsophisticated saxauc. who. stiirtled In" a peal
of distant thmidi'r. cries. "What is that?" the explana-
tion is Liiven: "That is the storm-u'od speakin;^'."" "I
a;u afraiil. pi'otect me!" ini|tlores the supplicant. "I
will, only ol)ey. ' is the reply. The answer is sullicient,
curiosity is satisfied, and terror allayed; the harharian
teacher piins a dcNotee. In this inamu>r, llu> sup<'r-
stiMicture of creeiK. witchcrafts, priestcrafts, may have
arisen; sonu' p)ds may thus ha\e heen mad^^ foi'ins ol'
worshi[i iiuented. and intercoin^e opened ' itli beings
supernal and infernal. TIumi devotion advances and
hecomes an art; professors I )y practice become experts.
Mi'anwhile. craft is economi/ed ; the wary Shaman raiii-
doi'tor — like the wortliv cleruMiiaii of civilized ortho-
STEECII AND SPKCl'LATIOX.
doxy, ^vll() rt'Cuscd to ])ray lor rain "wliIU' tlic uind
AViis ill tliiit (lUiii'ti'i' ' — \viitclu's wt'U the ;:iitli('i-iii,!^' rijii'-
iH'ss of the floiid Ih'I'ovc he attciiipts to hurst it with an
arrow. And in tlic «.'nd. a luorc than ordiiiai-y skill in
the cxci'ciso of this puwci', dcilics or dcnioni/c's the
possessor.
Kut whence ai'ises the neoesslty foi" craft and whence
the cral't? The laculty of invention imjdies skill, ^^kill
.•^uccessi'ulh' to ])lay upon the instincts of humanity can
oidy ))(' acquired throii^uh the medium of likc^ instincts,
and althou^li the skill he enipii'ical. the i)lay nni-^t he
natural. ( 'I'aft alone will not sullicc ti> satisfy the de-
sire; the hook nui.«t he haited with some small element
of truth hefore the most credulous will s<'i/.e it. If
ii'liuious heliefs are the fruits of invention, how shall
we account for the stran,:.:'e coincidences of thought
and worshi[) which ]>re\ail throuizhout all myths and
cults? Why is it that all men ol' e\( ry iv/c, in
<'onditions diverse, and in countries widely sundered,
ai'c I'ound searching:' out the same essential facts? All
woi'shij); nearly all liaAc their creation-myth, tlu'ir
llood-myth. their theory of ori.uin. of distrihution from
jirimitive centres, and of a future stati'. In this re,uard
as in many another, cixili/ation is hut an evolution of
sa\aj:ism; for almost e\erv ])rinci])le of modern i)lii-
losophy there may Ite i'ound in i)rimiti\e times its
parallel.
Till' nature and order of supernatural conce])tions are
essentially as Ibllows: The first and rudest form of he-
lief is Fetichism. which invests vwry ])henomenon wiiu
an independent pei'stniality. In the sunshine, tire, and
water, in the wind and rock and stream, in every
animal, hird. and ])lant, theiv is a seiiarate deit_\-: for
vwvy elVect theri' is a cause, liven Ke[)U'r, whose in-
tellect could track the planets in their orhits, nuist needs
assume a guiding spirit for every workl. Jt is inipos-
sihle for the mind to conceive of self-creati^■e or self-
existent forces.
in time the personalities of the fetich- worshiper 1te-
^
T 1)0-
TIIKOKIES CONCEUNINd TIIH DKKJIN OI' AVOIiSmr. 'l'.]
niiiic to MHiic i'xtcnt. "iciicriilizi'd, Ildiuo^ciicoiis ii|i])ciir-
iiiici's iii'c |:r()U|M'(l into cliisscs. and ciicli class rd'crrcil
to a sciiafatf dcitv. and licnci' I'olvtlicisni. l'aiitli»i«-ni
lIu'U conii'S in and niaUcs all created siihstaiuio one with
tlie creator; nature and the universe are ( Jod. I'Voni tlu!
iiupersoMatiuL;' of the i'orci's of nature to the creation of
inii'^iuai'v deities tlieiv is hut ii stei). I'lvt-rv ^irtue and
\\cv, every pood and e\ il heconie.s a personality, iindri"
the direct p)vernanco of uhich lie certain passions and
cNcnts; and thus in })lace of ont^ p>d for many indi\id-
uals, each individual may havi; u nudtitude of his own
personal ;:(m1s. 1'he theop'ony of ]lesiod uas hut a- sys-
tem of materialized lovo and liate; uhile, on the other
hand, the pxls of Homer. althou|ih jK'rsonatinjz' human
])assions, weri^ liUewise endowed with moral jx'rceptions.
In them the hlind for(res ol' nature are lighted up into a
human-di\ ine intellijienco.
In Monotheism the distinct personalities, uliicli to the
savauc underlie every ai)[)earance, heconu' uholly pcn-
ei'alized. and the origin of all phenomena is r«'ferri'd to
one I'irst Cause. ^I'he su1)tle and ])hilos()j)hic, (h'eeks
^vl'll knew that (Jod to he (lod must he onniipotent. and
omnipotency is indivisihle. That the Aztecs could he-
lieve and ])ractice the ahsurdities they did is less an oh-
ject of wonder, than that the intellectual philosopheis oi'
Athens could have tok'rated the pxls of Homer. In-
deed, the reliiiion of the more culti\atiMl (i reeks appears
to us monstrous, in j)roj)oi'tion as they were .superi(jr to
other men in poetry, art. and jdiilosophy.
( 'oiiiparative mytholo;iists explain the oi'ii:in of Avor-
shi]) Intwo api)arently opiniLiiiant theories. The lirst is
that \vliate\'er is seiMi in nature sti'an,:.:*' and wonder-
tul. is (K'eiP'.ii l)y pi-imitive man an ohject worthy of
worshij). The other is. that upon ci'rtain noted indi-
viduals ai'e fastened metaphorical names, symholic of
some (juality alike in them and in the natural ohject
!! Iter which they are called; that' this name. Avhich at
the first was hut the surname of an individual, after its
pos.-^essor is dead and foriiotten. lives, reverts to the
'
24
SPKHfll AM) SI'KcrLATION'.
jiliiiit or iiuimul ^\•lu•n('(• it ciiiiic. lii'comcs ilnl)('^^:()nil^
iiinl is worsliijMMl l)v ii conscrvjitiNi" posterity. In other
words, one theory iasteiis ii|>oii iiiitili'iil |>iielloiiieiiii.
hmiiiui attrildites, ami worships nature under ('o\-erinji;
ol" those uttrihuti's. while tiie other worships in the
natural ohjeet only th" nu'niory ol' a dead and forgotten
man. I have no douht that iu hoth ol" these hy|iotlu'ses
ari' elenii'nts of truth.
In the earlier acts of worship the tendency is to
assimilate the ohjeet worshiped and tht' character of the
worshipei', and also to assi,:iii hahitations to deities,
hehind mans innnediate environment. l']\('ry jieople
lias its heaven and hell; the former most generally lo-
eatiMl heyond the hlue sky, and the latter in the dark
interior caves of the earth. Man in nature reproduces
himself; invi'sts appearances with attrihutes analoiious
to his own. This likeness of the supernatui'al to llit^
natural, of uods to man. is the lirst ad\ance from letich-
ism, out as the intellect advances aiithro[)omorphism
declines. As one hv one
tl ■
tl
10 nearest nnsteries are
solved l»y science, the em])tiness oi superstition hecon
les
a[)pari'nt. and the W(
oiu
lerl
ess w
»)ndi'r is referred h\' the
Avakin^' mind to j^eiieral laws of causation ; hut still cliii;;-
iiiji to its tirst coiicejjtions it places them on ohjects more
ri'inote. Man iixes his eyes u])on the planets, discovers
their movements, and fancies tlieir controHinn' sj)iritalso
controls his destiny; and when released hy reason I'rom
.star-worslii]). as fornu'rly ^uv.n i'etichism. n<:ain an ad-
vance is made, alwa\s neariuv; the doctrine of universal
law.
In one tersely comprehensive sentence Clarke gives
the old view of what were called natural ridiuions:
"They considered them, in their source, the work of
frtiiid; in their essence, corrupt superstitions; in their
doctrines, wholly false; in their moral tendency, ahso-
lutely injurious; and in their result, degenerating more
anil more into greater evil."'
And this view seems to him alike nncharitalile and
nnreasonahlc : '"T* assume that they are wholly evil is
m
rrJF.STCRAFT AND rUdl'ITIATJON.
(lisrcsiHTtl'iil to liiiman nature. It siijtposcs iu;iii to hi'
till' I'iisv and imiviTsal ilupi' ol' iVaiid. I>iil llicsc icli-
l^'ioiis do not rest on such u siiidy loundatiou. l)Ut on tlir
li'diuii' of dciu'iidi'iicc, tlu' mmisc of acrountal(ilit\ . tlio
ri'('();:nition of si)iritual i-calitics vi-rv near to this world
of matter, and tlie need of lookin<:' up and wor.-liipin.u'
N)Uie unseen iK)\ver lii;:lier and better than ouisehes.
We shall (ind them ahvavs feeling' after (Jod. olten lind-
iui: him. We shall see that in their ori;:in thev ar*' not
the work ol' ])riesteral't. hut of huma]i nature; in their
essence not superstitions, hut reliiiions: in their doc-
trines true moie frecpiently than false; in their moral
tendency jiooil rather than i'\il. And instead of dej^cn-
eratinji; toward something:' worse. the\' come to pre[iiiru
thi> way for something' hetter. "
The nearest case to delihoratc invention of deities
was, ])(>ihaps, the ])roniulLjati()n as ohjocts of wor,shi{)
in piimitive times of such ahstractions as llojit; (Spos),
I'ear ^Tailor). Concord (Concoi'dia), (\>ui'a,i:e (\'iitus),
etc. Mow far these {i'ods were iiods. however, in even
the ordinary heathen sense of the word, is douhtful. In
i\ case, thev were hut the e.\tension of an old and e\-
ai
istent iirinciple — the per.soni heat ion ol divine asjiccts or
((Ualilies; they added no mori' to what went hefore than
a new Saint or \'ii'<:in of lA)rett() does to the Catholic
( 'hurch.
■'It was a laNorite opinion with the Christian aijolo-
^ists. Kuseldu.; and others." says (Jladstone. "that the
paiian deitii's represented deified men. Others consider
them to si,Li'nify the jtowci's of external natui<' jiersoni-
(ied. For others tl
icy are. m many cases, inipersnna-
tions of human iiassions and proiiensities. reliectt d hack
iron- the mind of man. A lourtli mode of interpreta-
tion would treat them as copies, distorted and depraved,
of a ])rimitive system of religion given In' (iod to man.
The AiHotle St. Taul speaks of them as devils; hy which
he may perhaps intend to convey that, under the names
and in connection with the worshii) of those deities, the
wcjrst inlluences of the Evil One were at work. This
20
SrEECII AND SPECULATION.
»i '<
Avould ratlicr Ito a subjcu'tivc tlian an ohjcrtivo descrip-
tion; ami would rather coiivry an accoiiiit of tlio })rac-
tical workinii' of a cori'iiptt'd ri'ligioii. than an explanation
of its oiitiin or its early coui'se. As lictwei'n the other
four, it seems prohahle that they all, in varit)us di'<:rees
and maimers, entered into the composition of the later
l)a_;:anism. and also of the Homeric or Olympian system.
That system, however, was ])rofoundly adverse to mi're
Xature-worship; while the care of (le})artments or jirov-
in(vs of external natui'c were assigned to its kadin<j;
])ersonaj:i's. Such Avorshij) of natural ohjects or ele-
mental powers, as })revailed in connection with it. was
in general local or secondary. .\nd the deification of
heroes in the au'e of Homer was rare and merely titulai'.
A\'e do not lind that an\- cult or s\stem of devotion was
attached to it."
So humaidy divine, so imitotently irreat arc the jrods
of Homer ; so thoroughly invested with the passions of
men. clothed in distinctive shades of human cliaracter;
sui'h mingled vii'tue and vice, love and hate, courage and
cowardice; animal passions uniting with n(>l)l' seiiti-
laents: hase and Aulgar thoughts with lofty and sc.))-
lime ideas; and all so wrought \\\> hy his inimitahlo
fancy into divine and su})ernatural heings, as to work
most poueifi.lly n|K)n the nature of the ])eo])le.
These concrete conceptions of his deities have ever
heen a soiu'ce of consolation to the savage; ibr. ')y thus
l)ringing down the gods to a nearer level with liimself,
they could he more materially pro[)itiated. and tiieir ))ro-
tection purchased with gifts and saci'ilices. Thus the
(jlrceks could ol)tain advice thi'ough oracles, the Hindoo
could pass at once into eternal joys hy throwing himself
under the car of .luggeruaut.while the latter-day otlender
seeks in the assistance of the departed to buy forn^ivo-
nesswitli charities, and to compound crime by Luilding
churches.
The difficulty is, that in. attempting to cstal)lish any
theory concerning the origin of things, the soundest
logic is little else than wild speculation. Mankind pro-
[Icscrip-
K' pl'ilC-
iiuation
otlu'i"
lie later
svsttin.
to iiu've
[)V ])1()V-
or olc-
1 it. Avas
at ion of
titular,
[ion was
lie <ro<ls
■sions ot"
laracter;
iiij:e and
f^eiiti-
11(1 sr.l)-
initahlo
o ^vork
e eY(>r
>v thus
iniselt,
eir i)io-
iiis the
Hindoo
liiiuselt'
llender
or<jivc-
o
jiiilding
isli any
oundest
iiid pro-
gress .moonsciouslv. AVe know noi what jirohleins we
ourselves are workinj;' out lor those who come al'ti'r us;
•\\e know not ]»y what process we arrive at many ot'our
conchisious: much ot" that which is clear to oursehcs is
never understood bv our neiuhhoi'. and never w ill he
even known l)y our ]H)sterity. Kvents the most matt'rial
are soon loriiotteii, or else are made spiritual and pre-
served as myths. J^lot out the process by which science
aiiived at results, and in every achievement ol" science,
in tile sti-am engine, the electric telegraph, we should soon
have a heaven-descended agency, ii god ibr every ma-
chiiu'. \\ here mythology ceases and history hegins. is
in the annals ot* every nation a matter oC dispute.
A\'liat at lirst appears to he wholly iabulous may contain
sonic truth, wlu'reas much of what is held to be true is
meie fahle. and herein excessive skejiticism is as un-
wise as excessive credulity.
Historical iiicts. if unrecorded, are soon lost. Thus
when .liian de Ofiate ])eiietrated New Mexico in loUUj
JVay Marco de \i/a. and the expedition of Coronado in
J-)|(i. ajipear to have bi'cn entirely ibrgotten by the
("il)olans. J'V.thers Crespi and dunipero Serra. in their
oNcrland ex[)lorations of 1 T(»lb preparatory to the estah-
li>hincnt «)f ii line of .Missions along the Caliibrnian
scahoard. could find no traces, in the minds of the nali\t's,
of <'alii'illo"s \()yage in jVlii, or of the landing of Sir
Jraiicis Hrakein l-iTO; althongh. so iiin)rt.ssed amm'c the
savages in the latter inslauce. that. according to the worthy
cliaplaiii of tlu> expiMlitiMM. theydesireii "with siilimis-
sioii and tear to worship iis as gcids." Xor can we think
civili/c(l niciiKuics -wliicli ascribe tiie ])lays of Shake-
speare to Hacon, aiul jnuvel out the Iliad of Homer
among numherlcss nnrecordt'd verse-niiikers — nioi'e te-
nai :.. . Frederick Augustus A\'olf denies that a Homer
ever exish'd; or. if he did. that he evei- wrote his poem,
as writiiiLi' was at that time not geneially ];no\\n: hut he
claims that snatches of history, descending orally 'iV(<!uoni>
generation to anolhcr. in "the end coalcsctil into the
niatchh'ss Iliad and Odyssey. The ^)vent which so
28
SPEECH AND SrECULATIOX.
Ill
.strongly iiiipivs.sod the fjitlitT. Ik'ooiucs vagiio in the
iniiid ol' tlie son. and in the third i^eneratioii is eitlier
lost or hecoinc's letivmhu'v. Incidents of reeent oecur-
rence. 0()nteiniK)rary ])erhai)s with the narration, are
sometimes so niisinter|)reted l»y iunoranee or distoi'ted
hy prejudice, as to ])hice the i'act sti"anj:ely at variance
Avith the recitah ^'et no incident nor action falls pnr-
])oseless to the ii'round. I'nrecorded it may he. unwit-
nessed, unheard hy heinu's niatei'ial; a thought- wave
even, lost in snaci' invisihle. actinu'. lor auuht we know,
only upon the author; yet so acting, it casts an inlluence,
stamps on lleeting time its record, theivhy i'uUiUinii' its
destiny. ^Fhus linger \apory conceits long after the
action which cri'ated them lias sunk into ohlivion: unde-
lined shadows of suhstance de[)artcd; none the less ini-
pr
essive hecanse niinnled with innuortal iniaiierv
Turn now irom outward events to inner life; from
ith t
une,
to lit
e ever unn an(
d
events grovn shiulowy wi
mysterious alike to savage and sage. I'Aerywhere man
heholds nuich that is incomprehensihle; within, around,
the i)ast. the I'uture. Invisihle forces are at work, in-
\isil)le agenc'es play upon his destiny. And in the
creations of f; icy, which of necessity grow i>ut of the
inlluence of nature upon the imagination, it is not
strange that mysteries darken, facts and fancies hlend ;
the past and the future uniting in a supernatural
l)resent.
We aiv never content with ]iositive knowledge. From
the earliest workings <.f the mind, ci'eations of lancy
play as inqjortant a [)art in ethical economy as jiositive
])erci'i)tions. Xor does cultuiv in any wise lessi'u these
fanciful creations of the intellect. In the political arer.a
of civili/ed nations, wars and revolutions lor the en-
forcement of opinion concerning matters heyond the
reach of positive knowledge, have e((uaU'U it they ha\e
not exceeded wars t()r emjjire or asccndaucv'. In the
social and individual atfairs of life we are goNci'ned
more h_\' the ideal than hy the real. On reaching the
limits of [)ositi\e knowledge, reason pauses, hut fane,-
•i
RELIfHOUS AND SCIEXTIFIC ULTBI.VTES.
21)
in tllO
i either
; occur-
on. lire
istorted
■•.u'iance
lis i)ur-
, unwit-
lit-wave
e know,
itluence.
Uinji' its
i'ter the
i: unile-
less ini-
fe; from
dim ami
lere man
around.
:)rk. in-
l in the
t of the
is not
l.lend:
Irnatural
Froui
1>1' lancy
ositive
■n
tl
lese
i\\ arena
tl
le eu-
linil
tl
le
l\ have
In tl
le
oNci'ned
lin,;:' the
It \\inr\
overleaps the houndarv. and wanders forward in an end-
less waste of s[)eeulation.
The tendency of intellectual })ro>iress. according' to
the |)hil()snj)hy of ilerhert Si)encer. is from the concrete
to the ahstract. from the homojicneous to the luterojic-
iH'ous. from the knowa])le to tiie unknowal)le. I'rimoi'-
dially nothing' was known; as superstitions and prii'st-
cral't urew rank. everythin<r ])ecame known; there ^vas
not a prohlem in the natural or in the su[)ernatural
world unsolvahle hy reliiiion. Xow, when sonu> ele-
ments of ahsohite knowlediie are heuiimini:' to appear,
we discover, not only that little is positively known, hut
that nuich of what has heen hitherto deemnl past con-
IrovcrtiuLi'. is. umh'r the jjresent r(\iiime of thought,
ahsolutely unkuowahle. Formerly ultimate reliiiious
knowU'(lj:(' was attained hy the very novices of reliszion,
and idtiinate scientific knowledjie was e.\[>lained throuiih
their fanatical concei>tions. Xot oidy were all the mys-
teries of the matei'ial nni\erse easily solved hy the
Fathi'rs. I)ii* heaven was measured and the phenomena
of hell niinitely deserilied. Xow we are just l)(\L;in-
nini: to coniprelu'nd that ultimate facts will ])rohahly
ever remain unkuowahle i'acts. for when the present
ultii;.;!t;' is attained, an <'ti'rnity of undiscovered truth
>v .11 sUl lay stretched out hefore the searcher. I'ntil
the I'Uite hecomes infuiite. and time lapses into eternity.
ttn ie:,[i;j <\[' thouiiht will I'emain unfdled. At ])resent.
a:'d inti' the srope of the intellect is materially en-
larmvl. Mwn theories ;iS the oriuin of tlu' uni\'ei'se-^
held \)y atheists to he self-existent, hy pantheists to liaM"
heen self-created, and l)y theists to have l)een ori,uinated
hy an external aiiicucy must remain, as they are now-
admitted to he. ((uestions l»eyond eviMi the comi>rehen-
sion of the intellect. Likewise scientilic ultimates — such
ts the (pialitiesof timeand space, the divisil»ility of mat-
i'< '■. the co-ordination of motion and rest, the correlation
"• lorces. the mysteries of ui-avitation. li,uht and heat —
are lound to he not oid\ not solvahle. hut not conceiva-
lile. And, as with the external, so with the inward
'
80
SPEECH AND SrECULATIOX.
life; we cnnnot conceive the nntiire, nor explain tlie
orij/in and dunition, of consciousness. The endless spec-
ulations of Ijiolojiv and psychology only leave inipres-
s'rons at once of the strength and weakness of the mind
of man; stvong in empirical knowledge, impotent in
every attempt rationally to penetrate the nnfathomahle.
Nowhere in m\ thology do we lind the world sell-created
or seli-existent, Some extei'iial agency is ever l)rought
in to jierfoi i the work, and in the end the sti'iicture of
tl
le universt
lived into its oriiiinal eleml'nt^
Primordial i. fnids himsel." snrroundeil l»y natural
})hen()mena. the operations of which his intelligence is
capable ol' gi-a.-ping hut partially. Certain appetites
sharju'n, at once, certain instincts. II
unuer makes liim
ac(|uainte(l with the fruits of the earth; cold with the
skins oi' beasts. Accident su[)plies him with rude im-
plements, and imparts to him a knowledge of his power
over annuals, Wwt iis instinct merges into inti'llect,
strange powers in nature are felt: invisible agents wield-
ing invisible weai)ons: realities which exist unheard and
move unseen: outward manifestations of hidden streugtli,
lliunanity, di\ine, but wild and wondei'ing. half-ft'd,
half-clad, ranges woods ])rimeval. hears the roar of 1»at-
tling elements, sees the ancient forest-tree shixcred iuto
fragments by heavens artilk'ry, feels the solid earth ri>e
up in rumbling waves beneath his I'ei't. lie receives, as
it wei'e, a blow from within the darkness, and liingiiig
himself upon the ground he begs protection; i'rom what
he knows not. of whom he knows not.
J
)Ui"\' me not.
() tumultuous heavens," he cries, "under thi' clouds of
your (lispleasiuv;
fierce llaminu' fire
Hri'
<e me
not d
I'^arth, be fn-ml
own in wrath. ()
llei'e, then, is
the origin of ])rayer, .Vnd to rendei- more I'llectual hi
entreaties, a liift is oftered.
■^er/nig upon wliatexcr he
pi'i/es most, his I'cmxI. his raiment, he rushes forth and
Iiurls his propitiatory oiVering heavenward, earthward,
whithersoever his fren/ied I'ancy dictates. Or. il' this
is not enough, the still more dearly valued gil't of human
blood or human life is oifered. His own llesh he iVeely
oiiKnx AND n;of;i:::;;s or riiiESTciiAFT.
31
lacerates; to j^ave his (nvn \\\v lie gives that of his
eiieiuN', his slave, or even his ehild. lleiiee arises sae-
riliee.
And here also conjurings oonnnenee. The necessity
is I'elt of ojK'iiinji' np some intereonrse Avith these nivs-
terioiis powers; relations eommereial and social: cahimi-
ties and casualties. })ersonal and puhlic. iinist he traced
to causes, and the tonnenting demon hought oil". l»ut it
is cleai'ly evident that these elemental forces ar(> not all
of them inimical '•> the hap[)iness of mankind. Sun-
shine, air and water, the heniun inlluences in nature,
are as [jowerful to create, as the adverse elemeuts are to
dcsti'oy. And as these forces a[)})ear contlictinii'. \)i\vt
]ii'()ductive of lil'e and enjoyment, and part ol destruc-
tiou. decay, aud death, a se[)aration is made. Hence
])riuciiiles of siood and evil are discovered; and to all
these uuaccountalile I'orces in nature, names and })roper-
ties are uixen. and causations invented. For every act
there is an actor — for everv dved a doer; for everv
]);)wer and passion there is made a jiod.
'jliiis we see that worship in souie form is a huuian
necessity, or. at least, a constant acconipaniuunt oi' ini-
manity. I'ntil perlect wisdom and liuiitless power are
the attril)utes of lunnauity, a/loi-ation will continue; lor
Hi '11 will ne\er cease to reverence what they do uot \ui-
ders'iaud, n^r will they cease to fear such elenu'uts of
sti'euilh as ai'e heyond their control. Tlu' ioi-ui of this
c (ueiliatory hoiua;j:e appears to arise from couuuon hu-
man instincts: lor. throuuliout the world and in all
a,n' 's. a similarity in p\-iniitive ri-liuious forms has existed.
It is a j:ivin,'i of somethin;^; the harter of a valnahle
somethiim' for a souu'thin,Li' moiv vaIu;d)U'. As in his
civil });)lity all crimes may he couipoumU'd or awMi.^cd,
so in his worshi]). the savage gives his pride, his pro})-
erty. or his hlood.
At first, this s[)irlt power is seen in evi'rythmg: in
the storm and in the soft evening air; in clouds and
catai-acts. in mountains, rocks, and rivers; in ti'ces. in
reptiles, heasts, and fishes. JJut when progressive man
82
SrEEC'II AND SrECTLATIOX.
obtains a more pt'rH'ct inastcrv o\'vr the l)nite' civatioii.
brute worship ceust's; as he becomes lamihar witli the
causes of some of the forces in nature, and is better able
to pi'otect himself from them, the fear of natural objects
is lesseui'd. JA'aviu.u the level of the brute creation he
mounts upward, and seleetinj;' from his own specii's some
livinti' or dead hero, ho endows a kiuu' or connade with
su})erhuman attributes, and worships his dead fellow
as a divine bi'inj;'. Still he tunes his th()u;,ihts to subtlei"
creations, and carves with skillful (iuLicrs material ima^'s
of suj)ernatural forms. Then comes idolatry. The iireat
princi[)les of causation beinn' determined and embodied
in iK'rceptible forms, adorations ensue. C'ravin^s. how-
ever, increase. As the intellect e\[)ands. one idol alter
another is tin-own down. .Mind assumes the mastery
over matter. l''rom .uods of wood and stone, made by
mens rmirers, and from suns and planets, carved by the
finders of omnipotence, the creature now turns to the
Creator. A foi-m of ideal worship su[)plants the mate-
rial form; ii'ods known and taniiible are thrown aside
foi" the unknown (lod. And well were it I'or the intel-
lect could it stoj) here. Unt. as the actions of countless
mateiial ;i'ods were clear to the primiti\e prit'st, and by
him s:itisfach)rily exjilaiiu'd to the savaue masses; so, in
this more avlvanced state nu'ii are not wanting' who re-
ceive IVom their ideal uod revelations of his actions and
moti\es. To its new. unknown, ideal pxl. the partially
awakened human mind attaches the jjositive attributi's
of the old. material di'ities. or invents new ones, and
starts anew to tread the endless mytholouic circle; until
in yet a hiiihei' .-^tate it discovers that both ii'od and attri-
butes are whoUv bi'xond its urasi). and that with all its
pi
ouress. it has advanced ))ut sliiihtlv bevond the (ii'st
avaiiv conception; — a jiowt'r altoii'ether mysterious, in-
explicable to science, controlling phenomena of mind
and matter.
]>arbai'ians are the most reliuious of mortals. While
ked brain of the schohu" or man of
I with more practical all'airs, the list-
tl
le
busw overwoi
busniess is occupiet
OUICIN OF FETICIIISM.
83
cation,
th the
or iil)U'
ohjt'cts
tiou ho
I's sonic
Ic with
i'cUow
SllhtllM'
, iiiiii'ics
U' lircat
iiliotlicd
LS, hoNv-
ol iirtci-
niiistcrv
Kulc \)y
\ h\ the
^ to the
ic niatc-
n aside
le intcl-
ountlcss
and hy
h: so, in
who ir-
ons and
|)!irtially
tti'ihutcs
ics. am
le
1111
I
til
lid attri-
it.^
Ii a I
the lii'st
less mind of the sii\ii,iic, tlirown as he is upon the verv
hosoiii of nature, is lilK'd with inniinicrahle eoiijcctuivs
iiiid iiiterroiiatories. His curiosity, like tliat of a child,
is proNcrhial. and as sii[K'rstition is ever the resource of
iLiiioraucc. ((Uecr fauries and fautasuis (touciM'niiiLi lileaud
death, and t:()>ls and devils lloat contiuuall\ throuidi his
uiieuli^ihteiied iiuaiiination.
lll-pvotected iVoiii the elements, his comfort and his
iiiici-rtaiu food-sujjply de})en(lin^' upon them, iirimitive
man rcLiards nature with eaiicr interest. Lil<i' the
hcasts. his forest companions, he places hiinsi'lf as lar as
possible ill harmony with his environment. He miizrates
with the seasons: feasts when food is jiU-nty. fasts in
fainiiu'-tiine: hasks and gambols in the sunshine, cowers
hcncath t!ie fury ol" the storm, crawls from the cold into
his Acn. and there (|uasi-torpidly remains until nature
releases liiin. Is it therefore strange thai, savage intel-
lect peo[(lcs the elements with su[)ernatiiral ])o\\crs: that
(jod is I'Ncrywhere. in everything; in the most trilling
accident and incident, as well as in the sun. the sea. the
gro\'e: that when evil conies (Jod is angry, when fortune
smiles ( loil is fa\ora1)le; and that he speaks to his Avild.
untutored people in signs and dreams, in tlu' tempest and
in the sunshine. Nor does he withhold the still, small
voice, whieh hreathes upon minds most darkeiu'd. and
into lireasts tli(> most sa\'age, a spirit of progi'css. which,
if a people he left to the free fullilhnent of their destiny,
is sure, soniier or later, to ri[)eii into full dexelopment.
We will now glance at the origin of letichism. which
indeed may he called the origin ol' ideal religion, from
the other standpoint: that which arises from the rcs])ect
men Itvl I'or the memory of their dep:u1ed ancestors.
The first conception of a dualty in man's nature has
lieen attributed to various causes; it may be the result of
u combination of <'anses. There is the shadow upon
the ground, separah'. yet inseparable; the ri'ilectioii of
the form upon the water; the echo of the voice,
the ad\-entures of fancy portrayed by dreams. Self
Vol. III. ;)
1 1'
u
SrEECII AND SPECULVTION.
is (li\'isiI)U' IVoin and iiisopiu-ahly ooimcotcd with tills
otlu'i'si'll'. Ilcrt'lVoiii iii'isc iiiniiiiK'riiltU' sinu-rstitions; it
AViis j)()rtont()Us of inislortiiiie for ones clotlu's to ho
stt'j)[K'(l on; no I'ood nnist he k'I't nneiitcn; nail dippings
jind locks of hair must not fail into the hands ol' an
enemy, (^itlin, in sketching' his portraits, often nai'i'ow-
1\ es{'aj)ed with his lile, the Indians ))elievin!j^' that in
tl
leir
lil
venesses
le ciirnei
a\va\'
th
len' otui'K se
ir.
And when death eomes, and this other sell' de[)Ui'ts,
whither has it ^one? The lil'eless hody remains, hut
where is the life? 'i'he mind eannot eonci'ive of the
total e\tin|.iuishment of an entity, and so tiie ima.iiinu-
tion rears a local hahitatioii i'or every di'parted spirit.
l*]very phenomenon and every event is analyzed under
this hypothesis. For every event there is not only a
cause, hut u personal cause, an indei)endent aucnt hehind
every consecjuence. livery animal, exery (ish and hird,
every rock and stream and ])lant. the rii)enin;j:' fruit,
the falllni;' rain, the uncertain wind, the sun and stars,
are all personilied. There is no disease without its uod
or devil, no tish entaniiled in the net. no heast or hii'd
that falls hefore the hunter, without its s[)ecial sender.
Savaiics are more iifraid of a dead man than a live
one. Tlu'y are overwhelmed with terror at the thought
of this unseen ])ower over them. The spirit of the de-
])ai"ted is onnii[)()tent and omni[)resent. At any cost or
hazard it nuist he pro[)itiated. So food is placed in the
urave: wives am
1 sli
ives, and horses and doiis. are slain,
and in spirit sent to servi> the jihost of the de[)arted;
e sent to the reiiion of shadows
ai
] )liantom nu'ssenjiers
iVom time to time; the messen;iers sometimes even vol-
uiiteeriii;j,' to p). f^o hoats and weapons and all the
])ro[)erty of the deceased are l)unu'd or deposited with
him. In the hand of the deail child is placed a toy; in
that of the departed warrior, thesymholic pipe of jieace,
which is to open a tranipiil entrance intoliis new abode;
clothes, and ornaments, and })aint, are conveniently
])laced. and thus a ])roi)er personal api)earance liuaran-
tced. Xot that the thin;is themselves are to he used,
Tin: wor.siiir or dead ancestors.
35
l)ut tlic souls of tliiiiLis. ^I'lio hody ol' the cliicf rots,
as does tlif luatt'riiil sitlistaiicc of tlio articles hiiricd
with it: but the soul of I'Vcry article follows the soul of
its owner, to serve its own peculiar eiul in the land of
phantoms.
The Chinese, jirown cnnninjr with the j-reat anti(|nity
of their hnrial enstonis. ^vhich re(|nire nion^y and food
to he deposited for the henelit of the deceased. si)iritual-
i/e the money, hy niakin^t;' an imitation coin of paste-
h(t;u'd. w Idle the I'ood, untouched i)y the dead, is tinally
eaten l)y themselves.
r>iit whence arises the stranu'e propensity of all pi'im-
itive nations to worshij) animals, and plants, and stones,
thinis animate and inanimate, natural and supernatui'al?
Why is it that all nations or tribes select from nature
soine oliject which they hold to he sacred, and which
they \enerate as deity? It is the o[)inion of llerhei't
Spi'iiccr that '"thi' i'ndimcntar\' iorm of all religion is
the in'opitiation of di'ad ancestors, who are su[)[)oseil to
1)1' siiil existinii'. and to he capaide of workin_i:' jiood or
evi
toth
leu' (lesceui
lant>
Itisth
le universal caistom with
sa\a.e trihi's. as the character of their inemhers heconu'S
devclopi'd. to (lro[) the real name of individuals and
to fix u[)i)n them the attribute of some external ol»ject,
by wliose name only tluy are afterwards known. Thus
a swil't runner is called the 'anteloue.' the slow ol' foot.
the ' tia'toisi'.' a mei'ciless warrioi
tl
le wo
a (
lark-
i'ye'i maid may be likened to the 'raven.' a majestic
mati'on to the'cyj)ress.' And so the I'ivulet.the rock, the
dawn, the sun. and even elements invisible. are sei/t d up-
on a-< mi'ta[)hors and fastened ni)on individuals, accordinj;'
to a real or I'ancied resemblance between the <|ualities
of nature and the character of the men. Interiority
and baseness, alike with nobleness and wise conduct,
IteriK'tuate a name, l^ven in civili/ed societies, a nick-
nim,' often takes the place of the real name. School-
boys are (juick to distini-uish peculiarities in their fel-
lows, and fa.sten upon them si-inificant names. A dull
(Scholar is called ' cal)ba;>e-liead,' the "irl with red riny;-
li *
%
Ml
86
SPEECH AND SPECULATION.
lets. * carrots.' \\i tlu> family tluMV is tlu; •rrcody
'|>iti'.' tliL' (liu'liiijj; 'duck.' the little •lamh.' In new
ciniiiti'ics. and ahiionual coimminitics, ^vlu'l•e straiiiicrn
fVamall |)ai'ts arc; pi'oiuisciioiisly tlii'owii to^icthcr. not iin-
iVi'iiicntly nu'ii live oil ti'i'iusol' intimac\' i'oi' years with-
out ever kiiowiuj;'oachotliei''s real name. Anu)n,ii" miners,
such apiH'llations as 'Muley Bill,' 'Sandy,' 'Shorty,'
'Sassafras .lack,' often sei've all the pin'i)oses of a name.
In more relined circles, there is the h\ [KM;ritical 'cro-
codile,' the sly 'I'ox,' the <iriill' 'hear.' We say of the
hor.so, 'he is as lleet as the uind," of a rapid accoujit-
ant, 'he is as (piick as ightninu".' These names, which
ai'(i used hy us hut foi- the moment, or to lit occasions,
are amonii' rude nations permani'nt — in many instances
the oidy nanie a person ever receixes.
Sometimes the nickname of the individual becomes
first a liunily name and then a tribal name; as when
thi' chief, '(Joyote,' becomes renowned, his children
love to (V:U1 theuiselves '(Nnotes.' The chieftainship
descen lin.1' to the son and grandson of (\)yote. the
nam.' bciuimes famous, the (\)yote family the domin-
ant family of the tribe; members of the tribe, in their
intercoursi! with other ti'ibes. call themselves 'coyotes,'
to distini;uish themselves from other tribes; the head,
or tail. (M- claws, or skin, of the coyote ornaments the
dress or adorns the body; the name becomes tribal, and
the aniuul the symbol or totem of the tribe. After a
few generations have passed, liie great chieftain, Coyote,
ami his imuiL'diate progeny are forgotten; meanwhile
the bwHt becomes a i'avorite with the peo[)le; he begins
to be regarded as privileged; is not hunted down like
other beasts; the virtues and exploits of the Avhoie
Coyote clan become identified with the brute; the af-
fections of the peoi)le are centered in the {uiimal. and
iinally, all else being lost and forgotten, the descendants
of the chieftain, Coyote, are the oll'spring of the veri-
table beast, coyote,
(\)ncerning image-worshi]) and the material represen-
tation of ideal beings, Mr. Tylor believes that "when
m
AUSTllACT CONt'EPTIONS, MONSTEltS, AND METAPHOIIS. ;',7
inan hi\^ p)t some w;iy in (IcvclojiiiiL!; tlio rdiuitms clc-
iiii'iit ill him. lie l)i',L!,iiis lo ciiti'li at tlu' dcs ice ofscttiiiLi up
a pappi't. or a stoiic, as tlic sviiiliol and ivprt'scntativ*' of
I lie notions of a lii;4ht'r licing \vlii(;h arc tloatin^i' in liis
niiiiii. "
i'riinitivc laniitiap's cannot express al)strn('t (pialities.
I'or evi'i'v kind ol" animal or bird or plant there ma\ he
a ii;ime. lint for animals, jilants. and hirds in jicneral. they
have no name or conei'jition. Therefore, the ahstraet
((iialitv hecomes the concrete idea of iipxl. and the de-
scendants of u man whose symholic name was ' do:;.'
from heiiri the children of the man hecome the child-
ivn ol" tlu! do^'.
Hence also arise monsters, l)eint:s coni])oniided ol
hi-a-^t. hird. and Msh. si>hinxes. mermaids, hmnan-headed
hi'iites. winded animals; as when the descendant of the
■hawk' carries olf a wife from the 'salmon' trihe. a totem
repiesentinu' a lish with a hawk's head for a tiiiu' kei'ps
alive the occurrence and finally hecomes the deity.
Thus realities lieconie metaj)hors and metaphors reali-
ties; the fact dwindles into shadowy nothingness and
the fancy s[)riniis into actnal heiiiii'. The historical inci-
dent hecomes first indistinct and then is foruotteii; the
UH'tiipliorical name of the dead ancestor is first res[)ected
in the animal or [)lant. then worshipi'd in the animal
or i)lant. and finally the nicknanu' and the ancestor hoth
are for,;_otti'n and the idea hecomes the entity, and the
veritaMe ohject of worshij). I'Voiii for'ictfiilness of priiiio-
p'nitor ;iiid metaphor, conceixinu' the animal to he the
^■ery ancester. words an- pnt into the animals month, t'"'
sayiiiLis of the ancestor hecome the sayin.us of the hrnte;
hence mytholo;:ical IcLicnds of talkin.u' heasts. and hirds.
and wise fishes. To one animal is attrihnted a miraeii-
loiis cnre. to another, assistance in time oftronlile: ore
animal is a deceiver, another a l)etrayer: and thus
throiidi their myths and metajihors we may look liack
into the sold of sava-ism and into their .sad of nature.
That this is the oriiiin of some [)liases of letichiMn
there can he no doiiht; that it is the oriL^in of all reli-
88
Sl'KECIl AND SrilClU.ATlO.V.
gioiis, or oven tlio «mlv iiU'tlKid ])y \\\uv\\ anlmiil and
l)liiut worsliip originutt's. I do not liclii'vc. W'liili'
tlu'i'i' iuv undoiihtcdlv jit'iuTid [trinciiili's iiiidcrlx in;:' all
ivli;iioii.s ('oii('t'|)tioiis, it docs not necessarily I'ollou. that
ill every instance tlu' metliods of arriving; at those ruiida-
nicntal j»i'incii)les nnist he identical. AsAvith lis a child
wee|)s o\e»' a dead mother's pictnre, ri'j:'ardiii,ii' it with
Ibnd devotion, so the diitii'nl haiharian son, in order the
iK'tter to }tro[)itiate the i'avor of his d<'ad ancestoi'. sonie-
tiiiies carves his iuiaue in wimmI ov stone, which sentiment
Avitli time lai)ses into idolatry-. Any object which strikes
the rnde fancy as analojions to the character of an indi-
vidual may become an object of woi'ship.
Till' interpretation of myth can lU'Ver be absolute and
iiositive; \et we ma\' in almost e\er\ instance discover
la* •
the <ieneral jiurport. Tims a sui)erior god, Ave may be
almost sure, refers to some potent hero, some primitive
ruler, w liom tradition has made sinu'rhuman in oii. in an
ill power; demigods, subordinate or niferioi' biiiigs in
])ower, must be regarded as legendary, relerring to «'er-
tiiin intlueiitial persons, ideiitilicd with soiiu' cKiiu lit or
incident in which the deified personage played a coii-
spicuoiis jiart.
Although in mythology religion is the dominant ele-
ment, yet mythology is not wholly made up oi' religion,
nor are all jirimitive religions mytiiicial. '"There are
few mistakes" says Profi'ssor Max Miilli'i' "so widely
.spread and so lirmly established as that which makes us
confound the religion and the mythology t)f the ancient
nations of the world. 1 low mythology arises, necessarily
and naturally, 1 tried to explain in my former lectures,
and we saw that, as an affection or disorder of language,
m\ tholoiiv mav infect ever\ iiart of the intellectiial life
of man. True it is that no idi'as are mort; liabU^ to my-
thological disease than religious ideas, liecaiise they
transcend those regions of our experience within wliicli
laniiiiatic has its natural origin, and must therefore, ac-
cording to their very nature, be satislit'd with iiietai>hori-
^cal expressions. J]^ e hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither
^
iin:i1 and
While;
'\\\\\li Jill
()\V. tllllt
■<i' ruiuiii-
s ii child
•• it with
m\vv the
I'litiiiu'iit
■\\ strikes
all iiuli-
(liite and
discover
iiiav he
a-imitive
ri.in air
Kiii,:^s in
\<^ to cer-
iin lit or
I a coii-
ant ele-
i-eTc-iion,
iei\' are
t widely
nakes ns
ancient
essarily
lectures,
in,L:iiau'e,
■tual life
c to niy-
ise they
n which
lore, ac-
'tai>li()ri-
neither
I'
I
I'lNDAMKNTAL ]1)I:AS ol' Ulil.HIION.
80
halh it entei'cil into the lieait of man. Vet even the
religions of the ancient nations ai-e hy no means inevi-
tahly and aitoiii'ther mytholoiiical. On the contrary, as
a diseased iVame |>re-sii|>[)osi'S a healthy rraiiic, so a
mytholojj,ical religion pre-sn[)p()ses, I hi'lieve, a healthy
rcii.Liion.
The nniversal secrets of sM|»ernatnral heinusare wrap-
])ed ii[) in ])rol»ahle or nossihle I'alde; the elciiicnts of
physical nature ju'e im[)ersonated in allegories, and
arrayed in forms per(vptil)le to the imai:ination; deities
arc sometimes introduced into the machinery of the
supi'iiiatiiral in order to gratify that lo\i' for the mar-
velous which every attempt to e.\plain the mysterious
forces of nature creates in the i<:iiorant mind. Vet
it cannot truly he said that any foi'in of reli,::ion. much
less any religion was wholly invented. Fanatics some-
times orii^inate doctrines, and the Church sets forth its
(htiiiiias. hut there nnist he a foundation of truth or the
eililice cannot stand. Inventions there un(loul)te(lly
have heen and are. hut invi'utions. sooner or later I'all
to the ,L:roiind. while the essential princi[)les underlying'
religion and mythology. thou,iih momentarily overcome
or swei)t away, are siuv to remain.
livery one of the fundamental ideas of reli^iion is ol'
indigenous oi-itrin. generatinij; spontaneously in the
human heart. It isacharactei'isticof mytholoi^y that thi;
})i'esi'nt inhahitants of the world descended iVom sonu"
iiol)ler race. From the nohler impulses of fancy the
sava;j;e di'rives his ori,uiu. Ills higher instincts teach
him. that his dim distant past, and his impenctral)le
fiituri'. arc alike of a lighter, more ethereal natiii'e; that
his earthly nature is hase. that that which hinds him
to eai'th is the lowest, vilest part of himself.
The tendency of positi\e knowle.uc is to oxcrthi'ow
tsuperstitiou. Hence as science devel«)[)s. many tenets of
estahiished religions. pal[)al)ly erroneous. are dropjied. and
the more knowledge hecomes real, the more real know-
led Lit
IS denied. Mi})erstition is not the efii-ct of ;ni
Jictive imagination, but shows rather a lack of imaiiination,
M
I
ii'f
1')
PPEEfll AND SPECT'LATTOX.
I'oi- we s(H' tliiit tlic lower tlie .^tuw ol' intcUi.iiciirc. niul
tilt' li'C'Idcr till' iiii;i,^iii;iti()n. tlu' jircatcr the sitju'i'stitioii.
A keen. N'ivid imiiiiiiiiitiou. iilthoiiiih capuhle of hroiidor
and more eoiii[)licate(l conceptions, is ahle to explain the
cimkU'I" mai'vels. and conse((uently to dispel the coarser
jihascs of snpi'i'stition. while the dull intellect accepts
evervthinji' which is put u[)oii it as true, ritiniate reli-
gious coni'e[)tions aiv svniholic rather than at'tual. 11-
tiinate ideas ol the univei'se are even hevond the ,uras[)
of the ])roroun(lest intt'llect. We can form hut an ap-
proximate idia of the spheiv (ai which we live. To form
conceptions of the rehitive and actual distimces and
maiiiiitudes of heaveidy hodies, of systems of worlds, and
eternities v;f ^pace, the human mind is totally inade([uate.
If. therefore, the mind is unahle to .tirasp material visihle
ohjects. how nmch less are we al)le to measure the invisi-
hle and eternal.
When therefore the savage attem[)ts to sohe the proh-
lem of natural ])lienomena. he first reduces hi'oad concep-
tions to symbolic ideas, lie moulds his deity accordini;'
to the mea<ure (tf his mind: and in forming' a skeleton
upon which to elaborate his reliiiious instincts, proximate
theories re accepted, and almost any ex[)lanation ap-
piNUs to hiui plausil)le. The potential creations of jiis
I'aiKy are hi'ouiiht within the compass of his eompri'hen-
sion; symbolic jz'ods are moulded from nuid. oi earvcil
i'rom woi»,l or stone: and thus by seiireiiatinu' an inli-
niteslm d part of the vast idea of deity, the worshijyer
meets the material reijuirements of his religious con-
ceptions. And althou.uli the lt>\ver forms of wor;;hi[i are
abandoned as the intellect unfolds, the s; nu' piincij)le
is continurd. We st-t nj) in tin' luind symbols of the ulti-
nr.ite i(h'a wnich is too ui'eat for our s^rasp. and iuia^ininu'
oursei\('s In possession of the actual idea, we fall into
numberU'ss erroi's concerninsi' what we hi'lieve or think.
The atheistic hypothesis of sell'-i'xistence, the pantheistic
liy[)otlH'sis of self-creation, and the theistic hy])otliesis of
creation by an external auency are i'(|ually nnthiid\abl('
and therefore as postulates e([ually untenable. Vet un-
rLASSIFTCATTON' OF r.VClFir STATES' JIYTIIS.
41
(Ipilv inii,' all. liowi'vcr ^ross or sii|)( rstitlous tlu' doiznia.
is OIK- rimdaiiR'iital truth. Haiiu'l\ . that {\\vvo is a j)r()lt-
Inii to hv solw'il, ail t'xistciit iiiystL'i'ious univrrsc to he
acc'ouiiti'tl lor.
\)cv\) down in ovi'i'v Innnan hri-ast is iniplantrd a
i".'li!.rio.^it_v iis a rumhnni'ntal attrihutr ol" man s nature;
ii conscioiisiK'ss that heliind vi^ihlo a})})e;n'aiu't's is an in-
\isihlc power; underlvinii' jill ('on('t'[)tion is an instinct
Ol' intuition Ironi \vhi<'h there is va: escajie. that hevond
inatvi'ial actualities jiotential ai:encies are at work; and
throULihout all heliel'. iVoni tlie stupidest H-tichisui to the
most exalted monotheism, as part ol'these insti)icti\e con-
^ ictions, it is held that the heiniis. or hein;^. who rule
nr'ui's destiny may ])e propitiated.
The lirst cry of nature is inished. l^'rom time im-
memorial nations and pecjjjles lia\e come and iione,
^\henceaud whithei' no one knows; entering cxisti'nci'
unaiuiounred they disa[)pea" and lea\e uo trace, saxc
})erhaps their impress on tiie hiniiuaLie or the luUholoj^y
ol'the world. Thus iVom histcii'ic fact hh'nded \vith the
ivligious sentiment.; springs the Mythic Idea.
Tn the loUowinii' chapters. 1 line atteuipted. as far as
practical lie. to classify the Myths of the i'aciiic States
.Older •ippiopriate heads. \n niakin,ii' such a (da-^siljcation
tlu'i'e is no diHiculty. except \\ln're in one myth oc(Mir
two or more di\isi()us ol' the suhject. in which case it
hccoiii"- nc'cssary. either to li't'ak the narratiNc. or
make exception-; t) the ^licnera! rule of clas.-il\ in,Li'. 1
have in\ariahly adopted tiie latter aUernati\e. The
divisions which 1 make of .Mytholo-y an as follows; i.
Oi'i.nin and Ihid of Thiir^s:' II. I'l'iysical Myths; II!.
Animal .Myths: |\'. (.ods. Supernatural lleiii-s. ami
Worship; \'. The Future State.
[t un-
I
I I:
CIIxiPTER II.
ORIGIN AND EXU OF THINGS.
QriciiK riiKATKiN-^LvTH— .\/,TK(.' Oiiii in-Myt"s~-Tiu; rAPAOOS— !MoNTK7.U-
JIA AND TllK ('(lYi)TK — 'L'lIK Mo(n*I-i- "'J'hK liIiKAT SpIDKK's Wv.n OF THE
I'iMAs -Navajo anu I'ukislo C'kkaiions — Okicin ov Clk.\r Lakk and
I.AKK TaUhE — ClIAUKYA OP TIIK CaHIKXH — MoUST SlIASTA, T|[K WlU-
wa.m oi' iiiK (litKAi' Si'imr— Idaho Si'itiNiis and WAihat Falls — How
Dll'l-KKKNlKS IN LANCil'AOK OccCKUKD — VkIIL, JIIE t'liKATOlt OF TIIK
Thlinkkkt.s— The Haven and the Dog.
or all AintM'iciui ]K>()])le.s tlio (^u'u'Ik's. of (jriiiiteinfi-
lii, liiiw U'l't us the rielu'st nivtliolo^i^iciil U\uiU'v. 'Uw'w
d(,>s('rii)ti()ii of the ci'eatiou ;is o'lveii in tlie Toi^ol \'iih,
which iii;iv he called tlie national hook of the (^inches/
1 ii
'ic'UiKi ill 1S.")7. tile l)(Hik 11
best 1,
lll'Wll us
tiic ropoi Villi
was first l)rnuL;ht to t\w iioti(
>l F
uropciin s(
liol;
trs, under llir I'ollo
• itli': /,'/s IHAiriiis ihl (iri'/i'ii ih- lus linlios <li- isti J'furiiifin i
iiiiilnciildt lie Id Li'iKiini (Jilirlir <l' ('il.-<l' Ihtiio jidril mill ('
dlr
lid.
iliiluil lie III
Mi,
ihl S. K,
fdiiinliii, jmr e.
■I ]!. /'. /•'. /•:
'-> .v;
il'irt.
niii ro
pur d rad pitfiindtu ilii I'mlilu i/r N. 'riiDinds Chn'iUi. — F.X'ir'diinhh' sC'/uii
(7 ti\di> '•S//I
-/ lld
nidiinsi ril'i urn,
I'llirersiildil ih' (iiiiltiindld, jiohUi'dilti
hl'tiidl
qu
lidlld I It III bilili lint lie In
jwr la iiniiii r-t n
1/ dittiit'
itiilii
itiid iiitriiiliicriiiii 1/ dKiildfiuii's pur fl J>r ('. Sflimcr. What Dr Sclicr/cr
says ill ii [nipci' rriul lii-t'orc tlu' Viciiuii Acailfiuy of Sciences, Feli. 2()tli,
]S,")(!
and vep
its in liis introduction, alioiit its luitlior, iiiuounis |o tlii
Ii
tho early part of the ISth century Fraiicisci) Xiineiie/, a hoiuiiiiciu Father of
great repute for his learning; ami his love of truth, tilleil Ilie otlice of curate
ill the lillle Indian town of ( 'hichii'asleuaneo iu the liiL;lilands of (iiiateiiiala.
Neither the time of his tiirtli nor that of his de.atli can 1
le exactlv
I'tained,
l>iit the internal evidence of (Uie of his Works shows tli.it he .as eiieau'ed
Up(
it in 17:21. He left many iiianusciipts, Imt it
Sllppi
il that
the iinp.il.itahie truths some of them contain with reu'ard tip the ill-treatment
of the Indians hy the colonial aiithorilies siiHiceil. us previously in the case
of Las Casas. to ensure their ])arti:d destruction and total suppression. \\ hat
leiiiaiiis of them lay loin,' hid in an oliscure corner of the Convent of the
Hominicaiis in (riiateiuala, and passed iifterwiinls, uii the supressiou of all
THE roroL vuii.
•1:5
— ^loNTEZU-
Vy.M Ol' TIIK
Lakk am>
THK ^VI(■-
ALLS — llow
)U OF UIIK
luiitonm-
. TlK-ir
)()! \'uli,
I*()]>()1 Villi
t'liUciwiiij^
'iiiill' lllilld,
,1,1,1 ,1,' /oS
(/ iftrli,, ri)
I, If SI' 1 1(11
lii;i (If III
11:, t till) C'ltl
SchiT/.t'l-
Fell. 20th,
1 this: 111
I'athcr i)t'
of ciinitc
iimtiiiiala.
scirtaiucd,
,IM ciiyiitii'il
,,.s.(l that
-ticatliiclit
ill thi' faso
.imi. What
lilt of the
isioii o£ all
is. in its riido stranjiv c'1(h[iu'1K'0 and ]>ooti(' originality,
one of the I'aivst ivlics ol' alioriuinal thou>;lit. Aitlion^uli
ol)lii:vil in rcjirotlucinj:' it to oondonso MMnowliat, I have
the rihLjiiiiis orders, into thi' lilivavy of the I'liivtvsity of San Carlos ((ina-
trnialai. Jlcrc J)r. Schrizcr (Uscovtrcil thciu in .liim* l^.")t, and caii'-
fully cojiird, and aftfnvaid.s jiiilili^h: d as ahove tiic iiarticiilar tl'tati^'i^
with whii h we arc now conccviicd. This, ai'i'ordiiiL! to I'atinr Niinciuz hini-
st If, and acconhii^' to its intniiai ividiiic", is a tian:dation of a li , in' coiiy of
an oii_'iiial hook, written by one I'r more t^nieh' s, in tlie (,)'ii(hi' lanunai^'e. i.i
lioiaan liters, after the Christians ] '\,\ occiiiiied (iiiatemala. and after thi'
rial oriLjinal I'opol Villi — National 1 o ik — had heeii lost or ihstroyed liie-
rally. was no nioro to be seen and written to ri)i^''i-- that lost booli. ' (^nise
tnisiadar todas las historias ,1 /((/•//■<( de cstos indios, y tambieii tradiieirla
ell la leiiLtiia castellana.' ' Esto escriiiireinos y,i tii la hy de Ilios en 'a
rri^liandad. los sacareliios, iiorijiie ya no hay libro conniii, ori;_;iiial doiid-
Velio, .V/z/e /,('.-, y/)>(. lull, limit., jiji, I, 1, ."i. ' \dil.i ce que nous icriroiis de-
]i:ii^ iiu'on a lironiiil>,'iii') la parole <le ])i(ii, <t en dt <laiis du ( lirislialiisine;
nous !,• njirodiiirons, iiavcc (prmi ne voit jilus cc l.ivri' national.' ' Vae
\-rhi-ka t/.iliah cliiipan chic 11 cliabal Dios, pa Christiaiioil chii'; x-chi-k-
cli / ih, riinial ina-habi ehic iibal ri' l'opo-^■|llL,■ Hni^^i ,ir i!f l',ii,ir'i ,iii;i, /'"//•//
I"/', p. "1. Till' evideiiei! that the author was (jiiieln' will be found in
the nuiiieroiis passages se.-ittered throui^di tin,' narrative in whiidi he
--P' aks of the '.juichi' nation, and of the ancestiu's of that nation as •our
people', • our ancestors, ' and s.i on, We jmss now to what the .\bb' liras-
M ur il- I'MiurlKMiri,' has to say about thi' book. lie says that Xiiia lies
■ ili^cMiveri i| this dociiineiit, in the last yiars of the ITlli ceiiliiry.' In
l'^")"!, at ( riiateiiiala, the abb.' lirst saw Xiineiie/" manuscript eont.iiniiiL; this
Work, The manuscript contained the ijiiiclu' text and the Siiani>di curate's
tr tlislatiiUl of that text, Ih'asseiir d" r>olirbourL; copied both at tlcit time, but
he was dissatislied with the translation. belii'viliL; it to be full of faults owiii;.,'
to the piijuilices and the i.;niMance of the a;4e in which it was made, as well
as disti^uieil hy abridu'iiieiits and omissiiuis. So in ISCd he si tiled himself
aiuoiii,' the tjuich.'s and by the lielji of natives joined to his own practical
kiiouied'^e of their lan;_;iia,L;e, he (laborated a new and literal transi.itiiui,
( aiissi litt'rale ipi'il a iti' iiossible de la faire). We seem jus'ilied then on
the wlioli' in lakiii;,' this docniiieiit for what Ximeiiez an I its own (videiii e
dec-lire it 1.1 bi', namely, a reproduction of an oMer work or imdy of (^liiicli ■
tradiiional liisto.y. wiitteii bi'caiise that older worli had been list and was
li'i'ly to be for:;otten. and written by a (^):iichi' not Ion; afli r l!ie ^■panisll
conqilr,t. <!|ie coineipielice of the last fact would seem to be that 11 lill^'e of
ha-, consciously or iincoiisciiuisly to the tjiiich- wli
bibli,.al
wrote, iulluenccd the form of tlii' narrative. ]!ut tliesi- coincidemes may be
wholly ai'ci leiital, the more as there are also sirikiiiL,' resemblances to i xjires-
sions 111 the Scaiiilinaviali Edda and in the Hindoo \ed,i. .And e\i n if (le y
be not accidental. '11111111 ninains,' adopting,' the laiv^iiaui' and the i ou.ln-
sioii of I'rotessor Max Mi'ilhr, • in thee .\iiierican traditions v.hich is so
dill' nut from anythin'4 1 Ke in tie iwtioiial liteiatiin s of other . ountries,
that we ni.iy safely treat it as th.' oeiiiiine erowtli of the intelhctiial soil of
AllleriiM.' r/,;y,s ;/•„„ ,( l,,i;ii,l„ li'../7,s/e-/-. Vol. i., p. ;liS. i'or the fol-e-
};oin'4, as wi '. as further information on tlie subject -ee: l:i;i-s ,,■ ,.', Iln,,,-
I, ;,,v. lyi.,,' Vuli. pp. ,-, :!|, I'.!.", .;il; yU i-.asi, ilis S,,iii;; .1 il rr,\>l. I'rim.,
pp,^:l 7: lllsl. ths .\iil. 1 [,-., l,„„. i,, pp, IT-id; .\iiiin,r:. Ill-I. /.,!. (ln.il.,
\y. ."1 I.".; >.''/,;•;(./', in SUi,i„ .l,.r:rl,i, ,1 r .\l,,i,l „,;, ,1, r \\'l^.'<f„.-:l„iil, ,1 \\!,„,
""',".',' ''.''•• '.""''''■ '''''/'■'' >/"l''>/' I'lilHllll'sl, vol. iv,. p]l, lo"! I'l, ' I'l'llfessor
iMiiiler ill his essay ,1:1 t],, l',,p,,l Vid,^ i,|,s in one or two placi s iiiisundi r-
stoo-l the ii.irralive, Th, re v.asnosueli creation of m.-m as that he eives
as t\e second, while hi, tkird , reatiiui is tlie second of the ori'.,'inal.
.\p'a.ll, he makes the four l,laiehe ancestors to be the pl-oMellitors of
u
OltldlX AND END OF THINGS.
eiidoavorcil to ,Liivc not only tlio sulistanoi'. l)iit iils(>. as
far as jiossiMc. tlic iicculiai' style ami phraseology of tlio
oi'i,;ziiial. It is ^vitll this primeval picture. Avhose siiu[)lo
hileiit siiljlimitN' is that ot" the iiiserutahle past, that we
]ie<:iii: —
And the heaven was formed, and all the sit:ns thereof
set in their aii,Lile iind aiiiiimunt. and its houiidaries lixed
toward,-! tiie lour winds by the Creator and Former, and
Mother and I'athei' of life and existence. — he hy wlioni
all move and l)reathe. the Father and ( 'herisher of the
peace ol" nations and of the civilization of his |)eople. —
he whose Nvisdom has ])rojected the excellence of ail that
is oil the earth, or in the lakes, or in the sea.
Ik'hold the iirst word and the first discourse. Thei-e
was as yet no man. nor juiy animal, nor hird. nor lisli,
nor crawfish, nor any })it. noi' ra\ ine. nor .ureen herl),
noi" any tree; nothini:' wms hut the firmament. The face
of the eariii had not yet ap[)eai'ed. — only the peaceful sea
and all the space of heaven. There was notJiiii;^ yet
ioined toi^etln'r. nothinii' that chnm' to anxthimi else; no-
tiling;; that balanced itself that made the h-ast iMistlim:',
that made a sound in the hea\en. Tlieie was nothing
that stood up; notliin:.:' hut the (|uiet water, hut the sea,
calm and alone in its houndaries; not hiuLi' existed : no-
thing' hut innnoltility and silence, in the darkness, in the
iiiiiht.'-
(I'l trilitf^ huHi vh'di Hull hliirl,-; \vlulc tllcV Wrrc till' Jtlircnts (if till' (Juiclii'
ami kiiiilri',1 nu'cs only. Tln' courst' of Uic Ir^ciiil luiii-^ us to trilns of iv
straii,L;c liliod, with which llu'sc four imccstors iiml tin iv j" o]i|(' wcri' oft( ii
(it war. Till- naiTativr is. liowivcr. itself so confusiil and I'oiitrailiitory
lit points, that it is almost iuipossilili' to avoid such thiiiu's; and. as ii
vliolc, till' views of I'rofcssor ilidh r oil the I'ojiol N'uli sciiii just and W( II
consiilci'cd. lialdwin. Aiir'n'i.l Am' rir i. pp. l'.t|-7, <,'ivcs a nici-c dihition of
I'l'ofcssor .Miillcv's essay, and that witliMul acknowledLjnicul.
' 'llie oi'iu'iiial (^Juiche runs as follows: ' Are n t/.ihoxic vac ca (>a t/inin-oc,
r:i ca chiiniani-oc. cii t/iiiouic; cii ca zilanic, en cii lolinic. ca tolona piic h u
].a call. Nile cute niil)e t/ili. nal>c mlian.-Ma-liahi-oc hun \inak. hull
ciiieop; t/iipiiii. cur, tap, clie, iiliali. lull, civiiii, (juiiu, (jiclulah: X'l-v.iuipu 1
call ([olic. Jlavi calah n vacli uleii: xa-ntiniuel reiiiaiiie i)alo, u jiah cah
roiioliel. llii-hal)i iialdia ca niolobic. ca col/ohic: Imnta ca /iloliic; ca nial
ca lian-tah. ca cotz ca liaii-tah jia call. X-nia ipi vi nakila qolic y.-iealic; xii
reiuaiiic lia, xa liaiiie palo, xa-utnipiel renianie: \-iiia no-\i naUilalo i|olic,
Xa ca clianiaiiic. ca t/.iiiiiiic clii i,'el;uni, chi at^ali.'
This passage is rend"vi d by the .Vlili.' lirasseur d<' riouilionr-,' thus; ' \'oi-
ci le r.'cit coiiiiuc ipioi tout I'lail en siispens. tout i tait cahiie et siliiicieux;
THE QUICHE IDKA Oi" CJIKATIO.V.
45
iiotliiiit:;
■d : iio-
iii the
(,)uicli!'
ilus u( ,1
rinlli u
ti'ailictMry
iiicl. as ii
llhl w, 11
lilutiilll (if
t/iiiiii-<i(',
a |iiiili u
ilk. liilii
-■,;!uc|iu 1
iiah ciili
ic; ca luul
aralir; Nil
alii ijiilic.
us: • \'iii-
lU'ii ux;
t
1
AloiR' also tlie Civivtor. the Foniier. tlu' Doiiiinator.
the I'Vathered f^erju'iit. —those tliat eni:eii(h'r, those
that ,i:i\'e hciim', thev are upon the uater. hUe a
lii'ow iiiLi lii:!it. T\wy are euveloix'd in <:rfeii and
l)hie: and tliereibre their name is (luciiinat/.' Lo.
now how the heavens exists liow exists also the
Heart of Heaven; sneh is the nmne ol" (lod: it is
tinis that he is called. And they spake: thev con-
sulted to,:.i('ther and meditated : they miniiled their uords
and their opinion. And the creation was verily alter
this wise: llarth. they said, and on the instant it was
I'oiuu'd: like a cloud or a I'ou' was its heuinniui:'. Then
the mountains ros(> over the water like ui'eat lol)sters;
ill an instant the mountains and the plains wi're ^isihle,
ami the (ypress and the ])ine appeared. Then was the
(Juciimat/ filled with joy. eryini:' out: IJlessed ))e thy
comiuLi. () Heart .)!' Ileaxcn. Hurakan. Thunderholt.
Our work and our lahor has accomplished its end.
The earth and its veiictation havinii thus a|)peared, it
v.-as jn'opled with tlii' various rorius of animal lite. And
the Makers said to the animals: Speak now our name,
font I'tait iuiiiidhili', t<iut I'tait ]>aisiliU'. ( t viilr I'tait 1" iiiiuiciisiti' drs cii'iix.
Viiil.'i liiiic la ini'iuirrc jiavdli' it Ic iirciniiv iliscdurs. II ii'y iivait jias cindii^
nil snil liiiiuiiic, pas nii animal: jias d nisiaiix, di' jioissons, (I'l-ci'cvisscs,
ill' I'liis, (Ic ipicnc, (Ic fiiiidrii'i'is. di- ravins, d Ihi'Im' on he Iuksi^cs: stuliim lit
li- cirl i\ stall. La faci- dc lii tciTc lie sf iiiauifi'stait )ias tiicorc: siulr la
imr [laisililr I tait ct tuiu I'lspai'c di's cii'UX. Jl ii'y iivait ciu'ini' ricn (jui fit
i'irii->. ijiii (|iii SI' I'laiiipiiiiuat ii iiutrc clinst : vicli (]iii sc l)alaii(;at. (jni fit tlo
iiMJiiilir i fr ill nil lit. (lui fit (ciitciidri' ) m> sun dans If vu\. 11 n y avuit vim
i| li I \i-.|at ili'liiiiit; ( il ii'y avait ) 4U1' I'ciin jiai-iiMf, iinc la iiicrcalnii' ct si idn
1 un --I - '.iip.-iirs: car il n'y avait ritii ([iii t xistat. ('«■ n'l tait i|iic riniiiKiliili-
t ii !•■ silriiri' dans Ics ti'iiMircs. dans la unit.' I'njinl I'li/i.p. 7.
And liy Francisco Xiniciic/ thus; \]>\- i s sii scr dicho ciiando cstalia siis-
]iciiso 1 II calnia, cii silciicio, sin niuvcrsc. sin i nsa siiin vaciu d cii lo. V csta
cs la |irimcrii palalira y clocncncia: ami imlialiia hiindiics. aiiinialcs, pajarns,
prsa 111. caii'-jiijd, pall). ]iiidra. lioya, liarrain-a, p.ija iii iimntc, siim sub)
cstalia cl cii In: no sc iiiaiiifcslalia la faz dc la tiivra; sino (pic solo cstalm 1 1
mar ii)ircsado, y todo lo d( 1 ciclo: aim im liaMa cosa aluuna junta, ni siniali.v
iiada. ni cosa alL;nna sc incncalia, ni cosa iplc hicicva nial. ni cosa ipic liicicra
"f'l.." icsto cs ruido cii (1 ciilo', ni liahia cosa ipic cstiivicsc parada en
pii': solo d a^^iia icpr"sada, solo la mar sosc,L,'iiila, soloclla rcpicsada. ni cos.i
al'.'una lialiia i|iic cstiivicsc; solo cstalia cii s:ilciu'io, y sosici^o en la obscii-
riilail. y la iinchc.' Ilitit. I ml. (hi'il.. pji. ■") '1.
:' • <iiiriiiiiiit:. litt 'ralciiicnf serpent ciiimIiuik', ct dans un sens ])lus t'tciidu.
ser|)ciit revctii lie conlciirs liriUantcs. dc vert on d'aziir. Lis plunu s dii !.;iic
I'll ipietzal otVrciit i'L;alenicnt lis deux teintes. ("est cxactnicnt la nieiiic
cjiosr i|iic I/Ill'' ttili'iiliidill (\aus la laiiL^ilc nu'Xicaim'.' 7/Vi<s.vti(c <k liuaiboiii;!,
Ul.--t. il'S .\ :l. I'll-.. Inlll. i., p. .")i).
46
ORIGIN AND ESD OF THINGS.
honor lis. US your motlu'i' nnd fntluM'; invoke Hnniknu.
the Liiihtnini'-lliish. the 'rhimderholt that strikes, tiie
Heart of Heaven, the Heart of tlie Karth. the Creator and
Fonner, Him Avho Ix'ji'ets. and Him uho p,'ives beini:'. —
S]K'ak. call on us, salute usl So was it said to the animals.
l)i't the animals could not answer; they could not sjK-ak
ut ail after the manner ol" men: they could only (duck,
and croak, each murmuriiiii' alter his kind in a dill'erent
manner, 'i'his dis[)leascd the (^-eators. and they said to
the animals: Inasmuch as ye can not ])i'aise us. neither
call upon our names, your Hesh shall he humiliated ; it
shall l)e hroken with teeth: ye shall he killed and eaten.
Again the uods tookcoiiii i-l to;j,'ether: they determined
to make man. So they made a man of clay: and Avhen
they had made him. they saw that it was not uood. He
was without cohesion, without consistence, motionless,
streniithless. ine[)t. watery; he «'ould not move }\'\s head,
his i'ace looked hut one way; his siiiht was restricted, he
could not look hehind him; he had heeii endowi'd -with
lanuiurie. hut he had no inteHiLicuce. .•^o he was consumed
in the water.
Ai.iain is there counsel in hi'aven: T.et us make
an intelliiient heing who shall adore and invoke us.
It was (lecided that a man should be made of wood
and a woman of a kind of iiith. They were made; hut
the result was in no wisi' satisfactory. They movi'd
about pi'iTectly well, it is true; tlu'y increased and mul-
tiitlied ; tiny peopled the world with sons and daughters,
little wooden niannikins like themselves; but still the
heart and the intelligence were wanting; they held uo
inemorx" of their Maker and I'ormer; they led a useless
existence, they lived as the beasts livt"; they forgot the
Jleai't of Heaven. Tluy were but an essay, an atteiu])t
at men; they had neither blood, nor substance, nor
moisture, nor fat; their cheeks were sliri\'elled. tlu'ir feet
and hands dried up; their llesh languished.
Then was the Heart of lli-avt'ii wroth ; and he sent
ruin and destruction ii[)oii those ingrates; he rained upon
them night and day IVom hea\i'n with a thick resin;
DESTIUTTION AND 1{E-('UEATU)N OF JIAX.
•17
make
OKI' us.
wood
v; hut
uiovc'd
1(1 nuil-
'jlitri's.
11 the
u'ld no
useless
:,()t the
ittenipt
nor
eir I'eet
•I
i
and the earth was darkened. And the men went mad
with terror: tlii'V tried to mount u])on the root's and the
houses IMI; they tried to elimh the trees and the trees
shook theiu i'ai' I'rom their hranehes; the\' tried to hide
in the caN'es and dens ot" the eartli. hut these closed their
holes aii'ainst tlnMU. The hird Xeeoteovaeh eame to tear
out their eyes; and the Camalotz cut oil' their head ; and
the Cot/.halaui devoured their llesh ; and the Tecum-
hahun hroke and hruised their hones to powder. Thus
were they all devoted to chastisement and destruction,
s;i\e oidy a lew who were preserved as memorials of the
woolen men that had heen; and these now exist in the
W()o;ls ijs little apes.'
Once more are the p)ds in counsel: in thi' darkness,
in the niiiht oi'a desolated universe do they coiuunnie to-
gether: of what shall Ave make man? Aiid the Crea-
tor and I'oi'uiei' made lour pei'lect men: and Avholly of
yellow and white mai/'' was their llesh coini)osed. These
weiv the names of the ioiu" men that were made: the
name of till' lirst was r>alam-<^)uit/i': of the second. I)alam-
Ai::ih: ol' the thii'd Mahucutah: and of the fourth. I<|i-
r>alani.' They liad neither father nor mother, neither
weiv they made hy the ordinary agents in the woi'k of
cre:itiou: hut their cominii' into existence was a mii'acle
extiMordiuary. Avroiiiiht hy the special iuterNcnlion of
liini who is preriiiinently The Ci'eator. \'erily. at last,
were there found men worthy of their oriuin and their
(lestiu\ : Acrily. at Last, did the iiods look on heiu'^s who
could see with their eyes, and handle with their hands,
lunl nil lerstand with their iieai'ts. (irand of counte-
u;iir,'e ;iii;l bi'oad of lind) the four sires ot" our iMce stood
up uudei' the white rays of the mor'-i "_i- star sole liiziit
as yet of the primeval world — stool up and looked.
Their ui'eat clear eyes swept rapidly o\er all: they saw
^
' A l.ili'4 r.inihlin;^ story is Ikh'c iiitvuiliici il wliii'h li;is luithiiiL; t(i do with
Criiiticiii, iiii.l wliicli i-^ omitted for the i)nsi nt.
•' l!(iliiiii-<J'iil:'', till' ti;,'''i'\vitli till' swict Miiilr; II il iin-A'tnli. tlicti'„'i'r of tho
ni:,'lit; Muhiic'itdh, the ilisliiiL;uish(il imiiif: !(/ - i^d'nm, thr tincr of tlu' moon.
l;'i' (Ic CCS <iU:itri' Uoius.'
■ r ill- ••-<t 1:1 si._'niiicatioii lift 'imIi' (jik' Xinuiiiz ;i (
Jiriissi.ar i'c l>i)urboar<i, J'hi'dI I'k/i, \). I'XK
loin
ii
OltlOIX AND END OF THINGS.
the Avooils and the rocks, tin; hikes and the sea, the
mountains ami the vaHevs, and the heavens that were'
al)ove all; and ihev comijrehended all and admired e\-
('eeilini;l\'. Then they returned thanks to those who had
made the world and all that thereiii was: We ollei- u\)
our thanks, twice — yea verily, thricel We have n'ceived
life; \\\' sjK'ak. we walk, we taste; we hear and under-
stand; we know, hoth that winch is neai- and that uhicli
is iar oil": wi' see all thiniis, ^reat and small, in all the
leaven and eartn
lian
:\S
tl
len.
.M;
iker aiK
I 1-
ornier,
Father and Mother of our lil'el we lia\e heen created:
we are
l)Ut the uoils Avere not wdiolly pleased with this tliinji';
Heaven they thouiiht had overshot its mark; tln'se men
were too lu'i'l'ect; knew, understood, and saw too much.
Therefore tlu-re was counsel auain in heaven; AVhat shall
we do witn man now
It is not liood. this that we
■^ee
th
AV
tl
lese are a>; ii()ds; tUey would make tliemsclves ccjua
Id
th
•b
d
ith us; lo. tlu'y know all thin,i:s. ureat and small. Let
us now contract theii' sij^ht. so that tluy may see only a
little of the surface of the earth and he content. Ther(>-
"l
)01
I the Heart of llea\en hreathed a cloud o\vv the
lauil of the ('\(,'s of men. and a. \'eil came ox'er it as
l'''l
itl
when one hn-atues on the lace ot a unrroi
th
tl
uis was the
jilohe of the eye darkeiunl ; neither was that which was
far oll'clear to it any more, hutoidy that which was near.
Then the four men slept, and there was counsel in
heaven: au 1 four women were niaile, — to l?alam-(^)uit/e
was allotted Caha-raluma to wile; to IJalam-Auah,
Chomiha; to Mahucuth. Tzununiha; and to hji-I'alam,
Cakixaha." Xow the women were exceedin.iily iair to
look uitDii: and when the men awoke, their hearts wei'c
)eca;ist' o
I' the women.
glad I
Xext. a^ 1 interpret the narrative, there were other
men ci'eaU'd. the anci'stors of other pcopk's, while the
I. I'dh'i-iiiihiiii'i, the falling; water; r7i()»(i(-/i(( or r/(<, //(//,-(/, the licar.tiftil lionso
or tlu' bcaulil'iil watrr: in tht'saui;' wav, Tzninni'ilin iimv mean ci.licr tln' liousts
rtliv'wat'r nf tlu huiiiiuin;.
•(Is; anil ''
/('/, lillicr tlicliiiuse or till!
V it.'r of t!i;'
Vah, 1). 'iiii.
[wlik-h art' a kiiul of parrot], liraativuf c/c Jlonrbouiy, I'opol
™
¥
lllM t^rU'IIES SEl" OUT Foil Tl'I.AX-ZriVA.
49
!ca, tlic
it wert!
red cx-
,li() liail
)\\W lip
I'cc'iviMl
uikUt-
t Avli'u'h
all the
'\)nnor,
n'ctitcd ;
< tliiii;^';
'SI' IIU'U
) imicli.
lilt sliall
Ave see;
l's eijiKil
II. Let
' onlv a
Tliere-
ver the
■r it as
was the
leli Avas
IS near,
nisei in
-(^lit/.e
i-A,iiah,
r>alani,
fair to
Its were
)tl
otlier
ile tl
le
lifnt lionso
|th(li(iusf.
f ov tlio
lirst I'l'iir were the fathers of all the hranehes of the
(^)iii('h('' race. The dilVerent trihes at lii'st, however, lived
together amieal)ly eiioiijj,h. in a ])riiuitive state; and iii-
cieased and inulti[)lied. leading hap[)V lives under their
liright and mornin^g st a', precnrsoi of the yet unseen snn.
Thev had as yet no worship save the hreathinjx of the
instinct of their soul, as yet no altars to the gods;
only -anil is there not a whole idyl in the siin})le words?
—only they ga/ed up into heaven, not knowing what they
had cotiu' so far to dol" They were tilled with love,
v.ith ohedii'iu't', and with fear; and lil'ting their eyes to-
wai'ds heaven, they niade their requests: —
Hail! O Creator, Forinerl tlioii that hearest and
iinderstandest nsl ahandon lis not. forsake ns not I
(rod. thou that art in heaven and on the earth, Heart
of Heaven. () Heart of i'arthi give us descendants and a
po-tcrity as long as the light endure. (Jive ns to walk
always in an o})en road, in a path without snares; to
lead hap[)y. ([uiet. and [)eaceal)le lives, free of all re[)roach.
It was thus they spake, living tran([uilly. invoking the
rctuiMi of the light, waiting the rising of the snn, watch-
ing the star of the morning, precursor of the sun. I'ut
no sun eanie, and the four men and their deseeiidants
grew uneasy: We have n(^ person to watch o\er us. they
said, nothing to guard our syml)ols. ^^o the four men an 1
their people set out for Tulan-Zuiva."' otherwise called
the Seven-caves or ^^even-ravines, and there they re-
ceived gods, each man as lu'ad of a lamily. agod: though
iiiasniiich as the fourth man. hii-P>alam. had lU) children
and founded no family, his god is not usuallv taken into
the account. Jialam-Quit/e received the god Tohil; ]ia-
" ' Aiv ma-liiilii chi tzukun, qui coon: xavi chi culi clii tjui iiaoiibiKini Viidi ;
miivi([a'ctii,iiii x-cl)c-vi iialit x-qni liaiio.' • Alois ils iii' scrviiicii* p.is ciicoii'
ft iiu soutruaifiit point ( Ics auti'ls dcs dionx t ; sciilfmiiit ils •inirnai'iit Iriirs
visaijcs vcis It' ciil, ft ils lit! savaiciit ft- tju'ils I'taitiit vt-nus fairt' si loin.'
/</• /.sx(/(y (/,; Bmifhtinni, I'opol Vah, ]). 'Ji)',). It is ri^lit to lulil, howcvtT, that
Muifiu'z t,'ivos a imu'h more in'osaif tuvu to the passai^f: 'No ciibiaii ilf
susttiito, sino line k-vuntabau las oaras al ciolu v ut) su sabiaii alijar.' Hist.
I'd. Uwd., p. St.
■• Or as Xiiiifiit/, ll'sl. lad. GwiL, p. H~, writes it,~Taliimii, (las sitto
cm vasy siete liarraueas).
Vol. hi. 1
50
ORIGIN AND END OF THINGS.
liini A'j;ab rccolvod the god Avilix; ami ^Iiiluifutah re-
ceived the god Ilaeavitz; all very powerful gods, hiitTohil
seems to have heeii the ehiel', and in a general way, god
oC the whole (Quiche nation. Other |;eoj)le received gods
at the same time; and it had been lor all a long march
to Tulan.
Now the Quiches had as yet no fire, and as Tulan
was a nnich colder climate than the happv eastern land
they had left, they soon hegan to I'eid the want of it.
The god Tohil who was the cri'ator of lire had some in his
possession; so to him, as was most natural, the (,)uich('s
applieil, and Tohil in some way supi)lie(l them with lire.
But shortly after, there fell a great rain that extin-
gnislied all the lires of the land; and much hail also I'ell
on tiie heads of the people; and because of the rain and
the hail, their fires were utterly scattered and put out.
Then Tohil created fire again by stamping with his
sandal. Several times thus fire failed them, but Tohil
alw;iys renewed it. Many other trials also they under-
went in Tulan, famines and such things, and a general
dampness and cold, — for the earth was moist, there being
as yet no sun.
llere also the language of all the families was confused
so thai no one of the first four men could any longer un-
derstand the speech of another. This also made them
very sad. They determined to leave Tulan; and the
greater part of them, under the guardianship and direc-
tion of Tohil, set out to see where they should take up their
abod(\ They continued on their way amid the most
extreme hardships for want of food ; sustaining theni-
sehes at one time upon the mere smell of their staves,
and by imagining that the}- were eating, when in verity
and in truth, they ate nothing. Their heart, indeed, it
is a<j;:iin and again said, was almost broken by alHiction.
Poor wanderers! they had a cruel way to go, many for-
ests to pierce, many stern mountains to o\er[)ass and a
long passage to make through the sea, along the shingle
and pebbles and drifted sand, — the sea being, however,
parted, for their passage.
w
iitah rc-
mtTohil
^viiy, god
ived j^ods
ig inarch
jis Tidaii
torn land
ant t)t' it.
mr in his
> ()uich('H
>vith !hv.
at extin-
l also iell
rain and
i put out.
Avith his
hut Tohil
oy under-
a general
icre hcing
■I conlnsod
DUgor uii-
ade thorn
and the
ud direc-
ioupthoir
the most
ing thoni-
'ir staves,
in verity
mdood, it
alHiction.
many ftn'-
)ass and a
10 .shingle
however,
QI'IC'IIE OIIIGIN OF THE HUX. 61
At last thev came to a mountain that thov named
Ilacavit/,, after out; (jf their gods, and hero t!ioy rested, —
tor liei'o they wore by some means given to nndei'stand
that they .should .^ee the .sun. Then indeed, was lilK-d
with an exceeding joy, the heart oC Halam-Quit/i', of
l?alani-Agal>, t)t'Mahucutah,andori([i-l>alani. It. seemed
to them that oven the face of the morning star caught a
new and more res[)U'ndent brightness. They shook their
incense pans and danced lor very gladness: sweet were
their tears in dancing, vei-y hot their incense — their j)re-
cious incense. At last the .sun commenced to advance:
the animals, small and great, wore full of delight; they
raised themsolvos to the surface of the water; they llnt-
tered in the ravines; they gathered at the edge of the
mountains, tin-ning their heads together toward that
p:u't from which the sun came. And the lion and the
tiger roared. And the first bird that .sang was that callotj
the (^uelet/,u. All the animals were hesido themselves at
the sight; the eagle and the kite heat their wings, and
every bird, l)oth small and groat. The men prostrated
themselves on the ground, for their hearts wore full to
the brim.
And the sun, and the moon, and the stars were now
all established. Yet was not the sun then in the he-
uinnim:; the same as now; his heat wanted force, and Int
was but as a retloction in a mirror; verily, .say the histo-
ries, not at all the same sun as that of to-dav. Xovor-
theless he dried up and warmed the surface of the earth,
and answered many good ends.
Another wonder when the sun rose! The throe tribal
gods, Tohil, Avilix, and Ilacavitz, wore turned into stone,
as were also the gods connected with the lion, the tiger,
the viper, and other lierce and dangerous animals. Per-
haps we .should not he alive at this moment — continues
the chronicle — ])ecause of the voracity of those fierce ani-
mals, of those lions, and tiger.s, and vi[)ers; perhaps to-
day our glory would not he in existence, had not the sun
cau.sod this petrification.
And the people multiplied on this Mount Ilacavitz,
53
OrjfllX AND END OF THINGS,
ami licrc llicv built their city, it is here also tliiit tlicv
bewail to siii;^' that soirj,' called Kainucii. 'we see.' They
saii;^' it. though it made their heai'ts ache, for this is what
they said in sin;^iii;i: AlasI We ruined ourselves in
'I'lilan. there lost we many of our Uith and kin. they .still
remain thei'c. left h'.'liindl We indeed have sei-n the
sun. hut they — now that his poldeii liiiht begins to ii^)-
pear. where are they?
.\nd they worshipeil the gods that had become stone.
Tohil. A\ili\. and llaca\it/; and they ofl'ered them the
blood of beasts, and of bii'ds. and pierci'd their own I'ai's
and shoidders in honor ol" tiiese gods, and collei^ted the
blood with 11 s[)onge. and pressed it out into a cup bel'oi'e
them.
Towai'd the end of their long and eventful life l)a-
lam-(^)uit/.i', IJalam-.Vgab. Mahucutah, and hji-Ijalam
wt're impelled, apparently by a supei natural vision, to
liiy befoi'e their gods a moi'o awful oli ring than the life
of .senseless beasts. They began to wet their altars
uith the hearts blood of lunnaii victims, IVom their
momitain hold they watched for lonely trawlers belong-
ing to thi> surrounding tribes, seized, overpowered, and
slew them for a sacrifice. Man aftei* man was missing in
the neighboring village's: anu the people said : Lol the
tigers ha\e carried them away. — for wherever the blood
was of a man slain, were always l'oun>i the tracks of
many tigers. Xow this was the craft of the priests, and
at last the tribes began to suspect the thing and to I'ol-
low the tracks of the tigers. But the trails had bet'ii
made })ur[)osely intricate, by ste[)s returning on 'bei
seh'es and by the obliteration of .steps; and t^ .1-
tain reuion where the altars wi're was alread . civd
I ■
with a, thick fog and a small rain, and its path iweil
itl
witn nnii
th
The hearts of the villagers were thus fatigued within
lem. nur.snin';' unknown enemies. At last, however, it
became plain that the gods 'i'ohil. Avilix and llacavitz,
am
Ith
len" wor.shu), were ni .some w
avor other the c
m.so
of this bereavement: so the people of the villages con-
Tin; I'.NI) (»F TIFF, (jci.iir; CRK.VTIoN'.
tmes cuii-
si)ii"('(l !i;iiiiiist tliciii. Miiiiv iittin'Us. Itnlli opciilv iiiid
liv ruses, did tlicv iiiidsc on the ,t:<)ds. mid oil tlic four
iiK'ii. iiiid on the cliildrt'ii mid im".|)1(' ('omn'cti'd with
fliciii: liiit not once did tlii'V succeed, so iireiit \\;is the
wisdom, iiiid jiower. .'iiid coiii'iip' ol'tlie I'oiir men mid ol'
tlieir deities. A lid tliese tlll'»'e 'j:iH\s [u'trided. ii.s we
li:i\i' told, could ne\-ertlieless resume ii luoMilile slmpe
ulieii tliev iile.ised ; which iiideeil they often did. iis will
he seen hereiil'ter.
At last the Wiir was finished. ])\ the miraculous aid
of a horde of wa 'ms and hornets, the (>uiclii's utterly de-
feated and i>iit to the rout in a .ucneral hattK' all their
enemies. And the trihes humiliated thems(dves hel'oro
the face of r»alaiu-( )nit/.i', of I'alam-Aiial). and of Mahn-
ciitah: l'iit()rtuiiutes that we are. they said. si)are to us
at lea-^t our lixcs. Let it he so, it was answered, al-
tlioiiiih you he worthy of death; you shall, however, he
mr trihiitaries and serve ns, as loiiii' as tlii' sun endure,
.1-^ loiiu' as the liiilit shall follow his course. This was
the re[)ly of our fathers and mothers, upon Mount Ila-
cavit/ ; and then-after they lived in ureat honor and
peace, and their soids had rest, and all the trihes .served
tliem there.
Now it came to ])ass that the time of the (h'ath of
r)alam-(^hiit/!'. I'alam-Aiiah. >faliucutah. and hji-lVilaiii
drew near. Xo hodily sickness nor sull'eriuLi' came upon
t'.iem: hut they were forewarned that their (K'atli and
tlieir end was at hand. Then they called their sons
and their descendants round them to receiw their last
roimsels.
And the heart of the old men was i-eiit within them.
In the aniiuisli of their heart they sanu' the Kamiicu,
the old sad sonj;' that they had suiili' when the sun first
rose, when the sun rose and they thought of the friends
tlu'y had U'ft in Tulan. whose face they should see
no aore lor ever. Then they took leave of their
^\ives. one 1)\' one: and of their sons, oiu' hy one: u['
ea"h in particular they took leave: and tiay said:
We return to our pi'ople; alreadj^" the -Iviiii;' of the
51
ORIGIN AND END OF THINGS.
Stiiti's is ready, lie strc^'lics iriiuself through tlio lieavoii.
I.o, wo arc iil)()iit to rctiini; on: work is done; the da}s
of our life are coiiipli'te. lleiiieinbei* us well; let us
iiexiT pass iVoiu your uicniory. ^'ou will see still our
houses and our mountains ; nudtiply in them, and then
i:<) on upon jour way and see again the places whence wo
are come.
>>a the old men took leave of their sons and of their
wives; and r)alam-(^)uit/.i' s[)ake apiin: IJeholdl he said,
I leave you what shall keep me in I'emembrance. I
have taken leave of you— and am lilled with sadness,
he added. Then instantly the four old men were not ;
hut in their place was a great bundle; and it was never
nnfolded, neither could any man iiud seam therein on
I'olling it over and over, ^o it was called the MajL-sty
l']n\ eloped; and it became a memorial of these fathers,
and was held vei-y deiir and [»recious m the sight of the
(^uichi's; and they burned incense beibre it."
Thus died and disapjieared on ]\rount Hacnvit/ T^)alam-
Quitze. I'alam-Agab, AlahucutaJi, a!id hii-l'alauh tlie.-e
first men who came from the east, from the other side of
the sea. Long time had t!iey been here when they
died: and they were very old, and surnanied the Ven-
erated and the Sacri (leers.
Such is the Quicln' account of the creation of the
earth and its inhabitants and of the first years of the
existence of mankind. Althouiih we find here described
*
'■' Tile fcllowiuf^'piissr.^o in a letter from the Aliln' r>riissenr ile Bniulxmrt,',
ti) My. 1{ ifu of ('(ipL'iili:e^'.ii, bciriii;^' d.ite 'i'tU Octolnr. IboS, may l)e usiful
ill this coiiiiectioii: -' Oil sait i(Uc^ la coutniiii! tolti'((Uo tt iiicxiuaiiie etait do
couscrvcv, cDiiimi' cliiz li'S chn'lieiis, ks rilii|Uis ihs lii'ros ih; la iiatiir: on
I'livloppait lenrs OS iiVfO dcs jii'rri>i iiri' -iiiisi'S ilmn nu j)ai|iiit (I'l'toiV. s
uili[Uil on (loiiiiait lo lioiu do Tlacniiiiiliolli; ccs iiaiiiuts deiiniiiaiiiil ii ja-
mais firiiK's it on k'S di'[io >ait nu foml di s Kauctiiairts oil on h s coiisi rvaifc
coiiinic) drs oliji'cts Hacri's.' .V'/tc//, s .l/i/nJ.-.s (/■>■ roz/'i/'s, ISoS, toiii. iv., ji.
iJfJS. One of tlieso 'Imndles, ' was j^ivni up to the I'liiistiaiis liy ii Tlasea-
Itic soiiK' time after the eoiK^iv st. It was ri'porti d to eontain the remains (jf
fainaxtli, the <'hiff t^'nl of TIasrula, 'I'lie native historian, ('ainarL;ii. de-
herilii s it us follows: ■ (,)nand on detit le ])aiiili't oil se tviuivaielit les eendn s
de I'idole Cauiaxde, on y trouva iiiissi iin jiai|Hi t de i hrveiix Monds, . . . .
on y troiiva aus^i iiiie t'nieraiidi>, et de ses (indris on avait fait iiie' |>ate,
Ml h'S pc'trissaiit iiV' i le saii^; d<'S eiifants (pie Ton avait saciitii's." Ui-t. de
ToLiXitlinir, iu Si ■inlit^ AimiiUs uvs I e//., torn, xeix., lsi;(, p. 17',).
s-as*
MEXICAN COSMOGONY.
lioavcn.
tlio dii} s
; let us
.still our
imd tlieii
hence we
of tlieir
he f^iiul,
ranee. I
siuhiess,
ivere not ;
kiis never
lerein on
' Majesty
e fathers,
,ht or the
tz r>ahun-
ani., tht'.-e
el' side of
len they
the A'en-
1 of the
U's of the
deserihed
rxHirlnMiv;,;,
ay lie llsilnl
ailir t'tiiit <li»
a iiatri<' : (Hi
|Ui t d't'toiVi s
iiraii'iit ii ja-
s cdiisc I'vait
, tdiu. iv., J).
liy 11 Tlasfii-
II' iriiiaiiis of
'ainiiv;4ii. ili -
t lis <Tiiilr( s
.|ni„ls
lit llUi' liatr,
11,'s.' JIU. de
in tlic plainest and least equivocal terms a supreme, all-
powerful ("rt'ator of all thiuLis, thei'e are joined with
hiuL in a si)ur'wiiat [)er[)le.ving manner a number of
auxiliary d.-jitii's and maivers. it may he that those
whose faith the I'opol \'uh represents, conceiviui;' u'ld
spcikiu.:' ol the'.r supreme gotl under many aspects and
as fu'.lilliuiz' man_\- fiuictions. came at times, either un-
ci;;iseiousjy or lor dramatic elVect, to hriii;4 this one
greaL r)cinii' u[)on tl'.oir mythic sta/^e. sustainin,:^' at once
many of his dilVerent parts and characters. Or [)er-
hap-!, like the llehrews. they helieved that the (Creator
had ma le out of nothing or out of his own esseuei'. in
some nnsterious wav, aniiels and other hi'iniis to o'^i^-y'
and to assist him in his sovereii:ti designs, and that
these 'wow called gods.' That these Quicln' notions
,>eem foolishness to us. is no argument as to their Uihipta-
liou to the life and thoughts of those who helieved them;
for. in tli( wordsof Trofessoi' Max Aliilk'r, "the thoughts
of primiti\e humanity ^ve^•l• not oidy diilerent froui our
thoughts, hut dilVerent also from what we thiidv their
[thoughts ought to iiavt' heen."'"
Vet wdiate\-er he the inconsk^tencies that oh^-cin'o
the Po[)ol \'uh. we find them multiplied in the
Mexican cosniogon}". a tangled string of meagre and
a[)[)arently fragmentary traditions. There appear to
have keen two principal schools of opinion in
Airihuac. dilVering as to who was the Creator of
the world, as well as on other points. — two veins of
tradition. perha[)s of eonnnon origin, which often seem
to riui into one. and are oftenei- still considered as one
hy hi-torians to whom these heatlu'U \anities were mat-
ters of little importance. The more advanced school,
a-;cril)ing its inspiration to Toltec sources, seeuis to have
nourished notahly in Te/.cuco, especially while the fa-
inuiis Xe/ahualcoyotl reigned there, and to ha\e had
\ery deliuite monotheistic ideas. It taught, as is
a-serted in luuuistakable teruis. that all thin:j.'s had keen
'" Si:c Vo.c's yfjtholoijj (if lliV Avjdii, Xultiiiis, vol. i., J^l. KuLt,
'ill
I
1
1
!i
1
I
)
I
!
t
!
u
I:il
156
ORIGIN AND END OF TIIINOS.
made l)_v one Ood. omnipotent inid invlsiljlc; nnd to
tliis school were i)roI)iil)lv owinn' the hkuiv "cntk' and
, IjOiuitilnl ideas and rites, minified \\ii\i the hard, coarse,
and prosaic cnlt of tlie mass of the people."
The other school may be considered as more distinc-
tively national, and as representing' more [tiirticularly
the ordininy NFexican mind. To it is to he ascribed hy
far the larger part of all we know ahont the M(>\ican
reliji'ion.'- Accoi'ding to the version of this school. Tez-
(^atlipoca, a god whose hirth and adventm-es are set
forth hereafter, was the ci'e;itoi- of the materiid heav<'n
and earth, thonuh not of mankind: and sometimes e\(Mi
the honor of this partial creation is dispnted hy others
ot the gods.
One ,\h>xican nation, again, according to an ancient
wi'iter of their own hlood. ahirnied that the I'ai'th had
been created by chance: and as for the heavens, they had
always existed.''
11 F.vf'n supposing' tliiTo wnrc nospiv^ial liistoriciil voa^oiw fur iii:il<i'i:^ this
(lisliiirtiiiii, it siTiiis cijiivciiii lit ihiit siuh ii ilivisimi >lii.ulil ! ■, iiiiulc in ii
(•iiuiitry wlnTr till' ilistiiu'tiiiii nf clnssrs wa.-i sn luarki'il as in Mtxici^. As
liciidi' ])ilts th" case, Mdiiri/il'iiii (if M'lii, p. 177. "In tlmsi' (•(nintiirs when'
twii (liNiiiK't clas.sis of men fxist, tiu' <iiic iutiUcctual and liarind, tlii' otiur
illitci'ati' iiud ilc:,'ra(l("l, then' will lio ill roality twii ndigions, t hi h;,l;1i nomi-
nally thi'R^ iiiiiy he only one'
1- ' 1,1'S pi-rtl'cs ct li'S nolili's dc Mi'\ii'o avaiillt pi'ri lU'rsqU'' tuns Idi's d'' 1:1
])risi' d" cclti' villi', ot c'cnx qui avai-nt ('r!v ippi' au niassa'Ti' s'l'laiiiit ri'fii-
(^ii''S dans drs liriix inacct'ssiiilfs. Vi- fnrrnt donr |in-sijur tur.jiiiirs drs ljciis
(111 pi'U|i|i> sans I'liii^Mtiou ct livn's aiix plus t,'i'i>ssi('it's siipi rsii;i(ins .pii hiir
firriit Ic's vi'cits ([ii'ils nmis nnt traiismis; Lcs mi>si()iui liris, d ailliiirs.
Hvairnt [iliis d'iiiti'ri't :'i connaitri' lcs usu;,'!'-- (pi'ils vonlaiiiit d'aacimr dc lu
niiissc dii pciiplc qii'a conipn lalrc Ic sens ]iliis ('lev' que la imrtie ('elaivee
(le 111 U'.tion j)oiivait y iittachcr.' '/' /'/i(n'.i'-''i))///i"/'.>.'. /•,'>■.■-•'(( sur ht 7Ve o./K/zic
J/cv'ic/i ii\ ill A'leir./a's Aiiici!is i/'^ I'".'/-, toin, Ixwv., ls|ii, p. 271.
1' 'I'liis last statement rests on the aiitliorily of 1 )oiiiinL;o Min'io/ CamarLro,
IV native of the city of Tlasciila who wrote iihout l.")'^'). See his llisl. iIh
'iiilxi'tH'iii lis translated liy 'I' rnaux Coliiiians in tlie Sminlls Aiimilf.-i
(/I'.s \'i»!., toiil. xei\ , ]sl:i, 1>. li'.l
111. mile (M
tl
at (-tl
Ijis Indieiis lie cioyaieiit pas ipu' 1(»
i' cii'e, in lis jiensaieiit qu'il ('tait Ic prodiiil dii ha/.iu'd. lis
disaielit alls'. 1 (pie les cleilX aviiellt toiljolU'S existi'
r. m con clari'liid el verdad
ero oriLtcn y prineipi
) dc todo el
' J'^stos. piles, alcaliza-
hall.'i
IllVerso, porqU(.'
(h' 1,1
iisieiitiin ([lie I'l ciclo y latierra y eiianto en (Uiis si
))odcriis,i nialio lie im Dios Siqu'eiiio y I'lllieo, I'l (piien dalia'i el lioliilirc di
'I'loiple N'ahuaqUe. (pie (piicl'C d ,'il', eliailor de todi
IS I, IS ciisas.
i.la
'iliaiilij
taiiiliiell llialiu liiohilalo
111. que ipiiel'(> dceir, Jior ([Uleli vivnnos y suliios,
y fill' 111 rinieii deiilad que adoraron en itqiiellos piiniitivos tii iiipos: y
iinn despiies que se iiitrodujo la idolatn'a y el falso ciilto. ie creycroii siein-
M'e siinenor II touos siis i
>• Ie in
dial
I levantaiii
IJl csia cri t iieia se uiiiiiliivieruli eniislaiites hasia la lle',ai|;i
'|os at I'll Id.
ciii:\iALrorocA MANUscRirT.
57'
From the ri'a;j.iii(>uts of the (Miiinalpopoc;! inaHus('ri[it
fiivcii Uy the Ahl);' Ui'iissour de r)onrl)oiu;Li' ^\(' loani that
tlic ('ivati)r — wlioevoi" he may have hLvu — piofhircd liis
work hi successive e[)(>chs. Ju tlie siuii Tochtli. thi'
earth was ci-eated; in the sij;n Acatl was nuuU' the lir-
iiiaiiii"'^. and in the sign Tee[)atl the iinimals. .\hni it is
addea. was made and ivnimated out of aslies or (hist h\'
(lod on the seventh (hiy, J'^hecatl. l)ut finished and jh'I-
fect<'d hy that mysterious pei'sona.u'e (^)uet/idcoath
Ihiwi'vei' this account may he reconciled with itsell'or
with otiiers. it fiu'ther a^ipears that man was four times
m ide and lour times destroyed.^*
):U\i>\
CS, CDlllO
iitinua Hfrrcru, iii
.].. 1(
Jlicliiiiiciiii.' Wi/I'm, llislorin Anli'iioi </«' Mi:Jii;<i, U
IS mejK'iinos, sun
1'
tainli
loS (1(
'riiit(
alriiii/;ir(Hi y su[)ii'r.)ii la crcaciou del uiuikIo, y coino 1 1 'I'lnipH' N'ahiiaciui' li
crii'i y las (IfUias cijsas (jiic hay en t'l, cmiiuo sdu |ilaiitas, mciiilrs, aniiiialo.
nvcs, au'iia y |)i'C('s; asimismo siipici'DU coiiio crii'i Oins al li.inilirc y una iiiii-
pi-,
<l.i
mile Ids liniuln'cs (IrscfUtlii'mn v si' iiinltiulicanni, v soliro csto
ana'li u niucuas
,r ifhitl, Hfliir'niif
fAI.
ijUf pur cscilsai' pnilijiilad no sr [ninni aqiii.
Ldld-
s, 111 lviii'_;sl)iironL;u. V"
1>. '.Vl\.
1)
liis
(•\-\.
Klor. (Mil' (U
liiii,'ua Iiiiliaua llamo 'riocpic Naliiia([iU', ([Uciiriulo dai' a (ntcudri-. ([iic cstc
Siili), I'lidcrDso, y Cli'iiu'iitissiiiio Dins.' Ili'lnrini, hli't (/' umi Hist., \t, 7',>,
' (Jonf(^ssa\iaii los.M<\icaii(is ii vii siiiiicino I)iiis, Si rioi', v hazi'dor dc todo, v
f-itf era el ]
I'icln V tiirra.
)i'ni('iiial (
//.
[lie Vfiieraiiaii, luiraiido al cicli), Uauiaiiddlt' criaclor di 1
■<t. Il!.<t.(
''■II , dec. 11
lU)
li.,cal)
P
•;idi
'1'
sc llaiiial)a 'ritlacaa 111, ('l\'/.catlii)il('a), dfciau (inccva cnadnrdcl ciili) y dr I i
tii-rra y I'l-a tiido [mdcnisi).' S'llnt'iKu, Ilisl.Aiit. M.c.. tcmi. i.. lib. iii.. |). 'Jll.
' 'ri-/i'atli]iiica, (^iiii stu ci'a il iiia'4'_;iMi' Dio, clw in ([Ur' ]i,i"si si adur.iva.
dopii il Din iiivisiliili'. n Sujirt'ino l^sscrc, di cni al)liiani raLjimiat" ..I'lra
il i)io di 11a I'lovidiiiza, raiiiiiia del iloiido, il Creator <lil Ciili
T(
1'
•dilSi'
'I.
di tnttc 1(^ cdsc.' ('In
Stu
Aiil'f'i 'hi M'ss'i''", 1(1111. ii
I crcai'iou (
1.1
y dc la tirvra ajilicaliaii a d
IIVI'I'MIS lllnsiS,
(,'uiiiis ;'i 'rc/r'atlipnca y a r/.ilnimc!itli. I'l scl;uii citrus, Ucelnpui-htli, y dr li
pfiiifii
('t ' fdiii
yi <<"(. or
t nil. i., ]t
ipalisdc' .Mcxiro.' M'li'Hil't, lli.il. /•.'(■/(<., p. SI.
' Liirsipu' Ic I'ii'l I't la tciTc s'l'tainit fails, ipiatic fdis di'j.'i i'lidinnic avail
'7,i
d( iidfi's I licii I'avait form '■ ct iiuiiii '.' Tliv ' mi/i.i' ( 'liln,:/'/!.
hiin'ihi'iiiifii .)/>'., after linis!
I>"l
i:l. This CodrxC
'iir I
!'■ Hn.irl
iniini.
ll'iyl. il'i \<il. r
iniial[)opoca, mi ea
lied l.v the ,\lilii' iln
•nr dt
li.nirhourL;, is an aiioiiynenis niaiiuseiipt in the Me\ii-aii laii'.oiai.
\V
lat
Ve I'eallV Ivllow II
f this iimeh-talked-ot' docnnLeiit is littl
d\Mil behest
j,'iven ill the iii-i'_;inal foi'iii. The folUiwiii;^' is the liist imtiec I liud of thi-
iiiiiiiisri'ipt. with h>
appurteiiaiiees,
heiii'-' Udturini's deseriiition nf it
jiosiessed at one time liy him. Culiihiifii, pp. 17 is. ' I'na liisimia de Ins
K ■viicis de Culhuaeaii. v Mexieo en leiii^'iia Naliiiatl. v
.ap.
\iitoi' .Viioiiviiio. V tieiie afiadida una Iheve lielaeion de 1,.-, D
1 I'Jiiiipid ill
s. V Kill
r
(tentilidad eii leiiL;iia Castellalia
(ii'.e eserili
ill el liaehilii r Dull I'edlo
Indio ('a/i(nie lielielieiad
d, ipie 1 n • I
hi 1'
.Id de ■!
zmuliahll.aeali.
I'Nta tiiild cdpiudd de leti'a de Doll I'l'Viiaiidd de Alba, y le f.dta la pii
fdja,' With ii'-jaril to the term S'llmiiH used in tiiis I'lilnl'i'i'ii , see id p. '.'■ ;
' liOs Maiiuscritos en li ilLfUa N.'iluiatl. iple ell cste Cat.'doe,) se eitall. se eiiti-
ciide sir ell leiit^'iia J[e\icaiial' This niannscriiit, or a cupy of it, fell into
tile hands of the .Vbbi' IhasselU' de l>nillliiini\' ill the city dt Mexieii, in the
y ar iS-'ii), Hi'iissvir ik liijnr'.ionrj, Jlih!(uili':'iiii: Jli.,i'ii:ii-(i a'il'jiiu.ilii.iiii' , lulin-
D8
ORIGIN AND END OF TIIIN(iS.
This may pcrliaps bo looked upon as jjiocoedhi';' from
wliat I lia\e calknl for coiiveuicnce the Toltccaii school,
thoiiiih this particular IVajiiueut shows traces of Chri.-tiuii
iulhicuce. What I'oUows seems lu)\vever to belong to
II distinctively Mexican and ruder vein of thought. It
is gathered from Mendieta, uho was indel)ted again to
Fray Andres de Ohnos, one of the earliest missionaries
among the Ab'xicans of Avhom he treats; and it is de-
cidedly one of the most authentic accounts of such mat-
ters extant.
The Mexicans in most of the ])rovinces were agreed
that there was a god in heaven called (.'itlalatonac, and
a goddess called (.'itlalicue;' ' an<l that this goddess had
given birth to a Hint knife, Tec[)atl. Now she had many
.sons living with her in heaven, who seeinu' this extraor-
dinary thing were cdarmed, and Hung the Hint down to
the earth. It fe^' in a [)lai'e called (Miicouio/toc. that
is to say the Seven Caves, and there iuune(liately
sprang u[) IVom it one thousand si.x hundred gods.
These gods being alone on the earth.— though as will
liereafti'r appear, there had been men in the world at
a fortiu'r period, — sent up their messenger Tlotli,
the IFawk. to i)ray their motii(>r to empower them
to create uien, so that they might have servants as be-
came their lineage. Citlalicuo seemed to be a little
(fif'thrn. p. x\i., anil the k'.irnpil Al)l)i' (1iSfrilio« it us fi>llfnvs: — Tiidcx
(Jliim il[) )|>:)(M i('i)|)i(' (ill), (.'DUti'n.int les Kjiorincs, diti's llisti'irc din So-
Kiils (1 rilistiiiri^ (i.'S U'lyiuiui's di' (Vilhiiiicaii ct i\c .Mi'xiii). uxtc Mixi-
o:uii (ciirrii^' d'apn'H oclui dr if. Aiibiiii. iivcc iin (>ssai d(! traduction fran-
^ lisL' ell vc.;ard. iiv. in l"" — M.uuiscril dc it:) 11'., i'()|)ii' 1 1 Iradiiit par It sii^na-
t di'i- d" la lrili|iiillu''(iuc. (Test la oiijiic dii dociiiiiriit nial'cjui- au n i;{,
vN viit.. (Ill catalo^'iii' de lioturini, hdiis Ic titi'c dr: Ui^Kuia df Ins lU ynus do
t.'ollmaiMU y .\rcxi('i), I'tc. Co docuiuciit, oil pniir la jtri'iiiii'i't' I'ois j'ai souli'Vii
].' voili' i'ni.,'iii:itii[iii' qui rccouvrait li's syiuholcs dc la rclii,'ion d (Ir I'liistoire)
d'.x ^^l'\i.(lll• ft !i' phi-i iiii|iortant dc tons cciiv (jui noii-i soicnt rc-,t 's dcs un-
nilcs auliiiucs nicxicaiucs. 11 ii'iifcr,iiiM'hi''inolo.,'i([Uciiicnt riic^loiic ^'.'olo-
j^i lU' (111 niondc, |i,ir s 'lies dc l:i ans. ii coiiiaiciuv r dc ]ihis di dix iiiillo iinti
avaiit I't'iv.' chrcticiinc, smvaat Ics calculs nic\icains.' /(/.. ii. 17.
''Otherwise called, accordini,' to Clavii^cfo, tlic j^'od Onuli nrlH, and the
■^ 111 less Otif'riliii'ill. Tcrnaux-Coiiipans .-.ays: ' Tjcs nmiis d'OiiK t( iietli (t
d ( ).iiecilniatl ne se ti'( ill vent niiUe pait aillcius dans la niytlioloi^ic nn xicaiius
ni li 1 on ]i iiirrait Ics expliipi'-r par rc!yiiiol()i.;ie. (hif si'.;nilie deiix en nicxi-
caiii, ct tons Ics anteiirs suit d 'accord pour tradiiirc litli'ralciiicnt leur nom
par dcux sci^'UelU's ct deux tl.iiucs.' .A'ii((i'i7,'.a' Aiiiutl'-'g ifrt T'c/,, t.iin. Iwxvi,,
isli), i>. 7.
AZTEC CTiEATION-MYTUS.
59
dill,!;' from
an school,
Clnistiim
l)L'long to
)U-llt." It
I a'iahi to
isfsionaries
I it is cle-
SUcll UKlt-
n'ii ajiroed
tonuc. Jind
)il(U'ss had
had many
is c'xtraor-
iit down to
o/toc, that
iiniediately
dred j^ods.
i!^h as will
,0 wt)i'ld at
:vi- Tlotli,
iwer them
ants as ])v-
je a Uttle
\vs:— Tinlcx
tuirc (lis Sii-
li\tr Mixi-
(liictiiiu fi-iiii-
Li' li si:j;uii-
iir all li i;t,
(PS lU'VllDS (It!
i;i i'ai sollU'V.!
I li.' I'histdirt'
t 's (lis au-
ll'.lnUC •.,'/(ll()-
]\\ iniil(! ans
( .
//(', 1111(1 llio
( lull t( iictli ( t
:ir nil xii'iiiiu';
|(l!\ < 11 IIK xi-
II lit Iciiv U'lu
, turn. Ivxxvi.,
■5?
t 1
■fJ
asliiuni'd of tlieso st)ns of hers, horn in .so strange a
iiiauiu-r. and she twitted them eriielly enonjih on what
the\ could hardly hel[»: Had y»Mi)joen what yon ought to
ha\i' liccn. she exclaimed, \ou would still he in my com-
pany. Xi'vertheless she told tluMn what to do in the mat-
tei- of ohtaining their desire: (jo heg of Mictlanteuctli.
Loi'd of Iladi's. that he maviiivo you a i)one or some ashes
!)l' the dead that are with him; which having received
you sliall sacrifice over it, sprinkling hlood from your
own hodies. And the fallen gods having consulted to-
gether, sent one of their mmihei'. called Xolotl,'" down
to ha les as their mother had advised. lie succeeded
in getting a hone of six feet long iVom Mictlanteuctli ;
aul then, wary of his grisly host^ he took an ahru[)t de-
})ai'turi running at the to[) of his speed. V\'roth at this,
the iid'ernal <'.hief gave chase ; not causing to Xolotl, how-
e\('i'. any more serious inconvenience than a hast}' I'all
in which the hone was hroken in pieces. The messenger
gilliered up what he could in all haste, and des[)ite
his stumhle made his osca[)e. Reaching the earth,
he put tlu' IVagnr.Mits of h;)ne into a hasin, and all the
go Is drew hlood from their hodies and sprinkli'd it into
the vessel. On the fourth day there was a movemeuL
among the wetted hones and a hoy lay there hefore all;
aul in foui" days more, the hlooil-letting and spi'iukling
helug still ke[)t up. a girl was lifted fr()m the ghastly
dish. The children were given to Xolotl to hring n[);
aul h' fed them on the juit;e of the maguey.'^ Increas-
iii X I'll'^ 'sorviiiit or pa'^i'.' — M'l'in'i. \'fi',ii'itrh> en kwptH Cdstilktmi .V'.ri-
oiiiii. N'.it 'eye' as some sclioliasts have it.
'" fjitri'ully, in till' (.su'licst (.'iijiy of th" myth that I liavo seen, tin- mill.- af
Ci" lhUI\\ 'hi li'chc (li> cai'ilip.' wliich term has liccii rrpiatril li'iiiiliy, and
iipi) ii'i'iitly witlimit any iii 'a of its iiiraiiiiiL;. hy the varimis wiitris that have
f'ii.ii\,>l. 'L'hi. ,)1(1 authoritiis, ho\vi\rr, ami csiicfially Mi'inliita. trom
Nvh'iiM I taki' tiic h'Lti'Uil, wrrc in the h I'lit of ral.iii^; tiie mavnuy a thistle;
ill! 1 iiiil'eil th ' treineiiiloiis priekles of tlie Mexieaii jiiaiit may lay ennd claim
I Mil • \-iiiii ilii'liniiniifhiri'saU (>i the Seotli^h elilMein. ' Ma^'lleV, IJIle is el car-
il ill il" iloiiile saeau ill iniel.' MiiiiU'lii. H'kI. /v ■'!>•, p. Hi). ' .Met! es iiii ailio]
(1 e iiiti) (jue ell leii;.;nii (le las Islas se llama liiiij^'iiey.' MiilnHidi^ U'lsl . ih' li,s
I il.. in Inrji'lli'ilii, I'ul, it,' l)i>r., tolil. i., p. 'Jl:!. ' V.t simihliellte-euLiliollo le
) i-jii' lii ■|iiesto alliern, I'l cai'do die si teli'-iinio l;i. come (pia le viu'lie, (t
elii iiii mlo iiiaL;ii( is.' HihiU'iii'- t'"liii. jivr un Oi'itl'dUaoinu dd Hijuor Corksi, in
Ji'tiinisii) \"i Kj'/i. tmu. iii., I'ul. ;(07.
GO
OIUGIN AND END OF TIIINOS.
I ]•}
i;i
SI . ii!
'i )
!i
uvx in stature, thoy lu'Ciimo man and woman: jiiid from
tlu'iii aiv t!ie pe()[)le of the present day (k'scvnded. who.
even as the prhnordial hone was hrokcn into nn(M|iial
pieces, vary in si'/e and sha[)e. The name of this lirst
man was Iztacmixcnatl. and the iiame of his wili' llan-
cueitl.''^ and they had six sons l)oi"n to them, whose de-
scendants, with thi'ir ^od -masters, in process of time
moved eastward from their oriuinal home, ahnost imi-
\ersidly descrii)ed as liavin^' heen towards dalisco.
Xow there liad hi-cn no sun in existence lor many
years; so tlie gods l)eing as.sem])leil in a ])hice eaihd
Teotihuacan. six h'a'iiu's from Mexico, and leathered at
K 1
the time round a •:reat lirt'. told their (h'votees that lie
of them who should lirst cast himself into that lire,
should have the honor of hein,u' transformed into a sun.
So one of them called Xanahuatzin. — either as most
sav. out of i)ure hraverv, or as Sahanun relates, hecause
his life had lu'come a hurdeiito him throujih a syi)hilitic
disease. — llunii; himself into the lire. Then the pxls
beii'an to peer tln-ouiih llu'Liloom in all directions lor the
expected li.dit and to make hets as to what ])ai't ot
hvMven he should lli'st apjjcar in. And some said Here,
and some said There; hut when the sun rose they wei'e
all jH'oved wroni:', for not one of them had fixed upon the
east.''' .Vnd in that same hour, though they knew it
'■^ Miitnliiiia in Ti-nihiilrdu, Cnl, torn. i.. iip. fl-10, says tins first i.iiiii mul
\voiii:iu \vi IT lii-^oltcii liflwiTii till' raiiuuiil tlirdnst of the earth--' civ^i'iiihaila
<li' la lliivia y (li'l iiolvo ilf la tiiTra" — ainl in nthci' ways adds to tin (m r-
I'lrxity; SI) that I am wrll iin'liiicd to ai^'ivc with Miilicr. Ann ril.tini^chf I'ri-v-
Ht'i'iitui, |). "(IS, whni 111' says tlicsi' cnsiUD^'aiiical myths ilis])lay luailis nf
local (>rit,'iii aiul (if tlu' sulisi'niicut fusiciu ni si'Vi'Val hu'i iids into an iiunii-
^'niiiiis whiilc. ' Ans dicsrr .\[iiil,'i' von Vcrsrhitdi nhiittii in diisiii Kns-
iiM;4ipuii II ist t'Vsiclitlicli. diss vide I.ukalmytlieii hii r wie in rem unalihan-
I^'Il; viin einandiT entslandeii die man au'-sei-lii-li mit einander verli:iinl. di ■
alter in maiielierlei Wide rs])ri'ichen aneh Udch spiiter ilue nrspriin^lielie I'u-
id)haiiL,'i'4keit zu erkeiuien e,),,!!.'
'•' lleie, as elsewlii re in this le'^i lid We folhiw Alidris de Olnins' aeenunt as
(.'ivi'ii liy Meiidieta. Saha,L;nn, however dill'ers from it a j^ood deal in jilaees.
At this ])oint for example, he mentions some notahle pi'rsona;^'es who i^ies^c d
ri',dit aliont the rising oi' the sun: -' Olms se ]msiei(in a mirar aeia el oiieiite,
y ili:4eriin aij".;:', 'li' esta parte ha ile saHr el Soj. El diehode cstos fm' verda-
dero. nici'ii (|Ue los (]nf mirarotl I'leia el Oriente, fiieroii (^iiel/ahoatl, qr.c
tanihien se llama Ecatl. y otro ipie se llama Totee. y por otronniiiliro Anaoatly-
ti'cu, y por otro nomlire 'I'lataviete/eatlipui'a, y ntros ([ne se llaman Mini/-
foil,' or as iu KinL,'sl)uronyli'.s editiuu, Mix. Aidlq, \ul. vii., p. LSo. 'por
][()\v THE srx WAS PLACED IN THE i[;:a\t.xs.
(U
and tVoiii
ik'd. ulii).
> uiK'nual
' this lii'st
will' Ilaii-
uliosi' di'-
< ol' tiuK'
most uni-
sex.
lor many
ICC called
ithcivd at
L's that lu'
that liiv.
iito a sua.
' as most
s. hccausc
syi)hilitic
the nods
[lis lor the
it ])ai't ot
;aiil llel'e.
lu'v wxTe
uiKtn the
knew it
ivst i.iiin 1111(1
fli;4i'li(lr:i(la
s ti) llii \nv-
tiiii-ii'lif I /'/■('-
lay iiiuvks of
itii an iiu'iiii-
ilicsrll Kii^-
■ni uiialihan-
vrrliaiiil. lYi:'
uUL;lii.-lu- I'li-
s' acciiimt as
al in jilaci s.
\\\in l,'UiS-( (1
■i,i (1 oriiutc,
fill' Vfida-
/.:llroatl, (|r,C
lyv Aiiaiiatly-
aniaii Mini/-
isil. '^lur
not. the decree Aveiit forth that they should all die hy
sai'i'ilice.
The sr.n had risen indeed, and with a ^lory of tho
ciucl lire about him that not even the eyes of the iiods
could endure; hut he mo\ed not. There lie lay on the
hori/on : and when the deities sent Tlotli their messen^izer
to him. with orders that lie should iio on upon his way,
his ominous answer was, that lie would never leave that
]»lace till he had destroyed and jiiit an end to theui all.
'i'heii a "ii'eat fear fell u})on sonu'. wliile others wvw moved
only toaiii^'er: and amoni:tiie latter was one ("itli. who im-
nu'iliati'ly strung his how and advanced a|iainst tlie ;ilit-
tciinu' enemy, liy ([ifK'kly lowering his head the Sun
avoided the first arrow shot at him; hut the second aud
third had attained his hody in quick succession, when.
lilU'd with fiii'y, he seized the last and launched it hack
imou his a><sailant. Antl the brave Citli laid shaft to
>tring nevermore, for the arrow of the sun pierced his
Ibrehead.
Then all was dismay in theassemhly of the gods, and
despair Idled their heart, for they saw that tlu'y could
not prevail against the shining one; and they agreed to
(he, and to cut themselves open through the l)reast.
Xolotl was ajipointed minister, and he killed his
ci»iiil)anioiis one by one, and last of all he slew himsidt'
also.-' So they died like gods; and each left to the sad
and wondering men who were his servants, his garments
for a memorial. And these servants made n[). each
jtarty. a bundle of the raiment that had heen left to
iiiro iiDiiilivc Aiianatl y Tti'u, y por otro iKniiln-c Tlataviftfzoatlipuca, y otrns
i)Uf si' Hainan iliiiiizcDil, c(Ui! scni ihuiurialilcs; y ciiatvi) nniuCticH, la una su
l.auia Tiacaiian, laotra Tcit'U. la terccra Tiai'iitna, la fuavta Xofoyoll.' Snhn-
ijii.ii. Hist. (iiii.. toin. ii., lib. viii., ji. 2ls.
'■''' Hcnidcs (liffi'iTUci's of autlioiitics already noticed, I may add that Sa-
]i:ij^iiu desei'il)es the j)ersoiiai;e who lieeaiiie the' sun. — as well as liiui who,
.\s We shall SI Hill see, becaiue the moon, — as beloii^^^iii'^' before his trausfor-
taatiou to the number of the ^nds, and not as one of the men who served
l.H 111. rurtlier, ill reeountili' the death of the ''ods, Sa
nil says that to
till' Air. I'.eati, (^iietzaleoatL was alloted the tasii of killiuKthe rest; nor does
it iippear liiat l^iiet/aleoatl Idllid himself. As to Xolotl, he plaxs (luit'.' it
ojwirdly (lart in this version: trying' to ehide his death, he transfonned hini-
Re'f iiiio varir.us tliiiiL,'s, and was uuly at List takeuuud killed under the form
of u libli ealltd Axolutl,
G2
ORIGIN AND END OF TIIIN(JR.
I i;; I,
I I !'i'
I !;
!i
tlu'in. ])in(linji; it :il)oiit a stick into uliicli tlioy had ])0(1-
(It'l a smill .i;r(>;Mi stoiu' to scrw as a licart. Tlu'si' hun-
(Ih's were ciilleil thquiiii'/hH, and each hore tlie iiaiiiL' of
that ^'od whose inomorial it was; and those thin<A's were
more reverenced than the ordinary gods of stone and
wood of the country. Fj'ay Andres ck; Olnios found one
of these relics in Tlahnanah'o, wra])ped up in many
cloths, and half rotten with heing kept hid so lonii'.'-'
hnniediately on the death of the gods tlie sun he-
gan his motion in the lieavens; and a man called Te-
cu/isteciitl, or lezcociztecatl, who, when Xanahuatzin
leaped into the Hre, had retired into a cave, now
emerged from his concealment as the moon. Others
say that instead of going into a cave, this Tecuzis-
tecatl, had leaped into the fire after Xanahuatzin,
hut that, the heat of the hre heing somewhat ahated,
he had come out less ()rilliant than the sun. Still
iuiother variation is, that the sun and moon came
out eipially hright, hut this not seeming good to the gods,
one of them took a rahhit hy the heels and slung it into
the face of the moon, dinnning its lustre with a hlotcli
whose mark may he seen to this day.
After the gods had dii'd in the way herein related,
leaving their garments hehind as relics, those servants
went about everywhere, hearing these relics like bundles
upon their shoulders, very sad and pensive and wonder-
ing if ever again they woidd see their departed gods.
X'ow the name of one of these deceased deities Avas Toz-
catli[)()ca, and his servant having arrived at the sea
coast, was favored w^ith an ap[)arition of his master in
three different shapes. And Tezcatlipoca spake to his
servant saying: Come hither, thou that lovest me so well,
that 1 may tell thee what thou hast to do. Go now to
the House of the Sun and fetch thence singers and in-
strunuMits so that thou mayest make me a festival; hut
first call upon the wdiale. and upon the siren, and upon
the tortoise, and they shall make thee a hridge to the sun.
21 This kind of idol iinswers oviduntly to the mysterious ' Euvelopo ' of
the Quicht' myth. See ulso uote D.
THE TEZrUCAN ACCOUNT OF THE ClIEATION.
cr?
had 1)0(1-
lu'so l)ini-
i iiaiiiu of
iii};s were
■<t()Uo and
fomid Olio
in nuiny
. "1
oim.
sun be-
•allod Tt-
naluiat/in
ave, now
Others
!, TlHMl/is-
lahuatzin,
it abated,
mi. Still
1)011 came
) thep)ds,
iiiLi" it into
I a blotch
n related,
servants
e bundles
Avonder-
ed ii'ods.
was Tez-
the sea
naster in
ke to his
10 so well,
jlo now to
s and in-
;ival; l)iit
and upon
o the sun.
Euvelopo ' of
I
Then w;is all this done*; mid the inrsst'ii;j:('r went
aoross the sea ti[)on his living' bi-idi^c, towards the Jh)use
ol'tlii' Smi. sin;.;iii;4' what he had to say. And the Sun
heard tlu' sonii', and he straitly chariivd his [H'oj)lt' and
servants, sayini;': See now that ye make no resi)onsi' to
this chant. I'or Avhoever re[)lies to it must l)e taken away
by the singer. I'mt the song was so exci'odin^' sweet
that some ol'tluMii could not but answer, and they were
lured away, bear i nil' with them the drum. fcjtniHi-j/i, mid
the kettle-drum, rci'cfl. Such was the ori.iiin of the
festi\"als and the dances to the gods; and the songs sung
during those dances they held as prayers, singing them
alwa\s with groat accuracv of intonation and time.
111 their oral trailitions. thoTo/cucaus agreeil with the
usual Mexican account of creation — the lalling of the
tlint fi'om heaven to earth, and soon — but what tlu y after-
ward showed in a [)icture. and explained to IVay Andres
deOliuos as the maniKM* of the creation of mankind, was
this: The event took plaice in the land of Acuhna, on
the Te/,(nic.a.n boundai'v at a distance of two leagues from
Te/cuco and of i\\i) from Mexico. It is said that the
sun. being at the hour of nine, cast a dart into the c^arth
at the place wo have mentioned and made a hole; from
this hole a man caino out, the first man and somewhat
iniperfect withal, as there was no more of him than from
the arm-i)its up. much like the conventional l']uro[)ean
cherub, only without wings. After that the woman
came up out of the hole. I'he rest of the story was not
considered [)roper for pi'inting by Ah'iidieta; but at any
rate from these two are mankind descended. The name
of the lirst man was .Vculmaitl. — that is to say. urn//i,
shoulder, and uidifl, hand or arm. — and from him the
town of Acuhna is said to take its name." And this ot\-
niology seems to make it pr()l)able that the details of this
myth are derived, to some extent, from the name of the
--' Bi'sidcs tlio rhimal[K)p(i(.'a inauuscript, tlio parlicst Kiitnniiirii s of tlio
!M.'xiiMU ('rc.itioii-m\ ths a;o to ix' foniul in M<nilhtii, Hist. AV/.s., pp. 77 SI;
^iitli'ii'iii. Hist. (h'lL, toiu. i., lib. iii., p. '2lili, toiii. ii., lil). vii., ji]). -lU) '.l^A);
Ji'itiirini. Iihn ilf una Hl.ft., ])p. ;t7— t:!; TnriinniKKht, Mniinrii. hul., toiii. i., M).
'il-~), torn, ii., pp. 7G-8; Ctacijvro, Storia Ant. ild Mifiauo, torn, ii., pp. 8-10.
I
Mil li'
f;i
OUKilN AND END 01 THINGS,
])lii,w ill ^v]^l^ll it wjiH lociitoil: or llwit tlio jimiiic of the
iirst m;iii lii'loiii-inn' to nil early phase ol' tlie hinjiuape,
h:is been inisiiii(K'i'stooil, and that to tlie I'alse etymol-
ogy the details of the myth aiH' owiiij;'.
As already stated there had heeii iiU'U on the earth
jirevioiis t(,) that (iual and peifec^t creation of man IVom
the hoiu' siipjilied by ^[ictlanteiu'tli. and wt'tti'd hy the
i:()ds with their own hhiod at the plaee of the Seven
Caves. These iiu'ii had been swe[)t away by a sueces-
sion ofureat destnietions. With rej:ard to the nnmber of
thi'si.' destructions it is hard to speak [lositively, as on no
sin,;:le [)oint in the wide ranue of early Americ^ui reli-
,L:ioii. does there exist so much diiterence of opinion. All
the way from twice to live times, followinii' diiferent
a, 'counts, has the world been desolated by tremendous
convulsions of nature. I Ibllow most closely the version
of the 'rezcucan historian Ixtlilxochitl. as bein^' one of
the earliest accounts, as. prima facie. IVom its orij.;in,
one of the most authentic, and as beinii' suiijiorted l)y a
m;i)oritv of respectable historians u[)to the time of Hum-
boldt.
Of the creation which ushered in the first ago wo know
nothing-, we are only told by IJoturini. that jiiants then
b.'gan to appt'ar on the earth, 'i'his First A<ji;e, or \sun."
Avas calletl the Sun of the Water, and it was ended by
a tremendous Hood in which every living' thiirj; perished,
or was transforiiu>d, except, followiivj; some accounts, ono
iii'.in and one woi
nan of the uiant race, of whose eso
l|)0
move hereal'ter. The Si'cond Aji'O, called the Sun of
the Karth. was closed with eartlupiakes, yawninirs of the
earth, and the overthrow of the hiiihest mountains,
(iiants, or (^uiiiiun's. a powerful and liau,uhty race still
appear to be the only inhabitants of tho world. The
Third Ago was tho Sun of tho Air. It was ended by
tempests and hurricanes, so destructive that few indeed
of tho inhabitants of the earth wore left; and those
that wore saved, lost, according to tho Tlascaltec ac-
<'ount, their reason and speech, becoming monkeys.
Tho present is the Fourth Ago. To it a})[)ear to bo-
m
Tin; .UIKS OU SINS OF TIIK .\!l.Xi('.VNS.
f.5
loiijf tlic liillinti of the p),l(U'ss-l)orn Hint iVoiii heaven,
the liirlh ol'the sixteen liinnh'ed hei-oi's iVoni thiit Hint,
the liirlh of nr.uiixind iVoni the hone hrouuht from hiuU's,
the transrorniation of Xanahnat/in into the sun. the trans-
forniation of Te/eatecatl into the moon, and tlie (U'atli of
thi' sixteen hnndi'e(l lieroes or <:ods. It is called ^\n\
^nn of I"'iri'. and is to hi' ended h> a universal conllaj^ra-
tion.-^'
Connected with the ';ivat Hood of water, there is a
•jii",
;i l.eir,'.
c. Tl
■■liill. in.ll. I'Inrh
'mil I'll \n iMnis'iiiiDil III s
line mitliiif, ill liis /i' /(/ •
'III ill's }fi.i\ Aiilii/., vol. ix.. ]);>.
III. ]>],. ;t21 -.i, cithtr tlniniLli
ivii ciil-clcssucss oi' that of ii tvanscrnirr, tniusfidscs tlu' scrdlnl mIh)
tliiiil A:.,'i'.-i. To sec tliiit it is an ovcisij^'lit of soiiii' sort, we haw Imt to jiu^h
t'l till' siuiiuiiivv lit' '^ivi'S at the fiiil of tlii"
li'i'lilrliilli.s, //«.. p. l.l:!,
wiirl'i' till' ai'i'oiiiit is ,ii,Mili foiiml in stiii't a'.'ri'i'iiu'iit with the version ),'ivi'ii
ill th>' ti'\t. ('.iMi.u'Lio, ///.>■/. '/' 77'M'. in .\iiiirJlts AiukiIih iI<h I'i///., toiii.
xcix., lSt:l. |). l;tJ, f,'iviii^,' as we may supiiosi' the Tlascaltci' version of tin'
K 'ii'ial .Mi-xican iiiyfli. a^jri'es wilii Ixtlilxorlii'l as to the whole nanilier of
A'^'i's, following', lio\ve\er, the oriler of the error aliove noticed in the l{,l<i~
ri'iii s'. Tile Tiasi-altec historian, moreover, iilhriiis that only two of tliesi-
A','.'-< are past, and that the third and fourth destriU'tiuus are yet to eoine.
em iux-( 'onijians, .Vo/o'/As ^[muths ili.t \'iii/., toni. Ixxxvi.. ISK). p.
M. T
ado Mtsthis Tlasi'alt.
1 .w 'd hy J>r. i'
Iti'a Iford assui)|)orli
account as the (,'eneral Jlexican tradition: he is f(d-
•d, /.'
tl
vol v., pp., ;i(i(l-|. l)r. I'richavd cites
lUu; til'' same oiPiMloM
luU
)uslv.
IJl-i
■d, Ai
Aii'i'i.. p. li2-(. follows lluiuhol.lt. liotuviui, /■/"( lif iiiia Ijisl.. ]>. It. and Clavi-
j,'.'!','). Stori't Aiil. ill .1/ .
tom. ii., p. .")7, a^'ree exactly with the text. Tin
.\.hl)' lira.seur do liourlicmrv; also acce]its the version of three past destruc-
tions, S'U isish' (As Siniri'is (/,' r /list. I'
h
pp. ■.;(') -7. I'rofessor .1. (t. .Miil-
A-iifriL'iiiis 'If I'n-il'i I'nnvii. pp. ."lO IJ, admits tint the version of thri
pist ilestructiousand one to come, as j^iveii in the text, and in the order lliei
jjiveli, 'Seems to he the most ancient >[exican version;' thoil'^li he decides lo
follow llmnholdt, aiiil adopt
pts wiia
t h
ills the ' latest and fullest form of tlio
liiylll.' T'le Sji'i jniiiin'iillr Tiiro'i- ih I < 'ii Ii
.\r.
its -If,
.1/,
I'-; tirst two (last destructions, and fartlier on fiMir, A'
i[ Valicanoleontradict.s
ill'"/., vol. v., 11]). l(l:t
/
( ; as does also
thre
imti
l>
.1st <li'str
). l.n (i. Kiimsl
id f
lorouu'li liiiusi
ructions and tour a'^es in all; s(
the /•;,
■If
e M .
'il'lh'
V
ilil ( 'mil .r Tilh
to fav(U' the ith'a of
Ai.li^
il. vi., (I. 171,
lioaiira. Ifisl. .][ x., fol. 'i'.IT-M; Leon y ftania. hus I'inlius, jiaite i
,r Ml
pp. Ill-"); Huiiiholdt. Tics., tom. ii.. pp. IIH 1211; I'rescott, ' o/'*/.
vol. i., p. (il; (r lilatin, ill .l(;i. FJhiiol, Snr, Triiii.<iii-I., vol. i., p. :t'i."),- di -
four past destructions and one yet to come, or tiv<' Ai.;es. and
tlie Cliinial
popoca .'
MS.
see note Hi. seems also to fav(U' tliis
Listly, .Melidieta. Iliit. ?:ii:i., p. SI. dei
tive Suns, or .V;,'es, in times ])ast: hut th
that the soil produced its fruits (udy
Ian s that the Mexicans believe in
se suns were of interior (piality. so
coasi (picii'.'e we
that
'verv <'ase the mhaliitaiits of the
U(h' and illiperfecl stall
'111
Id died thloU'^h
til!' e.itiii'4 of divers thiiitfs. This ]uesent and sixth Sun was ^ood, ho
and under its inllueiice all th
produced properly. Toniuei
who has. indeed, been all aloiij,' approprialinj,', by whole chaptirs, the so
'on,' niedit' d work of .Meiidi't t: and that, if we lielieve lca/li,ileeta. Ilisl.
A' -/is., \illir'ifl-i ili'l Aittii
I'P
XXX. to \lv.
uiuh'r circumstaiii'i's of pecuh.ir
turpitudc-of coiu'se 1,'ives also tive past .\'..;cs. repiatin;.; Mendieta word lor
W'o.d with the exception of a single Ma.' MjnHi'ii. Iml., tuiii. ii., p. 7'.-'.
Vol. III.
fit) ORIfilN ANT) F.N'D ()!■ TIIIN(iS.
^[('xlciin triiditioii lu-i'-iciitiiiii some Miialotiics to tlic story
of Noiili !Ui(l liis iirU. Ill most of the puiiitnl iiiiinii-
scrii)ts supposed to rt'lntc t(t this cNciit, u kind of boiit is
rcpi'csciiti'd ilontiiiti' over the waste of Wiiter. and con-
taiiiiiiL; a man and a woman. I"]\i'ii the Tlascaltecs. the
Zapotccs. the Miztees. and the jieople ol' Miehoaean ai'e
said to ha\'e had such i>ietni'es. The man is vai'ionsly
called < \)\('ox. Teocijiactli. Te/pi. and Xata; the woman
Xoi'irn|uet/,al and Nena."'
The rollowing' has heen nsnally a('eei)ted as the ordi-
nary Mexican vei'sion ol" this myth: In Atonatiidi, the
Am' ol' Water, a jii'i-at Hood covere<l all the lace ol" the
earth, and the iidiahitants thereof weiv tnrned into
fishes. Only one man and one woman escajied, saxinii
themselves in the hollow tnmk of an (i/tdhudc ov hald
cypress; the nsnne ;>f the man heinu' Coxeox, and that of
of his wife Xochi(|net/al. On the waters abating' a little
they ;ar()nnded their ark on the Peak ol" (/olhuacan. the
Ararat of Mexico, here tliey increased and nndti[)lied,
and children hejian to uather ahont them, children wlio
Avere all horn dnmh. And a dove came and ,ua\e them
tonunes. imunnerahle larijinanes. Only fifteen of the
descendants of (-oxcox, who afterward hecame heads of
families, spake the same laniiuaue or conld at all nnder-
staiid each other; an<l from these fifteen ai'o descended
the Toltecs, the A/tecs, and the Acolhuas. This dove
is not the only bird mentioned in these delnvial tra-
ditions, and must by no means ])e confonnded with the
l)irds of anotlier palpably C'hristiiinized story. For in
Miehoaean a tradition was preserved, following' which
the name of the Mexican Xoah was Tezpi, AVith Ijetter
fortnne than that ascribed to (Vixcox. he was able to
save, in a spacious vessel, not only himself and his wife.
^t Professor J. (i. Miillor, Arn'TilnnifU'lc Vrrd'vnimni, p. nOH, veninrks of
tlif'sc two iK'i'soniifjos: ' liciu iionli-;ch ist <lcr cliicliiiiKkisclu' ("oxcox, dcr
Kchoii Ix'i (Icr Fluthsiifjc j,'cimniit wnr(l<'. dcr Ttzjii dcr Mci'liDUKiiiur. ])iis
ist itiich iii'siiriiii^^liih rin Witsscr^'utt nml Fischj.rott, diivum tWiut cr ancli dcu
Nniiii'U Cipiictli, Fiscli, TtMU'ipiu'tli, KnttliclKr Fiscli, Hui'lnittonaciitcoci-
jiai'tli. alter Fiscbj,'ott von uiisfitiii Flciscli. Darmii ist ani'h seine Gattii;
line I'llanzonyottin uiit Naiueu X(i(lii(]iutzal d. h. getiiigeltc Ulunio.'
THE TOWER OF IJAHEL.
67
lu' story
1 inaiui-
li" Ik Kit is
imd <'<)n-
ttcr-^. tlu'
v.ican an'
ViU'iously
It' Nvoiniin
1 the <mli-
ittiuh. tlic
iuv of tlu'
,110(1 into
lhI, Hsivinti
!te or baltl
ind that of
in;j, a little
luacan, tlii'
iimltipru'il
ildrcn ulio
•liivo thcni
(■on of the
w heads of
all untlor-
(li'sceiuUHl
This (love
luvial tra-
h1 \vith the
V. For in
,iiip: Avhieh
Yith ])etter
,vas able to
1(1 his wife.
kriH. vt-niiirl«s f>f
lioauiimr. Dii'^
Jii'-;t «'i' anch dvu
Iliut'tiiniK'utcoci-
I'li sfim^ Giittii:
iBluiiii!.'
I)ut also his chiMrcii. several animals, and a (piantity of
i:rain for the connnou ii;h' W'licn tiie \vat( rs lu-iian to
<iilisiil('. he sent out a vulture that it inijiht ^o to and
I'm ou the earth and hrin^ him woi'd apiin when the dr\-
land hejian to a|>[)ear. Hut the vulture fed njion the
carcasses that were strewed in eNcry i»art. and never re-
tiniied. Then Te/pi sent out other hirds. and anions'
these was a Inunminn-hird. And when the sun heuan to
coNcr the earth with a new verdure, the humminji;-l)ird
retui'ned to its old refu;ze heai'in^' jireen leaves. And
Te/pi saw that his vessel was aground near the nioini-
tain of Colhiiacan and he landed there.
The Mexicans round (Miolula had a special leji'end,
connc'tiu;;' the esca[)e of a renniant from the jireat del-
ude with the often-mentioned story of the ori<iin of the
P'ople of Aniiinwie IVom (Miieomoztoe. oi" the Seven
('a\('s. At the time of the cataclysm, the country, ac-
cording to IVdro de los Ilios, was inhahited hy giants.
Some of these perished utterly; others were changed in-
to lishes; while seven brothers of them found salety by
closing themselves into certain caves in a mountain
called Tlaloc. When the waters were assuaged, one
of the giants, Xelhua. surnamed the .Vrchitect, went t(»
Chohda and began to build an artificial mountain,
as a monument and a memorial of the Tlaloc that
had sheltered him and his when the angry waters swe[)t
through all the land. The bricks were made in Tlama-
iialco. at the foot (jf the Sierra de Cocotl, and passed to
riiolula from hand to hand along a tile of men — whence
these came is not said— stretching between the two })laces.
Then were the jealousy and the anger of the gods
aroused, as the huge pyramid rose slowly np. threaten-
ing to ivach the clouds and the great heaven itself; and
the gods launched iheir lire upon the builders and slew
many, so that the work was .stopped.-'' But the half-fin-
'-'■' Bihirii)}. lh"i ilf nnn UIM.yiV- 113-4; H., Cfil.ilou'i, pp. 39-40; rinri.
'I r I. Shirin Aiil. ihl Miss'ini. toiii. i., ])|i. IJW-.'iO, toin. ii., p. (!; Sjiiirituidne
■I'"'' Tinile del Cmli'V .lAi.ri •'(»-) [Viiticaiio] tav. vii., in hlii'islmroK ih's Mi,r-
.1 '., V'll. v.. ))|). 1(14-5; (innrll! Citrnri, in I'liurcli'iU's I'nl. I'"//., vol. iv., p.
iHl; JJitiitMilt, VMs.,toin. i., pp. 114-15, torn ii., pp., 175-S; Tyhr's Ana.
('.8
ORIGIN' AM) r.Nl) OF riiixcs.
i.shoil st'"".('tiii'('. altorwiinls (l('(lir;it'.'il I)v the (Mioliiltccs
to <^)in't/.ili'(>ii.tl. still rt'iiKiiiis to ^Iionv liow well XclliUii,
thi'^iiiiit, (K'S('i'\('(l ,iis Mii'iKimc of tlu' Architect.
/"'(■, |)]i. 27i'p 7; ii"i( Ini, in rrinml', i'kiujii'isIi tlr Mi.r'i'-n. tom. iii., |i|i. 1 It).
Ai-irrlill ('iim|) ii'isou of ilic |ia-.sii;;is ^'ivca above will sliow iliat lliis wlioii:
•.■Uiry of thi' <s('a|)i' of ('ii\ro\ iiml liis wife in ;t lioiil fioiii ii f,'r.at ilili|i,'f,
all. I of tile (listiiliiitioii liy a liiici of (iiU':!! lit liiii,'niiv,'cs to tlicir (Icscciid-
ails, I'i'sis oil til' iiili rpii lalioii of ccrlaiii A/.lie paiutiiii^'s, coiilaiiiiiit; siij;-
|i .-ii'il jiictiins of :i llooil, of Com'ox and iiis wife, of a !■ nior or iililc vrsscl
of siiiiir kill I. of till' iiMiiiit.iin CiiiliuaiMii, wliifh was tlic .Mixiciii Ariiiat,
.'I I of a liinl ilistiiliulini; laii.;iiai;i ■* to a iiiMili.r of nun. Not oni- of
ta
■aiiiist wntiTs on
M,
xii'in niv
lliol
HU'V, llolli' o
f ti
lose IKTSoiia
Iv fa
iii'liir witli till! nilivis aii4 with tlicii- oral tva.lilions as < xistiiij,' at tln^
till' of. or iiiiin.''liati'ly after tin' conqitisl. . .ins to have liiinwn this
l",'i>iiil; Olinos, S.ih i:4iin, Motolinia, M' niiula, I ■.lliKocliill. itml Cainaixo,
faris must Liivr risi' to ''ra\o
ill of thi'iii sili'iif with ri'i'iril to it. 'I'
Mispicions with rr;,'anl t'l th" acrnracy I'f tin' coiiunouly acci'iitiil version,
notw'ithstaiiiliiiL; its appaniitly iniiilicil rceeptl.in ii)) to this time liy the mo>-t.
eritical historians. Th.'si- sn
(li • resean-hes of Don .los' V
pieiinis will not lie lessened l.\ ll
Mdt ..f
do III
mure;', Conservator ot the Mexican
N itional Mus.'um, a ^'eiitli'iniii not less reiaarkalile fur his familiarity with
III • lan^i^u'e andanliciuitiesof Mexico than for the .iiodcrt.tion and calmness of
Ji
'I
itieal jnd^nients, as
ar a-; these an
kn
ll
1 a ."onimunieation i
Aiiril, 1S.')S, toti.ircia y C.ilias, .l/Z./s O'ln ;)•/;/■
II 'h'l -a M li ■(III-
li-l.tilsl'i
IlisI
lated
(/■ I.I /■■.-
tln're t'()r the lirst tin
Itre^'l "J'.), SpeilkillL,' of the celelirateil Mexican pict
lire
'lail
lis, aceiirately ;.^ivin to the iiulilu',
ISi''ii( nza
c ipy of it, lis ^^iveii hy < i.'Uielli Care rri, th.it ;;iv n hy Clavii^ero in his Slnriii- ihl
.l/s,'('o, that j^'iveti liy Hnmlioldt in his.U'</s /'/// lycsfyn , ami that Liiven liy
KinL;slioroii...;h liein^ all incorii'ct, S lior Kamin/ s.i\
writers so comp.'teiit as SiL;ii(
.iiil ClaviLjero inn
I
d sil
lie illlthority ot
el.c on the in-
'diiloiis. and after the illustrious Itaron von ll'iuili ildt added his irresistiliie
aiMioritv, iidoptiie^ that interpretation, imliodv doiilileil tli:;l "the tr.i.hlioiis
.1' th ' llelir
eWS Wer.
found amon'4 tli<' people of .\iiierii
I! iron thoil'dit, " their Coxeox, Teocipacili. or 'I'e/pi is the Ni
i;" that, as the W1S(!
Xisutrns,
M
if the \^i ilie families;" and tint " the Cerro of ('nlhiiacan is th
Ai'.iral of the Mexicui
( Ir.ilid and maoiilicent thoiieht. lint nnfortiuiatel v
onlv ll delusion
Tl
if th.'
le iiiue scinari
e same color, ciniiot repn
No. 1, with its hallils or ohseiire lim ■
it th ' (. rr.stvi.d 'dohe covered with lln
'.iters of the llood, liecallse W.' should ll.i\e to sill
repetiti.in of till
s.iiie dehi;^".' ill the ti.uure No. I(), wh.'i'i' if is reproduced with ^.uiie of its
p"im'ipal accidents. Neither, fur tin' same reason, do the huina i 1
til • heads of hii • ■ ■ ■
leails and
(Is whi. ll appear to lloal there, (h'liote the ^ iilimeruiin^ of iiii ii
a:i 1 aiiini lis. for it wmld li ■ iiecessarv to irive the sanie i ol.in.ilioii m those
s • Ml in L;roii|i No. .'!'.). It iui'.;ht be artjued that tin: i,'r ii
N'l. n, luiidc lip ,if 11 linm.in he. id placed iiii ler the le .i o
p to the left (of
f a liird. lepre-
iile.l piioiieti'' illy th.' name Coxcox, iind d iiot il I'c" \ 'U ■ No.ili; Imt the
Miip on the lieht. formed of ii woman's head with olli r s\ mlioiie li'^iires
.ill ivc it, evidently does not expi'c sr, Ihl 11. line Nocliiipiet, 1. which is said to
h ive ll . 11 that of his wife
I 1 tie iiriiiiilive men who were liorii miii
.( I us now pa;
is on to till
ve eiviii;.^' toli;.nii
oininas w
hicli
rem te
lie fr nil the 111 'Ilk of the l.ird there reple ,1 11 led. foilll olle of till' lllost COlli-
ph'X and varied syiiii..ils. ill nspi et to tin ir phonetic force, which are found
ill our liieroLjIvphie wriiiiiL
In eoiinectioii with airmail
liein''S tllev
d ••ii;^liate 1,'i'neric.illy the eiiiission of the voice , . . In the ^'naip Iiefore ns they
ll '-lote purely ami simply that the hinl was siiiein ; ov speakiie.,' — to whom?
Ill th
up of
's silow clear! V
lull
('.la ^eiJUelltly ll
sons 1 1. 'fore it. who liy the direction of their faei s .nnl
llid di'.liliclly th.' alleliliou willi whiel. tiny li^tiniij.
..i;,'nei- of llie 1 ii fore-liielit I'Me d dl.l'.sili; for t'lavi"ero,
TiiF. Mr.xrcAx Dj-.Lic,]:.
CO
Yi'\ iiiiotlii'r i\('()i-(l rciii.'iiiis to i!s of ;i ti';i(litl<'ii:il
.\Ic\i(';iu dcliip". in the lollow iiiL:' cxtn'.ct iVdiii tln' ( 1iiiii;il-
|):»|)i)i';i Miimisrript. Its word-' scriii to li;i\i' a lainiliiir
,;:)im:l: liiit it would Iiardiv he >ci('iitinr to draw iVoni
siicli a I'rM.Li'mt'iit aiiv \vy\ sw(H'])iii2' coiKdiision as to its
r.'hitioiisliip. wlictli'T tliat Ik' (^)irK'lii' or ( 'liristiaii :
\\ lu'ii the Sim. or Aiic. Xaliiii-Atl caiii •. tlicrc had
jvrsscd ali'cadv lour liuiidrcd vciirs; t'lfii c;' !■.' two Inm-
(liTil M'Mi's. then .si'vciity and six, an i IIk'U iniinKliid
\\('iv' lost and di'owiii'd and tni'ncd into (i>li("s. The
w:iti'rs and tiic skv di'cw nc;ii' imcIi othci : in a sin;.d('
(la\ all Avas lost: tli>' dav I'oiir Mower consnini'd all
that tlio'c was oi" Din' llcsli. Ami this vcarA\as tliovcai'
(\'-("alh: on the lii'<t dav. Xahiii-Atl. a"ll was lo^j. "tIh'
\i'i'\ nioimtains wri'o swtllowcil iij in the tloixl ami tho
waters rcniaincil. Ivint:' ti'aminil during' lii'tv and t\\o
si)rin:i'-tiin('s. Hnt hcloi'c the llood hcijaii. Titht(;diiian
had warned the man Nata ami his wile Neiia, . -.vinu:
])Vi'-iiccn|iii il with tli" u\'':i of si"iiifviii' liy it tli' pvi'tcniVd ciinfiisioii ,,i
tiiiii^iirs, rli.inu'iil \oeJ» liis piucii till' iiislMiii- liiitli. ;^iviiiL;tii tluM' liL;mi s
(i|ili'i-.it ili.-i'ctiiplis. F.\'lillillili;,' ;iltrlili\i i\ lip- i lli \:ii'l it lldis llllil criiil s i if
tti'- Lrr.ivcr unci tin (ii'iicil in nil liistiirir:i| cii'^vax iii'.'s rrl.itint; tn M.'xii'", it is
S' ' II lil.lt tL<A' ill'!- nil liss lUimiiiiils mill srliuus tll;ili liiiiM' 111' tin |iili. 'I'lic
ill!. riiri-t:ili"tis '^ivi-a to tlii' aiK'iiiit MiaIimh iriinliii','-; liy ai'l' lit iniiiLjin;!
ti 'lis iiii n\v:ir li\ li>' ■■ of ni»')vilty m' l>y lln' s|iirit nf systiiii. ju-^ify tn ii n r-
1 nil I'l'iiit til (lislrn.l Mihl ilisl':|'.. '■ \\i!|i whiili ill.' last aiiil lui'st distill
t,'iii-.lv-l l.iist..riaii i>l' tli- ( on,,,!' -' . '' :.t-\ir.. \V. II. l'ivM-i,)t > lias ti'' aliil this
iliti'n>tnil'.; aliil pli rimis cla^.- c:|' hisli ili.'al il' mmiiih Ills. Siilov llallliri'/ '^iics
na thus al some li'ii (111 ti> Ms c. iiicliisiniis, uliicli r lui-rtlh' iiri;;iiuil pain;
in J ti» a Wllipt" rrciir,! of n '\ :ilu|iTJli'_; nf tlir Mf\iiM lis aiiKinu t In laU' s i,f tli>'
Mj \iiM»i valii'V, tiiat j.iiirir \ li".;ililiilii; al a ]>^,i<r 'lint lia". ■ lliall tlliv.-
nilh s I'iMiii til.- ...;iitl rsiil' M.\irn.' a V iMid ]i.i\ ill'.' aiisi'l'i1i|\ t. ■ n ii.iii'i-tiiiii
c itlnr uitli tlv iiiytliii'al ilrliirc, already 'iisrritMil asmir' of the four disii'nc-
ti>a-i ill til.' w.iij.l. Ill- with any nliiir. I'lif hiid spi alvui'.^ in iIm' iiictnii-. In-
■ ■■ilill.'cts with a w.'l l.ii.iw II MfsiiMli faMi' i.'ivi n liv 'r.-l-pl. niada. in ulili li a
hird is di'sciilird as sprakiti;^' fniiii a ti'ti' to tki' jiad'is uf tlic Mexicans at ;■.
>■ ftiiiii slai,'!' of tliiif mi', rati. Ill, and I'Mii atilij^ llii- Wni'k Tili'ii. lliat is ti> isa
■t u..
.\. littli
d.'allrdllir Tilr
h
■IV tliiit tli.' \iiL:,-ir -.11
ill
iiitiTjU'rt ri a s iiin'what similar si'iisr, is wi-ll
kll.iUll III
.M.
iiip
tli.' Ii iitt'i II of till' Iraditimi. Ii iii:i\
Mi'O. Illl'l IS p
il lid that 'ri.riiilrinaila '.,iM s
I litltrd liiaiiilsiMMpt, |)ii'isilily that illidi r discussion, as his atillini-ily fur (he
sliiry. 'I'lii' h.i.il. till' lii'iillilaiii. and tli.' ullnr , 'Jlillcts of the )iicturi' alt
il.i
lil;
■-iinlili' wa\,
Villous iinipcr iiaaits. Our sp;
a. III. II!
l-c lli'l'i' \
ili.cs. fur t!
Iiii'>* I a^'f. . I
Mill piriilit fiirtliiT di'lail
III 1 i;:i aiioiiicr voliini.' will runt, in thi^ picliir. and a furlli. r disciissimi of
I 1
wiij.'li S.
ilM"-t, lull I
hi IV r luarli in c
illi-llldill'.,' Ilial I
11- niiidrr.ati'.n with
1 I.
Ill ir iiiiiiiri'.' discuss. 's the ipiistion. as wdl as his .jrcit cxjiiriiti
iriiiti'' 111 iii.ittii
if M
\liMll .lllllipllty, srclll li
oiii I'.ir lii , Mcw
I.I" sii'icius coiisi'K'ralinn of fiilun' stiiiUnts.
w
1(1
OUKilX AND I'AT) OF TlirXGS.
Miikc now lU) in<)r<' iniLinc. liiit liollow out to yoursch-fs
ji liiH'at ('y[)r('ss. into uliich yon slmll enter wlieii. in tlie
numtli Tozo/tli. tln' wiiters slmll ncii' tlie
sK\-
T\
leil
tlie\ entei'eii into it. and when Titliicahuan liail slnit
tlicm in. lie saiil to t!ie man: 'riioii slialt eat hnt asiniile
ear ol' niai/.e. ami thy wile hnt one also. Ami when
tii('_\' had (inisheil eatln,Li'. each an ear ol' niai/.e. tlay pre-
|i;n'eil to set forth, for the watei'< I'einaiiK'd ti'aiKpiil and
(lieir \ns niuN'ed no lonirei': and openinL!' it the\ heiian to
Mc the lishes. Then th(y lit ii fire, ruhhinp' pieces of
wood together, and tluy I'oasteil Jish. And h'-liold the
deities ('itlallinicn'' and < 'itlallatonac lookini:' down iVoni
ahi»\-e. ci'ied ont: () divine F.ord! what is this fire that
they make there? wherefoic do they so (ill the heaven
Ami innned)at«d\' Titlacahnan 'I'etzcatli-
^vi^h smoke
]) );'a came down, and si't himself to i;riiml»U\ s!iyiim':
What does this (ire here? 'I'heii he sei/cd the (is'hes and
f'ashione(l them Itehind and ix'loro. and chan;..:('d tlicm
into ilo,:2s."''
We turn no\\- to the tividitions of .some nations sitiiattd
on the outskirts ot* the .Mexican Kmj)ire. traditions dll-
t'erin^' iVom those of Mexico, if not in their elements, at
least in the comhina<'li)n of those elem< iits. {''ollowiilji;
o ir usual custom, 1 ;^ive the tolloNviiri l( .;■ :id helon/inji;
to the Mi/tecs inst as the\ themselves weiv acciis-
toiiied to depict anil to interpret it in their jn'imitivc
scrolls: -
In the \('ai' and in the dav of oh.scii/itfv and ("lark
tl
til
yea even Ixtore tlif <la\x or ifio ve«r^ weiv. when
\\ol'l(
new,
th<'
I was ill ;i /reat darkiK'**" »fn^ cliao."'. wja-n th* earth
w
asc()\ered with watej" and t\\or<- /
«iid Ann*' on all th
^.'Caiiif vicihle. and i
►r tl.
hnij/ hnt rnn/1
' ■'"('! a uod
(,•! mV'
«l*r».
(\r Bolll-Jinlir.' ff'f. tJis ^I'li. f"ii-.. tl
^' l^f, (/fi v<i>ri(i '/.(Ilia, "
s /
1'
irnitivc
ik 111 f'piii'i ill iic'iiiwnt 111 ''ii'/. iji:!. II litil'
a :i iiult' - fli iif Oiijiuii, Till li'iak hiii'l I
lit, .1111,1 • (scriti) I'l/ri rttic l''i>;iii'.-'. ' '
nitiii ' i» tiwn l/it>i''jM. I, t'< riiiiiimu
t\
iiilicul ■II his f'i^iii'.M. (11 ijii' iwiii.il'.ii. .^uljuf^ ii
|<|l
Till:: rLVlNG lIUiloKS (IF Ml/TECA.
iumie wiis
tlu- L
lon-MijiKe,
Tl
K'iv apiJCiired iilr^c n very
IH
;iiitil"iil i:i)(l(U'ss called the Deer, and ••^iiniainctl tlie
Tiuei'-Miake
Tl.
lese two iiud.s were the uiil:iii ami he
tiiiiiii;:' of all the t:oih
Xi
\v w lieli tiu'se t\\() uods hrcaiiie \ isiltle lU the woi
hU
th
•Id.
thev made, in thi'ir kninvlt'duc and (.inmipotence. a ^ri'at
rock, upon whirh thev huilt a wvy suniptnoiis |)alace. a
inastei'uiece of .-^kill. in whirh tlie\' made their aliode
liimn (
ai'th. On the hi,t:hcst jiart of this hnildlni: ihe
Avas an axe oi' eopper. the edi:e hein;j: uppermost, and on
this axe the heavens resti'd.
This rock and the palace of tlu' uods we 'e on a moun-
t lin in the nei,i:hl)orhood ol'the townol'Apoala in the pro\ -
incc of Mi/teca Alta. The rot-k was called The Place
>f ilea\fn : there tl
le 'SOi I
lirst aliodc on earth. liNiu"'
iUiMiy vcars in >:,reat rest and content, as in a happ_\ and
ICIOI
IS land, thouLih the world still la\' ii
1 o'l-ciu'ity
ami dai'kness.
The father and mother of all tlie L^ods lieing ]iert' in
tlicir place, two sons were hoin to them. \crv handsomt;
and \er\' learm'd in all wis(lomanvl arts. The (ir>t was
c;dled the Wind of Nine Snaki's. after the nanu' of tla;
ilav on wlu(
h 1
If was horn; am
I tl
ic .^ecoml was ca
n like nrunier. the W ind of Nine ('a\
es.
^
er\- (
illed,
laintilv
indeed were tiiose youths hroii-ht up. When the cldei*
wi.'^hed to amu,«ie himself, he took the form ofaneai:Ie. Ily-
iii,u' thus IJu' and wide: the yoimi:er turni'd himself into
a small In-.iM of a. serpent shapi'. ha\ln,i win,L;s that he
a-;eil with such ability and sleiLiht that he hecauie in\is-
! Vie. and iK'w throu,:^h rocks and wal'- even as throUi:li
thv air. As the; went, the din ;nid clamor of these
hv'liireu was heard Ity those ()\cr whom they |!as.scd.
'r}»c\ took tlu'se liuures tomanife-t the power that was in
the!,', hotli in ti'ansformiiiiA' thenisel\-es and in re>nmin,L!;
a,:::iui ^hcii■ori,l:•inal shape. Am diey al)ode in {jireat peace
m l*he i'miiifsion of their parents, .-^u they atirecd to make;
11 visililiiiuiitc nil Dios. (jiu' tuvn imi' X.uulir
( ,>l.l,iv >h h
i; 1 una Jdusii niui liii.lu, i Inrinipsa. (luc hit
ifii t'li-rcii ' jiur .-^ulii I iumil.it' ('((/'■''/■'( '/' 'I'ijri,' O'lticii, /</., ^ip
ORIGIN AND END OF THINGS.
i\ sMci'ificc ntid an onri'inu' to tlicsc i^ods. to tliclr railier
aii'l to tlicir inotlicr. Tlicii tlu'V took cacli a ccn.'^cr ot"
clay, and put fire tlicix'in. and poui'cd in uronnd Ih/.ho
j'or inccnsr: and tliis olU'rin^z' was tlii' first that had cxci'
Itft'ii made in the avoi'1(L Xcxt the ))i'othcrs made to
thcnisi'lvc's a uai'<U'n. in which thcv put nian\- trees.
and iVuit-troes, and (lowers, and roses, and odorous lierhs
(*r dilVerent kinds. Joined to tliis jiarden they hiid out
a vei-y heiuitilul meadow, which th(y fitted i\[) with all
thiuLis necessary lor oilerinL!: sacrifice to the ^ods. In
this mannei- th(^ two hi-ethren left their ]iarents" house,
and fixed themselves in this uai'den to dress it and to
kee[) it, wuterinu' the trees and the plants and the odoi--
ons herhs. nniltijdyinii' them, and hurninji' incense of
])owder of ludefio in censers of clay to the .ukuIs. their
father and mother. They made also vows to these pxls.
•A\u\ promises, priiyinu' that it mi.iiht seem nood to them
to sha[)e the firmament and lighten the daikuess of the
Avorld. and to estahlish the foundation of the earth, or
rather to iiiather tlii' wati'rs toLiether so that the earth
mi,^ht ap[)ear. — as they had no place to rest in sa\e onl_\
one little pn'den. And to make their prayers more oh-
liuatoiy ni)on the ^uods. they ])iei'ct'(l their ears and
tonizues with Hakes of tlint. spi'iid^linii' the hlood that
di'opped from the ^v()unds over the trees and plants ofthe
Lianl'. n with a willow hranch. as a sacred and lil"sse(l
thinu'. After this soi't they em])loyed themscKc-. post-
poning' jileasui'e till the time of the iirantin;.!' of their de-
sire, remaininLi; always in suhjection to the pxls. theii-
tiither and mother, and attrihutin,u' to them nioie power
and divinity than they really possessiMl.
I'ray ( iai'cia here makes a hreak in the r-lation.— that
lie may not Aveary his readers with so many ali^urdities.
— hut it would appear that the firmament was arr.uiL^vd
and the earth made lit lor mankind, who ahoiit that time
juust also have made their appearance. l''oi' there came
a lii'eat d(>lu;ie afterwards, wherein j)erished many of the
sons aud dauLditei's that had heeii horn to the ';:i)t\<: and
it is said that when the delu;:e ^vas passed the human
THE DVKL AVrril Til]': SUN.
• i'aihvr
I'uscr of
id hrlllO
liuiilc to
y trees.
;s lierl)S
laid out
^viiil all
mU. \n
■;' lioiise.
t ami to
lie odor-
•euse of
!s. their
est- Liods.
to tliem
V- ol' tlie
I'aclh. or
|ie earth
ve onl_\
lore ol)-
;irs and
nl that
,{s ol'the
ilessed
{•:.. |>ost-
heir de-
ls their
e power
11.
that
iirdities.
inMii,L':ed
(lat time
I'Ve eaiiie
|v of the
and
liuiaii
race was restored as at the first, and the Mi/tt'e kin,L-'-
(•oin i)i)[)ulaied. and tlu' hea.\eiis and the earth estal.-
lished.
This \ve niav sn[)|)ose to ha\(' l)een the traditional ori-
gin of the eonnnon [leople: hut tlu' i:-o\('rnin,L:' lami'iv of
Mi/teea pro(daiiiied thenisidxes the descendants ol' two
\()iiths liorn from two majestic ti'cesthat stoo(l at the en-
trance of the ji'orjiv ol' A[)oala. and that maintained them-
si'U'e- there despite a violent wind continnallv lislii;.:'
ji'ciii a ca\-ern in the vicinitv.
Wdiether the trees of themselves produced these months,
or whellu'r some primeval .Ksir. as in the Scandina\ian
storv. 'SAW them shape and hlood and hicath and sensi>,
\vc know not. We are only told that soon or late the
\()Utli- separated, each iioiiii:' his own way to coiKjiier
lands for himsidl". Thi' hraxi'r of the twc cominu' to the
Aicinity of Tilantoniio. arnu-d with hnckler and t)o\\. wa.s
laiicli vexed and oppressi'd hy the ardent rays of the
sun. which he took to he the lord of that disti'ict stri\-
\\\z to jirexi'iit his entrance therein, 'riien the yoiinu
warrior strim^' his how. and advanced his hiickli'r hefon-
him. and drew shafts from his (inix-er. lie shot there
aiainst the ^i'reat liL:,ht even till the ,uoinLi' dow n of the
saiiie; then he took po.'<session of all that land, seeinii he
had L;rie\oiisly wounded the sun. and forced him to hide
liehind the mountains. I'pon this story is founded the
l'>i'dshi|) of all the cacitines of Mi/.teca. and npon tlieir
descent from this miiility archei' their ancestof. I.'vcn
M tlii< day. the chiefs of the Mi/.tees hla/.on as their
iirius a itlnined chief with how. arrows, anil sliield. and
the sun in front of him stttinu' hehind iiray clouds.-"'
Of the origin of the /,a[)otecs. a people hord^crinu' on
t'.icsc Miztecs. Ihirji'oa says, with a touching; simplicity,
that he <"ould (ind no accoupt worthy of heiief. Their
historical iiaiu4in,us he ascrilu's to the in\eiition (;f the
(ic\il. adirmin;.^ hotly that these [leopK' were Minder in
>ach \anitiev than t^'e Iv.:y[itians and the ( 'hal>le;ins.
'^ Bitr'joa, *i*o;/. Iksi-ci^... ti.iu i., ful. !js, IT'i.
|i[
I «■
74
OIUGIN .VXD END OF TIIINdS.
Home, lie said, to hoast of tln-ir xalor iiiadt' tin lu^rlvc;
Oat tlu' sons ol" lions ami divci's \\\
l.l
hrast;
otlicrs.
M'and loi'ds of jnicicut lineauv
weri' jirodiici'il
tl
10
izriNilcst and most sliadv tivi's; Avhik' still otlu-i's ul" an
iuivi('ldiii,ii' and obstinatt- iiatmv. ui'iv (U'scmdcd iVoiii
i'Oi'!\s. TliL'ir lani:itaiii'. contiiiiU's the wortliv l'i'(j\ iiicial,
strikinpi,' siiddcnlv and In an undirected shot the wvy
centiM' ol" inytliolo;^ictd interprotulion. — tlieii" laiii:iiaj;u
was lull of nu'ta[)liors; those who wished to peisuadt;
and in like manner painted
dse al
v\a\s m !)ai"a,ljl
their historians.-"'
Ill (iiiatemala, aceordinii' to the relations liisi'n to Fa-
tliei- (
tl
lei'u
iiimo llomaii hv the natives, it was helieved
I'lV
w
as a time when nothinii existed hut a ceiti-.i
n
d!\ine I'atlier called Xchmid. and adi\iiU' Mother called
XtmaiKi. To these were horn three sv)ns.'' the ehlest of
whom, tilled with })ride and presnm[)tion, set alujut a
creation contrary to the will of his parents, lint hv.
could create nothinu' sa\e old vessels tit for mean uses.
ucli jisearrhen pots, jnus, and thiniis still moretU'spicahle
and he was hurled into had
es.
lU'll
the t
wo \oumrer
hrethren. oalU'd respectively llnncheviui and Jlun-
a\an. j)rayed their i)arents lor [u'l'mission to attemiit the
Avork in which their hrother had I'ailed so siiiually. And
they weiv granted leave, heinii' told at the sanu' time,
that inasnmch as they had hnmhi'd tlu'msehes. they
would succeed in their undertaking. 'J'heii they madv
the lieaAcns. and the earth with the plants thereon, and
Jire and air. and out of the earth itself they made a man
and a woman. — presumahly the parents of tlie huma.n
race
According' to Tor(|uemada. there was a (Uhii:e some
time after this, and alter the deluii'e the iK'oi)le contlmieil
to iuNoke as iiod the great leather and the great Mother
^ Tl'n-;inn, Gonij. Jlosirip., fol. 1!in-7.
■" Oiii' (^f the l.ll^^ Ciisas AISS. j,'ivts. lu'fdnliii'-; to Hilps. 'liico hijos' iii-
stciul of • Ires liiJDs;' tlir hUiv. Imwcvci-. bciiii,' the rdircit naUiin,. us. \\u<
list 111' iiatiK ■^. ill tlic siiuiu aiauu?>i'niit .slmws, ami as I'atUir IJuiimu gives it.
Sf( iiuic '.y.\.
THE COYOTE OF THE I'APAOOS.
75
already iiK'iitioiuMl. ]^.iit at last a ])riiu'ii)al woman ''^
aniniiLi' tlu'iii, lia\iiii:' rccrivrd a rcxi'latioii iVoiii lu'a\c'ii,
tauLilit tlu'iii the triu- iiauu' of (lod, and how that iianio
should he adoivd; all this, howcwi- {\\v\ artorward Ibr-
Iii Xicarautia. a coiinti'v avIilto the ])i'iu('i[)al lani^uajic
w
as a Mexican dialect, it
AS as
helieved that aucs ai:.
tiu' world Avas destroyed In' a Hood in which the most
part ol" mankind perished. .Vltei'ward the ^o/rs, or
rest'
ocKei
I tl
th
le earrn as a
it tl
le houininnii'.
W
lu-nce
caine the teotes. no one Knows; hnt the names ol" two
of them who took a jjrincipal part in the i'i'eati(jn weiv
Tamajiostat and ( "i[)attonal.''
Lea\inii' iiow the Central Amei'iean re,uion we i)ass
no)'th into the l*a[ia;^o country, lying south ol' the (iila,
with the river Santa ("ru/, on the east and the (julf of
('alifoi-nia on the west. Jlei'e we meet lor the iirst time
tl
le co\()te. Ol' prairie W(
oil'
we
llnd
mm mueli more man
th
an animal, somethiui:' more vxvw than a man. only a
little lower than the ,i:()ds. In the i'oUowiiiii l'apup>
m\lli'' he lijiuivs as a. projtlu't. and as a minister and as-
>i>tant to a certain yi'eat hero-iiod .Monte/uma, whom we
■AW destined to meet often, and in many characters, lis a
central lliiure in the myths of the (iila, \'all.y :—
The (Jreat Spirit made the earth and all liviiiL: thiirjs.
ULie some
■♦ I'his trailiti
Kiiys thi' Alili' linisscur dc IJoiirlmni'L,', il'sl. rAs SnI.
<■'»*., iiiiii. ii.. II]). 71-0. has iaduliitiilily nft nncc to u <|iircii wlinsi' iniiiiory
his 1
!• i-iiiiir altai-licd til \i r^'
any \
ill llllatiiuala, ami Ci litlal Aincli-
lliil I'l', tiraiiiliintlu r; ami finm liir tlu' vulcalu)
ra ^'iMii filly. Shr Was ca
<i( .Vtitlali. rt'ccivi il the Huim- Aiitnl-lini/K, by wliicli it is still kiinwii to tins
a^dii ;iiii s. This Aui liv<>i iIuvjiil; fmir criitiiriiH, iiUil In mi lu r aii.- di sciiuh il
all di'' royal miil priiiitty faniiliis of (Inatniiala,
■'• /.'•i/»'(M, Itij.nliHiii ih' Ins liiiH"!i (irrhh iihilis. jiart 1. lili. '2. caii. 15. aftiT
/..( (/'• /.IS /»'/.. \>\>. :!'Ji-;!(i; /.<
//;.-/. .!/.../.
ap. St''^ ufttr U'ljis' >'/"'"• '"'"/•» ^"1 ii 1' '"'• '/''"'/''
><;i» u.
li\). 50—1; llrassi iir ilr Jiniirlnmr'j, Jli>t. ihs Sdl. (
.MS.
M'liiiii'i/
t >iu. ii.
Ihr UlNl of thrsi' t
I'Vu iu\-t (iiiijiaii
M
wi) nanus is ivroiiconsly s]
rlt 'Fan
o/t.i.l' liv M.
r. S nui
ami tlif .Vlilii' iiiassi'
two ti«v I' )iiTh i^is led astr.iy by thr riror of if. Ti iiuni\-C'(iiii|iai
all I riiv
■v*liii-h Hi-Nl
urn
a
111 that urlitliluali
s trauslalioii of Uvi'ilo. Oriidn
tlisi '»•.!., tola, iv . )i. 10. /''(■(• Miirh/r. die. vi.. caii. 1.
■''This fradilioii w.is ■ iratlu n'd jiiim'iiially from tin' iilatimis of Cu
()nii 11. til.' iiitelliu. Ill ihi<f if tlv txiitial r.iim ds.' jMiri Isoa, in Ju'l. .1;
Ii pi., l^iiJo, pp. 131-J.
i
70
OKICIX AND TAD OF THINGS.
Ix'Torc lie riiiidc mail. And licdt'sccndcil from licaxcii.and
di,7;Liili,L:,' ill the cai'tli. lomid r\;\\ ,<iii'h as tlir potters use.
which. ha\iM,Li' a,iiaiii ascfiidcd into the sky. he di'()])i>i'd
into tlic hole that lie had (hi,u'. Inniu'diatcly there eanie
( ut ^h)nte/nnla and. "svith th«' assistance ol" .\hinte/uina.
the ivstoi'the Indian trihes in oi'der. T.ast ol' all came
the Apaches, Avild IVoni their natal lioni'. rnnnini:' away
as I'lst as they were ci'eated. Those lirst (hiys of the
\\(»rld were li!ii)i)y and peacel'nl days. The snn was
neai-er the I'arth than lie is now: his uratefnl rays made
all th(> sea-;ons eipial. and rendered Liarments nnneces-
sary. Men and heasts talked toiicthei'. a connnon lan-
u'naLie uiaile all hivthren. lint an awl'nl destrnction
endeil this laqipy aii'e. A lii'eat Hood destroyed all llesh
whei'ein ^vas the hreath of life; Monte/nnia and his
friend the (V)yote alone eseapini::. I'or hefore thi' Hood
liepui. the Coyote jtroj)hesied its c(Mnin,i:'. and .\hinte/.n-
nia took the \\arnin,ii' and hollowed ont a hoat to hinisclj".
keeping it ready on the topmost snmmit of Snnta ilosa.
The < 'ovote also prepared an ark: iiniiwinL!' do\vn a ureat
cane h_\ the I'ixcr hank. enterin,u' it. and stopping: i\\) the
end with a eei'tain iinm. So when the w.iters rose these
twosa\('d thems('|\cs. and met aiiain at last on dr\- land
al'ter the llood had passed away. Xatnrally enouuii Mon-
le/.inna was now anxious to know how nnieh dry land
had heen left, and he sent the Coyote olV on fonr succes-
si\e journeys, to find exactly where the sea lay toward
eticli of the four winds, I'^rom the west and from the
south, the answer swiftly came: The sea is at hand. A
loniivr si'arch was that made towards the east, liut at 1a>t
there too was the sea I'onnd. On the north only was no
water found. tliou;jli the faithfid messenger ahno'-t
Aveai'ied himself ont with seiu'chinii'. In the meantime
tiie (Jrear Spirit. ;iided ly Monte/uma. had a.Liain le-
jieojiled the world, and animals and men he^ian to in-
crease and nndtiply. To Monte/uma had heen allotted
tin' c;ire and poNcrnment of the nt w raci' • hut pntVi d up
Avith jiride inid sell" imj)ortance. he neglected the most im-
poi't;!.it duties of his onerous jiosition. and sullereil the
LEdEN'D or MiiXTK/r.MA.
most disLii'aci'riil wickiMliu'ss to |iiiss tmiioticcil aiiioii^: tlu'
|if(»|il('. In Niiiii the ( Ii'cat Spirit cuuu' down to cartli
au'l nnionstrati'd with liis viccLicrt'iit. who onlv scornril
his laws and advici-. and rndcil at last hv hrcakinii' out
into open rcltrllion. Then indt'cd tlu' (I rcat Spirit was
lill('(l with aniicr. and \w rt'tnrncd to heaven, pnshinii'
htck till' sun on his way. to that remote jiart ot" the sk_\-
he now o('eni»ies. r)nt ^h)nte/nma hardened iiis lieait,
and collecting all the tiioes to aid him. set ahont hnild-
in2' a honst' that shonld I'eaeh n[> to heaven itsell'. Al-
reaily it had attained a iiwut height, inid contained many
apartments HiumI with gold, silvei*. and jirecions stones,
the whole threatening soon to maki' good the hoast of its
architect, when the (ireat Spirit lannclu'd his thnndi'r,
and laid its "lorv in rnin.-
^till Monteznma liardened
himself: prond iuid inllexihle. he answered the thnnderer
(lilt ol'thi' haughty deliance of his heai't: he ordered tlu^
temple-honses to lie desecrated, and tlie holy images to
he di'a'j.'Li'ed in the dust, he made them a scolV and h\-
\\
ord i()r the ver\- ehililrt'n in the villatic street.^
Tl
ten
the (iSreat Sjiirit prcjiared his supreme punishment, lie
sent an insect Hying away towards thi> east, towards an
unknown land, to hring the Sjianiards. W hen these
c;ime. the\- made wai' iiiion Monteznma and destroxed
him, and ntti-i'ly dissi[)ated the idea of his di\ init} .''"
''■ Till' li".,'('iul:iry Mdiiti /niiiii. wimii
,'v (>f the Uilii Viill( V, iiiiist not 1)'
■ shall meet so often in the ni\ thol-
infoiiudeil with tile two Al(Mean n
ilis of til
title
Tli(> name ils( If wmilil sei
in tlualiseli
f pi'ipof
to the eoiitrai'v, to have lietii eal'i'ied into Arizona and Nt w Jlexico liy tl
le
Sjiaiiiaiiis or thi'ir Mexican atti ndaiits, and lo have lieeonie ;_,'ra(liially u^soc i-
.ited in the minds of some of the New Mexiean and ni ii^hlioriML! trilu s, witli
a va'^iie. mvthieal, and departed branch iiv. The name Moiite/timu lieianio
t!in^, to \ise Mr. Tylors wcads. ih.tt of the v-reat ' Sonu 1
This lieiliL^ once the ease, all the lessir lu n
)Oll\ (I
f the tlih
i:i the "leater. and their nanus fiiri'otteii. I'hi ir deeds
dd lie s^iadnally ahsoili' \\
dd
l)ecome hlrt
deed-i, tlieir fame his fam(\ '1'
I iidencv of tradition. <\iii in
ure is evidence t no
historical timi:
aieli that this is ii
d
Ihe pai;es of Mr. C'o\s
'■h'll.iily anil comprehensive work, Tin' Miilln'liiiiii iti'lhr .\r;/i(ii yuth'iis, tet ni
\'.ith
Allt:l
In 1
if I'eter the (
i)'les of it. ^n I'ersia, deeds of every kind and date arc refernd to
(iissia,
re.-it.
liiiildi
All
)f (Very nvA' are (hid ired to lie the Work
land. K
fur.
ill the folk-1
Kuroj
le, in tiermanv
I'ran
Sjiaii
•Avit/cr-
ti''iii
ind. Scotland, Inland, the ex]iloits of the oldest niUholoi^ie.il
iiii; in the Sauras. l!ddas, aiul Nilielnnecn Lied have heen ascrilii il
ore am
1 halln
if the pio]ile to r.avharii'iya. Cliiirlenuiinu
i;
I hailesV., William lell, Arthur, liolan lloud, Walhi
lud St. Talricli.
i
78
OLKJIN AN']) KN'l) OF THINGS.
Tlic IMiiKJs/" ii iH'idilioi'injj: and closclv allied pcoiilr
to tlic l'iii)i>,ii'os. say that the earth was made hy a cer-
tain ( 'hiowotiiiahke. that is to say Ilartii-prophet. It
appearetl in the heiiinniiiLi' like a spidei's weh. strett'hiniz'
far and iVauile across thi' nothingness that \va>
Tl
leu
the !']arth-]»i'o|)het Hew o\-ei' all lands in the form of ii
huttertly. till he ('an)e to the place he jiiducd fit I'of his
jjurpose. and there he made man. And the tiling was
al'tei- this wise: The Ci'eator took clay in his hands, and
mixing' it with the sweat ol' his own hody. knea(h'd the
Avhole into a lnnii>. Then he hlew npon the hmip till it
v,as filled with lil'e and begun to move; uiid it hecame
man and woman. This (^reator had a son called S/.en-
kha. who. when the world was hetiiiniiniz' to hetolei'ahly
peopled, lived ill the (Jila valley, whei'e lived also at the
same time a <ii'eat ])rophet. whose name has been Ibruot-
ten. I'lioii )i cei'tain niiibt when the proi)het .slept, he
v.as wakened by a noise at the door ot' his house, and
Avheii he looked, a gi'eat Maule stood before liim. And
the l']a:j;le spake: Arise, thou that healest the sick, thou
that sliouldest knt)w uhat is to come, ibr behold a dehijic
is at hand. I>ut the ])ropliet lauuhod the bird to scoiii
and uatliere(l liis i'oIh's al)ont him and slept.
wards
tl
le
ml
mle came a^iani and warned nnn o
I
P
(1 h
A Iter.
)f tl
le
A\aters near at hand; but he pive no ear to the bird at
all. I'erhaps he would not listen because this Macule had
an exceedinuly bad rej)utation amonji' men, beinji' re-
ported to take at times the i'orni of an old woman that
lured awav liirls and children to a certain diit" so that
tl
ie\ w(
re ne\'er seen aLiain ; of this, lu
)wever. more anon.
A third time, the I'la^Liie came to warn the ])rophet, and
to say that all the valley of the (jiila should be laid wast(3
with water; but the })ro})het gave no heed. Then, in
Tlio foniit'i'tion of flio namo of ^lontpznnm with nnoifiitlmildiiiKs nm\ Ics^ciid-
iiiy advriitiircs in the iiiytlioliit,'y of thi' (iihi vullty st'cliis to bu siiiiply au-
(ithir cxaiuiiit' of the same kinil.
'■''' I am iiiili'htcd for tlicsc jjarticulars of tho Ix'licf of tlio rinias to tho
l<iii(liuss of Mr. .1. II. Stout of the I'iiiiu a,i(cucy. who jirociirt'd iiic a ])fr-
soiial intirvii'W witli live chiifs of tliat nation, and their very intclli^'cnl uuj
obliging intorpruter, Mr. Walker, at San Francisco, iu Uctobur, 1873.
f^
iti'.i.rci: ov Tin: pimas.
79
tilt' twiiiklinii' of Mil cyi'. iiiitl even ;is tlic l!.ii>]iiii,u' oftlic
I']!i?lc"s wiiiiis (lied iiwiiv into the iii'jlit. tlicrc ciiiiic a
Ih'mI of tlmiidt'C iiiul ail awl'iil crash; ami a izrfcii iiiouinl
di' water I'cai'cd itst-H" on cr the plain. It scciihmI to stand
upriulit for a second, then, cut incessaiitlv hv the li;jlit-
ninii'. goaded on like a ^iireat heast, it ilnn:.i itseH" 111)011 tlio
proihet's Imt. A\'lien thi' nioniing broke there was notli-
iii;:' to
«e(
n ali\(' hilt one man — if indeed li
e were a
man: S/eiikha. the son ol' the ( 'reator. had sa\ t d hiiiiselt'
hv tloatin.uon a hall of unni or rosin. On the walerslall-
iiiLi' a little, he landed near the month of the Salt Hiver.
upon a mountain where there is a ('a\e that can still he
seen, together with the tools and utensils S/.eiikha used
w
liile he live(l tlieri
ikl
/.euKlia was vei'\ anirrx Avitli
th
the'ireat Maiile. who he prohahly thoujiht liad had more
ti) do with hrin,uin,i:' on the Hood than apiiears in the
Harrati\e. At any rate the general reiuitatlon ol" the
liird was suHiciently h;id. and S/.eukha pre|iared a kind
el' rope ladtU'r from a very touiih six'cies of tree, much
like woodhlne. with the aid ol" which he chmhed up to
the clilV where the l']a'ile li\('(l. and slew him." Looi\inii;
ahoui; here, he I'omid tiie mutilated and decay nu' hodies ot'
a ure;it nniltitude ol' those ^hat tlu' I'lade had stolen and
taken for a ])rey: and he raised them all to lile a,L:aiiiand
s 'lit them away to re[HM)ple the earth. In the house or
den ol' the llaizle. he i'oiind !i woman that the monster had
taken to wil'e. and a child. These he sent also upon
their wa\'. and from these are descendetl that iireat peo-
ple called llohocam, ' aneients or ,urandt'atliers.' who
wci'e led ii' all their waiiderin,ii"s hy an eaj^le. and who
eutually })assed into Mexico.'''' One ol' these llohocam
■' Fur the killiiij,' of this (Treat Eiit^lo Szeuklm hml to dn a kind of pon-
aiii'c, uhii'h was never tn seriiteh himself with his nails, I'Ut always with ii
small stick. 'J'his custuni is still cihserved by all Pimas: and a liit nf wood,
riiii Wed every fourth <lay, is earriid for this iiuri)ose stuck in their lon)4 hair.
■'■• With the reader, us with myself, this clause will jirohahly call up smue-
tliiui; more than a mere; sus])ici()ii of Spanish influence tinjiiit; tln' incidents
of the IcLtdid. The rimas themselves, however, asserted that this tradition
cxistiil amoni,^ them lon;^' before the arrival of the Spaniards and wa^ not
iH'idilicd thereby. One fact that seems to speak for the comparative ]iurity
of till ir tr iditions is that the name of Monte/.nma is jiowhere to be found ill
them, although Cremoiiy, Apaclcs, p. 102, states the contrary,
e\
^>
vNl
V^
IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)
1.0
I.I
1.25
;r ilM IIIIIM
•?" m 1 2.2
■ t^ 12.0
1.8
U III 1.6
V]
^;.
7
/A
Photographic
Sciences
Corporation
23 WEST MAIN STREET
WEBSTER, NY. 14580
(716) 873-4503
'ii^
z
80
OlllCrlX AND END OF THINGS.
iiiiiiu'il Siviino, built the Casa (Jniiido on tlie (lila, an<l in-
deed the ruins of this structure are called after his iianio
to this day. On the death of Sivano, his son led a
hraneh of tlie llohoeani to f^alt i{iver, where he built
cei-tain edifices and du^' a larire canal, or (inuiti'in. At
last it came about that a woman ruled over the llohoeani.
Her throne was cut out of a blue stone, and a mysteri-
ous bird was her constant attendant. These 11 ohocam
wei-e at war with a jjcople that lived to the ea.4 of them,
on the liio Verde, and one day the bird warned her that
the enemy was at hand. The warninji was disreiiarded
or it came too late, lor the eastern peojjle came .own in
three bauds, destroyed the cities of the lIohcK-am, and
killed or drove away all the inhabitants.
Most of the ruel)l() tribes call themselves the descend-
ants of Monte/uma;"' the Mo(juis, however, have a, (piite
diiVei'ent storv of their orit-in. Thev lielieve in a «ireat
l-'atber rnini-' where the sun rises: and in a ":reat Moth-
er, wnose Jiouic is wiiere
h
tl
le sun u(»es down.
The F
ther is the father of evil, war, pestilence, and famine;
but irom the Mother are all joys. i)eace. })lenty, iuid
health. In the be.Liiiiniiig of time the ^lother produced
from her western home nine races of men in the ibllow-
in,u' primary Ibrms: First, the Deer race; second, the
Sanil race; third, the Water race; fourth, the I'ear race;
fiftl!. the Ihire race; sixth, the I'rairie-wolf race; seventh,
the Rattle-snake race; eijihth, the Tobacco-plant race;
and ninth, the Keed-grass race. All these the Mother
l)laced respectively on the sj)ots where their villagi's now
stand, and translbrmed them into the men who built the
[)resent Pueblos. These race-distinctions are still sharp-
ly kept up; for they are believed to be realities, not
only of the j)ast and ])resent. but also of the I'uture; every
man when he dies shall be resohed into his primeval
i()rni; shall wave in the grass, or drift in the sand, or
prowl on the prairie as in the beginning.^'
40 f,';v'(/(/'s Coinmcrrf <it' till' I'rdir'ii^^. vnl, i., ]>. 'H'lH.
■" Tvn lifiKvL iu iS(7(i"//(7vn7'N Airh., vd. i\.. iiji. H5 fi.
CAVE-ORIOIX OF THE NAVAJOS.
81
tmv ; evorv
The Xiivajos. liviii^j; iiortli of the Piiohlos. siy tliat at
one tiiiio all the nations, Xtivajos. I'uehlos. Covoteros,
aiitl white |)eo[)le, lived to;;ether, undermound in the heart
(>r a mountain near the river kSui ,lnan. Their onl\
looil was meat, which they had in abnndaiure. ior all
kinds of game were elosed up with them in their cave;
l)ut their light was dim and oidy endured loi- a lew
hours each day. There were hapjjily two duml) men
amung the Xavajos, llute-players who enlivened the dai'k-
ness with nnisic. One ol" these striking hy chance on
)l'of the limho with his dute. I
t out u hoi-
he rooi ol tne innno witii ins Muie. iirougnt out u hol-
low sound, ujK)n which the cMer.s of the tribes deter-
ninied to hore in the direction whence the sound canie.
The llute was then set n|) against the I'ool", and the Rac-
coon sent up the tube to dig away out; hut he could
not. Then the Moth-worm mounted into the breach,
and bored and bored till he found himself suddenly «)n
the outside of the mountain and surrounded by water.
I nder tlu'se novel circumstanci's, he heaped up a little
mound anil set himself down on it to observe and pon-
der tlu> situation. A critical situation enough I jbr. from
the four corners of the universe, four givat white Swans
lioie down upon him, every one with two arrows, one
uuder either wing. The Swan from the north reached
him (irst, and having j)ierced him with two arrows, drew^
them out and e.\amined their points. I'xclainnng as the
usult: lie is of my race. So also, in succession, did all
the others. Then they went away: and towards the di-
rections in which they de})arted. to the nt)rth. south, east,
and west, were found four great (irnnjos. by which all
the water llowed oiV. lea\ ing only mud. The worm now
returned to the cave, and the llaccoon wont uj) into the
mud, sinking in it mid-leg deep, as the marks on his fiu'
sliow to this day. And the wind began to rise, sweep-
ing u[) the four great arroyos, and the mud was dried
away. Then the men and the animals began to come
up IVom their cave, and their coming up re«iuired sev( i-
al days. First came the Xavajo.s, and no sooner had
You 111., 0.
83
ORIGIN AND END OF THINGS.
tlicv roacliod tlio surfiicc then tlioy comnu'nccd ^ainin^
iit 'jxifoli', their favorite ^-anio. Then canu' tlio I'lioblos
wnA other liidiiins who «'ro[) their hair and hiiild houses.
Ijastly (!aine tlie white jH'ojile, who started oil' at once for
the risinj; sun and were l(>st sitiht of for many w inters.
While tliese nations Hved underjrronnd they all spake
one tonirne: hut Avith the lidit of dav and the U'vel of
earth, came many hnmnatics. The earth was at this
time very small and the li;:ht was quite as scanty as it
i.'id been down helow; for there was as yet no heaven,
nor SUM, nor mcHni, nor stars. So another council of the
ancients was held and ii coimnittee of their number ap-
pointed to mannfactin-e these luminaries. A lar^e house
or workshop was erected ; and when the sun and m<M)n
were ready, they wei'c entrusted to the direc^tion and
guidanc(? of the two dumb lluters already mentioned.
The one who got charue of the smi came very near,
throujfh his clumsiness in his new ollice. to making; a
IMiaethon of himself and scttinii fnv to tlie earth. The
old men, lu)wever, either more lenient than /eus or lack-
in<i; his thunder, contented themselves with forcinji' the
olVeniler biu'k by pullinj;' the smoke of their i)ij)es into
his face. Since then the increasing size <»f the earth
has lour times renderi'd it necessary that he should be
put back, and his course farther removed from the world
and IVom the subterranean cave to which he nightly re-
tires with the great light. At night also the other dumb
man issues from this cave, bearing the moon inider his
arm, a id lighting uj) such part of the world as he can.
Next the old men set to work to make the heavens, in-
tending to broider in the stars in Iteautiful patterns, of
bears, birds, and such things. l?ut ji st as they had
made a beginning a prairie-wolf rushed in, and crying
out: Why all this trouble and embroidervV scattered the
pile of star8 over all the lloor of heaven, just as they
still lie.
When now tlie world and its firmament had been fin-
ished, the old men ])repaivd two earthen tiiiftf/cs or water-
jars, and having decorated one witli bright colors, filled
OriKHX-^IYTilS OF SOrTIIOlN C.VLIFOKNIA.
K'J
it witli trillos; wliili' the other was loft [)liiin on tho out-
si(U'. hilt lilli'(l within with Hooks and hci- l.s and richt's
of all kinds, 'riicsc jars 1 icing covered and presented to
the Xaviijos and I'nehlos, the lonner chose the <'and\
hill paltr\ jar; while tiie Pnehlos received the plain and
rich vessel; eac^h nation .showinji; in its choice traits
wiiich characteri/o it tv> this day. Xext there arose
anion.; the Xavajos a great ganihler, wlio went on win-
ning the g«M)ds and the |)ersons of his opinments till he
had won the whole trihe. Tjkmi this, one of the old
men hecaine indignant, set the ganil)ler on his how-
string and shot him ofVinto space. — an unfortunate jiro-
(•ceding.*for the fellow retnrned in a short time with lire-
innis and the Spaniards. Let nie conclude hy telling
how the Xavajos came hy the seed they now cnltivate:
All the wise men lieiiiLjone dav assemhled, a turkev-hen
(MMie Hying from the direction of the morning star, and
shook from her feathers an ear of hlue corn into the
iiiiilst of the company; and in snhsecpient visits hrought
all the other seeds they possess."
Of some trihes. we <lo not know that they ]x)ssess any
otiier idejis of their origin than the name of their first
iincestor. or the name of a creator or a tradition of his
existence.
The Sinaloas. from Tnliacan north to the Ya(|ni River,
liiive dances in honor of a certain Viriseva. the mother
of the first man. This first man, who was her son. and
culled Vairnl)i, they liold in like esteem.^' The ( 'ochimis.
of Lower California, amid an aiijiarent niiilti[)licitv of
gods, sav there is in realitv onlv one, who created
heaven, earth, plants, animals, and man." The IVriciu's,
:ilso of Lower California, call tho creator Xiparaya,aiid
say that the heavens are his dweHing-[)lace. A sect of
*' Tin Bnierk in Si-ht.nl,-riijTs Anh.. vol, iv., pp. H'.MtO; and Enhm, Hi.,
jip. '218 !». 'I he latter accimiit <litt'eis a littli' froiii that iriven in the toxt, aiitl
iiiake.s th(> fiillowiuj,' addition: After the Navajos <'aiiie up from th" cave, thero
(':iiiie a time when, hy the ferocity of tenants and ripaeioiis animals, their
iniMiliers Were reduced to thrci' — an old man, in old woman, and a younj;
w. ilium. Tlic stock was re])leuished by the latter bearing a child to the sun.
<' Itihis, Jlist.. pp. 18, 10.
*' Clacijero, .'^tvrin dilla Cal., torn i., p. I.IO.
»1
OIUC.IN AND KNJ) t)F THINGS.
the sjinio trilx'. add tliiit tlic stjirs arc mado of nictul. and
an- tlic work of a <rrtaiii I'urntahui; \\\\\W tlu- moon has
Ik'cm iiiadt' l»v oiH' ('uciininnic.*'
'I'lio nations oI'Los An^iclrs (N)nntv. Calilornia. lu'licvi^
that their one j-od. t^naoai'. canic down from lu-aven ;
and. alter i'('(hn'in;i cliaos to ordi'i", j)nt tiif world on thi*
hack ol' st'von i^iants. llt> then civati'd the lowrr ani-
mals, and lastlv a man and a woman. Tiu'sc wciv male
separately ont ol'eaitii and called, the man Tohohar. and
tl
le woman
I'ahavit.
Ilniio Keid. to whom we are mainly indehted for the
mythology of Southei'n (*alili)rnia, and who is an excel-
lent anthority, inasnmch as his wife was an Indiaff woman
of that coimtry. Iiesides the j)rece(linji' jiives ns anotlu'i'
and diiVerent tradition on the same snhject: Two <:reat
Meiniis made the world, filled it with <iiass and trees, and
pive form. life, and motioii to the various animals that
jieojile land and sea. \\ hen this work was done, the
i'lder (^reator went u\) to heaxt'ii and left his hrotlu-r
alone on the earth. The solitary pxl left helow. made to
himself men-chil(lrt>n. that he should not he ntterly eom-
[vinioidt'ss. Fortunati'ly also, ahout this time, the moon
came to that neiuhhoihcMxl; she was very fair in Ik'I'
delicate heauty. ver\ kind hearted, and Aw tilled the
plare of a mother to the men-children that the jiod had
create(l. She watched over them, and jiuarded them
from all e\ il things of the niuht. standing at the door t)f
their Iodize. The children <ii('W up Nciy haj)pily. lay-
in«;- pi'eat store hy thi' love with which their jiuardians
n'uarded them: hut there came a day whin their heart
saddeniMl. in which tluy hejzan to notice that neither
their pxl-creator nor theii'moon foster-mother gave them
any longer undivided aiVectio)) antl care, hut that in-
stead, the two great ones seemed to waste much j)rei'ious
love niK)n each othei'. Tlu' tall god hegan to steal out
of their lodge at dusk, and spend the night watches in
the oomnanv of the white-haired nuxjii, who. on the
*> CUvUjero, SUirln ihlhi i'ul.. loin, i., iij). IIW
*'j lltKji) lU'ul, ill Loa Aiiijii'a .Stur.
CKNTUVL-CALiroKNlAN rUKATIOX-MYTIIS.
85
i('t;il. and
iiiuoii lias
a. Ik'I'k'Vo
II lioavoii:
I'M on llii'
iiwcr aiii-
viTi' male
H)liar. and
I'd for till'
1 an oxcc'l-
aff woman
IS anotliiT
Two jiivat
I trocs. and
liinals that
don*', tlu'
lis hrotlicr
\\\. niado to
(,tli<'r liand. did not seem on tlifsc occasions to jiav sucli
alisorltinii' attention to Ikt sentinel dutv as at otiier times.
The chihh-en j.irew sad at this, and Ititter at the lieart
with ;i ho\i>h ie;dons\ . I»ut worse was xct to come:
one nijiht t'lev wcri' awakened hv a (iiierulons wail-
iiii: in their lodjic, jnid tlie eaiTiest d'lwn showed them
:i sti'aniie thini:'. which the\- af'tei'wards canu' to know
was a new-horn infant. Ixinj;' in the (hHtrway. The uod
mill the moon had elojK'd t(\L:ether; their (Jreat One
had returned to his jihice hevond the lether. and that he
miuht not he sejjarated from his [)aram(Mn'. he had api)oint-
(il her at the same tinu^ a lo(l<:e in the jireat (li'mament;
whei'i' she may yet he seen, with her _uan/,y rohe and
shininjx silver hair, treadinii" celestial |iaths. The child
Kit on the eai'th was a j:irl. She j:rew up very soft.
\ery hriLiht, very heantil'id. like her mother; hut like
her mother also. so fickle and trail I She was the
llrst ol" woman-kind, from her are all other women
descended, and from the moon; and as the moon chaniics
so they all change, sjiy the philo.H)|»hers of I^os An-
LcUs.''
A much more j>rosaic and materialistic oriiiin is that
iiccorded to the moon in the traditions of the (Jallino-
iiieros of Central California.^'* In the heginning. tluy
>;i\ . thei'e was no light, hut a thick darkness co\-ered all
the earth. Man stumhled hlindly against man and
against the animals, the Itirds clashed together in the
air. and confusion reiLiiied ever\ where. The Hawk
liaii[iening hy chance to lly into the face of the Coyote,
there followed nnitual apologies and afterwards a long
iliscu>->;ion on the emergency of the sit'.iation. Petei-
luined to make some elVoi't toward ahating the jiu!)lie
evil, the two set ahout a remedy. The Coyoti' gathereil
a iii'cat heap of tuK's. rolled them into a hall, and gaxc it
tn the Hawk, together with some jiieces of Hint. Cather-
ing all together as well as he could, the Hawk Hew
straight up into the sky, where he .struck tire with the
!• i;u.->.-,iiiii i;iMr Viillc V, Sdiuiiiiii ('(lUiitv.
86
OIlKilN AND END Ol' TIIlNuS.
flints, lit liisliiill of rcM'ds, jind left it tlicr(\ Avlilrliiiii;
iiloiiu; iill in ii (icrco red ^low ms it coiitiiiiics to tin- pres-
ent; for it is tli«' siin. In tlic same \\ny tlic moon wiis
niiidt', ])ut us the tnU-s of wliii'li it was constiitctcMl wciv
i-atliiT dani[). its li^ilit has hern alwajs somewhat uncer-
tain and f('ehk'/''
In northern ('alifornia, we find the ^hittoles,""" who
connect a ti'adition of a destiMictivc Hood with Taylor
Peak, a mountain in their locality, on which they
say thi'ir iorcrathers t(M)k I'el'njj^^e. As to the creation,
they teach that a certain IVig .Man l)e,i:an hy makinji
the naked earth, silent and hleak, \vith nothing of
j)lant or animal thereon, save one Indian, who roamed
ahont in a wofully hiniti'ry and desolati' stale. SudtU-n-
ly there rose a tei'i'ihle whirlwind, the air grew dark
and thick Avith dust and driftin:^ sand, and the Indian
tell upon his face in sore dread. Then theiv came a
j.ireat calm, aiid the man Jose and l(M)ked, and lo. all the
I'ai'th was pei'fect and peo^jlcd ; the grass and the trees
\vere giH'en on e\ery ])lain and hill; the heasts of the
fit'lds. the fowls of the ail', the creeping things, the things
that swim, moved ever\uhere in hl^; sight. There is a
limit set to the numher of the animals, which is this:
only a certain numher of animal spirits are in existence;
Avhen one heast dies, his sj)irit iruuediately takes up its
!iI)oiU> in another hody. so that the whole numher of ani-
mals is always the same, and the original s})irits move in
an enuless (
'ircle of earthy i
nnnoi
■talit^
\\\' pass now to a train of m\ tlis in which the Coyote
again appears, figuring in many important ;uid souie-
Avhat mystical I'i'des, — (igui'ing in fac^t as the great So) ne-
l)()dy of many trihes. To him. though involuntarily- as
it a[)j)ears. ai'e owing the fish to he found in Clear Lake.
The stoi'v runs that one sunnnei iong ago there was a
tiMM'ihle drought in that region, i'ollowed hy a plague of
grasshoppers. The Coyote ate a great (piantity of these
t'' J'nircrs' rnmo. MS.
''" niiiiilioldt Coiuity.
■'1 I'liarrs' l'o:ii<i, MS.
Tni; coYuTi: of tih: cALiiuiiNiAXS.
.:riis.-;]Hip[i<'i's. and druiik iij» the wlioU' hiki' to (|iun('1i liis
thirst. Al'tcr tliis lu' lay down to ><k\'[) oil' tlic olit'ct.s til'
'.lis cxtraordinai'v ivpast, and wliik- 1r' sK'[»t a man i-anie
u|i IVom tilt' south fonntn and thrust him throujzli with
a spear. Tlu-n all tho wati'i' he hud drunk ilowt-d hack
tin-ou-h his wound intv) the laki', and whh the watiT the
:.irassho[)[)ers he had eaten; and these inseet.s hecame
li,>lie
tl
le same
that .still swim in ( 'leaf- Lake.
Till' ( 'alifornians in most ca.ses de.sci-ihe them.selves as
oritiinatiu'j' from tho CoNote, and more remoteh, I'roin
Ml
the vei'v !^oil they tread. \n the lan;^iia^e of Air.
Towers. — whose extended jier.sonal investipitions ;;ive
him tho riiiht to speak with authority. — ■" All the aho-
ri;:inal iidial)itants oi' California, without e.\('ej)lion,
ht'lii'xe that their first ancestors wore eroated directly
fioni the earth of their respective present dwellin^-
lilaces. and. in very many ca.ses, that these ancestors were
c.notes." ''
The I'otoyantos };ive an in;^'enious account of tho
transformation of tho lirst coyotes into men: There was
an a^o in which no men I'xisted, nothinj; hut coyotes.
Win u oiK? of these animals died, his body n.sed to hreed
a multitude of little animals, nuu-h as tho carcass of the
liuiiv ^'mir, rotting in (jlinnunga-gap, bred tho maiijiots
that turned to dwarfs. The little animals of our sloi'y
weiv in reality spirits, which, after crawlinii' ul»>ut for a
tiiiii' on the dead coyote, and taking' all kinds of .-ha[>es,
railed ly spreading wings and lloating olf to the moon.
This eviiU'utly woidd not do; the earth was in danger,
of hi'Couiing depo[)ulated; so the old coyotes took coun-
sel tn^cther if [terchance they miiiht di'vise a reuicdy.
The result was u general order that, for tho timotocome,
all bodies should be incinerated inunediately Jil'ter death.
Tims originated tho custom of burning tho dead, a
'iistoui still kei)t n[) among these [)eo[»le. Wo next li'arn,
-what indeed might have been expected of animals of
-!i('li wisdom and })arts, — that these primeval Cv>yotes
■' l:,„-rs' I'liiim, MS.
'■' I'uinrs' rmiui, il.j.
88
onioiN' A\n FA'i) or Tinxas.
bofraii hy dt^frroos to assiimo tlio nhnyyo of men. At Cwst,
it is true, witli many iiii|MM'lrctions; but. a toe. an car.
ji liand, l)it l»v bit. tli(>\' wvw "radiiallv hiiiMi'il iin into
the iM'i'l'cct Ibnii of man lookimr upward. I'or one
tliiii;;' tlicy still firicvc, liowovcr. of all their lost estate. -
their tails are jroiie. An ae(inired hahit of sitting' np-
ridit, has utterly erased and jlestroved that hciiutilul
uienil»er. [jost is indeed lost, and jione is i^one Cor ever.
\('t still when in dance and festival, the I'otoyantc
throws olf the weary burden of haid and utilitarian care.
ho attaches to liimself as nearlv asmav be in the iuicient
])lace, an artificial tail, and forjicts for a hapi»y hoiu' the
deireueracy of the present in simulating the glory of the
past.'"*
The Californians tell again of a great flood, oi* at least
of ii time Avhen the whole country, with the eNce[)tion of
Mount niablo and Keed I'eak. was covered with water,
'inhere was a royote on the [)eak. the only living thing
the wide world over, and there was a single featlui' toss-
ing about on the ri[)[)led water. The ( 'oyote was look-
ing at the feather, and e\en as he looked, llcsh and
bones and other feathers, cam«» and joined themselves
to the first, and became an Kaule. Tbeie was a stir on
the water, a rush of broad ])iui(
ons. aiK
I lu'l
ore
th
widening circles ivached the i.sland-hill. the liird stood
beside the astonished Coyote. The two came soon to be
ac(|uainted and to be u'ood friends, and the\' made occa-
sional excursions together to the other hill, the I^agle
flying leisurely overhead while the (\)Vote swam. Afti-r
a time* they betran to feel lonelv. so they created nuMi : and
as the men nmlti[)lied the waters a])ated, till the dry land
came to l)e nmch as it is at present.
Now, also, the Sacramento River and the San Joafpiin
began to find their way into the Pacific, thi-ougli the
mountains which, up to this time, had stretched across
the moutli of San Francisco Ray. Xo I'oscidou clove
the hills with his trident, as when the pleasant vale of
Tempe was formed, lait a strong earth(piake tore the
'■>* Jiilinsliiii, in Srhiiuk raft's Arrh., nil. iv., pp. 'i'Jl-.'j.
now THE OOLDl'.X flATK WAS OPEXED.
ftO
ro.'k !i|)'irt iin'l (»i)i')i('(l tlic fioldcii (^Jiitc l)ctw<M'n tlio
waters within iiml tli(Hi> witlioiit, Mfforc tlii>: tli;'it' lunl
cxistcil only two onth'ts for the (Irainauc of tlif wliolo
coMiitry; ono was tlio Russian Ixivrr, and tlir otliti' tlu*
San .liian.'"'
'I'll!' natives in the vicinity of Tiake Tahoe. ascrih,'
its ori'^in to a jireat iiatni'al convulsion. There was
II time, thev sav, when their trihe ixissesscd the whole
earth, and were sti'on;/. lunnerous. and rich; hut a day
c;iine in which a jM'ople rose tip stronj:('r than they,
and defeated and enslaved them. Afterwards the
(!i*eat Spirit sent an immense wave across the <'onti-
neiit from the sea. and this wave eniiulfcd hoth
the oi)pressors and the o|)pressed. all hut a wyy small
i-eimiant. Then the taskmasters made thi' remainini;;
ju'ople i-aise up a great templ(». so that tluy . of thu
riiliuLt' caste, should have a refuu'e in case of another tlood,
and on the top of this temi)le the masters worshiped ;i
column of [)er[)etual fire.
Half a nuM)n had not elapsed, however, hefore the
ciU'th was jigain tronhled, this time with stronj;' con-
vidsions and thunderinjis, upon which the masters took
refuue in their great tower, closing the people out.
The }K)or slaves lied to the Ilnmholdt lliver. and
getting into canoes paddled for life from the awful sight
hchind them. For the land was tossing like a tronhled
sea. and casting up fire, smoke, and ashes. The llames
went up to the verv heaven and meltecl nian\ stais. so
that they rained down in molten metal u[)ou the earth,
forming the ore that the white men s«'<'k. The Sierra,
was moimded up from the hosom of the eartli: while
the place where the great fort stood sank. lea\ing only
the dome on the top exposed ahove th<' waters of Lake
Tahoe. The inmates of the tenijile-towcM' clung to this
dome to save themselves from drowning; hut thedreat
Si)irit walked upon the waters in his wrath, and took
the oppressors one hy one like pehhles. and threw them
i;u- into the recesses of a great cavern, on the east side of
'■''' II. H. I), in Ifcsperkiii Mwj., vol. iii., IS.j'J, p. 320.
00
OUKJIX AND KM) OF THINdS.
the l;ik(\ ciUcd lo this <liiv tlu' Spirit I^od^c. win ri- tlu'
AViitcrs slmt tliriu ill.
IliTf iMtist tlic\ iviiiiim til
ii
lust iirciit Nolciiuic hiiniiMii. uliicli is to oM-rtiini tin;
Nvliolf t'liitli. sliiill a^iiiii set tlifiu IVir. lii tin- <K'[>tlis of
their ciiNcni-in'isoii thcv iiiiiv still he heard, wailiiiLi and
inoaniiij:. when the snows melt und the waters swell in
the laUe.'"
We auain meet the (\)Vote amon'T the Cahrocs of
Klamath ilivi'r in Xoi'thern Califuinia. These ('aiiro<'s
helieve in a eei'tain Chareya, Old Man A hove, who made
the world, sittini: the while niK)n a certain stixd now in
the possession of the hi;ih-j)riest. or <'hief medicine-man.
After the <'reation of the earth, ( 'hareva (irst made fi>hes,
then the lower animals, and lastly man, Mpoiiwhom was
conferred the power of assij;ninji U) each animal its re-
.s[)ective dntics and position. The man determined to
•iive each a how, the length of which shonld di'note the
rank of the I'eceiver. t^o he called all the animals
to;^i'ther. and told them that next dav, earlv in the
morniiiii'. tlu' distrihiition of hows wonld take place.
Xow tile Coyote j;reatlv desired the longest how; and,
in onler to Ik- in lirst at the division, ' e (U'termincd to
remain awake all night. His anxietv .istained him I'or
soMU' time; hut just hefori' morning he gave wav. and
ll'll into a sotmd sleej). The consi'(|iience was, he was
last at the iv'ndezvons, and got the shortest how of all.
The man took pity on his distress, however, and Jjronght
the mattei- to the notice of (Miareya. who, on considt'ring
the circmnsttuices, decreed that the Coyote shoidd hecome
the most cmming of animals, as hi' remains to this time.
The CoNote was ver\ grateful to the man I'or his inter-
cession, and he hecame his friend and the friend of his
chihh'cn. and did many things to aid mankind as we
shall see luMvafter."
The natives in the neighhorhood of ^Fonnt Shasta, in
Xoi'thern (^difornia. say that the (ireat Spirit made this
mountain lirst of all. J^oring a hole in the sl\y, using a
i7 2;
W'l'lsinirlli, in llidclilnjs' Cal. M'lj., vol. ii., 1838, pp. 3oG-8.
M«.
iMorxT SHASTA Tin; wf.iwam of tiii: grkat sriurr. 'ti
lar.L:*' ."^toiK' a:: Jill iiK^iT, III' |iiis1um1 down miow ami ice
until tlicN' had ivaclu'd llo ilf-iri'd iu'i;ilit; tiuii lii"
«f('it[»t'd iVoni cloud to cloi.
io tl
U' jjrt'at U'\ |)d(
iiiid iVoni it to tlu' t-artii. wlicrc lie plantt'd tlit! lir.-t tifcs
liv nii'icly i>uttiii;i his liii;^«'r into tho soil hiTc r.nd thtTc.
TIk' sun ht'jian to ii'.clt thi' snow ; the snow produci'd
water; the water ran d(>wn the sides of the mountains,
lelVesIied the trees, and ni:ide livei';
The Creator
i;;ithi'i'ed the leaves that fell iVoni the trees, lilew upon
llicin. and thev heeanie hii'ds. He took a stick and
hroUi' it into pieces; of the small end he made lislM"<;
aiii
1 of the middle of tiie stii-k he made animal?
Ill'
;i-i/./ly hi'ai' exeei)ted. which he foi'med from tlu; hlj;' <'nd
!ui''' jiim to l)e masf'T over all thf
las
4ick,
'1>1
ttlicrs. Indeed this animal W;is tiien so l;if:
-ti'oii;
ltd cunnih ', that tlii' (
holl
d
'(^1
ator soniew
hat i
I h
eared nuu
M
onnt Shasta as a wijiwam lor lums<
an<l
If.
lol lowed out
wliiic he mi^ht reside while on earth, in the most i>er
feet sccui'ity and coudort. So the smoki' was soon to he
si'i'U curliu|i!; nj» from the mountain, where the (ireat
Spiilt and his familv li\c'd. and still live, thouiih their
iii'iulli-lire is alij^ht no lonii'er, now thiit the wiiite man
is ill the land. This was thousands of snows ap), and
there e;uni' after this v. late and s-.wcre s})rin^-time, in
which a memorahle storiu hli'w u\) from the sea, siiakin;^
the huLic lodjie to its hase. The (jivat Spirit connuanded
liis d iu::hter. little more than an infant, to <i'o up and
liid the wind to he still, cantioninj;' her at the same time
in his fatherly way, not to j)ut la-r head out hilo the
hhist. hut only to thrust out her little n-d arm and make
a si;in before she delivered her Uiessaii'c. Tho eam'r
child hastened n[) to the hole in the roof, did as she
was told, and then turned to descend; hut the Kw was
too ?:tron<i' in lur to leave without a look at the -orhidden
world outside and the rivers and the trees, at tiie I'ar
<»'tau and tho great waves that the storm had made as
hoai'v as the fore.sts when tlii' snow is on the llrs. Si»e
^'topped, she put out her head to look; instantly the
storm took her by the long hair, and blew her down to
ORIGIN AND END OF TIIINdS.
the ciirtli, down the rnoiintaiii .side, over tlic sm(M)tli ico
and soft snow, down to the liind of tlie <rri//ly bears.
Xow tlie jii'iz/lv hears were somewhat diilerent then
from wliat they are at present. In ajtjtearanee the\
were miicli tlio same it is true; l)ut they walked then on
theii" liind leus like men. and talked, and carried chihs.
nsiii^' the fore-limhs as men use their arms.
'Inhere was a I'amily of these jiir/.zlies livinji: at the
foot of the mountain, Jit the j)la('e where the ehild was
blown to. The lather was returning from the hunt
■with his eluh on his shoulder and a youn;z elk in his
hand, when he saw the little shiverinu' waif l\in,i:' on the
snow with her hair all tangled about her. The old
(Jri/zly, pitying and wondering at the strange l()rlorn
creature, lifted it up. and carried it in to his wife to see
what shoidd be done. She too was pitiful, and she fed
it iroMi her own breast, bringing it np (piietly as one of
her family. So the girl grew up. and the eldi'st son
<»f the old (Jri/zly married her, and their offspring was
neitlier gi'i/zly nor (Jreat Spirit, but man. Vei'v proud
indeed were the whole gri/./ly nation of the new race,
iind uniting' their strenuth Irom all i)arts of the country,
they built the vounui; nK)ther and her fauiih- a, mount-
ain wigwam near that of the (Jreat Spirit: and this
structure of theirs is now known as Little ^h)unt Shasta.
^Fauy yi'ars ])asscd away, and at last the old grandmother
(jrri/zly l)ecame very feeble and I'elt that she nnist soon
die. Slie knew that the girl she had ado[)ted was the
daughter of the Gi'eat Spirit, and her conscience troubled
her that she had never let him know anythiug of
the fate of his child. So she called all the grizzlies
toji'ethcr to the new lodjre, and sent her eldest "irandson
'c
'r*^ )
lip
on a cloud to the suunnit of Mount Shasta, to ti
the father that his dauuhter v<'t lived. ^Vhen the
(Jreat S[)irit heard that, he was so glad that lie imuiedi-
ately ran down the mountain, on the south side, towaid
whei'e he had been told his dauiihter was; and such
was the swiftness of his ])ace that the snow was nu-lte 1
here and there alonu" his coursi>. as it remains to this
TIi:: C.IUA/JA FAMILY OF MOUNT SHASTA.
W
il;iv. Tho ^ri/./lii's had prepared him an li(»n()ru])lo
n'('i'[)ti()n. and as he a])[)roai'hed his daii,iihtor's home, lie
found them standing in thousands in two files, on either
sidi' oi" the ch)or, with their cluhs under their anus. Jli'
had never })ietured liis daughter as aught hut the little
child he had loved so long ago; lint when he found that
>he was a mother, and that he had heen hetraved into the
creation of a new race, his anger overcauie him ; he scowled
s) terrihly on the poor old grandmother (jlriz/ly that she
died upon the s[)ot. At this all the hears set up a fear-
I'lil howl, hut the exasperated fathei", taking his lost dai'-
rniL:()nhis shoulder, turned to the anned host, and in his
liir>- cursed theui
I
eace
he said. He silent for evei"
Let no articulate word ever again ])ass your lips,
neithei" stand any more upright: hut use your hands as
feet, and look downward until I come again! 'J'hen he
(hdve them all out; he drove out also the new race of men.
shut to the door of Little Mount Shasta, and jiassed
away to his mountain, carrying his daughter; and her
or him no eye has since seen. The grizzlies nevei" spoke
iigani. nor stood up: save indei'd when fighting foj" theii'
111*', when the (Ireat S[)irit still [)ermits them to stand as
in the old time, and to use their fists like .len. Xo Indian
ti'acinii' his descent from the spirit mother and the urizzh .
as jiere descrihi>d. will kill a grizzly hear; and if hy an
evil chance a gi'izzly kill a man in any [)laci', that spot
heconies memoral)le, and every one that passes casts a
stoue there till a great pile is thrown un."'**
Lt't us now pass on, and going east and norlh, enter
the Shoshone country. In Maho there are certain famous
Soda Sj)rings whose origin the Snakes refer t«) the close
of their hai)j)iest age. Long ago. the legend runs, when
the cotton-woods on the IVig Kiver uere no larger than
aii'ows. all red men were at ])eace, the hatclu't was
c\er\ wheiv hnried. and hunter met hunter in the i:aiue-
w
iidsof theone or the other, with all hosj)italit_> and good-
ill. During this state of things, two chiefs, one of the
Jo'/.y.flu Mill'i-'.-i I.if'' Ammiijst tlu' M'Mlocfi, 1)|). "i:!"! •i^^tJ, '2i'2 -C.
94
OrT(jlIN AND END OF TIIINdS.
Sl)()sli(ino, tlio otlic^' of tlio rVjni.'nidio nation, met one
(lav at a certain sprini:. The Shoshone liad been suc-
eessfiil in the eliase, and the ('onianche very unhieky,
M'hieh ])ut the latter in i-ather an ill humor. So he got
up a dispute with the* other as to the imjiortanee ol" their
respective; and related tribes, and ended bv making an
unprovoked and treacherous attack on the Shosiione,
striking him into the water from behind, when hi; had
stooped to drink. The nnn'dered man fell forward into
tlie water, and immediately a strange conmiotion was
observable there; great bubbles and spirts ol' gas shot
up fi'om the bottom of the pool, and amid a cloud of
vapor there arose also an old white-haired Indian, arnied
with a ])on(lerous club of elk-horn. A\'ell the assassin
knew who stood before him; the totem on the breast
was that of AVankanaga, the father both of the Shoshone
and of the Comanche nations, an ancient famous for his
bra\e deeds, and celebrated in the hieroglyphic pictui-es
of lK>th i)eo[)les. Accursed of two nations I ci'ied the old
man, this day hast thou put death between the two
greatest jjcojjIcs under the sun; see, the blood ol' this
Shoshone cries out to the (ii-eat S})irit for vengeance. And
he dashed out the brains of the Coujanche with his club,
and the luurderer fell there beside his victim into the
S[)ring. After that the s})i-ing became foul and bitter,
nor even to this day can any one drink of its nauseous
water. Then AVankanaga, seeing that it had been defiled,
took his club and smote a neighboring rock, and the I'ock
burst forth into clear bubbling water, so fresh and so
gratefid to the palate that no other water can oven be
compared to it.'™
Passing into AVasliington, we find an accoimt of tlie
origin of the falls of Paloiise River and of certain native
tribes. There lived here at one time a family :)f giants,
four brothers and a sister. The sister wanted some
beaver-fat and she begged her brothers to get it for her,
— no easy task, as there was only one beaver in the
!>^ Riixlon's Adven. in Mex., pp. 244-G.
THE GIANTS OF THE PALOrSE KIVER. Ci
riMiiiti-y. nml lio an {iniinal of oxtrao^liiinrv si/i' and
iii'tivity. However, like four ,t;allant fellows, the liiunts
s;'t oil; toliii 1 the monster, sooneateh'nrj, siu.ht of hiiu near
the ni tilth of the Palouse, then a peaei'fiil Lilidin.:' river
with an esen thonjih windinji; channel. They at onee
<:;ive chase, headiirj; him up the river. A little distance
ui)-sti\' i"n thev suceeded in striking' him foi* the fn-st time
witli then- spears, hut he shook Ivun-ell clear, makuiii' ni Ins
stru^jile the first rapids of the I'alouse, and dashed on
up-strea'.n. Aj2;ain the hrothers overtook hun. pinninn him
to the river-hed with their weapons, and ai:ain the vig
or
ons
hea<t writhesl aAvav. makinu; thus the second lidls
)f th
al
ouse
Another chase, and. in a thii'd and
fital attack, the foiu" s[)ear-shafts are struck auain throi'tih
the hroad wounded back. There is a last stuhhorn
struii'iiio at the sjtot since marked hv the ,ureat i'alls called
Aputaput. a tearing of earth and a lashini-'of water in the
fii'i'ce death-lliu'rv. and the linii'e Beaver is dead. The
hrotln'rs havinu" secured the skin and i'at. cut u[) the httdy
and threw the pieces in various directions. From these
pieces have originated the various trihes of the countrv,
as the Cayuses, the Xez IVrci's. the AValla AN'allas. and
so (»n. The Caxuses siiraim" from the beaver's heart, and
lor
th
tl
lis i'(>a,son tiiev are more eneru;(
itic, di
irinii'. and sue
cessl'iil than their neiiihbors.""
Ill Oregon the Chinooks and neijihborinii- people tell
<»f a jire-human demon race, called rih;iii)a by the
('hiiiDoks. and Sehiiiiib by the (Mallams aii(l Lummis.
The Chinooks say that the human race was created by
italiipas. the Coyote. The first men were sent into
die world in a wvy luminsh and imjKM-fect state, their
mouth and e\es were closed, their hands and feet ini-
iiio\abl(
Tl
len a kini
iKiin. took a sharj) stone
I and
O^K'
)owei
fill
siiirit ealled
ne(
I tl
ka-
e e\es o
tl
lese iioor
creatures, and jiave motion to their hands and feet. He
tau'iht them how to make canoes as well as {dl other
implements and utensils; and he threw great rocks into
«" nilkoH' Xur. iu U. S. Ex. Ex., vol. iv., p. 4'JC.
OG
ORIGIN AND END OF THINGS.
the rivers nvA inmle fulls, to olwtnict tlio salmon in their
ascent, so that they init;ht he easily caiiji'ht."'
Farther north among the Ahts of \ aneonver Island,
j)L'rhaps the eommonest notion of origin is that men at
llrst existed as birds, animals, and llshes. We are told of
a certain (^nawteaht, represented somewhat oontradictoi'i-
ly, as the first Aht that ever lived, thickset and hairy-
limbed, and as the chief Aht deity, a purely supernatural
being, if not the creator, at least the maker and shaper
of most things, the maker of the land and the water,
and of the animals that inhabit the one or the
other. In each of these animals as at first created, there
lesided the emI)ryo or esseiice of a man. One day a
canoe came down the coast, paddled by two jjersonages
in tlu', at that time, unknown form of men. The ain-
mals were frightened out of their wits, and lied, each
iVom his house, in such haste that he left behind
him the human essence that he usually carried in his
body. These embryos rapiilly developed into men; they
multiplied, made use of the huts deserted b\' the animals,
and became in every way as the Ahts are now. There
('.\ists another account of the origin of the Ahts. which
would make them the direct descendants of (^)uawteaht
and an iunnense bird that he married. — the givat Thun-
dei' JVmhI, Tootooch. with which, under a diil'erent name
and in a dilVei'ent sex, we shall become more I'amiliar
jireseutly. The naj)j)ing of Tootooch s wings shook the
hills with thunder, tootnh; and when she \mi out her
Ibrked tongue, the lightning (piivered across the sky.
The Ahts have various legends of the wav in which
(ir«' was fn'st obtained, which legends may be reduced to
the following: (^uawteaht withheld (ire. for some reason
or otlii'i', from the creatures that he had brought into the
world, with one exce[)tion; it was always to be found
burning in the home of the cuttle-fish, tellioop. ^flie
other beasts attempted to steal this fire, but only the
M Pri(ii''lirri'f< \<ir., [i, 2"iH; t'o.r's I'/ri o., vol. i., ]). 1117; fiihhs' I'liixncl.
Viirdh.. ]t\)., 11 lit; /(/., i'lnllniH (iml l.nmini I'lxtth., jiji, 15-2'.); I'lirh r'a K.r-
liUii . Tour, p. 13U.
NOOTKA A\D SALISII CKEATION-MYTIIS.
97
(k-er succt'i'detl ; lie hid ti little of it in the joint of his
liind \vs. and escaping, introduced the element togenei'ul
ij.se.
Xot all animals, it would appear, were produced in the
general creation; the loon and the crow had a .sjK^cial
origin, being metaniorpho.sed men. Two fishermen,
being out at sea in their canoes, fell to (juarreling, the
one ridiculing the other for his small success in fishing.
Finally the unsuccessful man became so infuriated by
the taunts of his comi)aiiion that he knocked him on the
head, and stole his fish, cutting out his tongue liefore he
paddU'd ofi", le.st by any chance the unlbrtunate .should
ii'fover his .scn.ses and gain the shore. The precaution was
well taken, foi' the mutilated man reached the land and
tried to denounce his late companion. No .sound how-
ever could he utter but something resembling the cry of a
loon, upon Avhich the Gi'eat Spirit, (^)uawteaht, became
so indiscrimiuatingly angry at the whole afiair that he
(•li.uiged tlie poor unite into a loon, and his as.sailant
into a crow. So when the mournful voice of the loon
is heard from the silent lake or river, it is .still the poor
lisherman that we hear, trying to mid<e him.self undei-
.stood and to tell the hard stor_)' of his wrongs. '-
The general drift of many of the foregoing myth.*
would go to indicate a wide-spread belief in the theory
itl' an evolution of man from animals."' Traditions are
not wanting, however, wlio.se teaching is pivci.scly ijn;
rever.se. ^fhe '"^i.si;, the Xi.sipiallies. and the ^'akinuis
of Washington, nil hold that beasts, fishes, and even
edible roots are descended from human originals. One
account of this inver.se Darwinian development is this:
file son of the Sun — whoever he may ha\ e btx'ii — caused
I't'itain individuals to .swim through a lake of magics oil,
ii liijuid of such Circean potency that the unfortunate.s
f'S Spnnirs Srrn'-s, pp. 170-8.',, 20^-14.
'■' To the ixiuiiplfs iilrcudy ;j;iv(ii of this \vc may fidil tin' ca.no of tho ITiii-
<lihs of (^lu^cii t'tiiirlottf Island, of whom Mv. Poole. V- ''l"ir. Isl., p. IliC,
s.i.vs; 'Thiir (U'sciut from the cruws is tpiitt' gravely utUrmid uuil stiaJl'u.sti/
iii.iiiitaiucil.'
Vol. ni. 7
I)S
OniGIN AND END OF THINGS.
immcrsod were transformed as above related. The
petMiliarities of organism of the various animals, are the
results of incidents of their passajie ; the hear dived, and
is tlierefore fat all over; the goose swam high, and is
conseiiuently fat only up to the water-line; and so on
through all the list.'"'
Moving north to the Taeullies of British Columbia,
we (in 1 the Musk-rat an active agent in the Avork of
crciitiou. The thit earth, following the Tacully cosmog-
ony. Avas at first wholly covered with water. On tlie
water a ^fusk-rat swam to and fro, seeking food. Find-
ing none there, ho dived to the bottom and l)rought up a
mouthlul of mud, but only to spit it out again when he
came to tho surface. All this he did again and again
till ((uite an island was formed and by degrees the whole
earth. In some unexplained Avay this earth l)ecame
afterwards peopled in every part, and so remained, until
a Herce (ire of several days' duration swept over it, de-
stroying all lil'e, with two exceptions; one man and one
woman hid themselves in a deep cave in the heart of a
mountain, and from these two has the world been since
repeoj)led.'''^
I'roui the Tacully country we pass north and west
t^ the coast inhabited by the Thlinkeets, among whom
t. ^ myth of a great Bird, or of a great hero-deity, whose
fa.orite disguise is the shape of a l>ird, assumes the most
elaborate proportions and importance. Here the name
of this great Somebody is Yehl, the Crow or Raven,
creator of most things, and especially of tlie Thlinkeets.
iVery dark, damp, and chaotic was the world in tlu'
begimiing; nothing with Ijreath or body moved there
except Yehl; in the likeness of a raven he brooded over
the mist, his black wings l)eat down the vast confusion.
the waters went ])ack })eibre him and the dry land
appeared. The Thlinkeets were jjlaced on the earth —
though how or when does not exactly appear — while the
world was still in' darkness, and without sun or moon
*' All Icrson in Lord's .V«^, vol. ii., j). 240.
6i 11 iniion's Jour., pp. 30J-3.
YEIIL, THE CPvEATOR OF THE THLINKEETS.
'.)!>
or stars. A certain Thliiikoct, wo arc furtlior infornu'd,
liad a wife and a sister. Of tlie \vil"e lie was dovour-
inulv ioaloiis. and when ennHoved in the woods at his
trade of buildi.iji' canoes, he had lier constantly watched
])V eiiiht red birds of the kind called kan. To make
assurance surer, he even used to coop her up in a kind of
box every time lie left home. All this while his .sister,
a widow it would ap[)ear, was bringing up certain sons
she had. fine tall fellows, rapidly approaching manln)od.
The jealous uncle could not endure the thought of their
being in the neighborhood of his wife. So he inveigled
them one by one, time after time, out to sea with him
on pretense of fishing, and drowned them there. The
poor mother was left desolate, she went to the sea-shore
to weep for her children. A dolphin — some say a whale
— saw her there, and jjitied her; the beast told her to
swallow a small pe1)ble and drink some sea-water. kShe
did so, and in eight months was delivered of a child.
That child was Yehl, who thus took upon himself a
human shape, and grew up a mighty hunter and nota-
ble jurher. One day a large bird a[)peared to him, hav-
ing a long tail like a magpie, and a long glittering bill
iis of metal; the name of the bird was Kutzghatushl,
that is. Crane that can soar to heaven. Yehl .shot the
])ird. skinned it, and whenever he wished to ily u.sed to
clothe himself in its .'^kin.
Now Yehl had grown to maidiood, and he determined
to avenge himself upon his uncle for the death of hi.s
brothers; so he opened tin; box in which the well-guard-
ed wife was slnit up. Instantly the eight laithful birds
Hew olV and told the husband, who set out for his home
in a nuu'derous mood. Most cunning, however, in his
p'ltience, he greeted Yehl with conqjosure, andMnvited
him into his canoe for a .short trip to .sea. Having
puddled out some way, he fiung him.self on the young
man and forced him overboard. Then he put his canoe
about and made leisurely for the land, rid as he thought
of another enemy. But Yehl .swam in (juietly ^another
way, and stood up in his uncle's house. The ballled
100
OKiniN AND END OF TIIINOS.
It:
immlorcr was lu'sidc liiiiisclf with fury, lio iniprccitod
with u potont curse a (h'higc upon Jill the earth, well
coiiteut to perish hiuiselt' so he involved hi.s rival in
the connnon (h'struction. for jealousy is eruel as the
|i;rave. The Hood eanie. the waters i-ose and rose; hut
Yvh\ clothed himself in his hird-skin, and soared up to
heaven, Avhere he struck his heak into a cloud, and re-
mained till the waters were assuaj:e(h
Al'ter this affair ^'ehl had manv other adventures, so
many that ''one man cannt)t know them all," as the
Tldinkei'ts say. One of the most useful things ho did
was to sui)ply lijiht to mankind — with whom, as a})pears,
th(^ earth had heen again jx'opled Jifter the deluge. Now
all the light in the world was stored away in. three
hoxes, amou'i the riches of a certain nusterious old
Chief, who "uarded his treasure closelw Void !<et
his wits to work to set'uro the hoxes; he determined to
Ih> horn into the chief's family. The old fellow hail one
daughter upon whom he doted, and \v\\\ transforming
himself into a hlade of grass, got into tlu; girl's drinking-
cup and was swallowed hy her. In due time she gave
])irth to a .son, who was "^'ehl, thus a second time l)orn of
a woman into the woild. Very })roud was the old chief
of his grandson, loving him even as he loved his daugh-.
ter, so that Vehl came to he a decidedly spoiled child.
Ife fell a crying one day. working himself almost into a
tit; he kicked and scratched and howled, and tm-ned
the family hut into a little pjind(Mnonium as onh an
infant plague can. lie screamed for one of the three
hoxes; he would have a hox; nothing hut a hox should
ever appease him I The indulgent grandfather gave him
one of the hoxes; he clutched it, stop))ed crying, and
crawled oft" into the yard to play. Playing, he conti'ived
to wrench the lid oft", and lo! the heautiful hi'avenwas
thick with stars, and the hox empty. The old man
wept for the loss of his stars, hut he did 'not scold his
grandson, he loved him too hlindly for that. Vehl had
succeeded in getting the stars into the firmament, and
he proceeded to repeat his successful trick, to do the like
ADVENTURES OF YEHL AND KIIANUiai.
lot
1)V tlic moon and snn. As may ho imajiincd, the JifTiculty
was nuich increased; still ho jiainod his end. llo lirst
li't the moon ont into tho skv, and somo time aftonvanl,
iicttiiiii" possession of tho hox that held tho snn, he
cliaiijicd himseli' into a I'jiven and Hew a\Yay with his
greatest [)riy.e of all. AVhen he sot np tho hla/inii; li^ht
ill lieaveii, tho peo[)le that saw it were at iirst afraid.
Many hid themselves in the mountains, and in tho
forests, and even in tho water, and wore changed into
tho various kinds of animals that froijuont these [daces.
Tliero are still other feats of Vehl's replete with the
liai)])iest conse(|uences to mankind. There was a tune,
for instance, when all the fire in t!io world washiil awa\-
ill ail island of tho ocean. Thillior How tho indefatigaldo
(leitv. fetching back a hrand in his mou^h. The dis-
tance, however, was so great that most of the wood was
Inirned away and a part of his lu'ak. lu'i'ore he reached
the 'rhlinkeet shore. Arrived there, he dro[)j)ed tho
ciiihors at once, and tho sparks ilew ahoiit in all direc-
tions among various sticks and stones; therefore it is
that by striking thost' stones, and by friction on this wood,
(iiv is always to lie obtained.
Light they now had, and fire; but one thing was still
wanting to men; they had no fresh water. A jiersonage
<'allod Khanukh'''"' kept all the fresh water in his well.
ill an island to the east of Sitka, and over the mouth of
Ihc well, for its better custody, he had built his hut.
Vchi set out to the i>land in his boat, to secure tho water,
ami on his way hornet Khanukh liiiuself. pachUing along
in another boat. Khanukh spoke lirst: How long
liast thou been living in the world? Proudly ^'eiil
answered: lieforo the world stood in its |)lace, 1 was
tlicre. Yehl in his turn ((uestioned Khanukh: l>ut how
Ion- ha>t thou lived in the world.? To which Khanukh
rt[ilied: Ever since tho time that _theJivor came out from
''■ Tills Klianulcli was tlii' in-oLtcnifor tif tlic Wolf family of the Thliiilucts
I'viii as Veil! was that of tin' Itaviii family. The iiitlniiici' of this wolf-dc ily
srciiis to liavi' lirc!i ^ciiiiiilly mali'^'ii. hut i \cr|)t in coiiiicctiiJii with this
\v,it r-ligLnil, he is littlu iiniitioinil iii the T'hiiukci t myths.
102
OKIfilN AND KM) OF TIIINCJS.
Im'Iow."^ Then siiid Vdil: Tlioii art oMcr tli;:ii T. Tpon
this KhiiuuUh. to show that his power was as i^rcat as
his auc. took oil' his liat. and there rose a dense j'o^', so
that the one eonld no lon;^er see the other. Vehl then
hecMMie afraid, and cried out to Khanukh; hut KliannUh
an><wered nothinLT. At last when ^'ehl found himself
(•oni[)letely hel[)less in the dai'kness. he he.uan to weej)
ami howl; upon which the old sorcerer put on his hat
a;-i!iin. and the fo^' vanished. Khanukh then invited
^'ehl to his house, and entertained, .nni handsomely ^\\\h
ninny luxuries, among which was fr<'sh water. The
meal over, host and guest sat down, and the latter Ix'gan
a long relation of his many exploits and adventmi's.
Khannkli listened as attentively as he could, hut the
.story was really so inti'rminahle that ho at la.st I'ell
asleep across tla; cover of his well. This frustrated
^'ehl's intention of stealing the wati-r while its owner
slept, so ]n\ resorted to anothi-r sti'atagem: ho put sonio
illth under the sleeju'r, then waking him up, made him
helievo lie had howrayed himsell'. Khanukh, wliost; own
nos(! ahhorred liim. at once hurried oil' to the sea to wash,
and his deceiver as (piickly set about .secuj'ing the piv-
cioiis water. Just as All-fathorOdin, tlio Kavon-god, stt)lo
Suttungs mead, drinking it n[) and escaping in tho form
ol' a hird, so ^Vhl drank what fresh water ho could,
tilling himself to tho Aory l)eak. then took tho form
of a raven and attempted to tly oil' through tho chimney-
of the hut. He stuck in tho line however, and Khanukh
returning at that instant recognized his gnost in tho
stru'j,;ilin<i' hird. Tho old man comnrohended tho sitna-
tion. and (juiotly piling np a roaring fire, ho sat down
comfortably to watch tho choking and scorching of his
crafty gnost. Tho ravon had always ])oon a white hii'd,
hut so thoroniihly was ho smoked in tho chinnioy on this
occasion thiit ho has ever since romainod tho sootiest of
*''i ' Scit (Icr Zt'it, (■ntf,'<'f,'i»<t'' Khunuldi, uls vou nutcii dio Lelicr licnins-
k.un.' llnliiiUrrii. hJlhii. Shi:., \ij>\. Wlmt is inraiit liy tlic lirm ' die liibir,'
litcniUy tho iiurticuhiv t^luiul of the liody culled in Eu^'iish 'the livtr,' I
tMiiiiiil' say; iicitlii'i' llolinlicrg or iiuy ui.i' I'lsc, us fur us my kuowludyu goi's,
utlt'iiiptiii^' uiiy ixplunutidii.
CIIiyrilL AND AIKilSlIANAKIIOU.
lO.'i
i'l)(-r hfnius-
(lic liilhl-,'
tlu' livtr.' 1
wkilyu goes,
I'uwls. At last Ivliamilvh watcliiiin the fn'c, lice
(li'dwsv and fell a>l;'i'|); so
Will
t'scapcd IVoiu tli<' i
'land
witli till' wattT. ill' llcw hack to tlu* coiitiiiciit. wlit'i'i!
Ill' sc
attcr
I'l
I it
m c'Vi'r\ (
Ihvi't
ion; an(
I wl
R'l'i'S* r sina
11
ilr()[)s li'U tlu'i'L' arc now si)rinjis and crcoUs, wliili' tlio
hw'Jic drops have [)rodu('c'd lakes and I'ivers. This is the
end of the e.\[>loits of Veld; ha\in,u thns done cNcrv-
tliiii;^' necessai'_\ to the hapjiiness of mankind, he icliiriu'd
to his hahitation, which is in the east, and into which no
other spirit, nor any man can [lossihly enter.
The existing dill'erence in laniiiiage hetween the Tldin-
keets and other people is one of tlu' eonseiiuenees of a
tii'cat Hood,— [)erlia})s that Hood already descrihed us
lia\in'j,' ]}vv\[ hi'oni;ht on throniili the iealousy of the
canoe-hnilder. Many persons escaped drowning' hy
takiiiL-' refiiiiv in a ji'reat lloatin;j; hnildinji'. AVlu'ii the
wati-rs fell, this vessel gronnded npon a rock, and was
hioki'ii int(j two j)ieees; in th<) one fra;inient were left
those whose descendants speak the Tldinkeet language,
ill the other remained all whose descendants ein[)loy a
diil'erent idiom.
( "ounected with the history of this dehige is another
iiivth in which a great iVird lignres. When the waters
rose a certain nusterious hrother and sister found it
necessary to part. The name of the hrother was ( Miethl,
that is, Thunder or Lightning, and the name of the
sister was Ahgishanakhou, which means the I'nder-
gioiind Woman. As they separated Chethl said to her:
Sister. \()ii shall never see me a'^ain. hiit'while I live
\()ii
lall hear my voice.
Then he clothed himself in
the skin of a great hird, and Hew towards the south-
west. His sister climheil to the top of Mount I'Mgecomh,
which is near Sitka, and it opened and swallowed her
up. lea\ing a great hole, or crater. The world itself is
an iinmense (hit plate sui)[)orted on a pillar, and under
the world, in sileiu^e and darkness, this Cnder-ground
\\itiiian guards the great pillar I'rom e\il and malignant
jiiiwers. She has never seen 'her hrothi'r since she left
the upper world, and she shall never see him again ; hut
101
OPvIiilN* AN'D KND OF TlllXdS.
still, wlicii the tempest sweeps down on IMLieeoiiib. tlie
ri^litnin,:^; of liis eyes |ileiuns down liei- eiater-window.
iind the tlnnidei'inji" ol' hiswinjis re-eeiioes thi'oii^li all her
siihterriMiejin liniis."*'
The Koniii;i!is. north of the 'I'Idinkeets. Inive their
legenilarv IVml iind Ho;:', -tlie hitter tai\in,^ the plaee
ownpied in the nivtholo'iv of nianv otiier trihes h\ the
wolf or coyote. Tp in heaven, aecordinu' to the Koni-
ii^iis, th"re exists a irrcat deity ealleil Shljain Si'hoa.
lie ereiteil two persona;i;es and sent them down to the
eiii'th, ami the llaven a('eoin|)anied them carry inu' li^iht.
This oriii'inal pair male sea. rivers, mountains, fori'sts.
and such things. Amoni^ other plact's tluy made the
Island ol' Kadiak, and so stocke(l it that the present
Koniaii'as assi'rt themsi'lves the descendants of a |)o_ii.''''
The Aleuts of the Aleutian Archijiejaj^o seem to dis-
.'itrree upon their oi'ijzin. Some say that in the l»e,L:innin,u'
a IVitcli iidiahited I'nalaska. and that a •ii'eat \hyj: swam
a(!ross to hei" from Kadiak; from which pair the human
race havt; si)run,i:'. Others, namini-' the hitch-motiier of
their race .\rali;d^h. descrihe a certain Old Man. called
Iraghdadakh, who came from the north to \ isit this
Mahakh. The result of this visit was the hirth of two
creatures, male and Icmale, with such an extraordinary
mixing' uv of the elements of nature in them that thev
Mere each hall' man half fox. The name of the male
creature was Acaiiuikakh. uid l)v the otliei- creature he
became father of the hun ii rac
The Old M
ni liow-
ever seems hardly to have ceded any help to people the
world, foi" like the ureat } 'riarch of Thessaly. he was
ahle to create men 1)\- mere castinu' stones on the earth.
lie llunji' also other stones ito the air, into the water,
and ovei" the land, thus nii' .inj;' ))easts, hirds. and fishes.
In another version of the narrative, the lirst father of the
<:'< B'ln-clt-h'nnwiVii Tmi\, pp. .'51-7: Tlthuhrnj, Elht). Sl.i:., pp. 14, r,-2 m-,
Jlin; Sl.d. II. h:iliii., pp. '.Ci-KlO; IhiWa Atushi.' m). IJl 2J; .U'lih's \'anr.
M.,
IM'
l")J
III •lrir:lsi,
Jn
vol. i., p. 10."); Mni/ii 's II. t\. p. 27'.
i» II I' r. ^7.(^ u. Klhii., p. IKi; Lishtn.sl.-ij's \;,ij., pp. l'J7-«; D'lll'.i AkLfh
2>. lUo; lidinbvrij, Elhn. likU., p. 110.
Tin: D()(;-i)i5i(;ix of tiii; iiyi'Eroukan.s.
105
Al<Mif>i is siiid tt) have fiillcn from liciivcn in tlir sliiipo
of a .!<•-/"
Ill the It'iicmls dl' the Tlmicli. livinjJT iiiliind. iiorlli-oast
oftlif Koniauas, tilt' lamiliar Uinl and |)(»_L:a;:aiii a|)iK'ar.
Tlu'sc Icii'iiils tell IIS that the ^V()^l(l existed at (list as a
;_n'at (n-caii IVcMiiiciiteil only hy an iinincnsc I'ird, tlie
licatiii^' of whose wiiius was thiiiKh'r. air' its glance li,i;ht-
iiiiii:. This ureat tlyiiin' monster descended and touchetl
tlu' waters, upon which the earth I'oso np and apiteared
iilioNc them: it touched the eartii. and therefrom caiiu'
every liviiiL!' creature, —except tlie Tiimeh. whoowe their
(»ri;:in to a Holi'. Therefore it is that to this day a dou's
llcsli is an abomination to the Tinneh. as are also all
who eat such llesh. A few years heiore Captain Friink-
Vms visit they almost mined themsidves hy iollowinu the
iidvicf of some fanatii^ reformer. Convinced hy him of
the wickedness ol" exacting' labor from their near rela-
tioiH. the do;:s. they ji'ot rid at once of thi' sin and of
all t( iniitation to its reconunission, hy killinj;' every enr in
tlu'ir possession.
To r^'tiirn to the oriiriii of the? Tinneh, the uonderfid
I'inl before nu'iitioned made and presented to them a
]>('('iiliar arrow, ^vllich they were to preserve for all time
with L'Tcat care. I'nt they would not; they misajipro-
])riated the sacred shaft to some common use. and imme-
diiitfly the urt'at l»ird Hew away nexcr to I'etuni. \\'ith
its departure emU'd the (Jolden Ap'e oi' the Tinneh. -an
a'.:-e in which nu'ii lived till their throats were worn
throii'/h with eatin;:'. and their feet with walking.''
I'xloiiLiimi' to the Xorthen. -Indian branch of the Tin-
neh we lind a narrative in which the Pou' holds a promi-
nent jilace. but in which we lind no mention at all of
the IJiril: The earth existed at first in a chaotic sta.te.
with only one human inhabitant, a woman who dvvelt in
a ca\e and lived on berries, AVhile pitherim: these one
tlav. she eiu'omiterod an animal like adou', which followed
''' ''h'lr'is, V'lij. put., pt. vii., J). 7; h'<l;'hiii's V'^}/.. vol. ii., ji.. ICi'i.
"' h'liin'a (tri'idii, ]']). Kli. il w(y,- Si-ltiiiilfni/t'.i Arch, vol. v., \>. 17^!;
-^[i ■!,•' iisk'ti \\>y., p. csviii.; Fmnkrui'a Xar., vul. i., pp. ".il'J-oO.
106
OrjGIN AND END OF THINGS.
lior homo. This Dog" possessed tho power of t^.•m^^ol•In-
hv^ liiinsi'lf into a handsoine yotini;; man, and in tlii>s
.vliapc he hecamo the jath(;r hy the woman ol' the li»'.st
men. In cour.^e of time a <i'iant oCsnch height tliat his
liead renched the (blonds, arrive(l on tht; scene and fitted
the earth lor its inliahitants. lie reiUiced the cluios to
01
der: he estiddished the hind in its honnihu'
le
marked out Avitli his stall' the position or coui^e of tlie
Ld\es, ponds, iind rivers. Next he slew the l)(\u' iind tore
liim to pieces, as tlie four giants did the Pioaver of the
ral(
oiise Iviver. or as the creatm':' J'iSn- (
did A
urLiclmir,
I^idike tlie four Itrothers, however, and unlike the sons
of J5or, this giant of the Tinneh used the fragments not
to create men or things, ])ut animals. The entrails of
tiie dog he threw into the water, and every piece liecame
a fish; the ilesh he scattered over the land, and e\ery
sora[) became an animal; the hits of skin he sowt'd upon
tl
10 wnid. aiK
I tl
ION' hecamo birds.
All th
lese spreau over
1
the eiu'lh. ;ind increased and multiplied; and the giant
gave the woman and her progeny jiower to kill and eat
of them accordiiig to their necessities. After tliis he
returned to his place, and he has not since been heard
of.'-
Leaving now this division of our subject, more par-
ticularly concerned with (Vy.qnogony, it may not be amiss
to lorestall [)ossible criticism as to the disconnected man-
ner 111 wliicu tlie various ni\ tns are liucn
th
II
lave
but
to repeat that the mvtholoii\- with which we ha\t' to
111}
deal is only known in fragments, and to submit that a
l)rokeii statue, or even a broken sherd, of genuine
or presmnably geiiuino anti(|uity, is more valuable to
science and even to poetry, than the most skillful ideal
restoration.
Further, the ahstnce of any attempt to form a con-
nected whole out of tho myths that come under our
notice cannot but obviate that tendency to alter in out-
line uiid to colv»r in detail which is so insensibly natural
to aii\- mythographer prepossessed with tho spirit of a
'2 Ilvarnc's Journaj, \^]}. 342-3.
IXTERI'IIETATION OF MYTHS.
107
^}^Um 111 .'i.lvanciig lastly the opinion that the .lis-
^onurrtvd a.Tanoenient i.s not only hc-tter adapted toward
p.vservino. the original myths in their inteirity In t is
J so hetter or thestudent, I may be allowed^ ^U.'" I^
chapter with he second of the Hides ibr the Inter-
I'.vta hon o Afythes pven l.y ., distinguished an .-
-. '.tyas A r. ke.ghtley: '"In like manner the myths
lH'n.s..lyes shoul, he considered separately, and detache I
'•<"'; ^^^^^ .V.stem m which, they are placed ii„ th. siirde
nyhes existed long l:c:bre the syst^o, and were the p.!^ -
t <•< other nnnds than those which afterwards set them
" "nnec .on not iinfre.p.ently ^vithout fully under
staiuhng them. •' -^ i"iuci
'^ Liltjldky's Myth, of ,hidmt Greece and Italy, p. 14.
CHArTER III.
PHYSICAL MYTHS.
I
I
ll I
Sun, Moon, and Stars — Ec-lipsks - The Moon PEBsoNiFiKn in thr Land
OF TIIK CrKSCKN T — FlUE — HoW THE CoYOTE StolE FiRE FOR THE CaHROCS-
How THE Frog Lost His Tail — How the Coyote Stole Fire for
THE Nava.ios -AVind and Thcnukr — The Four Winds and the CiiohK
— Watkii, tuk Fiiist of Elemental Thincis -Its Sacred and Clicans-
iN<i Tower -Earth and Sky — Earthquakes and Volcanoes — Moun-
tains—How the Hawk and Crow Built the Coast Eange — The
Mountains of Yosemite.
Feticliisin seems to l>o tlio physical pliilosopliy of man
in liis most primitive state. Jle looks on material things
as animated by a life analogons to his own. as ha\ ing a
personal r()ns(^iousness and character, as being severally
the mati'i'ial ])ody that contains some immaterial essence
or sonl. A child or a savage strikes or chides any object
that hiM'ts liim. and caresses the gewgaN" tliat takes his
fancy, talking to it nmch as to a companion.
Let tliere l)e something peeuliar, mysterions, ordanger-
ons about the thing and tbe savage "worships it, deprecates
its wrath and entreats its i'avor, with such ceremonies,
prayers, and sacrifices as he may deem likely to win
npon its regard. In considering such cases mythologic-
ally, it Avill be necessary to examine tlie facts to see
whetlier we have to deal with simple fetichism or with
idolatry. That savage worsliips a fetich who worships
the heaving sea as a great living creature, or kneels to
llame as to a hissing roaring animal; but the (Jreeksin
conceiving a separate anthropomorphic god of the sea or
VAGARIES CONCERNING CELESTIAL BODIES.
109
of tlio fire, and in representing that god hy figures of
diilorent kinds, were only idolaters. The two things,
however, are often so merged into each other that it
l)i>C()nies diificult or impossible to say in many instances
whetlier a particular object, for example the sun, is
regarded as the deity or merely as the representation or
symbol of the deity. It is plain enough, however, that
a tolerably distinct element of feticliism underlies much
of the Indian mythology. tSpeaking of this mythology
ill the mass, the Xorth American Review says: " A
mysterious and inexplica])le power resides in inanimate
things. They, too, can listen to the voice of man, and
inlliience his life for evil or for good. Lakes, rivers, and
waterfalls are sometimes the dwelliiig-place of spirits,
hut more frequently they are themselves living beings, to
1)0 propitiated hy prayers and oflerings." ^
The explicit worship of the sun and more or less that
of other heavenly bodies, or at least a recognition of
some sui)ernatural power resident in or connected with
them, was widely spread through Mexico, as well among
the uncivilized as among the civilized tribes. The wild
( 'hichiinecsor that portion of the wild tribes of Mexico to
which Alegre applied this name, owned the sun as their
ileity, as did also the i)eople of the Nayai'it country.^
In what we may call civilized Mexico, the sun was
lU'fiuitely worshiped under the name of Tonatiuh, the
Sun in his sul)stance, and under that of Naolin, the Sun
in ills four motions. lie was sometimes rejjresented by
;i human face surrounded with rays, at other times by a
full-k'Ugth human figure, while again he ol'tvn s<>ems to
lie confused or connected with the element (ire and the
god of fire. Sahagun, for instance, usually s[)eaks of
the festival of the month Itzcalli as appertaining to the
goli.ffire, but in at least one place he describes it as
The sun, it is toler-
iHiouging to the sun and the lire.
' \'ni-lh Ant. J?cr., vol. ciii., p. 1.
* .Vi'iirc, Hist. Coinp. dt Jrsnx. torn, i., p. 279; ApostMicns Afanc^, p. OS.
"^Sibiiiin, liid. dm., toiii. i., lil). ii., pp. 74 5, 'JOO-IS; 'Kj-jdi-a.lnn <l I
<' 'Ir.c TJIirbino-Ri'm-nsis, partii ii., lam. x., in A7(i7.s''")n*((;//i'.s' M'X. AnlU/.,
V'll. V,, iK 13'J; SjjitijdzioHc dtik Titcolc dd Codice Mcxiuano ( ValicatwJ tuv.
110
PHYSICAL MYTHS.
ably certain, held, if not the hifrhest place, one not far
removed from tliat position in the Mexican pantheon.
Brasseur de Bourl^ourg, Tylor, Squier, and Schoolcraft
agree in considering sun-worship the most radical reli-
gious idea of all civilized American religions.* Pro-
fessor Mliller considers the sun-god and the supreme
Mexican Teotl to be identical,'' Dr. Brinton, as we shall
see when we come to notice the mythology of <ire, while
not denying the prominence of the sun-cult, would refer
that cult to a basal and original fire-worship. Many
interpreters of mythology see also the personilication of
the sun in others of the Mexican gods besides Tonatiuh.
More especially does evidence seem to point strongly in
this direction in the case of Quetzalcoatl, as \[\\ be seen
when we come to deal with this god.
The Mexicans were much troubled and distressed by
an eclipse of the sun. They thought that he was nuich
disturbed and tossed about ])y something, and that he
was becoming seriously jaundiced. This was the occa-
sion of a general panic, women weeping aloud, and men
howling and shouting and striking tlie hand u^x)!! the
mouth. There was an immediate search for men with
white hair and white faces, and these were sacrificed tt) the
sun, amid the din and tumult of singing and musical in-
struments. It was thought that should the eclipse become
once total, there would be an end of the light, and that
in the darkness the demons would come down to the
devouring of the people."
XXV. and xxxiii., in Tunishornugh'.i Mex. Antlq., vol. v., pp. 178, 181-2; Mmd'uUi,
Hid. KdvH., pp. 8U-1; Clavhjtro, Sloria Ant. del Mctisico, torn, ii., pp. 'J, 11,
17, :i4 5.
* Jirasspur de Bourhonni, Hist, des Xat. Civ., torn, iii., p. 301; lirani^eur dn
Jionrbouni, Qmdre Lilti-es, j). 15ti; Tylor's I'rbii. Cult., vol. ii., pj). 251*, '2(>1
-,i; Siiiwr's .SV'r/(0(< Symhul, \^\^. 18-20; Schoiib-rofVn Arch., vol. iii., p. GO,
vol. iv., p. G3i), vol. v., pp. 29-87. vol. vi., pp. im, G26, G3G.
'■> Miilkr, AiiierilMHiticlie i'^rriiifiiumn, p. 474.
<> Salupjun, Hist, lien., toni. ii., lib. vii., pp. 244-5. In Campeche, in
1834, M. Waldeck witnesHtnl an t'dipHe of the moon fluiinf{ which the Yucii-
tees conducted thei.iHclvos much as their fathein might have done in their
gentile days, howling frightfully and making every efl'ort to part the celestial
combatants. The only u|)pareut advance made on the old ciistoniH was the
firing off of muskets, ' to prove ' in the words of tlu^ sarcastic artist, ' that the
Y»icate('s of to-day are uot strangers to the progress of civilization.' Waldeclc,
""oy. J'Ul., p. 14.
ECLirSES, AND TIIEIP. EFFECT ON MAN.
Ill
Tlio Tlascaltecs, refiarding tlie sun and the moon as
husband and wile, boliovod eclipses to be domestic (|uar-
rels, whoso consequences were likely to be IJital to the
world if peace could not be made before things [)roceeded
to au extremity. To sooth the milled s[)irit of the sun
wlieu he was eclipsed, a human sacrifice was olVered to
him of the ruddiest victims that could be found ; and
wiien the moon was darkened she was appeased with
the blood of those white-complexioned persons commonly
known as Albinos.''
The idea of averting the evil by noise, in case of an
eclipse either of the sun or moon, seems to have been a
coinnion one among other American tribes. Alegre
ascribes it to the natives of Sonora in general. Ribas
tells how the Sinidoas held that the moon in an ecli[)se
was darkened with the dust of battle. Her enemy had
come upon her, and a terrible fight, big with conseciuence
to those on earth, went on in heaven. In wild excite-
ment the people beat on the sides of their houses, en-
connigiug the moon and shooting fliglits of arrows up
into the skv to distract her adversary. Much the same
as this was idso done by certain Californians.**
\\ ith regard to an eclipse of the moon the Mexicans
seem to have had rather special ideas as to its eficcts
upon unborn children. At such times, women who were
with child became alarmed lest their infant should 1)0
turned into a mouse, and to guard against such an un-
desirable consummation they held a bit of obsidian. hJli,
in their mouth, or put a piece of it in their girdle, so
that the child should be born perfect and not lipU'ss, or
noseless, or wry-mouthed, or squinting, or ;i monster.'
These ideas are pi'obably ccmnected with the fact that
moon under
the Mexicans worshiped the
the n;
uue
of
Meztli, as a deity presiding over human generation."
' ('(iimmin, Iflst. de Tlaxmllnn, in Nmivelles Annalen des Voy., 184;), torn,
xcvii . 1). l<);{.
" .i/'/cc, Ififtt. Cnmp. de Jpsiia, torn, ii., p. 218; Rihnx, Hint, de U»i Trium-
p/to.s, p. 202; JiitsraiKi, in Jiubmson's Life in Cal., pp. 2%-3UU.
* ."ialtii'jan, Hist. Gen., torn, ii., lib. viii., p. 250.
112
rnysicAL myths.
This moon-god is considorod by Clavigcro to be identical
Avith Joaltecutli, god of nigbt.^"
It is to the Abbe Ikasseur de Bourbourg, however, that
wo must turn for a truly novel and cyclopean theory of
Mexican lunolatry. lie sees back to a time when the
forefathers of American civilization lived in a certain
Crescent Land in the Atlantic; here they practiced
Sabaism. Through some tremendous physical catas-
tro[)he tlieir country was utterly overwhehned l)y the
sea; and this inundation is considered by the abbu to
be the origin of the deluge-myths of the Central- Ameri-
can nations. A remnant of these (Crescent people saved
themselves in the seven princi[)al islands of the Lesser
Antilles; these are, he explains, the seven mythical
caves or grottoes celebrated in so many vVmerican legends
as the crad'e of the nations. The saved renmant of the
people wept the loss of their friends and of their old land,
making the latter, with its crescent shape, memorable for-
ever by ado[)ting the moon as their god. *' It is the
moon," writes the great Anu'ricaniste, " male and
iemale, Luna and Lunus. personified in the land of the
( 'rescent, engulled in the abyss, that I believe I see at
the connnencement of this amalgam of rites and symbols
of every kind."" 1 confess inability to follow the path
by which the abbe has reached this conclusion; but I
have indicated its wherea]>outs, and future students may
be granted a further insight into this new labyrinth and
the subtleties of its industrious Danlalus.
The Mexicans had many cui'ious ideas about the stars,
some of which have come down to us. ^fliey particularly
reverenced a certain group of three called nvimdl/ioaztli,
in. or 1 i the neighborhood of, the sign Taurus of the
zodiac. This name was the same as that of the sticks
from which lire was procured: a resemblance of some
'" E.rpUcai'ion del Codex Tdkriano-Rnnensis. piirt. ii., Inm. x., in Kiniis-
.','>/•< lit //I's ^^('.\•. Anluj., vol. v., p. i;t!»: Sphiidtioni.' ilclk Titrdle del Codire iliit'i-
I- tan fVatirdii')), tiiv. xxvi., iu KiwisliDniioili's .l/cr. Anth/., vol. v., p. 17!*;
rf'(/i'«;;((/!, in.ll. Gen., torn, ii., lib. vii.. ]>. •i5i); Clariijiw, Sluria A)d. dd Mcstico,
toui. ii., pp. '.) 17.
" JJrus^vur dv Bourbourg, Quatrc Ldlrcn, pp. 155 -G.
Mll.vr THE MEXICANS THOUGHT OF STAllS AND COMETS. 11:5
kiml iK'iiiu,' siip[)ose(l to exist botwoon thcni and tlicso
.stars, ('oiiuc'ctc'd again with this was the buniiiig by
i-\v\'\ niiile Me.xiean of certain marks upon his wi'ist, in
liouor ol' the same stars; it being believed that tlie man
who died without these marlvs should, on his arrival in
hades, be forced to draw lire from his wrist by borinu
upon it as on a fire-stick. The planet Yemis was woi-
sliiped as the first light that appeared in the world, as the
god ol'twilight, andj according to some, as being identical
with (^)uet7,alcoatl. This star has been further said to
borrow its light from the uioon. and to rise b\- four starts.
Its first twiukle was a l)ad jumurv, and to be closed out
!>!' ;dl doors and windows; on appearing for the third
tiuie, it began to give a steady light, and on the fourth
it shoue forth in all its clearness and brilliancy.
Comets were called each cith/iiipojjocd, or the smok-
ing star; their appearance was considered as a public
ig i)est, dearth, or the death of
some i)rince.
Tl
le
sa\- of one. ^Phis i.^
[)eople were accustomed to
and thev l)elieved it to
disiister, and as anuouncnig
common
our famint
(list down certain darts, whicrh falling on any animal,
Iticd a maggot that rendered the cr.'ature unfit for food.
All [lossible precautions of shelter were of course taken
by ])ersons in positions exposed to the influence of these
noxious rays. Besides the foregoing, there were man_\"
stars or groups of stars whose names were identical with
those of certain gods; the following seem to belong t()
this cliiss: Tonacatlecutli or Citlalalatonalli. the milky
way: ^'/.!lcatecutli. Tlahvizcalpanti'cutli. (\'yacatl. A(;hi-
tiiini'tl. Xacupancakpii, Mixcoatl, Tezcatlipoca, and Con-
tcnioctli.'"'
1 have already noticed a prevailing tendency' to con-
nect the worshij) of fire and that of the sun. The riti's
of a [)erpetnal fire are found closely connected with
'' A',i'p/('('(((iii/i (/(//( 'I'ltriih (III (iiiHi-c .l/(,i'i''((/(", jiiirt. i., liini. ii.. jiiirt. ii.,
1 ini. \iv., in h'hiiislniroit'ih'x J/..r. AntUi. , \ol. v., pyi. i;t2, 14(1; Siiiiiiir/ui,,!'
ihlh- T'irt)k (hi ('iiirtcc .J/c.ric'dd) ( \'<il!c((itoJ , tiiv., wii., xxxi.. Ih., vol. v., [ip.
IT"). ISl; .Sahdiinn, Hist. Hcii., toin. ii.. lib. vii., pp. ii^O-^.J^; ('(DikiCi'^
//'■>/. 'A. T'lLVdlliDi, iu Xounlles Aiii'dlts dvti I'o^., 184;t, toiii. xcviii., p. lii^;
Vol.. ni. »
lU
PHYSICAL MYTHS.
I
a sun-cult, and, wliiclicver may 1)0 the older, it Is certain
they are rarely found apart. "What," says Tylor, "the
soa is to ^\'ater-^vorship, in some measure the Sun is to
Fire-worship.'^'* Brinton would reverse this and give
to fire the predominance: in short, he says, the sun
'"is always spoken of as a fire;" " and without danger
or eri'or we can merge the ccmsideration of its wor-
shij) almost altogether is this element."" Tiiis sounds
ratiier extravagant and is hardly needed in any case;
for sufficient reason for its deification can always he
found in its mysterious nature and awful powers of
destruction, as well as in its kind and constantly
renewed services, if gratitude have any power in mak-
ing a god. The mere guarding and holding sacred
a particular fire prohahly originated in the im})ortance
of |)ossessing an unfailing source of the element, and in
the difficulty of its production if allowed to die out,
among men not ^wssessed of the appliances of civiliza-
tion.
When we come to review the gods in general, those
connected with fire wdll l)e pointed out as they appear;
for the present, let it suffice to say that many American
peoples had such gods, or liad ceremonies suggesting
their existence and recognition, or lastly, had legends of
the origin or procurement of the fire they daily used on
the altar or on the hearth. In the Puehlos of New
Mexico, and more especially among the Pecos, sacred
perpetutd fires were kept ui) hy special counnand of
their traditionary god and ruler Monte/Auna; but these
fires were not regarded as fetiches.^' The Mexican
fire-god was known l)y the name of Xiuhtecuili. and
by other names appertaining to the diftcrent aspects
in wiiich he was viewed. While preserving his own
well-marked identity, he was evidently closely re-
Mendi'tn, Hist. Eclcs., p. 81. The word (ecntH is of frequent occuiTence as i\
U'riniiiiitioii in the names of Mexican gods. It signifies ' lord ' and i.s vrittcu
witli vai'ious spellings. I follow that given by Molina's Vocabulary.
iJ 'I'l/liir'n Pritn. Cult., vol. ii., p. 25'J.
" Ilniilon's Myths, p. 148.
a Want, in Lid. Aff. liipL, 18G-1, p. l'J3.
now THE CAHROCS OBTAINED FIEE.
115
liitod al^o to the HUii-god, ^lixny aiul various, even
ill doiUL'stic life, were the ceremonies by which lie
was recognized; the most innx)rtant ritual in connection
with his service being, perhaps, the lighting of the new
lire, with which, as we shall see, the beginning of every
.Mexican cycle was solemnized.^*^
There are various fables scattered up and down among
the various tribes regarding the origin or rather the pro-
curing of fire. AVe know how the Quiches received it
iVoni the stamp of the sandal of Tohil ; how, from the
home of the cuttle-fish, a deer brought it to the Ahts in
a joint of his leg; how from a distant island the great
Yehl of the Thlinkeets fetched the brand in his beak
that filled the flint and the fire-stick with seeds of eter-
nal Are.
The Cahrocs hold that, when in the beginning the crea-
tor Chareya made fire, he gave it into the custody of two
old hags, lest the Cahr<K;s should steal it. The Cahrocs,
having exhausted every means to procure the treasure,
a))plied for help to their old friend the Coyote; who,
1 laving maturely considered how the theft might best
be accomplished, set aliout the thing in this way:
From the land of the Cahrocs to the home of the old
^vomen he stationed a great company of animals, at
convenient distances; the strongest nearest the den of the
old ))eldames. the weakest farthest removed. Last of
;ill he hid a Caliroc in the neighborhood of the hut, and,
having left the man precise directions how to act, ho
trotted up to the door and asked to be let in out of the
cold. Suspecting nothing, the crones gave him ad-
mittance; 'so he lay down in front of the fire, and made
liimself as comfortable as possible, waiting for the further
action of his human accomplice without, in good time,
the man made a furious attack on the house juid the old
furies rushed out at once to drive oft' the invader. This
^vas the Coyote's opixjrtunity, ' Instantly he seized a
. "5 ■^ahwjun, Hist. Gen., torn, i., lil). i., p. 10; Tonjnemada, ^fonarq. Iwh,
t"iu. ii., pp. 50-7; Jirasseur de Jiuurbottnj, Hid.dis Mat. fit'., toin. iii., pp.
l'Jl-2.
11-;
rilYSICAL ^rvTiis.
linlf-lainit liriiiid iiiid lied like a coinct dcm ii tlic trail ; and
tlic two lia|:s. st'cliiji liow tlii'V liad been oiitwitti'd. tnnu'd
after liiiri in iiiinu'diatc and fin'ioiis cliasi'. It had i^onc
hard then witli the lio^jes oC the Cahrocs. if tlicir I'om-
h'ujii'd Pi'oiuetheus liad trnstod to his single spocd ; ))ut
just as he hi'uan to feel the pace tell on him. and jnst as
the wiei'd women thought they weiv al)ont to recover
the brand, the Coiipu' relie\e(l him of it. (ireat was
the ^atisl'aetion of onr wise Coyote, as he sank (l<mn.
elearinj;' his sooty eyes and throat, and catehin<i' his
hreath. to see the ^reat lithe eat U'a[) away with the
ton h. and the ha^us gnash their choppy j^iiins as they
rushed l)y, hard in pursuit, on the dim trail of sparks.
The Cougar passed the brand to the; Hear, the Bear to
his neighbor, iind so on to the end. Down the long line
ol' carriers, the panting crones plied their -withered old
legs in vain; only two niislia[)s occui-ring among all the
animals that made up the fde. The wjuirrel, last in the
train but one. l)urned his tail so badly that it curled up
ovei' his back, and even scorched the skin above his
slioulders. Last ol'all. the ])oor I'Vog, who received the
brand when it had burned down to a very little piece.
hoi)i)ed along so heavily that his pui'sners gjiinitl on him.
uained last and sureh. In vain lie gathered himself ibr
e\ery spi'ing. in vain he stretched at every leap till the
jarred nniscles cracked again, lie was caught, ^fhc
smoke-dinnned eyes stood out from his head, his little
heart thumped like a club against the lean lingers that
closed u[)on his body— yet that wild croak was not tlu'
ci'oak of des})air. Once moiv I'or the hope ol' the (^ili-
rocs! one more struggle lor the (\)yote that trusted
him in this great thing! and with a gulp the })lucky
little martyr swallowed the lire, tore himself from the
hands that held him. leaped into a river, and diving
deep and long, gained his goal; ))ut gained it a moui'ii-
i'ul wreck, the handsome tail, which, of all his race,
oidy the tadpole shotdd ever wear again, was utterly gone
left, like that of an OShanter's mare, in the witch's
griisp; only the ghost of himself was left to spit out on
riKE, THE LICillTNINO, AND ^VI^•I).
117
soiiic |)i('('('s of wood till' precious ('iiiImts [ircscrvt'd jit so
urcat ii cost. And it is because tlie I'lo;.:' s|iat out lliis
lii'c upon these pieces ol" wood that it can alwavs ]){-.
extracted a.uaiu by ruhhiu;;' them hard toti'ether.''
The N'avajos have a le-icnd as to the procuring;' ol' lire,
tliat has iiiaiiy anah),uies to the lore;j;()iii^-. The\' tell
lOW. \v
hen thev first <;aini'd the earth, the\' witc \\itli
(tut (ire. and how the (Vnote. tjie liat. and thi' S<|uiritl
aiirced to ])rocure it lor them. The oI)jt'ct of their desire
scciiis to have heen in the possession of the animals in
Licuei'al. in some distant localitv. Tlie('ovote, ha\inn'
attached pine s[)lint(.'rs to his tail, ran ([uickly throuLih
tlie fire and lied with his lighted [iri/.e. Uv\u<^ keenly
luusued. however, hy the other animals, lie soon tired;
upon which the I'at relieved liim. and doduinj.;; and
Hitting' hei'e and there, carried the splinters still liirlher.
Then the S(|uirrel came to the assistance of the Uat. and
SIK
■ci'ediii'j; him in his olliee. contrived to reach tl
HI
IS
hearths of the Xsivajos with the covt^ted emher;
The natives ol' Mendocino county. Calirornia. l)elie\(>
that liiihtninu' is the ori,i:in of fire, that a primeval holt
hurled down l)\- the Man Above fell u[M)n certain wood,
IVoiii which. conse(|uentlv lire can ulwa\s be extracted by
luhhiiiii' two pieces together.''"'
IVoiii lire let us tui'ii for a moment to winch whose
]>li('iiomena. as might l)eex[)eeted, have not been allowed
to iiiiss wholh- unnoticed by the mstholouii's with which
we have to deal. When we come to examine ideas
connected with death and Avitli the soul of man and its
future, we shall find the wind, or the air. often in use as
tlic best name and figure for the expression of primitixe
cnnci
ptiou.-
Ol
that
m\sterio';s thimi'. the \ ital essence oi
spirit. The wind too is often considered as a god. oi- at
least as the breath of a god. and in many American
languages the (Ireat S[)irit and the (Jreat \\ ind are oiui
and the same both in word and siiiiiillcation. The name
/'.
I':
MS.
I' lyitnn, ill Srl„„,h-r<ijTs Arvh., vol. iv.. pp. 218-1!).
rutfi
MS.
118
niYSIfAL MYTHS.
(if tlio god ITiinikini. iiU'iitioniMl in (^iucIk' nivtlis, still
sijLinilioM the Stoiiii iji iiiiiiiv ii liiiigiiiij:»' straiijii' to liis
Avorsiiipors, while in (^)ni('li(' it niiiy Ik; tinnslatt'd Spirit,
or swiftly ino\in;i; Spirit;^' and tlio iiann' of tlie Mexi-
can jiod Mixcoatl is said to lie to this day the convct
Mexican teruj for the whirlwind.-'
An interesting; ]»oint her<' arises with renard to the
dixision of thi' heavens into loin- (piarters and the naniinj;
of these after the nanii's of the wind. Dr. Ihinton
helieves this fact to he at the hottoin of the sacredness
and often ocein'i'ence of the munhi-r four in so many
eai'ly le;iends. and ho coiniects these Utur winds and
their enihodinient in many (piati'rnions of deities, with
the saci'i'dness of the cross and its nse amonn' widely
separated nations, to whom its later Christian significa-
tion was ntterly nnknown.-^
If we may snppose that the Great S[)irit and the wind
are often rei)i'esented nnder the form of an enormous l»ird,
we nnist connect with them, as their most inst'parahle
attrihutes, the thunder and the lightning; the lii'st. as
we have so often seen, is the rustling oi" stridor of the
wings of the ))ird, the second is the Hashing of his eyes,
^riie Kaven of the Koniagas is not, however, as among
most other trihes of the givat Northwest, the iuithor of
these things: but their principal deity when he is angry
sends down two dwarfs, who thmider and lighten
acc(ird
MU
to 1
MS «.
lounnand.
Of the li'od llurakan.
whom we have noticed as the etvuion «'(' the woj'd hurri-
cane, the Popol \'uh says: " The lla^Ii is the first sign
of ilurakan: the second is the furrow of the Hash; the
third is the thunder-holt that strike:
and to the
^lexican god, Tlaloc, are also attached the same three
attributes.'-^
2" limsseiu- dc Bourbouni, S"d E,dste ihs Sources de I'llist. Prim, du Miwinni',
p. 101.
'2' liraaseu)' de Bonrhnunj, Hist, Xat. Civ., torn, iii., p. 485; Jirinton's Jlyllis,
l>. 51.
SJ Hrbtlon'n Mifths, pp. f)fi-08.
21 //-//,(',(•)•!/, ktlm. Sl/n., i>. 141.
2' Xiiiii'itr:, Jlist. Till. «riiiit., p. Jirasseur de Bourbounj, Popol Vuh, p. '.•.
'^'i (IdiiiK, Dof! I'k'itnis. pt. ii., j). .0.
WATEU AS A rnilFYING ELKMKNT.
119
TiirniiiLi to WiihT, wo find it iciiunlod amoim' luany
tiiln-s us tilt' lirst of oU'iiic'iitiil thiiu
It
IS li'oin ii pri-
iiu'val (M'l'Jiii of water tliat tlie eartli is <;viic'i'all_v siij)-
poscd to coiiiL' up. Water is ol)\ iouslv a first and chief
noiiiislu'r of ve;;vtal)le life, and an indis[)ensal)ie preiv-
(|iiisite of ail fertility; from tliis it is but a short siv[) to
s;i\ in;:', that it is the mother of those that live l»_\ the
earths fertility. "Your mother, ChaUihiiditlieue. jicxf-
dess of water, " is a phrase (^instantly i'ound in the mid-
wife's mouth, in her address to the child, in the Alexicaii
washing or baptismal service.-''
The use of water more or less sanctified or setaj)art or
made worthy the distinctit)n "holy;* the employment of
this in a rite of avowed })urification from iidierent sin,
at the time of giving a name. — ))aptism, in one word,
runs back to a
M
exican.
M
per
lod
I far pre-(.'hristian
amonu'
tl
lya,
am
I other American nation.-
10
as
ancient ceremonies to bo hereafter des(a'ibe(l will show.
Tliiit man sets out in this life-joiirney of liis with a
terrible bias toward evil, with a sad and pitiful liaJ)ility
to temptation, is a })oint ui)on which all religions aro
l)i'articidly unanimous. How else could they exist?
AVere man Ijorn perfect ho would remain perfect, other-
wise the first element of perfection would bo wanting;
and perfection admits of no sui)erlativo, no greater, no
god. Where there is a religion then, there is generally
a consciousness of sin voluntary and involuntary. How
shall 1 1)0 cleansed? how sliall my child be cleansed from
this great wickedness? is the cry of the idolater as well
as of the monothoist. Is it strange that the analogy be-
tween corporal and s[)iritual pollution should indepen-
dently suggest itself to both? Surely not. AVash and
be I'lean, is to all the world a parable needing no intor-
pivtcr.-'
5'' Siil,„.i„n, Hist. Gm., ton', ii., lib. vi., p. 1!)7.
-' SiiiLtnliiily apt in this eonncctiou iiiv the wise words that Cfirlylc, rnst
""'/ I'ri^t' III ('iKirttsiii, l)ocjk i., p. 2li;i, puts into the mouth of his iiiythicnl
fiiiiKl Siiuivti'ii,', — ' Strip thyself, f,'o into Ui'' luith, or were it into the liin]ii(l
liiiiiluud runniuj^ hrook, and thtro wash aiM lie ch-nn: tlmu will step out
cigaiu u purer ami u butter luuu. This couseiousuess uf perfect outer pureiiess,
f
11
120
PHYSICAL MYTHS.
The roromoiiial use of water followed the ^lexiean
through nil his life; though ior the present we shall
only notice one move custom connected with it, the hist
of ail. When a hodv was buried, a vase of clean, sweet
water was let down into the tomh; bright, clear, life-
giving and preserving water. — -hope and lo\e. duiuli and
inarticulate, stretching vague hand toward a resurrection.
The .Mexican rain and water god was Tlaloc. sender
of thunder and lightning, lord of the earthly paradise,
and lei'tilizer of earth: his wife Avas the Chalchiuhtlicue.
ah-eady mentioned.-'^ Like Tlaloc was (^uialeot. the
Xicaraguan rain-god. master of thunderbolts and general
director <>f meteorological j)henomena.''""*
The Xavajos pulfed tobacco smoke straight up toward
heaven to bring rain, and those of them that carried a
cor])se to burial were unclean till washed in Avater."' In
a deep and lonely canon near I'ort Defiance there is a
spring that this tribe hold sacred, appnxiching it only
Avitii nuich reverence and the j)erformauce of certain
mystic ceremonies. They say it was once a boiling
s[)i'ing. and that even yet if a[)proached hei'dlessly or l)y
a bad Indian, it^ Avaters Avill seethe u}) and leap forth to
overwhelm the inti'uder.'^
The Zuuis had also a sacred s[)ring; sacred to iho rain-
god. Avho. as we se(> by im[)lication. is ^h)nte/.uma the
great i'ueblo deity himsell'. Xo animal might tast(> of
its sacri'd waters, and it was cleansed ainuially Avith
Ncssels also sacred. — most ancient A'ases that had 1)een
transmitted from generation to generation since times to
tli.it ti) thy skin tli"i'i' now aillnnv's \io fdVcii,'!! sjienk of iiii|iivfi'ctiMii. Iidw it
iMiliiitcs in (111 tlu'i' with cmiiiiiiL,' syiulnilic iiillu>'iii-rs. to thi- V( i y soiill. . .
It ri'iiii'liis 11 religious duty I'loiii olih ^t titiir in tlic Kast l-.\rii llic dull
l-'.ii'.jli-^li fi'cl soiiii'thiiiL! of this; tliry liavc a saying;, " clraiiliiirss is iirar iit
kin lo ( ioiUincss." '
-^ dari imi. Sliiriit .\iit. tUl ]f.«ifn, toni. ii.. ]ip. I'l-lii. ■ l''ru conoscinta
coll alti'i nuii;i assiii csiircssivi', i iiiiali o siijiiiticavaiio i ilivi isi (iVitti. clu-
(M\'ioiiann I'aciiiii'. o Ir divi rsc a])|iarrn/f, colori, chc fonuaiio col loid nioto.
I 'I'lascallcsi la chianiavaiio Matlalcncjc, cioc, vestitii di yoiiiiii tui'i'hina.'
Sec also Miillcr, /I'cf.s' /I III .1/ ,1'., torn, iii., y. N',(,
-"' Or'fihi, llisl, >ini., tolll. iv.. J)]). Id, ;)."i.
■•ill Til lir<in-l.: ill >■-■//'"-/,■,•,/ /V's Arrh., vol. iv., p. !)1; flrislnl, in Iml. A'}'.
Rill.. l.siiT. p. ;i">s.
^'1 ll(rl,ii.<, in Srliiiolrr'ijT.-< Arch., vol. iv., p. 2l'.i,
Tii:: r-viiTii, the ska, the rky.
i-i
I'tiim. how it
-w Iiicli cxrn tradition went not hiwk. Tho^^o a-csscIs wci-o
kept I'.uiLivd on tlio wall of the \vt'll. 'I'Ik' iVo;:'. tlir
iMtticsnaki'. and the tortoise were dc[)i('ted npon tlicni.
;iiid 'wvw sacred to the ^ureat jjatron of tiie place, whose
terrihle liuhtninj:' shonld consume the sacrileuiions hand
thiit touched these hallcnved relics. •"
We iiave seen liow the (,\dilornian trihes helie\i'
thciiisehes desciMided from the very eartii, how the hodi-
li'ss aiiccstoi" of the Tezcncans came np from the soil, how
the
III
itemalt
ec
r
[ipa'i'os. aiii
1 V
nnas were mo
Ide.l
oin
the clav they tread, and how the Xaxajos came to
liuht iVoni the lunvids of a ureat moimtain near the river
111 .liian.
It seems loni>- ivsn and often to ha\e c<
nne
iito men's mind that the over-ai'chinLi" heaxen or
mfiiinii' there and the ull-prodncini:' earth are. as it
SOI
'ri'. a father and mother to all living' creatm
cs.
Th
Couianches call on the earth as their mother, and on the
(!ivat Si)'rit as their father. I'he Mi'xicans nsed to
jiray: I)e pleased. our Lord, that the nohles who may
die in the war he peacefnlly .and pleasingly received h\'
t!n' sun and the earth, who are the father an<l mother of
It wa^
pr
.hahl'
\'. a'j,ain. with some reference
to tl
le
motherly function of the earth that the same |)eople
when an eartlKpiake came, toolc their children hy th<.
held or hand, and lil'ted them up sayin^: The earth-
'i'
lake will make them tirow.
■"oiue'iime;
th
IH'C
died
;i particular part of the earth as closer to them in tlr.s
iitioii than other |);;rt-. It is s.iiii that on the tenih
rt
(la\ of the month ()
iieclio
Hi. tl
le e
'.(■us o
M
e\lco and
those ol'Tlatelolco were wont to visit a hill called ('a
ca-
tciiec
liu- tl
ley said it was their mothei
(';i
As to the siihstanci'. arraniieiuent. and so on of the
I'th and ,.l\y there i-emain one or two ideas not alreadv
Ufii .11 connee
.1 AVI
th tl
le u'enen
ci'eati <n.
Th
Tliisc'dtecs. and perhajts others of the Air/diiia.c ix'oples.
In lie, cd that the earth was thit. and endiii^' with tiie sia-
H7,;/v7<, in P'ir. U. It. ll'i,!.. v.il. iii., ji, W.).
//.v. '.
Ilisi. i:
tdlU
tiiiiL. i
ii., till. vi.. ]). \.
i., lil.
^' ShIiiijhii, hist, (.hit., torn, i., lib. ii., x>. 70,
I'l
. •2i-'2.
122
PHYSICAL MYTIIB.
:; '!
f :-■
- i
.slioiv, AViis l)()nK; 11]) by cei'taiii divinitios, ^vlio ulion
liiti;j,iR'(l ivlii'ved c; ill otlior, iiiid tluit as the )>iird(.'n wiis
.sliil'tc'd (Voiu slioulder to wlioidder eurtlKjuakos occuiTod.
The sea and sky wi^re considered as of one material, the sea
beinu' more highly condensed; and the rain was thought
to fall not from clouds but from the very substance of
heaven itself. "' The Southern Californians Ijelieved that
Avhen the (creator made the world he fixed it on the ])ack
of st'ven giants, whose movements, as in the })receding
m\th, caused earthquakes.'" The sky, according to cer-
tain of the Yucatecs, was held up by four brothers called
each of them IJacab, in addition to their several names,
which seem to have been Kan, ^luluc, Ix, and Cauac.
These four, (Jod had placed at the four corners of the
world when he created it, and thej- had esca])ed when all
else were destroyed l)y llood."*''^
In the interior of the earth, in volcanoes, subterranean
gods weiv ol'ten sup})Osed to reside. I'he Koniagas, for
example, held that the craters of Alaska were inhabited
])y l)eings mightier then men, and that these sent forth
iire and smoke when they heated their sweat-houses or
cooked their food.''"*
The rugged majesty of hills and mountains has not
])een without its eifect on the reverential mind of the
American a])origines. Direct worship was umisual, ])ut
several inc^idents must have already informed the reader
that a kind of sanctity is often attached to great eleva-
tions in nature. A predilection fo. hills and mounds as
landmarks and fanes of tradition, and as places of wor-
shij), was as common among the Americans as among the
people of the old world. The Choles of the province of
Itza had a hill in their country that they regarded as
the god of all the mountains, and on which they burned
a pei'petual iire.^*^ The Mexicans, praying for rain, Vtcie
■"' Ciiin'iriio, Ifist. da TlnxralkiH, iu Xouvdks Annaks dus Voij., 1831, torn,
xt'viii,, ]). r.*2.
•'" III id, ill I.IIS Awidcs Star.
:*" l.iiiidii, llil. di' Ins f'osds de Ywudan, p. 200.
■•<'■' Ihiliiihrni. Ktlin. Sl,h., p. 141.
w Villwjutkrn; Jllal. L'uiiq. (A' Jl.'i, pp. 151-2.
■
HILLS AND TilOUXTAIN KANGES.
123
riuii, ^tv;•lo
acTiistoniod to vow that they would make images of the
iiiomitaius if their petitions were f.ivoralily received;*^
ami. in other i)oints eoinieeted with their religion to show,
as has ap[)eured and will uppear l)oth with them and
with other })eople, their recognition of a divinity- ahid-
ing on or hedging ahoutthe great peaks. What wonder.
iii(h'<'(l. that to the rude and awe-struck mind, the ever-
lasting hills seemed nearer and liker heaven than the
(•()inni()n-i)lace level of earth? and that the wild man
should kneel or go softly thei'e. as in the peculiar pre-
r jn ^' oi' the Great >^pirit? This is hardly a new feeling,
it Ml ill instinct and custom as old as religion.
\\ liei.' went .\.l)raham in that awful hour, counted to him
i;)r righteoumess through all the centui'ies? AVhere
smoked the Lhunderin^•s and lightnings that heralded
the delivery of the J^aw. when the son of Anu'am talked
with .lehovah faeo to face, as a man talketh with his
IVicud? AVhence saw a greater than ]\roses the kingdoms
of the world and the glory of thenx? whence, in the all-
nights that came after, did the [)rayers of the Christ
ascend? and where stood he when his raiment liecame
as no fuller on earth could wliite it, Moses and Klias
talking Avith him. ^nid Peter so sore afraid?
\\ here hills were not Ibund conveniently situated for
pui'iinse.-' of V. irsJii;;, they seem to have heen counterfeit-
ill alter i. !n>">; i'!'ei)lc fashion: irom high-place and
iiinund. froi'i ;>^van)id and teocalli. since the niornin<i
stars sung togot;"^', fno smoke of the altar and the
censer has not ceased to ascend. Ihit the day l>egins
til broaden out, and the mists of the morninii' llee
away: though the hills he not lowered. (Jod is lit'ti'd
n\K ^"('t they have their glor>- and their chai'ui still
cM'U to ns. and to the savage tluy often apjicar as
the I'esult ( '*a special and several creation. V> v reuiem-
licr how !• (ireat Spirit made Mount Shasta, as his
I'lily worilu .;')idinii- place on earth: and 1 gi\e here
aiKulier leuenu of a much more trivial sort than t!ie lirst.
" Sdliifjiiu, II'iM. '>■(»., toiu. i., lili. ii., p. 17'.".
'!
12t
PnYSICAL ]^IYTIIS.
ti'lliuii' liow. not >r(>iiut Sliiista iiloiic. l)ut all tli(> nioimt-
aiiis of ('alilbrnia, avci'o hiiilt and put into |M)^iti<)ii: — '"
At a time when the woi'M was covered with water there
existed a Jlawk and a Crow and a very small Ihick.
The latter, after di\ ini:' to the hottom and hi'intiinu' u[» a
l)eakrul of mud. died; whereupon the (^rowand the Ihiwk
took each a, half ol' the nnid that had heen hroudit up.
and set to work to make tiie mountains. I'euimiini:' at
a place called Teheecha; irdi Pass, thev huilt northwards,
the 1 hiwk workin^ii' on i 'ei'Ji range and the Crow
on the western. It was a ; and Aveary toil, hut in
time the work was (inished. .md as th(y laid the hist
l)eak the workers met at .Mo'iur Shasta. Then the Hawk
saw that there had been I'onl \Aiiy somewluMV. i'or the
"western raniLie was hiii'iier than his: and he chari^ed thi'
<"i'()w with stealinjr some of his nuid. ihit the smart
hird lauLilied a hoarse -iullaw in the face t)f his eastern
hrother. not e\-en takinij,' the troiihle to disown the theft,
and chuckled huiicly over his own success and western
entei'prise. The honest Hawk was at his Avits" end. and
he stood thinkiuii' with his head on one side for ([uite a
lon.u; time; then in an absent kind of way he picked up
a leaf of Indian tobacco and bcLian to chew, and wisdom
came with chewinu;. And he streniithened himself
niiiihtily, and (Ixed his claws in the mountains, and
turiu'd the whole chain in the water like a ureat lloatin,^'
wheel, till the ranue of his rival had chanii'ed })laci's with
his. and the Siei'ra Xevada, was on the east and the
Coast Kanjic on the west, as tlu'y ivmain to this day.
This leu'end is not without ingenuity in its way but
there is more of human interest in the followin,i:' pretty
story of the ^'osemite nations, as to the ori.uin of the
naines and prest-nt appearance of certain peaks a'ul otluT
natural features of their valley: —
A cei'tiiin Totokumda was once chief of the people
here; a miiihtv hunter and a tiood husbandman. Ids
1-' ['oirrra' 7'i
AIS. Tl.
tv;uliti(in nf the Vll(•ut^
riilifn
tvilri'. (iccu)iyiii^' the Kirn ami 'I'nl iit iKi-iins. tla' luidiUi-' S:iii ■Jipaiiuiii,
tlir v.ii'iuiis htrciiHirt nuiiii)!'' iutu Lake Tulare.
TOTOiv/NL'L.V AX]) 'J ISAVAC OF VOSEMITE.
IL^]
ralif'iriiriii
liiiiiiuiii, au'l
tiiiH' iit'xcr M;iiit('(l food wliilc lie iittcndcd to their wcl-
r.iic. liiit ii ciianp' ciiinc: while out hunting' one (hiv.
the voimu' luiiii iiu't ii ^pirit-iuiiitl, the .liuardiiin Jinpcl of
ihc Niillt'V. tlio heautiriil Tisjuuc. She was not as the
(hisky ])eauties oi" his trihe. hut white and i'air. witli loll-
iuu yellow tresses that fell over her sliouldei's like Miii-
^liiii(\ and hhie eyes with a liuht in them like the sk\
where the sun lioes down. W hite. elondlike winj^s were
folded hehind her shouldi'rs. and her voice was sweeter
liiaii the sonu'of hirds; no W(. 'dei- the stronu' chief lo\'ed
her with a mad and instant lo\(
II
e rea(
hed t
owai'(
her. hut the snowy winiis lifted her aho\e his sij^ht. and
he slood aiiain aloiu' U[K)n the dome, whei'e she had hecn.
No more Totokuiuda led in the chase or heeded
the crojis in the valli'y; he waniU'i'ed heri' and there
like a u!an distrauiiht, ever seekinu' tliat wonderful shin-
iiii: \ision that had made all else on earth stah» and nn-
jirofitalde in his sidit. The land he.iian to lanj:uish.
missing the industrious directinj;" hand that had tendi'd
it so lonu': the ])leasant jiarden hecame a, wildeiiiess
where the droi'.idit laid waste, and the wild heast spoiU'd
what was left, and taiiiiht his cuhs to di\ide the prey.
\\ li( n the fail' spirit returned at last to visit her NalUy.
,-lie wept to see the desolation, and shi' knelt u[)on the
iIduic. prayin^ii' to the (Jreat Sjiirit for succor. (iod
iicanl, and stoo[)ing from his place, he i'lo\e the dome
upon \\hich she stood, and the i:ranite was lixcn heneath
her feet, and the melted snows (>f the \e\ada rushed
tliidULih the goriii'. hearinii' fertilitx' uj ion their cool hosoni.
A Itcautiful lake was foi-med hetween the cloxiii walls of
;!;■' liittuntain, and a I'iver issued li-om it to ieed the
\ alley forever. Then san^Li' the hirds as of old. la\ inu tlair
iioijies in the watei". and the odor of llowers rose like a
ple;iNmt incense, and the trees put forth their huds. and
t!u' ciiiu shot nj) to meet the sun and rustled when the
hi'ce/e cri'pt throujih the tall stalks.
Tisayac moxed away as she had come, and none knew
whitiier she went; hut the people called the donu' ly
her name, as it is indeed known to this day. After her
12G
PHYSICAL MYTHS.
tleparturo tlio oliiof retiinied from his weary quest; and
as he lieard that the "svhijred one liad visited the valley,
the old madness crept up into his eyes and entered,
seven times worse than at the first, into his empty soul;
he turned his back on the lod<;es of his people. His last
act was to cut with his huntinji-knife the outline of his
face uiM)n a lofty rock, so that if he never returned his
memorial at least should remain with them forever, lie
ne\er did return from that hopeless search, hut the
graven I'ock was called Totokumda, after his name,
and it may be still seen, three thousand feet high, guard-
ing the entrance of the beautiful valley.^*
LeaA'iiig this locality and subject, 1 may remark that
the natives have named the Pohono Fall, in the same
valle\-, after an evil spirit, many persons having lieen
swe[)t over and dashed to pieces there. No native of the
vicinity will r-o much as ix)int at this fall when going
through the valley-, nor could anything tempt one of
them to sleep near it ; for the ghosts of the drowned are
tossing in its spray, and tlieir wail is heard forever above
the hiss of its riisliinn" waters."
« Ifiitrhht'ifi' Pal m<i., vol. iv., pp. 107-9.
" Ihdcltiwjs' Cal. May., vol. iv., p. 243.
CHAPTER IV.
ANIMAL MYTHOLOGY.
Roles Assigvrd to AxurALs— Auguries fkom theib Mo%'ements — Tnn Tll-
OMKNED Owl TuTELAr.Y Aniifals— llKTAMoiiPHosKi) Mkx Thk Ouress-
Si^i'iiiiiKL OF Yanc(il'veu Island- Monkeys and liEAVKKs—I'ALLKX Men
— Thk SACiiED Animals— Pkominexce of the Bmi)— Ax Emulem op
THE Wind — The SEitrEXT, an Emolem of the Lkihintno — Not Spe-
cially CONNKCTKD WITH EviL — ThE SerPENT OF THE rrEllLDS— ThK
■\Vatkr-Snakk — Ophidlatuy — Prominence of the Dofi, or the Coyote
— Generally thouoh not always a Benevolent Power — How the
Coyote let Salmon up the Klamath — Danse Macaurk and Sad
Death of the Coyote.
Tlio reader must liave already noticed the strange rules
filled by animals in the creeds of the Xative Kaces of the
Pac'iHi? States. Beasts and l)irds and fishes i'etch and
Ciii'ry, talk and act, in a way that leaves even yKsops jieroes
ill the shade ; while a mysterious and inexplicable inlluenco
ever human destiny is often accorded to them. It is of
course impossible to say precisely liow nuieh of all this is
nietiiphorical, and- how nuich is held as soberly and
literally true. Probably the proportion varies nil the
AViiy from one extreme to the other amouo' djlVerent
iiiitions, and among peoples of different stages of culture
ill t\u} same nation. They spake only in ])art. these
priests and prophets of barl)aric cults, and we can imder-
stiuid only in part; we cannot solve the dark riddle of
the past ; we can oftenest only repeat it, and even thnt in
a more or loss imperfect manner.
The Mexicans had their olficial augurs and sooth-;
(it?) ^
V2H
AN I MAI. MVTIIOLOdY.
Slivers, wlio divint'd miu'li as did tlieirbivtlireii of classic
times. The people also drew omen and [)resa,!j.e IVoiii
iiinuy tliiiius: iVom the howliiiji of wild heasts at iii^ht;
the siiiLiiiiLi of certain hirds; the houtiiiji' of the owl; a
Aveasel ci'ossiiig a traveler's path; a rahhit niuniiijj;' into
its huri'ow: from the chance niovenients of woi'nis, hee-
tles. ants, iVous. and mice; and so on in detail.'
Thi' owl seems to have ])vcn in many places considered
a hird ol'ill omen. Amon^' all the trihes visited \)y Mr
Lord. Irom the Fraser I'ivin' to tht' Saint Lawicnce. this
hird was portentously sacred, and was a favorite (k'cora-
tion ol" the medicine-men. To come on an owl at an
unusual time, in da_\ li.u'ht for e\ani[)le. and to hear its
mxsticcry. Avei'e things not desirahlc of any that loved
fuhiess of pleasure and length of days." In (.'alifornia,
l)y the ti'iht's on the Russian Kiver, owls were held to he
devils or I'vil spirits incarnate.'
We often lind an animal adopted in nnich the same
way as a ])atr()n saint was selected hy the mediieval knight,
'^rhe lly[)erhorean lad. for exam[)U', when he reaches man-
hood, takes some !)east or fish or l)ird to he his patron, and
the spirit coiniected with that animal is sup[M)sed to guard
him. Tidike most Indians, the llskimo will have no
hesitation in killing an animal of his tutelai'y species;
he is oidy careful to wear a ])iece of its skin or ))(»ne.
Avhich he regards as an anndi't. which it were to him u
serious misfortune to lose. Prolonged ill luck some-
times leads a man to change his patron ))east for another.
The spirits coiniected with the deer, the seal, the salmon,
and the heluiia are regarded h\ all with special Aoncra-
tion.*
, The M(>\icans used to allot certain animals to certain
])arts of the hody. perhaps in much the same way as
astrologers and alchymists used to connect the stars of
hea\en with ditfereiit suhstances and persons. The fol-
lowing twenty Mexican s^mhols were supposed to rule
1 Suhiiiiiii. Hist, (li'ii., tdiu. ii., lil). v., ji]). 1-11, ail. ]>]>. 'Jij-G.
'^ l.iiril's XitliiriiUsI ill \'iini:'iiu\T Is'uii'l, vol. ii.. i>ii. IJ2 -i.
■* I'nii-rrs' I'nIllO, MS.
i l)iil!\s Ah.-<L<i, i>. 1-15.
I
THE IH'MAXITY OF ANBIALS.
120
()\('i' llic viirloiis hk'IiiIk'I's oI' the Imiiiau luxlv: The ^i^ii
of tluMU'cr. ()\iT the ri^zlit foot; of tlu' li^vr, over tlie
left loot: of the eii,t:le. over the ri,i:ht hiiiid; of the
iiioiikcv. o\er the U'l't liaiid; ol" ileath.- — repref^eiited by
a ^;kllll. -over tlie skull; oi" water, ovei" the hair; of the
house, over the brow; of I'ain, over the eyes; ol'lhe do^.
over the nose; of the vulture, over the ri^ht vnv\ oi' the
rahhit. over the left eai'; of the eartluiuake, over tlu'
toiiiiiie; of Hint, ovi'r the ti'eth ; of air. over the l)i'eath;
of the r()S(?, ov(>r the breast; of the eaue, over the heart;
of wind, over the lungs — as aj)[)ears IVoiu the plate in the
Codex A'atieainis. the Italian interj)reter j^ivinn'. iunv-
cver. "over the liver;"" ofthe grass, over the intestines;
eftlie li/ard. over the loins; and of the serpent,o\er the
u,('nitals.'
^onietime;
tl
le wlio
le life
an(
1 heini:' oi' a man was
siij)[i()sed to be bound up in the bundle uith that of .sotno
auiuud. Thus, of the (Juatenialtees, old Cjlage (luaintly
ciiougli writes: "' ^^any are deluded by th Devil to be-
lieve that tlieii" life dependeth upon the life of sueli and
such a beast (which they take unt(» them as their I'amiliai'
spirit) and think thatAvln-)! that l)east dieth tiny nuist
die; when he is chased theii' heai'ts ])ant; when he is
laiut they are faint; nay it happeneth that by the devil s
(K'liisiou they app(>ar in the shajie ol' that beast."'''
Animals are sometimes only men in disguise; and
this is till' idea olten to be found at the bottom of that
>aci'eduess Avhich among particular ti'ibes is ascriljed to
|iiU'ticular animals.
The Thliidvi'ct will kill ;i bear oidy in case of great
necessity, for the bear is supposed to be a man that has
taken the shape of an animal. We do not know il' they
tiiink the same of the albatross, l)nt they certainly will
J (''"''.!' \'iilic(UiHA (M'r.v.J , \n /u/(;/s'inr')ui//('s .1/(.c. Ariliij., vol. ii., jiliitc I'l;
>';)('■;;(/ r/x/ic il'Hc Tnrolf dd Codirv .Mi .vhitiio f I'litifdiKiJ , iu /vi/ir/x/,(</-(/»(r,7, '.<
.U''.i'. .l)i/i(/., viil. v.. ]). r.)7, tMV. Ixxv.; EjnttdHittina nf tin' Cmlix WiHrninis, it\
Khi'isliiirniijli's l/i.c, AiiHtj., vol. vi., pji. 'J'i'i -H, |iliiti' Ixxv. It will be sicii
thiit 1 hiivc tnistt'il uiovo to tlio jiluti' itself than to the Italiiin cxplaiiation.
As to KniL;>lM)roii;_;irs traiislatiou of that cxjilauatiim, it is uothiug but a gloss
witii uililiiioiis to ami omissions (roiii the uiiyiiml.
'■ 'J't ;c's A'. ('• SiiiTii/, ji. o31.
VuL. ni. J
130
ANIMAL MYTHOLOGY.
not kill tills hinl, bclicvinii:, like inarincrs anciont and
modern, that such a misdeed would he I'ollowed hy had
weatlicr."
AmoMn'the natives seen })y Mr I^ord on A'^aneouver Is-
land, ill-luck is su[)posed to attend the profane killinjr ol"
the o,i;ress-s(iuin-el, and the conjui-ers wear its skin as a
sti'oni:' cliai-m among their other trumi)ery. As traditioji
tells, there onee lived ther.' a monstrous old woman with
wollish teeth, and fin,i:er-nails lik(> claws. She ate chil-
dren, this old hag. wiling them to her with cunning
and oily words, and many were the broken hearts and
empty cradles that she lei't. One poor Ifachel. weeping
for her child and not to he comforted because it was not,
cries aloud: Oh, (jreat Spirit, (Ireat Medicine, save my
•soji, in any way, in any form! And the great, good
Father, looking down upon the red mother })ities her:
lo, the child's soft brown skin turns to I'ur. and there
slides I'rom the ogress's grip no child, but the happiest,
liveliest, merriest little scjuirrel of all the west — but
l)earing. as its descendants still bear, those lour dark
lines along the back that show where the ci'uel claws
pU)wed into it escaping.'^
Where monkeys are found, the id(>a seems often to
liavo occurred to men, to account for the resi'iublance of
the monkey to the man by making of the (Irst a fallen
or chanu'ed form of the latter. We have alread\- seen
how the third (^uicho destruction of the human race ter-
minated thus; and how the hurricane- 'nded Sun of the
Air in Mexican mythology, also left men in the apish
state. The intelligence of beavers may have been the
means of winning them a similar distinction. The Flat-
head says these animals are a fallen race of Indians.
condenuKMl for their wickedness to this ibrm. but who
will yet, in the fulness of time, be restored to their hu-
manity.''
As we shall see more particularly, when we come to
^ Ifohnhmi, Ethn. Skh., p. 30.
8 Lord's .V((^, vol. ii., pp. 52-4.
9 Cvx's Adcen., vol. i., p. 253.
RACRF.DNESS OF CERTAIN DIIUTES.
131
(leal witli till' (|Ut'sti()]i of tlit' fiitun' \\i\\ it was a coiii-
iiioii idea that tin- soul of the (U-ad took lUx iiniiual shape,
souu'tiiiu's iiihahitiiig unother world, soinotinu's this.
The Thlinkcvts. lor example, helioved that their shanuiiis
used to have intei'views with certain s[)irits oi' the dead
tiiat appeared to them in two forms, some as land ani-
mals, some as marine.'"
The Californian.s round San Diego will not eat the
llcsh of large game, helieving sueli animals are inhabited
hv the souls of generations of peo[)le that have died ages
ago; 'eater of venison I' i.s a term of ivproaeh among
tiietii."
The IMmos and Mari('oi)as had, if Rartlett's account
1k' correct, some cui'ious and unusual ideas regarding
their future state; saving that the several parts of
the hodv should he changed into se[)arate animals; the
head would perhajjs take the I'orm of an owl. the feet
hccoiue wolves, and so on.'- The Moipiis supposed that
iit death they should he severally changed into animals
— hears, dei'r, and such beasts; which indeed, as we
have already seen, they Itelieved to have been their ori-
ginal form.''
Difterent reasons are given by difterent tribes for
liolding certain animals sacred; some of these we have
iilreadv had occasion to notice. Somewhat diiVerent
tVoMi most, however, is that given ])y the Xortliern-lndian
hiauch of the Tinneh, for not eating the llesh of foxes,
wolves, ravens, and so on. This tribe are accustomed to
ahaiidou the ])odies of their dead wherever they haj)i)en
to tall, leaving them to the maws of kites or of any other
iiiiinials of j)rey in tlu; neighborhood; therefore nothing
hut the extremest necessity can force any member of the
nation to make use of such animals as food.'^
(Vrtain natives of (juatemala in the province of Acalan,
<*alled ))}■ A'illagutierre Mazotecas, kept deer in so tame a
1" Dalffs Ahi.ska, pp. 422-3.
II Srli.KihriitTn An'li., vol. v., p. 215.
'■' llarmt's'l'ers. .\,n:, vol. ii., p. 222.
■' Tnt limpfk; in SclntolrrdjTs Arcli., vol. iv., p. 8G.
" Iharnc'sJourwy, p. 341.
132
ANIMAF, MVTI!i»LO(iV.
.st;it(^tlint tlicN' were fa,<il\ killed l»\ the IcM.-t activc^soMicrs.'
Tlicsi' (leer wci'c licM as sacred l»v tlie iidialiitaiits; lor
tradition told tlieiii that their greatest jiod had \i>itid
them in this lijinre.'' The Apaches j-reatlv respect tiie
heai-. neither killinj;' him noi" tastin-: his llesh. Thev
thiidv that there are s|)irits of di\ine ori;^iii within oi'
coiniected wilh the eaLile. the owl. and all hirds ju'rlectlv
white. Swine, they hold to he wholly unclean.'" Some
animals are sacred to particnlar ;:(>ds: with the Zunis,
the I'roji'. the tnrtle, and the lattlesnuke \\v\v i-ither con-
sidered as sjiecially nndei' the [)roti'etion of Monte/nma.
here considered as the ^od ofrain. or tluy wi're them-
selves the lesser divinitii's oi' water.''
It is sometimes neci'ssaj'y to i^uard apiinst hein^i mis-
led hy names. Thus the natives of Xicara^uiia liad j^ods
whose name was that of a rahhit or a deer; yet these
animals were not considered as ;:dds. The identitv <>!'
name went only to say that snch and snch were the gods
to he in\()ked in hnnting such and such animals."*
The reader imist have ali'eady noticed how im[)()rtant
is the part assigned to hirds in our mythology. espe(;ially
in creation-myths. A gi'eat hird is the agent of the chief
deity, jierhaps the chief deity himself. The swi'ep of
his wings is thunder; the lightnings are the glances of
his ('yvs.^'* Chipewyans. TIdinkeets. Atnas. Ivoltschanes.
Kenai. and other nations give this being great i)rominence
in their legends.
Hrinton helievesthis hird tohe theend)lem of the wind,
to be '' a relic of the cosmogonal myth which explained
the origin of the world iVom the action of the winds, un-
'^ Villn<int'icnr, Ifist. (Umq. Itzn, p. i:i.
I'' ('linrlf'iii. ill Siliiiolrriifl'n Arch., vol. v., p. 200.
'" \\li!jiiil<\ Iai-UiiuI.\ ami Tunirr's li-j,l., pp. :)'.) in/in /'-»,•. 7.'. Ti. R'pl.,
vol. iii.
"* Ovii'ilii, Hist. lilt)., toll), iv., p]). ")! .").
'!• Swinbiirm', .l/cf'^i/'/'f. has found an iillicil idcii worthy of his sublii-.i'
verso ; —
'('list forth of hravcii, with fi ■ I of awful ^nlil,
Ami pluiuclrss wiiij,'s th:it iii.il<c till' luiirht air Miiul,
ljiL;litiiiiiL;. with Ihundcr for ,i hoiiiid iMhind,
lliiutiii'; throii'di Ill-Ids uiifiuruwtil iiiid uusowu-'
Tin: WIND oil TmNDF.u i;ii;i>.
liw
(liT tlic i!iiap;o of tin- l)ii'il. on the prinifNal ocean )"'''^ and
his vii'W is jn'ol)aI)I\ corrcd in many cax's.
Till.' sava;ii' is CM')' i(;i(l_\ to 1)1' smitten liy natni'al
t and a'^aiie with wonder, is it nnnatnral
1
mwer.'
1;
noi'an
that he siionhl re,i;ai'd. with a sn[K'rstitions awi' and re-
\. the hiiiher and more peenliar animal jiil'ts. rehitin
S|M'(
them to like i)hy>ieid jxiwers. aiid manai^int;' to mix and
(■uiiliise the whole hy a stran,L''e synthesis of j>hilo>oi»liy ;'
r.ii'ds tlew. the winds (lew; the l)irds were of the Uitli of
tlie winds, and the winds were of the kin of thi' p)ds
who are over all. Poor, weary, painted man. who eonld
eidy toil dustily alonj:'. footsore and pei'liaps heartsoie,
with stranLic lonuiniis that M'liison and heai'-meat eoidd
as it \-er\- wonderful if the throhhim:'
not satisf\-
-w
nil
i<ic and npward lli;.d;L of tlii' clear-throated and swlfl-
winded were to him wvv nusterious and sacred thin;
All 1
i\in^' heinus." sa\' the north-eastern
I'sl
^nno."
'i;i\(' the faculty of soul, hut es[)ecially the hird." l''rom
the lliiiht and .sonji' of hirds, the Mexican dixiued and
shadowed forth the nnhoru .shapes of the to-come. He
ilied too. if he died in an odor ol' warlike sanctity, in
the stroniz' faith that his soul should ultimat(dy taki' the
fiii-ni of a hird and twitter thi'oiiLih the aiics in the pur[)le
NJiadows of the trees of paradise."'
The Kailtas on the south fork of the Trinitx' in Cali-
'" iJr'intu/is Mi/llis, J)
I'll"
'II..' N'
liclirf is akin to tliis:
111' KMll'
IllM
anfh
At til-
l>its ill ail caL,'!) 's furni;
"l"is saiil that from liis \viiic.'s
Tilt' Cold wiuils s\V(i]>
Over all tliL' nations.'
\'(i''lliriiilri IS iiiaaj; flrcnvillo Pii^'ott's
liimsliitiiin. in ScitniJ'if}iir',.rii Mi/llmln j;/. ]i. -27.
Srott, I'iritlr. i-liap. v.. in tiir • Son.; of tlir TfnijM st,' wliicli lie Iraiisl iti-s
from Xonia's month, shows that thr same idea is still foiuul in the Shetland
1-
lunls:
Strrn oavjli' of th'' far nortli-wcst,
'I'hou that lic'irist in tliy i,'ras]) thr llnnidriliolt,
Tiiou whose riisliiii',' ]iinions stir ocean to madness,
Ceas;' thou the waviii;,' of thy jiinions,
J.et the o.'ean ri'pose in her dark strenetli;
Ci'as" thon the llashin.' of tl
iini' eves.
L<'t thi' thund ■H.olt si
in tl
11- arinorv i
if (Mi
ih
-^ Siih'iinit. Hist, 'I'll., tola, i . lih. iii.. ji. 'ir,'.; ('iuci'jrro, .'<tiir'i(t Aid. t.hl
'nko, toin. ii., p. 5.
i;!4
ANIMAL MYTHOLOGY.
foi'iiiii. though tlioy do not turn tlic soul into a ])ir(l, do
,<;iy that iis it leaves the Inxly a little l/ird carries it up to
thi' s[)irit-laiid."
The S[)auiards of Yizeaino's ex[)editi()n, in 1002,
found the Oalifornians of Santa Catalina Island venerat-
ing:' two _ureat black crows, which, aci'ording to k^eHor
(lahui. were prohahly a s[)ecies of bird known in Mexico
as rcij (le los znpihtr^^ or kin,^' of tui'key-])U/,/ards; he
addini;' that these birds are still tlie <)l)jects of respect
and devotion anions' most (^diforuian tribes.-''
As anothei' symbol, si;'n. or ty[)e of the snjiornatural,
the serpent Avould naturally supii'est itself at an early
date to man. Its sic:'.ltiiy, su]>t!e sinuous motion, the
,!ilitterinu' fascination of its eyes, the silent deathly thrust
of its channeled fauLi's, — what mai'vel if the foolishest
of men. like the wisest of kinus, shoidd say '" I know it
not; it is a thin;i' too wonderful for me?" Tt seems to
be inmiortal: e\"ery sprinir-time it cast oft* and crept from
its former skin, a crawling unliurnt pho'iiix, a new ani-
mal.
Schwartz, of Bei-lin. afTirms, from deep research in
Greek and (lermau :M\tholoi:'y. that the paramount
U'crminal idea in this wide- 'oi'ead seriR'nt-emblem is the
lightning, and Dr. Ih'inton develops the same opinion at
some lengtli.-'
Tlaloc, tlie A/tec rain-god, held in his hand a ser-
pent-sliaped piece of gokl. re[)resenting most })robably
the
li-ht
uniii'.
Ilurakan, of the ()ui(;h(' 1e<i'end>
is otherwise the Strong Ser[)ent, he who hurl.-
below, rel'ei'ring in all lilvclihood to storm powei'.* a-
thnnderer.-' I'his view being accepted, the lightning-
82 P,r,rpr>i' Pnmo, MS.
''' Ti)riiniiii(iil<i, Miiiiiiiy. Iml., toin. i., p. "l'\: ' Tlic cntiro tribes of tin'
Ciiliforuiiiii liidiania [sic I apiMMV tu liavr liail a i^rrat devotion uiiil Vfiicia-
tioii fortius I'ondor oi' Vcllow-hcailid Viiltuii'.' '/'''///"/•, in Otl. rdnmr. .May
'J.llli, liSdU. ' Catliiiitis ('alifoniiiiiius, the lari,'(st lapacioiis bird of Noilh
•Viiirrici',' JSainl's li'mls nf .V. ,b//.. ]>. 5. -Tliis bird is an obji'i-t of j,'ri at
v.n 'ration or worsliij) annmg the Indian tribos of o\. ly portion of the sfati .'
Ill 'ill. i'.' ',ii,s' Amii li s Slur,
-'! Itnniiin's Mi/llis, p. 112.
2i Till iiti'iiiiiiln. Miiiiurii. Iiiil . toin. ii.. |)p. Kl 71: t'lnvli' >'", SIdvIu Aid. 'hi
MisHiro, tuni. ii., pp. II I."*; liaimi, lii,^ rinlnis. pt. ii., pi>. 7<J 7.
Tin: (^noss and the four winds.
135
I' tvilns of till'
(111 mill vciirni-
|/. Fnniitr. Miiy
bird (if Novili
(ilijcct llf J-'Vl ilt
Im of the !stiit( .'
Slonit Ahl. '
MTju'iit is tlie tvi)i' of I'niitfiiliioss; tliu llmiulor
.-tonii iK'iiii:' iuse[)aral)ly joined with the thick, I'cr-
tili/iu;:' saimiur sliowers.'"" IJorn, too, in the middle
heu\eii. of a cloud niother and ol' an Ixion ujion whom
.science cannot yet [)lace her lin^'er. amid moaniuL:' laee/e
;nid thi'eatenin;! tem[)est. the liojitning i.s .sui'(d\' also
akin to the wind and to the hii'd that is their sxinhol.
The ;inial;.^aniation of thc^e powei's in one deity .^-I'ems to
he what is indicated hy such names as (,)ut't/alcoatl,
(iiiciiinat/. ( 'nl;ulcan, all titles iA' the (Jod ol" the Air in
ililU'reiit American languages, and all signil\ ing ' iVii'd-
Serjient.'
In a tahlet on the wall of a room at ralemiue is a
ci'o.ss surmoni
ited
!)\- a, 1)1 1'(
ind siionor
I'l"
•ted h
what ai)-
.si\s
jH'ars to h(! the la'ad of a serjient: "The cro.'^
Uiinton. •■ is the synd)olof the four winds; the bird and
MTpent. the rehus of the air u'od, their luler."
It does not appear that savages
attarl
1 vny spi'cial sigm-
(Icaiice ol' evil to the s.iako, though the piv[)os,H'ssion!S
of early writers almost inva.riahly Wind tlu'in on this
point."' This rule is notwithout its e.\ce[)tions however;
the Apaches hold that every rattlesnok*? contains the
.<i)iii of a had man or is an emi.ssirv of the l]\il Spirit."*
The h'iutes of Nevada h'lve a demon-deity in the form
of a seriieiit still sUj)po,<ed toexist in the waters of Pyra-
laiil hake. The wind when it sweeps down among the
nine i-land^ ol' the lake drives tlie waters into the most
fuitastic swirls and eildies. e\en when the general surface
of the lake is tolerai)l_\- placid. This, say the Tiutes. is
the (h'\il-siiake causing the deep to hoil like a p(»t: this
is the old .st'riient seeking whom he may de\()ur; and no
iiati\(' i)i possession of his five sober wii-^ will he found
steering towai'd those trouhlecl waters at siu'h a time.-'
In the Puehlo cities, among the I'ecos especially, there
c\iste(l in earl\" times an immense sei[)ent, su[)po.-ed to
red. and which, accordinsj; to some accounts, w
IS
Miilhr. AtiK ril.iiiiiKchf I'mUjiimci), ]>. oiK).
r,/!:
i\
(nil.
1.. 2J^
^■^ l'h<irlln,(, ill Srl,n,,lc);i/I'!< Anil., vol. v., p. 20il
'-'■' \"irjiiua C'ili/ Chriin'uir, in ,S, /■'. l/ally Ecj I'vt
A An-, l-th, 1S72.
136
ANIMAL MYTHOLOGY.
fed with tlio flcsli of his devotees. Orep:!j: heard an
'■ honest raiichero" relate how. one snowy niornini:'. lie
had eoiiie n[)on this terrible I'eptiles trail. " larp' as that
of a draii'uinj;' ox;"' the ranehero did not. pursue the in-
vestiji'ation i'arther, not obtrudinu; his science, such as it
was, uj>on his reliii'ion. I'his ser[)ent was supposed to
be snccially connected witli Monte/unia. and with rain
])henoniena: it is often called " the jzreat water-snake."
It was described to Whipple '' as beinu' as lariie I'ound
UH a man's body; and of oxceedinji' great length. sIowIn-
gliding upon the water, with long wavy folds" like the
Xahaut sea-ser[)ent. — to Mt'dlhausen. ;is being a great
rattlesnake, possessor of power over sea. lakes, rivers and
rain; as thick as many men put togethei'. i.nd nnich
longei" than all the snakes in the world: nuvsing in great
curves and destroying wickt'd men. The Pueblo In-
dians ])rayed to it for rain and ivveri'd its mystei'ious
})owers.''''
A i)eo[)le. called 1)v (^istarie(hi Tahus. apparently of
Sinaloa in th(> neighboi'hood of Culiacan. regai'ded cei'-
tain large serj)ents with sentiments of givat veneration
if not of woi'ship.'" These r<'ptiles seem also to luive
been r(\uar(UMl with considerable reverence in Yucatan.
In 1517. Hernal Dia/. notice(l many iigures of ser[)ents in
a, temple he saw at (^unpeche. Juan dc (irijalva. also.
i'ound at tin same time many such figures at Champoton,
among other idols of clay and wood.'"
^Ve have already spokt'ii of the .Mexican Tlaloc and of
the lVe(|Ueut aitpearance of the s(M"j)eut in his worshi])-.
it does not ai)i>ear. iiowever. notwithstiuidiug Mr Si(tiier's
assertion to the contrary, that that the serpent \vas actu-
ally Avorshiped eitluM' in "h'ucatan or Mexico. I'ernal
Dia/. indeed, says positively in one passage, speaking of
''"''''■, '/.'/'•''' ''""'■ /'''"''''•■'-■. vul. i., pp. "27 1 --2: Uliiji/i! . h'irijiiil.. (iiid Ti'iin !■':<
/<''■/)/., ii]!. ;)8-!), in l''ir. It. I;. Il'jil., viil.iii.; MijUlniiiscn, T'lijihucl,. ji. ITit-
D'liiifiii .It's llix vis. Vol. i., pp. 1(;1-."). Certain Inter travelei's deny lill the
f'urei^'oint,' lis ' lietiiin aiiil faille;' iiieaiiiii<_;, pruliaMy, tli.it tiny saw iiutliiii!,'
(if it, iir that it ilms not exist at preseiit. U'((.((/, in ln<l. .Uj. I'v fi., l.Mll, p.
yy): M liiii'^ 'I'tro 'riiniis'tiiil Milts, p. 'jr)'!.
II Cii-l-n'/dlii, \'iit/. ili I "i'ltilit, in 'I'l rituii.r-i'iiDqiitK.'i. I'm/mit .-i, seiie i., teni.
i:... p. I."0.
■I- iUi-tiid Dhl:, Hist, ('(iiiij., fol. I), S.
u
THE DOG OF A^IEPlICAN IIYTIIOLOC.Y.
137
-.\n\ ail
iii;i. lu*
as that
the in-
ch as it
i()sod to
th rain
-snake."
I' I'ound
1. slowly
like thV
a iAivat
VIM'S anil
1(1 nnich
; in great
el)lo In-
vsterious
rontly ol'
■dctl oer-
novation
() luive
ucatan.
i(.>nts in
,a. also.
un^toton.
a town oalk'd TenaMiea, thai '' tliev worshiiK'd Irmv, in
their ehiei" ti'ni[)le. three ser[H'nts;" hnt the stout soldier
was not one to make (inc distinetions hciv/ecn pxls and
their attributes or symbols; nor, even with the best in-
tentions, was he or any other of the eon<|uistadores in a
position to do justice to the faith of 'gentiles.' "
We shall hereafter fnid the serpent closely connected
with (^)uet/alcoatl in many of his manifestations, as well
as with others of the ^lexican gods.
from the serpent let ns tnrn to the (h)g. with his rela-
tions the wolf and eoj'ote, an animal holding a ri'spi'cta-
hlc i)lace in American mvtholoirv. AVe ha\e seen how
many tribes derive, figuratively or literally, thei)- origin
I'roiii him. and how oi'ten he becomes legendarily im[)or-
tant as the hero of some adventure or the agent of some
deity, lie is generally brought l)elore us in a rather
hi'iii'\olent aspi'ct. though an exception occurs to this in
the case of the ("hinooks at the mouth ol' the ('ohunbia.
With these the coyote (igures as the chosen medium for
the arfloii of the i']\il S[»irit towju'd any gi\en nialevo-
Iciit •".!il. — as the form taken by the j-lvil One to coun-
ti'i'art sonu- lu'ueficencc of the Good Spii'it toward the
]i')ur hidian whom he loves.''^
\'ei-y dilferent from this is the character of that Toyote
i>l' the ( 'ahrocs whose good deeds we lia\'e so often had
occa-ion to set forth, (^n" feat of his yi't I'emains to be
told. — how he stocked theriviM" with salmt)n. <'hai'e_\a.
tile creator, had madi' salmon, but he had put thi'Ui in
till' hig-water. and made a great fish-dam at the uioutli
ol'the Klamath, so that they could not go up: and this
• lain was closed with something of the nature of a \\bite
man < key. which key w"s gi\i'n in cliai'gi' to two old
\uvs<. iiot wholly uidiun.iiar to ns. to keep ami watch
<»\ei' it night and day. so that no Caliroc shoidd g(-t near
it. Now lish being wanting to the Cahrocs. they were
siii'ely pushed by hunger, and the voice of women and
'■i I! r„;l Di'iz, If!sl. Cnn'i., fil. i:!!!; .V./,..-,/,',v//Vs Jr.//., v.il. v., ji. lO-",.
^' /.-r./\s A',(/., vul. ii., p. •ilS,
138
ANIMAL MYTHOLOGY.
i
little cliildreii was licard iiin)l()i'iii|j; food. Tlu' Coyote
detcniiined to help them; he swore by the slcol ol' ( ha-
re\a that helore another moon theii' lodiics should drip
with .^ahiioii, and the very doy:s he sati.-lled withal, ^^o
he traveled down the Klamath many da\>' iournev till
he came to the mouth of the river and saw the hi^u-water
and heard the thunder of its waves, l'^) he Wiiit to the;
hut of the oKl women, rapped, and a>ked hosjiitality for
the night; and he was so i)olite and deljonaii' that the
cr;j;u'S could fmd no excuse for jvfusini; him. lie
entered the place and threw himself down ])y the fire,
warmin^t;; himself while they prepared salmon for suj)per,
which they ate without olfering' him a hite. All night
long he lay l)y the fh'e pretending to sleep, hut thinking
over -lis plans and waiting for the event that should put
him in possessicm of the mighty key that he saw hanging
so high ahove his reach. In the morning one of the
hags took down the key and started olV toward the dam
to get some fish for hreakfast. Like a Hash the ('o^ote
leaped at her, hurling himself hi'tween her feel; heels
over head she pitched, and the ke\' Ik'W I'ar fiom her
hands. Before she well knew what had hurt \\v\- the
Coyote stood at the dam with the key in his ti'etli,
wrenching at the fastenings. They ga\e way ; and with a
great roar the green water raced thi'ough, iill ashine with
salmon, utterly destroying and hreaking down the (Uuu.
so that ever al'ter lish found freeway up the Klamath.
The end of the [)oor Coyote was rather sad, considering
his kindni'ss of heart and the many S(,'rvices ln' hiid ren-
dered the Cahrocs. Like too many great i)ersoiiages, he
grew proud and puHed up with the adulation of llatterers
and sycophants, — ])roud of his courage and cmniing. and
of the success that had crowned his great enterprises for
the good of mankind. — proud that he hail twice deceived
and oiuwitted the guardian hags to ^vhom Chariya had
entrusted the fire and the salmon. — so proud that he
determined to have a dance thi'ough hea\-en itself, hav-
ing chosen as his ])artner a certain star tliat used to pass
<]uite close hy a mountain where he s[»ent a good deal el'
COYOTES MUST NOT DANCE WITH STAllS.
l.'iO
t' Coyote
of rlia-
.iiUl drip
lull, ^^o
inu'V till
)i_ijL-\viiter
'ut to the
tulity for
• lluit the
liu. He
tlie (iiv,
)!' sin»per,
All ni^ht
: tliiukiui?
;li(mUl put
\vlian;j:ing
)iK' of the
(I the thuii
[lie Coyote
oet; heels
iVoni her
her the
lis teetii.
ul uithvv
hiue with
the (hull,
niiialh.
)nsiiU'riu;i
iiail ren-
-ouiiiivs, he
)[' llattert-rs
imiH|i'. and
■rpri.-es I'or
•I' (Iceeived
lareya had
1,1 that he
itself, hav-
setl to \iass
ihmI (leal el
Ills time. S) he called out to the star to take hiiu hy
the paw and they would <-o round the world together for
jiuiuht; but the star only laughed, and winked in an
cxei'ssively jirovoking way from time to time, Tlje
(,o\o[e pL'i'sisted angrily in his demand, and harked and
liarki'd at the stiu' all round heaven, till the twinkling
thing grew tireil of his noise and told him to he (piict
iiiid he should Ije taken next night. Next night the star
caiue (piite up close to the clilf where the ('o\i)te stood,
who lea[)ing was alilu to catch on. Away they danced
together through the hhie heavens. Fine sj)ort it was
for a while; Imt oh, it grew hitter cold uj) there for a
( "oyoti' of the earth, and it was an awful sight to look
down to where the broad Klamath lay like a slack liow-
striug and the Cahroc villages lii\e arrow-heads. A\'o(>
for ihc ( 'oyotel his numb paws have slipped their hold
on his bright companion; dark is the })artner that leads
the (hniee now, and the name of him is Death. Ten
long snows the Coyote is in Calling, and when he strikes
the rarth he is " smashed as thit as a willow-nuit". —
Coyotes nnist not dance with stars.''"'
3'> I'nii-pi-'s J'lDiio, MS.; 'Bosoiina, in nohhi»nn'ti Lifr hi Pit!., pp. 2.')'.)-2fr2,
(li seniles c'l'i'tiiiii other Ciilifdniiiuis us worbhipiiig for thcii- chief j^'od soiue-
tliiuj; iu the form of a atutl'ed coyotu.
CIIArTER V.
COD?, SrPKKNATl'KAT. 15EI\(;S, ANO WORSHIP.
Eskimo AVnciKjnAFT - - Tub Tinnkii and thk Jm>xiaoas — Kuoans of thk
Al.rHTH— Till'; TlILINKKKTS, THK HaIDAHS, AND IHK NoOXKAS— PAliABISli
Li'>T III' TliK OlvANAfJANS TlIK SaLISII, THK Cl.ALI.AMS, TIIK CllINiXiKS,
THK C'wfsFN. THK AVaI.I.A WaLLAS, AND 'IHK Nk/ PkIUKS — ShoSHONK
GhoIT.S XoUTHKHN CaI.IFOKSIA- -ThK Sl'N at JIoXTKUKY — OUIOT AND
CuiNKilHlNK H -- ANTAdUNLSTIC; GoDS OF LoWKll CaLIFOUNIA — CoMAN-
CHKS, Al'ACHKS, AND NaVAJIIH— MoNl'KZUMA OF THK PuKliLOS — MotiCIS
AND Mdjavks — 1'i;i:\ikvaIj 1iA( k of Nokthkun Califoknia.
AVc now come to tlio brondost, uliotlior or not it
1)0 the most imj)ortiiiit, bi'uiu'h of our subject, iiiimely.
tlie p;oils and si)irits that men worsliip or know of
(.'onnueiicinu; at the extreme north, ^ve shall i'oHow
them throuiih the various nations of our territory
toward tlie south. Very wild and conllicting is the
general mass of evideiice bearinji' on a ))elief in
su|K'rnatural existences. Xot only from the nature
of the subject is it allied to (juestions and mattei's
th(^ most abstruse and transceniU'ntal. — in the ex-
pression ol" which the exactest dialectic terminology
nuist often be at fault; nuich more the rude and stani-
nierim:' speech of savaii'es — but it is also a])t to call up
prejudices of the most \varpin;i; and contradictory kind
in the minds of those thronuh whose relation it nuist
pass to us. llowi'ver hojjek'ss the task, 1 will stri\i' to
hold an e([u.il JR'am of historical truth, and putting away
spi'cidations of either extreme, try to |iive the naked
expression of the belief of the peoples we deal with, —
f.-;kimo siia:\iaxism.
Ill
:i\NH OF TllK
[10 CulN'iX'K^S
„()rioT AM>
[ILOS— MotiCIS
N?
lunvcver stnpiil, liowcvcr uhsunl,-— i^nd not wluit tlicv
()ii;ilit to lu'licvc, or may be su[)[)os(>(l to hcliew, ucconl-
iii;j: to the ingenious speculations of dilVereut theorists.
The Fiskiuios do not ai)[)ear to reeojiiiize any sui)reme
deity, but only an indelinito number of superuatural
Iteinus var> ing in name, power, and character — the evil
seemiiiLi' to prechnninate. They carry on the person a
>:ii;dl ivorv iuiauc I'udelv carved to represent some ani-
iiial. as a kind ol' talisman; these ai'e thought to I'urtlu'r
success in hunting, fishing and other [)ursuits, but can
hardly be looked upon \vith any great reverence, as they
are u'cnerallv to be bought oftheii' ownei's J'oi- a ivasona-
)lr [ii'ice. .Ml su[)ernatural business is transacted thi'ougb
the medium ol' sham:ins; I'lmctionaries answerin
!>■ to tl
le
laediciue-men of eastern Indian trib(>s;~-of those there are
luitli male and female, eat^h practising on or for the bene
it ol' his or her own respe
itive sex. The rites of their
ilacl^ art diiVer somewhat, according to Dall, i'rom those
(if their Tinneh neighl»ors. and very nuich froui those of
the Tschuktschi and other Siberian tribes; and their
whole reliuion ma\' ])e suunned ui) as a vauue fear lindiim
its expression in witchcraft.'
The Tinneh. that great peo[)le sti'etching north of the
lifty-fifth parallel nearly to the Arctic Ocean and to the
Tacific, do not seem in any of their various tribes to have
a single ex[)ressed idea with ivgard to a su[)reme powei'.
The Loucheux branch recogni/.e a certain personage, I'esi-
Ui'ut m tiie moon, whom they su})i
th
stai'tnrj; on a
an
himt
m;
'xp
)e(lition.
)licati
'his )
loi' success m
K'lUii'onci
lived
iDUg theui as a i)oor ragged boy that an old wouian
had found and was bringing u[); and who madi; hiui-
M'lr ridiculous to his I'ellows by making a ^' r t)f
\ei'y large snow-shoes; for the peo[)le could not see what
a starveling like him should want with shoes of such
unusual size. Tiuies of great scarcity troubie(l the hunt-
»i's. and thev would often have I'ared badlv had thev not
nivariably on such occasions couie across a new broad
'." h irdsu
lrft.s//Y„,,/'s X„r., !,;>. 102, 1!);!; I^irhardsoii's Pol. T!',/., W- "V.l-H), 3-i1
I'ij Jour., vol. i., i'i>. 3-jH, 3y.j; IhtU'ti .UkcIm, pp. lll-O.
142
GODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
m
trail tliiit led to a hoad or two of fivslily killed game.
They were '^\i\x\ enough to jiet the <j;aiiie and without
s('rn[)les as to its ap[)ropriatioii; still they felt curious as
to whence it came and how. Sus[)icion at last pointiiii;;
to the hoy and his j^reat shoes, as l)einji in some way
iin[)licated in the ail'air, he was wat(!hed. It soon
became evident that lie was indeed the Ijenel'aotor of the
Louchenx, and the secret hunter whose (juarry had so
often replenished their empty pots; yet the })eople wore
far from being ade([uately grateful, and continued to
treat him with little kindness or respect. On one occa-
sion they refused him a certain piece of fat — him who had
so often saved their lives l)y his timely bounty ! That night
the lad disa[)peared, leaving oidy his clothes behind, hang-
ing on a tree. He returned to them in a month, however,
aj)pearing as a man and dressed as a man. lie told
them that he had taken u[) his home in the moon; that
he would always look down with a kindly e>e to theii'
success in iuniting; but he added, that as a i)unishment
for their shameless greed and ingratitude in refusing him
the })iece of fat. all animals should be lean the long win-
ter through, and fat (mly in summer; as has since been
the case.
According to Ilearne, the Tinneh believe in a kind of
spirits, or fairies, called mintena, which people the eartli,
the sea. and the air, and are instrumental for both good
and evil. Some of them believe in a good si)irit called
Tihugun, 'my old friend,' supposed to reside in the sun
and in the moon; they have also a bad spirit, (yhutsain.
apparently only a personification of death, and for this
reason called bad.
They have no regular order of shamans ; any one when
the sj/irit moves him may take npon himself their duties
and pretensions, though some by ha])py chances, or i)ecu-
liar cunning, are much more highly esteemed in this re-
gard than others, and are supported by voluntary con-
tributions. The conjurer often shuts himself in his tent
and abstains from food for days till his earthly grossness
thins away, and the spirits and things unseen are con-
si^nars wrrii the koniagas and 'rixxEti.
11;;
In are con-
striiiiicil to !ii)iu'.ir at l»is ))oliost. Tlio voiniiit^r TiiiiH'li
cai't' \\)V none oi' tlieso tiling's; tlu> stroiiu, litiil> and tlio
keen eve, lioldiiiji tlicir own well In the jostle ol' lil'e.
mock iit tlic terroi's of the invisible; hut as the |)iilsi's
(hvindlc with disease or ajre, and tlu- knees strike toiietlier
in the shadow of iMi[)endin;i: death, the shiiniiin is hired
to e.\[)el the evil thini:'s of which the patient is possesst'd.
Anion'j; the Tacullies. ji confession is ol'ten resoi'ted to at
this stMu'e. on the ti'uth and acenracy of which de})end
the chiuices of a recovery. As I lannon says, " the crimes
which they most fre(inently ctnifess disco\er soniethinji;
of their niorid character and tlu'refore desi'rve to he
mentioned;" hut in truth I cannot mention them; hotli
with women mid with men a filthiness and hestialit\'
worse than the sins of Sodom and (iomorrah defy the
stomacli of description. The same thinj;' is true of the
tcilioiis and disj^usting rites performed hy the ^I'imieh
shamliis ()\-er the sick and at various other emergencies,
'fhey Mow on the invalid, leap about him or uj)on him,
shriek, sing, groan, gesticulate, and foam at the mouth,
with otlier details of hocns-pocns varying indefniitely
with tribe and locality. The existence of a soul is for
the most part denied, and the spirits with whom dealings
are had ai'e not spirits that were ever in or of men:
ncitlier ai'e they regarded by men with any sentiment of
love or kindly respect; fear and self-interest are the
honils— ^vhc•re any bonds exist — that link the Tinneh
with jjowei's su])ernal or infernal.'
The Koiiiagas have the usual legion of spirits haunt-
ing watei'. earth, and air, whose wrath is only to be ap-
peased by offei'ings to the shamans; and sometime ,
though veiy rarely, by human sacrifices of slaves. They
have also a chief deity or spirit, called Shljam Schoa,
and a [)ower for evil called Eyak.^
2 liirdish), in Snilllisoiihin Uciit., 18CG, pp. 318-19; Janis' IMhjkm, Tnd. X.
Am., J). Ul ; h'riiitlntt, in Wlij/nqicr's Alaska, p. 'Sii); Mai-hnzb's I'd//., p.
cxxviii.; S'ltnn'rfii/t's Arch., vol. v., p. 1~X: /I'os.s', in Siiiilli.tiiiii'in /iV/)^/l8()(i,
I'l). ;ini'i-7; /•>((/(/. /(/t'.s- Xar., vol. i., pp. '24()-7; Jlariiinn's Jmn-., p. UUO; Jl<i(>]>-
ic'.s '/'i(>7.i, p. ;{; ,'; Hi hanlson's Jotir., \ol. i., pj). ^85-0; JJall'a Alaaka, pp.
bS-'JJ; Whi/nipir's Alaska, pp. 231-2.
•i llobnhvnj, Kthn. SIdz., pp. 140-1; Saucr, Billbujs' Ex., p. 174.
114
GODS, Sl'THliNATniAL liElNClS. AND WOliSlIir.
^t\^':
or till' Aleuts, it is said tliat tlicir rites showed a intieli
liigliei' feli'^ioiis development than was to he loinul iniion,:^
aiiv of their iK'i;ihli()rs; the lahors ol'the lliissiaii priests
have, howcNcr. heeii siiecA'ssfid I'lioiij^h anions" tlieiu to
obliterate all remeiiihrauee of uiijiht hut the outlines of
their ancient cult. '^I'liey i'eeoj;ni/e a creatoi'-^zod, hut
^vithout woi'shipin^' hini: he had made the world, hut
he did not^iiideit; men had nothin,Li' to do anv lonjier
uith him. hut onlv with tlie lesser /,'"f/inix, or sj)irits. to
uhom the direction and care of earthlv idlairs iiavc? heen
<'.)Mnnitted. 'I'he stars and the sun and the moon were
uorshi[H'il. or the s[)irits of them amoni:' others, and
aven;i:ed tliemseUes »)n thosi' thatiidored them not. 'J'Ik^
oll'ended sun smote the eves of a scoll't-r with blindness,
the moon stoned him to death, and the stars eonstrainod
liim to count their numher — hoj)eless task that always
h'ft the victim a starin^j; maniac. The shamans do not
SL'em to ha\e enjoved that distinction amon,^' the Ak'uts
that their monopoly of mediation between man and the
invisli)le world pive tliem anion;;' otla'r nations. Thev
were genei-ally very poor, liviiiLi' in want and dyinii in
misery; tlu'\' had no part nor lot in the joys or sorrows
of social life; never at feast, at weddin;:'. or at a finieral
was their face seen. They lived and wandei'ed men for-
bid, dri\i'U to and fro by jihantoms thai were their mas-
ters and not their slaves. The AU'uts had no permanent
idols, nor any uorshi ping-places built with hands; near
every vilhiLie was some saiu^tified high [)lace or rock,
sacred as a ►^inai against the foot of woman or youth,
and whoever profaned it became innnediately mad or
sick to death. Only the men and the old men visited
the ])laco leaving there their olVei'ings of skins or feathers
-with unknown mysterious ceremonii's.
The us(.' of anndets was universal; and more than
shield or speai' to the warrior going to battle was a belt
of .sea-weed woven in magic knots. \\'hat a ])hilo.'^ophei' s
stone was to a Roger B.won or a Paracelsus, was the
IkJi'tnihce, a marvelous |H'bl)le thrown u[) at rare inter-
vals by the sea, t, the Aleutian hunter. No bea.st could
ALEUTIAN MVsri;itV-|iA\('i:.
iir>
nuuli
K'Ul to
lU'S of
III, but
•1(1, but
loii'Tor
irits. to
vu boeu
'I's, and
t. Tbr
lUlllK'SS.
strahu'd
: always
IS ilo not
ic Aleuts
I anil tlu'
s. Tliey
(\\in;i ni
[• sorrows
;i runeral
men Ibr-
u'ir nias-
nuancnt
|uls; near
or rock,
lor youth,
luail oi'
u visits I
ii- loatlu-rs
koro than
jvas a brll
jlosopber .^
was tlu-
lare inti-r-
L'ast could
P
i\'sist its attraction; he tiiat carried it had no need to
(•!i;ix(' his \)\vy, lio had only to wait and striUe as tlio
animal walUi'd up to its death. Another potent ehai'ni
was urease taken i'roui a dead mans body; the s[)ear-
licad touched with this was siu'e to ivaeh a mortal s[!i)t
in the wiiale at which it was hurled.
Tiiei'e are dim Aleutian traditions (tf certain i-eliuious
iiiaht dances held in tht' month of I)eceml)er. \\'ooihMi
idols, or li^ures of some kind, were made for the occasion
and carried iVom island to island witli many esoteric
(vn'nionit's. Then was to Ik' !^v('\i a marscious siuht.
Tilt' men and women were put tin- ajiai't; in the middle ol*
ra.ii jiarty a wooden (l,i;ure was set up; certain jiri-at
woMilen masks or blinders were ])ut on each person, so
contrived that the weai'er could see nothing' outside a
little circle I'ound his I'eet. Then every one strii)[)ed.
and there n[)on the snow, under the moonlight, in the
hitter Arctic ni;ild. danced naked before the ima^e. — say
ratlier hefore the jiod. lor as they danced a kuuan
il;'scended and entered into the wooden figure
W
oe lo
t(
him or to her whose drift-wood mask i'ell. or was lifted,
in the whirl of that awful dance; the stare of the (iorjion
was not more fatal than a ^lan(;e of the demon that
jiossessed the idol; and for any one to look on one of the
npiHisite sex, however it came ahout, he miiiht be even
countt'd as one dead. When the dance was over, the
idols ami the masks were broken and cast Jiway. It
iaa\ he added that such masks as this were needed, even
ha
|iro[)!iets ni then* niterviews with the .ureat s[)n'its
t know all mortal consecpiences; and that when a
man died such a mask was j)ut over his eyes — naked
ami shivering soul, face to face with the darkest kujian
tit' all we will shelter tlu'e what we can.^
The Thlinkeets are said not to believe in any supreme
hi'iiiii'. They have that Yehl, the Raven, and that Kha-
iiukli. the Wolf, wdiom we are alreadv to some extent
!ic(|uainted with; but neither the exact rank and (diarac-
* h'Di-hi.iny, Vol/., pp. 579-KO; f'oxe's, Jiiiss. Tfls., p. 217; DaU'a Alaska,
VV-
3S'J; Sue liuHtrDjTs \<(t. Hares, \o\. i., p. 1)3.
Vol. III., 10.
itr,
(loDs, si'1'i:kn\ti:uai, isi'FNcis, am) \V()i:siiii'
tiT of tlicsc in tlic siipcniMtiirnl NVdi'ld. nor (•\oii their
<'niii|i:ii';iti\(' r.'ink. ciiii Im' I'stiiMislicil iil)o\(' ('oiiti'iidictioii.
Tims ^'('Iil is said to l»c the (Tcator of all Itciiius and
liaiiiiKli wniii'i
tlnili^s. vet we ll 1\(' not (oivottm liow
IVoni tlic iiiiwiHiiiu' Ii|)s ol' liiiii the coiiU'ssion: Tlioii ait
older that 1. It is a^iain saiil of Vehl tliiit his powiT i^
iinrmiifed; hut alas, we liaNC seen him helpless in the
iiiarie (larKUess raisec
1 I
)\'
lamiKii, and howlini: as a
iViiiliteneil child miiiht do in a iiloomy corridor. Tlic
nature ol' ^'ehi is kind and he loses men. while the re-
A'erse is licnerallv t'onsidered true of Khaniikh: Imt ^'ehl.
too. when his aniici' is stirreil np sends sickness and e\il
fortune, ^'ehl existed hel'oi-e his hii'th iqton earth; ln'
cannot die nor i-ven heconn' oldei\ W here the soiu'ces
of the \ass are. whence the east-wind conu's. is Xass-
.shakieveid, the liome of ^'ehl; the east-wind hrini^s
news of him. I'v an unknown mother a son was horn
to him, who lo\('s mankind »'ven more than his father,
jind j)ro\ides their I'ood in diU' .•^eason. To coiiclnde th"
matter. Veld is. if not the central fiunre. at least the
most prominent in the Tldinkeet pantheon, and tlir
alpha and the omeiia of Tldinkeet j>hilosophv and tlieol-
oiiv is summed up in their faxorite ajthorism: As Velil
art
en
ami
lived.
so also wii
we
li\<'
and do.
Aft
Vi'hl and Khanukh. tlu' Thlinkeets helie\'e in the hrotli
and sister. Chethl and .Vhuishanakhon. the 'I'hu'.ider
Ol'
Tlumder-liird. and the I'ndei'-iiround Woman. Ciietli
is a kind of preat northern riikh that snatciies np am
swallows a whale without ditliculty, while his win>:s am
e\t's iiroduci' thunder and liuhtninu' as already descrihcd
his sister Ah,:iishanakhou sits alone helow and <:uar'
the Irminsiil that supports the world of the Xorth-we-
The Thlinkeets have no idols, nnle.ss the little iniau'
1 U,
ilii Hnlml
H'r<' s lu'ci)
uiit of tlii'si' Thliiikcrt supci'iiatiirul jxiwcrs, iintliiii!
i-i s;li(l of {]u' sun (ir liliinll as ilicliratill'4 till' IMissc;
>f life liv tll<
ly i[>i'litit'S not luatcriiil. lint Oiiiiii, Tin- Ornviu 'I'lrrilnfi/, ]>. 'iisl. iuni
J)ix(m, \'')i/(iii' Ititnnd titv W'urlil. y\t. IH'.) !l(l, ib s<-ril)r at least kiiiiic tvilic nr
t;il>
)f till' Thlinkeets and iiianv tribes of tlic Haidalis, that coiisidev the ^l^l
to lie a Ljreat sjiirit niovint,' ovir tlie earth (Hiee every day, aiiiinatinj,' ;ii:i
k<
ijiint; alive n
11
moon is a siiliordiiiati' and nit-'ht
■atnres, and, aiipai-ently, us being the origin of all; t!
Ill: THMNKF.ET Sir\M W.
147
idictioii.
ll^S iHlil
riiou iut
ss in tlif
Wu'j: i>s ;i
or. 'Hi-'
\v tlu' vc-
l)ut Vrlil.
■! iinil I'vil
ciivtli; Iw
s. is Nass-
11(1 l)rin;is
I ^vi\s l)oii!
l<is iatlu'V.
iicliid*' til"
t U-iist tlu-
I. unil tlu'
uul tlu'ol-
As Vi'1,1
(>. After
r livotlifi-
liMUiU'V iir
Ciu'thl
cs u\) and
wiuii's aii'l
(li'sfviliotl;
intl ^uai"'-
ovtli-NVf-
ttW iniau'
KlWCVS. liotllll!'.'
,. liv tll<-tl> 111 '■!
■,/, ■]). -iNl. av.'i
t sialic li'i'"' '■'■
insiclivthi-'in
;iiiiiiiiitiii!4 -'■''
n.'iuc.f iiU; 111'-
s'liiK'liiiU's (Mri'i('(l l»v the maniciaiis Tor el i arming' with
iii;i\ Itc cmIK'iI Iiv tli:it iiairif; tlicv liaNc no woi'sliip
lii.r I'licsts. unless tlieir sorcerers :in<l the lit - of tlieUJ
m;i\ l>e entitlcil to tliesc apiieiliitiolis. These sorcerers
(tr shaiii;iiis senii to Ite niiK'h rcsiiccteil; theii' wurds and
;i"ti()i:s iii'e ucneriillv hehe\('(l mid a('<|uiesciMl in hv all;
thoii'.li the (h'lith of a juitieiit or \irtiiii. or siiitposcd \ic-
liiii. i>i sometimes axcnucd upon them l»v tli«' reliiti\»'s of
thiMh'ceased. Sh,im;Inism is iiiostiv liereditarv : as a natii-
1 il cone ot' thiliLis tiie loii;^' itir;i\ oi' ajipai'atiis. masUs.
(h'l'sses. iiin! so on. is inheiUcd hv the son oi" grandson
of the dcci'iiscd cimjurer. The vouiiji' man must, iiow-
cvcr. prove himscli" worthv of his position Ix-lorc it hc-
coi'ies assured to hiui. I»v callinji' up and eommuiiieatin,::;
with spirits. The future shaman retires into a lonely
forest or up some mountain, when' he li\'es retired, t'ci'd-
iiiii' (>n
I'ov th'
<llppOM'll U. (
ly Oil the roots of the iiitiiii.r-lmrr'nhnii, and ^\aitin;.
■ >jiir ts to come to him. which they are iiciierally
lo in from two to four weeks. If all -Lowell
the iiieetiuj:' takes place, and the chief of the s|iirits sends
til the neopliN te a river-otter. in the toiiuue ol' which
;iniiii.il is supposed to he hid the whole powi-r and secret
111 shani;iuisiu. The man meets the heast face to face,
and four times, each time in a dillerent fashion, he pro-
nounces the syllahle *( )hl ' I'lioii this the otter falls in-
stantly, reaching:' out at the same time its toiiiiue. w hich
the iiKiiicuts (»lVand preserves; hidiii^i' it away in a close
]ila('e. for if an\' oiU' not initiated should look on this
♦ ili"<uian the si,^ht would (h'i\e him mad. The otti r is
icd 'i\- the new shaiuiin and the skin kept for a siiin
profession, while tln' llesli is huried: it ^\as un-
to kill a, ri\er-otter save on such ocea-ioiis as
el Ills
law '
iia\r heeii de.scrihei
I. If. I
lowever
th
"jiirit
s w
not
vi-it the would-Ito shaniiin. noi\uive him any oppoitunity
te -ct the otter tongue as desci'ihed ahoN'e. the neophyte
visit . the toin' of a dead shaniiin and keeps an awful
vipil o\er ui-ht. Iioldinti: in his livinu' mouth a fiiiLU'r of
tl
le ileal
I man or one of his teeth; this constrains tl
le
•spirits ver\- iiowerfullv to send the necessars otter.
I
m
148
GOJ>S, SUrEllNATURAL BEINGS, AND AVUriSIIIP.
Wlion fill tliese tliinus luivo l)c'f.i done tlio ^liaiuiin re-
turns to his j';nuil\' cnuiciated ancUvoi'n out, und his now
{H)\vc'i's are innnediately ])ut to the iest. His ivputatioii
depends on tiie nunil)ei' of spirits at his eomnianth 'J'he
si)irits are called yek, and to every conjurer a certain
lunnher of them arc attached as familiars, while there
are others on whom he may call in an emeriivncy; in-
deed every man of whatever rank or prol'ession is
attendi'd hy a I'amiliar sjjirit oi* demon, who only ahaii-
dons his charge when the man becomes exceed in.tily had.
The world of spirits in «ieneral is divided into three
classes: h-vcijvk, ta/rcci/c/,-. and ft '■/,■<'<■' /el'. The first-class,
' the Tpper Ones,' dwell in the north and seem
to be connected with the northern lights; they are
the spirits of the brave fallen in battle. The other two
classes are the spirits of tliose that died a natural death,
a,nd their dwelling is called tuliiiikuii. The takeeyel<,
' land-spirits,' a})pear to the shaiuiins in the \\)Y\\\ of land
animals. \\'ith regard to the tekeeyek, 'sea-spirits'
which appear in the i'orm of marine animals, thi'i'e is
some dis[)ute among the Thlinkeets as to whether these
s[)irits weri' ever the si)irits of men like those of the otlu r
two classes, or whether the\" were merely the souls of sen
animals.
The supreme feat of a conjurer's ]X)weris to throw ( lU'
of his liege s[)irits into the body of one who refuses t'.)
belie\e in his power; upon which the })ossessed is taken
with swooninii' and fits. The hail' of a shaniiin is nevi'i'
cut. As among the Aleuts, a wooden mask is necessary
to his .sd'e intercourse with any spirit; separate masks
are woi-n foi" interviews with separate spirits. A\ hen a
shauiiin sickens, his relatives fast I'or his recovery; wluii
lie dies, his bo<ly is not burned like that of other mm,
but put in a box which is set up on a high frame. The
first night i'ollowing his death his l)ody is left in tiiat
corner of his hut in which he died. On the secoiid
night it is carried to another corner, and so on '"or I'oiir
nights till it has occupied successively all the corners nf
the yourt. all the occupants of which are supposed to fast
SOLAR srnUT OF THE IIAIDAIIS.
Ill)
(liiriiiii' this time. On the fifth day the l)0(ly is tied
(li»\vii (111 (i hoard, and two hones that the dead man had
ot'teii used in his rites wh.en ahve are stuck, the one in
his hair and the otlier in tlie hridue of his nose. Tlie
head is then covered with 'i willow hasket. and the hody
tiikeii to its pliu*c of se[)iilture. whieh is always near the
M'M-shore; no Thlinkeet e\er })asses the s[)ot without
ilioppinLi' a little tohaeeo into tht- water to eonciliate the
iiiaiie
of the miuhtv dead.
The llaidahs helieve the jireat solar spirit to he the
civatoi' and supreme ruler; they do not howexer eonl'use
liliii with the material sun, who is a shininsj,' man walk-
Iiil;' round the (ixed earth and wearinii' a "radiated"
crown. Sometimes the moon is also connected in a con-
I'lised indefinite way with the '•reat s[)irit. There is
ail evil s[»ii'it who. accordinu' to Dunn, is pro\ ided
with hoots and horns though nothiiii:' is said as to the
lasliiou of them, wlu'ther orthodox or not. The llaidahs.
at least those seen l)y Mr Poole on (^)ueen ('harlotte Is-
land, have no worship, nor did they look upon themselves
1 any way res[ionsil)le to any deity for their actions.
as 11
A>
ith th
leir northern neiiilihors. a
helief
in
iiohli
<[i('cti'es. iind sorcei'}' seems to he the sum of their i'eli,L:ioii.
//../,
I/M. I'll,
F.lha. SL:
V,ll.
I'l'
rvJ-T.'i; IhiWa Ahlsh
1'
.)S ;
Ih,
'a 0)v./n
I'P
lJl-;i; An/;
1'
•2Mi: lUiahVH Ah
Ar.h.
I'p. :il a. 'I'liU last tnivilfv i^'Ims us 11 Viiiiatiiiii of tlii' lii^tmy (jf V(
Kl
iMiiiikli. vliicli i- lust in'cscutril ill liis own
'ill.' KliiiKii-
..11(1
not
\vl
loiii arc tow
Su]ii(in(' liiiiii,', but ill a host of uooil and
riiiL; two lofty luini^s of f^'odlikc niat;nitii(l(
Aa
cipal olijicis of iiiilian rcvcnii
Th
■iimit'-
( all' the prin-
ai'c Yi till anil Kaiiuuh two
hrnlln in; (lie foi'iuir tin' liriicfai'tov aiul well-wisher of nainkinil, imt of a
vrrv whiiiisical ai.il unnliali
ituie; the latter the stern (loil uf War, teiii-
lile ill his wrath, hut a true jiatron of every fearless hrave. It is he wliu
Sillils ejiiileiiiies, hlooilsheil aiiil War to those who liave ilislileased liiiji,
while it seems to lie the |irineipal funetiou of Vethl to eross the sinister ]>iir-
jiiises if liis iiarli-niinileil lirotlnr. Yethl and KaiiUKli lived forineriv on
irth
Hit
d
were horn ol a wo'iiaii ot a suiierna
itural
I''
d
ori'..'in and nature of whieh many ennllictiii'^' leeinds are told, lianl
t I iiiiii|)ii heiid. When Vethl Walked on earth and was i|Uite youii'^ In
||niiv,l .^'leat skill in the use of tlie how and an
He used to kill lau
line t!
Ilelli'" its l.allli
He],:
ir shaj
'Vethl.
lud llv idiout. His fa
ite h
was tl
diiel
I siL;nilies '•raven" in the Kliukit laiiiru;
llso the f(l
tllelil around him to escape his elielllii
d clouds at his command, and he
Jlis liroiher's I
wolf.'
I'ac.
eoiisei|uentiy "ravi
d oft.
anii'.;h, s)._'ui
and •'Wolf" are the nanus of thiwo
|| tlie Jvliiikits, who an; sni)i>oseil to bu the found- .'.-i of the Indian
150
GODS, SrPEKNATURAL IlEINGS, AND WOllSHIP.
AVith sonio at least of tlio llaidalis tliciv >vas in oxist-
ciice a rite of this sorcery iitteiided 1>\ circimisti
nuvs o
iiioi'o tliaii or(liiiar\' oarnaritx' and lerocitN
I W
W
leil tlie
th
salmon season is o\er iuu
I th
le provisions ol um
ter 1
lavo
l»eeii stored away. I'eastinn" and conjurinii' l)ei:in. l"he
chief — who seems to he the princijjal sorct'rer. and indi'ed
to possess little aiithoritv saxc irom his connection with
tl
)re
ter-1
niman powei
ioes off to tiie Iniieliest and
wildest retreat he knows ol" oi" can discover in thi' nioimt-
ains or lorest. and half starves himself there lor some
Aveeks till he is worked nji \{) ;i iVenzy of ixTiLiions in-
sanit\' and the mni
'•/()/,■!
learfnl heinus of some kind not
hninan---c(jnsent to commnnicate with him ]>y voices or
otherwise. Dnrinji all thisohservaiice. the chief is called
tdiiiiilsh. and wo" to the nnhicky liaidali who hai)j)ens
]»v chance so much as to look on him duiiiiu' its continn-
aiioe; even if the taamish do not instantlv slay the iii-
Irnder. his neii-hhors ww certain to do so when the thinu'
comes to their knowlediie, and if the victim attempt to
conceal the alVair. or do not himself confess it. the most
crnel tortnres are added to his fate. At last the inspireii
demoniac retnrns to his vilhrjc. na
ked
sa\e a hear-sKin
or a ra;i;;('d l)laiiket. with a chaplet on his head and a
red hand of alder-1)ark al)oiit his neck, lie spi'inus on
the first pei'son hi> meets, hites out and swallows one or
moi'e mouthl'uls of the mans living' ilesh vvherewr he
can li.\ his teeth, thi'ii I'ushes to aiKtther and ano'.her,
repeatin;:' his rcNollinu' meal till he falls intoa torpor fi'oiii
his sudden and half-masticated surfeit of Ilesh. I'oi'
lil
souie days after this he lies in a, kind of c()ma. " like an
oN'er-uoriicd heast of prey." as Dunn says; the saiia
ol)ser\t'r aildiiiL;' that his hrcitli diu'inu' that time i-
Tlu' victims of thi«
like an exhalation from a "ra\e
ferocity dare not resist the hite (/f the taamish; on the
contrary, they are sometiuie;' willing' to oll'er themscUt'-;
to the oi'deal. and are always proud of its scars.'
I'he .Xoolkas acknowledge the existence of a ii,reat iier-
7 l)iiiin':< (iri'iiiit, J)]'. 'J")!!-'.!; Sciiiilir. in f/mil. (Icmi. Soc •lnur,, vol. xi., ['.
;>; H'liivrujT.t .\itt. Haas vol. i., i>ii. 17ii-71.
NOOTKA GODS.
151
in oxist-
tiUU'C'S ol"
riicn tlu'
ltd' liiivc
m. Tilt'
ul iiiiU'i-tl
tion ^vitll
'lioi^t and
e niDunt-
lor soHit'
iji'ious in-
kind nut
Noices ov
I" is fidlnl
I liai)|K'ns
-i continu-
ly the in-
tho thin.u-
attempt to
. the most
e inspired
)eur-skin
ul iuid a
)i'in;-is on
vs one or
rever he
;uio'her,
)rpoi- iVoiii
1. For
like ail
the same
t time is
ms of till-
1 ; on till'
1
lu'inse!ves
great per-
■ \
^:,>llalle tidied ()uah()()tze, Avhose lialiitation is apparently
ill the shy. hut of whoso natnre little is known, ^\'hen
;i storm hegins to rage danuerously tho .N\)otkas cliinh to
the top ot'theii' houses and looking npwai'ds to this great
gol, thi'V heat drums and ehant and eall upon his name,
iui[»loriiig hiu) Ir still the tempest. They last, as some-
thing agieeahle to the same di'ity. het'ore setting out on
the hunt. and. if their success warrant it. hold a least in
his iioiior after their return. This lestival is held usually
ill hi'cemhcr. and it Avas formerly the ciistoui to finish it
wilh a human sacrifice, an ati'ocity now haiii)ily fallen
into disuse: a hoy. with kni\es stuck through the super-
licial llesli of his ai'ms. leus, and sides, Ijcin-;' oxhihited as
;i siil)stitute for the ancient \ictim.
Matlose is a famous hoh-gohlin of the Xo(/ikas: he is
,1 \-cry ( "alihan of spirits; his head is like the head of
-iiiiirthiug that might have ht-en a man hut is not; his
iiiicoiith hulk is horrid with hlack hi'istles; his uioiistrous
teeth and nails are like the fangs and claws of a hear.
W h(H'\H'r hears his teri'ihle voice falls like one smitten,
ami his curved claws rend a prey nito morsels with Ji
single stroke.
Thi' .\ot)tkas. like so many American peoj)les. liaAe a
tradition oi' a supernatural teacher and henefaclor. an
olil IIKUI
that
came to them up the >oini(l \nn>i a'jo
Hi
canoe was copper, and tlu' ])addles of it coppei'; cAery
thill;.: lie had on him or ahout him was of the same iiu'tal.
lie hiiided and insti'ucted the men ol'that day in many
thliiiis; telling them that he caiiu' from the sky. that
their country shcjuld he eventually destroyed, that they
should all die. hut after death rise i!iid live wilh him
:iiM»\-e
Th
n all the people rose up auury. and took In.
••alloc from him. and slew him: a crime from which their
descendants have deri\'ed much henelit for eojiper and
the use of it have remained with them evi'r since. Huge
iiiii'jes. carved in wood, still stand in their lioust's in-
tended to reia-esent the form and hold in renuMnhi'ance
the \isit of this old man. — l»y which visit is not im[)roh-
iiliK intended to he siunilied an avatar or incarnation
152
GODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
of that c>ilef deity, or great spirit, worshiped by many
Oahfoniiau tribes as 'tlie Old Man above.'
The Ahts regard the moon and the sun as their
highest deities, the moon being the husband and the
sun the wife. To the moon chietiy, as the more
powerl'ul deity, they pray for what they require ; and to
both moon and sun, as to all good deities, their prayers
are addressed directly and without the intervention of
the sorcerers, (^uawteaht— which seems to be a local Aht
modification of Quahoot/e — who made most things
that are in the woi'ld, was the first to teach the jx'ople to
worship these luminaries who, over all and seeing all,
are more powerful than himself, though more distant
and less active. There is also that Tootooch, thunder-
bird, of which so much has Ijeen already sjiid.
The Xootkas, in general, believe in the existence of
numberless spirits of variou,? kinds, and in the elfic.'icy
of sorcery. As in neighboring nations, the shaman
gains or renews his inspiration by fasting and solitary
meditation in some retired place, re-appearing at the end
of his vigil half-starved and half-insane, but filled with
the Jjlack virtue of his art. He does not generally col-
lect a meal of living human flesh like the taamish of tlu'
preceding family, but he is satisfied with what his teeth
<;an tear from the corp!-;es in the burial-places. Old
women are admitted to a share in the powers of sorcery
and prophecy and the interpretation of omens and dreams :
the latter a most important function, as few days and
nights pass over a Xootka house tiiat do not giveoccasiou
b •; some vision or occurrence for the office of the sibyl or
the augur."
8 Jvwitt'fi Y'(r., p. 83; Srnulrr, in Lonrl. Gmrj. Snc. Jiwr., \ol. xi., pp. 223
4; M(>/r<i!i, A'cyi/o;'., toin. i., p. ;U5; Sk'U y Mi,vif>iua, r/'(.'/»', p. Kid; Miaro'
l""!/., p. 270; HiiJrhiii is' ('<i}. Mmi., vol. v., pp. 222-1; J/'cyie'.s' IVnc;. /,s/., p|i.
•133-111, 4')5; n irni-fjcnu'trirs Trin\, ^ip. ol-!!; Sjiinfit's .Scuds, pp. 40, l"''-
H, 107-7."). 20.J-11: r,»,A-,s V,,,/. to I'uc, vol. ii., p. 317. As illuMiiitii'-
BtroiiLjly the Noofkii ideiiH with rcf^'anl to tlie Kanctity of the moon and snii.
HH well lis the eoiiniv'tion of the sni) with the tire, it niiiy lie well to cull iitteii-
tion to the two following; eustoiiis: — • El T.iys [chief] no pnedeh.icevnsode mh
iniii^eresA sin ver enternniente iliiiuinivdo el ilisco de la lunn.' Sni'd y lA.i''-
mim, VUup', p. 145. ' Girls iit puherty . .are kept piirtii-uliirly from the sun nr
lire. ' Bancroft's Nut, Races, vol. i., p. 11)7. In this connection it luny be imii-
PAEADISE LOST OF THE OKAXAGANS.
i.-;i
y many
IS their
[ind the
le more
; and to
prayers
jntion of
iocal Aht
it things
people to
eeing all.
e distant
thunder-
istence of
e efficacy
3 shaman
id solitary
it the end
illed Avitli
rally col-
ish of the
his teeth
ces. Old
f sorcery
d dreams :
days and
|-e occasion
ic sib}l or
The Okanagans believe in a good spirit or master of
life, called Elemelnmikillanwaist or SkyapiK>; and in
a had spirit Kishtsamah or Cliacha; both mcn'ing con-
stantly Ihrongh the air, so that nothing can ])o done
\\ ithoiit tlieir knowledge. The Okanagans have no wor-
ship public or private, Imt before engaging in anything
of importance tliey oft'er up a short prayer to the good
s[»irit for assistance; again on state occasions, a pipe is
l)assod round and each one smokes tln'ee whiffs toward
the risinii sun, the same toward the settinii'. and the samo
ros[)0('ti\'ely toward the heaven al)Ove and the earth
hc'ui'ath. Then they have tlioir great mythic ruler and
hcrnjue. Scomalt, whose story is intimatel}' connected with
;i kind of Okanagan fall or paradise lost. Long ago. so
lung ago that the sun was ([uite young and veiy small
and no biiiger than ti ^'^nw there was an island far out nt
sea called k^amalitumiwhoolah, or the White Man's
Island. It was inhabited ])y a wliite race of gigantic
stature, and governed l)y a tall fair woman called Scom-
;dt: and she was a <rreat and strong 'medicine,' this
Sconialt. At last the peace of the island was destro\od
hy war, and the noise of battle was heard, the white men
lighting the one with the other; and Scomalt was exceed-
in;:ly wroth. She rose up and said: lo, now I will drive
llu'sc wicked far from me; my soul shall be no kaiger
vexed eoncerning them, neither shall they trouble the
faithfid of my people with their strivings any more.
And she drove the rebellious together to the uttermost
end of the island, and broke oil' the piece of land on
which they were huddled, and pushed it out to sea to
xi., pp. --'^
YM); 3/m(/'>
ilbistnitii'.;
loon imA i^""-
lltooiiUattiii-
Sntil. y -*/'•!''-
JnmUu'Hnniir
tiii)ii<l that: Mr TiOvtl, Xfituralist, vol. ii., p. 2'j7, saw aiiionu; the Xootlcjt^
while at Fort Ilupi'vt, ii very peculiar Indian '•medicine," a solid piece (if
iiativi' eiipiicr, haunuereil tlat, oval it Would apfiear from the desoiiition, and
)i.UMtcil with curious devices, eyes of all sizes beiuL; esjieeially conspicuous.
Till' llMilsou-liay traders call it an "Indian eoi)per," and said it was only
ixhiliitid (in extraordinary occasions, and that its value to the trihe was esti-
iiiat( d at .'it'teen slaves or two hundred blankets. This ''niedicine" wasjire-
si rvcd in an el.iborately ornamented wooden case, and belouLcin^' to the tribe,
lint til the chief, was LMiarded by tlu^ niedicine-mcn. Similar sheets of eop-
liti- ,ire described by Sidiooleraft as in use anion;,' certain of the Vespcrie
iili'iii'_'iiies; il.iy tiiey all be inteudt'J for symliols of the sun, such us that
li V( n need by tlic I'eruviuusy
154
GODS, SUrEIlNATUllAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
(Irift whithtT it woukl. This iloatiii<i' island was tossed
to and iVo many days and l)iill'ott'd ol" the winds oxcecd-
injily, so that all the peojjle thereon died save one man
iind one woman, Avho, seeing their island was ready to
sink, made themselves a eanoe and gat them away to-
ward the west. .Vlter j)addling day and niuht l"or many
suns, they eame to certain islands, whence steering
through tiiem, they came at hist to where the niaiidand
was, heingthe territory that the Okanagans now inhahit;
it was. however, nnich smaller in those days, having
grown nmch since. This man and woman were so sorely
weather-beaten when the}' landed that they found their
original ^\lliteness (jnite gone, and i dusk\' reddish color
in its place. All the people of the continent are de-
scended I'rom this ])air and the dingy skin of their ^torm-
tossed ancestors has hecome a characteristic of the race.
And even, as in time past the wrath of the i'air Scomalt
loosed the island of their ancestors i'rom its mainland,
and sent it adrift with its burden of sinful men, so in
a time to come, the deep lakes, that like some llannibals
vinegar solvn the rocks of the foundations of the world,
and the rivers that run for ever and gnaw tlieni away,
shall set the earth alloat again; then shall the end of the
Avorld he, the awful itsoidaUjh!^
The ^^;di,'<h tribes believe the sun to he the chief deity,
and certain ceremonies, described by Mr J^ord as having
taken place on the death of a chief, seem to indicate that
fire is in some way connected with the great light. ^" The
chief is ex ollicio a kind of priest, presiding for the most
))art at the various observances l)y which the deity of the
sun is recognized. There is the usual ))elief in sorcery
and second sight, and individuals succeed, by force of
!• 7.'os.v' Advn., i)p. 2><7-0.
'" ' The brtivfst WDiniin of the tribe, one used to ciirryins unininnition to
the wiiniiii' when en;^ii;.MMl in iif^ht, b.ii-ed her breast to the person wlio fer
conniLto anil condnci was deemed tit snceessor to the (hi)arted. From the
breast \w ent a small ])ortiuii, viiieh he tln'ew into tlie lire. Slio tlien cut a
small piece from tlie shoulder of the warrior, which was also thrown into
the tirt^ A ])iece of bitter root, with a i^iece of meat, were nest thrown into
tlie tire, all these bein;,' intended as ott'erin;4s to the Snii, th(! deity "f tli"
Kiatheads.' Tnhnir. in l^nril's Xnt., vol. ii., jip. 2:)7-H. For references to the
remaining matter of the paragraph see LI., vul. ii., pj). '^^7-43, 200.
DEITIES OF THE CLALLAMS.
155
L8 tossed
exceed -
jne mail
•eady tt)
Lway t«-
ibr many
s^teeriiip;
naiidand
inbal)it;
s, having
so sorely
ind their
ili^i color
t are de-
cir wtorui-
• the race,
ii- ^Acomalt
mainUmd,
men, so in
llannihaVs
the ^vo^•ld.
lem a^\■ay,
end of the
;liief deity.
us havini:
idicate tliat
lilt.'" The
1)1- the mo^t
ieity of tilt"
in sorcery
|l)y force ol"
lannnnnition to
llH'VSOU wUll fi'V
] She tlii'ii cut ii
Iso lliroNvn into
l'\i tlu'owuiiit"
\w lUity of ih''
.fuVfUCOS to tlio
2m.
s[U'('iid gifts foi' fasting and lonely meditation, in having
tliL-mselves accounted conjurers, — an honor of dubious
prolit, as niedicine-nien are constantly- liable to ]je shot
by an enraged relative of any one whose death they may
be supposed to have Ijrought about.
Tbe (Jlallams, a coast tribe on the mainland oi)posite
tbe south end of Vancouver Island, have a ])rincipal
good deity called by various names, and an evil spirit
calleil t>k(j()coom; to these souie add a certain Teyutlma,
■ the genius of good fortune.' The medicine-men of the
tribe are supposed to have much inlluence both for good
aud evil Avith these spirits and with all the demon race,
or xdumb as the latter are sometimes called. In this
tril)e tiie various conjurers are united )jy the bonds of a
secret societv, the initiation into which is attended by a
good deal of ceremony and expense. Three days and
three nights must the novice of the order fast alone in a
mysterious lodge prepared for him, round which during
all that time the brethren already initiated sing and
dance. This period elapsed, during which it would seeni
that the old nature has been killed out of him, he is
taken up like one dead and soused into the nearest cold
water, where he is washed till he revives; which thing
they call " washing the dead." When his senses are
sulliciently gathered to him, he is set (m his feet; upon
which he runs off into the forest, Avhence he soon reap-
pi'ms a perfect medicine-man, rattle in hand and decked
out with the various trappings of his j)rofession. Ilo
then i)arts all his worldlvgear amonu' his iViends. himself
heuceibrth to be supported only by the fees of his new
culliug.^'
lk;niaui, the creator of the universe, is a powerful deity
among the (^hinooks, who have a mountain named after
him fioni a belief that he there turned hiuiself into stone.
Alter him, or l)elbre him as many say. comes Italapas,
the Coyote, who created men after an iin[)erfect fashion,^"
tau-ht theui how to make nets and catch salmon, how to
II A'/i.r'.s' W'iniiL, ])p. 218-9; G'lbb's Clallam ami Lioiivi I Vocab., p. 15.
I- This vul., pp. 'J5-G.
150 G0D8, SUPERNATUAL BEINGS, AND WOKSHIP.
make a fire, and how to cook ; for this the first fruits of the
lishiiig season are always sacred to him, and his lijiure is
to be found carved on the head of ahnost every Chinook
canoe on tlie Cohnnlna. They have a fire-spirit, an evil
spirit, and a l)ody of familiar spirits, t(imanov:<is. J']ach
person has his special spirit, selected by him at an ejirly
age, sometimes by ftisting and other mollification of the
flesh, sometimes by the adoption of the first object the
child or .>oung man sees, or thinks he sees, on visiting
the woods. These spirits hsive a great eft'ect on the
imagination of the (.Uiinooks, and their supposed direc-
tions are followed under pain of mysterious and awful
punishments ; people converse — " particularly when in the
water" — with them, a^iparently talking to themselves in
low monotonous tones. Some say that when a man dies
his tamanowa passes to his son; l)ut the whole matter
is darkened with much mystery and secrecy; the name
of one's familiar spirit or guardian never l)eing mentioned
even to the nearest friend. A similar custom foi'1)ids
the mention of a dead man's nauie, at least till many
- •
ycai's have elapsed after the bereavement.
The Chinook medicine-men are possessed of the usual
powers of converse and mediation with the spirits good
and evil; there are two classes of them, employed in
all cases of sickness, — the dainhuais, or priests, who in-
tercede for the soul of the patient, and, if necess.ary. for
its safe passage to the land of spirits. — and the h'ehiik'i<.
or doctors, souietiuies wouien, whose duty it is to ad-
ministei' medical as well as spiritual aid.^'*
With the (^lyuses and the AValla- Wallas any one may
become a medicine-man; among the Xez Perces the office
belongs to an hereditary order. Women are sometimes
trained to the profession, but they are not l)elieved to
hold such extreme powers as the males, nor are they
murdered on the supposed exercise of some fatal intlu-
" Wilkes' y<n: in U. S. Rx. Ex., vol. v., pp. 121-5; Cox'n Admi., vol. i., p.
317' J)anu's Ornjun., pp. 12."i-(); Fn inch '•!•(''!< Xar., p. '2.J.S; .Uii/niK, hJxiilor..
toiu. ii., J). ;}51; Ji'isa' A<lrcn., p. '.((I; I'nrh'r's Exjilnr. Tour, jjp. l;t',>, •ild,
2.")l; Tohni ', iuLord's Xdt., vul. ii., p. '24H; (,"ilihs' i'liiiwnk Vnnth., pj). 11, l.'i:
G'dihs', Cl'illitin and Lunniti I'ocnh., pp. 15, '2'J; Irvimfs Astoria, i>i). 3'M-iO;
Tylor's Prim. Cult., vol. ii., p. 253.
SHOSHONE DEIICNS.
157
(1100. For, as with the Chinooks" so hero, the reputa-
tion of sorcerer is at once the most terrible toothers .'ind
the most dangerous to one's self that one can have. His
is a jtower of Hfe, and death ; his evil eye can wither and
IVeeze a hated life if not as swiftlj' at least as surely as
the stare of the Medusa; he is mortal, however, — he can
Any your friend or yourself, and death is bitter, but then
bow sweet an anodyne is revenge! There is no strong
magic can avail when the heart's bl(H)d trickles down the
avenger's shaft, no cunning enchantment that can keep
the life in when his tomahawk crumbles the skull like a
potsherd, — and so it comes about that the conjurers walk
everywhere with their life in their hand, and are con-
strained to be very wary in their exercise of their nefa-
]'i()us powers.^'"'
The Shoshone legends people certain parts of the
mountains of ^lontana with little imps or denums called
iiiiiiiiiJices, who are a])Out two feet long, perfectly naked,
and provided each with a tail. These limbs of the evil
one are accustomed to eat up any unguarded infant they
iiiiiy find, leaving in its stead one of their own baneful
1 aoe. When the mother comes to suckle what she suj)-
[)oses to be her child, the fiendish changeling seizes her
bi-east iind begins to devour it; then, although her screams
and the alarm there])y given soon force the malicious
ini}) to make his escape, there is no ho[)e further; she
(lies within the twen^^y-four hours, and if not well watched
in the meantime, the little demon will even return
and make an end of her by finishing his interrupted
meal. There is another variety of these hobgoblins
call jxfhoioihs, ' water-infants,' who devour women and
t'hihlren as do their brother-fiends of the mountain, and
complete the ring of ghoulish terror that closes round the
Shoshone child and mother.^"
'* Piirker's E.vplor. Tour, p. 2o4: 'The chiefs say, thnt they and their sons
arc too j,'vi'iit to (lie of themselves, aud although they uiiiy be sick, nnd de-
iliiu', iiiid (lie, as othii's do, yet some person, or some evil spirit insti|,'uted
liy sonic one, is the invisible cause of their death; and therefore when a
cliicf. or eliicfs son dies, the supposed author of the deed must be killed.'
'' .l/iv//v/, in tirfiookni/t's Arch., vol. v., p. C52.
"' !<lu(irt'!s Montaud, pp. C4-G.
168
GODS, SUPEllNATL'R.VL KEIN'OS, AND WORSHIP.
Tlio ('iiliforniaii trilu's. taken as a wliolo. aiv pretty
iinil'onii ill tlie main features of their theojionic. hi'liefs.
'I'liey seem, without exception, to have liad a ha/y eoii-
ci'ption of a lofty, almost sM[»reme being; for the most
1
art relerred to as a (Jreat Man, the Old Man Ahove, th»
One Above; attributing to him. however, as is usual in
f^iich eases, nothing but the vaguest and most negativr
functions and ijualities. 'I'he real. })raetical jjower tliiit
most interested them, >vlio had most to do with thein and
they Avith him. was a demon, or body of demons, of a toler-
ably |)i'onoiuiced cjiaracter. In the face of divers assertions
to the elfect that no such thing as a devil pro[»er has ever
l)een found in savage mvtholog\'. we would draw atten-
tion to the following extract I'rom the Po/iio mamiscrij)t of
]Mr i'owers — a gentleman who. both ))y his study and by
personal investigation, has made himself one of the best
(pialihed authorities on the belief of the native Californi-
an. and whose dealings have been for the most part with
, tribes that have never had am' iViendlv Jiitercourso with
white men: — " Of course the thin and nu-agre imagina-
tion of the American savnges was not eipial to the crea-
tion of Milton's magnificent imperial Satan, or of (Joothes
!Me[)histopheles. with his subtle intellect, his vast powers,
his malimiant mirth; but in so i'ar as the Indian (iends
ov devils have the al)ilitv. thev
)11
are wnoilv as wu
ked
lis
tl
lese
Tl
ie\- ai
e totallv ))ad, thev hiivo no uood thin'.
in them, tluy think only evil; but they are weak and
nndignilied iind absurd; they arc as much beneath Satan
as the ' l>ig Indians' who invent them are inl'erior in
iuiiigination to dohn Milton.'" ^^
A definite location is generally assigned to the evil
.one as Ins favorite residence or resort; thus the Oali-
•fornians in the county of Siskiyou, give over Devils
Castle, its mount and lake, to the malignant spirits, and
avoid the vicinity of these places with all possible Ciire.
Th
le medjcme-man ot tliese people is a j)ersonage ol some
importance, dressing in the most costly iurs; he is a nou-
coinbatant. not coming on the field till after the li^lit ; amoni;
"/V(W/\s /'.
M.S.
SACRED FIRES.
!.-',»
othciMlulics. it is uhsolutc'ly lU'Ccssjiry forliimto visit any
(•;iiii|» IVdiii wliicii till! tribi' lius hci'ii tliivcn hy tlii'
ciu'iiiy. tliiTt' to cliiuit tlio (loiitli-soiiir iind ii|)jK'iis(' tlic
iiii;iry spii-it tlint wroiiglit this jii(l<iiiK'iit ol' (Icrcat, for
only iil'tcr this has heoii dono is it thout:ht safe to lijiht
iiLiaiii the lodi^iV-flivs on tlu' old iK'arths. Once lit these
lodiit'-liivs are never allowed to j:'o ont dnriiiu" times ol'
|H'ace; it would he a, had omen, and omens are every-
thing' with these men. and dedueihlo IVom all things.
The powei" of prophecy is thoroughly helieved in. and is
credited not only to special seers, hut also to distinguished
warriors piinn' into hattle; in the latter case, as I'ar at
Iciist iis their own .several late is concerned; this, acconl-
iiiii' to Mr Miller, they often predict with startling accu-
riicv
'riiere isa stranuesacredness mixed u]) with the ,sweat-
amonu' the Cahrocs. the I'lurocs, anil
iiouse an(
1 it
s use,
iii;ni\" other tribes.
he men ot every village spei
id th
winter and rainy season in its warm shelter; hut sfpiaws
nrc forbidden toenter. under jtenalty of death, except wIkmi
they are initiali'd into the ranks of the 'medicines.'
So consistent are the Indians in this matter, that women
arc not allowed even togather thewoo(l that is to be burned
in the sacred fire of u sweat-house; all is done bv men, and
that onl\' with certain precautions and cercmonie;
Th
Cl
acred lire is lit every year in Sei)tember by a 'medi-
ne who has uone out into the forest and fasted and
meditated for ten days; and. till a certain time has
cla])sed.ii() secidareyo must behold so much as the smoke
ol' it under awful penalties. The llame once burning is
never sulVered to go out till the spring l)egins to reiuU'r
lurther heat unnecessary and inconvenient.
On one only occasion is the ban lifted from the head
of women; when a female is being admitted to the medi-
cine ranks, she is made to dance in the sweat-house
till she falls exhausted. It does not appear, howevci".
that even liy becoming a medicine can she hope to see
twice the interior of this lodjre.
Jua.iixhi .Miller's Li/f fimomjat the Modocs, pp. 21, 110, '25'J-GO, 300.
160
(K)I)S, SrrKUN.VTUUAL liHlNCS, ANI) WollSIIir.
Till! lulinissioii of a iiiiui to the nu'diciiic is a inticli
K'vc'i't'r alViiii'. llr imist it'tii'c to tlie I'oivst lor ten (la\s,
(•iitiii|4 )io nu'iit tlic while, and only cnoii.uli acorn-poirid^o
to keep the lifi' in him; tla- ten diiys i)ast. he retni'ns to
the .sweat-lioMse and leaps ii[) and down till he tails, just
as the woman did.
The doctors ()!■ sorcerers ar«' of two kinds, ' root doctors'
and ' hiirkin}: doctoi's.' To the hin-kinj:' doctor lidls the
(liaji'iiosis of a case of sickness, lie. or she, s(|nats down
oi)[)()siti^ the patient, and harks at him after the manner
of an enraged cnr, for hours to;^ether. If it he a poison-
ing case, or a ease of malady inllicted ])y some conjurer,
the l)arkin<i' doctor then goes on to suck the evil thing out
through the skin or administir emetics, as may he
deemed desiral)le. If the (;ase. however, ho one of less
serious [)ro[)orti(Mis, the ' harker,' after having made his
diagnosis, retires, and the rooisloctor comes in, avIio, with
his lierhs and simples and ii few minor incantations. [)ro-
ceeds to ciu'O the ailment, .'f a ])atient die, then the
medicine is lorced to retui'n his fee; and if he refuse
to attend on anyone and the person die. then he is forced
to i)ay to the relatives a sum eipiul to that which was
tendered to him as a fee in the hegimiing of the affair:
thus like all professions, that of a medicine has its
draw-l)acks Jis well as advantages.
Several Xorthern (J'alifornian tril)es have secret socie-
ties which meet in a lodge set a])art. or in a sweat-house,
and engage in munnneries of various kinds, all to fright-
en their women. The men pretend to converse with the
devil, and make their meeting-})lace shake and ring again
with yells and whoops. In some instances, one of their
numl)er, disguised as the master (lend himself, issue,^ from
the haunted lodge, and rushes like a madman through
the village, doing his hest to frighten contumacious
women and children out of their senses. This, it would
seem, has heen going on from time immemorial and tl!e
l)Oor women are still gulled ])y it, and even frightened
into more or less prolonged fits of wifely propriety and
less easy virtue.
CALiroUNIAN DIJTIKS.
li.l
Tlu' coast trilics of Di-l N'ortc Coinih , Ciiliroriiia. lixc
in ('(Mistaiit terror of a maliuiiaiit spirit tli.-.t takes the
I'lnii of certain animals, tlii' I'oi'in ol" a hat. oi' a hawU, of
a larantnla. and so on, — l)nt especially (h'li;:hts in and
allects that ol" a screech-owl. The helieroftlie Kiissian-
lli\'er trihes ;nid others is i)i'actically identical w ifh this.
The ('ahrocs have, as we already know, some concep-
tion of a ureat ileity. called ('hare\a. the Old Man Aho\<';
lie is wont to api»ear npon earth at times to some of tlu!
iiiiot llivored soi'ceivrs; he is desci'ihed as weai'in^'
a close tunic, with a inedicine-hai:', and as ha\ iiiii' lon^
white hair that Calls venerahly ahout his shoulders,
i'riftically. howeser, the Cahroi's, liki' the majority of
("alilornian trihes, venerate chieily the coyote. (ireat
dri'ad is also had of certain forest-demons of nocturnal
lialiits; these, say the Mnrocs. take the form of In-'ars and
shoot arrows at heni^ihted wayfarers.'''
lletween the foi'euoi nt:' outlines of (^difornian helief
and those conni'cted with the remainini,;' trihes. [lassin^-
can detect no salient diilerence till we I'each
south, we
the Olchones. a coast trihe
het
ween
an I' rancisco an*
I
Monterey: the smi here he^i-ins to he connecte(|. or iden-
tilicd hy name, with that jzjvat spirit, or ratlu'r, that IViu;
M
m. who mat
le Ih
le eartli and wlio rnii's in tlie sk\
th
So we lind it a^aiii hoth ai'ound Monterey and aroinid
San liUisOhispo; the first fruits of the earth wi-reolfeivd
ill these neiiihhorhoods to the ,ureat liiiht, and his rising
was iiri'eted with cries of io\'.''
Father (ierunimo Jioscaiia" uives ns the followiiiji;
p<
j:
MS.
«| I',' I'ljiiif s \''ii/., vol. ii., \i. 7><.
21 /•<(;;(. s, 'ill Xii'iu-illi-.i Aiiii'th.'i il<>i }'"!/., vol. oi., jtp. .110, X^~).
F.illiir lidscaiiii, one of tin' fiirlitst iiiissionaiifs to r]i]ii'i' ('aliforniii,
il liini the short niiiiiiiscript liistoiy from wliirli tlic tradilicii foii(
lift
iii'j in till' text lia:
1»
takfii.- thron''li the iiirdinm of a now rare trniisla-
tinii liy Mv Kobinson. rilled with the i)rcjndic(>s of itsai,'!' and of the iirofi't
.-inn of its author, it is yet niarvdoiisly triithlikc; tlKHij^h ii jiainstaldn;^' car
■vidiiitlv bci-n used with rcj'ard to its
ist uiiiianntly insi^'nilicaiit
itails. there are none of thuso too visilih^ wrenehini's aftil- eonsisteiiev, and
if lacunae which so surely betray the hand of the soi.histicatur
id 1;
d sul
:'t>
rh.r
e are
tillii
in so ni.uiy monkish m:innsori]>ts on lik<
f'MUul on the other ham
uuJ many naive an 1 puzzlfccl comments on the wbulu. It is utipureuily tho
if ii'iiorauce on doubtfi
il ixunts,
Vol. 111., n.
I
' i
h\2
(K)])S, SrrKU.N'ATUKAL IJEINOS, a.nL) WOliSIIir.
ivliitioii of the C'ltli iiiul worsliip ol' tlio AcaLiclieiiKii)
nations, in the ' aMcy and nciiililxirliood of San Juan
( 'apistrano. (^ililoniia. Paitol" it Avoiild i'all natm'all\
into tliat })art of thi.^ v,;);'iv alloted to orii^in; but the
whole is so intiniatelv mixed with so nnieh eoneerninii
the life. (Urds. and worship <)t'\aiious sM})eniatin'al \)vv-
sona,iri's tliat it lias seemed better to (it its ])resent position
than any othei'. Of the lirst part of thi' ti'adition there
are two versions -if indeed they be vei'sions of thi' same
tradition. \\ Cuive (ii'st that \'ersion ludd by the scrrtiiias.
Ol' hi^hlaiiders. of the interior country, thire or foui'
h'aiiues inland from the said San .luan (^ipistrano: —
lU'fore the material world at all existed there lived tw(t
bein.L^s, brother and sister, of a nature that can not he
explained; the brother livin_i;' above, and his name
meaiiinu' the Heavens, the sister living below and her
name signilyini;' I-^arth. From tlu> union of these two.
there sprang' a mimerous olVsprin.u". l-'arth and sand
Avere the lirst fruits of this niarria>i:e; then were born
rocks and stones; then trees both ureat anil small: then
gi'ass and herbs: then animals; lastly was born a izivat
]Hrsonai:e called Ouiot. who was a ""iirand cajitain." Hv
some unknown mother many children of a medicine ra.c
were bmii to this Ouiot, All tlie^e things happeiu'il
in the north: and afterward when men were crejitcd
they were created in the nortii: i,iitas the ])e()|)le multi-
])lied they moved toward the south, the earth growini:
lar,t!»i' also and extending;' itself in the same direction.
In process of time. < )uiot bccomint;' old. hi.>- chil-
dren i)lotte(l to kill him. allcLiini: that the inllrmi ies nt'
li)iit,'i'>.t 1111(1 tlif most v;iln,'.lilii noiii'c in cxistiiicc uti the rdi'^ioii of a ' iitioii I'f
tlic native ('alil'i)riiiaiis, as oxihtiui; at tlir tiiiir ut tlic S[iaiiisli conqi st. ;inil
jiKiri' wiMtliy cif cDiiiiili lu'c thai, the (.fi'iu ral run nf such (lucnniriil ■ o( iiii.v
(late wliatcvci . Till' fatht'i' piociiiiMl iiis iiitoniiatidii iis fiiljows. iV' sa\>>:
'({(111 assi;.'ii(il to nil! thfi'i' ii^,'iil Imliaiis, the younL,'(sl of wlioni \mis um i
scvrnty viai's of \i'j,o. They kni'w all tlu' Mrnls. for two of tluui wiiv
cuiiitiiiifs. ami the othri' u /) (/. \i ho wi re \vi 11 iiistruifi il in the inysti'i'ii s. liy
(,'ij'ts, .■nilrunmnts, ami kimliifss, I clii'itid fi-oiii thiiii tluir sicrcts. vitii
thi'ir ixplanations; ami liy witinssiiiL,' thi- iiMi'iiioiiii s which tiny iiciforim li.
1 Icaiiiid liy ilc^Mct's, their niystiriis. Tims, liy ilcvotiiiL,' a jiortion of tin
nights to profounil nicilitatioii, ami coni|iarint; their actions with t'nir lii'--
ciosnrcs. I win eiiahleil after a lonu time, to iicijiiirt' ii knowledge of ilii ii i'-
li^ion.' Iiii.-<ciuiii. in Jitihinsoii'^ J.ij'i in I'ni. ji, 'I'M.
TUE COYOTE OP^ THE ACAGCIIEMEMS.
1C3
iiii .luiin
\iituriil\\
, hut tlu'
uvul \)v\--
t position
ion thovc
' tilt' siunr
2 or i'oiii'
lino: —
I livod two
-iin not lie
his iiiuiu'
sv and her
these two.
anil sin*l
^vc'iv horn
qnall: then
)rn a 'sv-'^^
ain." I'v
lii'ino ra.'c
hi»p|H'nril
v(> crcatnl
)|)U' ninUi-
tli urowinu
ircction.
I. iru *'hil-
ilirnii ii'> "'
,)ii(>f iiMiti«'iii'f
..•niiirlll • "f •'">
lows. •■■>■•'>'
wlKiin va- i'^< '
,,t thtui wiiv
i.ivst.ri'S. I'-v
iv 'sccivts. ^M"
|tl„.y i-cvfonii"'.
iii'ivtiini "' "■'
xvith I'l'i'' ''"-'
L.,l,'r of '-lull 1' -
;i<4f uiadoliim unfit any longer to govern them or attend
to their weUiu't'. So tliey put a strong })oison iu his
(hink. rnd when lie drank of it a sore sickness eaiiie
upon hi'u: he rose up and lel't liis liome iu the
mountains and went (h)wn to what is no\v the sca-sliore,
tiioni:h at that time theiv was no sea there. His mother,
whose name is t!ie I'larth. mi.xed him an anti(K)te iu a
large shell, and st't the [)otiou out iu the si.u to hi' w ;
lint tin' iVagrauee ol" it attracted the attention of the
('()\()te. \kho came and overset the shell. So(.uiot sick-
ened to death, and though he told his chihh'eu tlnit he
would slii)rtly return and lie with them again, he has
never heeu seen since. .Ml the people made a great
pile of wood and huriit his hod\- there, aiK- just as the
ceremony hegau the('oyote leajie 1 upon tin hody. saying
that he would hum with it: hut he only t(»re a jjit'ce of
tlesh li'oin the stomach and ate it and e.^eaped. After
that the title of the ( 'oyote was ehangeii tiom Myac(|Ue.
which means Snh-i'aptaiu. to I'hio. that is to say. Thief
and ( 'auuilial.
When now the funeral rites were oxer, a general coun-
cil was held and arrangements made for collecting ani-
mal and \e;^etahle I'ikmI: for u]; to this time the childn-n
and ile-^-i'udauts (if Oniot had no^^hiug to vaI hut a kiin'l
of white (da\. And while tiny eoi"^iilted togethei'. he-
lii'l I ;i marvelous thing appear'Mi Isefoi'e them, and they
.»lHike to it sa;.ing: A rt tiioi, our captain. ( )uiot. lint the
>-lieeti-e said: Nay. for 1 am greatei' than ( )uiot : my
iiiihitation is aho\c and \n\ name is ' 'hiniLiehinich.
Then he spoke thrther. having heeu t(»ld lor what they
weie come together: 1 create all things, and I go now to
in;iki' man. another people like unto you: as for _\imi 1
t:i\e yoii power, each after his kind, to proihice all tiood
and pleasant thiu'js. One of you shall liiiu'j. rain, and
aneiher dew. and another make the acorn grow, and
etliia^ other seeds, ami yet others shall cau,>^e all kinds of
u.iiiie t(» ahoiuid in the land: and your children shall
lia\-e this power lor e\'er. and they shall he sorcerers to
tile men I go to creati'. and shall receive gifts of them,
i
'
I.
■'
li
H
n
ill I
H
. i
1
i ■ !
■■
ii '■
! 'ff
' !,■ '
ll
: .1 1; '
M
: '^'
l(;i (lODS, sn-EllXATURAL P.EIN'(iS, A\I) WORSHIP.
thiit til"' ;j;iiiu' fail not and the harvests ho snre. Then
( 'hiniL:cliinich niadi' man: out ol" the clav of the lakt' he
loi'mt'd him. nuiU' and I'cniale: and tlic lu'csfnt ('alifor-
nian-- art' ihc <lt'sc('n(huits ol" the (tno or moi'c pah's thei'i.'
and thus criatcth
So {'iu\> tht' known tradition of thi' mountaineers:
we nnist now ,i:<» hacl<. and take up the stoi'v anew at it^
hcLiinnin.L:. as told 1)\' the /V'"/"//'/s. or people of the \alle\
of San .1 iiau ( "apistrano. These sav that an in\isihle
all-powerl'nl heiuii'. called Xoeunia. luade the world and
all that it contains of thin/s thai iirow and move. llr
made it round like a hall and held it in his hands, wluiv
it rolle(l ahout a iiood deal at fii'st. till he steadied it hv
.stickiuii' a hi'i\\' hlack rock called /o,-.v/"/ into it. as akiml
ol'halla<t. The sea was at this time o)dy a little streai.i
r.nniiu'i' I'ound the world, and so crowded with lish that
tiieir twinklin;ji (ins had no ionii'er room to moM': so
<i'reat was the press that some of the mori' t'oolish fry
Asei'e for eiVectin,^' a landiuL! and I'oundiiiu:' a colon _\ .
upon the ilvy land, and it was oidy with the utmo-t
dilliciihy that they were jK'i'suaded hy tlieii' elders, that
the killinii air and hanet'ul sun and the want ol' leef nuist
inialllMy proxc the destructim) hel'ore many da,ys ol' a.l
who took part in such a ilesperate enterprise. Tlie i.mj'pei-
plan was i'\idently to impro\'e and enlarLi'e their j)reseiit
home: and to this end. principidly \)y the aid of one very
lai'ii'e lish. they hroke the v:\vikt rock fosaut in two. fjnd-
ii>/ a hladdei" in the ci'ntr<' tilled with ;» very hotter f\\h-
t^i.DH-i'. The taste of if Jtleascd the iy\l. ^> i\v.'y 0\1<1\>\\<''\
it into tht' water. an<l iuslaijfly fh<' wji-fz-r (jecarnc snlt
inn\ swelK d up and overlloMfd a ;ire:it [ntrf <i^ tihe <7l<J
( I'th. and luaile it.scjf tlx- n.<'w lx)undaries thai A'ni'"'"
i'.j iiiis <]u^V,
Then' ^n'K'iHna cr/';*te<| a iriari. .•'hjiimi/ hiiu (>n#/>f tiif
Hoi'l «/f Uk' i'A\\\\. <'allinu' liim l^joui \ woman al-
^t';tf ii'tx! pre.siiuiahly of th«' farn/' ma;teria'
': ■; ■ i"dl (.' ~ \/', M.tuv cliililren were lK)rn to
fii 1 y.ww ' 'm ir r^les^'+'iulairfs mnltij>h<'d over thf 1
Tl*«' U4HW ■■• 'i' tlu^n^ )a*«t Will' J^ifoui. Unit in t<> '•
i;!"i
Tirn Fn;ST MEDIf'INF.-M.VX.
ir.5
Tlu'ii
lake lir
rs tlu'l'r
niiUH'Vs:
■w lit it<
II' Villl*'\
iiivisiUlt'
orltl aiul
XV. n>'
Is. wluri'
Icil it l»y
as a kiu'l
\v stri'ai.i
|;isli tliai
K/lisli iVy
a colon}.
he utiuo>t
.<U'rs, flKit
feet inil>l
iay.-*)!';"^
"he \>Yn\)v\-
\y itrt'St'Ut
r (iiic very
two. flU'l-
(•'.n\tti'''l
,iI!U' >'''^^
Iin :»i>''
lr,a', -
II to flti"
Ir til-
is to ^■'>-
llaii'H'iil of T()l)ac('u, and tlic uaiiic of liis wife xvas ^'ca-
jiit. wliicli means .Mhjnc; and to Siroiit ami Vcaiiit was
horn a, .<on. wliilc tlifv li\(Ml in a |ilac(' north-cast ahont
ciLiht l{'!i,i:ii('s from San .) nan ( 'aiilstrano. The name of
this <t»\ was Oniot, that is to say hoininator: hf \ivrw a
Iji'icc and re(h)nhtahl(' ^va^^iol'; haiiiihtx . anihitions. t\ ran-
ii()ii>. he cxtcnili'il his lordship on t-xcry side rnlinii;
('Xfrwvhcrc as with a rod ol" iron: and the jicoplc con-
spircil aLiain^t him. It was determined that he shonid
(lie h\ |)(»1S( Ml : a l)|e('e (
if the I'ock tosant
was uronnd ni>
ill Ml deadly a way that its mere extei'iial apijlicaiion
was siiHicieiif to cause death. < Miiot. notwithstamlinL:;
tliat lie held hinr-^ell' constantly on the alert. liaxinL; heeii
warned ol' his dandier ity a small hnri'owinL; animal called
\\\r ri/ciiij)'/ Avas niiahle to a\did his late: a lew i!rain.><
III' ihe cai ker r<mi\tm'e were drop] leil npon his hreast
while III' siepl. and the strong' mineral ate it- \\a\- to the
\rv\ s[»rin,L:s of his lile. .Ml the wi.M' men of the land
\\i
wi
■I'e ealled to his assistance; hut there was nothing;' fo
nil sa\c to die. His l)(»d\ was hnnieil on a ureat jiile
til soii'j^ of io\- and dances, and the nation rejoiced.
W
iilc th.
oiile were iiatlierei
to tl
lis end. it xva?
_!lit ad\isa!)le to eonsnlt on the ieasihilil\ ol pr(»-
and lle>li t > eat in-^tead of the c!a\- which
seen
I I
ip to this time h( rii the .sole looil of the hmiiaii
I'aiiilh'. And while they yet talked toLi'ether. tliei'e ap-
jM'ai' ' them, coming' tlie\ knew not whence one
culled .\ttajeii. •■ wliicli name implie< man, or rational
'>"iiiu. And .\ttaieii nnderstandiirj their desires, chose
'/i<l cei'tui;/ /yf the elders aiiioiii:' them, and to tlie-v i^axc
lie i^W'cr: /flie that he mi,i:ht ean.se rain to fall to an-
fvtlier that lie mi :lit caiiv(> uanie to ahoiiii<l. and -o with
the rc4. to each his power and pift. and to the -ucces.xors
nr(;i('Ji I'oj" ^'ver. 'Kiiese were the first nit d'cine-nien.
.M'-' "ars Ik^ "m" "litpsed since the death of ( )lllot,
H'cr .ii'cil i' line place one called ()iiiamot.
I >oii (it' i .d -Vn/.ar — people imkiiowii, hut
' iit l»\ IJoscana. of " some distant land.''
i^ii' Onr.un'tt M irf;f|er Know n li\ hisuivat ii:mie ( 'liini'i-
ICO
GODS, SUPERN'ATniAL I'.FJNdS, AND WORSHIP.
chinicli. wliicli iiu'aiis Alinidity. He iii'st niiinircstt",!
)iis powers to tlu' ])('ople on a diiv wlicii tlu'V liad met in
('()ii;j,ivu'ati()ii for some ])ui'j)()s(' or otlici': lie appeared
daneinu' before them crowned with a kind of hiiih
erowii made of tall leathers stuck into a cii'cletof some
kind, girt with a kind of petticoat of leathei's. and liavinLi'
liis llesh painted black and red. Thus decorated he was
called the fobcf. \ lavinji' danced souie time, ( 'hinipchinicli
called out the niedicine-men. or /inji/onx as tliey wei'c
ailed.
monji' Avhom it would aj)i>ear tiie c
•hiei;
are
always nund>ered. and confirmed tiieir j)owei': tellim;
them that he had c(jme from the stars to instruct tluMii
in dancinu' and all other things, and commandini"' that
in all their necessities they should array themselves in
the tohet, and so dance as he had diuiced. supi)licatiun
him hy his ^reat name, tlait thus they miiiht receive
of their petitions. lie tam:lit them how to worship
him. liow to huild niiiipiii'hs. iw jjhices of worship, iuid
how to direct their conduct in vai'ious alVairs of life.
Then he i)repared to die. and the ])eople asked him if
they should hiu'v him; hut he warned them aiiainst
attemptinii' such a thinu': If ye buried me, he said, yc
woidd tread upon my urave. and for that my hand would
be heavy upon you: look to it. and to all your ways.
for lo. I u'o up whi're the hidi stars are. where mini' eyes
shall see all the ways of men: and whosoexer will imt
keej) my couuuandments nor obserNC the things 1 haxc
tauiiht. behold dist'ase shall plaiiu<> all his body, and no
food shall come near his lijis. the beai' shall rend his
flesh, and the crooked -tooth of the serpent shall stiii.u
him.
The vaiKjuech. or ])lace of worship, seems to haxc btcii
an inn'oofed imdosure of stakt's. within which, on :i
hurdle, was placed the image ol' the god ('hinigcliinicli.
This image was the sl<in ol' a coyote oi' that ol' a moimt-
ain-cat stuffed with the feathers of cei'tain l>irds. ami
with various other things, so that it looked like a liw
animal: a liowand some arrows were attached to it on tlio
outside, and other arrows were thrust down its throat so
SANCTUARIES OF KEFUGE.
i(;7
festc'd
not in
|)oun'il
I' SDMU-
luivinii
lio 'VVtlS
I'liinu'li
A' ^vol•o
id's arc
tcUiu;^
a tlu'ui
ivi that
dvos ill
plU'ivtin;:^
t nrrivc
Avorsliip
4ii\>. aiul
s of lil\'.^
L'll lihu it'
I u;-ia\iir^t
saul. yo
uv\ would
)iir \va\>^.
niiu' eves
^viU n"t
us I l>:>vc
y. iUld 110
■ vend lii^
hivll stiii;i
lliavr 1>« en
]ch. ou :i
[iuvliiiiit'li-
a nionii'-
i.inls. :iu'l
liko a livi"
jtoiton tin'
Is tUvoat s<t
tliat tin- fcatluTs of tliem apjK'ai-ed at tiic inoutli as out
)l a <|i
iixcr,
Tl
le uliole
niuv o!
tl.
K' luclosiirc was
acrt'd. ami not to \)v approached without ivvi'iviu'o; it
ijocs not sct'in that saci'ilict's formed any ])art ol' the wor-
ship there oll'ered. hut only i)rayer. and soiuetinies a kind
(»rpantoiuine ooniU'cted with the undertakinji' desiri'd to
furthered — thus, desiring' success in huntiim' (
)ne
n
iiiniicked tlu' actions of the chase, leaping' and t wangling
^v. I'ach vaiKjuech was a citv of i'efui:e. with
i:lits of sanctuar\" exceeding' an\' c\'er granted in dewish
one s
( 'hristian countrie
Xot
onl\- was c\er\ cnunna
safe tliciv whatexer his crime, hut the crime was as it
were hlottod out from that moment, and the olfendei' was
at lilterty to leave the sanctuary and walk ahout as
fu'fore; it was not lawful o\en to mention his criii-.e: ail
tliat the aven^ii'er could do was to })oint at him and deride
liiiii. sa\in
liimiix
hiuich
(). a coward, who has heeii i'orced to tlee to
This lliuht was rendered so much a
meaner thinii' in that it only turned the iHuiishmeiit from
the licad of him that lied n[)()n that of some of his rela-
lil
e wi
nt for life, eve foi' ese. and tooth for tooth,
to the thii'd and I'ourth izeneration. for iustice' sal
\e
tives
l)csides (Miini,;j.'chiuich they worshiped, or at any I'ate
leaved, a ,ii'od called Touch: who inhahited the moun-
tains and the howels of the earth. a))pearin_LL'. howexcr.
iVoni time to time in the form of \arions animals of a
tcniiyinLi' kind. livery child at the aiic of six or scNcn
ivcrivcd. sent to him from this Liod. some animal as a
iMotcctor. To fnid out what this animal oi' spirit in the
>liaiie of animal was. narcotic drinks were s\vaUo\\C(l. or
the suhject fasted and. watclu'd in the \au«|Uech for a
i:i\en time, •generally thi'ee da\s. lie \\hose rank
i'iitith'(l him to wait for his u'liardian apparition in tlu'
aci'e(
1 in(l(
osiire. Avas set there l»\- tir' si(h' of the uod
iiuauf. iuid on the _Liround hetiu-e him wcs sketched hy
• tile of the wise men an uncouth li,Liure of some animal.
The child was then left to <N»mplete his \iiiil. heint;'
waiiii'd at the same tim« to endure its hard'-hips with
liaticiKU'. in that ai \ atti-mpt t«» infriuLic upon its rules,
168
GODS, SlTEItNATUlIAL J3KIN(;S, AND AVOliSIIlP.
])y eatiiiu' or driiikiii;:' orotlicrwise, uoiild 1)0 r('})orti'(l to
the ,u<)(l 1)V the sjiruwling' fiiiin'o tlie eiicliaiitcr had drawn
in iho ''lav. and that in snch a case the punijshnient of
( 'hini^^fhinicli would he tei'rihle. Alter all this was
ovei", a scar ^vas made on the childs rijiht ana. and •■^oiiie-
tiiU'vs on tlu' tinek part of the leu' also, hy eoNcriuu' the
])art, ■■ aiTordlnu' to the (i^iu'e riMniired."' with a i)eeuliar
lierh dried and powdered, and settiiii:' lire to it. This
Avas a !)ran 1 oi" seal re((uired hy Chinijiehinich, and was
hesides supposed to sti'en^^then the nerves and ii,i\e '"a.
hetter pulse for the management of the how. "'^
'rhe.\eaii('liemeuis. like many other (^difornian ti'ihes,'-^
reuar'l the ui'eat huzzard with sentiuients ol' veneration.
whiK' they seem to ha\e had eonneeted with it sewral
rites and ideas jjectdiar to themselves. They called this
hird the poiir^. and once every year they had a testi\al ol"
the same name, in which the principal cei'emony was the
kiUiuL;' of a huz/ard ivithout losinu' a drop of its hlood.
It was next skimK'd. all ])ossil)le care heiuu taken to pi'e-
serve the feathei's entire, as these were used in makinu'
the featliered jiettieoat and diadem, already descril)ed as
part of thetohet. I.ast(.f all the hody Avas hurii'd within
the sacred inclosiu'e amid ureat aii[)arent tirief from tla
old wouu'U. they mouruinii as o\er the loss of rela-
tive or friend. 'i'radition explained this: the panes
had iudeeil hc'en once a woman, 'vhom. wanderiuL:' in the
mountain ways, the Lireat li'od ( 'hiin,i:('hinich had come
suddeidv upon and ehau^cd into a hird. How this was
eomiected with the killimi' of her anew every Near hy
the people, and with cei'tain extraordinai'y ideas held
relati\i' to that killing' is. howevei'. iiy no means cleai';
for it was helieved that as often as the hird was killed it
was made ali\(' auain, and more, and faith to mo\i
moinitains — that the hinks killed in one same yearly feast
in many se[)arate villages were one and the same hird.
llow these things were or why. none knew, it was enough
53 Set" J). 113, (if fliis vdlniiii', for ii custnin aiuoiiL,' the 'Mexicans not witli-
nut iin.tlnnics tit this.
21 Sec ji. l:!!. Ill' lliis voliimi.'.
\ I
n'ti'd to
I drawn
llRMlt ol'
his WHS
(1 souie-
I'iii;^ tlu'
pociiliar
t. This
and was
u'ive "a
itrilK's.-'
u'vation.
t s('\ri'al
died this
L'stival ol"
^- was the
its Mood,
•n to |)i'i'-
y luakinti
sci'ihcd as
d within
from the
of ri'la-
|lu' IKUK'S
w'j: in thi'
had conu'
this wa-
Near I
Ums he
l.l
hns (icav
;ilU'd
It
to nio\
a\i\ It
a>t
inu' iiU'i
AND TIIEEE WAS WAK IN HEAVEN.
lil'J
that thcv were a connnandnicnt and ordinance of Chinig-
chiiiicli, whoso wavs woiv not as the ways of nu'ii.''''
Tin- rci'iciics ol' Lower California wei'e divided into
two serfs. worshipinLi' two liostile dixinities who made
a war of extei'mination u])on eaeli other. The tradition
explains tliat there was a izreat loi'd in hea\en. called
\i|i;n'.i\ a. w ho made eai'th and st'a. and was almightv
and invisiiile. His wife was .\navicovondi. a pMJdess
wlio. I'i.i; i-;!i possessinLi' no hodv. hore him in ;i di\ini'l\-
in\ steriii...- manner three children : one of whom. (^>iiaa_\ -
axj). was a real man and hoiai on earth, on the Acarajiiii
iiKMiiitains. \'crv powerful this vomiu uod was. and a.
lull/ lime he li\ed with the ancestors of the l*ei'i(aies.
wlidiii it isi'.hiiost to he inferi'ed that he created : at an v rate
we ail' told that he was ahle to make men. di-awini: them
iiji oil! of the earth. '^Fhe men at last killed this their
uieat hero and teacher, and put a ci'own of thoi'us n])ou
liis licad."' Somewhere or other he remains Ivini:' dead
to this da\ . and he remains constantlv heautiful. neither
lines his hodv know corrn[ition. IMood drips constantlv
I'roiii h;s wounds, and Im" can speak no more, heiiii: dead;
\et there is au o\v
!ia
t sjH'aks to huu
And 1
lesidcs till
lieiore-sjioUen
-of uod X
il)ara\a ni heaven.
tl
lere wa^'
auotherand hostile i:nd calle*! W'ac or Tuparau. Accord-
ing' to the .\ ipara\ a sect, liiis ^\'ac had madt' war on their
ta\i»rite pvl, and heeii hv Iiim defeatecj and cast forth of
lica\tn into acaxe under the i-arth. of which ca\f the
tl
whales ol the sea were the liiiai'tlKins
th
Witl
I a iH'i'Ni'l'se
t!ioii;_!i not unnattn'al. ohstinae\ the sect that held Wuc oi
Tu['aran to lie their ureat i:od persisted in holdiuL;' idea-
|h'cihiai'
to tl
leni.M'lves w
ith rciiard to the truth of the
hs euouuh
I'ore-oiii;.:' storx ; and theii' account of the j^i'cat war In
licascu and itMH'sidts dilVered from the otliei'. as dif/ei' the
I fcrd^ol hetenMlo\andorthodo.\e\('r_N whel'e ; t luv aM'l'ihe.
|i»r L'xanipU'. \K\\'\ of till' creation to other uods IjesiJe.s
?fi:
liiis not ^Yilll■
'-•■' /i
)'>.si->f,|.(, ill till',' u^-u Ill's
Ij/i In Cul., pp. 2V2 ;!iM.
-'• Till' rlivwliaii 1. a\c'ii. whose \viii'l<iii','s avi' tvidiui tiii'Hi^h this iiiir
U\i\ l'( Miniit^ hi 11 ti.Mi viohiilly tn uwd puintiiig oiU.
iK
I
■
'I
IP
i
170
(il)I)S, sri'EUNATtrAL BEINGS, AND AVOllSIIIP.
Xi|)iir;i\!i."'' 'L'Ik' Cot'liiiiiis und ri'iiiiiiiiini:' iiativi's of tlic
( 'iililnrniaii pi'Miiistilii .si'i'iii to \\ii\v licld in tlic iiiiiiii
iiuit'li till' saiiic idciis with regard t<» the ;i()ds and powci's
;il)t)vi' them as the IV'i'icnes held, and the sorciTers of all
had the coimnoii ltlo\vin;is. lea])in,Lis, I'astin.ns. and other
imiinnieries that nia,ke these professors of the sinister art
so nnu'h alike evei'\ where in oiii" territory.'"
The iiatixcs (»f .Ve\ada have ideas respectinji' a ji'reat
kind Spirit of some kind, as well as a invth eoncerninii'
an e\il one; hut tlu\\' liave no special class set apaii as
The I'tah helii'f seems to he as nearly
di
ni<'iiicine-iiieii."
as j)ossil)le identical with tha,t of \e\ada.'"'
The Coiiiaiiches ac.knowled;^e more or less vngnelv a
Supreme Spirit. l)nt seem to use the Sun and the l']arth
as mediatoi's with and. in some sort, as eiid)odiments of
him. They have a- I'ecogiii/ed hody of sorcerers called
•jxiijKfdiifn.i. and various I'di^iioiis ceremonies and chants;
for tile most ])art of a simple kind, and directed to the Sun
as the lii'eat source of life, and t(^ the f'arth as the pro-
ducer and receptacle of all that sustains life. According'
lo the A l)hi' Donieiiecli. eveiy Comanche Aveai's a little
figure of the sun. attached to iiis neck, or has a picture ol'
it jiainted on his shield; from the ears of each hanj;' also
two crescents, which may })ossil)ly represi'nt the moon.''
The A[)aches recojziii/e a su})reme jiower in lieaAcn
under the name ^'axtaxitaxitanne. the ci-eator and ma.-tcr
of all thinus : hut they renthn' him no o]H'n service nor wor-
ship. Toa.ny taclturncnnning man they are accustomed
to (M'edit intercourse with a preternatural power of some
kind, and to look to \\m\ as a sort of oracle in \ariou-
emergencies. This is. in fact, their medicine-man, and
^i^ Sec pp. S:1 (. tins volinno.
"■* Vi'di-iiitfi. S'ithl!-< ih id I'll}., toin. i., jip. lfl'2-1'21; I'lur'ni' I'o, Sti'r'ni ih'bi
I'll!., toiii. i., pp. l.T) 111: llniHlinhlt. h'smii /'../.. tmii. i.. p. :ilt.
//•;/'"'" ''''.'/ CkiWirli-. (piotctl iu S. F. Uulll/ Ei'j J'fjsi, of Oot. l-.illi,
1S7-2; /;
;lll Ih .Sl/i-'fs l.rlhr!
's l,n)i;r('<il., p. im
V
M.
•" l'iiii.-ii\ in SclinnlrnuVfi ,\rcli., vul. v., p. fi^^l; ]VI,!jtp}r, .Eii-h,i>il\
Hfpt., ])]). ;t.")-('), in /'(((■. /;. /;. lit jit., vol.
7".
.N. lA.r.. up. p. N; /•'(7/.(/'.s I/nV iiwl A'li
)/.(
cli, JvHi'. d'un J/i.s.s., pp. 13, 131, kl'J
.1/
/.(
/ '■'."■, IP-
MONTEZUMA OF THE rUEP.LOS.
171
ill ciiM's of illness lie pivtoiids to pcrloriu ruivs by tlio
aiil ol'liei'hs and ceiviiioiiics of various kinds;'"
Till' NiiAiijos. liavinij: the usual class ol" sorcerers, call
thciiLiood deity ^\ haillaliaw and tlieirevil one Cliinday ;
llie ])rin('i[)al use of their good god seiMus to he to protect
tliciii iVoin their evil one. In smoking tluy sometimes
inill' their tohaccij-smoke toward heaven with great I'or-
iiiiility; this is said to hring rain: to tlu' same end cer-
tain long round stones. th«)Ught to he cast down hy the
cluiids in a thunderstorm, are used with various cero-
iiiHiiies.
The sun, moon, and stars arc thought to he powers
niinit'cti'd with rain and fine weather- while the god Mon-
tr/.iiiiia, of their i'ueblo neiiihhors is unknown amonii'
theiii.'^'
be moon.
nor wor-
In various
[man, and
All the Puehlo cities, though spealving diflerent lan-
guages hold suhstantialy the same faith. They seem to
assent to the statement of the existence of a great and
good s[)irit whose name is too sacred to he mentioned;
liiit most say that Monte/uma is his ('((iial: and some,
again, that the Sun is the same as or e(iual to Montezuma.
Thci'c are, besides, the lesser divinities of water. — .Mon-
tf/iima being considered in one aspect as the great rain-
;j()d. and as such often nu'ntioiietl as being aided b\' or
lifing in comu'ction with a ser})ent. ()\t'r and aho\e
the existence of a "eiieral class or bod\ of e\il
lese
all tl
sjtirits is taken i'or granted.
Many places in New Mexicoclaim tol)t' the birthplace
III' the great leader, teacher, and god Monte/uma. .\t
aiiv rate he is traditionally supposed to have appeared
aiiinng till' Pueblos before they had arrixt'd at or built
tiieir ju'esent towns. Some traditions A\oiild make him
eitlicr the ancestor or the creator of the >anu' peo[)le; but
■' lliirriiru, OjoinUi »ihn' X. J/i.i'., aj). pp. 2-'); II unj. in K>i'h'iiilcri(l'l'.
-I |•/^, viil. v.. p. 21-2.
;:i ( ■
ij'idt's W'iflirii ]\'<'rli1 Aul;. 1S7'2, ]). 27; Wldjijilr, Eirhituk. nud Ti
H'l'l.. p. 12, ill /'.('■. U. U. I!ri,l., \„\. iii,; Ti
rl,\ in Sclinnlrrnt't'
Urn.l.,
p. Itl; /.')■;>'../, in l.i'l. At/. Il'pl.. Ny-..wV(/ ('„„(., KSUT, p. LI.j.S;
M;ill,.-. p. l.'.S; I)
'■li'~i Ihst rt.-i, \n\. ii., p. Ill
^rt— — a—
I I
172
GODS, SUrEUN.VTrR.VL DEINdS, AND WOllSIIIP,
tlic most rciiiird Iiiin as a kind of semi or wliolly (lis iin'
jiricst. i)r()|)lK't. leader, and Icijiislatoi'. I'lidi'i' restric-
tions pointed ont in a former note.'" we may fairly i'e,uard
liim as at once the Melchi/.edek. the Mose
am
1 th
Messiidi ol' these I'liehlo desert waiuUTers from an Mi^yitt
that history is iiiinorant of. a'.id whose name even tradi-
tion whispers not. lie taiijiht his people to huild cities
,with tall houses, to constrnct estnfas. or semi-sacivd
sweat-houses, and to kindli' and ^uard the saci'ed (ire.
.\t .\('oma. it is said hy some, was estal)lislied the first
I'nehlo. and thence the people marched sonthward. form-
\u'^ others. Acoma was one. and Pecos another. .\t
tliis last. .Monte/nniii planted a tree n[)side down, ami
said that, on his leaving' them, a strange nation slionld
<)))press them lor many years, years also in which there
shoidd he no rain, hnt that they were to pei'sist in
watchinu' the sacred lire nntil the tree fell, when lie
would return, with a whiter race which should destro\
tl
icnr eiiemie
and then rain should fall auain and tin
(•arth he fertile. It is said that this tree fell from its
ahnormal position, as the American army entered Santa
[•
The watching ol' the fire, kept up in suliterrane
111
>tuf;
IS. under a covei'iirj.' o
f :isl
les "enei
alk
\'. and m Tiie
basin of a small altar, was no lidit task
Tl
le wariMor:
took the post hy turns, some said, for two successive days
and ni^Lihts. sans food, sans driid\. sans sleep, sans every-
thini:'. Others allirm that this watchinii' Avas ki'j)t up
till exhaustion and even death reliexcd the liiiard — tlu'
last not to hi- wondei'ed at. seoin<r the insulferahle closc-
ni'ss of the place and the accumulation of carlxmic aciii.
The remains of the dead wei'e. it was sometimes supposed,
carried olf hy a monstrous ser[H'nt. This holy fire wr.~
believed to he the i»alladiuni of the city, and the watch-
ers by it could well dream oi' that day. when, comini.:'
with the sun. Monte/.iima should descend by the column
of smoke whose roots the\' i'vd. and should till the shal)b\
^' Sie jip. 77-S, iiiiti.' 'M, Uiis volume.
ii;: IS Ndi' DEAD r.uT sLEErin'ir.
17;!
little cstiini uitli ii ulorv like tluit in ii wililcnicss tMluM'-
iiMi'lt' tlicv knew not of. Avlicrc ii uku'c .ivvriij itillar of
smoke sli;iilo\ve(l tlie llivstic clierilhilii. Hope dies iiiil'd,
.iinl tlie dim meiiiories of ii great })ast iiexcr (piite fade
;i\v
;iy Iroiii aiiioilg' aii\' jieople
No t
riie-honi |)l'l
tisli
hard ever doiihte(l of Arthurs I'etiifii IVoiii his kiiiulv
rest ill Avalon. nor that the Hash of Mxealihar should he
one dav iviiun as the iiiihtnini:' of death in the eyes oj'
the hated Suxon. The henlei's on the shore of Lucerne
know that uere Switzerland in jieril. the Tell would
spriuLi' from his sleep as at the crack of doom. "" W hen
<iermany is at her lowest tla'n is her greatness nearest '
s;iy the weird old hallads of that land: for then shall the
(jlre:it Kaisei'rise IVom the vault in the K\il'h;iuser. — l>ar-
li;u'ossa sliail rise
tl
loiiLili Ins Deai'i
1 1 )i' ti'
rowii tnroii
th
ill tl
10
Idiig >
savior
■itoiie
tahU
Neither is the Frank without hi,-
iiig. () trouhadours, sing and strike the chords
in'oiidlyl Who shall prt'vail while Charlemagne hut
sleeps in the shadow of the Intersherg'.' — And so our
I'liehlo sentinel crnnhing tlii' li(niseto[) at Pecos, looking
(".cr eastward from Santo nominge/ on the lliodlrande;
lie too waits i'or the iK'autiful feet upon the mountains
and the plumes of him — ■
■Who (Iwi It U]) in the ydldw snii,
Ami snrriiwin;,' (nr man's (Icsjiitir,
Slid liy liis ti'ailint,' ytllnw haii'
Tl) tartli, til rnlf witli liivi; ami IniiiL,'
Thu Ijli'SSfiluLss of iitucu. ''
The I'uehlo chiefs seem to he at the same time priests;
they peiTorm the various simple rites hy Avhieh the jiower
el' the sun and c'" Monte/uiiui is recognized as well as
the jiower — according to some accounts -of "the (Jreat
Siial<e. to whom l)y order of Montezmiui they are to look
till' life;' they als(j olficiate in certain ciM't'inonies with
which they pray for rain. There are painted represen-
tiitioiis of the (ireat Snake. t(»gether with that of u mis-
slia|)eii re(l-hiiired man declared to stand for Montezuma.
< M' this last there was also in 18-15, in the puehhj of
^■' JiMquhi MUkr's CuUfvnmn,
IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)
A
A
1.0
I.I
S?,"
*rllllM IIM
IM III 2.2
|36 llll'^
1.8
1.25 1.4 |||i/s
^
6"
►
V]
^%
%
%
'^
<$*■
7:
o^.
/A
Photographic
Sciences
Corporation
iV
4
V
37
[v
"^Ik^
33 WEST MAIN <>1! SET
WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580
(716) 873-4503
<^
<>>
)
i
/,
^
1^
174
GODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
Liijiuiiii, a riulo effigy or idol, intended, ai)i)arently, to
represent oidy the head of the deity; it Avas made ol"
tamied skin in tlie form of a brimlesH hat or c\ Under
open at the bottom. Half-way ronnd, it was painted
red; the other half was jrreen. The green side was
rudely marked to suggest a face: two triangles were cut
for e\es; there was no nose; a circular leather i)at('li
served for a mouth, and two other patches in an
appropriate situation suggested esu's. Crowning the
head was a small tuft of leather, said to be sup[)lemented
by feathers on festal occasions. A scH'ry image one
would say. yet one looked npon by its exhibitors with
ai)parently the greatest veneration; they kneeliig in a
most devoted maimer, going thrt)ugh a form of prayei-.
and si)rinkling it with a Avhite iM)wder. One of thi-
worshipers said it Avas God and the brother of (iod :
and the })eople l)ring it out in dry seasons, and, witb
dancing and t>ther rites, invoke it for rain.
Christianitv has now eftaced the memorv t)f most oi"
the rites of l!ie Pueblo religion, but Dr Ten Ih-oeck
noticed that many of tlie worshipers at the Christian
church in Laguna carried little l)askets in their hands
containing images of domestic aninuds. or of beasts of tbe
cbase, molded in nnid or dough; it ))eing the custom, .is
it had been there from time immemorial, for those tbsit
had been successful in the chase, or in accumulating
cattle, to bring such simulachres of their prosperity befoir
the altar of (iod. — probably, a modification produced by
the ])overty of the people «)f a rite as old as the altar n|"
Abel, to wit, theolVering of the firstlings and firstfruits h>
that Deity whose blessing had given the increase.
It has been ailinned, without much foundation or pm-
l)ability of truth, that the I'ueblos worshiped fire iunl
water.'"'
3« Hivijifx Cinii. Pmir'ics, vol. i., pp. 271-3: Davis' FA Grmjo, pp. 142, H'.";'
Siniiisiiii'a (hrrhdiil .loitrn.. jip. 21-;1: Ihniifmcli's Ptsirts, vol. i., pj). 1(14-5, 41^
vol. ii., pp. (>'2- ;t, 401; MiillliintKiH. Tiiiicliurh. ])p. 170, '210, '2N4; Milhie's Ti'-"
'I'liiiusiiml Mihuiin Hiirsiiiiirl,-, p[i. 202. 22(1; lli(xlf»\'s Admi. in Mrs., p. lO-:
Till lirnf'h; in Srliii'ihnit'l's Anh., vol. iv., p. 7.'l: Wnnl, in Iml. .\f. 11 j'i .
1H(14. i)p. I'.l2-;t; Hiimri/'ti lieriiiiiioissioav, p. ;i(l; Tj/lnr's I'riiii. Cult., vol. ii
J). 384; liniitii)i\'< .\li/tii.-<, p. 100; CoronaUo, in H'uUiiyfs V"y., vol. iii.. p
MOJAVE DEITIES.
175
Tlio Moquis know nothinfr of ^ronto/.unia: tliov beliuve
ill ji (iR'iit Fjitlier. living where tlie sun rises, and in a
«:reat Mother, wliose home is where the snn goes down.
This Fatlier is the father of evil, war, i)estilence, and
fiunine; but from the mother are all their joy, peaa'.
])lt'ntv. and healtii.''
The Mojaves tell of a certain Matevil, creator of hea-
ven and eartii, who was wont in time j)ast to remain
iiinong them in a certain grand rasa. Tiiis habitation
was. however, by some untoward event broken down :
the nations were destroyed; and Matevil departed east-
ward. Whence, in the latter days, he will again retm'u
to consolidate, prosper, and live with his peo})le forevei-.
This Matevil.or Mathowelia, has a son called .Mastandio.
who made the water and planted trees. There is also
iui Kvil k^jurit Newathie.''*'
From a letter just received from Judge Roseborough.
1 am enabled to close this chaj)ter w ith some new and
valuable facts regarding the religious ideas of certain
tribes — not acciu'ately specified — of tlie north-west por-
tion of TpiK'r California. The leai-ned judge has given
unusual attention tothe subject of which he writes, and his
()]»l)(»rtunities for jirocuring information nnist have been
l'i'<'(|uent during ten years of travel and residence in the
(listrii'ts of the northern counties of CaliiiMiiia: —
Among the tribes in the neighborhood of Trinity river
is found a legend relating to a certain \Vappeck(|uem()w.
w ho was a giant, and apparently the father and leader of
;i7't. Frciuont tjivos an nocount of the l)ivth of Mdiitc/.niiui : His Tiiotli(>r was.
i' i^ siiiil. a woiiiau of «'Xi|iiisitc bt'iiuty, adiiiiitd ;iii(l smiLjlit after liy all iiiiii.
Ih' y Miakiiii^ liiT ])rt'S(iits of corn and skins and all that tin y had; hut tin'
f,i--licliiiMs hcauty would acci'iit nolliinj,' of thtiii hut tin ir ^ift^i- In iiroccss
cif tiinc a season of droULjht hro',ij,'ht on a famine nnd nnieli distress; then it
was lliiit the rich hidy showed her charity to he as ^'reat in one direction as
it had heen wanting in another. She ojiem <1 her ),nanaiii s ami the |.'ifts of
the lipvers she liad not hived went to rcleavc the hiinj^'ry she pitieil. At la>t
"vitli rain, fertility returned to tlit'cartli: and on the chaste A'temis of the
I'uelilns its touch fell too. Shc bore ii son to the thick summer shower and
that son was Montc/uina.
'•'' I'lii Hi-in('k. in Srliiiiilirn/rs Arrh., voh iv., pji. X') Ct.
'■• ll7«i/i/>/i', Kirhtinl,; <inil Tiinnr's llijit., jip, 42-H, in I'ac U. 7?. A'''/l^.
vul lii.; Jtoill, in //«i/. .1/. liepL, 1870, p. \TJ.
ITO
fiODS, sri'KIlNATURAL BEINGS, AND WOltSIIIP,
u [)iv-litiiimn I'iU't' liko liinisclf. lie wji.s oxpollcd from tlic
roiiiitrv tlitit lie iiiliahitod — lU'iir the iiioutli of the Kla-
iiiiitli- lor ilisohi'vinji' or oftl'iidiii''' some jircat uod. and a
ciirso was |)i-oii')iin('«'d against liiin, so that not vwn liis
di'socndants siioidd ever ivtnni to that hind. On the
t'xpnlsion of tlic'sc Anak'nn. the ancestors of the people to
whom this le,tiend helon^s eanie down IVoni the north-
west, a direction of migration, accordinji' to .Indue Kosc-
h(n'onjih. nnilonnlv adhered to in the U'j:ends of all the
tribes of nijrth-west ( ^difornia. These new settlers, how-
ever, like their predecessors of the «:iant race, (jnarreled
with the ^reat ^"od and were ahandoned hy him to their
own devices, heinii' fiiven over into the hands ol' ci'rtain
e\il powei's Ol* devils. Of these the lirst isOmahii. who.
possessing' the shape of a {irizzly hear, is invisible and
p)es about evervwhere hrinjiinjr sickness and mislbrtune
on mankind. Next there is Makala\ . a fiend with a horn
like a unicorn; he is swift as the wind and mo\es by
;jreat leaps like a k:in_uaroo. The si,L>lit of him is usually
death to mortals. There is, thirdly, a dreadful beinu'
i'alled Ivaiicknateck. who seems a, faithful reproduction of
the ti'reat thunder-bird of the north: thus Kalicknateck
'is a liiitie bird that sits on the mountain-peak, and broods
in silence over his thouiihts until huniiry; when he will
swi'ep down over the ocean, snatch u[) a hiriic whale, and
carry it to his mountain-thi'one. for a sini;le meal."
Hesides the before-mentioned jM)wers of evil, these
Trinity people have lejiends coimectt'd with<»ther persoii-
aiics of the same nature, among whom are W'aniiswegock,
Siiru'elp. Xapousney, and Xe(iuiteli.
When white miners lirst came to work on the Trinity
Uivcr, their advent caused, as may be imaLiined, much
unsatisfactory speculation amonji the abori^iiu's; soni*'
sayinu' one thinjr of the whites and some another. At
last an old seer of the !Iooi)ali Valley settled the (|uestioii
by declarinji; that the new-comers were descendants of
that banished \Vap[)eck(|uemow, from whose heads the
already-mentioned curse, forbidding their return, had
been by some means lifted.
THE KITCIIEN-MIDDEX OF THE IIOIIGATES.
177
loin tlio
ic Kli>-
1, iUid 11
Vl'll Ills
On tlic
copU' to
' uortli-
IV Kose-
• iill the
rs. ln)\v-
lliUTcU'tl
to tliciv
' (HM'tain
liii, wlio.
il)lo iind
islortuiu'
th alioni
iiovi'S )>y
s usually
'ul l)oin;j;
lurtiou ot"
c'knatirk
1(1 linuxls
u lio ^viU
llialt'. ami
al."
il. those
[v pi'l'SOU-
ls\vog»x'k.
Trinity
I'd. nnu'li
SOHK'
lii'V. At
[((uostiou
lidants ol'
Lads tlu'
Lrn, litvd
The coast people in northern California have
a story about a mysterious people called llohnate!
to wlioMi is ascribed
an
inunense bed of nuissel-
sliclls and bones of animals still existinu' on the
table-land of Point ?ft (ioorj-e, near Crescent City.
These 1 lohj^jates, seven in nuiuber, iU'c said to have
coiuc to the place in a boat, !•» have built themselves
"lioiises above-j;round. after the style of Avhite men'
ail this alH)ut the time that the first natives came
dow.i the coast from the noi'th. These llohuates, living:;
at tlie ])oint mentioned, killed many elk on land, and
many seals and sea-lions in fishing' excui'sions Irom tlu'ir
boats; usinj; for the latter j)ur[M)se a kind of harpoon
iiiadeof a knife attached to a stick, and the whole fastened
to till' boat with alon,u' line. They also sailed fre(|iiently
to certain rocks, and loaded their little vessels with nnis-
scls. \\\ all this they secured ])lenty of food, and the
refuse of it, the bones anu she
s and so on, rapidly
accumulated into the great kjnhkcn iiio(/(/!ii(/ still to be
sei'u. One day, liowever, all the llohgates lieing out at
sea ill their boat, thev struck a hu^e sea-lion with thei"
iiiilc liarpoon, and, nnai)le or unwuhng to (a;t or tlu'ow
(tll'tliiir line, were dragged with fearlul speed toward a
gre;it wliirl[)ool, called ('hareck(piin, that lay I'ar toward
the north-west. It is the place where souls go, where
in darkness and cold the spii'its shiNcr for ever; living
lucn siifier even I'rom its winds, -from the north-west
wiuil. the bleak and bitter ( 'harreck-rawek. And just
as the boat reached the edge of this ieai'ful j)lace. behold,
a iuar\elous thing: the rope broke and the sea-monster
^\as swept down alone into the whirl of wind and water,
\\\\\\v the llohgates were caught up into the air; swing-
ini: round and round, their boat lloatcd steadily uji into the
vast of liea\en. Nevermore on earth were the Ihthgates
srcii; but there are seven stars in heaven that all men
l\Uiiw of. and these stars are the seven llohgates that
^nnv lived where the great shell-bed near Crescent City
now is.
Vol.. ni. u
CHArTER YI.
GODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS,
AND WORSTTIP.
Gods and Relioious Rites of CHinrAHUA, Soxora, Duraxoo, and Sin-
Ai.oA — The Me uc\y Reliuion, received with different dechieks of
CKEUrLITY BY DIFFERENT CLASSES OF THE PEOPLE — OPINIONS OF DIFFKR-
ent Writeiss as to IIS Natl're — Monotheism of Nezahl'alcovotl —
I'UKSKNT <V)NDrriO\ OF THE StL'DV OF MeXU:AN ilYTHOLOOY— TeZCATLI-
pocA — I'liAYERs TO Him in time of Pestilence, of War, for those
IN ArjHORiTV— Prayer used iiy an Aijs(ji,vino pRiEsT--(iENriNENE.ss of
THE FOREUOINO PrAYERS — CHARACTER AND NVoltKS OF SaHAOUN.
From the Piiel)lo cities lot us now i)ass down into
Moxit'o, ola::('in<i first nt the northern juul north-western
neiohhors of this greut peo})le that ruled on the plateau
ot'Aniihuae. The Chihuahuans worshijK'd a ^reat jiod
called l>v them the ' captain of heaven' and reeoirni/ed
a lesser divinity as abiding in and inspirinp; their priests
and medicine-men. Thev rendered homaue to the sun;
and when any comet or other phenomenon appeared in
the heavens thev oll'ered sacrifice thereto: their sacrifice
lieinii much after the Mexican fashion; fruits, herbs, and
" 7 '
such things as they had, together with blood drawn from
their bodies In' the pricks of a thorn.^
In Sononi. — the great central heart of ^Fexico making
its beatings more iuid more clearly felt as we approacii
it nearer. — the vauue feelinns of awe and reverence wilii
which the savage regards the unseen, unknown, and ini-
knowa])le powers, begin at last to somewhat lose their
« ISi'r. Mix. Oeoij., Uoktin, torn, iii., p. 22; Doc. Hist. Mix., serie iv., toiu.
iii., p. 815.
(178)
GODS OF SONOllA AND DURANGO.
179
,, ANi> Sin-
)Ktii:KKS OF
OF DIFFKll-
alcoyotl —
-Tk/.cati.i-
FOR THdSK
;-INKNh>S (IF
lUN.
vn-ruonoss and to crvstjiUi/o into tlio rocojinition of a
jiowcr to 1)0 ivi)resc'nte(l and synihoii/.i'd l)v a }:()d made
^vitll hands, Tlio <)lVorin«j:s tlioivto hojiin also, nioiv and
iiioK", to lose their i)riniitive simple sha})e, and the hlood,
Avithout which is no remission of sins, stains the rude
altar that a more Arcadian race had only heajied with
llowersand fruit. The natives of Sonora hrinjr, sa\s Las
Casas, "many deer, wolves, hares, and hirds helore i\
larire idol, with nnisic of many lliites and other instrii-
iiH'iits of theirs; then cutting open the animals through
the middle, they take out their hearts and hanj!' them
roimd the neck of the imajre. wettin,ir it with the flowing!;
hlood. It is certain that the only oilerin^ made in all
this province of t^onora was the hearts of hrutes. "- .\ll
this they did more esjH'cially in two j>reat festivals they
had. theoneat seed-time, theother at harvest : and we have
iiason to rejoice that the thinji' was no worse. I'eason to
he glad that the hearts of hrave mi'n and i'air women, and
solt children not knowinji their I'ijiht hand irom their left,
were not called for, as in the land of the eajile and cactus
hamicr. to iced that devil's Minotaiu', superstition.
Tlie peoi)le of Duranuo called the principal jiower in
whicli they ))elieved Meyuncame. that is to say, Maker
ol' All Things; they had another jrod. ('achiri[)a. whoso
name is all wo know of him. They had l)esides inmi-
iiicrahle })rivate idols, penates of all |X)ssihle and im|H)s-
siMe figures; some heing stone, shaped hy nature oidy.
In one village they worshiped a great Hint knife that
their Hint im[)lements of every kind might he good and
sure. They had gods of stoi'm and gods of sunshine,
gods of good and gods of evil, gods <'f everything iu
heaven ah(»ve or in the earth hi'ueath or in the waters
under the earth. Their idols received l)loody sacrifices,
not always of heasts; a howl containing heans and the
cooked human ilesh of an enemy was offered to them
for success in war.^
2 Vy'/s ('(isiis, lUst. Aj><>h)(ji'Uca,'MS., torn, iii., cap, 1C8; Siiiilh's lidalion
ofCii'itzii (li: \'(trti, p. 177.
' U'lliiin, Jlist. ik los Triumphos, pp. 473-5; Doc. Hid, Mex., scrie iv., torn.
iii., p. -18.
ISO
(lODS, SITEIIXATIUAL IlEINCiS, AND WollSHll'
MiKtli of the proceclinji jtiirajinipli bclonjiH also to Slu-
»loa or ciuiiiot Iw exactly hn-atod nioiv in the one proviiict'
than in the othe
The Sinaloas are slid to liav<
venerated uhove all the «)ther gods one called ('(K'ohuanie.
which is. heing interpreted. Death. Thi'V worshipi'd ai.>-o
a certain Onraha,* which is Valor. ofVerini:; him hows.
arrows, and all kinds of instruinents of w
\r
To Sehua-
toha. tiiat is to say IMeasure. they sacrificed leathers,
raiment, heads of jrlass, and women's ornaments. Uam-
nsehna was the pxi of water. In some parts, it is said.
thei'e was recojini/.ed a divine element in conunon lurhs
and hirds. One deity — or devil, as Hihas callshim wilh
the ex(|uisite courtesy that distinjiuishes the theosophic
historian — was the especial ])atron of a class of w izards
closelv resemhlin<r the shamans and medicine-men of
the north. Xo one seemed to know exactly the j)owers
of this deity, hut everyone admitted their extent In re-
coiiiii/ing' with a respi'ctful awe their eiVects; eilects
hrouiiht ahout throujih tlie ajicncy of the wizards.
])y th(^ use of haji's. rattles, magic .stones, hlowings. sucl<-
injis, and all that loutine of sorcery with which we an-
already familiar. This deity was called (irandfather or
Ancestor.'
One Sinaloa nation, the Tahus. in the neiuhhorhood
of (^diacan, reared great serpents for which they had
a g(M)d deal of veneration. They noi)itiated their gods
with oiVerings of precious stones and rich .stuiVs, hut they
did not sacrifice men. With an altogether characteiis-
tic insinuation, the AhljL' Domenecli says, that though
highly inunoral in the main, they so highly respected
women who devoted themselves to a life of celihacx .
* Apparently tlu> sniuf" iih that Vaini1>i spiikon of on p. 83 of this volmiic
•'' Itihaa, Hint, ill' /'« 'I'riiniiiilins, pp. Itl, IH, 40. 'A iilio dv siis diosi'S Ualii-
iihan Oiiraha, i[w (luicrc drcir foitaU/.a. Era coii <) Jlartc, dios do la },'ui'rra.
Ofri'ciaulu urcoH, liochas y todo m'-ncro de uriMiS para v\ fcliz ('xito dc stis
hatallas. A otro Uaiiiabaii Scluiatoba, cpio q licn ilt'cir, dchite, a (piii n
ofrci'ian jiliunas, inantas, ciK'ntccillas dc vidrio y adornos nm^'criU'S. .\1 dins
dc las aj^'uas Uaniahan Uaniuschna. El iiuis vcucrado d« todos era Ciicn-
huaiiic, (pic si;j;iiitica mucrtc' Aliyn-, llist. Cdhi]). ik Jisus. turn, ii., ji. I">.
' They worship for their f,'ods such tliiuj,'s as they hane in their houses, as
namely, hearbes, and birdes, and siiij,' s< nj,'s vnto them in their languaye.
Cvri»iiiilo, in llnlduyVs \'i>!j-, vol. iii,, j), 'M6.
Tin: Miixic.w i:i'.Li(ii<i\ ani> its histokians.
isi
tluit llu'V lu'ld <:r('at H'st'nals in tluir lioiior —
liiiN iiii:" tlu' rcjuliT to siipposc tliiit iho TiiIhis had a class
of l( iiiali' rdi.nioiis wlio devoted tlii'iiisohes toalileol'
(hastitv and wviv ivsiK-cti'd lor that reason; the trntli is
loinid to he. on lefeninji' to the anthor Castafieihi — from
wiiom apitarently the ahh(' has taken tliis halt' truth
and whole I'alsehood— that these estiinahU' oelihate uomen
v.cre the puhlic prostitutes of the nation."
Thi' Mexiran religion, as transmitted to us. is a ron-
I'list'd and elashinj^' chaos ol' iVaunients. Il'ever the ureat
niition ol' Aniihnac: had its llesiod or its llonuT. no ray
(if Ills lidit has reached the stund)lin,ii" feet ol" I'esearch in
that dii'ection; no echo of his harmony has heen evi'r
III ard hy any ear lessdnll than that of a Zumai'raiia. It
is uivi'U to lew men to rise ahove their a|:e, and it is
lolly to expect izrapes of thorns, or fi,u's of thistles: yet it
is hai'd to sni»|>ress wholly some feelinjis of rejiret. in
lioriuii' ujM)!! those ponderous tomes of sixteenth and
.M'Ncnteenth centmy history that touch upon Mexican
rdiiiion; one pities far less the inevitahlo superstition
jiiiil childish iuiiorance of the harharian than the senility
of his Christian historian and critic — there was some
cIciMent of hope and evidence of attainment in what the
li;i1t-(ivili/ed harharian knew ; hut from what hei|ihts of
.Athenian. Homan. and Alexandrian philosophy and elo-
<lii<'iice. had civilization fallen into the dull and arrojiant
iii'scicnce of the chronicles of the cleri-y of Spain.
We have already noticed" the existence of at least two
schools of reli|ji,ious })hilosophy in Mexico, two averaj-i'
'' ' lis ci'li'liniii'Tit (!«' f,'riiii(l<'s fc'tcs en I'lioniH'nr clcs ffinincs qui vouliiitnt
vivrc (hiiis If c, liliiit. Li's I'licicinis (I'mi ciiiitini we rc'iiiiissaiiut it daiisiiii lit
t'lus nils, Tiiu iijiirs I'lmtrc, uvcc l,i fiimiif qui uv.iit jnis ct ttc di ti riuiiiatinii.
<v''I'iimI la <l:ilisc I'tait tiTiuiiu'c, ils lii cniiiluisaiint dans iliii' jx titc liiaisi ii
i\n''<n aviiit drcon'e a cct vft'vt, vt ils junissaiciit dc sa jici-soiiiif, Irs (^(^(iiii s
<i almrd ct I'lisiiitf tmis ((ux qui lo vipulai( lit. A date r dc cc iiiniiii ut, cllcs
iH' ]ii'uvai»iit ricii itfuscr ji quicoiKjuf liiir otlVait If jirix tixi' iiour cflii.
l.'lis ui tail lit jaiiiiiis dis])ciisc«s dc ccttc (ilili^'atinu, iiuiiio iiuaiid jiliis taid
I'i'. l"iil 1.
iiaiiali lit.' Cuslii'iiilii, ill 'I'iriiiiii.v-i 'fiiiiiiini
Altlr
)//., SIl'K' I., tolll. IX.
ih tlicso iiii'u Wire vrrv iimiioral, vi't Kuch was llit ir n -
s|Mrt fur all wouKii ulioltd iv life of ccliliacy. that tii<y cililirati d ^'raiul
f siivals in tluir lioudiir.' And tUuru he uuilvus un end. Uotmnnli's JJrsnts,
V"l. i.. J). 17(1.
' Tliis volume, iij). 55-(i.
182
GODS, SITERXATUIJAL BEIXdS, AND AVOItSIIIP.
K'vt'ls of tli()iij:lit, tlio oiu' tliiit of tlio vul<:ar jnul crcdii-
lous, till' otlaT that of tlie more riili^litnu'd and ivlU'c-
tivo. Jt lias nsultcd IVom this that dillriviit >Miti'is
«lilVor soiiR'what in tlu-ir opinions with ivjianl to the \nv-
cisc natuiv and cssoniv o
)!' that
rcli^iion. sonii' siNin"; one
thin;^' and sonic another. I cannot show this more shoit-
ly antl — what is nnich moi'e ini[M)rtant in a suhjcct like
this— more exaetlj', tluui hy ^noting a nuniher oi* these
opinions:
" 'rurninji' from the sinii)le faiths of sava|j:e tiihes of
America, to the eom|>lc.v ieli;:ion of the half-civili/cd
Mexican nation, we find what we might natniall\ex[)ect,
a cumhrons pols theism comi)licated hv mixture of several
national pantheons, and l)eside and hevond this, certain
annear
M'l
(Uices of a «lo(^trine of divine supremacx
Wut
these docti'ines si'cm to have heen spoken of more defi-
nitely than the e\ idence warrants. A remarkai)le native
development ol Mexican theism must he admitted, in
so far as we may receive the native historian Ixtlilxo-
chitl s account of the W()rshi[) paid hy Xe/ahualcoyotl,
th
't-1
le noet-Kiny.o
["[
ezcuco,
totl
le nivisihle sui)renu
Tl
o(|ue-
MalnuKjue. he who has all in him. the cause of causes,
in whose star-roofed pyramid stood an idol, and who
tl'ci'e received no bloody sai-rilice. hut only llowers and
incense. Yet it would have heen more satisfactory, wci'c
the stories told hv this A/tec i)ane"vrist oi' his roval an-
cestors confii-med by other records. Traces of diviiu'
supremacy in Mexican religion are especially associated
with Te/catli|>oca, ' Shining Mirror,' a deity who seems
in his original nature the k^un-god, and thence hy ex-
])ansion to have become the soul of the world, creator of
heaven and earth, lord of all thin<
Miiireme
Deit^
Such conceptions may, in more or less measure, haxc
aiisen in native thought, but it should be pointed out
that the remarkable Aztec religious fonnulas collecti'd
by Saliagun, in which the deity Tezcatlipoca is soi)r()mi-
iient a figure, show traces of Christian admixture in their
material, as well as of Chi-istian influence in their style.
In distinct and absolute personality, the divine Sun in
roMPLFAITY or AZTEC TIIluOLOOY.
183
A/t«'c tliool«)j:v was Toiiutiuh" ulioso liugo pyramid-
iiuiiiikI stands on tin.' \)\n\n orTi'otilmacan. u \vitiK'ss of
liis wtusliij) lor I'litiiiv ajies. JVyond this the ivli^ioii of
^Icxit'o, ill its (;onii)lox systom, or coiijiorios of great gods,
Muli as results IVoin the niixtnre and alliance oi" tlie
deities of several nations, shows the solar element I'ooted
deeply and widely in other jK'rsonages of its divine niy-
tlioloi:\'. and attributes especially to the sun the title of
Teotl'/lJod.'"-'
•• It is remarkable," says Professor J. (j. Miiller. " that
tlie well-instructed Acosta should have known nothing
jiliout the adoration of a highest invisible (Jod. uiuU'r
tile nameof Teotl. And yet this adoratitin has been re-
]M)rted in the most certain manner by others, and made
e\ ident from more exact statements regarding the nature
of this deity, lie has been surnamed Jpalnemoan, that
is. He through whom we live, and ThMjuenahuaciue, that
is. He who is all things through liimself. He has been
looked u|M)ii as the originator and essence of all thnigs,
iiud as especially throned in the high cloud-surrounded
luoiuitains, l{ightlv dcK's AVnttke contend against anv
conception of this deity as a monotheistic one. the I'oly-
thcism of the people being considered— for jK)lvtheism and
iiiouotheism will not be yoked together; even if a logical
concordance were ftanid, the iimer s})irits of the princi-
]>lcs of the two would still ))e opi)osed to each other.
Another argument stands also clearlv out. in the total
absence of any prayers. olVerings, feasts, or temj)les to or
in the honor of this god. From this it is evident that
Teotl was not a god of the connnon })eoj)le. ^'et this,
on the other hand, cannot justify us. — the so-fre([uently-
(iccui'iing statements of well-informed authorities being
tiikcn into account, — in denying in toto all traces of a pan-
theistic monotheism, as this latter may easily spring up
•* T would oiill ftttention to tho fact that Alvarado. tlip nulily haiiilsonie
Siiaiiish caiitaiii. was callfd Touatinh l)y the Mexicuiis, just us liarual)as was
(ulli il .luiiitcr, and I'aul, Men'urius, l)y tlic ]iii>iilc of l,yslia--piiii;4 tu hlmw
liiiw uiifitisli aiul aiitliroi>(inioii)liic' wire the idfas foinucttd with the suu-
,1,'i'd liy till' Mexicans.
'•' Tijl'/r'n rrim. Cult., vol. ii., p. 3U.
184
(iODS. sri'KIiNATl'.IAL DKINdS, AND WOltSIlII'.
iiiiKni^' cultivated jM)lvlli('ists as a lojiical result and oiit-
•'oiiic «>r tlit'ii' natural riTiyiion. NczalnialroNotl. tin- t ii-
lijilitt'nt'd kinn' of Ti/cnco, udoivd as tliorausi' ol'i'auscs,
a pxl AvitluMit an iuia;io. Tlu' cliicf of tlio Tt)t»)nac
alMni;i"nR's of ('c'ni|>()allan had, if >ve niuy cifdit tho
s|)(>i>('ii put in liis mouth hv Las (*asasand licircia, an
iiU'a of ii iii^la'st uod ami I'lvator,
This alistract
idea has also lurt', as in «)tlu'r parts of Anu'iica. inti'i-
twinrd itsrll' Avith the conception of a snn-pid. Hence
the .\h'\i«'ans named the sim-};<i(l pre-emim'ntlv 'I'eotl;
and that eidi^htened kin<i of Te/cuco. uho hnilt a temple
t)rnine stories — svmholizinji" the nineheaAens — in honor
ol' the stars, called the sun-iiixl his lather
To the niost ancient u»)ds," sa\s Klin
II)
mi.
'lonii
I'd
the divinities «»r nature, as well as :i hi|iliest oein^calleil
Teotl, (lod. lie was perfect, independent, and inxisihle,
and conse(|uently not represented l\v any imaiie. His
<pialities were repivsi-nted hy ex[)ressions like these:
lie through whom we live, lie who i> all in hinisell'.
This liod coincides verv nearly with the Mastei' of
Life of the North Americans. In opposition to him
is the evil spiiit, the eneujy of mankind, who often
ap|iears to and terrilies them, lie is called Tlacate-
cololotl, that is to say. Rational Owl .mil may possi-
hly, like the Lame-foot of the I'eruvians, he a sur-
vi\al from the times whi-n the old hunter-nations in-
habited the forests and mountains. Next to Teotl
•" MiUhr, .\iiii rihiiilnilii' I'rrvUijioiin), pp. 47H-4. Tlu' sn-oftcii disctissnl
rcscinlilaiicc in fdiiu iiiid si^iiitication Ixtwcon tint two M<xi<im wnnls /n,//
mid (•((//( (see Mi'l'tiHi, Viit'iihdliiviii) and tlii' two Grt'ik winds IIik^ iiihI
lotUii, is cKiiipliti ly t ii(>n;;li iiotici d liy Miillcr. ' Die Mcxikiinisilicii Viilki r
ll;d)(ii ciiK 11 .Aiiiiclliitiviiiiiinii fiir llott, Teotl, wdclicr, dii die J.nclistid" ii
tl MiPSM' n/.tckisclic Kiidiiii)^ siiid, iiifrkwiirdii^cr 'Wiise iiiit dtiii iiidot,'! i--
iiiiiiiisrlic II Ihids, Dens, l)iva, ])(\v, y.iisiiiiiiiitiistiiiiiiit. Diesis Woit wild
/lir IJildun^; liiiilicller (iiitteriiiinieu oder Kllltlls^'e^'clistHllde t,'el]liiuclit.
Jlielur ^rluirell die ( iiitteiiiallieli TcotlaeoZillKlui, Teocipactli. 'I'entili.
TeoyalMiqlli, Tlo/ulteutl. Der Tfllipel luisst TeiicalH (\>,'l. Kalia, Ilillle,
Kalias I'api lie) oder wiiitlitli Hans liottes—di's pittlichc Jincli, TeoaiiidXtii.
I'liestei Te()jpuix([ui, od( r niicli Teoteiiktli, riiie rrozfssion 'J'eoiieiu iid,
(iiitteriiiaiscli. Da/.u koniiiieii iioch iiiuiielie Nainen von Stiidteii, die als
Kiiltnssit/.eausj;ey.cicliiiet wareli, wie das uiissflio'lifriiln'rbekaiiiit (,'ewordelie
'i'eotihiiacaii. lin I'lural wnrdeii die Gutter 'I'enles t,'eiiainit mid elieli so,
\vi(^ mis nenial Diaz so oft erziildt, die (iefalirteii des Cortes wilche dus \^v-
ineiiie Volk uls Gtitter bezeieUmu wollte.' Id., p. -172.
TLOQrE-N.MHAQl'E.
IS.-,
>\
as Tc/catliiHH'a. that is to say. Sirm'm<r Mirror; lie
^\ils
the
<:< )( I
I of inovidnuv, the soul of tlic woiid
iti«l till' civator t>f linr.i'M
>
I'aitli. 'I\'otl was
not it'prrsi'iitid l»v anv linage, a'ld was prolialdy lutt
V()i>lii|K'd with oili'iiiijis nor in any sjuciai trnipK's;
Tt7.<'iitli|MK'a was, liowi'Vcr. so rcpivscntt'd. and tliat as
a Noiith. hfcanse tinio conld lia\i' no jiowrr o\t'i' liis
licaiity and his spU'ndoi". Mr icwardt-d the ri^liti'ous,
;niil iiimishi'il the ungodly witli sickness and nnsliirtiine
lie ('Kilted till' world, and mankind, and the sun, and
the w.iter. and lie was liiniselt' in a certain tU-j^ree the
overseer tlK'n'of. ' "
The Ahh(' Urasseiir l»elie\es in th<' knowleds^e h, the
.\h'\icans and eertsiin neijihhorin" or related nations, of
ii Miiu'enie
(jod
.t he thinks adso that the names u
iiviit piie^ts and legislators have often heen used l<>r or
(Miloiiiideu with the one Name ahove every name
il<
savs: "In the traditions that have n-aehed us the
niinie ol' till' k'jiislator is often confuse*! with that
of the di\iiiity ; and hi'liiud the symholic veil that covers
l>riniiti\«' histor\. he who ci\iliy.ed aiid hrou^ht to li;.:lit
in the Aiiu'ricans a new life, is designedly identified with
tlic lather of the universal cri-ation. The writers who
tivat ol the history of the ancient Aniei'ican nations avow
liiat. at the time of the landin.u' of the Spaniards on the
soil of the western continent, there was not one that did
not iC('o<:ni/e the existence of a siij)renie deity and arbi-
ter of the universe. In that confusion of religious ideas,
which is the inevitable result of i;:iiorance and supersti-
tioii. the notion of auniipie immaterial hein^'. of an in-
visible jiower, had survived the shi|)wreck of pure iirimi-
tive creeds. liider the name TI(Kpie-Xaliua(|ue. the
Mexicans adored Jlimwho is the first cause of all tliin.us,
Avlio jiieserxes and sustains all by his }>rovi(lence; call-
ini: liiiii auain, for the same reason. Ipalneni doni. He
in \vliom and by whom we are and live. This ^od was
the siiiie as that Kunab-Ku. the Alone llolv. who was
adoiid in Yucatan; the same a.iiain as that llurakan,
11 k;
nil, Citllur-Gcsclikhk, torn, v., pp. 114-5.
ISO
nons, SUrERNATUiiAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
the Voice that Cries, the Heart of Heaven, found uith the
(iiiateniiiiiin nations of Central America; and the same
Listlv as that Teotl, (lod, Avhom ^ve find nami'd in the
Tzendal and Mexican hooks. 'J'his '"(lod oi'all i)urit\'."'
as he Avas st\led in a Mexican oraAer. Avas. liowever. too
elevated lor the thoughts of the vulgar. His existence
Avas recouni/ed, and saues invoked him; hut he had
neither temples nor altrrs,- — i)erhaps hecause no one
knew how he should he re})resente(l, — and it was oidy
in tliL- last times of the Aztec monarchy that Xezahnal-
co\(»tl, king of ^1 ezcuco, dedicated to him a teocalli ol'nine
teri'aces, without statues, under the title of the uid^nown
god."
Mr ( Jallatin says of the ^Fexicans : '' Their mythology,
as far as we know it, ])i-esents a great nund)er of uncon-
net^ted gods, without apparent system or unity of design.
It exhibits no evidence of metaphysical research or ima-
ginative powers. A'iewed oidy as a develo[)ment of the
intellectual faculties of man. it is. in every respect, vastly
inlcrioi" to the religious systems of Egy[)t. India, (ii'ecce,
or Scandinavia. \i' imported, it nuist have been IVom
some harhaious C()untr\, and hrouuht dircctlv from such
country to Mexico, since no traces of a similar worship
are found in the more northern parts of America. '^
"'{'he Aztecs," writes Frescott, "recognized tiie exist-
ence of a Su})reme Creator and Lord of the Universe,
lint the idea of unity — of a being, with whom vtHitiou
is action. Avho has no need of inferior ministers to
execute his ])urposes — was too sim})le, or too vast, for
theii- understandings; and they sought relief as usual,
in a ])lurality of deities, who ])resided over the elements,
tlu' changes of the seasons, and the various occupations
of man. Of these, there were thirteen })rincipal deities,
and more than two hundred inferior; to each of whom
some special day, or ap[)ropriate festival, was conse-
crated.""
i'2 /J)V(s.s" )/)• ilr Tloiirhmirii, Tf'isl. f/fs Xdt. <^'ir., toni. i., ]ip. 45-0.
!■' li.tlhil'iii. in Aimr. Aiiliij. Stir, 'rniiisni'l,, viil. i., p. ilo2.
'J I'miriitl's Cdiiij. of J/{.i'., vol. i,, !>. 57.
1'llI.MITIVE WOliSIIIP.
187
^r
Acconlinu' to ^fr S(inior: '' Tlie original dcitios of tlic
t'.\u';m piintlieoii
lire 1
ow 111 mnnl)C'r
T\
Ills WlK'U tllO
th
Mc'xiciiiis t'ligagi'd in ca war, in tlcll'iisi' of tlii' lilicrtv or
(^ovi'ivigMty of their coiintrv, tliov invoked the War (Jod,
under his aspect and name Iliiit/li[K)ehtli. \\ lu'ii siid-
(Icidy attacked by enemies, tiiev called iii)on the same
god. under his aspect and name of l*aynalton. which im-
plied (lod of l']mergeiuries. etc. In fact, as already else-
where observed, all the divinities of the Mexican, as of
e\('ry other mythology, resolve themselves into the })ri-
liie\;d (Jodaiid (joddess. "^■'
■"The population of Central America." says the A'i-
coiiite de Hussierre, '■although they had [)reserved the
\,igiie notion of a superior eternal (jod and creator,
know 11 hy the name Teotl. had an Olynums as numerous
ii^ that oftiie (Jreeksand the Romans. It would ai)pear, — ■
the mo^t ancient, though, nnfortunately, aUo the most
<)i)si'iu'e legends being followed. — tluit during the civilized
period which preceded the successive invasions of the
liaiiiai'ous hordes of the north, the inhabitants of A mi-
hiiar jollied to the idea of a sujtrenu' being the worship
(tf the siui and the moon. olVering th<'m llowi-rs. fruits,
and the first fruits of their fields
Tl
le most ancient
iiiitiiuuu'nts of the country, such as the ])yraiuidsofTeo-
tihiiiiean. were incontestably consecrateii to these lumi-
naries. Let ns now trace some of the most striking
features of these ]»eople. Among the number of their
'j:nAs. is found one re[irese»ited under thetigure of a man
etenially young, and considered as the symbol of tht»
sniii'eme and mysterious (Jod. Two other gods there
^ve|■e, watching over mortals from the height of a ceh-sf ial
city, ai
players. Air. earth, (i
id charged with tlie acc«)iiiplishir.ent of their
A
ar di\ inities.
ire. and wati'i' had then- iiaitieii-
Tl
le woman o
f tl
le sernen
it. th
lili
lil'OlllK
\\«iinaii. she who never gave birth but to twins, was
adoied as the mother of the human race. The sun and
tile moon had their altars. Various divinities jiresided
<>\er the phenomena of nature, over the day, the night,
>7 :i'
■,s Sirpiiit Si/)ithoi, p. 17.
1R3
ODDS, SUrEHX\TrRAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
tlie mist, the thuiidor, tlio linrvost. tlie mountains, and
w) on. Souls, the ])hu'e of the dead, warriors, hunters,
merchants, (ishiuii'. '.ove. drunkenness, medieine. llowei-s.
and many other thinjrs jiad their s[)eeial jiods. A nndti-
tude ol' heroes and of ilhistrious kings, whose apotheosis
liad Ix'en decreed, took their place in this vast pantheon,
where were hesides seated two hundred and sixty divin-
ities of inferior raidv, to each of whom nevertheless one
of the days of the year was consecrated. T^astly. every
city, evei-y family, every individual, had its or his celes-
tial protector, to whom worship was rendered. The
numher of the te!n[)les corresponded to that of the p;otls:
these temj)les were found eveiy where, in the cities, iu
the fields, in the woods, alonj; the roads, and all of them
Iiad i)riests charjicd with their service. This conn)licateil
mythology was connnon to all the natitnis of An;ihuac.
even to those that the emi)iro had heen unahle to si
Uh-
Ki
jugate and with which it was at war; hut each country
had its favorite god. such god heing to it. what lluit/ilo-
pochtli, the god of war. was to the Aztec
The .Mexican religion, as sununed U[)hy Mrlh'antz^Iay
er." "was a com])ound of si)iritualism and gi'oss idolatry
for the A /tecs helieved in a
Mipi
•erne l)eit\-, whom tlic\-
called Teotl. (iod; or l})alneiuoani. lie hy whom we
live; or Tk)(|ue Xahuaiiue. lie who has all in himscH':
while theii' evil s[)irit hore the name of Tlaleatcololofl.
the Rational Owl. These sj)iritual heings are siir-
j'ounded hy a numher of les.ser divinities, who were prol)-
ahly the ministerial agents of Teotl. These; wcit;
lluit/ilopochtli, the god of war, and TeoyaoMii(|iii.
his spoust'. whose duty it was to conduct the souls dt'
Avarrioi's who ])ei-ished in defense of their homes and
and religion to the ' house of the sun." the Aztec heaven,
lluitzilopotchtli, or Mextli. the god of war. was tlic
special protector of the Aztecs; and devoted as tiny
were to war, this deity was always invoked be^jre battle,
ifi Bussirire, L'Eii'p'ro .IMricafo, pp. l.ll-.'t.
1' llruiit: Mdi/i r. m Sflinnlrnn't's Arch., \u\. vi., p. 585; sec also, Itniiil:
Mayer's Mexico as it was, p. 110.
MEXIC.W RELIGION, GliEEK AND RO^IAN;
189
and I'ooomponsi'd jiftor it hy the ofiV-ring of lunncrous
(•;ij)ti\('S tiikoii in conlliet. "
• Tlio ri'lijiion of the ^^l'xioans/' writes Sofior Carljiijal
Ksjtiiiosa."* plaiiiari/ing- as literally as possible i'roin (Mavi-
p'lo. " was a tissue of errors aii<l of cruel and superstitious
litcs. Similar infiriuities of the huuiau mind are in-
separable i'rcun a reli<:ious system orijiinating in <'apriee
and fear, as we sec even in the most etdtured nations
(if antiquity. Jf the religion of the ATexieans he eom-
paicd with that of the (Greeks and liomans, it will ho
ftiiuid that the latter is the more superstitious and ridic-
ulous and the former the more harharous and sangui-
nary. These celebrated nations of ancient I']uro[)e
nuiltiplied excessixely their gods because of the mean
idea that thev had of their itower; restrictinti' their ruU^
witliin narrow limits, attributing' to tlu'ni the most atr
'O-
cioiis (')-unes, an(
I sol
ennn/niii"
th
leu' worslni) witli sueli
th
execrable impurities as were so justly condeunied by the
iiitlicrs of ( 'hristianity. The gods of the Mexicans w«'re
less inijierfect. and their worship although superstitious
coutaiued nothinu' repugnant to decency. They hatl
some idea, although imperfect, of a Supreme Heing. ab-
solute, independent, believing that they owed him tri-
bute, adoration, and fear. They had no iigure whereby
to represent him, believing him to be invisible, neither
(lid thty give him any other name, save the generic one,
(lod. which is in the Mexican tongue teotl. resembling
e\<'o more in sense than in pronunciation the theos ol'
the ilreeks- they used, however, epithi'ts. in the highest
degree expressive, to signil'y the grandeur and the power
\vliieli they believed him emlowed with, calling him
Ipiihieinoimi, that is to say. He by whom we live, and
Tlo(|ne-Xahua(pie, which means, lie that is all things in
hinisel!'. Hut the knowledge and the worshi[) of this
SiipK trie K.ssence were obscured by the nudtitudt.' oi' gods
invented by sn|H>rstition. 1'he people 1)elieved further-
Hioie in f.n evil spirit, inimical to maid^ind, calling
\- (
'triiiiiii
i/ /v>7)i»i')si», JTid. (/« Mixico, tuiii. i., \)\^. lOS-O; Cluriijiro, Hlviiu
Ant. (/(./ Ml .~itiir,.), tuiu. ii., pp. 3—1
190
GODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND WOUSIIIP.
hiin Tlacatecololotl, or Kntionul Owl. and saying that
oftontinies he roveak'd liiinselt' to men, to hurt or to
terrify them."
'• The Mexicans and the Tezcucans," folkminir lienor
Pimentel, " recognized tlie existence of a h^upreme Being,
of a First (^uise, and gave him that generic title Teoti,
(jrod. the analogy of which with the Theo.sof the (Jreeks.
has been already noted by various authors. The idea of
(lod is one of those that appear radical toour very exist-
ence.. ..With the Mexicans and Tezcncans this idea
was darkened ))y the adoration of a thousand gods, in-
voked in all emergencies; of these gods there were thir-
teen j)rincipal, the most notable being the god ofprov-
idencie, that of war, and that of the wind and wtiters.
The god of providence had his seat in tiie sky, ;uul hud
in his care all human affairs, '^^i'he god of the waters
was considered as the fertilizer of earth, and his dwelling
was in the highest of the mountains where he arranged
tlie clouds. The god of wai' was the princi[)al protector
of the Mexicans, their guide in their wanderings from
the mysterious country of Aztlan, the god to whose
favor they owed tho.^e great victories that elevated tlu'iu
from the lowly estate of lake-fishermen up to tlie lord-
shi[) of Anahuac. The god of the wind had an aspect
more Ix'iiign. . . .The ^[exicans also Avorshiiied the sun
and the moon, and even, it would appear, certain iuil-
niids considered as sacred. There fiiiured itlso in tlio
Aztec mythology an evil genius called the Owl-man."
since in some manner the good and the bad. mixed ii[)
here on earth, have to be e.\[)lained. k^o the Persians
had their Oromasdes and Arinianes, the first tiie genius
of good, and the second of evil, and so, later. Manidie-
ism presents us with analogous explanations."'-"
Solis. writing of Mexico and the ^Mexicans s;i\s:
'"There was hardly a street without its tutelary utd;
neitlu'r was there any calamity of nature without itstiltur,
to which they had recourse for remedy. They imaginoi
1'' llmiihre I'nihn.
^^ riinvnld, Mvii). sobrv kt li'iza Tmli'ijinn, pp. 11-13.
V.
iivi t1\;it
Lirt or to
\vx J-^enor
nc Bohvi,
itle Teotl,
ic (irerks.
'be uU'ii of
erv oxist-
this i(U'ii
o'ods. iu-
\ven> th'n-
(l of \n'()V-
iid watovs.
^•, jiml l»iitl
tho >V!lttMS
is a\ve\rni;j;
itl |^)rotoi'tt)r
'vinp.s from
I to \vliost'
vtitod tliini
the lonl-
i
THE N.UIELESS GOD.
i;)i
[O
1 :\u iis\
it'i
K'l
a"
•I'VtlUU lUli-
\\Uo in tin
lowl-mnn.''
mixi't
no I'ersiiiii-
I lip
the <iviiins
■ Miinulit^'"
Scan!-
Itolai-y
siiv;
<i( 1 1 ;
utitsuU:!.-
k- iinagiiioi
and made tlioir god.s ont of thoir (mn fear; not under-
.staiidiii.L:.' that they lessened the power of some by what
tlicy attributed to others. . . . But for all so many as were
their gods, and so complete as was the ))lindness of their
idolatry, they were not without the knowledge of a
Superior Deity, to whom the\' attributed the creation of
the hcaNens and the earth. This original of things was,
among the Mexicans, a god without name; they had no
word in their language with which to express him, only
they giive it to be understood that tiiey knew him. pointing
reverently towards heaven, and giving to liim after their
fiishiou tlie attribute of ineiVable, with that sort of relig-
ious uncertainty with which the Athenians venerated the
rnkuown (iod." -^
The interpreter of the Codex Telleriano-Kemensis calls
tlie Supreme (lod of the Mexicans by the name Tonaca-
tcotle.-" The interpreter says: '' (iod, Lord. Creator,
(lovernor of all. Tloiiue, Xaua<i. Tlaltic[)a(jue. Teotlalale-
Matluva-Tepeva, — all these e[»ithets they bestowed on
their god Tonacateotle, who, they said, was the god that
created the world; and him .alone they [)ainted with a
crown as lord of all. They never olfered saci'ifices to
this goil lor they said he cared not for such things. All
the otliei's to whom they sacrificed were men once on a
tniii
or (lemons.
We liave already seen from llerrera that "■ the ^lexi-
c;nis confessed to a Supreme (Jod. Loi'd, and maker of
all tilings, and the said (Jod was the [)rincipal that tliey
Venerated, looking towards heaven, and calling him
lllst. (k hi r,,nq. il' .lAo-., torn, i., pp. HOH-O, 1.11.
?1 Snlr
•'' (l.illatiu, ill Aiiier. Ell<,<d. S<.
T,
't, v<il. i., ]). '.viO. iil( iitiCics
!■ ll,l|l'
m1 with TrzciitliiKicii "f wliDiii 111' wiitcs in llic fiillii\viii'_' tciiii
ica. A true iuvi'^ilili' L'od, dwells ill luMVrti. i;iltli. 1111(1 lull: all
111'
a;lriiiU to till' ^,'ovi'riimtnt of (lio wmiil, u'ivis ami takes itwav \vi allli ainl
■^|ii'iity. t'alli'il alsi) THInfiiii ( wliciii'i' his star 'I'llldniln
Vu
th
.1 iiti iif Xf ■i}r)/'i,ill^ till' anthill' of wars and discnrds. Acfordin'^ to I'mtiuini,
lie is llie ;,'od of iiviividclico. He sceliis Id lie tilt! only eiplivalellt fiif tho
T"iri ■iillr,;,ttlo of the interpretcvs of the Codices,'
■' Ivi'ji'ic, ili'l I'ddr.t T III ridiifi-lli iiifiisis. ill l\'iii<islii»'iiiitili's .\fi'.r. A)ilii/.,
Vol. v.. |). I:;"). I take this opportniiity of (•iiiiiioiiini^ the n adev ii;4aiiist
Kin^^lporonLih's translation of the idiove codex, us well us iii;ainst his tians-
l.ltj.iii 1,1 the >'
fid il'l:inih' I
hlh Tdl-nU ihlCdil;.
.1/.
•vi ly error that could
VI
liale it li'imslatiou sL'fUis to have crept into ihesf two.
1
102 GODS, SUPEnXATURAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
Creator of lioaveu Jind earth." '-* In eontra-distinctioii
to this it mav be well to consider the foliowinu' extract
iVoni the same author: ''Such was the hliiidiiess of the
]\Iexi(nins, even to the natural light, that they did not
think like men of jiood jiidiiinent that all created thiuus
and infinite
id true fiod is.
. . . And in Mexico alone (according to the coninion
opinion) tlievhad and adored two thousand g(Mls, of whom
the principal were Vi/ilii)uztli and Tezcatlipucatl, who
as sui)reuie were set u[) in the height of the great tein})le,
were the work and elVect of some immense
cause, the which only the First Cause
over two altars .
'1
ez(
atli
11)U(
denc(
1"
atl
tl
was me "ot
lof
)rovi-
and
1 Vi/ilipuztli the uod of w
U'
Speaking of Mexican tem[)les-'" and gods, Oviedosav-*
"But Montezuma had the chief [temple], together wim
three other prayer-houses, in which he sacrificed iu
honor of four gods, oi- idols, that he had; of thi'se thc\
had one for uod of war, as the Gentiles had Mais; to
another tli
ley gave honor aiK
1 sacrifice as "od of tin
waters, eveu as the ancients gave to Xe[)tu]ie ; another they
adored for god of the wiud, as the lost heathen adored
.Kolus; aud another still thev revered as their sovereitiu
god, and this was the sun. . . They had further otliei'
gods; makiug one of them god of the maize-fields, attri-
buting to him the power of guarding and nudtiplyiuii'
the same, as the fable-writing poets and ancients of aii-
ticjuity did to Ceres. They had gods for everything,
giving attributes to each according to their sui-mises, in-
vesting them with that godhead which they had not. Mini
with which it was not right to invest
true (Jod.
any
save 01
dy th
k^peakiug in general terms of probably a large part of
21 See this vol. ii. .">7, note 13. On paf^cs 5.") and 50, and in the imtc ]>' i-
trtiuin;.,' Ilnictn, will also bo fouiul ii.iiny rcfoivucfs buiiriii.!,' on thu iiiati' i'
iiiuliT ]in'si'iit (lisi'ussio
.!> //<■
llisl. fiiit.. (1(H'. ii.. lib. vii., cap. xviii., p. 2"):?.
SB (Jiiii'.'i, Ovifdo calls tlicm, (s|)(ll(<l ciifn by most writers) tlio followiiv^ix-
plauatioii bciii'.,' ^'ivcii in ^I'^^sary of Vinrs Aiiicrir(niit:i l-Jiniihtnliis jmr Or
ai)[)ciiiltMl to the fourth volume of the Ifisl. U'c
' (2ii: tcmplo, casa dc or;iii-
n. Estii voz era mny Hi'ieral en cusi toda America, y muy principal niiiilo
ell las coniiirciis
dc Yucatan v Mecl
'•'; Ofkdi), Hint. Gen., torn, iii., p. o03.
ACOSTA AND TEOTL.
19;)
inction
extract
of tlu"
(VkI not
\ things
hilinito
CJod is.
coimnoii
of whom
atl, who
t toin\)U\
jf provl-
edo say'"
[hor wiiii
iiu'od ill
liose tlu'.v
Mais; to
,1 of tlu'
)thortlu'y
'U adoivd
sovon'i;jiu
her otluT
Ids. attri-
|iiltiplyin;i
its of an-
ervthiii;-i.
inisos, iu-
l not, ami
only the
ie part of
Itlif note 1'"'-
I fdllowiii'-p"'^'
|(.s jiiif (>ri"''\
I'lisil ill' <>l':ii'i-
[ineipiiluu uio
\e\v S[)aiii, Torquemada, sjiys: " Tliese idolaters did
not (leii^ that they had a god called Vpalnenioaloni, that
is to say. i»id hy whom we live, and his nature is that
his existence is in hiniselP: the which is most pro})er
to (loti, who is 'n his essence life. IJut that in which
these peo[)le erred was in distributing this divinity and
attril)uting it to many gods; yet. in reality, and verily,
tlun recognized a Su[)renie (jlod, to whom all the others
were inferior. IJut ibr the greatness of their sins, they
lacked laith and ran into this error like the other nations
that have done so."
Ac'ista, as has Ijeen already noticed by- Profes-sor J.
(1. Midler, either never heard of or disbelieved in the
existence of the name Teotl and of the ideas comiected
therewith by so many historians.-' The said Acosta
savs: ■• If wee shall seeke into the Indijin tongue for a
word to answer to this name of God, as in Latin, l)eu;<;
in (xrei'ke, Theos; in Hebrew, El; in Arabike, Alia; but
wee shall not finde anv in the Cuscan or Mexicaine
tougiR's. Ho as such as preach, or write to the Indians,
\se our S[)auish name Dios, fitting it to the accent or
[tionounciation of the Indian tongues, the Avhich difl'er
much, where))y appeares the small knowledge they had
iif (i()(l. .seeing they cannot so nuich as name him, if
it he not by our very name: yet in trueth they had
some little knowledge. . . .The ^[exicaines almost in the
same maimer [as the Peruvians] after the supreame (Jod,
worshiped the rfumie: And therefore they called Iler-
iiaiulo Cortez, Sonne of the ^'unne, for his care and
courage to compasse the earth. But they made their
*''* ' Yiiiiliicnionloni, que <]ni('n' dcciv, Stnor por qnieu sc vive, y iii si'r tn
M ill' N,itni'iilt'(^':i.' Tiirifiii iixuln, Mmuini. Iml.. toni. iii.. p. 'M.
'■' S( !■ tilis vol. p. 1H3. — Not, l)c it rciimikfil tliiit Acusta di iiics the kimwl-
nli,'!' liv t!ii> .Mcxiciins of a Sii)ii(iiii' (iod; he <inly ilciiics tlic ixistfiicr m'
iiiiy iiMiiif liy which the siiid lU-ity was gent I'idly known. This is clriir I'ldiii
'lie fnllowiiii,' (Xti-Mct from the lllsl, .\<U. Ind., p. 'XVi: 'Fii'Bt, although tlic>
tlaikciiissi' of inlidi'litif holdctli tho.se nations in lilindcncssp, yt-t iu many
tliiii;^'! s till' li;4ht of truth and reason works sonu'what in thcni. And liny
I iiiiiiiiiiiily iickuowlt'cl^'ti a supreame Lorde and Author of all thintts, which
tliry of Peru called Virac'oeha. . . Him they did worship, as the ehiefest of
.ill.wliniji tlu y <liil honor iu beholding tlio Leaveu. The like wee see amonyest
lluui of -Mexico."
VuL. HI, 13
1;
1!)-1
GODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND WORSIIIP.
gnvitcst adoration to an Idol called Vit/ilipiiztli, the
which in all this rcj^ion thev called the most puissant
ill
id Loi'd of all thinus: for this cause the Mex
icanies
huilt him a Temple, the ••reatest. the iairest. the highest,
and the most siimptiioiis of all others. ... But heere
the .Mexicaines Idolati'ie hath hin more pernicious and
hiii'tl'idl than that of the hitiiias. as wee shall see jilaincr
heereafti'r, for that the greatest }>art of their adoration
and idolatrie. was im[)loved to Idols, and not to naturall
things, although they did attrihute naturall eiVccts to
these Idolls. as raine. nndti[)lication t)f catttdl, wariv. and
generation, evi'ii as the (Jreekes and Latins have loi'ged
JdoUs of IMio'hus, Mercuric, .Ju[)iter, Minerva, and of
Ml
U'S.
To conclude, who so siiall neerelv looke into it,
shall (inde this manner which the Divell hath vsed to
deceive the Indians, to he the same wherewith hee hath
(U'ceived the (Jreekes and Uomans. and other ancient
(icntiles. giving them to vnderstand that these notahle
creatiu'cs. theSinme. Moone, Starres, and Klements. Inul
power and authoritie to doe good or harme to men. " "*
]\Iendieta says: " It is to he noted for a geiiei-al rule
that, though these peo[)le, in all the continent of these
Indias. from the larthest i)artsof Xew Sjjain to the ])arts
of Florida, and farther still to the kingdoms of Peru,
had. as has heen said, an infinity of idols that they
reverenced as ii'ods, neverthele;
l)ove a
11. tl
lev
4ill
held the sun as chiefcst and most powerful. And they
dedicated to the sun the greatest, richest, and most
sumptuous of their tem[)les. This should he the iiowcr
the .Mexicans called Ijialiieinohuani, that is to say, 'hy
whom all live.' and ^I()vucuvat/,in avac o(iui\()Cux ava(^
(upiipic. that is to say, ' he that no one created or formeil.
but w ho. on the contrary, made all things by his own
})Ower and will.'. . . . So many are the fictions and fa-
d
1
bles that the Indians invented about their gods, and so
dilfcrently are these related in the dill'erent towns, that
neither can they agree among themselves in I'ecounting
39 Acosta, Hist. :\a^ Jiul, pp. 334, 337-8.
mi;n I )Ii:tas kuiikmekistic theory.
r.)j
tlu'in. nor sliall tlirrc he foil n<l any one wlio sliall muliT-
stinid tlicni. hi till* iirincipal provinces of this \e\v
Spain. thi'V had. —al'tor thi' sun, wliich ^^■as the eonmion
pMl ol" thi'in all. — each province, its partiiailar and prin-
cipal ^()d. to which ti'od uhove all others they oilered
their sacrifices: as the Me.\i»!ans to Izilopnchtli — a name
that the Si)aniards iK/t heiiiL:' ahle to pronounce called
Ocholohos. "eijiht wolves', or I'chilohos; as the Te/ncans
to Te/,catli[)nca; as tiie Tlaxcalans to Caniaxtli. and
and as the Cholnhins to (^uet/alcoatl ; donhtless all
these were famous men that pi'rformed some notahle
feats, or invented .some new thinti", to the honor and
lu'iielit of the state; or perhaps a;^ain these jiave the
jH'ople laws and a rnle of life, or taiii:ht them trades, or
to oiler up sacrifices, or some other thin^Li; that a[)peined
liood and worthy to he rewarded with gratefnl acknowl-
cil:icinents The demon, the old enemy, did not
conti'iit him.><elf with the service tlait these people did
him in the adoration of almost overv visihle creature,
ill luakiiiij; idols of them, hoth carven and painteil, hut
he also ke[)t them hlinded with a thousand fashions of
witchcrafts, parodies of sacraments, and superstitions." ''
■■ It is well to I'cniark. ' writes (,\nnariio, " that althoujili
the Indians had a divinity for each thimr. thev wi're
aware of the existence of a Supreme (Jod that they named
Tloiiue-Xahuaipie, or lie who contains all. re;iardin_n' the
same as sujierior to all the other gods." This Tlascaltec
author has also preserved us a native ])rayer couched in
tlic following' terms: '• 0, all-powerful gods, that inhaliit
the heavens, even as far as the ninth, wln'realiides your
master and ours, the great Tlo([ue-Xaliua(pie (this name
means, lie that accompanies the other gods '-), — you that
:■' Mni'lMi, //;.s7. HrU's., j))). 88, 'Jl. 107.
'- I'lu' iiitriprctatiipii of the title Tltxnio Niilmaqnc is not niily inci'onci-
iiililc' with !iniitii('r j,'iv('ii by tho suiiic luithor ti few lines iibove in onr text.
l)iit it is also lit utter Viiriiinee with thus(i of all other authors with which I
am aei|uaint(il. It may not l)e amiss here to turn to the hest authority ac-
(is^ilile in matters of Mexican idiom: ^[()lina. Viinrmhirhi, describes the
title to mean, ' He upon whom tlepiuds the existence of all thinj,'s, preserv-
ing; ,iii<l sustaining; tliem,' — a word used also to m<aii (lod. or Lord. ' VVo-
'/'( icdi'djKi'^ cabc (piien esta el ser de todus lus cosas, coiisieruuudolus y SUH-
tt-Utaiululus : y dizese de uro seiior dios.'
I'.t;
Gt)nS, SUPKUNATrUAL l!F.IN(iS, AXD WOIlSIlir.
I
i
iiivo a
11 IK
)\vt'i' over iiuMi
forsikt' us not in (liiiiytT. W
invoke yon, as well also as the sun Xanlioiin. and the
moon, sjMnise of that brilliant Inminary, the stars of
heaven also, and the wind ol'the ni^iit and oi' the da\ . "''
Aeciordinj:; to the somewhat va;jine and in('om[)lete iie-
eonnt of Fray 'i'orihio de Henavente, oi" Motolinia, — the
latter his adopted name and that hy Avhich he is hest
l<iiown, — another of the ori^iinal andivii'lv authorities in
matter eoncerninii the "icntile Mexieans: " Te/eatlipoca
was the god or demon that they ludd for greatest and
to whom most dignity was attril'>ited . . . They had
idols of stone, and t)f wood, and of baked eli
ly
tl
le
y
ISO
made them of donuh and of seeds kneaded into tlu
douii'l
Mune o
f tl
lem were sliai)e(
d lil
•ce men,
some
were like women: . . . some were like wild beasts, as lions.
t'gers, <logs. deer, and such other animals as fre<|Uented
the nK)Uiitains and plains; . . . some lil
fas!
\e snakes ol man\-
lions.
I
I rue
aiK
1 coiliim' . . . Of the owl
aiu
1 otl
ur
night-birds, and of others as tlu^ kite, and of every large
b rd, or beautiful, or (ieree, or i)re('iously feathered, —
t the priiu'i[)al of all was the sun.
tliev
had
an i(
lol.
Likewise had tliev idols of the moon and stars, and of
t!ie great (Ishes. and of the water-lizards, and of toads and
frogs, and of other fishes; and these they said were the
Liods of the fisl
les
They had for gods (ire. water, and
earth; and of all these they had painted figures ... Of
many other things they had figures and idols, carved or
piinted. even of butterllies. fleas, and locusts."'"
Xe/.ahualcoyotl. king of Te/euco, was he who — accord-
ing to the no doubt somewhat partial account of his de-
scendant Ixtlilxochitl — ^[mshed the farthest into overt
speech and act his contempt of the vulgar idolatry and
iiis recognition of a high, holy, and to a great extent
unknowable supreme ])ower. This thoughtful nionarcli
■■ found for false all the gods adored by the peo})U! of
this land, saying that they were statues and den)oiis
11
■" Camaiyo, Ilht. ih' TInx., in XnHrplk.^ Anwtlcs ihs I''//., 1813, torn, xeviii.,
Ji. liH, tniii. Xfix., 1). H'.M.
-•1 Mololliua, Jlist. /((c/i«,s, iu kuihakdn, i'ul., toiii. i., i)i).l, 33-24.
Tin: CHr.El) OF NEZ.VIirALCOYOTL.
V.r,
r. ^Vo
\m\ tilt'
^^tJU•s ot'
. <liu . •■ ''
)k'te iic-
ia, — tlu'
,> is Ifc'st
>ntU's in
i-atliiHM'ii
itl'St iiiul
iioy liatl
thoy also
into tlu'
,. . . soiiio
, as lions,
•('(luc'iitrd
oi' uiauv
„iul otlu-r
cry lavp'
theivd, —
tlie sun.
s, and ol"
oads and
wevii the
iter, and
OS... Of
arvod tn'
— accord -
r his di-
uto OVt'lt
ihitry and
at extent
nioiuurh
people ol
deuK)n><
torn, xcviii.,
21.
hostile to tlio hnnian race; for he \vas very h'arnetl in
moral things, and he went to and fro more than any
other, sct'kinu; if haply he nii;:ht (ind lijiht to aHli'ni the
trne (iod and ci'eator of all thinjis, as has In-en seen in
till' discourse of his history, and as hear witness the son^s
that he eoniposcd on this theme. He said that there
was oidy One", that this One was the niaker of hea\( n
and earth, that he sustained all he had made and ereatecl,
and that he was where was no second, ahove the nine
licavi'ns; that no eye had ever seen this One, in a human
sliai«' nor in any sha[)e wha,te^■er; that the )<onls ol' the
virtuous wi'ut to him al'ter death, while the soids of the
had went to another place, some most infamous spot of
eiuth, filled with horrihle hardships and sulVerinjis.
X(\ cr - thoujih there were many gotls re[)res('ntinji' many
idols -did the king nejilect an opi)ortunity of sayinj;'
wlicn divinity was discussed, '3iitlo(|ue in nauhaiiue y
)>aliie moalani,' which sentence sums up his convictions
as ahove exnressei
d. X(
evertlie. -(s lie i'ei'oj:iny.eu tlie sun
as his father and the earth as his mother
Xow it is in the face of much that has heen said deny-
iiii:' or doiihting Ixtlil.vocliitrs account of the creed of
.\i7,aluialcoyotl that 1 have selected the ])assagi' aho\e
translated, from among other ])assagestoiK'liiiiu' the same
suhjci't in the IfiKforiif ('hlvh'uiii'i'd and in the /it/dcionis.
I lia\-e selected it not hecause it is the most clearly
Winded, or the most elo(iuent, or the most complete ; hut
lxl!Ux'i,-),UI, ll;4. Chhlii
Tin
{iifinhnrnii'ili's Mix. Aiitli/., vol. ix., )>
■ii'iiili
[t'lV fi'lsiis ;'i ti)(l<is los (liosvs ([Ui' aildlaliatl Ins dc t-sta tii I'li
iim; )iiir
as cdsas iiioralcs, y il cjuc mas vuiilu Imscaiuld ili
ijii'' fiU' iiuiy saliio vu
il iii>li' tdiiiai' Imnlivi' jiara (•crliticarsc di'l vinladfi-n I)i(is y cviailor dc tndas
lascosas, conio sc ha visto en el discnrso di- sii liistmia, y dan tisliiuoiiio
•aiitns (|nc coiiipiiso on ra/on dc istu I'onio cs il dccir (pic Imliia luio
solo, y ijuc cstc era (
1 h
•dnr d( 1 ciido v d ■ la ticrra, v sustiutalia todn li
h.rh,
ci.'l.K,
111 y cnadci pur il, y (juc t
:stal)ii dondc iin tenia sru'iiiido, siibrc Ins n
ijuc I'l alian/.d)a, nui' jai
M' lialiia visto en funiia liiuiiana, ni otra
ii,'i'.ra, ijiic con cl ilian a |iarar las aliiias dc los virtuosos dcsjim s dc niucrtos,
y i|iic las dc los mains iUan a otro lii>,'ar, <|nt; era d mas I'ntinio dc la ticrra,
Il'ali:
1"
liorrlli
Nun
a jamas (anmiui
lial>
iia mnclios kIoIos
(pu' iipriscntaliaii nuiclios dioscs) cnando sc ofrccia tvatar dc dciilad, ni en
i," 111 ral ni en particular, sino (jiicdccia' yntloi[Uc in nauliacplc y palnc moa-
Inii. i|ui' siL,'nitiea lo que esta atras declarado Solo decia ("inc rccoiioija al
l"ir ]iadrc; y a la ticrra por niadrc' Iscc also the UiiuihiKts of the same
aliliiur, iu the same volume, p. -151.
las
(;()i>.-;, si-im:i!\\ti'I!AI- hhin'os, and woitsiiip
sulcly on iii'coimf ortlic sciitciici' witli wliicli it coin'lmlcs:
X('/!iliii!iIc<)v»)tl ■■ rt'C(>LiMi/c(l the sun as liis liitlni'
luid the «'iirtli !is his iiiotlicr." 'I'licsc few woi'ds occtnr-
iiin' !it the i'lid ol" a i'liloLiV of the ^I'l'iit Ti'/ciicaii hy a
conrrsscil alinircr, these lew words that ha\e passed im-
iiiiliced amid tiie diii and hnlthnh raised over tlie lol'tv
r\-r{'t\ to which tiiev form tht' last ui'tiele. these few words
so insiuiiilieant apparently and yet sosi,i:iiilieaiit in their
i'onnection. shoidd lio i'ar to [iro\e the iiiithlnlness of
ol' Ixtlilxoehitl's record, and the .greater or less eoniplete-
ness of his poi'trait ol'his^reat anei-stor. Were Ixtlilxo-
ehitl dishonest, wonid he ever have allowed such a pii-au
chord as this to come jaiiLilin^u' into the otherwise jteifect
nnisic of his desci'iption of a j)erlect y,vj:v and ('hristiaii.
who hi'lieved in a <iod alone and all-sullicient. who he-
lie\'ed in a creator of all thinjis \vithout any hell) at all.
nuich less the hell) of his dead material ci'eatni'es the sun
and theeai'th? Let ns admit the honesty ol' Ixtlilxo-
chitl. and admit with him aknowledLtvot' that rnknown
(lod. whom, as did the Athenians, Xe/ahualcoyotI iiiuo-
rantly worshiped; hut k't us not hi> hlindi'il hya i^littcr
of words — which we may he sure lose nothing in the
repetition as to the significance oi' that * ignorantly ;'
let us never lose sight across the shadow of that ohscnre
Athenian altar to the rnhnown (iod, of the mighty
colunms of the Acropolis and the crest of the Athena
I'romachos. XezahualcoNotl seems a fair t\i)e ol" a
thoughtful, somewhat s(;e» tical Mexican of that hettcr-
instructed class which is t I'r and everywhere the hornsr
of hy[)oci'ites and fanati of that class ne\er without
its witnessi's in all coun es and at all times, of that
class two steps ahove the rnorant laity, and one step
ahove the learned prii'sthoo . yet far still from that siniiilc
and perfect truth which s) dl one day he patent enoiiuli
to all.
Turning fi'om the discussion of a point so obscui'c and
intangii)le as the monotheism of Xe/alnialcoyotl and the
school of which he was the type, let us review the wvy
palpahle and induhitahle polytheism of the Mexicaii^^.
A.MKKICAN .MVnioLUiiY.
lill>
S till 1 If I'
^ (H'cmr-
•iin 1>\ !i
issi'd uii-
tho Int'tV
.>\V NVOl'ils
t ill tlu'ir
I'uhu'ss (if
. Ixtlilxo-
li ii\iii;_:ui
'hnstiiin.
:, wlu) lii-
ic\\) iit all.
•CS tlu- Mill
: Ixtlilxo-
riikiunvii
)yotl luiHi-
)yii jilittiT
in;i in tlif
Monuitly;
iit ()l)scurr
10 mi;ilit.V
le Allii'iiii
tN-pu of a
iMt hviWv-
tholiornu-
or witluiiit
OS. ol' tliat
11 Olio stt'it
hut siiiil'lt'
.'lit eut)ii;iU
Ibscurc ami
])tl and i1k'
iw tin' vriy
Mexicans.
It seems radically to ililVer little froiii other |>olytheisiii,s
lirtter known, sneh us those ol'iJreece. Home, and Scan-
dinavia; it seems to luive heeii ii jnmhle of |)ei>onilied
powers, causes, iiud (|iiulities. developed in the ordinary
way IVom tlie mythical corruption oi" that llorid h\per-
holical style of spi'ech natnral to all peojih's in days
lirfore the e\ai!t di'linition of words was either pos.si-
lile or lu'cessary; just such a jmnlt!" as the Ai_\an
polytheisms were ill the days of the Mnhemerists. and lor
too lon;j. after nnfortnnately ; such a jnmhle as Aryan
inytlioloLiy was till the hrotlu-rs (Jrimni led the \an of
the ripest talent and seholai'ship of the nineteenth cen-
tury into the })aths of ' word-shnntin^'.' which led a.Liain
into ^od or hero shnntinji'. if the term may he in\t'iited.
I'nfortnnately tlie [jhilolo^iic, and mytholoj^ic material for
.siicli an exhaustive sMithesis of the oi'i^in and ri'lations
of tin' American creeds us Mrt'ox. I
or exami)
\v. I
I as
jiiveii to the woi'ld on the Aryan le^cnils. in his Mijthiiloipi
iij'lhc Arijiiii Xtidoiifi, is yet far from complete; which fact
indeed makes the raisoii d'etre of woi'ks like the present.
There is nothinii' for mo at present hut to ••ather. sift, and
anaiip'. with such siftinji' and arranjiement as may he pos-
sihle, all accessible materials relating;' to the subject in hand ;
that done let more skilled workmen find and give them
their place in the wall of science. For they ha\e a
l)la<'e there, whether or no it be found to-day or t(»-
inoridw: a breach is there that shall he empty nntii they
iit and till it.
Te/catlipoca seems to have bei'ii consideri'd on the
whole, and the pati'on-ji'ods of dill'erent cities aside, as the
must important of the Mexican ^lods. We have seen
hiui identilii'd in several of the preceihnjr (piotations
with a sui)ri'me invisible god, and 1 now proceed, illiis-
tiatiiiu.' this phase of liis character, to translate as clo.sely
as possible the various ])rayers given by Sahagnn as ad-
(hcssid to this great deity nnder his various names,
Titlacoan. Vantl. Telpnchtli. Tlamat/incatl. Moiocoiat/.in,
laotziii. Xecoeiaiitl, Necaoal})illi, and others; —
200
GODS, SUPERNATUrvAL IlEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
0, tlioii almiuhtv God. tliat nivost life to liieii. and
art oalU'd Titlacaoaii, jirant ino in thy morcv everytliin,u;
ncrdfiil to oat and to drink, and to enjoy of thy soft and
delicate thinj^s; for in grievous toil and straitness 1 live
in the world. Have nierey on me, so poor 1 am and
naked, I that labor in thy servi(!e. and for thy serviet*
sweep, and clean, and put light in this poor house, where
I await thine orders; otherwise let me die soon and eud
this toiliul and miserable life, so that my body may find
rest and a breathing-time.
In illness the people prayed to this deity as follows:
(Jod. whose name is Titlacaoan, be men^iful and send
away this sickness which is killing me, and I will reform
my life Let me be once healed of this infiruiity and I
sw<'ar to serve thee and to earn the right to live; should
1 ))y hard toil gain something, I will not eat it nor
employ it in anything save only to J'.r.e honor; I will
give a feast and a bancjuet of dancing in this poor house.
But the sick man that could not recover, and that felt
it so, used to grow desperate and blaspheme saying: O
Titlacaoriu, since thou mockest me, why do.st thou not
kill me?^«
Then following is a prayer to Te/.catlipoca. used )»y
the priest in time of pestileiu^e: mighty Lord, under
whose wing we find defense and shelter, thou art invis-
ible and impalpable even as night and the air. How
can I that am so mean and worthless dare to appear he-
fore thy majesty? Stuttering and with rude li[)s 1 s[)e;ik:
ungainly is the maimer of my speech as one leapiiii
auiong iurrows. as one advancing uneveidy: foi" all this
I iearto raise thine anger, and to provoke instead of ap-
peasing thee; neverthel(>ss thou wilt do unto me as may
])lease thee. Lord, that hast held it good to forsake
us in these days, according to the counsel thou hast as
well in heaven as in hades. — alas for us, in that (hiiic
anger and indignation has descended in thesi> d;iys
upon us; alas, in that the many and grievous alllictidiis
of thy wrath have overgone and swallowed us iii>.
'■>'' Stihii<jint, Hist. O'lii., turn, i., lil». iii., jip. 'ill 2,
k «
TEAYEK IX XniE OF PESTILENCE.
201
icn. and
L'vvthiivi
W)rt and
.'ss 1 Vive
am and
r service
iind end
may (in<l
s follows:
and send
ill relonn
lity and 1
e; should
cat it nor
lor; 1 will
loor house,
d that felt
I saying: O
, thou not
a. used hy
ml, under
art in\i>^-
air. lh)W
nppear hc-
1 s\H'ak;
leaiiiu'-i'
li'or all this
lead of a|>-
uu' as ui;\y
to rorsiiki'
lou htist as
that thine
enniiuLr down even as stones, spears, and arrows upon the
Avrt'ti'hcs that inha])it the earth. — this is the sore [pesti-
lence witli winch wo are alllicted ami almost destroyed.
Alas. () ^■ali;ult and all-i)o\verful Lord, the conunoii peo-
])le iU'c almost made an end of and destroyed; a fireat
desti'uction and ruin the pestilence alri-ady makes in
this uiition; and, what i.s mo.st pitiful (if all. tlu> little
rliildren that are imiocent and understand notliinij.'.
oidy to play with pehhles and to heap up little mounds
ofc.nth. thev too die. hroken and da.shed to i)ieces as
against stonesand awall —a thing very pitiful and grievous
to lie seen, for there remain of them not even those in
the ci'adles. nor tho.se that could not walk nor s[)i'ak.
Ah. Lord, how all things hecome confounded: of young
and old and of men and women there remains neither
hi'anch nor root; thy nation and thy people and thy
wealth are leveled down and destroyed. O our Lord,
])rotector of all. iuost valiiint and most kind, what is tlii.x?
Thine antier and thine indiunation.doesit iilor\- ordeliiiht
in hurling the stone and arrow and spear? The lire of the
ju'stileiKM". made exceeding hot. is njM)n thy nation, as a tiro
in a hut. hurninirand smokinii'. leavinii' nothinu' unriuht or
r~ . r? lit
sound. The grindersof thy teeth arc employed, and thy
))itter whips n[)on the uiiserahle of thy peo[)le. who havi;
lu'conic IcMu and of little suhstance. even as a hollow green
••ane. Vea. what doc^t thou now, () Lord, most strong,
(•iuniKissi(>ti;ite. invisihle, raid impidjjahle, who.-^e 'svill
all things oljey, upon whose disposal depends the rule of
the \v(trld. to whom all is suhject.--what in thy di\ine
l)reast hast thou decreed? Perad venture hast thou alto-
gether forsaken thy nation and thy pe()[)le? Hast thou
verily determined that it uttei-ly jterish. and that there
ho no more memory of it in the world, that the pe()|iled
jilace hccoiue a wooded hill and a wilderness of stones?
l*c'rad\-euture wilt thou pei'uiit that the temples, and
the places of prayer, and the altars, huilt for thy sei'\ ice,
he la/.ed and destroyed and no Memory of them he left?
Is it iudecd possihle that thy wrath and punishment,
and vexed indignation arc altogether implacable and
202
GODS, SUPEKXATURAL BEINGS, AND "WOltSlIlP.
will ^'o Oil to tlio 011(1 to our clostriictiou ? Is it uhviidy
lixod in thy divine connsel thiit tliorc is to Ik- no iniTcy
nor pity I'oi" us. until the arrows of thy lury are sjuMit to
our uttor jK'i'dition and destruction? li< it ])ossil)le that
this lash and chastisement is not given i'or our cor-
I'cction and auiendnient, but only lor our total destruc-
tion and ol)literation; that the sun shall nevermore
shine u[)()n us. 1)ut that we nuist remain in i)er[)etual
darkness and silence; that nevermore thou wilt look
upon us with eyes of mercy, neither little nornuich?
\\ ilt thou after this fashion destroy the wretched sick
that cannot lind rest nor turn i'rom side to side,
whose mouth and teeth are tilled >vith earth and
scurf? It is a sore thing to tell how we are all in dark-
ness, having none understanding nor sense to watch for
or aid one another. We are all as drunken and without
undei'standing. without hope of any aid; already the
little chihh'en perish of hunger, for there is none to give
them food, nor driid<.nor consolation, nor cari'ss. none to
give the hreast to them that suck; for their fathers and
and mothers havi' died and lef"t them or[)hans, sull'er-
ing Ibr the sins of their fathers. O our Lord, all-
])o\vei-ful, full of mercy, our refuge, though indeed
thine anger and indignation, thine arnnvs and stones, have
sorely hurt this [)oor people, let it be as a father or a
mother that rebukes children, ])uUing their ears, piiicli-
in
u' tl
leu' ai'uis, winiJDum
tl
lem witn nc
.'ttl
es.
I
Kjuruiu'
chill water ui)on them; all being done that they may
amend their jtuerility and childishness. Thy chastisc-
meid and indignation have lorded and })revailed om'I'
these thy servants, over this poor people, even as rain
falling upon the trees and the green canes, being touchcil
of the wind, (h'ops also upon those that are below. O mo>t
compassionate Lord, thou knowest that the connuon Iblk
are as children, that being wlii[)[)ed they cry and sob and
repent of what they have done. IV'radventure, alri'atly
these [)()or people by reasonof thy chastisement \\vv[). sigli.
bl;
unv. and murnnu' against tlu'inselves; in tliy ])ies('ii((
th
the^' blaiiK' and bear witness against their Ijad heeds and
SPARE THE GKEEN AND TAKE THE EirE,
2o;j
aliviidv
lo nuTcv
siH'ut to
:\\)W that
our oor-
destnie-
oNL-niiorc
per^H'tiuil
wilt look
in- miU'U'.'
L^hod sick
to side,
irth and
I ill dark-
watch lor
id without
ready the
uc to Liive
. — noue to
ithers and
us, sulVer-
Lonh idl-
i iuik'cd
)ues Jiave
,ther or a
|u's, |)iuch-
pouriuLi'
thi'V may
chastise-
liled over
Ml as rain
LL' touched
() uie>t
inuiou I'olk
id s()h:>nd
|e. ah'cady
\w[). siiih.
• presence
heeilsiiud
punish tlieinsclvos therefor. Our Lord most com[)assio-
nate. [)itit'ul, iiohle, and precious, let a time l)e given the
people to repent; let the past chastisement sullice, let it
end here, to hegiii again if the reform endure not. Par-
don and overlook the sins of the peo})le; cause thine
aiijer and thy resentment to cease; re[)ress it again
within thy l)reast that it destroy no I'arther; let it rest
tlieie: let it cease, I'or of a surety none can avoid
death nor esca[)e to any place. We owe trihute to death ;
and all that live in the world are the vassals thereol';
this trihute shall every man pay with his life. None
^liall avoid from following death, lor it is thy messenger
wliat hour soever it may he sent, hungering and thirst-
ing always to devour all that are in the world and so
pDwei'ful that none shall esca[)e: then indeed shall every
man he punished according to his leeds. O most pitiful
Loi'd. at least take pity and have mercy upon the child-
ren that are in the cradles, ii[)on those that cannot walk.
llii\c mercy also, Lord, upon the poor and very mise-
lahle. who have nothing to eat, nor to cover tlu'niselves
withal, nor a place to sleep, who do not know what thing
a happy day is, whose days pass altogether in pain,
Uilu'tion. am
1 sad
ness. 'IMian this, were it not 1 tetter,
Lord, if thou should forget to have mercy u[)oii the
tl
soldiers and unon tlie men ot war, wlioin tliou wi
th
iltl
lave
need of sometime; hehold it is hetter to die in war and
go to sei've food and drink in the house of the sun. than
to die in this pestilence and descend to hades. most
str>iiig Lord, protector of all. lord of the earth, governor
of the world, and universal mastt'r. K't the sport and satis-
I'a tion thou hast already taki'U in this past punishment
sullirc; make an end of this smoke and fogof th_\ resent-
'iit: (piencli also the hurning and destroying (Ire of
nil
tl
mil' aiiLix
r: let
sere
inty
come aiK
I el
(.'a r ness;
•t thi
siiiall hirds of thy [)eo[)le hegin to sing and to approach
the sun; give them (piiet weather so that tluy may
cause their voices to reach thy highness and thou mayest
kiiuw them. our Lord, most strong, most compassion-
ate, and most iiohle, this little have 1 said hefore thee,
201
r,0T)F5, SITERXATURAL BEINGS, AXD WOESTIIP.
\l
h
i
w '■
IIM:
and T liavo notliing more to say, only to prostrate and
throw myself at thy feet, seeking pardon for the faults
of this my prayer; certainly 1 would not remain in thy
disi»leasure, and 1 have no other thin<^ to say.
The following is a prayer to the same deity, nnder his
names Tezeatlipuca and Voalliehecatl, for succor against
})o\erty: our Lord, protector most strong and com-
passionate, invisihle, and impal[)al)le, thou art the givci-
of life; lord of all, and lord of battles. I preser»t myself
here before thee to say some few words concerning the
need of the poor people, the people of none estate nor
intelligence. AVhen they lie down at night they ha\e
nothing, nor when they rise np in the morning; the
«larkness and the light pass alike in great poverty.
Know, Lord, that thy subjects and servant-, suller a
.'^ore poverty that cainiot he told of more than that it is
a sore poverty and desolateness. The men have no gar-
ments nor the women to cover themselves with, but only
certain rags rent in every part that allow the air and the
cold to pass everywhere. With great toil and weariness
;iiey sci'ape together enough for each day, going by
mountain and wilderness seeking their food; so faint and
enfeebled are they that their bowels cleave to the ribs,
and all their body reechoes with hoUowness; and tluy
walk as people affrighted, the face and the Inxly in like-
ness of death. If they be merchants, they now sell
oidy cakes of salt and broken pepper; the people that
hav(> something despise tlu'ir wares, so that they go out
to s(dl IVom door to door and from house to house; ami
when tlu'v scdl nothing they sit ilown sadly hy some fence.
or wall, or in some corner, licking their lips and gnaw-
ing the nails of their hands for the hunger that is in
them: they look on the one side and on the other at tlie
mouths o
ftl
I OS',
that
pass by, ho[)nig perat
Ivent
ure
that
one may speak some word to them. comi)assioiiate
(jod. the bed on which they lie down is not a thing tn
rest npon, but t) endure torment in; they draw a ra;;'
over them at night and so sleep; there they throw down
their bodies and the bodies of children that thou \n\>t
rilAYER FOR AID AGAINST POVERTY.
205
_ui\;ii tlioin. For the mi.sory they pjrow up in. for tlio
liltli' of tlicii' food, lor the hu'k ol" CH)Verin}i', theii- luces
an' yellow uikI jiU their bodies ol" the color of earth.
Tlu'V treiiil)le with cold, Jiiid lor leaiiiiess the>' staiiuer in
walkiiin'.
T\
ley go vvee[)in<i', aiK
1 siuhiii"'. and I'ldl of
madness, and all misfortunes are joined to them; thoii<:h
they stay by a fire they find little heat. our Lord,
most clement, invisible, and inntali)able, I su})[)Hcate
tine to see good to have pity uiK>n them as they move in
thy presence wailing and clamoring and seeking mercy
uitli anguish of heart. our Jjord, in whose jumer it
is to give all content, consolation, sweetness, softness,
[iiosperity and riches, for thou alone art lord of all good,
- have mercy upon them for they are thy ser\ ants. I
siiliplicate thee, O Loi-d, that thou ])rove them a little
with tenderness, indulgence, sweetness, and softness,
whicii indeed they sorely lack and recpiire. I siipi)li-
catc thee that thou will lit'tup their heads with thy fa\or
aiul aid. that thou will see good that they enjoy some
(lays (jf prosj)erity and tran(iuillity. so they may sleep and
know repose, having prosjK'rous and peaceable days of
lite. Should they still refuse to serve thee, thou after-
wards canst take away what thou ha.st given ; they ha\ ing
I'lijoNed it but a few davs, as those thateinov a Iragrant
ami beautiful llower and find it wither presently. Shoidd
this nation, for whom 1 i)ray and entreat thet; to do them
pMxl. not understand what thou hast givi'U, thou canst
take away the good and |M)ur out cursing; so that all
e\il may come upon them, and they become jjoor. in
iieeil. maimed, lame, blind, and deal': then indeed tbty
>liall waken and know the good that they had and have
lint, and they shall call u^hjii thee and lean towards thee;
hilt thou wilt not listen, for in the day of abmidanee
t!ie\- would not understand thv goodness towards them.
111 lonchision, 1 su[)i>licate thee. () most kind and benif-
iteiit Lord, that thou will see good to give this people
to taste ol' the goods and riches that thou art wont to
i^i\e. and that ])roceed from thee, things sweet and sol't
^' i'ur hi frezii ile la comida: .iuhaijuu, Jlist. Ucn., tyiu. ii., lib. vi., [k -i'J-
206
GODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
and l)ringln<i; content and joy, although it ,)C hut for a littlo
while, and as a dream that passes. For it is certain that
for a long time the people go sadly hefore thee, Avei'j)iiig
and thoughtful, hecause of the anguish, hardshi}), and
anxiety tliat fdl their hodies Jind hearts, taking away all
ease and rest. Yerily, it is not douhtful that to this [joor
nation, needy and shelterless, happens all I have snid.
If thou answerest my petition it will be only of thy
liberality and magnificence, for no one is worthy to re-
ceive thy bounty for any merit of his, but only through
thy grace. Search below the dung-hills and in tbo
niountaiiis for thy servants, friends, and acquaintance,
and I'aisc them to riches and dignities. our Lord,
most clement, let thy will be done as it is ordained in
thy heart, and we shall have nothing to say. I, a lude
man and common, would not by importunity and })ro-
lixity disgui-t and annoy thee, detailing my sickness,
destruction, and punishment. Whom do 1 speak to?
AVbcre am I? Lo I speak with thee, King; well do I
know that I stand in an eminent place, and that 1 tallv
Avith one of great majesty, belbre whose jjresencc
flows a river through a chasm, a gulf sheer down ol'
awful depth; this also is a slippery place, whence n.any
])recipitate themselves, for there shall not be found one
w ithout error before th}' majesty. 1 myself, a man oi'
little understanding and lacking speech, dare to address
my words to thee; I put myself in peril of falling into the
gorge and cavern of this river. 1, Lord, have come to
take with my hands blindness to mine eves, rotten-
ness and shrivelling to my members, poverty and
jiUliction to my body; for my meanness and rudeiu^ss
this it is that I merit to receive. Live and rule ibi-
ever in all quietness and tranquillity, thou that art oiii-
lord, our shelter, our protector, most compiissionate, most
jiitiful, invisible, impalpable.
I'his following is a petition in time of war to the same
priiKMpal god, under his name of Tezcatlipoca Yauthu'cuM'i-
autlnumenequi, praying favor against the enemy: onr
Ltird, most compassionate, protector, defender, invisilde.
rRAYER IN TIME OF WAR.
207
m
iini)alp;i])lo, ])y whose will and wisdom avo arc diroetod
and uovoriiod, IxMieath whose rule wo live. — (), Lord
of battles, it is a thing very certain and settled that war
heirins to l)e arranged Jind prepared lor. Tlu; god of
the earth opens his mouth, thirsty to drink the hlood
of them that shall die in this strife. It seems that they
wish to he merry, the sun and the god of the earth
called 'rialteoutli; they wish to give to eat and drink to
tlie gods of heaven and hades, making them a han<juet
with the ]>1()0(1 and ilesh of the men that have to die in
this war. Already do they look, the gods of heaven
and hades, to see who they are that have to con-
quer, and who to ))e con(juered ; who they are that
have to slay, and who to he slain; whose blood
it is tiiat has to be drunken, and whose Ilesh it is
that has to be eaten; — wluch things the noble lathers
aid mothers whose sons have to die, are ignorant of.
Even so are ignorant all their kith and kin. and the
nurses that gave them suck. — ignorant also are the fa-
thers tliat toiled lor them, seeking things needfid for
their Ibod and driidv and raiment until they reached the
aue thev now have. Certainlv they could not foretell
liow those sons should end whom they reared so anx-
iously, or that they should be one day ki't captives or
dead upon tlie field. >>ee good, our Lord, that the
iiobk's who die in the shock of war l)e peacefully and
agreeably received, and with bowels of love, by the sun
and the earth that are father and mother of all. I'V)r
M'rily tliou dost not deceive thyself in wiiat thou doest,'"*
to wit. in wishing them to die in Avar: ibr certainly
for this didst thou send them into the world, so
that with their ilesh and their ])lood they might be
fill- meat and drink to the sun and the earth. I'e not
wroth. Lord, anew against those of the jirofession of
war. for in the same place where they will die luive died
_ 3s 'Pdnjup a 111 vonliul no os engannis oon lo que liiucis:' sco Sdliaiiioi, in
hdi i.Jiiii-iiiiili's Mcx. Aiitii/., vol. v., p. HflO, as tho Hiibstitiitiou of ' cnrjiiricis '
fur ' iut,Miiiiis ' destroys the sense of t}ie passage iu liustiimiinte's td. of the
HMiiic, Ilisl.iitH., tom.'ii., lib. vi.,p. 43.
I
208 GODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND WORSHir.
iriiiny generouH*' and noble lords and captains, and
valiant mon. The nobility and generosity of the nobles
and the greathearted ness of the warriors is made a^jpar-
ent, and tiiou makest manifest, Lord, how estimable
and precious is each one, so that as such he may ))e held
and lionored, even as a stone of price or a rich feather,
O Lord, most clement, lord of battles, emperor of all,
M'hose name is Tezcatlipoca, invisilde and imi)alpa]jle,
we supplicate thee that he or they that thou wilt per-
mit to die in this war may be received into the house of
the sun in heaven, with love and honor, and may Ije
l)laced and lodged ])etween the brave and famous war-
rioi's already dead in war, to wit, the lords (^uitzicqua-
(juatzin, Macenhcatzin, Tlacahuepantzin, Ixtlilcueehavac,
Ihnitltenuic, Chavacuetzin, and all the other valiant and
renowned men that died in former times, — who are re-
joicing with and praising our lord the sun, who are glad
and eternally rich through hhn, and shall be for ever;
they go al)(jut sucking the sweetness of all llowers delec-
ta))le and pleasant to the taste. This is a great dignity
for the stout and valiant ones that died in war; for this
tluy are drunken with delight, keeping no account of
night, nor day, nor years, nor times; their joy and their
wealth is without end; the nectarous flowers they sip
never fade, and for the desire thereof men of high de-
scent strengthen themselves to die. Li conclusion, I
entreat thee, O Lord, that art our lord most clement,
our emperor most invincible, to see good that those that
<lie in this war l)e received with bowels of pity and lo\c
])y our father the sun, and our mother the earth; lor
thou only livest and rulest and art our most compassion-
ate lord. Xor do I supplicate alone f(jr the illustricjus and
n()l)le. but also for the other soldiers, who are troubled and
tormented in heart, who clamor, calling upon thee,
holding their lives as nothing, and who fling themselves
without fear upon the enemy, seeking death, (jiraiit
M By an orror and a solecism of Bustamonte's ed. the words ',,t'ntt's
viijos' art' siil)stitnti'(l for the adjcctivt' ' t,'('ii('rosos:' see, as in the i)rr('< il-
iii!,' iiotf, S<ihii<jiw, in Khhjshnmwih's Mvx. Antiq., vol. v., p. 357, uiid tiahaijaii,
Jli.st. Uai., torn, ii., lib. vi., p. i3.
mAYEIl TO THE GOD OF BATTLES.
201)
tlic'in at least some small part of their desire, some rest
and repo-^c in this life; or if here, in this world, they are
not destined to prosi)erity, apijoint them for servants and
ollicers of the sun, to give food and drink to those in
hiules and to those in heaven. As for those whose ehar^c
it is to rule the state and to ))e thicateceatl or tlaeocheal-
atl,'" make them to ))e i'athers and mothers to the men
of war that wander hy field Jind moinitain, by height
and ravine, — in their liand is the sentence of deatii lor
enemies and criminals, as also the distribution of digni-
ties, the oflices and the arms of war, the badges, the
gianting privileges to those that wear visors and tassels"
on the head, and ear-rings, jwndants, and bracelets, and
have yellow skins tied to their ankles, — with them is the
|irivile;ze of appointing the fashion of the raiment that
(•\ ery one shall wear. It is to these also to give per-
mission to certain to use and Avear precious stones, as
chalcliivetes, turcpioises, and rich feathers in the dances,
and to wear necklaces and jewels of gold: all of which
things are delicate and precious gifts proceeding from
thy riches, and which thou givest to those that perfoi-m
fi'ats and valiant deeds in war. 1 entreat thee also, ()
Lord, to make grace of thy largess to the connnon
soldiers, give them some shelter and good lodging in this
world, make them stout and brave, and take away all
cowanlice irom their heart, so that not oidy shall they
meet death with cheerfulness, but even desire it as a
sweet thing, as flowers and daint>' Ibod, nor dread at all
the 1 loots and shouts of their enemies: this do to them
as to thy friend. Forasmuch as thou art lord of battles,
on wiiose will depends the victory, aiding whom thou
wilt, needing not that any counsel thee,— I entreat thee,
Lord, to make mad and drunken our enemies so that
witiiout hin-t to us they may cast themselves into our
hands, into the hands of our men of war enduring
'" ' Es ilciir CoinaiulantoH o t'uiiittiiu's {jjcuenileH ile ojurcito :' liustamentv, iii
S'thnij'in. Hist. <i<)i., toiii. ii., lib. vi., p. U.
■" 'Horlas,' si'o Salidiiun, iu Khi^islKininiih's Mex. Antii/., vol. v., p. SoS,
j,'ivtu 'bollas ' in Bustiiiuiiute's ■Sd/iaijuii, Hist. Glu., toui. ii., lib. vi., p. 45.
Vol. m. 14
210
OODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
!
ii
Ij
I
«o much hanlsliip ainl poverty. our Tjord, since
tlioii art («()(1, all-poworftil, all-knovvinjr, «lisiH)S('r of all
thiiii2:s, aide to make this laii<l rieh, prosjH'roiis, jmii.sed.
lioiiored. lamed in the art and feats of war, ahle to make
the warriors now in the field to live and he ])rospei'ous.
if, in tlie days at hand, thou see good tliat they die in
war, let it he to <i<> to the liouseof the sun, iunong all
the heroes that are there and that died upon the hattle-
lield.
The following prayer is one addres-sed to the principal
deity, under his name Tezcatlipwa Tei(K!oiani Tehima-
tini, asking favor for a newly elected ruler: To-day, a
fortunate day, the sun lias risen upon us, warming us, so
that in it ji precious stone may he wrought, and a hand-
some sajjphire. To us has appeared a new light, has
arrived a new brightness, to us has })een given a glitter-
ing axe to rule and govern our nation. — has been given
u man to take upon his shoulders the affairs and troubles
of the state. He is to be the imaue and substitute of
the lords juid governors that have already j)assed away
from this life, who for some days lal)ored, bearing
the burden of thy people, possessing thy throne and
seat, which is the principal dignity" of this thy nation,
province, and kingdom; having and holding tlie same
in thv name and person some few davs. These have
now de[)arted from this lil'e, put off their shoulders the
great load and burden that so few are al)le to suffer. Now.
Lord, we marvel that thou bast indeed set thine eyvt^
on this man, rude and of little knowledge, to make him
for some days, for some little time, the governor of this
state, nation, province, and kingdom. our Lord, most
clement, art thou peradventure in want of persons and
friends? — nay verily, thou that hast thereof more than
can be counted! Is it, peradventure, by error, or that
thou dost not know him; or is it that thou hast taken
Inm for the nonce, while thou seekest among many for
<2 'Diprniilad,' Saliaijun, in Kitifinhnrnitgh s Mex. Antiq., vol. v.. p. 3ri'.1.
misprinted ' diligoiicia ' in liustamuute'» Saliagan, Jlist.iren., torn, ii., li'j.
vi., [>. 40.
m.VYER THAT A IIULER MAY RULE WELL.
211
iinotlicr anJ a bettor tliaii lie, umviso, indisoroto, iin-
|)n»lital)l(', a .sii[k'1'I1u(>u.s man in tlio world. Finally, wo
give thanks to thy majosty for tho I'avor thou hast dono
us. What thy designs therein are thou ah>ne knowost ;
jK rhaps befbrehaiid this oOice has been provided for:
thy will bo done as it is determined in thy heart; let
tills man serve for some days and times. It may be
that he will (ill this ollieo defectively, giving unrest and
I'ear to his subjects, doing things without counsel or con-
sideration, deeming himself worthy of the dignity ho
has. thinking that ho will remain in it for a long time,
making a sad dream of it, making the occupation and
dignity thou hast given him an occasion of pride and
l)resunn)tion, making little of everybody and going about
with pomp and pageantry. Within a fjvy days, thou wilt
know the event of all, lor all men are Miy spectacle and
theatre, at which thou laughost and n\alest thyself
merry. Perhaps this ruler will lose his olHce
through his childishness, or it Avill ha[)i)en through his
carelessness and laziness; for verily nothing is hidden
IVom thee, thy sight makes way through stone and
wood, and thine hearing. Or perhaps his arrogance,
and tho secret bojisting of his thoughts will destroy him.
Then thou wilt throw him among the filth and ujmju the
diuig-hills, and his reward will bo blindness, and shrivel-
liiigs. and extreme poverty till the hour of his death,
when thou wilt put him under thy feet. Since this })(K)r
man is put in this risk and peril, we su})[)licato thee,
who art our Lord, our invisible and impal[)able protec-
tor, under whose will and pleasure we are, who alone
disposes of and provides for all, — we sup[)licato thee
tliat thou see good to deal mennfully with him; inas-
much as ho is needy, thy subject and servant, and blind ;
deign to provide him witli thy light, that ho may know
what he has to think, what ho has to do, and the road
lie has to Ibllow, so as to commit no error in his ollice,
contrary to thy disposition and will. Thou knowest
wluit is to happen to him in this otlice both by day and
night; wo know, our Lord, most clement, that our
■2il Gf)I),-i, sri'HIlNATFlUL IJEIN^IS. AND W.IUSHIP.
wiiys and (U'cils iire not so miK^li in our luuids us In tli(
liiiiids (ifoui' i'iiUt. If this riik'r ul'ttT iiii evil and pcr-
V('rs(? fashion, in tiic placu' to whi(3h tiioii hast elcvatcil
him. and in the scat in \vhii;li thou hast put liiin, — ^whiili
is thini', — wht'i'o ho inana^jjos the alVair.s of the pcoplt',
as out' that washes filthy tilings with dean and eiear
water, (yea in the same seat holds a similar cleansing
oHi(!e the ancient god, who is fathei' and mother to thy-
self, and is god of (ire, who stands in the midst of llowers,
in the midst of the place hounded hy four wallw, who is
(•overed with shining feathers that are as wings), — if this
ruler-elect of oin's «lo evil with which to provoke thine
'wo. and indignation, and to awaken thy chastisement
against himsell', it will not he of his own will or seek-
ing, hut hy thy permission or hy some imi)nlse from
without; for which 1 entreat thee to see good to open his
eyes to give him light; open also his ears and guide him.
not so much for his own sake as for that of those whom
he has to rule over and carry on his shoulders.*' I sup-
'■' This (lonl)tfal au-linvolvoil scntonop. with the ooutiiinod clause tonchinf,'
thi' iiiitiirf of the tirt-^;(Hl, runs cxiictly iis follows in the two vaniiiK fditidiis
of the ori,i,'iiial: ' Si ali^iina cusa avicsa o iiial heelie hieieni cii la (lij,')iiila(l (|ni-
li' hiil)eis (lailo. y en la silla en ([ue le habeis juiesto, (jue es viiestra, (joinlc
e-it."i tratauilo los iie;,'()eios populares, (M)mo titiieii lava eosas siiei.is con at,'ii,i
muy clara y niuy liinpia; en la (jual silla y (lit»niila(l tieiie el niisnio oticio di
1 ivar viiestro padre y madre de todos los Dioses, el Dios anti^'nu (jue rs 1 1
Dios del fui'^;o, ijae esta eu medio del alherj^ue cerca de (jiiatrt) paredes, y
e-it I ciibierto eon plunnis resplandecientes qne son conio alas, lo (pie este
el.'cto liiciese nial hecho, con cpie provociue vuestra ira e in(ii),'nacion, y dcs-
pierte vnestro east !;,''( contra si, noser.'i de sn allied' io (') de sii (piever, si no de
viientra i)ernusioii, I'l deali^nnotra sn^jestion vnestre,, o i.'' otro; por lo eiial us
ri ipiie.) teii'^ais por iiien de alirirle los ojos y d.u'le iiiiiib ■ ■ y ahrirle las orejiis,
y 1,'uiadle a este polire I'leeto, no tanto por lo iiU( el e .. sino ]irincipahiieiitc
por ainicUos a (iiiienes hade reL'ir v Uevar >, , cii ras.' Sdlidiun. in h'inis-
h)i'!)H;lli'.-< l/'.l". Aiiliij., vol. v., p]). ;)(')l( U(il.
liei'li I hieiere, cii la di^'nidad (pie le haliei
li il)i4s piiesto (pii
' S; al},Mnia cosa uviesa (i luid
dado, y en la silla en (pie lo
I's vuestra, donde esta tratando los nej^oeius j)0])Ulans.
e );no (piien laba eosas sucias. con aj^'ua muy clara y muy linipia, en la cual
sill I y di^^'nidad tiene el misino oticio (1(> laViar vnestro padre y madre. lie
t iiloi los dioses. el dios autiyui), (pie es el dios del fuego (pie esta ell inedie
d' las (lores, y en medio del alberf^uc cercado de euatro paredes. y esii
c'lbierto eon ])lunias resplandeeieiites (pie Hon somo alas; lo ([Ue I'ste electe
liii-iere mal hecho con (pie pr()V()(pi(^ vuestra ira ('• indi|,'nacion, y despierln
viKistro (Nistij^o contra sf, no S(>ra de su alv(ulri() de d sii ipiena", sino de vaes-
tia permision, u de al^nna otra sujjtestion vuestra. (') do otro; i)or lo cuai es
s'i;>lico tenf,'ais |ior bieii deabirle los ojos. y darle luz. y abridie tambieii U^
ort^jas, y i^iiiad a i^ste p()b,r(> eiecto; no tanto por lo ([Ue es ('1, sino priniipal-
111 Mite por a(iuellos a (|uien ha d. e^'ir y llevar acuestas:' Bustanieiilc s
Si'vi'jun, Hist. Gch., tt>iu. ii., lib. vi., ^). 4b.
THAT A lU'LEU MAY NOT Ani'SK IIIS POWER.
21;!
,s in tlu
md IHT-
I'U'Viitrtl
— wliu'li
•letinsin^
r to thy-
f llowt'i's,
w, who is
,— if this
oke thint'
Lstiseniont
1 or sccU-
)ulse IVom
) oi)en his
ruido him.
lose whom
/' I siip-
iinse toui'liit>'4
vvitiK tilltinll^
I'dij^iiidiulii'"
[•Ufstrii, iloiiili'
jifiiiH con ii^uii
li-o inirtiU^- v
IS, 111 line <st.'
/uiicioii, y il'f-
Iliu'Vcr, >*ii"' 'I''
jidv lo cn.il I'H
•iilf Ills (ir('jii>.
inm'il>iili';'"'"'
\ilini. ii< A''"'-
, ilvil'Ml <1 111"'
iiUa en >\w 1"
•ius poimliiivs
liiii. en li' '■"'"
•(. y inmb'i'. ill'
est'l k'U lllrlliii
Imuh'cV'S. V '■■'"
me I'stf >'U«to
on, y (U'Sl-i'''"'
, Hiiii> >l'- '^"'■'''
,,()!■ lo i'"iil '"^
,\if tauibitii M^
[sino i.riniil'iv-
Bustaiuiut'' s
]»li(';it(' the*'. tliJit now, frotn tlio l)c'jrirniin^\ tliou Inspiic
liiiii with what he is to coiuvivt! in liis hcai't. and the
ncid hr is t«» t'olI«>w. inasnuicli as tliou hast nuuh' ol'hiiii
a .M'at on which to scat tliysdC, and also as it were a
thifc that, hcin^' played n|K)n, may sijinil'v thy will.
Make him. Lord, ji i'aitht'nl inia^ie of thyself, and per-
mit not that in thy throne and hall he make himsell'
mid and haiiuhtN'; hut rather see ucmmI, O Lord, that
([iiietly and [>rndently he rnle and govern those in his
I'liaroc who are common peo[)le: do not permit him to
insult and op[)r(»ss his snhjects. nor to give over without
reason any of them to destrnction. Neither permit. ()
Leid. that he sjMjt and defile thy throne and hall with
any injustice or oppression, for in so iloing he will stain
also thine honor and fame. Already, Lord, has this
poor man accepted and received the honor and lordship
that thou hast u'iven iiini; already he i)ossesses the glory
and ri(;hes thereof; already thou hast adorned his hands,
feet, head, ears, and li[)s. with visor, ear-rings, and hrace-
lots. and put yellow leather npon his ankles. Permit it
ndt.O Lord, that these decorations, hadges. and ornaments
he to him a cause of pride and presumption; l)ut rather
that he serve thee with humility and plainness. May it
please thee, O our liOrd, most clement, that he ride and
uoMTii this, thv seiiiiiorv, that thou hast conunitted to
him. with all prudence and wisdom, Afay it please thee
that he do nothing wrong or to thine olVense; deign to
walk with him and direct him in all his ways. Ihit if
tliou wilt not do this, ordain that from this day hence-
li)rth he he ahhorred and disliked, and that he die in
wai- at the hands of his enemies, that he depart to the
liDUseofthe sini; where he will he taken care of as a,
l)r('ci()ns stone, and his heart esteemed hy the sun-lord :
lie (lying in the wju- like a stout and vidiant man. This
would he nnich hetter than to he dishonored in the world,
ti> Uo disliked and ahhovred of his peo[)le for his faults or
lefects. our Lord, thon that providest to all tlu"
tl
lings needfid for them, let this thinu" he done as 1 have
e)itrL'ated and supplicated thee
214
GODS, SlTiniXATURAL BEINGS, AND WOESIIir.
'Y\\v ii(>xt pi'Mvcr. (lircotod to the irod under liis name
Tt'/.<';itli]>()("ii 'ritl!i(';i()!nn()([iu'(|iu'l()a, is to ask, after the
death of a rider, that auotlier may l)e "iveii: our
Tjord, already thou knowest liow our ruler is dead,
already thou hast ])ut him under thy feet; lio is gathered
to his place; he is !j;()ue 1)\ the road that all have to uo
by. and to the house uhere all have to lodge; house of
]H>r[)etual darkness, where there is no window, nor any
light at all; he is now where none shall trouble his rest.
]lo served thee here in his oiliee during some few days
and years, not indeed Avithout i'tudt and olleii.se. Thou
gave.st him to taste in this Avorld somewhat of thy kind-
ness and favor, passing it before his faee as a thing that
passes (juiekly. This is the dignity and ofliee that thou
])lace(lst him in. that he served thee in i'or some days, as
has heeii said. Avith sighs, tears and devout prayers hi'-
foiv thy majesty. Alas, he is gone noAV Avliere our
father and mother the god of hades is, the god tliat
(k'scended head Ibremost heloAV the lire,^^ the uod tiiat
desires to earry us all to his place. Avith a A'cry impor-
tunate desire. Avith such a desire as one has that dies of
hunger and thirst; the god that is moved exceedingly.
])oth b\- dav and night. cr\in!.;' and demanding that all
go to him. Thei-e. Avith this god. is now our late-de-
j)arted rider; he i tb'»"e Avith all his ancestors that Avere
in the first tinu's, that governed this kingdom, Avitli
.\cama[)ichtli. Avith Tyzoc, Avith Avit/otl. Avith the first
Mocth"cu/oma. Avith Axayacatl, and Avith those that
came last, as the .'<econd Mocthecu/oma and also Moc-
thecu/oma, llhuicamina.*'^ All tlu>se lords and kings
ruled, li'overued. and euioved the sovereiiintv and r()\al
(lignity, and throne and seat of this emi)ire; they
ordered and regulated the affairs of this thy kingdom. —
thou that art the universal lord and emperor, and that
needest not to take counsel Avitli another. Already hail
41 St'<> this volunic )). (SO.
I' Siiiiii' (if tli( sr iiaiui s !U'(> (lifftTcntly s]icU in KingslidroiiLsli's (d.. J/m.
ylji/i'/., viil. v.. ]i. ;!(12.: ' I'iKi (Ic Ins ciiiali s I'm' ( 'iiiiiii]iiriitli. otio fin' 'J'i/niic,
(itiii Avit/.<ill, Kii'ii <'l )iviiuii(i .Miitivn.iiiiiii, otro Axuvacu. v Ins (pii' iiinn'ii h
l.i ^Mitf liaii uniciiu, (OHIO (1 sc^mukIii il(it( /u/diiia, y lamlmii YUiiyiainiiiai'
THAT A HULER BE SET OVER THE NATION.
'215
his name
after the
i: our
is deaih
< oathered
lave to uo
; house of
:, nor any
e his rest.
; lew (lays
se. Thou
thy kind-
thing that
! that thou
lie days, as
)ra.yers he-
'svhere our
10 god that
10 god that
LH-y inipor-
hat dies of
^ceedingly.
ng that all
ur late-(le-
s that A\ ero
(h)in, Avith
h the hist
those that
1 also Mo(-
and kiu:-s
• and roviil
pire; tlu'V
viiigdoiu. —
)r. and tliat
lread> liad
,tl() fill' 'i'i/' "■''■;
Ids (|1U' iilii'l'ii '•\
Yllliyriiuiliuii
those put oil' the iiitolerahlo load that they had on their
shoulders, leaving it to their suei'ossor. our late ruler, so
that lor some days ho horo uj) this l()rdshi[) and kingdom ;
hut now ho has passed on after hi.s predeeossors to tho
other world. For thou didst orihiin him to go. and diilst
call him to give thanks for l)eing unloaded of so groat
a hurden. tpiit of so sore a toil, and left in poaee and
lest. Some lew days wo have enjoyed him, hut lunv
forever he is ahsont from us, no\or more to return to
the world. reradvonturo has ho gone to any i)laco
wheiit'o ho can return hero, so that his suhjoots may see
iiis face again ? Will ho come again to tell us to do this
or that? \\ ill ho come again to look to tho consuls or
governors of tho state? I'orad venture will they see him
any more, or hoar his decree and commandment? Will ho
come any more to give consolation and comfort to his
princi[)al men and his consuls? Alas, there is an end
to his jii'esence, ho is gone lor ovoi". Alas, that our
candle has heeii (luonchod, and our light, that tho axe
that shone with us is lost altogether. All his suhjects and
inferiors, he has left in orj)hanago and without shelter.
IV'iadventure will ho take care honcefoi'ward of this
city, pi'o\inee, and kingdom, though this city he de-
stroyed and leveled to tho ground, with this seignory
and kingdom? our Lord, most clement, is it a fit
tiling that ])\ the ah.sonco of him that died shall come to
the city, si'ignory, and kingdom some mi -^fortune, in
which will 1)0 destroyed, undone, and ailViglited tho vjis-
sals that live therein? For wiiiie living, he who ha,s
(lied gave shelter under his w in;-:^, and kept his feathers
spread over tho peo[>lo. (ireat danger runs this \t)ur
city, seiguory. and kingdom, if another ruler he not
elected immediately to ho a shelter thereto. \\\\ni is it
that the'., art rosoHod to do? Is it good that thy people
he ill darkness i is it good that they ho without head or
slicker? Is it thy will that they ho leveled down and
ik'troyed? Woo for the \h)ov and tho little oni's. lh\
servants, that uo seekiii":' a father and motliei". some oue
to shelter and .noverii them, even as little chiklroii that
21G
hi
I
I
ii:
GODS, SUrERNATUllAL BEINGS, AND AVOIlSHir.
.uo woo])in<i', sookiiiii' an i])S(Mit fiithor and ni()t^'?r, and
that }:;rievo, not f'pMling tlieni. Woe for the merchants.
j)etty and |Mx)r, that ,i;o abont by the mountains, deserts,
iuid meadows, woe also to tlie sad toilers that <io alxjut
seeking herbs to eat, roots and wood to l)Ui'n, or to sell,
to eke out an existence withal. W oq for the poor sol-
<liers, for the men of Avar, tiiat go about seeking death,
that abhor life, that think of nothing but the field and
the line wliere battle is given. — upon whom shall tlu'v
call? who sball take a ciij)tive? to whom shall they pre-
sent the same? And if they them.selves be taken caj)-
tivc. to wbom shall they give notice, that it may be
known in their land? Wbom shall they take for father
and mother, so that in such a case favor ma\' be granted
them? ^>inee he whose duty it was to see to this, who
was as father and mother to all. is already dead. There
will be none to wee}), to sigh for t!ie ca[)tives, to tell
their relatives about thom. AVoc for the i)oor of the
litigants, for those thni have lawsuits with those that
would take tlieii' estates. Who will judge, make peace
among, and clear them of their disimtes and ([uarrels'.'
Heboid when a child becomes dirty, if his mother dean
him not. he must remain 'ilthy. And those that make
strife between themselves, that beat, that knock down,
who will keep peace 1)etween them? I'hose that for all
this go wee})ing and shedding tears, who shall wiiie away
their tears and put a stop to their laments? lVrad\en-
ture can they api)ly a ivmedy to themselves? 'I'Ikw
deserving death, will th«'y peradventure pass sentence
upon themselves? AVho shall set up the throne (»!
justice? Who shall possess the hall of the judge.
since there is no indue? AVho will oidain tlic
things that are necessary for the good of this city,
seignory, and kingdom? Who will elect the sjiecial
judges that have charge of the lower people, district by
district? Who will look to tlie sounding of the dniiii
and fife to gather the people for war? who will collect
and lead the soldiers and dexterous men to battle? O
our Lord and protector see good to elect and decide upon
rilAYER TO BE EID OF A BAD RULER.
21T
'':'!', and
•rt'bants.
, deserts,
i'o alxjiit
V to sell.
po(n' sol-
iii' death .
lield and
lall they
they piv-
ken eaj)-
t may he
['or iather
[> granted
til is. who
1. There
.'s, to tell
K)r t)!' the
hose that
ake peace
[([uarrels?
her clean
Kit make
K'k d(Avn.
at lor all
V ipe away
Vradveii-
;? Tho>e
, K'nteiice
hrone of
le indue,
lain til*'
this eity.
^JH'(•ial
i strict hy
11' drimi
■ ill collect
ttle?
•ide upon
some person snfFicient to fill your throne and hear n[)on
his shoulders the soro burden of the ruling of the state,
to gladden and cheer the common ))eo[)le, even as the
mother caresses the child, taking it in her lap; who will
make music to the troubled bees*" so that they may he
at rest? our Lord, most clement, favor our i-uler-
clect. whom we deem fit for this oihee, elect and choose
him so that he may hold this 3our h)rdship and govern-
ment ; give him as a loan your throne and seat, so that
he may rule over this seignory and kingdom as long as
he lives; lift him from the lowliness and humility in
v.li'ch lie is, and put on him this honor and dignity that
we \'\\ k ' an worthy of; onr Lord, most clement, give
iLihl ;t:iil sj)lendor with your hand to this state and king-
dom. Whai has been said I only come to pro[)ose to thy
majesty; although veiy defectively, as one that is drunk-
en, !uid that staggers, almost ready to fall. Do that
which may best serve thee, in all and through all.
W'liiit follows is a kind of greater exconnnunication,
or prayer to get rid of a ruler that abused and misused
his power and dignity: our Ijord, most element, that
givest shelter to every one that jip[)roaches. eNcn as a
tree of great height and breadth, thou that art invisible
and impal[)a]jle; that art, as we niiderstand. able to
])enetrate the stones and the trees, seeing what is con-
tained tlKTcM). Fov this same reason thou seest and
t wl
knowest \\hi\t i.- within onr hearts and readest our
thoughts. Oil/' so;d in thy presence is as a little smoke
or fog that i'sc fn 'i! the earth. It cannot at all be
hidden from thee, the deed and the manner of li\ ing of
any one; \\)v thou seest and knowest his secrets and the
sources (»f his pride and ambition. Thou knowest that
our ruU'i' has a cruel and hard heart and al)uses the
(li,^iiit\- that thou hastjiiven him. as theclrunkard abuses
h
that tl
us wiiie. a>i one drunken with a sojioridc;*' that is to say
"'OS, diunitv, and abundance that for a little
le
41, . ( )1
i.is' in /i
1> .-.!.
Hi!stann'nt(.''s cd. Siihidinn, lllst. (Ini., toiu. ii., liti. vi
,.i'")ri'iijli's .)[i,e. .iiitii/., vol. v., ]). liCil.
K'o de loH bt'li'l'los.' iS'llntijitii, Jlist. h'ln., toiii. ii., Ill)
218
(iOl)S, SUl'ERNATUKAL BEINGS, AND WOKSIIll'.
\vhile tlioii lia.st liiwii liini. fill liini ^vitll ori'oi'. li;ui;:liti-
ness, and imivst, and that he hcconit's a Ibol, intoxicated
Avitli tlu' poison that makes him mad, J lis |)ros[)eiity
canses him to despise and make little of eveiy one; it
seems that his heart is covered with sharp thorns and
also his lace: all ol'whicli is made apparent hy his man-
ner of living, and by his maimer of talking; never say-
ing nor doing anything that gives pleasni'e to any one,
never caring lor any one, never taking connsel of any one ;
he ever lives as seems ■uxl to hnn and as the whim
directs. O oin* Lord, i iement. protector of ail.
creator and maker of all, ii . )o certain ti-at this man
has destroyed himself, has acted like a child nngratcfnl
to his lather, like a drind^ard withont reason. The
favors tiion iiast accorded him, the dignity thon hast set
him in, have occasioned his ])erdition. Ik'sidi's these,
there is another thing, exceedingly hnrtfnl and I'epre-
hensihle: he is irreligions, never i)raying to the gods,
never weeping before them, nor grieving for his sins, nor
sigliing; IVom tiiis it comes abont that he is as headstrong
as a drunkard in his vices, going al)ont like a hollow inid
empty person, wholly senseless; he stays not to consider
what he is nor the ollico that he fills. Of a verity he
dishonors and ail'ronts the dignity and throne that he
holds, which is thine, and which ought to be inucli
honored and reverenced; for from it de[)ends the justice
and rightness of the judicature that he holds, for the sus-
taining and worthily directing of thy nation, thou being
emperor of all. lie should so hold his power that the low-
er people be not injured and o})pressed by the great ; from
him shoidd I'all i)unisliment and humiliation on those
that res[)ect not thy })ower and dignity. But all things
and peo[)le sulfer loss in that he fills not his ollice as he
ought. The merchants suffer also, who are tlK)se to Avhoiu
thou givest the most of thy riches, who overrun all the
world, yea tiie mountains and the nnpeo[)led places,
seeking through much sorrow thy gifts, favors, and dain-
ties, the which thou givest sj)aringly and to thy friciitls.
Ah, Lord, not only does he dishonor thee as aforesaid,
I
L'.
THAT A BAD llULEll HE IJEMOVED.
21'J
li;iii,^liti-
ox'u'atcd
I'ospc'iity
• Olio; it
)riis uiul
his luiiii-
.'VL'i" siy-
jiiiy one'.
iUiv ouu:
lie whim
)i- of alh
this iiiiiu
ngnitcl'ul
111. The
I hast set
k's those,
1(1 ivpi'o-
the tiods,
< sins, nor
eadstron^;
ollow and
) consider
verity ho
! that ho
he iiiiu'h
10 justice
)rtiie siis-
lou lu'in;.:'
t the low-
eat: IVoiii
oil those
all thiiiiis
lieo as he
> to -whom
111 all till'
'd phu'es.
and daiii-
y friends,
albresaiil,
hut also when we are gathered together to intone thy
sonL:s. gathered in the place where we solicit thy iiiereie.s
and gilts, in the [dace where tlioii art prai.sed and })iayetl
to. where the sad alllicted ones and the poor gather com-
fort and strength, where very coward.s iind spirit to die
in war, — in this so holy and I'everend place this man
e.\hil)its his di.ssohiteiiess and hurts devtjtion ; he trouhles
those that serve and praise thee in the place where thou
gatherest and marke.st thy friends, as a sheiihord marks
his llock."^ Since thou, Lord, heare.st and knowest to ho
true all that 1 have now saiil in thy presenci', there re-
mains no more hut that thy wi.l he done, and the good
])1( asiire of thj- heart to the remedy of this alVair. At
least, Lord, punish this man in such wise that he he-
come a warning to others, so that they may not imitate
his evil lil'e. J^et the punishment fall on him from thy
hand ;hat to thee seems most meet, he it sickness or
any other alUiction; or loprive him of the loixlship, so
that thou maye.st give it to another, to one of thy friends,
to one hiimhle, devoted, and i)enitent; for many such
thou hast, thou that lackest not jiersons such as are
necessary for this ollice, friends that ho[)e, crying to thee:
thou knowest those for i'riends and servants that weep
and sigh in thy presence every day. Klect some one of
these that he mav hold the dignitv of this thy kingdom
and seiLinory
n
lake trial of some of those. And i
low,
Lord, of all the aforesaid things which is it that thou
wilt grant? Wilt thou takt' from this ruler the lordshi[).
(li::nit\', aiK
1 riel
los on which lie itrn
les 1
iimso
If.
and
Live
tlieni to another who may he devout, penitent, humi)le,
ohi'diont. ca[»ahle, and of good undorstaiuling? Or. per-
ailventure, wilt thou 1)0 served hy the falling of this
proud Olio into poverty and misery, as one ol" the poor
rustics that can liar<lly gather the wherewithal to (at,
drink, and ch^tlio himself? Or. perad venture, will it
please thee to smite him with a sore punishinent so that
■•" I'xith cilitdvs (if S:ili:ii,'un iiL;ri'c Inn' iji nsin'^' tlic wmd ' din ja-^.' .\h
sliirp were uiikiiiiwu in Mtxico it is tun ividi lit tliut ulhi r huinin tlmii ikxi-
liiu liavu Ijccu liiiiildynl iii thf cuiihtiiu'lioii uf this siiiiilc.
220
GODS, SUrEllXATL'KAL BEINGS, AND 'WOnsiIIP.
all Ills l)0(ly may .shrivel up. or liis cyos bo made l)lin(l,
or liis meiiiber.s rotten? Or uilt thou he pleased
to withdraw him from the world through death, and
.send him to hades, to the house of darkness and obscur-
ity, where his ancestors are, whither we have all to tio,
where our fiither is, and our mother, the god and the
goddess of hell. O our Lord, most clement, what is it
that thv heart desires the most? Let thv will l)e done.
And in this matter in which 1 supplicate thee, I am not
moved by envy nor hate; nor with any such motives
have I come into thv presence. I am moved onl\- by
the robbery and ill-treatment that the people sutler, oidy
by a desire for their pv-ice and prosperity. 1 would not
<lesire, Ijord, to provoke against myself thy wrath and
indignation, I that nn a mean man and rude; for it is
to thee, O Lord, to penetrate the heart and to know the
thoughts of all mortals.
The following is a form of ^Fexican prayer to Tezcat-
lipoca,. used by the oilici at ing confessor after having heard
a confession of sins from some one. The })eculiarity of
a Mexican confession was that it could not lawfully have
place in a man's life more tlu; nonce; a man's ilrst absolu-
tion and remission of sins was also the last and the only
one he had to hope for: — our most compassionate
Lord, protector and favorer of all, thou hast now heard
the confession of this poor sinner, with which he has
published in thy presence his rottenness and unsavori-
ncss. Perhaps he has hidden some of his sins lieibre
thee, and if it be so he has irreverently and olfensively
mocked thy maiestv, and thrown himself into a dark
cavern and into a deep ravine ;^^ he has sr'ared and eii-
tanuled himself; he has nuide himself worthy of blind-
ness, shrivelling and rotting of the members, poverty,
and miser}'. Ahis, if this poor siinier have attempted
■i' ' Si cs nsf lia hccLo bnrlii i\o V.M., y eon dosncnto y grniido ofrrKa, so
li;i iiiTiijiulo ;'( niiii ciiiiii, y en mm iirofnnda Imrruiii'ii;' ]{ustiiinriit»''s t d. of
Siili(( imi. ///>7. '/(((., torn, ii., lili. vi,, u. TiS. The Hiiiiic jiassiijic runs as fel-
lows in Kinijtsbin'ouinirs ed. : ' Si I's asi liii liccliolnii'lii dc vncstrii niM},'('stii(l. y
I'ou ilcsiiciito y iiriindc ofciisit dc vuistrii niiiL;fstii<l scn'i iivrojiido vn luiii siuiii,
y (jii uua pi'ofuudu burraucu:" Kinjshurumjlt's Jit.i'. AnlUi,, vul. v., p. IjGT.
f ^! I:
rKAYEi; USED HY A CONFESSOR OF SINS.
221
anv sucli audiicity as to oflV'iid thus bolbre tliv majesty,
Ik'I'oiv thee that art lord and enii)eror of all, that keenest
a reckoning with all, he has tied himsell'up, he has made
liimself vile, he has mocked himself. Thou thoroughly
seest him. for thou seest all things, l)eing invisible and
witluMit ImmHIv parts. If he have done this thing, he has,
of his own will, put himself in this i)eril and risk; for
tliis is a place of very strict justice and very strait judg-
ment. This rite is like very clear water with which
thou washest away the faults of him that wholly con-
fesses, even if he have incurred destruction and
shortening of days; if indeed he have told all the
truth, and have freed and untied himself from his sins
and faults, he has received the pardon of them and of
what they have incurred. IMiis poor man is even as a
man that has slipped and fallen in thy i)resence, olfend-
iiig thee in divers ways, dirting himself also and casting
himself into a deep cavern and a bottonde.ss well.'*^ lie
fell like a poor and lean man, and now he is grieved and
dis(!ontented with all the past; his heart and body are
])ained and ill at ease; he is now fdled with heaviness
ibi- having done what he did; he is now wholly deter-
mined never to offend thee again. In thy j)resence, O
liord, I speak, that knowest all things, that knowest
also that this poor wretch did not sin with an entire
liljerty ol' free will; he was pushed to it and inclined by
till' nature of the sign under which he was born. And
since this is so, our l^ord. most clement, [jrotector and
hel[)er of all. since also thisjMJoi- mail has gravely olfend-
ed thee, wilt thou not remove thine anger and thine in-
dignation from him? (jlive him time, Lord; favor
ami
par
don 1
inn. masnnu
h as h
le weei)s. siuiis. am
h
d sol
ts.
looking belbre him on the evil he has done, and on that
wherein he has offended thee, lie is sorrowful, he sheds
many tears, the sorrow of his sins alllicts his heart; he
is not sorry only, but terrified also at thoughts of them.
This being so. it is also a just thing that thy fury and
'' 'Pficii' is niisprintid for ' jiuzii ' in Bubtamuutt's fd., Sahu'ji'n, 7/i.W.
toiii. ii., lib. V
11. o8.
ooo
CiODS, SUrERNATURAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
inili^Miiition against liim 1)0 apjx'ascd and that liis sins
J)o thrown on ono sido. Since thou art full of pity,
Lord. SCO good to pardon and to dcanso him; grant him
the j)ardon and remission of his sins, a thing that de-
•socnds from heaven, as water very clear and very pure
to w.'isli awa^' sins/'^ with which thou washest fiway all
the stain and impurity that sin canses in the sonl. Se(»
good, Lord, that this man go in peiuie, and command
him in what lie has to do; let lum go to do penance for
and to weep over his sins; give him the counsels neces-
sary to his well living.
At this point the confessor ceases from addressing the
god and turns to the penitent, saying : my hrother, thou
hast come into a place of much jK'ril, a j)lace of travail
and fear; thou hast come to a steep chasm and a sheer
rock, where if any ono fall he shall never come ii}) again;
thou hast come to the very pliice where the snares and the
nets touch one another, where they are set one upon an-
other, in such wise that no one may pass therehy without
fiUling into some of them, and not oidy snares and nets
but also holes like wells. Thou hast thrown thyself down
the hanks of the river and among the snares and nets,
whence without aid it is not possible that thou shouldst
esca[)e. '^i'hese thy sins are not only snares, nets, and
wells, into which thou hast fallen, ))ut thev are also wild
beasts that kill and rend both body and soul. I'erad-
venture. hast thou hidden someone or some of thy sins,
weighty, huge, filthy, unsavory, hidden something now
published in heaven, earth, and hades, something that
now stinks to the uttermost part of the world? Tiiou
liast now presented thyself beibre our most clement Lord
and protector of all, whom thou didst irritate, oilend. and
])rovoke the anger of, who to-morrow, or some other
day, will take thee out of this world and put thee under
52 ' Cosii que (losciende ilol ciclo, pomo agna clarisinm y pnri'siina par Invar
los pt'cados:' Sahmpin, in Khuixhorofinh's ^[l'x, AhI'kj., vol. v., p. 3(JS. bco
also :Saha(jun, Hist, (ien., torn, ii., lib. vi., p. h\).
The qniility of mercy is not sfrnin'd
It (Iroppeth as the t^eiith' rain from heaven
Upou the place beutalb: Mvnhaid of Vadce, act. iv.
PERILS OF FALSE CONFESSIOX.
lis 8111?
[)ity,
Lilt him
hut <k'-
vy pure
way all
minaiul
xiicc ibr
S IIC'C'CS-
shig the
ler, thou
f travail
a ^heor
ip ajiJiiii ;
s ami till'
upon aii-
i without
laiid nets
olfclowii
uid nets,
shouklst
nets, iuiil
also wild
Tciad-
thy sins,
lin^' now
ing that
? Thou
out Lord
end. and
lie other
ee under
Ina par lavnr
net. iv.
his feet, and send thee to the universal house of hades,
where tliv lather is and thv mother, the iioil and the
pxldcss of hell, whose mouths are always open desirinjjs;
to swallow thee and as many as may he in the world.
In tliat [)laee shall ho given thee whatsoever thou did.^t
merit in this world, according to the divine justice, and
to what thou hast earned with thy works of ])()verty,
misery, and sickness. In divers manners thou wilt he
toiinented and alllicted in the extreme, and wilt he soaked
iu a lake t)f intoleralile torments and miseries; hut here,
at tills time, thou hast had pity ni)on thyself in speaking
!Ui(l coiiununi(^ating with our I^ord, with him that sees
all the secrets of every heart. Tell therefore wholly all
that thou hast done, as one that llings himself into a
deep })lace, into a well without hottom. AVheii thou wast
created and sent into the world, clean and good thou
wast created and sent; thy father and thy mother (^)uet-
zaleoatl formed thee like a precious stone, and like a
head of gold of much value; when thou wast horn thou
wast like a rich stone and a jewel of goui very shining
and very polished. But of tnine own will and volition
thou jiiist defiled and stained thyself, and rolled in
filtli. and in the nncleanness of the sins and evil deeds
tliat thou hast committed and now conlessed. Thou
hast acted as a child without judgment or understand-
ing, that playing and toying defiles himself w ith a loath-
some lilth; so hast thou acted in the matter of the sins
that th;)u hast taken pleasure in. hut hast now confessed
and altogether discovered hefore our Lord, who is the
protector and purifier of all sinners, ^fhis thou shalt
not take for an occasion of jesting, for verily thou hast
come to the fountain of mercy, which is like very clear
water, with which filthinesses of the soul are washed
away hy our Lord God, the protector aiul favorer of all
tiiat turn to him. Thou hast snatched thyself irom
hades, and hast returned again to come to life in this
world, as one that comes from another. Now thou hast
Ik-cii horn anew, thou hast hegun to live anew, and our
Ijord (hjd gives thee light and a new sun. Now once
2-2i
(H)I)S, SUPERKATrRAL BEINdS, AND WORSHIP,
iiioro tlioii iK'jiiniK'st to riidiiitt' und to sliiiio iincw like
ji very })ri'('i()iis iind clour .stone, issuinji; IVoiii the l)elly
of the iiiiitrlx ill which it wjis creiited. Since this i.s
thus, see that thou live with much circumspection and very
advisedly now and henceforward, all the time that thou
niayest live in this world uiider the power and lordship
«)!' our Lord (Jod, most clement, heneflcent, and nnuiil-
icent. Weei), he sad, walk humhly, with suhmission,
with the head low and howed down, prayinji; to (lod.
Look that pride find no place within thee, otherwise tht)u
wilt dis[)lease our Lord, who sees the hearts and the
thoughts of all mortals. In what dost thou esteem thy-
self? At how nnich dost thou hold thyself? Whiit is
thy foundation and root? On what dost thou support
thyself? It is clear that thou art nothing, canst do no-
thing, and art worth nothing; for our Ijord will dowitli
thee all he may desire and none shall stay his hand.
J'eradventure, nuist he show thee those things with
which he torments and afllicts, so that thou mayest sec
them with thine eyes in this world? Nay verily, for the
tomients and horrihle suflerings of his tortures of the
other world are not visi))le, nor ahle to he seen hy those
that live here. l'erha[)s he will condemn thee to the
universal house of hades; and the house where thou now
livest will Tall down and he destroyed, and he as a dung-
hill of (ilthiness and uncleamiess, thou having heen ac-
customed to live therein with nnich satisfaction, waiting
to know how he would dispose of thee, he our Lord and
liel[)er. the invisible, incorporeal and alone one. Therefore
I entreat ihvQ to stand up and strengthen thyself and to
he no more henceforth as tliou hast been in tiie ])ast.
Take to thyself a new heart and a new maimer of living,
and take good care not to turn again to thine old sins.
( Vmsider that thou (^anst not see with thine eyes om-
Lord (jlod. for he is invisible and impalpable, he is Tez-
catlipoca. he is Titlacaoa, he is a youth of jxu'fect jkt-
fection and without spot. Strengthen thyself to swecji.
to clean, and to arrange thy house; for if thou do not
this, thou wilt reject from thy company and from thy
EXIIOIM'ATKJX TO THE rENITENT.
lew like
lu' l)L'lly
■e this is
iind very
hut thou
lordship
I uumil-
nuissioii,
; to (lod.
wise thou
and the
teem thv-
^Vhllt'is
u su\)port
ist do no-
il do witii
his hand,
iivas with
iiayc'st see
ily , lor the
res of the
I hy those
lee to the
thou now
as II dunii-
X heen ac-
n. waitinii:
Lord and
Thererore
self and to
the ]uist.
of livinj:'.
L! old sins.
e eyes our
he is Te/-
-rfeet ik'V-
to sweep.
ion do not
lI from thy
house, and wiU oll'cnd nnieli tlie very element youtli that
is e\er walking' throu^li our houses, and tlirouuh our
streets. eujoyiu,:ji' and amusin;;' hiniseU'.— tiie U)Uth that
laliors. sei'kini;' liis friends, toeoml'ort them and to comfort
liimscU'with them. To eoneludi'. I tt'll thee to i^o and
learn to sweep, and to get rid of the liUh and sw('e|)iiius
(»f thy house, and to cleanse every thin;;', thxsi'lf not th(!
k'ast. Seek out al,«<o a slave to inunohite him hifore ( lod ;
make a fea.st to the principal men, and let them sin}:;
the praises of our Lord. It is moreover lit that thou
shouidst do penance. woi'kin<i a year or more in the house
(ifdod; there thou shalt bleed thyself, and prick thy
l)ody with mauiiey thorns; and. as a ])enance for the
uihdtcrics and othi-r vilenesses that tliou hast committed,
thou shalt. twice every day, }>ass osier twi.us throuj-li
lioK's pierced in thy hotly, once thi'ou}:h th_\' toiiiiue. and
uuce throuiih thine ears. 'J'his penance shalt thou do
nut alone lor the carnalities above mentionc(l, but also
for the evil and injurious words with which thou hast
insulted and aifronted thy neijihbors; as also foi- the
in^nratitnde thou hast shown with reference to tlu' ,uifts
hestowed on thee b\- our Lord, and for thini* inhumanity
toward thy neii;hbors, neither makinji' olVei'iu,:j.s of the
j:o()(ls that were liiven thee ])y (jod, nor sharin;^' with
the pool' the ti'mjioral benefits given by our Lord. Thou
shalt burden thyself to oiler paj)er and co[)al ; thou shalt
•.:i\'e alms
to tl
le needv ant
L
d the huiiLirv. to those that
have nothing to eat nor to drink nor to cover themselves
with: ex'en though thou thyself go without ibod to give
it away and to clothe the naketl: look t<t it. foi- thiir
llcsh is like thy llesb, and they are men as thou. Care
must of all I'or the sick, they are the image of ( iod.''
here remains notliing more to be said to tl
lee
:o m
peace, and entreat (Jod to aid thee to fidlill what thou
art obliged to do; for ho gives favor to all.
The following prayer is one addressed toTe'/catlipoca
li\ a recenth- elected ruler, to give thaidvs for his election
insi. a
' iiiivonn-iitr ;'i lo-i ciifrnnos punino sou iiii'i^'''" i
, t'lm. ii.. lili. vi., ii. iW
Vol. III. Ij
lodiiis.' Sdliajan,
V
22f)
GODS, srpr,n\.vTi:iiAT- iiKiNds, axd woksiiip.
Jiiid to iisk (Uvor iind liulit for tlic proper jMMi'orinnnoc of
his oIVkh': O our lord, most cK'inciit. iiuisihlc iiml iiii-
j):il|);il)lt' protcctoi" !iii(l liovonior, well do I know tliiit
thou Unowcst iiu', who iiiii a ])oor num. of low destiny,
horn and hronuht ii]) anion;!; filth, and a niini oi' sniidl
reason Miid mean jndiinient, lull of many delects and
i'anlts. ii man that knows not himself, nor considers who
lie is. Thon hast hestowed on mo a ^rejit henelit. favor,
and mercy, withont imy merit on my part; thou hast
lifted me iVom tho dimu-hill and sot mi' in tiie royal
diunity and throiio. )Vho am I, my Lord, and what is
my worth that thon shonldst pnt me ainonji the lunn-
her of those that thon lovest? anion;:' the mnnher of
thine ac(pjaintan(!0, of thoso thou holdest for chosen
friends and worthy of all honor; horn and ])rou,<:ht up
for thrones and royal di^'iiitios; to this end thou hiist
created them ahlo, j)i'udont. doscended from nohle and
irenorous lathers; lor this end thov were created and
odu(rated: to he thine instruments and iniap,es they were
horn and haptizod under tho sifiiis and coiisti'llations that
loi'ds aro horn under. They wore horn to rule thy kiii,^-
doms, th\- word hein^ within them and speakin;:' hv their
mouth, — -according: to tho dosiro of tho ancii'ut ^od.
the father of all tho liods. the ^od of fire, who is in the
])ond of water amonix turrets surromided with stones like
roses, who is called Xiuhtooutli. who determines, exam-
ines, and settles the husiness and lawsuits of the nation
and of the common pi'ople, as it wore washin;:' them with
water: in the coini)any and presence of this pxl the
jionerous personages aforementioned always are.
most clement Lord, rnli'r. and <rovern(!r, thou hast done
me a ureat favor. Perhaps it has heeii throui:h the in-
tercession and throudi tho tears shed l)y the departed
lords and ladies that had charge of this kingdom.' It
would ho great madness to suppose that for any iiu'rit
or courage of mine thou hast favored me, si'ttiiig me
over this your kiimdom, 'ha govermnent of which is
' L<is ])iisiul()s weriorcs y Kcfuiriis (juo tiiviiTou car^o ilc l'sIl' rciiio
>'(/('(-
'/'<":
Hist, ii
toiii. ii.
lib.
!'■ '
1.
TlJAYF.ll OF .V IIULI'-U
liincc of
mil iiu-
)W that
(Icstiiiy.
1)1" SlUilll
(.'(•ts !U\<1
lors wlio
it, I'iivor.
hoii liiist
tlu" royal
I what is
tlio lunn-
uiiiIkt oI'
i-()u;-i.ht up
thou liast
lohlo anil
-atc'tl and
they ^v^'lV
itions that
thy kin^-
hy tlu'ir
I'Ut ^Oll,
is in tlu'
one-s liUr
\e's, oxani-
u' nation
!\('ni with
s iioil thr
tire.
hast tlono
oh thr in-
.' departed
loni."'' It
any merit
;i'ttin;i nu-
I' >vhieh i^
soniethini:' '.>'ry lica\y. dillieult. and e\cn fearfid; it !>;
,1-; a huiiv hiu'den. ean'ii'd on the shoulders, and one that
with Liri'at dillleuUy the |iast I'ldei's hore. ruliui:' in thy
name. O oin' Lord, most (dement, insisihie. and impal-
nahle. rider an(
d
oxcrnoi'. ereato""
ami
Knower o
r all
tliiiiLis and thouulits. heaiitifier of th\' ereatnres,"' what
diall I say more, jioor i
ne
In uhat wise have 1 t(
ride and "lovern this thv state, or how have I t«
('ai'r\'
tl
ns hnrdeii ol
tl
le eonunon ])eo|>l(
>1<
1 wl
lo
Mill Mind and deal", wlio do not e\'en know myself, nor
]<ii.)\v how to rule (»ver myself. I am aeeustoined to
walk in filth, my liiculties lit me for seeking:' and selliu!.;
edilili' lu'rhs. and for earryin-i' and sellini: wood. A\'hat
1 deserve. () Lord, is hlindni'ss I'or mine eyes and
shri\('linii and rottinj;' for my rmd)s, and to jio dres» d
in rais and tatters; this is what J di'serve and what
(tiriht to he ^iven mo. It is I that need to lie ruled and
to he carried on some ones haek. Thou hast many
• ieuds and ae(|iiaintanees that may he trusted with this
load. Since, however, thou has ali'ead}' determiiit d to
set me up for a scoif and a jeer to the world, let thy w ill
!)(' done and thy word fidfdled. TeradNenture thou
kiiDwest not who 1 am; and. after haviii<; known me.
wilt seek another and take the jiovernment from me;
taking' it aizain to thyself, hiding again in thyself this
dignity and honor, l)eing already angry and weary of
licaiiiu' with \\\v; and thou wilt gi\e tlu- uoxcrnment to
uiother. to some (
losi' 1
rieiK
1 and
ac([iiaintance of thim
to some one wvy desoiit toward thee, that weejts and
si,::hs and so merits this dignity. ()r. iteradventure,
tills thing that ha[)pened to me is a dream, or a
walking in slee[). () Lord, thou that art present
ill every [)laee, that knowest all thoughts, that dis-
triliiitest all gifts, he pleased not to hide fi'oni mo tli\-
Words and thine inspiration. J do not know the I'oad I
lia\i' to folU)w, nor what 1 have to do, deign then not
Ailorimdor do Iuh oriiituras:' Sdlniijun, in K'liiiift'iiii-dti'ih'n l/i.i". Anl'iq.,
\i.. p. 71.
II. 'Sli. ' A(luni:i(lor dc liis iiliuus.' Salidjiiii, Jllst. <ini., toiii. ii., lib.
22S
aOD.'^, SUPEUX.VTITR.VL DFJNGS, AND WOliSIIIP.
to liiilc froni me tlio liulit iiutl the mirror that luivo to
jitiide iiK!. Do not allow me to eaiise tho.se 1 liave to
rule and (;arrv on my shoulders to lose the road and to
Avander over I'oek • and mountains. Do not allow me to
guide them in the tracks of rahhits and deer. Do not
iKMMuit. () Loi'd. any war to l)e raised against me. nor
any pestilence to come n[)on those 1 uovei'u; for I should
]i()t know, in such a case, what to do. noi' where to take
those 1 ha\e ii[)on my shoulders; alas lor me, that am
inca[)ahle and ignorant. I would not that an\' sickness
come u[)on me, i'oi' in tied casi> thy nation and people
Avould he lost, and thy khiphtm (h'solated and giveu up
to darkness. A\'hat shall I do, O Ijord and creator, if
l)y chance I fall into , :>iue disgraceful lleshly J^in, and
therehy ruin the kingdom? what do ilhy negligence or
.^loth 1 undo my suhjects? uhat do if thi'ough my fault 1
hurl down a precipice those 1 luive to rule? Our Lord,
most clement, inxisihle and im[)al[)ahle, 1 entreat tlue
not to .separate thyself irom nie; visit me often; visit
this pool- house, lor I will he waiting lor theo therein.
AN'ith great thirst 1 await thee and demand m-geutly
thy word and insjiir >fion. which thou didst hreathe into
thine ancient Iriends an>^ artpiaintances that havi- ridcd
Avitli diligence and I'ectitudc »r'-er thy kingdom. This is
thy throne and honor, on eiiher side whereof are seated
thy senators and i)rincipMd men. who are as thiiu' imape
and very jjerson. They give si'utence and sju^ik on the
alfairs of tiie state in thy name: thou ust'st them a^
thy tlutes. s|)eaking from within them and placing tliy-
.sidf in their faces and ears, opening tiieii' e.iouths so tluit
they may speak well. In tiiis place the merchants wun-k
and jest at oui- Udlies. with which mercliants thou ait
s[)ending thy li'isure. since they ari' thy friends and ai -
(piaiutances; there also thou inspirest and hrt'athest iipnu
thy de\()ted ones, who weej) and sigh in thy presentc.
•incereh- liivinii' thec> their heart."' lM)r this ri'asou tlinii
ii' 'I'lii' ])ri'cisr fcivcc of niiicll of lliis si'iitriici' ;( is liMl'd to lllldrrst.i'.i.l. Il
Bl'CilK to show. ;lt illlV r.ltr, tllilt till' llh'lrllilllt'^' \Vi ic sll[i!insiil to li.' \' i.v
iiiH U'lti. "'til iiuil rs|)i'ci;illy favoii'il liv ilii-> d.'itv. 'I'll!' ori^^iiial nnis n;.
£olli)\v.s. ' Eli r.-itu liiiJi.ir luiiLiii y lifii do uui.str.is IkiIh-imis 1o« uc'itn'i.uili r,
rEAYEll OF A IIULER FOR DIKECTION.
229
liavo to
llilVl' t(»
(I iind to
)\V 111*^' ti)
Do not
: mo, nor
■ 1 slionld
•0 to take
, that am
■ sicknt'ss
1(1 |K'Ol)U'
(i'ivi'n up
•ivator. 'f
' sin, ami
lii:i'iK'c or
[\\\ lanlt I
[)ur Lord,
treat tlue
I'tcMi; visit
'O therein.
1 nracntly
vathe into
lave riiU'il
,. This is
are seated
line imaue
eak on the
t them !>s
aeinu' thy-
ths so that
lants nniek
s tiiou :n1
ds and ;n -
thest n|H"i
,• presenee,
rason thoii
in.tovst.r.i.l. It
i-iuiiiiil iiin-- iis
n:lornest tluMn with ])rndenoe and wisdom, so tliat they
may look as into n, miri'or with two t'aees. when' every
ones imaLie is to he seen: '" i'or this thon <:ivest them ii
'very ekar axe. withont any dinniess, wliose hri^htness
Hashes into all plares. For this eaiise also thon givi-st
them izii'ts and preeions jewels, hanuinu; them I'rom their
neeks and ears, even like material ornaments sneh as are
the iKK-oi'hIl, the tciilvtl, the tlnpilonl or head-tassel, the
//ififriiiiriif/ or tainied strap that lords tie ronnd their
wrists,'^"* the yellow leather l)onnd on the ankles, the
heads of uold. inul the rieh feathers. In this ])la('e of
the ^n'ood _i>'o\'ei'nintJi: and rnleof thy kingdom, arenu-rited
thy riehes and ulory. thy sweet and deliuhtfnl things,
cidnmess and trant(uiliity. a peaceable and eontented lill';
aU of which eome from thy hand, in the same place,
lastly, are also merited the a(ht'rse and wearisome thinjis,
sickness, poverty, and the shortness of life; which thinjis
ari' sent hy thee to those that in this condition do Jiot
fuUiil their dnty. onr Lord, most element, knower of
thoughts and -liver of tiifts, is it in my hand, that am a
iiieiin man. to know how to rnle? is the manner of my
life in my hand, and the Avorks tliiit 1 haxc to do in my
ollice? which indeed is of thy kin^dom and di-initN' and
not mine. ^\ hat thou mayest wish me to do and what
niiiy 1)1' thy will and 'lis[)o..iti{>n. thou aidin;;' me I will
do. The road tiion maye.^t show me I will walk in;
tliiit thou iuaye>t ins[)ire me with, and put in my
lieint. that I will .say and s[)eak. our Lord, most
clement, in thy hand I wholly place my .self, for it is not
possilile lor me
darl
to d
uvet or LioNcrn mvse
If: I
inu
Mind,
vuess. a (lunu-liil
Ve u(H)d, () Lord, to ";i\e me a
<|u;il(s csfais viis lidl^'iuiilixvs. ]i(iri|U(' soi' \;iistriis MiniLins _v viicsImis
111 iiispii-iiis (' iiisiillais M \ mstnis ilivntos. (|iii' Unraii y s\is|ii-
CMIiiM'lilns, y II
ran (11 viii'stni jutsc
tna: ii., lih, vi.
V tisilan ill' vciilail sii <iiia/(iii.' Snlni'iini Hi.^l.li
7;t.
I'ani ([I' vcali coiiio en ('siicjo ili' dos hazes, ddiulf sc icpri s( iita In
Iiiii'jiii (If cailii iiiui'. SdliiiijiiK, llisi. Ii
tolll. II.
ill
V
V((c<ic/,//i, (irrjcnis [ ( !ii-viii'.^sl; 'I'l iilitl,\H\t>\t' dc iiidio | liii-diiiairniitT:
Mil'iii'i. \'nriiliiiliiri(i. Molina t,'ivis also Mtlmn ciiU {u )iuaii,ii f,'(il(l liracdct
(ir soiiii ihiiit; (if that Idiiil; linslaliialili' tvalislatcs the word in the same way,
I'vi'l liiiiiii; that tlir strap nifiitioiii'd in the tr\l waniistd to tic the liiiicflit
on. .^ali'iijHii, Jlifit. (jiH , tolll. ii., lil). vi J J), 71.
2:'0
GODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AXD WORSIIir.
little lijilit. tlioujj^h it be only as much as a fire-ilv "lives
out. jioinji' uhoiit at night; to light nie in this dream, in
this life asleep that enihires as lor a day: where aio
ni;Miy things to stnml)le at, niaiiy things to give oecasioii
i'or lauiihinu: at one, manv thinus like a rngued road that
has to he gone over by leaps. All this has to happen in
the position thou hast put me in. giving me thy seat aud
dignity. Loi'd, most clement. 1 entreat thee to \isit
me with tl^- liuht, that 1 uniy not en\ that I maA' not
undo myseir, that my vassals may not cry out against
me. our Lord, most pitiful, thou hast made me now
the hack-juece '' of thy chair, also thy ihite; all >vithout
any merit of mine. 1 am thy nu)ut]>. thy face, thine
enrs. thy teeth, and thy nails. Although I am a mean man
I desire to say that 1 unworthily re})resen' th\ person,
iuid thine iniiige. that the words I shall speak have to
be esteemed as thine, that my face has to be held as
thine. mii\e eyes as thine, and the ])unishment that I
shall inllict as if thou hadst inllicted it. For all this
I entreat thee to put thy s])irit within me. and thy words,
so that all mav obev them and none contradict.'"
Xow with regard to the measure of the genuineness of
the })rayers to Tezcatlipoca. just gi\en. it seems evident
that eitlkr with or without the conscious coimivance of
leather Bernardino de Sahagun, their historian, a certain
amount of -iphistication and adaj)tation to Christian
ideas has crept into them; it appears to be just as evi-
dent, however, on the other hand, that they contain a
great deal that is original, indigi-nous, and characteristic
in regard to the Ah-xicau religion. At any rate they
purport to (h) so. and as evidence bearing on tlii' matter,
presented bv a hearer and eve-witness at first hand, h\-
■''J ' EspuM.ii' (■'o vnostrii si!l:i.' S^'ilin imi. insl.ii'in,, toni. ii., lib. vi., i
w ' lie that ilcliv. tmI tl
us iiaxtr
li( f<
IC i (■/.(•lltlllH
I. (■).
llis I'll I,
liis fcit closi' t(i';<tht r, liciuliii'' liinisi If tdwanls tlic cai'tli
cttllMl
'llidSf that \M II
\(1'V ilt'VOUt Wtlr )lal<i(l. lictdli' tt[( V li<>!all the liia,V< r thiv ntlcicil <(iliul to
till' lire, or some ntlu r saciituc, and if tin _v wtic ciivfltd with a lilaliKi I. Ih' y
1 iiHi'd the kimt nf it iduud to the breast, mi that they weie uaki d in fmni.
Siiiiie s]'i)ke this jirnycr scpiattiii^' ini their calves, and kejit tlu' knot nf ihu
lilanket ou the shi)ulder ' iSidaKjiin Jlial. (jui., Umi. ii.
lit..
M.
I'
GENUINENESS OF THE FOEEGOING rEAYEIlS.
2:U
a niiin of strongly autlioiitirated pr()l)ity, It'uniiiiLi', and
abuvL' all, of stronti' synipathy with the Mexican pcoplo,
beloved and trusted by those of them with whom he
came in contact, and admitted to the familiarity of a
friend with their traditions and ha])its of thought, — for
all thi'se reasons his evidence, however we may esteem
it. must he heard and judged.*'^
'I F.ithf'V TV'i'iiaidino de Siihagmi, a Spanish Fi-iincisonn, was one of tlio
tiist jiiiarlii'is sent to Mexico; wlicrc lie was niiuL iiiiiilovcd in tlii' in-
stinct ion of tlic native youth, workin;^' for the must part in thi' ])idvin<'eof
'J'izcuco. Whili' tliere, in the city of 'It 'peii]iMh'o, in tlie latter part <if this
sixteentli century, he het,'an tlie work, best known to us as tin.' Ilisturia
liiiiiral ih lux I'osits tip Sifru Ksjiiiriil, friiln wliich the above ])rayers h.ivo
hieu translati il, and from which we shall draw largely for further informa-
tion. It Would be hard to i!uaf,'ino a Work of such a character const ructid
after a bettei' fashion of working than his. (latherinL; the princiiial natives of
tile town ill which he carried <in his labors, he induced tluin to appoint liiui
a iiiniiber of persons, the most learned and experieiK'ed in the things of which
he wi->lied to write. 'I'hesc learned Mexicans being collected. Father Saha-
gaii was accustomed to get them to p.-iint down in their native fashion the
various legends, detailsof history and mythology, and so on that he wanted; at
the foot of the saiil pictuies these learned .Mexicans wrote out the eX|ilanations
(if the same in the Mexican tongue; and this exiilai.alion the Father Saha-
gun translate d into Spanish: that translation jmrports to be what we now
read as the Uisl'irhi li'in rill. Here follows a translation of the Frologo of
his Work, in whii-h he describes all the foregoing in his own way: "All
writi rs l,il)or the best that they can to m.ike their works authoritative; some
by witnesses worthy of faith, others by the writings of previous writi-rs held
worthy of belief, others by the testimony of the Sacred Scriptures. 'J'o mo
are wanting all these foundations to make authoritative what 1 have written
ill these twelve bociks [of the llislniid <!ii(iriil\. I have no other founda-
tion, but to t down here the relation of the diligence that I made to know
tile truth ol all that is written in these twelve books. As I have said inother
prologues to this work, I was commanded in all holy obedience by my chi. f
[111 lite to write in the Mexican language that which a)ipeared to nie to be
ilstful for the doctrine, worship, and niainleiiaiice of Christianity iiniong
these natives of New Spain, and for the jiid of the vvcnkers ainl ministers that
taiiLiht them. Having received this commandment. 1 made in the Spanish
liin;.^uage a minute or memorandum of all the matters that 1 had to tr< at of,
Mliirli matters are what is '■ ntteii ;•• 'be twelve liooks, .... w hieh were begun
in the ]iuelilo of 'I'eiieopul 'o, which is in the province of (ulhuacan or Tt z-
c:.co. lie work was done in the following way. In the afi>resaid pueblo. I
got lo^ether all the principal men. together with the lord of the place, who
Was called |)on Iticgo de Mendo/a. of great distinction and abilily, well experi-
eueid in tilings i cclesiastit', military, iiolitic.il, and tvt n relating to idolatry.
They bi iiig come together, I set befori' tlnni what I proposed to do, and
pravdlthein to apjioint me able and exp( rii need persons, with whom I
liULilit converse and come to an understanding on such qin stions as I mi'_;lit
propose. They answered me hat tiny wcaild talk the matter ovir and give
their answer on another day; .nd with this they took tin ir departure. So
on Miiotler d.iy the lord and his jirincipal men came, and having coiiferri d
tngellii r with great soh ninity, as they w< re accustomed at that time to do,
they chose out ti n or t\\( Ive of the principal old m< ii, and told me that with
these I might "■omiiiunieate and that these wi add instruct me in any niiilti is
I should iiKpiiri- of. Of these there Were as many .as four i list riieii d in liatin,
tu whaiu 1, some few years before, hail myself taught yraaimar in the coUeyo
'IM
GODS, SUPEHXATITi.VL BEINGS, AM) WORSIIir.
of Siiiitii f'niz, in Tliiltflnlco. With tlicsc a]i}i(iiiit((l ]iviiiii|ial iiirn. incl vl-
i 111,' till' fniiv iiislnictcil ill i^nuiiiuHi', I talked iiiiJiiy (la_\s (liuiii;^' alpniit tv.i.
ycai's, followiiiL! tlic iinltT iif till' iiiiiintf £ liail alnady iiiadi' out. On all tin
snlijiits (HI wliicli we (•(inferred tliev },'ave iiie iiictiiri s. wliieli were the
writin'_;s anciently in use aiiiunL; them, and tlnse the j^ranmiaiiaiis iiit( r-
jireted to nie in their lan'^'uaL;e, writing' the iiitei]ir( tatioii at the fdnt of
tlie |ii(tnre. Ilv( 11 to this day I hold the ()ri^,'iiials of tin s(!. . . WIk n ] went
to the eha|iter, with which was ended the seven years' term of I'lay l'raii(i>-
(':) Toral he that had inijiosed the charee <if this work n|i(>n ni( ~ 1 was rt -
moved from Teiieojiulco, carryiiiL; all my writiiif^s. J went to reside at Saiit-
i \i,'o del 'rialtelolco. There I hron;,'ht toLjether the jirincijial men, set In I'ore
them the matter of my wrilin;.;s, and asked them to appoint me some ahle
I)riiiei[ial men, with whom 1 mi>;iil ( xamino and talk over the writines I had
liriHiLiht from 'rc]ieopnlco. The eovernor, with the alcaldes, uiij>oiiit((l iiie
as many as eij^ht or ten ]irinci]ial men, seleetcil fi ini all the most alile in theii-
lan.,'na,L;e, and in the thin.:^s of their aiiti(jnities. With these and with four
or live collivuiaiis, all tvilinunisfs, and liviiii^ for the space of a year or more
Ke(dilded in the eollet,'e, all that had heen broiiLiht written from Teiieo]iulcii
w,is clearly cnienihMl and adiled to: and the whole was rewritten in small
letters, for it was written with niiieh haste. In this scrnliiiy or examination,
hi! that worked the hardest of all the colleLjians was ^laitin .laeohita, who
w.is then rector of the corici^'c, an inhahitaiit of the ward of Santa .\iia. I.
havint,' done all as above said in Tlaltelolco, wi iit. takin;-,' with me all iiiy
writings, to reside in Sin Francisco de Mi'xico, where, by myself, for the s))ace
(if till years, I examined over and over aijain the writing's, i iiiemh il theiii,
divided tiiem into twelve books, and each book into chaiiters and paraeraphs.
Alter this. Father Mi^m 1 Xavarro b(in<,' provincial, and I'ather lueendc
!Mendii/a commissary-j^eneral in Mexico, with their favor I had all tla-
twelve books clearly cmiiiil ill a edod hand, as also the I'tisliJIn and the'''(/e
<//•<>• [which w. re other works on which Sahai;nn was en',,'a^'ed ]. I made
out also an Art of \\m Mexican laUL,'ua^'e with a vocabulary-appendix. Now
the ilexiealis added to and emended my twelve bnoks [of the Wolnrid (imi-
rd] in m.-my Ihinus while they were beim; co]iied out in fidl; so that the lirst
sieve throuvdi which my work ]iasseil was that of Tejieopulco. the secmiil
tliat of Tlaltelolro, the third that of Mexico: and in all tlirsc scrutinies collegi-
ate e;rammariaiis had been employed. The chief and most learned was .\u-
toiiio \',ileriano. a resident of .\/.teapu/.alco: aimth r. little less thin the tirst,
was Alonso Vetera no. resident of (nauhtitlaii: another was Martin .bicobi'a,
above nielitiiined; another I'edro de Santa Ibnnaveutui'a. resident of Cuauli-
titlaii; all expert in three lam,'ua;^'es. Latin. Spanish, and Indian | M(xican I.
The' scribes that made out the clear copies of all the works are l>ie'4ii
])eu;railo, resident of the ward of San .Martin, Mateo Severiiio, resident of Xo-
chimilco, of the |)art of I'llac. The clear copy beini; fully made out, by the
favor of the fathers above mentioned and the exiieiiditure of hard ca--h on the
scribes, the author tin reof asked of the (hle^'ate J'';itlier Francisco de Uivela
that the Work b' submitted to three or four n lii;ious, so that they miuht eive
nil opinion on it, and tliid in the provincial ehapti r. which was close at liauil,
they nii','ht attend and report on the matter to the assembly, sjieakini; as
the thir.'.; mi'.;hl ajipi ar to tlieiii. .And these reiiorted in the assembly that
the writin:.,'s were of much value and deserved such suiijiort as was necessary
toward tlieir conpletion. |!ut to some of the assembly it seemed that il
was contrary to their vows of poverty to spend money in eopyini,' these writ-
iiil^s; so they commanded the author to dismiss his scrilies, and that la'
alone with his own hand should do what eopyini,' he wanted done: but as he
was nio'.'e than seventy years old. and for the trembliiii,' of his hand not able
to wi'ite anythin.,', nor able to procure a dispensation from this mamlale,
there was imthiui,' done with the writines for nioi-e than live years. l)uiii!L,'
this interval, and at the n"xt chapter. Father Mi ,'ui'l Navarro was elecl T
by the L^eiier.d chajiter for custos eustodium. iind l''atlier Alonso de Kscalona,
for ]iro\ incial. huriie.,' this time the author made a summary of all the
books and of all tlie chaiilers of each boiik, and judloeuis, whtrein was said
CHARACTER AND WORKS OF SAIIAfil'X.
2.1;?
I'll, inci vl-
illpolll tWi.
On all tin
I were till'
i-iaiis iutc r-
hc foot iif
lit 11 ] wdit
iiy Fi!iiiii>-
-I WHS ic-
idc at Saiit-
l,Stt 111 fciic
• Hiiiui' alili-
itiiiiis 1 hail
ijmintrd llif
ililc in thriv
1(1 wilh fiiuv
car or innvi'
'rciictii)uli-ii
tin in small
xaniinatiiin.
iciiliita, Wild
iita Ana. I.
1 me all my
fiirllu'Siiacc
iinlcil tllllll.
. liava^^vaplis.
Ill- liii'^^ii ill-
hail all th-
alitl Ihi'""-
(1), I niaih'
,1 nilix. Now
^/;,-,/n|'('(( (iilll-
that the liv'-t
the sccoinl
lirs Cdllil^l-
, il was An-
il the first,
in .hiciiliita,
1 of t'nanli-
l Mcsifan |.
arc l>ifi,'i'
Iriit of Xo-
imt. liy tilt*
1 ,a-hontlii'
1 ilf Uivdii
\ uii.Liht i^ivf
ir at liaiiil,
)ic:ikinL; as
M iiilily that
iS ii.'Ct'Ssary
ii.il that it
thrsi' writ-
ami that h"
I,-, hut us llr
anil not ahlf
lis iiiaiiilatf,
ars. \)n\wj.
, ^vas clii't' il
tif Hscaliina.
ly tpf all till'
I't in was saiil
with hrr'vitv all that tho hoolvs pontaiufd. Tliis sniiiniiirv Fatlnr ^liLiHil
avari-n ,iiiil liis fiMiuaiuoii,
Fall
i.r(
Tt riiiiiuo I
h- Ml
il tliiis ill Spain tlif tliiii;,'s that hail hiM-ii wriltrii aliniit thi
iitlifla. carritil to Spain
nut niaili
fh' ir a]i]Maranfc. In the unaii time, ihf fath< r jpupsincial took ail th-
h Mpks of the aiitlior ainl ilis[n
iltii
Kill tliroiuli a
II the iJitiviiiff, while they
Wire s'l n liy 111 my nli'^'ious ami apjpi'oveil ftpiviiy precinus ami valuahli
After some years, the e;eiieral eha|pter niettiiij,' a;^aiii, Father Miuiul Navarn
at the ]>etiti(Pii ot tile aiiiliiir, tnrm i
I with censllles to ei
■t a''alli the saiil
b poks; which, from that eolleetiiij,', came within ahont u vear into th
huuilsof tl
ic author
During that time iiotliin;^ was (Imie in them, no
th 're any ipiie to help to ^et tilt 111 tr.iiislati il iiitu th
naeiil.ir Spanish,
until the (leli'L,'ati
s.iw ami was iinn
•nil Father ]{o(lri;,'o ile Seipw ru came to tl
part>
h pleasetl with them, itmlcommaiiih il the author to translate
thciu iiilip Spanish; proviiliiiL; all that was iieeissary to thi ir lieiu^; re-wiilteii,
the Mexic.in laiiL;iiai,'e in tme column ami the S)panish in aiiotht r, so that they
iiii.;lit he sent to Spiiiii; fipr the most illiistriipiis SeiKir Jl.pii .luaii tie ( )vantli
ilellt of the ('
if liitlies, hail inijii
net I
iftt r till III, he k
vine Ilf
tllllll hy vcasipii of tlc' summary that the saiil Father .Mi;4Uel Navarro had
rricil t-
1 Spam, a>
ive said. And all the ahuve-said is to show that th
rk has heeii examined and ainiroved hy many, and duriin,' many years
passetl throii'^li many tronhlcs uiid Jiiisfortiim s In ftpi-e n
e4 the place
it now has:' Suli'i'inii. Ilisl. din,, tom. i., lili. i., I'liiloeu, pp. iji. vii. As to
the date at which Sahai'an wrote he savs: 'These twelve Ixpok
111 the Art
t!
le viicaliulary-appeiidix
tinished in a clear copy in the year irpCi'.l
hat tint translated into Spanish.' Snliaiinn, llist. liin,. tipiii
tlUlTlOll, |1
XV. The follt
lih. i., Intid-
1' scanty sketch nf the jifei.f Sahaeiin, is taken.
ifter liiKtaiiiaiite, fruiii the .lA
I lli'll'iijin S< l'"pi II <
if Fat;
lalicou
it ; ' Fa-
tliel'
: nan
lino Saha'^'un, native of Sal: .oiiii, ti
the riphc in the convent
of Salamanca, hi in.; a student of that university, lie jiassed into this piii-
viiir.' I Mexicii I in the year |."ii'.l. in the company of Fat hi r .\iitonii. de (iiiilad
■III r,-
Whil,
itli he WHS endowed with a lie.iiity and oraee of (lei'son
poll. lei
1 with that of his soul. From his teiiderest vi
irs lie was
Ylllr.
hil.ll-
tint
V IV iih^. want, self-coiitainetl, and eiveii to piayev. J'atlur .Martin tie Va-
1 iiria held very close commiiiiioii with liiiii, o\\ini,' to wliiidi he saw liim
laiiy times snatclieil up into an ecstasy. Saha^un was very exat't in his at-
t"Milan"e in the choir.
■n in his old aoe, he mvi
iseiii at matins.
Ill
'iitle. liumlile, courteoiis ill his cmivi i>
ilh all. Ill
was
eiei'tiil secondly with the learmd Father 'luaii de (laoni, as jirofesstpr at
Tlalielolci) in the collei'o of Santa Crii/: wlii re h^ sl
ell a can
lleslii
for lie was jierfect in all tl
if sciences.
li
liis
li.^ht
jiipssessiim
of llie .\1. xiein lan_;iiai,'e was tif ii jieifectm ss that h,is never to this day
iii'iii:,' c'lua
led; 1
le wrote iiianv
hooks
it tll.it will lie liii'litiolied ill till
cat, ill
it did Hot seel
aui'ieiit rites.
of authors. lie had to strive vithmuch opposition, for to son
pil to write out ill the l.u
pf th • Ml
w.i
li-hi i|
ov. r
lest it
the h
sliouM Ljive occasiiui
fort I
|p^
1'
Means
■r-' VI ieil in
Ih
lit
pf (ioil te'ailist idolatrs , and soimht eailiesth ti
liiilin
t:
CI
iristian faith iqpoii the coiiveitid. Jhatl
llineil as a miliis-
ti r ipf mii'li I xpeiieiiee, that tliiriiif^ the first twenty year- | of his life in the
iai\iiii-e| the fervor of the nativts was yeiy ^re at ; Imt that afterw.iid they
iiirliiieil to iilolatrv. and
lie verv lukewarm in the faiti
Th
111 the 111
pf his /''<.^^7/'^^■ that 1 have, in which I haiiit miiih. limine ilu
first twenty years of his life | in the piMviiiee| jir was "iiardi iii of
\ ■nf■^: hut after that he ilesired not to ^ake u)ion hiiii--i If any olli
iliia-iiip for iii'ire than forty yeai>
that he could oeeiipy himself in
|ii'eiiliiiu', c iiil'essin.;, and writini.^'. Diiriu.,' the sixty and one yeai>
il' Hied ill tic
that
iiiee, for the most part in colle^'e. without resting a single
il ly. lie inslriieteil the hoys in civiliz.ifion and u 1 customs, ti aihiiie them
id other thing's in the service of (tod
.vritiii'j
'raiiiniiir, nmsLc.
iiml the state. This went on till the veur lo'.tn, ul,, u
le ap|proat
h of
ith
h iiuiiine apparent to every one, he entered the hospit.d of MiAieo; w In ii 1
dii.ll on the Jiiitl of Uctoher, Thoru ussuiublcd to Lis fiini lal the tolh eiaus,
!
!
2U
OODS, SUPEllNATUllAL BEINGS, AND WOriSIIIP.
triiilijiL,' tliiir I'fnin, mid tlic imtivfS slKtldilij^ tfiivs, iiuil the liii iiilxi'K of tlu'
(litl'cniit i( li;;ioiis liouscs ^iviii},' jmiist's todod our Lord for tliis linly death,
of wliicli llic )iiartvioliM_;;v trifits, -doiiZiiLin. 'rorciutiiiadii, J)t/.u, llaiuiiiiii o,
and liiaiiy ritlicrs. In the library of Sifiior Iv^niara, in tlic niaiinscriiit of tlic
Turriana collcciion, 1 liavc read tin' article relating to Father Salia^^im; in it
a lar;^e cataloLjni' of works that he wrote is f^iven. 1 reun niber only the fol-
lowin;^: Jli.fliiriit iivairnl ih- Itin rosiis ili' }\iuia K^jm/'n; .l;7r dc tjr"hiiUiii(
iinxlrdiiii; l)ici;!iii(iirii> tnlbujni' df esiiiii'iol, latin, // iiH.riratin: i^iriiiuii'.-i
jiiirii t'lilii li iti'ii) vii iiii\nrii,ii>, (poseo aniKine sin uonilire deantori; I'uM'i!-
Ins <) I'oiiniii'nliii'his <d ('iv/zij/c/io, pni'd Ins •)ii'is<is suh nines dr din (/c jiriri pin;
llislnriii di' los jirrincriis ixilihnlorcs fnincisrinnis in Mi.virn; Snlnnidin tir In
ridd dc I'risto, dn la flrijin y dv los saidns, i/ni' nsalfin li'S i^nlius, ij jmi'iji-
liis jiiirn Ins rnsadds; Kscnld isjitritnal, qne fue la i)riinera olira (jiie se iiii-
liriniii'p en Mexico en la imiirenta (jue trajo Ilernan ('(jrtes do Ksiiana.' Sdlm-
[inn, Hist, lifn., toni. i.. i)[). vii. -ix. As to tin' manner in which the //''■--
tin'id III nirdl of Saha.unn, ' whom,' says I'rescott, l/i.r., vol. i., \\. I17,
'I have followed as the hi^diost authority' in matters of ^lexican ri -
]i;,'ion, — at last saw the li^dit of jmblicatioii, 1 ^ive L'rescott's aceonnt.
Mix., vol. i., |i. !S.S. as exact save in one point, for which see the coni^tiou
in lirackets: — ' At leni^^tli, toward the close of the last centnry. the indelati-
K'thle Mnnciz succeeded ill disinterring,' the lon^,' !■ >t mannscri|it from tli:'
jilacc tradition had as^i^^ned to it, — the library of a r^ nvent at Tulnsa. in Na-
varre, the northern extremity of S[iain. With his usual ardor, he liiinsciiln il
tlu' whole work with his own hands, and added it to the inestimaMe collec-
tion, of which, alas! he was destined not to rea}) the full iKiulit himself.
From this tr.inscriiit Lord Kingslioroui^di was enaMcd to jirociue the copy
which was ]iulilished in ls:j(), in the sixth volume of his nni),'iiiticent coni|iila-
tion. [ It was )ai!ilished in two parts, in the fifth and seventh voluna sof tlait
eonipilat ion, and till' ( xact date of the publication was l.Slil. 1 In it h< expri ssi s
an honest satisl'.ictiou at beint; the tirst to "ive Saha,L;un"s work to the world.
lint in this supposition he was mistaken. I'lu^ very year preceding;, an ( diliini
of it. with annotations, ajijieared in Mexico, in three volumes Hvo. It was
prep.ired by IJnstam.-intc, -a scholar to whose editorial activitv his couuliy
is LuLjely indebted, -from a copy of the Munoz manuscript which came into
his possession. Thus this remarkable work, which was denii d the honors
of tile press duriut,' the author's lifetinu', after passing' intit olilivion. n;!])-
peared. at the distance of nearly three centuries, not u\ his own country, but
in forei^'u lands widely reunite from each other, and that almost simullanc
ously . . . .Saliau'UU divided his history into twelve boo^:s. The first ehveu
are occupied with the social institutions of ^Mexico, and the last with the
Compnst. On the reli^'ion of the country he is particularly full. His ^-rcat
object eviili'Utly was. to .1,'ive a clear view of its mytholoLjy. and of tlu biir-
dcnsonu' ritual which belon^'ed to it. l{eli,!.5ion entered so intimately intn
the most jirivate c<incerns and usages of the Aztecs, that SahnL^'un's wmk
must be a text-book for every student of their antiipiities. Tori|Ui nnuli
availed himself of a manus('ri|)t copy, which fell into his hands before it w.is
sent to Spain, to enrich his own pai^es, — a circumstaiu'e more fortunate fer
his readers tliiin for Sah.ij^'un's n'lmtation. whose work, now that it is ]iiili-
lishcd, loses much of the ori,L;inality and interest which would othi rwi>c
attach to it. In one respect it is invaluable; as ]iresentini,' a conijili Ir cnl-
lection of the various forms of ])rayer, accommodated to every ]iOssible i an i--
f^'ency, in use by the .Mexicans. They are often clothed in di,L;nilitd ai.l
beautiful lauj,'na,L!c, showini,' that sublime speculative tenets are (piili ' "a:-
)iatible with the most deuradinL,' i>ractices of su]ierstition. It is much to lu'
retted that we have not the eii,'htien hvmns, inserted bv the author in liis
■' ■ ' ' ■• ' -■■- ' • ' ' ' " '-■ '■ ■ of (l(\e-
1. .-S^' '»' '• iimi \»» iiii*' iKii lin tJi^iiiiAll ll>iiiii.^, I it^\ in «i "'» 111, 11,1111.1 ... ."
book, which Would have particidar interest, as the only spt cimc ii of dive
lional jioetry presei-ved of tin' A/.tecs. The hicro,L;lyiiliical iiaintiic^s, whirl
•■ '" "■ -' - ' -■'■ ■ - If they iia've escaped the haii '■ ■
acconi|)anied tin text are also missin;.;. - ,, ^ -
fanaticism, both niay rea]i|iear at some future day.' As naiy have I'mu
noticed, the editi(Uis<if SahaL,'un by both llnslamante and Kiu|4sb(vron'j! lii^'
been constantly used toyether and collated duriny the course of this pn^-i ut
ADULTEIIATKJX OF THE SAIIAGUX ilSS.
•j.i.>
w.iiIj. Tlirv differ, fs])(ci;»lly m iiumy niiinn- ]inints of typDU'iiiiiliy, I'.iistn
iii;iiiti''s liiinj,' the iiKirc cai'dcssly eclitiil ill this ris|ici't. Noluillistaiiiliii^
ll'i\VC-\(
is (111 till
r, till' oiiiiiimi
to til
itnirv uf Ml- llariis
>llSllllllUlltl' S I llillllll
wli
t)
II' iiinvc (•(Hiiiilitc; Kiii!,'slH)iuii),'li Imviii^' avnwi diy (luiiiti il
lal'
llV'ls I
a fault also (i
ts of till' ovij,'iiiiil which he thought uiiiiiiiioitaiit or tuiiiiti nslin
f l!iistaiiiaiiti 's, but to a li
■Mint. Fort
llliatilv w
hat i
hnll
b^i lit ill till' one I havi' always foiuul in thr otlii'r: mid iiidctd, us a w
11 I ail liiriiiiistauccs licilii,' coiisidt'icd, tlicv ii,L;it'<' tolrrably wi-il. 'I'hr rrit-
■isai of Ml' i[airiss(', just nt'ii'i'cd to, ninsas follows, liili. Am. I'l/., p. L'lM,
IHsl.
irhi 'iriurnl lit' liisCiinii.i (!<■ Xuini Hsjiii/'n; Mexico, It vols., lli
isjl) ^ edited and castrated liy iiustaiiiciitc ( IJiistaiiiaiitc ) in siicli a niaiiiicr as
to ri i|uiii' for a jjcrfcct understaiidiiij^' of that dry Init imiportaiit work, the
diiii,' of the parts also jiiihlislied in vols. v. and vi. [v. and vi
if K
h iriiiiuMi's .l)'//'/"i7('is.)' WVarenot yet done, however, with editions of Sali.a-
L;mi. A third edition of jiait of his work has seen theli;,dit. It is lliistaiiiaiite
liiaisi If that attempts to hiipeisede a i)iirtof his tirst edition. He aliiriiis, that
li ink \ii. of that tirst edition of his, as of course also hook xii. of Kiiiusl ml ouch's
I lilioii. is spurious and has heen Ltarliled and Lflossed liy Spanish hands
awav from the ori;.^inal as written bv Sa]iat,'iiu. I'lxactiv how or when
Ulti
tiiis ciirnr|ition took jilace he does not sh
that it was inimediatelv after the oriu;iiial
lit lie leaves if to be iiifi
il
its autlmr, a
iscript had been taken from
mil that it was done because that twelfth book, which treats m
lar.iu
dialely of the CollilUest, reHected too hardly on the Conipleli
taaiiiile haviii!^ lU'ocured, in a manner now to be ^'iveii in his own wo
I>us
rds, 1
rnrrict am
,'eiiuiiiu cop;
)f the twelfth book.
hy the hand of Saha^'un himself, ji
ilMili r the cxtraordinarv title of /// ,
i}>j' written and sIljik d
(led in 1S40 to Ki^''it to the world
'/( ik' XKitilnt St iitira df (iiintliihiiic
tl .]fi.rh'i), rtiiiijii'i)Unthl I'tiii It! vi'fttlttc'itin till firtiiiiiniilti Hf'iintn
ft) (iiif iiri sill
J'l'iii ll'liiH.tfti Mn'iin. I'ldnltiiitliisi' I'll <■! trsti
lilt ]'. Fr. Ill
lit I).
■il'tiiti Siilii
;/■'«.• ii.s'i((, Hisloria Orhi'inul ilf iisti; Esfritur, i/iif (tllei'H In i)iihl\rnilii i n IS_'.)(u
i! iijitifiifiiiln cniiriiilti ilf sir la uniru 1/ urhiiintl ihl iHflm itiilur. .Ml of which
iiii-aiis to say that lie. Hustamaiite, haviiij,' already publislieil in l)S-j',t ;)(). a
•dition of Saliai.
Ilisit,
ii'iti (itiit I'll
I. in twelve boiil'
Us. acco
rdiii
t I tile best maiiuscriiit lie could then find, has found the twelfth book of that
not 1,'eiiiiine, has found the j^'enuine ori^,'inal of said twelfih
hi -I.
ly tl
, ami
now, in iS Jll, publishes said L;eiiuinc twelfth book
inaNiiiiich as it contains some refenii
extrani'ilinarv iianic
•r the al cive
to what is
|ipo:,e(l to be uiipermost in every religious Mex
lean s mini
1. t.
il. th
lllir;
Uli
IIS a[)pearaiice of the lilessed Virgin to a certain native .\bxicaii
la apancion 1
U'.-eiiiiut of al
le llUestr.'l Seflora lie (luadalupe de Mexico. liilslamallti
the fii
liiiL,', beiiii,' translated from the above-ineiitioiied Xrt
>v,7-./v( tif (nitdltdiiiif, pp. iv.. viii., xxiii.. runs as follows: "As he | Sali; KunJ
wrote with the frankness ]iiopcr to truth, and as this was not ideasinL,' to the
h'-ads of the llieii
■riinient. nor even to some of his brother fria
il">lioiled of his writings. 'I'liese were sent to Sjiaiu. and ordered to be stored
away in the archives of tli
SI that 110 one should evei
than tw iitiiries.
luis^iolK
iveiit of San Francisco de 'J'olosa de Navari
able t
o read them: there tliev la
d f.
JJiiriUi^ the rei;^'n of Carlos iii.. Se
'.Ml
to write the history of th
World. J5ut he foune
witlmnt ihis work [of Saliai,'un's] so necessary to his ]iurpo
i^iioliiiit of its whereabouts, till, rcadili'' the index of the llili
mil ',
ea F
I alia he eaiiii
to 1.
uiow about it, and. furnislK d by the j^'overn
will, all
lowers, he took it out of the said monasterv. (''oloiiel 1). i )|( '40 (iarc a
r
uiis liaviiit,' CO
i eyii 1. Ihis
me to Jladrid at the same time, to ]iublish the worl
•ntleman contracled a frii ndsliip with .Mumoz wh
tl cniiy the two thick volumes in which Sahaijiin's work was wrilleii.
'I'
til
1 -se Uvo vol miles, then, that Colonel I'aiies had copied, were what was held
Iv the work of Father Saha'^im. and
such esteemed:
till il d<
11' it appear to be jiroved by attestation that this was the aiitlior's ori'^iual mt-
'"'■■"/I'l hi-.tory. I[ad it 1 11 so. the circumstance would hardly have bi m
lift w.ilioiit detiiiitu muutiiju, wkeii tho I'clatiun was giveu uf the way in
2'j;>
GODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND WORSIIir,
wliich tlip book Wfts got lioM of, imd wlion thf f^'uiirnntoo of tin' cxiictiioss of
till' coiiy Wiis iiiociii'fd. I, to-iliiy, ])osst'ss iiii origiiiiil iimmis('i'i]it, Mi'ittfU
alt()j,'i'tli(r 1111(1 si^'iifd liy the hiiiul of Fiithcr Siiliugmi; in whidi is to lie
noted uu cssi'iitiiil vaiiiition in rcrtiiiu of the ('liii))t<'i's wliicli I now |iicscnt,
from lliosc that 1 bcfoiv imlilished ill tin- twelfth book of his llislnriii (ii-m.
rn>\ wiiieh is tln^ book treatiiitj of the C'oiKjuest. Sahiiguu wioti; this iiiaiiu-
script ill the year 158.}, that is to siiy, five years before his death, and he
wrote it without doubt uudi'r a preseiitiiiieut of the alterations that his work
Would suH'rr. He had already made alterations therein liiniself, siiieo he
coiif esses ( they an; his words; that ccrtaiiulefepts existed in them, that certain
tliiu;^'s hud been put into tho narrativt,' of that CoiKjuest that should not have
bi'cu i)ul there, while other thiii^,'s were left out that should not hiive been
ouiitted, 'I'ljerefore [says IJustaniaiite], this autogra])li nianus('ri|it discovers
til" alterations that his writinj^'s nnderwent midlives ns f,'ood reason todoiibt
tli(! authenticity and exactness of the text seen by Mnnoz. . . . Dining' the re-
volution of Madrid, in May, 1808, eiiused by the entrance of the French and
the removal of the royal family to Baj'oniie, the ottice of the secretary of the
Academy of History was robbed, and from it were taken various bundles of
the works of Father Hahaj^un. These au old lawyer of the court bou^'ht, and
auion;^' them ouo entitled: HUtf'uia <!<• la rnni/iddn do I'ntd Xtifra HsjuirKt, rmiK,
t't I'diitnriht io.i sol<l<iili)s iiid'tDS que. no hidbiroii jtreavnles. (_'<»ii'i'iii('ise i')i li'iiijini
I'Sjinriobi lliiioi d inklhilhli: }/ bkn inininddila en csk oilo de ]iJ85. Unfortu-
nately there had only remained [of the JM/(')o)i, etc., (V)] a single voliuiie
of niaiiuscri[it, which Sefior D. Jose Gomez de la Cortina, ex-count of that
title, bought, giving therefor the sum of iv hundred dollars. He allowed
nic the use of it, and I have made an exact copy of it, adding notes
for the better understuudiug of the Conquest; the befiu-e-mentioiied
being altogether written, as I have said, and signed by tiie hands of
Father Siihagun. This portion, which the said ex-count has certitied to,
induces us to believe tliat the other works of Sahagun, ivlatiiig both to
the t!ou(|iU'st and to the Aparicion (ruadalupana have been adulterated
l)ecause (hey did little honor to the first Concpierors. That they have at
all ciuiie to l)e discussed with posterity, bus been because a knowledge of
them was generally scattered, and in such a way that it was no loiigei' possi-
bli' to keep them hidden; or, perhaps, because the faction interested in their
concealment liad disai)i)eared. Tn proof of the authenticity and identity of
this manuscript, we refer to Father l?etaneu;- in bis Chronicle of the prn-
viiKM' of the Santo Evangelio de Mexico, making a catalogue of the illustri-
ous men thereof; s])eiiking of Sahagun, he says on page 1U8: "The ninth
book that this writer composed was the Complest of Mexico by Cortes;
which book afterward, in the year b")8."), he re-\M'ote and (■mended; the
[emended ] original of this I saw signed with his hand in the possssion of Sefiur
1). Juan Francisco de Moutemayor, president of the Royal Audiei.eia, who
carried it to Spain with the intention of having it j)rinted; and of this 1 Imve
11 translation wherein it is said that the ilarijuis of A'illa-JIanriipie, viceroy
of Abxico, took from him [Sahagun] the twelve books and sent them to his
majesty for the royal chronicler." ' ]>ustamante lastly gives a eertilieate nf
the authenticity of the manuspript under discussion and jinblished by hiiu.
The certiticate is signed by Jose Gomez de hi Cortina, and runs as follows;
' Mexico, 1st April, 18iO. I certify that, being in Miub'id in the year I.SJ,S, 1
bought from D. Lorenzo Ruiz de Artieda, through the agency of my friend
and ciiiuiianion, D.Jose JIusso Valiente, menuier of the Spanish .\cadeiiii('S
of language and of history, the original manuscript of Fatlu'r Sahagun, of
which mention is made in this work l)y his Exct'llency Seniu- J). Carlos Jlarfii
]>astamante, as constated by the receii)ts of the seller, and by otla r docu-
ments in my possession.' S-' much for Rustamante"s new ])osition as a
reeditor of a part of Sahagun's IHstariii <rviii-r<d; we have stated it in his
own words, and in those of his own witnesses as brought forward by him. Tln'
changes referred to do not involve any matter bearing on mythology; it may
be not out of place to say however, that the evidence iu favor ufUustamauti's
new views .seems sstroug and truth-like.
CHArTER VII.
GODS, SUPERNATURAL nEIXGS, AND WORSHIP.
iMACiK OP TKZCVrr.IPOdA — His SkATH at THK SrUEET-COlSNKUS — VAIllnt-H
LKiiKNDs AiiocT HIS LiFK OX Eauth — Qdktzalcoatl — His ])KxrKKrrv i\
THK Mkc iiANicAi, AuT.s — His lJ,Ki,i(ii()(;s OasKuvANCK.s— Tiii-; Wkaltii
AND Xnini.KNKss or iiis Adiikiiknts — Expulsion fkom Tii.i.a (U' QfKx-
ZM.COMI, liV TkZi'ATMI'OCA AND HuiTZILOPOCIITLI — TlIK MaiIIC DlIAniHT
- lIi-KMAf, ou Vkmac, Kino of thk Toi.tkcs, and tiik 1[isfoiititnks
insoroirr upon him and his pkoplk by TEZtATLtPocA in vauious
DlSiiUIsKS -- (iQETZALCOATL IN CholuLA — DlFFEIUNU A(JCOUNTS OF THE
JUiaii AND Life OF Quetzalcoatl — IIis Gentij: Ciiauactek- Hi-; diu.w
ui' THF, ^Mexican rAi.KM>Aii- Isi'idents of his Exile and of his Joui;-
NKY Id Tl.Vl'Ar.t.A, AS KELATED AND COMMENTED UPON liY VAItlOUS WlilT-
El:s--l)IUSSE[7li's IDEAS AUOUT THE QuETZALCOATL MvTIIS — (JUETZALCOAIL.
Ci)NSII)El!K.I> A SuN-(jOI) JiY TyLOK, AND AS A DaWN-HeUO BY iJlilNTON —
Helps— DiiMEXEcH — The Codicks — Long Discussion of the (^uetzal-
<nArr. !Myths by J. G. Mi'llek.
In tlio |)r(H'c'(lino- cliaptor I luivo given only the loftier
view ol' Te/A;iitli[)()cii"s nutni'e. wliieh even on this side
I'uiiiiot l)e illustrated without many inconsistencies. We
pass now to relations evidencinji' a nnicli meaner idea
<»t' his character, and showing him whom we liave seen
calK'd in\isil)le. almighty, and heneficent, in a new a' I
much less imposing light. We pass, in I'act. I'rom the
Xciis of Plato and Socrate.s to the Zeus oi' llesiod and
Honier.
1 ict us glance first at the fashion of his representation iu
the temples, though with little hope of seeing the {larticular
fitness of many of the trappings and syinhols with which
Ills statue v.as decorated. lli.s principal image, at least
(2a7)
2.1S GODS, SUrEriXATITiAL BEINflS, .VXD WOKSIIIP.
I
in tlic city of >roxi('(). avus cutout of a very shininjrliliick
stone, culled i/tli, a variety ofohMdian. — a stone valued,
in consideration of its ca|)a,l)ilitiesof cleavaj>e, for niakiuii'
those long splinters, used as knives by tlie A/tecs. for
Nai'rificial and other |)ur[toses. For these uses in wor-
ship, and perhaps indeed for its manifold uses in all re-
jiiu'ds. it was surnained tiotifl. divine stone. In places
where stone was less convenient the iniauc was made of
wood. The general idea intended to he jiiven was that
of a Nounizinan; h\ which the immortalitv of the uod
was set Ibrth. The ears of the idol wei'e hi'ijjjht with ear-
rinus of uold and silver. Thronjih his lower lip was
thrust a little crystal tube, perhaps six inches loni:. and
through the hollow of this tul)e a featlu'r was drawn;
soinetinies a green feather, sometimes a blue, giving the
transi)are)it ornament the tint at one time ol' an eme-
)ni
I'ald, at another of a tunjuois. The hair — carved \\\
the stout', we may sui)i)ose — was drawn into a (pieue and
bound with, a ribbon of burnished gold, to the end ol"
which ribbon, hanging down behind, was attached a
golden ear witli certain tongues of ascending smoke
])ainted thereon; which smoke was intended to signily
the prayers of those sinners and afllicted that, connueud-
ing thi'uiselvi's to the god, were heard by him. Vyow
his head were many plumes of red and green leathers.
From his neck thei'e hunir down in front a ureat iewel of
gold that covered all his breast. Bracidets of gold were
upon his arms, and in his navel was set a precious green
stone. In his left hruid there Hashed a great circular
mirror of gold, bordei'ed like a fan with precious leathers,
green and a/ure and yellow; the eyes of the god were
over fixed on this, for therein he saw rellected all that
Avas done in the world. This mirror was called itlddi
that is to say, the 'looker-on,' the 'viewer.' Te/,catli[
was sometimes seated on a bench covered with a reil
cloth, worked with the likeness of many skulls, ha\ ing
in hisi-ight hand ibin- darts, signilying. according to some,
that he punished sin. To the top of his feet were at-
.tached twenty bells of gold, and to his right foot the Ibre-
)0('a
V-OliSIIIP OF TEZCATLirOCA.
i;jQ
foot of i\ (liHT, to sliow tho oxcecdiiiLi swiftiK'ss of this
(l('it\' ill all liis uiivs. IlidiiiLi tho filiiuiiig lihick hody,
was a ^I'oat cloak, curiously \\ roujiht in, hlark and white,
adoiiit'il with feathers, and iViuti'ed ahotit with rosettes «)t'
three colors, red, Avhito, and hlaek. 'i'his i:(»d, whose
deeorjitions vary a little with ditVerent writers varia-
tions prohahly not greater than those i-eally existiiij;'
lunoiii;' the difVerent fijiures representing' in dilVerent
])iares the siiine deit}' — had a kind of ('liaj)el huilt
to hold hiui on the top of his temple. It was
u dark chainher lined with rich cloths of many
colors; and Ironi its ohscurity tho imag(» looked out,
seateil on a pedestal, with a costly canoiu' immediately
overlu'ad. and an altar in front; not a[)[)arently an
altai- of saerilice. hut ii kind of ornamental tahle. like a
("hiistian altiir. covered with rich cloth. Into this holy
of holies it Avas not lawful for any hut a [)riest to enter.
\\'hat most of all. however, must have served to hring
the worship of 're7A'atli|K)ca prominently hefore the people,
Avere the seats of stone, huilt at the corners (ji' the streets,
lor the accommodation of this god when he walked in-
vi^ihly ahroad. Mortal, horn of woman, never sat there-
on: not the kinu' himself iniiiht dare to use them: sacred
tluy were, sacred for over, and always shadowed l»y a
caiiopx' of '/reen houuhs, reverentlv renewed every five
davs.^"
Lower and lower we must now descend from the idea
of an almighty god, to take up the thiead of various
legends in which Tezcatlipoca (iguresin an anything hut
civditahle light. We have already seen him descrll)ed
us one oi" those hero-gods wlnHii the new-horn Sun Avas
instrumental in destroying;' and we may suppose that
lie then ascended into heaven, for we lind him al'ter-
wa..! descending thence, letting himself down hy a
' . I •■).>.•/((, in-:l. Xnt. /»(?.. pp. •'{")3-4; Cldrliero, Slnrht Ant.dd .Ifssico, torn.
ii.. ]i.7; Ihirmi. Ilist. Ant. dv In Xuera Expnrm, !MS.. (ju(iti'<l in S'juicr'n Xnlfs
hi I'uhuHii, C<ir(n, iidtc "27, pp. 117-H; Siiltdijnn, Jli.sl. Hen., tniii. i., lili. iii., j>.
"212; K.fjilirriciiiii tli'l t'lnhw Tclkridtto-Ili'iiii'iisis, lam. ii. luid xxvi.. in hini/s-
h'lrii'hih's .l/ix. AiilUi., vol. v.. pp. 132, Itt 5; Sp'iviiiti'u'ni- ihlh- Tcircliilrl CniiJre
.V.n' v(/„i^ t:iv. \lii., xlix.. iu Kinjsbunnvjh's Mix. Aid'ni.^ vul. v., pp. Iho, ISS.
- Sif iLiis vohiuio p. G2,
i'r\
'!'
210 (lODS, sri'EUNATUUAL BEINGS, AND WOliSIIir.
rope twlnci] from spider's web. IJiiiiililiiiii' tlir()ii;:li tli(»
world he ('.iiiR' to ii pliico culled Tidhi, mIktc ii ccrtiiiii
C^iU't/alcoiitl iiiiotlu'r. Ju;cordiiig to Saliii;:un. of the licro-
ods just ivrcri'ed to had boon ndin<;' lor many years,
riic two eiijiaii'i'd in a gaujo of hall, in the course of
which 'rey.catli|>oca, suddenly transformed himself into a
ti^icr. orcasioni nil thereby a tremendons panic ainon^' the
spectatoi's, many of whom in tlu> haste of their lliuht
precipitated themselves down a ravine in the iiei;^hhoi'-
liood into a riser and wei'e drowned. Tezcatlipoca then
hepui to [H-rsecnte (^netzalcoatl from city to city till he
di'ove him to ( 'hohila. Here (^net/alcoatl was held as
chief ;i;t>d, and here for some time he was safe. Uut oidy
for a few years; his indefatigahle and powerfnl enemy
forced him to i-etreat with a few of his adherents tt)ward
the sea. to a place called Tlillapa or Tiza[ian. Here the
Imnted Qnet/alcoatl died, and his Ibllowei's inau;.an'ateil
the (^nstom of hnrning the dead l)y hnrninj:, his ludy.'
Tiu' foi-eu'oinp;. from Mendieta, si'ives ns a}:lim;'^t'. from
one point (j1' a iew, of tliat great personai:e (^uet/.alcoatl,
of wlioni we shall know mncli more anon, and whom in
the meantime we meet again and again as the op[i()nent,
or rather victim of Te/.catlipoca. Let ns consider iSaha-
gnns version of the incidents of this strife:—
()net/alcoatl was, from verv ancient times, adored as a
god in Tnlla. He had a very high c/i* there, with many
ste[)s np to it, steps so narrow that there was not rooiii
for a wiiole lijot on anv of them. His imaiic was al\va\s
in a recunihent position and covered with blankets.
The lace of it was very ugly, the head large and l"ui-
nished with a long beard. The adherents of this god weiv
all dcNoted to the mechanical arts, dexterous in working
the green stone called chalchiuite, and in Ibunding tli^
precious metals; all of which arts had theiv beginning au;l
origin with the said Quetzalcoatl. He had whole houses
made of chalchiuites, others made of silver, others eC
white a id I'cd shells, others of planks, others of turcpioiscs,
3 \i,n<iutit. Hist. /•;.■/(>■., p. K'2.
4 i'oiuiilu; sue ihis vol., p. IDJ, uottj 20.
,11
QL'ETZALCOATL.
241
nn\ otliors of rieli fciithorH. Ills adliorcnts wore very
li^lit of l(M)t and swift in goin}^ vvliithoi* tlu'y wisljod,
;in I t\\cy were culled t'ttnqnacenilfhli/nK;. There is a
iiiomitiiiii called Tzatzite[)etl on which (JuetzMlcoatl used
to have a crier, and the peoi)le afar oil' and scattered,
and the people of Anahuac, a hundred leagues distant,
heard and understood at once whatever the said (^ui't-
zalcoutl commanded. And (Juet/alcoatl was very rich ;
he had all that was needful hoth to eat and to drink ; maiy,e
was ul)undant, and a head of it was as nuich as a num could
carr\ clasped in his arms; pumpkins measured a fathom
roiuid; the stalks of the wild junarinth were so large and
thick that people climhed ihem like trees. C\)tton was
sowed and gathered in of all colors, red, scarlet, yellow, vio-
l»^t, whitish, green, blue, blackish, grey, orange, and tawny;
these colors in the cotton were natural to it, thus it grew.
Further it is said that in that city of TuUa, there
aboMiuled many sorts of birds of rich and many-colored
plunm;4e, the xUihtototl, the qmitmltototl, the zdfpuin, the
tiniiuqiicc.'iol, and other birds that sang with much sweet-
.less. And this (Juetzalcoatl had all the riches of the
world, of gold and silver, of green stones called chalchi-
uiti's. and of other precious things, and a great abundancje
of cocoa-nut trees of divers colors. The vassals or ad-
herents of (^uetzalcoatl were also very rich and wanted
for nothing; they were never hungry; they never lacked
luiii/.e, nor ate the small ears of it, but burned them like
wood to heat the baths. It is said lastly that Quetzal-
coiitl did penance ))y pricking his legs and drawing blcMjd
with the spines of the maguey and by washing at mid-
iht in a fountain called xicapoi/a ;'* this custom the
})ri('sts and ministers of the Mexican idols adopted.
There came at last a time in which the fortunes of
(^MiL'tzalcoatl and of his people, the Toltecs, ))egan to fail:
for there came against them three sorcerers, gods in dis-
guise, to wit Tezcatlipoca, Iluitzilopochtli, and Tlacavepan,
^ Or perhnps xipacoya, as in Kingsborough's cd. of Sahagim, Mex. Antiq.,
vul. vii., p. 108.
Vol. III. IB
212
GODS, SUPERN.VTURAL BEINC^, AND WORSniP.
who wioiijiht many deceits in Tulla. Tezcatlipoca cspeci-
aily [)ivi)ai-e(l a cunning trick; he turned himself into a
li()ar\ -headed old man, and went to the house of Quet-
zalcoatl, saying to the servants there, I wish to see and
speak to your master. Then the servants said. Go away,
old man, thou canst not see our king, for he is sick, thou
\vilt auuoy him and cause him heaviness. liutTezcatli-
pooa insisted, 1 must see him. Then the servants bid
the sorcerer to wait, and they went in and told (Quetzal-
coat! liow an old man without allirmed that he would
see the king and wouM not he denied. And (^uotzal-
coatl auswei'ed. Let hiui couie in. behold for many days 1
have waited for his coming. So Tezcatlipoca entered,
and he said to the sick god-king, Uow art thou? adding
turther that he hail a medicine for him to drink. Theu
(^uetzalcoatl answered. Thou art welcome, old man, be-
liold lor many (Liys I ha.e waited for thee. And the
old sorcerer si)ake again, How is thy body, and how art
tliou in health? I am exceedingly sick, said (^uetzalcoatl,
all my l)t»;ly is in pain, I cannot move my hands nor my
feet. Then, answered Tezcatlipoca, behold this medicin((
that I have, it is good and wholesome and intoxicating;
if thou will drink it. thou shalt be intoxicated and healed
and eased at the heart, and thou shalt have in mind the
toils ail 1 fatigues of death and of thy dei)arture.'' Where,
ci'ied (^)uetzalcoatl, have I to go? To Tullaiitlapallau. re-
l)lied T('/,(;atlipoca, wliere there is another old man wait-
ing for thee; he and thou shall talk together, ami on thy
return thence thou shalt be as a youth, yea. as a boy.
An I (^uetzalcoatl hearing these words his lieart wa-»
moved, while the old sonierer, insisting more and more,
s lid. Sir, drink this medicine. JJut the king did not wish
to drink it. The sorcerer, however, insisted, J)rinl\. my
lord, or thou wilt be sorry for it hereafter; at least rul>
a little on thy brow and taste a sip. So (^)uetzalcoatl
tried and tasted it, and drank, savin-j;, What is this? it
G Y aconliirsoos ha do los triibajos y fati^^iis dc la niuorto, n do vuostra iili.
Kiiiis'inrcii Ji's Mcx. Ant'iij., vnl, vii., p. Jt'l). Y iicordarscos lia los tinliaj"^ y
fatP^'is di' la luuorto, 6 do viRstra vida. .S((/«(;/i(u, Illst. Ucu., toiu. i., hi), iii.,
jij). 215-0.
TEZCATLIPOCA AS A PEDDLER.
243
I cspoci-
f into i\
i' (iuot-
seo ant I
ro awiiv,
ck, tlioii
iV/x'iitli-
aiits l)i(l
Quot'/iil-
e would
(^uotzal-
IV (lays I
eiitenMl,
? addini^
<. Tlu'u
man. be-
And the
1 how art
L'tzidcoatl,
Is nor my
i medicnui
)xicatin.i:;
nd hoali'd
mind the
Where,
)allan. re-
nan wait-
ndon thy
as a hoy.
iR'art wiH
an 1 more,
d not wish
)riuk. my
least rul»
K't/aleoatl
is this? it
viu'stni iil:i-
Ids tniliiij"- y
bill, i., W>- ''>-
poom.'^ to ho a thinf; verv {rood and savory: already 1
I'l't'l inysell' healed and (juit ot'mine inlinnity ; alri'ady I
am well. Then the old sorcerer said iigain, Drink once
mori'. my lord, since it is good; so thou shall he the
more perfectly hea'ed. And (^uetzalcoatl drank auain,
he made himsell' drunk, h(.' hejiiin to weej) sadly, his heart
w;is eased and moved to depart, he could not I'id himseli'
of the thought that he nnist go; Tor this was the snare
and deceit ot Tezcatli[)Oca. And the medicine that t^uet-
zalcoatl draid< was the white wine of the coniitry, mado
fro;n the magueys that are called teinnetl.
So (^uetzalcoatl, whose fortunes wc shall hereafter fol-
low more particularly, set out upon his journey ; and Tez-
catlipoea proceeded further guilefully to kill many Toltecs,
and to allv hiuiself hv marriatre with Vemac, who was
the temporal lord of the Toltecs. even as (2uetzalcoa,tl was
the s[)i ritual rider of that people. To accomplish the.so
things Tezcatli[)oca took the api)earance of a pooi* i'or-
eiguer, and presented himself naked, as was the custom
of such [)eoj)le. in the market-place of Tulla, selling green
chilly pi'i)pi'r. \ow the [)alace of \'euiac. the great king,
owrlookeil the market-place, and he had an only daugli-
tcr. aud the girl, looking by chancer mnong the huyer.s
and sellers, saw the disguised god. She was smiHen
tln'ouuii with love of him, and she heuan to sicken,
Vemac heard of her si(d<ness and he in(piii'ed ol' the
women that guarded her as to what ailed his dauiditer.
Th"y told hiui as hest they could, how I'or the lo>e of a
pc Idlei" of pei)i)er, nauied 'i'oveyo. the pi'incess had lain
down to die. The king inmiediatcdy sent a crier u[)ou
tlie mountain Tzatzitepec to make tliis proclamation:
Toltecs, seek me out Toveyo that goes ahout sidling
]ivi'vn pL'ppi'r, let him he hrought l)efore nu>. So the
]ii ojilc sought every wlu're for the handsome })epjHM' \en-
di r. hut he was nowhere to he Ibund. Then, altei- they
could not (Ind him, he appeared of his own accord one
day at his old phuie and ti'ade in the market, lie was
ttroiight JH'i'ore the king, who said to him. Where dost
tlioii l)udong to? and Toveyo answered, 1 am a foreigner
2ik
ODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
m
come here to sell my green pepper. Why dost thou
delay to cover thyself with breeches and with a blanket?
said Vemac. Toveyo answered that in his coinitry such
things were not in fashion. A'emac continued, ^Fy
daughter longs after thee, not Avilling to be comfortcl
by any Toltec ; she is sick of love find thou must lioa I
her. But Toveyo replied, This thing can in no wise 1k\
kill me first; 1 desire to die. not being worthy to hear
these words, who get my living by selling green jx^piKT.
I tell thee, said the king, that thou must heal my daugh-
ter of this her sickness; fear not. Then they took the
cunning god, and washed him, and cut his hair, and dyed
all his body, and put breeches on him and a blanket;
and the king Vemac said, Get thee in and see my daugh-
ter, there where they guard her. Then the young man
went in and he rrmained with the princess and she be-
came sound and well; thus Toveyo ])ecarae the son-in-
law of the king of Tulla.
Then behold all the Toltecs ])eing filled with jealousy
and olVended, spake injurious and insulting words against
king Vemac, saying among themselves, Of all the T(»ltt('><
can there not to be found a man, that this Vemac marries
his daughter to a peddler? Xow when the king heard
all the injurious and insulting words that the people
spake against him, he was moved, and he si>oke to the
people saying, Come hither, behold 1 have heard all
these things that ye say against me in the matter of my
son-in-law Toveyo; dissimulate then; take him deceit-
fully with you to the war of (\icatepec and Coatepcc
let the enemy kill him there. Having heard these words
the Toltees arinetl themselves, and collected a multitiitlc
and went to the war, briimintr Toveyo alon<>;. Arrived
where the fighting was to take place, they hid him with
the lame and tiie dwarfs, charging them, as the custom
was in such cases, to watch for tlie enemy, while \\h)
soldiers went on to the attack. The battle began; Mie
Toltecs at once gave way; treacherously and guileful ly'
deserting Toveyo and tlie cripples, leaving them to he|
f»J!iughtered at their post, they returned to Tulla and told,
TllIUMPH OF TEZCATLIPOCA.
2i5
At thou
anket ?
rv such
Ml, My
Tifortc'l
ist ht'ul
tvise be,
to heiu-
daudi-
took tho
11(1 dyed
blanket ;
y^ dau«ih-
in<? man
L she ]je-
5 son-iu-
jealousy
,s aiiaiust
T(>ltec^
} marries
lo; heard
peopk'
ko to the
leard all
er of my
I deceit-
^oatepec.
ise words
mltitude.
A.rrived
lim wit! I
custom"
Idle tlie^
Lu: the
iuileruUyl
LMU to I'l^j
and tokl,
tlie kinp; how they had left Toveyo and his companions
ak)ne in the hands of the enemy. When the king heard
the treason he "was glad, tliinking Toveyo dead, for he
was ashamed of having him for a son-in-law. AlVairs
liad uone otlierwise, however, with Toveyo from wliat
the plotters supposed. On the approach of the hostile
aniiy he consck'd his deformed companions, saying, Fear
n(»thing; the enemy come against us, l)ut 1 know that I
shall kill them all. Then he rose \i\) and went forward
airaiiist them, against the men of Coatepec and Cacatepec;
he put them to tlight and slew of them without number.
A\'hen this came to the ears of Vemac, it weighed upon
and terrified him exceedingly. He said to his Toltecs,
Let us now go and receive my son-in-kuv. So they all
went out with king Venuic to receive Toveyo, bearing
the arms or devises called qHetzalajxuiei'tnj'Ul, and the
shields called xmchimaU. They gave these things to
Toveyo, and he and his comrades received them with
(lancing and the nmsic of tlutes, with triumph and re-
joicing. Furthermore, on reaching the palace of the king,
phunes were put upon the heads of the con(iuerors, and
all the bodj' of each of them was stained yellow, and all
the face red; this was the customary reward of those
that (!ame back victorious from war. And king
Vemac said to his son-in-law. I am now satisfied witii
what thou hast done and the Toltecs are satisfied; thou
hast dealt very well with ourenennes, rest and take thine
easi". lint Toveyo held his peace.
And after this, ^loveyo adorned all his body with the
I'it'h leathers called toclritl, and counnanded the 'i'oltecs
to gather together for a festival, and sent a crier uj) to
tlir t()[) (jf the mountain, Tzat/ite[)ec. to call in the
strangers and the people afar off to (hnuv and to feast.
A mnnhorless nudtitutle gathered to Tulla. When they
Well' !ill gathered Tove\o led them out, voung men and
,uiils, to a place called Texcalajja, where lie himself began
aiiil h'll the dancing, playing on a drum, lie sang too,
siiiLiingcach verse to the dancers, who sang it after him,
tlnKi^li they knew not the song before hand. Then was
21G
GODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
to ))e seen there a marvelous and terrible thing. From
Hun.sot til' midnight the beat of the countless i'eet grew
fa-ster and faster; the tap, tap, tap of the drum closed
up and poured into a continual roll; the monotonous
song rose higiier, ^vilder, till it burst into a roar. 1 lu'
nudtitude l)ecame a mob, the revel a riot; the i)eo[)le be-
gan to [)ress upon and hustle each other; the riot beciuii(>
a panic. There was a fearful gorge or ravine there, with
a rivi'r rushing through it called the Texcaltlaidico; ii
stone bridge led over the river. Toveyo broke down
this bridge as the people tied; grim corv})heus of this
leaiful revel, he saw them tread and ciush each other
down, under-foot, and over into the a))vss. ^I'hev thiit
fell were turned into rocks iind stones; as lor them that
escaped, thcv did not see nor think that it was Tovcvo
and his sorceries had wrought this gi-eat destruction;
thev were blinded bv the witchcrai't of the god, and out
of their senses like drunken iaen.
Fai' from being satisfied with the sliuighter at Texca-
lapa, 're/,catli[)oca proceeded to hatch further evil against
the Toltecs. lie took the appearaiu^e of a certain \n\-
iant man called Teguioa, and commanded a crier tosmii-
moii all the inhabitants of 'rulla and its neighborhood
to come and helj) at a tH'rtain piece of work in a certain
llower-gardeii (said to ha\e been a garden ))elon,Liiiig t»
(^iiet/.alcoatl.). All the [;;'o[)le gathered to the work,
whereupon the disguised god lell upt)n them, knocking
them on the head with a coa.'' Those that escaped the
c()(( were trodden down and killed by their fellows in
attem])ting to escape ; a countless number was slain ; e\(iv
man that had come to the work was left lying dead
among the trodden flowers.
And after this Tezeatli[)oca wrought another wileh-
craft against the ^Poltecs. He called himself Tlaca\(-
])an. or Acexcoch. and came and sat down in the midst
of the market-place of Tulla, having a little manikin (said
' Hoi' of burnt wood. 'Ciui: jmlo tostiido. oinplcndo por los initios parfi
liibriir la tiiria, I'l iiiiinciii dc Im/iida. ( l>i'i[;_;na di' ( ulia.)' Iocs Aiinr'fiiais
Eiiijikailua I'nr Urhdn, uiipcudud to Ockd'i, lHat. (icn., toui. iv., p. iM.
TEZCATLirOCA DEAD.
247
to li.'ivo boon IIuitziloiKKjlitlJ) daiioiiig upon hi,^ haiul.
^'Iicro was an instant nproar of all tlie havers and
sellers and a rnsli to see tho nnraclo. Tho }X'oj)le crushed
and trodeacli other down, so tliat man}' were killed there;
and all this happened many times. At last the pjd-
sorcerer cried ont, on one such occasion. What is this?
do you not see that you arc befooled by us? stone and
kill US. So the j)eoplo t(K)k up stones and killed the
said sorcerer and his little dancinj:' manikin. Kiit when
the hody of the sorcerer had lain in theniai-ket-place I'or
some time it began to stink and to taint the air. and the
wind of it poisoned many. Then the dead sorcerer sj)aki?
aiiain. sayinjr, Cast this body outside the town, lor many
Toltecs die because of it. t5o they prepared to cast out the
hody. and fastened ropes thereto juid pulled. l>ut the
talkative and ill-smelling corpse was so heavy that they
could not move it. Then a crier made a proclaiuiilion,
saNing. Come all ye Toltecs. jind hrimi roi)es with Aou.that
we may drag out and get rid of this jx'stilential carcass.
All came accordingly, bringing rojH's, and the ropes were
fasti'ued to tho body, and all pulled. It was utterly in
vain. lvo[)e after rojjo broke with a sudden sna]>. and
those that dragged on a rope lell and weie killed when it
broke. Then tho dead wizard looked up and saiil, ()
Toltecs. a verso of a song is needed: and ho himself gave
them a verso. They repeated the verse after him. and,
singing it, pulled all together, so that with shouts they
haidi'd the hody out of tho city; though s\\\\ not without
many ro))os ])roaking and many persons Ix-ing killed as
iH't'oi'e, AH this being over, those Toltecs that remained
imliiiit j'eturned evei-y man t(» his place, not reniemlier-
ing ;ni\ thinu' of what had haniiened. Ibr the\- were all as
uninken.
Other signs and wonders were wrought l)V Te/catli-
]»)ca in his role of sorcerer. A white Itiid eidlnl V/-
tnrciiixtli. was clearly seen Hying over Tulla. ti;msli.\«'d
with a dart. At night also, the sierra calle<l Zacatepec.
hiii!ic(l. and the flames wei-e heeu from far. All tho
}i«np!e were stirred up and allrighted, saung one to an-
218
GODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
other, Toltocs, it is all over with us now ; the time of
the end of TuUa is come; alas for us, whither shall we
go?
Then Tezcatliix)ca wrought another evil upon the Tol-
tecs; he rained down stones uix)n them. There fell also,
at the same time, a great stone from heaven called ^ cA-
c<itl\ and when it fell the god-sorcerer took the ap[)ear-
ance of an old woman, and went ahout selling little ban-
ners in a place called Chapulte})ecuitlapilco, otherwise
named Vetzinco. Many then became mad and bought
of these banners and went to the place where was the
stone Techcatl, and there got themselves killed ; and no
one was Ibund to say so much as, What is this that hap-
pens to us? they were all mad.
Another woe Tezcatliixx^a brought ujwn the Toltecs.
All their victuals suddenly became sour, and no one was
able to eat of them. The old woman, above mentioned,
took up then her abode in a place called Xochitla, and
Ix'gan to roast maize ; and the odor of the roasted maize
reached all the cities round about. The starving people
set out immediately, and with one accord, to go where the
old wouuuuN as. They reached her instantly, for here it
may ]je again said, that the Toltecs were exjeedingl}
light of foot, and arrived always immediately whitherso-
ever they wished to go. As for the Toltecs that gathered
to the sham sorceress, not one of them escaped, she killed
them every one.'''
Turning, without remark for the present, from Tezcat-
lipoca, of whose life on earth the preceding farrago of
legends is all that is known, let us take up the sauie
period in the history of (^uetzalcoatl. The city of Clio-
lula was the place in which this god was most honored,
and towards which he was supposed to be most favorably
inclined ; Cholida being greatly given to commerce and
" Xochitla, fjarden; see ^^()^tna Vocaliukirio. Perhaps that (jfinlen IicIoiil!-
iiif; to (iiutzjik'ouU, which had been already so fatal to the Toltecs. See this
•volume ji. '24().
'■> hliiiinhorowih's 3/(.r. Aniii/., '•'^1. vii., pp. 108-13; Snhaciun, Ilisl. (t'm.,
toni. i., lib. iii., jip. "i-l;!-")"). It will he Keen that in uhiioMt all point of spi II-
iiiK the edition of Kin(,'sl)or(Hit;li is followed in prefereuce to the, in hiu li
poiuts very inaccurate, editiou of Bustaiuaute.
IMAGE OF QUETZALCOATL.
219
ime of
all ^ve
lie Tol-
jU also,
I'd t'^ch-
[ip^K-'ar-
le bau-
lierwise
]joujrlit
was the
and no
lat liap-
Toltccs.
one was
iitioned,
itla, and
L'd maize
i}i people
here the
)r here it
uedingly
hitherso-
•lathered
he killed
n Tezcat-
irrago of
the same
• of Cho-
honored,
avorably
[leree and
Irilen Ih-IoU'-!-
-s. tsi'f this
li, lUst. (Vui-
loiiit oi sv' II-
Ithe, iu siuh
handicraft, and the Cliohdans considering Quetzalcoatl
to he the god of merchandise. As Acosta tells: "In
(Miolula, which is a connnonwealth of Mexico, they
■\vorsliii»t a famous idoU which was the god of marchan-
dise, being to this day greatly given to trallicke. They
called it (^uetzaalcoalt. This idoll was in a great })lace in
a temple very hie: it had Jibout it, golde, silver, Jewells,
M'ry ri(!h feathers, and habites of divers colours. It
had the forme of a man, but the visage of a little ])ird,
with a red bill, and aljove a combe full of wartes, hav-
ing ranckes of teeth, and the tongue hanging out. It
carried vi)on the head, a pointed ni} ter of jjainted paper,
a sithe in the hand, and many toyes of golde on the legges;
with a tiiousand other foolish inventions, whereof all
liad their significations, and they worshipt it, for that bee
emiohed whome bee pleased, as Meinnon and I'lutus. In
tiiietli this name which the C hoi uanos gave to their god,
was \evy fitte, although they vnderstood it not: they
called it (^uetzaalcoalt, signifying colour of a rich feather,
for such is the divell of covetousnesse." ^°
Motolinia gives the ibllowing confused account of the
itnth as a man, the life, and the apotheosis of this god.
The Mexican Adam, called Iztacmixcoatl by some writ-
ers, married a second time." This second wife, Chima-
luiitl by name, l)ore him, it is said, an only son who was
called (Juetzacoatl. This son grew up a chaste and tem-
jiiTate man. He originated by his ])reaching and prac-
tice tliL' custom of fasting and self-pnmshment ; and iVoni
that time many in that country began to do this pen-
ance, lie never married, nor knew any woman, but lived
n'strainedly and chastely all his days. The custom of
sacrificing the ears and the tongue, by drawing blood
fi'iiu these meud)ers, was also introduced by him; not
Ibi' the service of the devil but in penitence for the sins
ol'his speech and his hearing: it is true that afterward
tlu' (lemon misappropriated these rites to his own use
and worship. A man called Chichimecatl fastened a
"• .l'■'-s^^ Hist. X„(. hill, ]). 351.
'1 Ais to the lirst wife tuul liur family see this vol. p. GO.
■m
2.J3
GODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
It'iitluM" strap on tlie arm of Quotzalcoatl. nxin<r it liiiili
u\) near the sliouldcr; ( 'liicliiiiu'ctitl >vas iVom tliat time
called Acolliuatl, and iVom liim. it is said, are dt'M't'iuk'd
those of Collma, ancestors of Monte/imia and lords of
^lexico and ("oliiacim. This (^)uetzak'oatl is now held
as a deity and called the pxl of the air; everywhere an
infinite nmnber of ti'mples has been raised to him, and
everywhere his statue or ])ictni'e is found/"
Accordinj.? to the acu'oimt of Mendieta, tradition varied
nuich as to the I'acts of the life of (^) net/a Icoatl. Some
said he was the son of (*ama\Hi. ^od of hunting iuid
fishinu". and of ( 'amaxtlis wiie Chimahna. Others make
mention only of the name of ( 'himalma. saying that as she
was sweeping one day she found a small green stone
called chalchinite. that she picked it up. hecame miracu-
lously ])regnant. and gave hirth to the said (>uet/.alcoatl.
This god was woi'shiped as a ])rincii)al deity in ("holuia.
where, as well as in Tlaxcala ami llueiotzinuo. there
were many of his tem])les. AVe have already had one
legend from Mendieta/* giving an account of the expul-
sion from Tulla and death of (^uetzalcoatl : the following
from the .same source gives a diil'erent and more usual
version of the said expulsion: —
(^uetzalcoatl came irom the parts of Yucatan (althouuli
some said from Tulla) to the city of (Miolula. He was
a white man, of jiortly })er.<on, hroad l)row, great I'yes.
long black hair, and large round beard; of exceedingly
chaste and cpiiet life, and of great moderation in all
things. The people had at least three reasons Ibi- the
great love, reverence, and devotion with which they re-
garded him: first, he taught the silversmith's art, a cral't
the Cholulans greatly ])rided them.selves t)n; second, lie
desired no sacrilice of the blood of men or animals, but
delighted oidy in olVerings of bread, roses and other
ilowers, of perfinnes and sweet odors; third, he ]irii-
hibited and forbaiU' all war and violence. Xor were
those qualities esteemed only in the city of his chiefest
1- MjitoVui'xi, Hist, hiillos, in Inizbak-i'ta, Vol., torn, i., pp. 10-11.
1^ Sue this vol., X'. ii*lU.
DEPARTURE OF QUETZALCOATL.
251
liil)()rs nnd toiicliiiifrs; from all tlic land camo piljirim.s
and dovotrcs to the shrini' of the ^cntU' j-od. J'lvcn
tlk' enemies of Cliolula eame and went seemv, in fuHlll-
in;x their vows; and tlie lords of distant lands hiid in
("hohihi their ('haj)els and idols to the eonnuon ohjj'ct of
(U'votion and esteem. And only (^uetzalcoatl amonu; all
tlic li'ods was preeminently ealled Lord ; in siicii sort, that
Nviu'ii any one swore, sasing, \)y Our Lord, he meant
(^)iiet/,!ileoatl and no othi'r; though tliere were many
other hi,Lihly esteemed jiods. For indeed the service of
this ,i:()d was gentle, neither did he demand hard things,
hut light; and he taught only virtue, ahhoi'i'ing all evil
and hurt. Twenty years this good deity remained in
Chohila. then he [)assed away by the road he had come,
canviug with him four of the princijjal and most virtu-
ous \()uths of that eit\-. He ionrneved for a hundred
and lifty leagues, till he eame to the sea. in a distant
]iro\iiiei' called ( ioat/acoalco. Here he took leave of
his c()ui[>anions and sent them ))acU to their city, in-
structing them to tell theii- fellow citizens that a day
should come in which white men would land upon their
coasts. l)y way of the sea in which the sun rises;
hicthren of his and having beards like his; and that
tiicy should rule that land. The Mexicans always waited
lor the accomplishment of this pro[>hecy, and Avhen the
Sjiiuiiards came they took them for the descenihints of
their meek and gentle ])rophet, although, as Mi'udieta re-
niarl^swith some sar'^tsin. w
hen tl
ley came
tol
know them
th
and to experience their works, they thought (ttherwise.
<^hiet/,al(U)atl is further reported by Mendicta to have
assisted in drawing up and arranging the Mexican Calen-
dar, a sacred book of thirteen tables, in which the reli-
gious rites and ceremonies pr(i})er to each day were set
I'oi'th. in connection with the appropriate signs. It is
Niiil that the gods having created niaid<ind. bethought
tlieinselves that it would be well if the })eople they had
inmle had some writings by which they might direct
theiuselves. Now there were, in a certain cave at Cuer-
na\aca, two personages of the number of the gods, and
2r)2
GODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND WOR'illlP.
M
they wore man and wife, lie Oxomoco and she Cipac-
tonal ; and they were consulting together. It appeared
good to the old woman that her descendant Quctzal-
coatl should be consulted. The Cholulan god thought
the thing of the calendar to be good and reasonable ; so
the thi'oe set to work. To the old woman was res})eot-
fully allottecl the privilege of ciioosing and writinji; the
llrst siji;n; she painted a kind of water-serpent called
cqkidli, and called the sign Cc Cljwctli, tlrvt is ''a sei--
y)ent." Oxomoco, in his turn wrote " two canes, " and
then Quet/alcoatl wrote ''three houses;" and so thev
went on till the whole thirteen signs of each table were
written out in their order.'*
Let us now take up again the narrative of Sahagun, at
the point where (^uetzalcoatl, after drinking the potion
prepared by IV'/catlipoca, })repares to set olf upon his
journey, (^iietzalcoatl, very heavy in heart for all the
misfortunes that this rival god was bringing u[k)ii the
Toltecs, burned his beautiful houses of silver and of sheil,
and ordered other precious things to be buried in the
mountains and ravines, lie turned the cocoa-nut trees
into a kind of trees that are called mizqidti', he com-
manded all the birds of rich plumage, the quetzaltototl.
and the xiuhtotl, and the tlauijuechol, to fly away and
go into Anahuac, a hundred leagues distant. Then he
himself set out u[x)n his road from Tulla; he traveled on
till he came to a place called Quauhtitlan, where was a
great tree, high and very thick. Here the exile restcil.
and he asked his servants for a mirror, and looked
at his own face. What thoughts soever were working
in his heart, he cmly said, I am already old. Then In;
named that place W'vequauhtitlan, and betook upstoms
and stoned the great tree; and all the stones he threw
sank into it, and were for a longtime to be seen sticking
there, from the ground even up to the topmost branches.
Contiiming his journey, having tlute-players })layiiig
before him, he came to a place on the road where Ik."
was weary and sat down on a stone to rest. And looking
11 Mmdieia, IIUl. Edes., pp. 82, 8G, 92-3, 97-8.
THE SUX CALLS QUETZALCOATL.
'2rj3
lowanl Tiillii, he wept Ititterly. His tours marked and
lite into tlu! stone on Avliicli ho sat, and the print of liis
Iwmds, and of his I)aok parts, was also fonnd thoroin
wlicii ho resuniod his journoy. Ho called that placo
Temacpalco. After that he readied a very great and
wide river, and he commanded a stone hrid<;e to ho
thrown across it; on that hridge he crossed the river,
and he named the placo To[)anoava, (ioing on njjon
his way. (^not/alcoatl came to another place, where cer-
tiiin sorcerers mot and tried to stop him, saying, AVhither
uocst thou? why dost thon leave thy city? to whoso care
wilt thou connnend it ? w Ikj will do penance? (^uetzalcoatl
replied to the said sorcerers, Yo can in no wise hinder
my uoing, for I nnist g<j. They asked him further,
AVhitlier goest thou? lie said. To Tliipalla. They con-
tiiuK'd. ]?ut to what end goest thou? He said. I am
(•iillrij and the sun calls me. So the sorcerers said, (Jo
then, hut leave hehind all the mechanical arts, the molt-
ing of silver, the working of i)reiM()us stones and of ma-
sonry, tilt! painting, feather- working, and other crafts.
And of all those the sorcerers despoiled (^uotzalcoatl. As
I'or liini. he cast into a fountain all the rich jewels that
lie had with him; and that fountain was called Colicaa-
[wi. and it is so named to this day.
(^)iiet/alcoatl continued his journey; and there came
nnotlicr sorcerer to meet him. saying. Whither goest thou ?
<,Mi('tz;il('oatl said. To Tlai)alla. The wizard said. Xvry
well: hut drink this wine that 1 have. The traveler
.iiiswcred. Xo: I cannot drink it; I cainiot so much as
t;i<te it. Thou must drink, said the grim magician, were
it hut a drop; for to none of the living can I give it; it
intoxicates all, so drink. Then Quetzalcoatl took the
wine and drank it through a cane. Drinking, ho made
liiiiisclf drunk ; ho slept upon the road ; he hogan to snore ;
iiml when he awoke, he looked on one side and on the
other, and tore his hair with his hands. And that place
was called Cochtoca.
<^K't/,alcoatl going on ujxm his way and passing 1)0-
tween the sierra of the volcano and the snowy sierra, all
I
2'>i flODi., Sri'EUNATrRAL llKINdS, AND V.OUSIIIl'.
Mil
l«
liis scrviints. liciiiji' liimip-liiicki'd and dwarfs, died of cold
ill tlu' i)ass hctwc'cM the .slid numiitaiiis. And i}{\vt-
/alcoatl iu'wuilc'd tlu'ir death l)itti'rly and sanj; with
wcepinji and sijiliinj;'. Then lie saw the other snowy
sierra, wliieli is called royauhteeatl and in near Teea-
machaleo; and so he passed hy all the cities and ])laces,
leasinfi many siuns. it is said, in all the nioinitains and
roads, it is said Inrther that he had a way of crossinir
the sierras whereby he jinnised and rested himself ;it the
same time: when he came to the top of a mountain lie
used to sit down, and so seated, let himself slide down
the momitain-side to the bottom. In one place he hnilt
a com't for hall-play, all of sipiared .stone, and hei'e iw
n.sed to play the game called tfiic/i(/l}''' 'i'hroii<ih thi" midst
of this conrt he drew a line called the tc/cot/; and where
that line was made the momitain is now opened with a
deep gash. \n another ])lace lie cast a dart at a great
tree called a jtoc/m//. piercing it throngh with the dait
in such wi.H' that the tree looked like a cro.ss; I'or the
dart he threw was it.self a tree of the same kind." Some
say that (^iiet/alcoatl hnilt certain snhtei'ranean hoiisi's.
called iiurfidiirdlro; and i'urther. that he .set np and \r<\\-
anced a great stone, .m) that one could move it with one s
little linger, yet a multitude could not displace it. Mmiiv
other notable things remain that (^uet/alcoatl did among
many peoples; he it was that named all the places iind
"woods and mountains. Traveling ever onward, he cmuic
at liist to the .^ea-.shore, and there commanded a raft to
bi' made of the snakes called rodf/dpechf/i. Having seated
himself on this raft as in ii canoe, he put out to sea, and
no man knows how he got to Tlapallan.'^
Tonjuemada gives a long and valuable account of
(^uetzalcoatl. gathered from man^' .sources, which cannot
be overlooked. It runs much as follows: — The naii;e
>■' See t' is vol. ]). 2i;i.
iii TIdrlitIi, .jii(;^'o di' jiolotii con las iiiilgiis; el luyar doiido jupgan ns>-i.
jl/i lint. ViicdUnlnnn.
" lliis last clause is to bo found only in Bustamnnte's ed.; see Sahii'jvn,
Ilht. 'li'ii., toni. i., lib. iii., ]). '2."iH.
'•< Kill ishiivfiuiih's Mi'.r. Autiij., vol. vii., pj). 114-5; Sahu<jnn, Ilisl. Ccn.,
toll), i., lib. iii., pp. "io.j-'J.
SWIFTNESS OF TIIF SFUVAXTS OF QT'ETZAI.CO.VTL.
I of ooltl
1- ^lumv
'1' . .
iir I ciii-
,1 ])]iK't'S.
iiins and
crossiiiL!;
•ir ;it tlic
mtaiii lie
idc (loNVU
> lio ])\\\\t
the in'ul^t
nd ulu'iv
L>d with a
it a ^i'«'iit
I the dart
,s; lor the
." Sonic
in houses,
and hal-
with ouv s
t. Nhuiy
lid anions!;
)lacvs and
[1, ho rann'
a raft to
inii' seated
o sea, and
iccomd <>t
lieh cannot
jrhe name
sec iSV(/i(i;;"",
(^^netzalcoatl means Snake-plnuiairc. or Snake that has
|iliiiiia,i:('. -and th»' kind ol' snake referred to in this
iiauu'. is foinid in tiie |)rovinee of Xieaknieo. whieh is
oil the frontier of the kinji(h)ni of Yucatan lis one fioes
llieiice to Tuhasoo. 'I'his jiod (^)net/ak'oiitl was very cek'-
ted ainonir tiie neoi)le of tlieeit\' of Chohda, and held
lira!
ill that phiee foi' the jireatest of all. lie was. aeeordin^
to crcililih' histoi'ii's. liij:h priest in the city of Tnlla.
I roiii that j)laee he went to ("holnlii. and not, as JTishop
iJartoloiiU' (U' liis ('iisiis .siys in his ^{/lo/of/ln. to Yucatan;
thoiidi he went to Vncatan afterwards, as we shall see.
It is >aid of (^)iietzaleoatl that he was a white man, lari^e
hodifd. hroad-hrowed. ureat-i'xcd. with lonn' hlaek hair.
and a heard heavy and roina
(led
HI
lie was a meat arti-
licii'. and very injienions. lie taiiiiht many nieehanieal
arts, cspceially the art of working:' the precious stones
callcil cliak'hiuites, whit'h are a kind of >iri'en stone
highly \aiiic(l. and the art of castin|i' silver and jiold.
The jicople, sceinii' him so inventix'e. held him in jiiviit
estimation, and reverenced him as kinii in that city; and
so it canu' ahont that, thonvdi in temi)oral things the
niicr of Tnlhi was a lonl named lluemac.'-" yet in all
si»iiitiial and ecclesiastical matters (^uet/alcoatl was su-
jinnu'. and as it were chii'f ])ontilK
It
•IliikmI 1)v those that seek to mak<' much of their
uiiil tliat he had certain palaci's made of ureen stone like
Ciller lids, others made of silver, others of shells, ri'd and
whit'', odiers of all kinds of wood, others of tur<iuoise.
and oilicrs of precious leathers, lie is said to have heen
\(V\ iich. and m neei
d of
nolliin'.
II
IS vassals wen
very oliedient to him, and wvy liulit of loot; they Wi-re
an(|uacemilliuiiiii;». When they wished to puh-
caiic(
lish any ciMimiand of (^uetzalcoatl. they st'iit a crier n[)
upon a hi;j.h mountain called T/at/itepec. where with a
lniin \()|c^>
lie
pr
oeli
lime
d tl
le order
and
tl
le \oice o
Ills en
cr was heard I'or a hundred leai-ues distance, and
.1,S, In.
Mnn'trii.
"i^'Si
I' ! Iliiiubro bianco, crprido dc {'in vpo, niK'hii liv frcntc, Ins cijos ^'riiii-
rali. llds liU't,'(>s, y iicgros, la bailia i^iaiulc y ndoiula.' 'J'cnjtuimida,
lii'l.. toin. ii., ]). 17.
' IKil Viiiiac by Suhayuii; see irtciiliii^' jiagis of this fliaiitor.
250
GODS, SUrEIlN.LTURAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP
:
f i ■■■
m
111'
«
fartlier, even to the consts of the sea: nW this is aiTirmed
for true. The fruit:-* of the er.rth and the trees llom-isluMl
tliere in an extraordinary degree, and sweet singing hii-ds
Avere ahuiKhuit. Tlie ^rreat pontilf inaugnrated a system
of [H'nanee, pricking his legs, and drawing hlood and
staining therewith maguey thorns. He washed also at
midnight in a fountain called Xiuhpacoya. From all
tliis. it is said, the idolatrous })riests of Mexico adopted
their similar custom.
A\'hile (^uetzalcoatl was enjoying this good fortune with
pomp and majesty, we are told that a great magicimi
called ^i'itlacahua [Tezcatlijioca]. another of the gods,
arrived at Tulla. lie took the form of an old man. and
went in to see (^uetzalcoatl, saying to him, ^fv lord, in-
asnnich as 1 know thine intent and how nuich thou
desirest to set out for certain distant lands, also. ))ecause
1 know I'rom thy servants that thou art unwell, 1 have
brought thee a certain beverage, 1)y drinking which iliou
shalt attain thine end. Thou shalt so make thy way to
the country tlK)u desii'cst, having perfect health to make
the journey; neither shalt thou remember at all the
fatigues and toils of lil'e, nor liow thou art mortal."^
S'cing all his projects thus discovered by the j^retended
old man. (,)uetzalc()atl (juestioned him. Where have I to
go. Tez(atli[)oca answered. That it was already deter-
mined with tlio supreme gods, that he had to go to Tla-
palia. and that the thing was ino\itable. because tliere
was another old man waiting for him av his destinatimi.
A"- (^uct/alcoatl heard this, he said that it was true, and
that he desired it nuich : and he took the vessid Mid
drank the rupior it I'ontained. Quetzalcoatl was t iis
easily jicrsuaded to what Tczcatlii)oca desired, bee." im-
he w ished to make himself iunnortal and to enio\- ; .t-
}K'tual life. Having swallowed the draught he bee nc
beside hims(df. and out of his mind, weejiing sadly atnl
bitterly. He di'termined to go to Tlajialla. He ilr-
stroyed or buried all his plate and other property and
21 This 11,'rees ill with what is rcliitcl at this iioiut by Sulwyuu; sou lliis
vol. i>. -21-^.
i^rirrzALCOATL leaves makks on a stone.
M't out. First 111' iin-ivc'd at tlie ])h\vo. (^)ii;iiilititl;iii.
\\li('ri^ tlio <:r('iit twv \viis- and wliore lie. liori'ouiii,!;' a
iiiinor iVoin liis scrviints. I'oimd liiiiiscH' " alicndy old. "
Tin' iiaiuc ol'this [)hvv Uiis cliiiiip'd bv liini to lliulnic-
(|ii;iuli'iil;iu. that is to s-iv. " iicai' the old tree, oi- the
tire of the old llKiii ;" and tlic tiiiiik ol" the tree was filled
with stones that he cast at it. .Mtcr that he joni'ncvt d
on. his pcoplo }>lavin,i:i' thites and other instrnnit'nts. till
he came to a monntain nein- the city ol' Tlahii I'tntla.
two leaiiiies iVoni the city oi' Mexico, wlu'i'e he siit (1:)\\ n on
it slone and pnt his hands on it. leaxiii:; niarl-s enihcdded
tlicivin that may he seen to this day. Thi- t."'*'i of this
thin,i: is strongly corrohoratecl \>y the iidiahitants of that
disirict: 1 niysell" hi.\'e (jnestioned them npon the snli-
ject. and it has been certilied t(» me. i'ni'thermoi'e we
ha\e it wrlttt'iidown a('cm'ati'l_\ h\ many woithy aiithoi's:
aiiil the name ot" the lo( ality i- now ren)ac|)alco that is
to sa\ ■■ in the ]tahn ol' th<' hand.
•lourneyinii' on to the coast anM i<i the kinplom ol' T; i-
palla. (^hu'i/.alcoatl was met In the three sorcerers. Tez-
catlipDca and other two ^\■ith him. who had alreadx
hroiiLiht SI) nuich de-trnctlou upon Tnlla. These ti'ietl
to stop or hintler him in his journey, iinetioninii' him,
Whither lioest thou? lie answered. To Tlapalla. To
wlmm. the\ intpiircti. ha-t thon<iiven the cl)ar,L;e otf th\'
kinplom •»'F"Tnl!a. and whowiM lo penance there".' Hut
he -aid that that \\ as no loniier any all'air ol' lii> ;ind that
he inii>t ]*iirsne his riNid And l;einL: further (juestioiied
a< to the object of his jom-ne\ . he said that he was c.iHed
liy the lord ot" the land to winch he was noiir^'. who was
the >un.'" The three wizards seein;i then the detei'mi-
-" At th\< imi't of flic stiiw Tiiiiik niail:i t.ikc.-; (ip; ditmiil y, |.,irr ntln :-
IimIIv, to i'.ni.ii-k thiit tlii-* f.ilili' was mtv ciiiiiMlly <'iirrciit iiiiiiiii)^ ili.'
iiiiil tliJit wlii'ii Eatliir IJiTiiaiilinn i|c Suhai,'nii was in (111' rity "f
SaliaLiUli vcplii il tliiit lie
Mr
Xuihiiiiili'ii. tlii'y askiil liiiii wlicrc 'I lapalla was, .S:
(li>l tint kiiiiw, as iiultcil he did nut . nor any mp' c 1-
wli'illy liiythiral>, ncir cmii niidiistand tin ir ([iirstion. iiiasiinirli as lie had
l'i-,'U at that tinii' oiilv a littli' whili' in the ciiiintiv it h. Ini; lil'tv \' arsln fi.)-,
II l)( inu apiiaii ntly
wi-dti' Ills liiHik I till' ///>■/'
Il llrin'i'd,
/]. Sahai;iin aihls that Ih'' Mi \i>a!is
mail" at that liiiii' divirs trials of tlii:' land, inn stiuninv; thi ( livistiaits Id
if tl
H-v Knew a
t'llU. il., \>. •",((.
nythiiig nf t'ltir antiiinilics. 'Inrqn
n,l,i, Mn
h.il.
v.,1.. III. i;
2.'..S
CO! s. s(i'!;!;x.\rri;Ai. r-F.iXds, and \V(iusiiip
iinliou (if (^Jiictziili'oatl. iiKidt' no furtlH-r ;itt('iu|)t to dis-
sii;i;l(' liiiii iVoiii his ]iiii'|k>si. but contcntctl tln'iuscKcs
Nvitli t;ikiii'.r IVoiii him
liis iiistrimiciits iiiid his
iii('fh;iiru';il arts, so that thoiiiih hv (h-jiartcd those
things should not lie wantini:' to the state. It was he re
that < hict/airoatl threw into
loinitain
the ri
en
jewels tliat he carried with him: lor which thinu tl
|i»nntani was ca
ded
I'rom that tnne ( ozcaapan. that is to
sa\
ame
he water ol' the striniis oi' chains ol jewt
nlaee is now caUed t'oaauan. that is to
a\'
'"In the shake-w atei'. and \erv projtei'lv. liecanse the
word (^hiet/alcoatl means " leathi-red snake. In this
WAV he jonnie\ed on. sulVerinii' \arious molestation-
li'om
tl
lose sorcere
enemie
til
:n'i'i\e(i
at
( 'liohda where he was recei\i'd (as we m another part
sa\
ani
1 aft
erwari
adored
as iiod
a\inu' li\ed
twenty _\ears in that eit\ he was e\])ell<'(l hy Te/catli-
jioca. lie set on! tor the kinplom ol" TIapalla. acCom-
piiiiiied hy t'oiu' \irtnou.s youths ot" nohle hii'tli. aJid ip.
tain |i
he ]>iiss;iL;(' (1
f r
iriiui'iiiai
111 v< f' I'll i\ III T ciiiiil'
/nil.
anil' Irmn tlir unrth 1)\' wav nf raiiuci
■riu'S^
Wil'l' llli II 'it
ral'i'la^c, \v
•11-ilri SSI il ill lull'' I'liliis of
lilii'U
1. iiiii'ii 111'
itlliillt I'.iprS. cut liiw at till' tirrli. willl shnll sji
^/(lllt.
tlu
I'lMMi Taiii
till
i that iliil Hot (11111. ■ in
iiiii'. ill tart, as till' natives nsi- to tiiis ila\ in tin ir il.ii'icrs.
tluv
(1 l.v til
on \ii-y prai'i aiilv iiy <
• iiilial.italits. ■/
(li'LJl'ri s 111 I'ulla. w llil'i' IlliV
iiintrv tliii'
lowi'vi I', wa.-i
alli a ly Inn 111
I 1 ( ilnlllia will in tl
til' ni Ik i tlirir clii'
ly ])ii|Hiiati'(l tn s'.istaiii tlie n< w-ioliu j's. so tin sc passVi'l nil
/Ji.y liroiinlil uifli
hill
lit n
'f anil linail. a in rsniiani'
-tlnll.
IKlilv
(•oiiinli'M'inrit mall, with 11
I.
t^llit/alcoiill
rol. Jl) < llolulil till sr
lair ami
'Pl.'
n liii'il an I iiiulli|ilit li. aii'l s.'Ht coloiiii s In iiiol'li f'| |iii'.inil l.oui r Mi/-
/.
tn -a ,11
\\ho--c' 1'' mail
ii'oti'iali coiuill'v; 1111(1 thi SI
'111(1 > <ls< (I tin nl'illU
lili'
still In 1)1
I I'll at Mii'tliin.
;ilin;!> (■ .[ ^ II
(' 1,1(1 \vi I'r nun of i^i'iat kunwli dni' iinil cilliliiiii^ ai'li.^^^ ill all
W'H'k: it'ii ">' U'>"'^ at masonry an<( tlii' usi ,,( tl
ill flic <'ll;.<.favill'.< mill Hiltilinof lil'injoll-.
«'(fl|»tiir<'. aiiil ili a','i'iciiltiu'i'. (/int/a"
it' 0' lAil-
'iiii
iiiii-«('
t
/'
(Ir,
.... 1. . .
'.1 was one. aiiil Hilrliiiic 1<U1'/ of 'f ilHn Hit' othi
if iiistriini'irfal in (aiisin;,^' him
f illow. ij iiiiii ,ii|> with !i ni'i ,it ai';
I.
Ml aliN w :Y.
: ^'l I I .
Inr all
n<il
Tlllhl
(/l|l«/ljj<0till. J^l-t
ilnl 0]„..
'1 Viii-it(,<i> 1
lilos^ |;firt
A hi
iiich is ifiitt ll
t, ainl t lUiy i-li
1/. >( a .llIll
*'» t)ic ji'lain \vh< »■<■ In had ihnii/hl to tind (/ml/
' Sv *as wrath ami 1 lid
ll -,iiii\ I ll
' \{ lol'il ovi'l' it and rallw
ll
till- ll
hati. til.
I ll I ollsClll'l iOI I I .
; .' hoi'i' him. '/'i
11' |.,n|
.vm.- 1'^^> .9/^ i^'
QTT:t;';A1.( OATL SWKI'T TliK Ito.VDS.
2.7.)
r!(!;i:'/.;ir'();il('it. ii |ir()\ ilicc (listilllt iVoiu Cliohllii InWiU'd
tlic scii a liiiinli'cd and lil'ly IcaLiiics. lie ciiiljarkcd Inr liis
(Ic-tiiialioii. rai'tiiiiz' with his di.<ci|ilcs. he told thciii
that thci'c should surt'lv conic to them in al'tcr times. h\
\va\ ol' the sea \vh<i"(' tiic sun lax's. certain white men
Avilh white heai'ils, liki' him. juid that these 'would he his
lii'otheis and would rule that land.
.M'terthat the lour disciples rctnrne(! to("holida. and
told all that their mastiT and iiod had |iro|»hesied when
depart in?'
Then the ( 'holulans divided their provin
i:i!o litur principalities and ,i:a\(' the iiovermnent to tho-e
I lur. and some lour ot" tlu-ir descendants alw;;\s ruled
like manu' r oxer these teti'archics till tl
iiuari
I
I'aille
heinu'. howcNcr. snhordinate t(. a central power
This ()iiet/alcoatl was u'od ot'tlic air. and as such iiad
IS temple, ol a ronn(l shape and A'er_\' mauinlicent.
i' -de ijiod of tin' air for the mildness and iicntle-
le W;
Dcss hi' ul his wavs, not likin.L; the sharp and liaish
iiica-iu'cs to which the other liods Averc so stron,L:l_\ ili-
(lined. It is to he said riiither that his life on earth
was markcil li\ intensely reli,Liious characteristics: not
only was he dex'oted to the carcTul ohscrx .ince ol' all the
ell customaiy fornix of \vorship. hut he hinisell' ordained
;iiid appointed main new rites, ceremonies, and t'estixals
l'')r the adoi'atioM ol" the u'ods; and it is held lor ceitain
lliat hi' made the < dendar. lie had |)riests who were
'•.illcd (|iie<|uetzalco|iua. that is to say "■ priests of the
urrler of (^>uef /alcoatl. 'Ihe memory ol" him wa< en-
;ira\<'d deeply u|xi-ti th<' minds of the people, and it is
siiid that when harren women pi'ayed and made sacri-
fices to Jiim. children were liixeu them. lie was. as
we ha.'" said, uoil of the winds, and the jiower ol" cansiiiL;'
tlieiii to Mow was attrihiited to him as well ,i< the power
III' calniiii/ or causin.i: their lury to cea.-c It was said
f'ivthei' that he swept the r(»ad. so that the' puis calleil
Jlaloi|ues c.oi/ld rain: this the peoph nauiined hecause
orduiarlly a rrtonth or more hefore tlx' iain> he,i:an there
lili'u stron;:' winds thron^uhout all ,\ew Spain. (^)uet/.al-
l'i,n\\ is (^/■■scnhed as ha\in'j worn dnrinii' life, for the
■ f- ■ 't,i
2(50
GODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
Siiko of modest V, gunnents that reiiched down to tlie
let't. with Ji ])liiiikot over all, sown with red crosses.
The CMiohdans preserved certain green stones that had
helonged to liiin, regarding them with great veneration
and esteeming them as relics. l'[)on one of these was
carved a monkey's head, very natural. In the city of
Cholula tliere was to l)e found dedicated to him a gicat
and magnilicent tem})le. with many steps, hut each step
so narrow that there was not room lor a foot on it. His
image had a very ugly face, witii ii large and heavjly
hearded head. It was not set on its feet hut lying
down, and covered with hlankets. This, it is said, was
done as a memoi"iid that he would one day retuiii to
reign. For reverence ol' his great majest}-. his image
was kept covered, and to signify liis ahsence it was kept
lying down, as one that sleeps, as on(! tliat lies down to
sleep. In awaking from that sleep, he Avas to rise up
and reign. The j)eople also of Yucatan reverenced this
god (^)uetz;dcoatl. calling hiui KukuU'an, and saying that
he (;ame to them from the west, that is from New Sjiai!!.
for Yucatan is eastward therefrom. From him it is said
the kings of Yucatan are descended, mIio call themsehes
Cocomes, that is to say "judges or hearers."""^
(Mavigi'ros account is characteristically clear and com-
prehensible. It may he sununed u[) as i'ollows: —
Among the Mexicans and other nations of An/dniae.
(^uetzaicoatl was accounted god of the air. lie is sail
to have been souietiuie high-priest of Tulla. He is de-
scri
hed
as liavniii' heen w
hite
largt
)roa(l-l)ro\vi'ii
great-eyed man. witii long hlack hair and thick heard.
His life was rigidly tem[)erate and e\em[)lary, and his
industry was directed hy the profoundest wisdom, lie
amassed great treasure, and his was the invention of
uem-cuttiu!! and of metal-castim:'
All tl
ungs ])rospei
eil
in his time. One ear of corn Avas a mans load: and
the gourds, or pumi)kins. of the day were as tall as one s
hody. NO one dyed cotton then, for it grew of all coloi-:
and all other things in like manner were perfect and
" Tiirqui iiiudii, Miiinmi. Iml., loiii. ii.. \t[K is oj.
CLAVIGEEO ON QTET/ALCOATL.
2(51
(il)im(liint. Tlio vorv liirds in tlic trees siiiiu' i^ueli s(iiit>;s
as lia\'e ]R■^■('l• since heeii liejii'd. and Hashed sncli mar-
velous beauties in the sun as no jihiniap' ol' later times
(didd ri\al. (^uet/alcoatl liad his laws iiroelaiuR'ti tVom
ilie tup of the hill 'IV,at/ite[)ee. (mountain of outers ),
near Tidla. hv a crier whose V(ji('e was audible for three
InuKliec
I mile
All tliis, liowovor. was ])nt an eml to. as far as Tulla
\\as concerned, by Te/catlipoca. who. mo\('(l ])erlia|)s by
icalousx. detej'niined to removt' ( )uet/.alcoatl. So tlu
Liod a])])eared to the i^reat teacher in the izuise of an old
man. telling' liim it was the will of the iiods that he be-
take himself to Tla[)alla. and administerini: at the srmo
time
tciisc louLiiny;
a potion, the etl'ect of which was to can-c an in-
for th
le said journey
< biet/alcoatl si't out
and. !ia\in,u;perfoi'med many mai'vels on the way. ari'ived
in Cliolula. Here the inhabitants would not siiiier hin;
ti> p> farther, but })ersnaded him to accej)t the ,i:o\ern-
iiioit of their city ; and he remained with them, teaching'
many usel'ul art.s, customs, and ceremonies and ])reaeli-
iuL^apiinst war and all other lln'ins of ci uelty. Accoi'd-
iuii' to some, he at this time arran^i^cd the divisions ol'
tlic season'^ and the calendar.
llavin;.'' lived twenty yi-ars in ("holula. he left, still
iiuiirlled bv the subtle (Irau^ht. to seek this imaL:inar\-
citv
of Tlapalla. Jle was no more h'cw of men. son
le
iHi one tnnm' and s(ime anotliei
I
)tli
but.
llOWX'NC
iiii.Lilit have disai)[)eared, he
wa?
ipoti
I COS 1 /.{Ml
ll\
th
Tcltecs ol" Cholnla, who raised him a ,i:reat nioimd and
Imilt a sanctuary npon it. A similar stiiictme was
erected to his honor at Tulla. IVom < 'holula his woi'-
sliip as <:()d of the aii' spread o\er all the country: in
^ iicatan tlie nobles el;
umed descent Imm hnn
flic ideas of IJrasseur with ri'pu'd to <^>net/,alcoatl have
tlicif roots in and must 1k' traced back to the xt-ry lir.-t
apinai-iuLi' of the Mexiivm I'eli'jion. or of the reliiiion or
rt'li'iions by which it was piiMtnled: so that to .'irrixcat
tliioe ideas 1 nnist ^ive a snmmai'x of the abbe s whole
i-'C
'(tcijvro, U'lsl. Ant. ihl Mei^vn-i, j^ 11-13.
262
GODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND WOllSIIIP
llu'orx' of the oriirin of tliat crood. He beliovos tliiit in
tlic seething and thundei'inii' of volcanoes a con('e[)ti()n
of divinity and of supernatm-al powers first sprang np in
the mind of the ancestors of the Mexicans, The volca-
noes were afterwat'ds identified with tiie stars, and the
most terrific of nil. Xaiiahnatl or Xanahnat/in.-" received
the honors of a[)()theosis in the snn. Issned from the
earth of the Crescent ( Hrassem-'s smd^en island or con-
tinent in the Atlantic),-' personified in the anti(|iu'
<^hiet/alc()afl. prototype of priests and of sacerdotal con-
tiiieiice. he is thns his son and identifies himself ^\ith
hini: he (the divinity, Tyloi's " (ireat Somebody *" ) is
the model of sages nnder the name of lineman and
the prototype of kings nnder that of To[)iltzin. Strange
thing to find nnited in one l*eing. personalities so diNerse I
King, philosopher. ])iMi'st pai excellence, whose viitnes
serve i\y a rule to all the priests of thi> |)agan anti([nity.
and, side ])y side with all that, ip.continence and [)assi()n
deilicil in this invalid, whose na'ac e\en. •■ the syphili-
tic." is the expression of tlu' abuse he has made of the
sex.
At tlu' connneiici'niciit of the reli.uion two sects appcir
to have sprinig up. or rather two maimers of judgin.: the
same events. There was fii'st a struggle, and tiien ;i
separation; under the banner-names of (^)uetzalcoatl .inl
I'e/catlipoca the rival schools fought for the most jiarl
of coni'se there were divers minor factions; but tlic
foregoing were the [)rinci[)al and most important. Tliciv
is excry reason to believt' that the I'cligion that tmik
(^)uet/al(V)atl for s\ nibol was but a ivformation niion
another more ancient, that had the moon for its object.
It is the moon, male and female, /ji'itu A/'///'s. jjersoni-
fied in tiie earth of the Crescent, engulfed in the a'hvss.
that 1 bi'iie\'e (it is always the abb'' that speaks) 1 sci"
at the connnencement of the amalgam of rites and s\ni-
b(tls of every kind, religion of enjoyments and matcri;il
l)h'asin'es. born of the promiscuity of the men .iiul
'•■ Sec II. CI) ,,f thi-^ Vdluiiir.
'^'' Si'i' p. ll:j uf this vulumc.
BRASSEUll OX (jUETZALCOATL,
2(51)
\v()iiu'n, tiikoii refuge in tlie lesser Antilles after the catii-
clvsin.
The religion that had taken the moon for ])oiiit of
(l('l);u'ture. and in whieh ^vonlen seem to have })laved the
liriiu'ii)a! rnle. as priestesses, attacked formally. l)y this
wry fact, a more anti<|iie religion, a pre-diluvitm i-clig-
ioii that ai)j)ears to have heen Sahaism. entirely cxciiipt
from idolatry, and in which the sun received the chief
hoiunge. In the new I'eligion, on the contrary, it Wiis
not the moon as a star, -which was the re;d ohjcct of
woi'siiij). it was the moon-land (lune-terre). it was tiic
legion of the (^rescent. shrouded under the waxes, whose
death was wept and whose resurrection was afterward
relchi'ated in the a[)i)earance of the isles — refuge ol' tlie
shipwi'ecked of the grand catastrophe — oi" the Lesser
Antilles; to the numher of seven principal islands, sunn,
in all .\merican leuends. as the Seven (ji'ottoes. cradle of
nations.
This is the myth of (Jtiet/alcoatl, who dies or disap-
pears, and whose personality is rej)resented at the
outset in the isles, then sueecssively, in all the coun-
tiies whither the civili/idion was carried of which lie
was the dag. So far as I can judge at present, tlie ])riest
who placed himself undi r the U'gis of this gi-and jiame.
laliored solely to reform what llu'i'e was ot' odion- and
harharous in the cidt of which the women had tiie chief
ilirectiou. and under wiiose regime human hlood llowed
in wa\i'>. After tlu' triumph of ( ^uet/alcoatl. the men
who Ivxv his name took the direction of reliLiion and
SI n
hanch
lety. wliich then made considerable [nogress in their
l)ut if we ait' to heliovi' the same traditions, their ]>re-
ponderance had not a verx' long duration. The most
I'l vtless an
\ tl
le most audacious anion
■J Ih
parth
an- ol
the ancient order of things, raised the llag of revolt:
th<'\ Kecanie the chiefs of a xNarlike faction. ri\al of the
saci
I'iotal. a coiUjiU'ring faction, source of \entahle
rovid d\ iiiivtit«s ;md ol' the rcdiuion of the sun living and
victorious, in ojiposiiion to tlie gi;d entomhed in the
iih
r. ^.
1 11
ia;
204
GODS, SUPEIIXATURAL HEIXdS, AND WOllSIIII'.
alnss. {^hK't/;il('()iitl. vaiuiiiislu'd hv Tc/ciitliiHK'a. tlicii
ivtiivd iK'I'orc ii t()(>-])()\vc'i lnl ciicinv. and tlu' Toltccs
uci'c dispLTsed ainont:' all nations. 'I'liosc of tlicin that
I'ciiiaiiu'd ('()ak'S(vd uitli tlic \ ictors. and IVoni the accord
ol' the arorcuK'ntioiifd three cults, there s[)ran,ir that
monstrous ainalj:ani ol" so many dill'erent ideas and svin-
hols. such as is i'ound to-dav in what remains to us ol" the
Mexican religion.
l''or me (and it is always the ahhe that speaks). 1 l)e-
lieve I jierceive the ori,i:in of the strugj:le. not alone in
the di\crsit\ ot" races, hut principally in the existence ol"
two currents of contrai'y ideas, hasinj;' had the same \nnu\
<)t'de[)artui'e in the events ol" the ^ivat cataclysm oi'tlie
Cresivnt Land, ahove refei'i'i'd to. DilVerent maimers of
looking' at these events and orcouunemoratin,;^' them, seem
to me to have marked i'l'om the I)e;^innin^' the startiiiu
])oint ol" two I'i'liiiions that lived, perha|is. side hy side
for centui'ies without the explosion of their disagree-
ments, otherwise than hy insii.!iiilicant aiiitations. lid'orc
these two could take, with reiiard to each other, the pru-
]torlions of a schism or a heresy, it Wiis ni'cessary that
all the materials of which these ivliiiions are constituted
had had time to elal)orate themselves, and that the
hiiM'o^lyphics which rejiresented their oriji'in had heconic
dliciently ol)scm'e l"or the priesthood to keep the vuluai
SI
I'roui understandinii' them. For. if schism has hrouiiht
on the stnini:le hetween an(
I aft
erwarc
I tl
le vio
lent
seita-
ration ol" ilunilies, this se})aration can not have taken
place till after the entire creation of myths, the entire
construction of these divine .ui-nealo^zies, of thes(> poetic
traditions, that are i'ound scattered among' all the peoples
oi the eai'tli. hut ol" which the C()m[)lete whole does not
exist. sa\e in the history and reli>iion of ^Texico.-'^
'[\\o orders of liods. — the one order fallen from hea\eu
2^ Tl
lis, ill its iistDviniliii' iinimnisitv, is the iilil)
thr
ovy: his siiiipi'
timial Ci'i'scciit I;,niil was the cnulli' of nil Ininum races uml hntuiin in
Oil its sulniK r;,'('iii'c tlic aforrsuiil riicos and creeds s)>rea(l and devilopi i'
tliriin'_;h all the woild to their respective present localities aihl jihasi s. I hi'
Mexican liraiicli of this develo]iiiient he considers the likest to and the tU''st
closely connected with the ori''iual.
MANY CHARACTEllS OF (^I'ETZALC'OATL. 2G5
iiili) the iilnss. Ijoooinin,:^' tlicrc tlic jiulj-os of tlic drnd,
;i)iil l)('iii;j' iJiTsor/illtnl in one ol'tlu'ir uiimhcr. who cMiiie
{() lilr ii,u.irm. svmboli/iii^' thus lit'i' iiiul (K'iith. the othtT
(ink r surviving' tlio catiu'lysm uikI symholi/iii,^' tliiis an
iiii|i('rishahh' lil'c. — siicli. at its oi-iiiiii, is thi' douhlo
cliarai'tci- of tht> myth ol' (^)lR't/al<'oatl. I'mt. in rrality.
this p)(l lir is tlic cartli. he is the ivjiion swallowed up
In the waters, lie is the vau(|uished stilled under the
NW'iuht ot'liis adversary, under the Ibrce t)f the victorious
: which adversary, which power in ojiposition to the
joinin;^' itself to the fnv on the hla/in^ pile of Xa-
iiiihii.itl, is Te/catlipoca, is Hercules. coiKpieror of ene-
is the pod whose strup|:le is eternid as that of the
an heatiim' the shore, is he in whom the linht hi'comes
\\a\ c
lii'-t.
line
();•(
at'lcrward })ers()ni(ied, and who hecomes thus the hattle-
\\:\s of the opj)onents of (^hiet/alcoatl. To the dead <iod
tiin is necessarv. one that like him descends into
a \i(
the ah\'i
This victim was a younii' <iirl. chosen amonp'
those that Avere consecrated at the foot of the lyramid,
anil (liowiK'd; a custom lon,u found as well in l\iiypt as
at < 'hicheii-lt/.a,'-' and in uiany other countries of the
woilij. l>ut to the p)d come to life auain. ^o the uod in
111 fii'e was ])ersoni(ied. and innnortal life, to (^hiet-
/.alcoatl when he hecame Iluit/.ilopochtli. victims weie
sariificcd. hy teariuLi' out the heart— synd)ol of the jet
ofliame issuinji; from the volcano — to oiler it to the con-
(|nrriiiL:: sun. synd)ol of Te/catli[)oca. who (irst deiiiauded
holocausts of human hltjoil. '"
\vh(
25 In Vuoat;in.
irnxst'nf I
h I.
Kiurhduri
I, (Jiiiitn'<; J.ittr
'1'
l.')!
:\ru(ii of tills i.ist
l>:ir;i:,'niiili sci'iiis utterly iucii!ii[ifili(n>ililf iiml .ilisuvil. even vlrwid I'imiii the
1-liolut of the Alil),' l>riiss>iir hiiusclf. ISy liu iiiciiiis certain, a
tall
.iiiiil^
if 111 villi,' i'anL;ht tin- exact iiieaniiij^ liy its aullmr, 1 j^ive tlie (irii;iiial: — Oeiix
(le itiellX, cliillt les lllis. tiHlltn's (111
lal
Mine III! ll
\ lellllellt
e>. lies 11
mrt
It ,le l:l
S, se JielsiHilUllellt en Ull selll ([111 l•es^.ll^>elt
llinh
a
(Idiil les auti'es snrviveii
t a la (1. ^t
lllcli 'll, svllllinle (le la
vi'> iniiii'iissalile; tel est le ddiible caracteve du luvtlie de (.|iiel/al-( natl. ii son
i\A\W\
-Ml
lis (U I'ca
lit*'
(lieu,
I'St la telle, c'est la l^'j^imi i llsevclie sous
1 ^ ( lllX, c'est le Vaiucu I'toritte sous le l)oi(ls de son advelsaive, sous I'etl'ol't
.11
ull,
I vaisuc victorieUHc ot ccUe-ci s'unissaiit all fell sur le liiicln r d Nanaliii
cist 1 e/calhpoca, c'est Hercule, vailKiileiu-de ses ( luu mis
'lit la liittc est (■ternell
e, c iliiliie CI
lie (le rOci'ali liattaiit li
c'est le (lieu
vivaL,'!', c'est
<■' lUi ell (|iii s;- jiersonnitie ensuite la liiiiiiere et (jui devil lit aiiisi le diaiM lui
iKs ailveisaiios de (iuetzal-Coatl. Au dieii uioit, il fallait iiiie vi( time, coiu-
236
CODS, srrEUNATruAL r.Eixds, and wousiiir.
u
AIl'Tvlor (Iccliivcs (^ii('t/iil('<):itl to liiivc Ik'cii the Smi:
'■ \\ r iiiiiv cN'cii (ind him iiU'iitiMcd with the Sun li\-
iiuiiif. iiud his liistorv is |u'i'h;i|)s ii uunv coinpact and
jK'iii'ct series of sohir iiivtlis than haniis to the name of
aiiv single ])ersona,u'e in otn* own Aryan niytliolo,::\.
His mother, the Dawn or the Xiiiht. fiives hirth to him.
uuil dies. His I'atliei' ( 'amaxtli is the snn. and was woi-
sliijjed with solai" rite?; in Mexico, hut he is the old Sun
of yestei'ihiy. The clouds, jiersonilied in the mythic,
I'ace of the Mixcohuas. or ■•('loud-Snakes'" (the Xihel-
nnus of the western hemisphere), hear down the old Sun
and choke him. and Ijury him in their mountain. Pmt
the youn,u' <^) net/a Icoatl. the Sun of to-day. rushes up in-
to the midst of them fi'om helv)W, and some lie slays at
the (irst onset, and .M)me he leaves, ril't with ri'd wounds
to die. We Ikinc the Sun hoat of Helios, of the I']i:ypt-
ian Ka. of the Polynesian Maui. (^)uetzolcoatl. his
hriiiht career drawing' toward its close, i.s chased into
iar lands l)y his kindsman Te/catli})oca. the younj:' Sun
of to-morrow. He. too. is well known as a Sim (iod in
the Mexican theohmy. \\\)nderftdly iittin.!.i' ^vith all
this, one inci(U'nt after anothei" in the life of Quetzal-
coatl falls into its place. The guardians of the sacieil
fire tend him, his I'uneral pile is on the to[) of Ori/aha.
he is the heljier of travelers, the maker of the calendar,
the source of astroloj:y, the heginner of histoiy, the
])ringer of wealth and hap[)iness. Jle is the patron of
till' crai'tsnuMi. whom he lights to his lahor; as it is
^vritten in an ancient Sanskrit hynni, 'He steps forth,
the splendor of the sky. the wide-seeing, the lar-aiming.
till' shining wanderer; surely enlivened ])\ the sm;. do
men no to their tasks and do their work.' l]\en his
1110 Ini, (Icsccndno dans rabinip: cv fut uiio jriino fillo. phoisie jinvnii cillis
(jili lui I'tairiit culls icn't's uu jiicd dc la iiyraiuidr, ct (in'oii iioyait t ii la
jiloiiU'i'.nit suns rcau, (•outuiiii' iju'du vctrouva linii^triups en E;;y]>lr, ci'iaiui'
;i I'liichcii-Itza, aiiir-i (iiic dans liicii d'autri's jiays dii iiiiindi'. Nlais au iVun
ri'ssiisci',1'. uu (lieu cii qui sc )icrs()iiiiitiait li' ftu, la \iv iiiiiiKntcllc, h (^hfl.'^l-
Cnull, dcvcini llnitzil-Oiiiirlilli, on sacritia dcs vii'tiiiics sans iKiiiila'c, a ijai
I'oii ai-racliait Iti cunr, symbolc du jet dc tianinu' surtaiit dii vnlcaii, imiir
TortVir an solcil vaiiKini'iir, synibolc dc Tc/catlipoca iini, le premier, avait
dciuaiui,' dcs liolocaustcs de sang Imniaiii. I<l., pj). 31^-i).
UlilNTUN OX (iri:T/AI,(i)ATL
'ji;
IV Mm:
Sun liy
i;ict iiinl
IlilllU! of
tlioloiiv.
to liliii.
VilS wnr-
oM Sun
in\ tliic.
e Nil.cl-
t)l(l Smi
II. I'.iit
»s iij) iii-
.sliivs ;it
WdUlllls
u Kgyiit-
oiitl. liis
isi'd into
)imi:' Sun
11 (iod in
uitli iill
(,)nct'/.al-
SiUTCll
Ji'lziilia.
iilcndar.
Dry. the
atron ol"
as it is
)S I'ortli.
-aimiiiLi.
siii;. do
•A en hi>
lanin I'l I'' "<
.iviiit til l:i
■]ltO. I'OllllllI'
is iiu ili'U
Ic, il (J'l.t-.'il-
nil)rf, .'i 'I'll
nilcMii. l'"'ii'
•iiiic'V, avail
])i'o|)lc. tlic Toltccs, catch IVoin liini solar (|iialitics. Will
it lit' ('\('n possible to i>rant to tliisranions race, in whose
stoi\ the legend ol' (.) net/a Icoatl is tlu' leadinii incident,
iu\ tiiini:' more th.in u niNthic existenct
th
•)••:)!
Ml' Ih'inton is of (>i)inion that "•that there were in
truth many (^)net/alcoatls, lor his hiuh priest always hore
his name, hnt he himself is a i)ure creation of the fancy,
and all his alleuctl history is nothinii hut a myth. His
dilematii^ name, the Hird-SeriKMit. and his rehus and
ell
rro:
[)e
>s at l*alen([ne. I have already explaineil. Otiiersof
his titles were. Mhecatl, the air; Volciiat. the rattlesnake;
Tohil. the rinnhler; llnemac. the stronii' hand; Xanihe-
liccatl. loi'd of the tour winds. The .smu' dualism re-
:i|i|M'ars in him that has hi-en noted in his analoi^ues
elxwiiere. lie is hoth l(jrd of the eastern lijiht and the
wind.
As the former, he was horn of a viruin in the land of
Tula Ol" Tla[)allan, in the distant Orient, and was hi^uh
iniot of that happy realm. The mornin,ii' star was his
syiuhol. and the temple of Cholula was dedicated to him
expressly as the author of liu'ht. ^Vs ])y days wo
measure time, he was the alU\<:'ed invent(M' of the caleii-
ilar. Like all the dawn heroes, he too was ri'presenti'd
white comi)lexion. clothed in Ion;;' white rohes. and.
a> most of the A/tet* gods, uitli a i'ull and llowinu' heard.
W Inn his earthly work was done he too returned to the
■t. assi'^niii'i' as a reason that the sun, the ruler of
as ol
ea
ajiallan. demanded his prescnci
Butth
K' real motive
wa.>
that ho had heen overcome hy Te/catli|>oca. other
wise called Voalliehecatl. the wind or spirit of niizht.
who li.id desceiK
(led fi
roni Heaven i>\" a snider s wt'i» aiK
d
presented his riva. with a drau^uht ])retende(l to confer
IIIIIIO
I'tality. hut. in fact. j)rodiicinti' uncontrollahle loi
!'_:-
iiij lor home. For the ^vind and the liiiht hoth depart
when the Liloaminii' draws near, or when the clouds
s|»re;i I their dark and shadowy wehs alonti' the moiint-
aiiH. ami pour the vivifyinu' rain upon the fields.
Ill his other character, he was heiiot oi" the hreath of
9. ^^n.
IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)
/.
/M/.
1.0
I.I
Ir IM IIM
III 1.8
1.25 111.4 III 1.6
^
6"
... ♦
v5
C»/,
^^.x''
/:
o>^ ;>
/^
^'^
c?>^
Hiotographic
Sciences
Corporation
^^
\
^^^
\\
23 WEST MAIN STREET
WEBSTER, NY. MS80
(716) 872-4503
s A^
'<" «>x
A^.%
r
268
GODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND •WORSHIP.
Toiiiiciitcotl, fiod of our flesh or i«iibsistonce, or (acconl-
iiiu; to (io)iiiini) >vii.s the sou of Iztac Mixcoatl, the wh'iU'
cloud .seri)L'ut, the .spirit of the tornado. Messenger of
Tlaloe, god of rain, he was figuratively said to sweep
tile road for him, since in that country violent winds aie
the preciu'sors of the wet seascjns. Wherever he went
all maimer of singing birds Ihu'c him company, emblems
of the whistling breezes. When he finally disap[x.'ared
in the far east, he sent l)ack four trusty youths who
had ever shared his fortunes, ' incomparably swift and
light of f(K)t,' with directions to divide the earth between
them and rule it till he should return and resume his
})o\ver. When he would pronndgate his decrees, .lis
lierald proclaimed them from Tzatzitej)ec, the hill of
shouting, with such a mighty voice that it could be heaid
a hundred leagues around. The arrows which he shot
transfixed great trees, the stones ho threw leveled i'or-
ests, and when he laid his hands on the rocks the mark
was indelible. Yet as thus emblematic of the thunder-
storm, he possessed in full measure its better attributes.
]^y shaking his sandals he gave fire to men; and iK-ace,
l)lentv, and riches blessed his subjects. Tradition says
he built many temples to Mictlantecutli, the Aztec IMuto,
and at the creation of the sun that he slew all the otlier
gods, for tiie advancing dawn disperses the si)ectr!d
shapes of night, and yet all its vivifying power does hut
result in increasing the number doomed to fall before the
remorseless stroke of death.
His symbols were the bird, the serpent, the cross and
the Hint. rei)resenting the clouds, the lightning, the four
winds, and the thunderlMjlt. Perhaps, as lluemae, the
Strong Hand, he was god of the earthquakes. The Z;i-
potecs worshiped such a deity under the image of this
number carved from a jnvcious stone, calling to mind
the ' Ivab ul,' the Working Hand, adored by the Mavns,
and said to be one of the images of Zamna their hero
god. The human hand, 'that divine tool,' as it has
been called, might well be regarded I)}' the reflective
mind as the teacher of the arts and the anuilet whose
ANALOGUES OF QUETZALCOATL.
2r.9
iiiaiiio power has won for man what vantajre he has
^aiiKMl in his long combat with nature and liis i'ellovvs.'"'"
Mr Helps sees in Quetzalcoatl the closest jinalojiies
with certain other great civilizers and teachers tliat
iniMJo their apix;arance in various parts of the American
continent: — '' One peculiar circumstance, as llumhoMt
n'lnarks. is very much to he noted in the ancient records
and traditions of the Indian nations. In no U'ss than
tlirt'c remarkable instances has superior civilization been
attributed to the sudden presence among them of p'r-
s(»ns differing from themselves in apjKnirance and de-
scent.
IJohica, a white man with a beard, a})peared to the
Mo/ca Indians in the plains of Bogota, taught them how
to build and to sow, formed them into connnunities,
j:ave nn outlet to the waters of the great lake, and, hav-
ing settled the govennuent civil and ecclesiastical, retire«l
into a monastic state of pentitence for two tlK)usand
years.
In like manner Manco Capac, accompanied by his
sister. Mama Oello, descended amongst the Peruvians,
jiave them a code of admirable laws, reduced them into
connnunities, and then ascended to his father, the Sun.
Amongst the Mexicans there suddenly appeared Quet-
zalcoatl (green-feathered snake), a white and bearded
man. of l)road l)row, dres.sed in a strange dress; ji
It'iiislator. who recommended severe penances, lacerating
liis own body with tlie prickles of the agave and the
thorns of the cactus, but who dissuaded his followers
IVniii human sacrifice. AVhile he remained in Anabuuc,
it was a Saturnian reign; but tl lis great legislator, aftt'i-
moving on to the plains of Cholula. and governing the
<'lioliilans with wisdom, passed awav to a distant country,
ami was never heard of more. It is said brielly of him
that ■ lie ordained sacrifices of flowers and I'ruits, and
.^topiH'd his ears when lie was s|K)ken to of war.' " '^
Till' Abbe Domenech considers the tradition of the
•■'■ Ilriiiln),-!^ Mi/ll,^. pp. lSO-3.
3J ll-lji.i' ,s>'(»', Von>i., vol. i., pp. 28C-7.
270
GODS. SUPERNATURAL BEIXOS, AND WORSHIP.
lives of Qiietzalcoatl and Tezcatli|X)ca to ])o a bit of sim-
])K' and sli«j,litly veiled history, and also that there were
several (^uetzalcoatls. Jx't it 1x3 reinen»l)ered in rejidiiiu
tile al»l)e's version of this matter that the names of pliK
•cs.
]H'oj)les. and the dates he ^ives are in great })art niyth-
1 and
conje(
tnral:
After theenfranehisement of th
ICil
Olniecs, a man named (Jnetzalcojitl arrived in the comi-
try. whom (jrarcia/ronjnemada, Sahagun. and other S])iiii-
ish writers took to Ik' Saint Thomas. It was also at tiint
time that the thinl age ended, and that the I'ourtii hepiii.
callo^ Sun of the fire. liecausiMt was sin)iK)sed that it was
in this last stage that the world would Ix; destro\ed Iv
lire.
It is in this fourth ])eri(Kl that the Mexican historinu
])liices the Toltees' arrival in Xew Si)ain, that is to ^:iy.
ahout the third century before the Christian era. Ac-
cording to the (Quiches' traditions, the primitive portiou
of the Xaboas, or ancestors of the Toltees. were in a dis-
tant Mast, beyond iimnense seas and lands. Amongst
the lamilii's and tribes that l)ore with least patii'iicc
this long I'epose and innnobility. those of Canub. iuid nt"
Tlocab may be cited, for they were the first who deft r-
mined to leave their country. The Xahoas sailed iu
seven Itarks or ships, which Sahagun calls (Miicomo/tin-.
or the seven grottos. It is a i'act worthy of note, thiit in
all ages the munber seven was a sacred number anioni:
the American jK'ople, Irom one iM)le to the other. It
was at IVmuco, near Tam|)ico, that those strangers di-
em barked ; they established themselves at Paxil, witii
the Votanites consent, and their state took the name d'
lluchue-Tlo}»allan. It is not stated from Avhence they
came, but merely that they came out of the i('gi(»iis
whei'e the sun I'ises. The supreme command was in tin'
hand of a chieftain, whom histoi'v calls (^)uety,alc()lin;itl.
that is to say, Lord par excellence. To his i*are was ci in-
filled the holy enveloiK.'. which concealed thetlixinity rniii
fhe Inunan gaze, and he alone recei\ed from it tli"'
necessary instructions to guide his [)eoi»le s uiiuvli.
These kinds of divinities, thus enveloped, passed tni-
THE CODICES ON QrET-'^AT/OATL.
271
l»liurs,
inytli-
(»i tlic
' COlMl-
at that
hcpui.
it was
V *
istorian
I to sa\ .
11. aV-
povtinll
II ii (lis-
Vmo»i;-i>t
pjit'u'iirc
. and "I"
<) (IcttT-
laiU'tl in
inio/ttx".
. that in
ir aninn:i
hor. It
t'l's di-
;il. witii
liianu' t'l
K'o tlu-y
i-i'n'idn"^
lis in tlio
ilcohuatl.
Isviiscnn-
litylVoiii
U 'it til''
martli-
issod l'"i"
licinir sure tjilismans, and wore looked upon with tlie
l^iiati'st resjx'ct and veneration. 'I'hey consisted licner-
idh ol' a bit of w(h«1, in whieh was inserted a little
i(l(»l ofureen stone; this was covered with the skin ol'a ser-
jicnt or ol'a tijier, after which it was rolled in numerous
little hands of stnlf, wherein it would remain w rajtjied
I'oi- ceiitinies to;:ether. Such is. perhaps, the origin of
the medicine ha«is made use of. even in the present <lay.
li\ the Indians of the (ireat Desert, and of which we shall
speak in the second volume of this work.'
Of ai)parently another (^uetzalcoatl. he writes: '"The
Tnltecs became hijihly llom"ishiiV<i; under the rei<:n of
("I'ocatl (^uetzalcohuatl.a Culhuacan j)rince. who preached
a new w
litiioi
I, sanctioninu' auricular confession an(
d tl
le
ctTibacv of the priests. He ])roscribi'd all kinds of war-
larc and human sacrifices. Te/.catlipoca put himself at
tlic lu'ud of the dissatisfied party, and besieued ToUan.
the i'esiden(!e of (Vocatl (iuetzalcohuatl ; but tin' latter re-
liiscd to defend himself, in order to avoid the elVusion of
lilotid. which was prohibited by the laws (if the reli<iion
lie himself had established, and retired to Cholnla. that
had been constructed bv hisfollowe
From then.'e he
wnit to ^ ucatan. Te/catli[)oca. his fortunate rival, after
I loiiu rei.iiu became in his turn the victim of the jiopu-
l:ir iliscontent. and fell in a battle that was uIm'u h.m
i\ (V'ocatl (.)uetzalcohuatl"s relative
Tl
lose two Kini:s
aic <'lc\ated to the rank of ji'ods. and their woiship was
a iu'i|ietual subject of discord and ci\il war in all
Auiiliuac until the arrival of the Si)aniards in the New
World." ^'*
lilt' interpreters of the diiVerent codices, or Mexican
liaiiitiiiiis re[)ri'S(.'nted in Kin,;:sltovoujih s iircat work.
t;i\<'. as is their wont in all matters, a conlused. imper-
It'it, and often erroneous account of (^)uet/alcoatl: —
^'iict/.alcoatl is he who was boi-n of the virgin. calK-d
' lialcliihuit/.tli. which means the precious stone of ju-n-
aiKc Ol' of sacrifice. He was sued in the deliiin'. and
was honi in Zivenaritzcatl where he resides. His fast
n I, ,
fh's ih.-rrts, viii. i., i>ii. :i2-;{, ay
272 GODS. SUPERNATURAL KEINGS, AND, WORSHIP.
I.''
was a kind of.prejjaration for tlio arrival of tlio end of the
world which they said would hapiKMi on thf day of I'our
Kartlniiiakt','^, so that thov were thus in daily ex}Hrtati()ii
of that event, (^uet/aleoatl was he who they say creuti'd
the world, and the\- hestowed on him the a|tpellation of
lord of the wind, because they said that Tonacatecotli.
when it ap[>eared ji(M)d to him, breathed and lu'iiiit
Quetzalcoatl. They erected round temples to him. with-
out any corners. They said that it was he (who \v;is
also the lord of the thirteen siuns which are here repre-
sented), who formed the first man. lie alone hiid a
human body like that of men, the other gods were of an
incor[)oreal nature." "'''
riiey declare that their supreme deit\ . or more jiio-
perly sju'akinii', demon Tonacatecotle, whom Ave Iimnc
just mentioned, who by another name was called Citiiiii-
tonali, .... beii'ot (Quetzalcoatl. not by connection with a
woman, but by his breath alone, as we have observed
above, when he sent his ambassador, as they say. to the
virgin ol' Tulla,. They believed him to be the god of the
air, and he wiis the first to whom they built temples and
churches, which they formed perfectly round, withuiit
any angles. They say it was he who effected the reform-
ation of the world by penance, as we have already saiil;
since, according to their account, his father had crt-
ated the world, ani' men had given themselves up tt>
vice, on uhich account it had been so frecpiently ilr-
stroyed. Citinatonali sent this his son into the worlil to
reform it. We certainly nnist deplore the blindne.>^s (if
th
i(>se misei-alile peoiue, on whom Sunt i aul says
til
wrath of < lod has to be revealed, inasnmch as his etciiial
truth was s) long kept back by the injustice of attribut-
ing to this (U'uion that which belonged to Him: for IK;
lM.>ing tlie soil' creator of the universe, and He who iiiadc
the division of the waters, which these poor j)eopU' jii>t
now attributed to the Devil, when it appeared gooil to
Him. dispatched the heavenlv ambassador to annoiiiuc
^■^ K.fiilicii'
<hl r,„hx T-lln-i
')-/,
iinii>-l,iiii()isi>\
boroitjh's Mid', .lidiq., vol. v., i>[>. 135-G.
parte ii., lam. ii., in Ai'iys-
MULLER ON QUETZALCOATL.
273
to tlio virgin thr.t hIio .should ]je the mothor of his eter-
nal word; who, wlieii lie Ibiiiid the world corrupt, re-
loniK'd it by doing penance and by dying ui)on the cross
for our sins; and not the wretched (^netzalcoatl, to
wlinm these miserable i)eople attributed this work.
They assigned to him the dominion over the other
tliirteen signs, which are here represented, in the .same
luiumer a.s they had as.signed the preceding thirteen to
liis father. They celebrated a great festival on the ar-
rival of his sign, as we .shall see in the sign of Four
Kartluiuakes, which is the fourth in order here, l)ecause
they feared that the world would be destroyed in that
.sign, as he had foretold to them when he (lisa[)peared in
the Red l:^ea; which event occurred on the .same sign.
As they considered him their ;idv(X3ate, they celebrated
a .^^oli'inn festival, and fa.sted during four .signs." ^'
.1. (x, Miiller holds (^uetzalcoatl to be the representative
national god of the Toltecs, survivinij under manv mi.scon-
ct'ptions and amid many incongruities, — l)e(|ueathed to
or adopted into the later Mexican religion, Thelearni'd
pi'olcs.sor has devoted an unusual amount of care and
rcscari'li to the interpretation of the (^uetzalcoatl myths;
and as no other iiujuirer has .shown therein at once so
accuiate and extensive an ac(piaintance witli the sultject
and so calm and judicious a judgment, we give ,his
opinion at length, and fir.st his .sunnning up of the fable-
history of (^uetzalcoatl : —
Tht^ Toltecs, a traditional pre-historic people, after
K'aving their orignal northern home lluehuetlaiiallan
(that is Old-red-land) chose Tulla. north of An;ihua(;
as the first cai)ital of their newly founded kingdom.
(^iK't/ak'oatl was their high-priest and religious chief
at this })hice, lluemac. or Iha-mat/in. conducted the
civil government as the companion of (^^uet/alcoatl. and
Avnitc the code of the nation, (^uet/alcoatl is s.aid to
have been a white man (some gave him a brght rcil
"' Spii' inzidiie ijillr Tm-iih' ihl Codice Mexkuno, tuv. xli , lumjsliorow/li's
.1/./. Anihi.. vol. v., 1)1). l«i-5.
Vol. hi. 18
\i
274
'Un)A, SITPEllX.VTUUAL DEINGS, AND WOllSIIIP,
f.u'i'), witli ii strong loniiatioii ol' body, broad ibrcliciid,
large eyes, black bair, and a heavy beard, lie always
wore a long Avbite robe: which, jiccordiiig to (ionuira,
was decorated with crosses; he had a mitre on his head
and a si<',kle in his hand. At the volcano of Cotcntepcc.
or Tzat/,itepe(!, near Tnlla, lie practised long and nnmer-
oiis })enanct>s, giving thi'reby an example to his priestn
and snccessors. The name of this volcano means "the
mountain of outcry;'" and when (^u«'t/alcoatl gave
li
iws.
he sint a crier to the to[) of it whose voic
could be heard three hundred miles oft*. Jle did
what the founders of religions and cults have done
in other countries: he taught the |)eo|»le agrieultiue,
metallurgy, stone-cutting, and the art of government.
lie also arranged the calendar, and taught his subjects
lit reliyious ceremonies;
preachnig specudly agiunst
human sai^riliees, and ordering od'erings of fruits and
llowers oidy. lie would have nothing to do with wius,
even (Covering his eai-s when the subject was mentioned.
1 1 is was a verital)le golden age. as in the time of Saturn;
animals and even men live<l in j)eace. the soil proihiced
the richest harvests without cultivation, and the grain
grew so large that a man Ibund it trouble enough to
cai'ry one ear; no cotton was dyed, as it grew of all
colors, and I'ruits of all kinds aln^unded. Everybody
was rich and (^)net/alcoatl owned whole 'talaces of gold.
silver, and precious stonis. The air was filled with the
most pleasant jiromas. and a host of finely feathered
birds filled the world with melody.
l)ut tbis earthly ha})piness came to an end. T»'/,('nt-
lipoca rose up against (^uetzalcoatl and against Iliieiiiac,
in order to separate them, and to destroy their govi'in-
ment. lie descended from the sky on a rope of spidci-
web and connnenced to work for his object with the aid
of magic arts. He first ai)peared in the fonn of a hand-
some youth (and in the ilress of a merchant), dressed ;is
a merchant selling i)ep|)er-jH)ds, and presented himself
before the daughter of king lluenuic. lie soon sedncctl
the princess, and thereb\ opened the road to a general
TllAVELS OF QI'ETZALrOATL.
iimnorality and a total eollapso of tlu> laws. Tic pro-
M'liti'il liiiMself lu'lbre (^lu't/.alcoatl in the i'oini of an old
tiiMii. uitli the view of indiicinf; liim to (U'[>art to ids
lioiiu' in TIapalla. For tins })nii)osc lio otfcri'd liini :i
(liink which he prctendod woid<l endow him witli ini-
iiiortidity. No s<H)ner iiad (^net/alcoatl taken tiie drink,
then lie wa>< seized with a violent desire to see his father-
land. He destroye<l the palaces of p)ld. silver, and i>re-
cioiis stones, transfonned the fruit-trees into withered
tiiinks. and ordered all son<!;-hii'ds to leave the eonntry,
and to accompany him. Thns he departed, and the hirds
entertained him dnrin<!; his jonrney with their sonjis.
lie (irst traveled southward, and arrived in (^iiauh-
titian. in Anahuac. In the vicinitv of this town he
hroke down a tree by throwing stones, the stones remain-
ini: in the trmdv. Farther south, in the same valley,
near Tlalnepantla. or Tanepantla. he pressed hand and
loot into a nxik with such force that the impressioji has
remained down to the latest centuries, in the same man-
ner as the mark of the shoi's of the horses of (.'astor and
rolhix near He|iillum. I'he S[)aiuards were inclined
to asciihe these and similar freaks of nature to the Apos-
tk' Thomas.
(^)netzalcoatl now turned toward the east, and arrived
in Ciiolula, where he had to remain for a longer period.
as the inhabitants intrusted him with the govermnent of
tJH'ir state. The same order of things which had taken
place in TuUa, his first residence, was here renewed.
From this centre his rule spread I'ar and wide; he sent
colonists from Cholula to Huaxayacac, Tabasco and Cam-
IH'clie. and the nobility of Yucatan prided themselves on
their descent from him; men having been found in our
time who bear his name, just as the descendants of Vo-
tan hore the name of Votan in Chiapas. In Cholula it-
wir lie was adored, and temples were everywhere erected
in his honor, even by the enemies of the Cholulans. A iter
ii residence of twent}' yeans in (^holula. he proceeded on
his journey toward Tlalpalla until he arrived at the
river and iu the province of Coatzacotdco, or (joasacoal-
27G GODS, SUPERNATURAL nEIXGS, AND WORSHIP.
CO. Guasiioimlco, that is Ilidinji-nook of the Miakc — south
of Vera Cruz, lie now sent the fonr youtlis, who liixl
accompanied him from Cholula, baci< to the Chohihms.
l)romi!sin}:; to return hiter on and renew the old govern-
ment. The Chohihms phi'jed the fonr youths at the head
of their goverimient, out of love for him. This hope of
his return still existed among the Mexican nations at the
time of Cortt's' arrival. In fact, Cort('H was at (irstheld
to he the returning (^uetzalcoatl, and a man was sacrificed
to him, witii whose bloixl the conqueror and his com-
panions were maiked. Father Sahagun was also asked,
])y everybody on his journey to Mexico, if he and his suite
came from Tlai)alla. According to Montezuma's account
to Cortes, (^uetzalcoatl really did once return to Cholula,
but after such a length of time that he found his subjects
married to the native women, having children, and so
numerous that a number of new districts had to be:
founded. This new nice would not recognize their old
chief, and refused tt) ol)ey him. lie thereui)on departetl
angrily, threatening to return at another time and to
subdue them by Ibrce. It is not remarkable that an
expectation, which was a \io\Mi to the Cholulans, should
be a dread to Montezuma and his subjects.
According to some accounts, Quetzalcoatl died in tlio
Iliding-i.ook of the snakes, in the Goatzacoalco country:
jiccording to others, he suddenly disap^x^ared toward the
east, and a ship, formed of snakes wound together.
brought him to Tlapalla.
A closer view and criticism of this tale, in the light of
the anaU)gy of mythological laws, shows us that (^uet/nl-
coatl is the euhemerized religious ideal of the Toltecnii
nations. The similarity of this tale with those of ,\bin-
co Capac, liotschika, iSaturn, and others, is at once ap-
parent. The o[)ini(m of Frescott, Wuttke, and many
others, who held him for a deified man, founder of a
religion and of a civilization, is confirmed by the late -^t
version of the faJ)le, in which (Quetzalcoatl is represeiiti il
in this character. Although euheiuerism is an old i'l* a
with all people, as well as with the Americans,- [ni-
QT'ETZALCOATL AND Tllf: TOLTECS.
277
lidlt <>t
s)nifi«'iiti<)ii iK'iii}: the first sti«p toward it. — tlio ponoral
icMsoMM whii'li I'verywluTo ap|>t'ar against tlic t'xisteiu'u
ofsiicli louiiiltTs of a clvili/ation must also be nuule to
sjicak ajrainst tliis idou of (^uotzaU'oatl.
It a siK'iiial vuliie is |)la(!0(l uimhi the Mhito face and
tlie heard, it must l)e reuiemhered tliat the In-ard, which
is liiveii to tiie Mexican i)riests, could not Ix? omitteil
uith (^uet/alcoatl ; and the mention l>y some of his hav-
iu;; liad a white lace, and hy otiiers a red, mifiht arouse,
a siisiticion that (^Mietzah'oatl has l)een represented as a
white man on account of his white rol)e.
The fahle of (^uetzalcoatl contains contradictions, the
voiiuuer elements of Avhich are a pure idealism of the
luiMc ancient. For instance, the statement that the
c'iirfh ])ro(luced everything s|H)ntaneously, without hu-
iiiiui laht)r, does not agree with the old version of the
iiiytii, acconling to which (^uetzalcoatl taught agricul-
ture and other industries requiring ap[)lication and hard
wiiik. The sentimental love of peace has also heen ut-
triliuted to this god in later times, during a time when the
Toltecs had lost the martial spirit of their victorious ances-
tors, and when the Cholulans, given to effeminacy, dis-
tiiiuiiished themselves more hy cunning than by courage.
The face of the god is represented, in the fable, as more
hciuitifnl and attractive, than it is de[)ictedon the images.
At the place where he was most worshiiK'd. in Cholula,
the statute of (^uetzalcoatl sttM)d in his tem[)le, on the
siiimnit of the great i)yramid. Its features had a
gloomy cast, and diifered from the beautiful face which
is s;ii(l to have been his on earth.
The fable shows its later idealized elements in these
!• >iiits. In all other resjK'cts, the Toltecan peculiarities of
the entire nation are either cU'arly and iaithfully de-
imtcil in their hero, as in a personified ideal, or else the
oiiLiiiiid attributes of the nature deity are recognizable.
Vi lure the Toltecs were, there was he also, or a hei'o
identical with him; the Toltecs who journeyed south-
wiinl are colonists sent b}' him; the Toltecs capitals,
ii.ll.i and Cholula, are his residences; and as the laws
'JTH
r.f)Ds, srrKKXATruAL ueixgs, and wouship.
ot'llio TolU'cs cxtciidt'd fur mul \vi*lo, m did tlio voico
<»f'his crier ivacli tliive liuiidivd iiiiU'.s into tlif roiintiy.
Tlic urtM and wi'llaiv of tiie TolttrH, thv'w riclioH iind re-
ligious rtrliu)-', I'veii tlioir liitor unwurliko iH'iicci'idiicss,
all tiii'sc attril)MteH arc traiiMfbrrt'd to (^iit't/alcoatl. Tlic
lonji toIh; of tlie Toltocs wa.s also the divss of tlicir
luTo; the necktie ol* the 1k)vs of his relijiious order is
attached to his iniajie; and, as his ])rit'sts Avore tlie
mitre, he is also represented with it. lie is, alK)ve iill.
depicted as the orijiinal nuxlel of the Tolte(! priests, tlie
Tlaniacazcpie (the order was calletlTlaniaca/cdijotl). wlio.'^e
chief, or superior, always lK)re the name of (^net/alco.itl.
As these orders of his had to submit to the strictest <>1»-
servances, — their meml)ers having to slit the tonniii-.
ears and lips in honor of (^uet/al(H)atl. and the siikiII
))ovs being set apart I'or him bv making an incision (in
their breasts.— so he sulnnitted, befoie all others. t(t
these jM'nances on the T/.at/iti[)ec Mountain, 'fhese sell'-
inllicted punishments mu.st not be termed ])enaiices. ns
is often done, for they have no moral meaning, such its to
do iK'nanee for connnitted sins, nor hiive thev the m\>ti(^
meaning of the J']ast Indian idea of the end of tlie
world ( Weltabsterben) and the return to the |)antheistic
chaos (I'rall and L'rnicihts) ; all this is foreign to the
American religion. They are, on the contrar , bldnij-
olVt lings, substitutes for the human sacrifices in tlie
background, to obtain earthly blessings, and to ii\fit
earthly misfortunes. As (^uetzalcoatl preached agaiust
unnan sacr
ifices, so his priests under the Aztec riiK
were very reluctant to make them. After the gifiit
slaughter by Cortes, in Cholula, Montezuma prcK'cedeil
to the great temple of lluitzilo[)ochtli, made niiiiiy
huniiin sacrifices, and (piestioned the god, who bade liiiii
t«) be of good heart, and assured hiin that the Cholulaiis
bad siiil'ered so terribly merely on account of their re-
luctance to olfer up human beings.
As the disappearance of the Toltecs toward the soutli
and the south-east agrees Avith the di.sipiK'arance nf
(^>uetzalcoatl, so we find many traits from the end of the
(irr;rzAL< oATi, a nauiik-dkity.
370
list Toltoc kiii^rrcpnxluccd in tlir end ofthr Tolh'c Ikto.
After tlif (U'li'iit of kinji; Tlolpint/iii, hv (Tl<)l|rmt/in)
tli'd soiitiiwiird, toward Tltipall.'i. Ili' iiuido use oftlirsc
vords. ill Ids lust Ihrowrll to Ins Irivnds: I Imvc retired
liiwiird tlu' east, but will return
\2 vears to
ji\t'ii;iv nivself on tlio descendants of mine eneinii's,
.After liavinjr lived thirty years in Tlaitalla, lie died.
His laws were afterward JU'oe])ted by Xe/albualeoyot/in.
Tlie belief that Tlolpint/in stayed with X«'/.albua!coy-
ot/iii. iind somc^ other bravo kin<is, in the cave of Xicco,
alter death, like the three 'IVdls of Switzerland, but
wdidd at some time conic out and deliver his iieo|)le. was
louii' current amon<i the Indians. Kveryone will notice
liow well tbis ajiiees with Monti'/uma's account of the re-
turn of (^)uetzal<'oatl.
<jbie/atlcoatl cannot. 1; >\' ver. be a representative and
ji iiiitioual ^()d of the Toltecs, without havin|i' an orijiinal
iiature-l>asis for his existence as a ••■«)d. It is evi'rv-
tl
where the case amony: savaues wi
th tl
leir nationa
1 uod.
tliiit the latter is a nature-deity, who becomes jiradually
tiansformed into a national <:od. then into a national
kiiii:. hi;^h-i>riest. foiuider of a relijiion. and at last ends
in lieinj:' considered a human bein;f. The older and puier
the civilization of u peo[»le is, the easier it is to reco;ini.>^(^
tlic oriiiinal essence of its national jiod. in sj)ite of all
transformations and disjiuises. So it is here, liebind
the linmau form of the jtcmI j-limmers the nature shape,
and the national god is known by. ju'rhaps. all his wor-
sliiiu'is as also a nature «
leit'
1-
rom IMS iH)wi
•ful
intlncure uim)ii nature, he mi;:ht also be held as the
crcatui",
The ])ure human form of tbis ;:<)d. as it appears in the
:i!i|i'
as w(
11
as in the uiia^e. is ik
)t tl
le onuiiial
)Mt
till' Noiin^icst. His oldest concrete Ibrms art' taken from
natinc. to which he ori<iinall\' beloiu
UK
1 I
lave
maintained themselves in many attributes. All t!.e.v(>
svnilioji/i' him as the ii'od ol" I'eitilitv. cbiellv. as it is
III
iiialc a|)i)arent, ))y nu'ans of the beneficial inlliience of
the air. All Mexican and Euro|)ean statements make
t^
28f)
GODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND 'SVORSIIIP.
him Ji[)[)eiir as the god of the air and of the wind ; even
the euhemeristic idea deifies the man Quetzalcoatl into
a god of the air. All the Mexican trihes adored him at
the time of the con(|uest as god of the air, and all ao-
connts, however much they may differ on the particular
j)oints of his poetical life, .agree, without exception, in
this one respect, as the essential and chief jwiut. lie-
sides the syuibols, which are merely attached to the
image, there are three attributes, which represent as
many original visible fonns and exteriors of the god, in
which he is rei)resented and worshiped: the sparrow, the
Hint (Feuersteiu), and the snake.
According to llerrera, the iuiage of Quetzalcoatl had
the body of a man, l)ut the head of a bird, a sparrow
with a red bill, a large couib, aud with the tongue hang-
ing far out of the mouth. The air-god of these northern
peoi)le, parallel to (Quetzalcoatl, the Aztec lIuitzilopot-htH,
was rei)resented with devices connected with the hum-
ming-bird, in remembrance of his former luunming-bird
nature. Tliis is the northern element. The great spiiit
of the northern redskins also appear in his most esteenicd
form as a bird. The Latin Picus was originally a wood-
j)ecker (t^[)echt), afterward anthropomorphized and cmii
euliemerized, but he has ever the wood[)ecker by his side.
in his ca[)acity of human seer. Several Egyptian gods
have human bodies and animal heads, especially heads ol'
l)ir(ls. Birds are not alone sym])ols of particular godlike
attributes, as used in the anthropomorphic times, not lucn'
messengers and transmitters of the orders of the gods, but
they have originally been considered as gods themselves,
with forms of godlike powers, especially in Xoith
America; and the exterior of the god of the air. the
fructifying air, is naturally that of a bird, a singiiii:-
Jjird. The hieroglyi)hic sign among the Mexicans l()r
the air is, therefore, the head of a bird with three tongues.
^Vherever Quetzalcoatl stayed and ruled, there liiids
tilled the air, and song-birds gave indication of their
presence; when he departed, he took them with him.
and was entertained during the journey by their singing.
QUETZALCOATL AND THE FLINT.
281
A second form of Quetzalcoatl was the flint, whicli
\\v liave already learned to know as a synilx)! and
irK'nt^lyplne sign for the air. lie was either rejjre-
st'uteil as a bliwk stone, or several small green ones,
.supposed to have fallen from heaven, most likely a'rolites,
which were adored l)y the Cholulans in the service of
(^hic'tzalcoatl. lietancourt even explains the meaning of
till' name Quetzalcoatl, contrary to the usual definition,
;is '• twin of a precious stone." The fal)le of (^uauhtit-
];ui is also connected with this stone- worship; how (^uet-
ziilcoatl had overthrown a tree by means of stones which
remained fixed in it. These stones were later on adored
as holy stones of (Quetzalcoatl. The stone at Tlalnej)an-
tla. into which he pressed his hand, nnist also have rep-
])i('sented the god himself Similar ancient ston<>-wor-
slii[)s. of greater nature deities as well as fetiches, were
i'odud. in many instances, in Peru, in the ])re-lnca times.
Ill ancient Central America we meet with the worship
of siicli green stones called chalciiihuites. Votan was
W()rshi[)ed in the form of such a green stone, connected
with the other two attributes. This attribute of (Quet-
zalcoatl most likely belongs to the south.
The third form of (Quetzalcoatl, which also belongs to
the south, is the snake; he is a snake-god, or, at least,
iiRTged into an ancient snake-god. The snake is not, as
lar as 1 know, a direct symbol of the air, and this attri-
hiitc is. therefore, not the one pertaining to him iVom
the hi'giiniing; but the snake represents the season which,
in conjunction with heat and rain, contains the fnictily-
iiig inlhience of the atmosphere, spring, the rejuvenating
vcar. However, the very name of the god signifies,
according to the usual exphdiation given to it, '" the
leathered snake, the snake covereil with feathers, the
green feathered-snake, the wood-snake with rich ii^'ath-
eis. " A snake has conse<|i!ently been added to the
Imiiian figure of this god. The other name, under which
he is adored in Yucatan, is (Uiculcan. a snake covered
Avith godlike feathers. The entrance to his round tcm[)le
in Mexico represented the jaw and fangs of a tremen-
ill
282
OOns, SUPEIINATUIUL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
doiis sniike. Qiu't/::ilc()atl disappoarod in Goatzacoalco.
tlie Snako-corncr (or nook), and a uliip of snakes Mroiidit
liini to Tlai)alla. Jlis iollowers in Yucatan wvw calk-d
snakes. Cocomk' (plural of'(V>atl), ■while he hiniselt' hore
the name oi' ( 'ocolean in this country Jis well as in ( 'hia-
])as. The snake attribute signifies, in coiuiection with
Jluit/.ilopochtli, also the beneficial inlluenceot' the atinos-
j)here. the yearlv renewed course of nature, the continu-
al rejuvenation of nature in germs and blossoms. The
northei'n celestial god. Odin, is in many wavs connectc(l
with sniikes. he transformed himself into a snake, and
bore the by-name of kSnake.
The relationship) of 'IV/AVitlipoca and Quetzalcoatl. as
giv(>n in the fable, may be touched u[)on here. The
driving away of the latter by 'I'e/,catli[H)ca does not. as
may be supposed, signify a contest between the A/tec
I'eligion and the preceding 1\)ltecan. In such a case
lluit/ilopochtli. the chief of the Aztec gods, by whose
adoration the contrast is painted in the deepest colors.
Avould have been a nnich better representant.
(^)uetzalcoatl no doubt })reached against human sacii-
fices. brought into siich unprecedented swing by the
Aztecs, yet the woi'shij)ers of this god adopted the sacri-
fice of human beings in an extensive wav durim:' tlic
Aztec rule, to which period this part of the (^)uet/alcoatl
fabU
e necessaril\- owes its origin.
At this time the con
II-
trast was so slight that (Quetzalcoatl partook of the hi;,
est a<loration of Aztecs, not only in Chohda. but in
Mexico and everywhere. His piiest enjoyed the highest
esteem and his tem[)le in Mexico stood by tiie si(h' of
that of lluitzilopochtli. ^hnitezuma not only calls the
Toltec hero a leadei* of his forefathers, but the A/t<rs
actually consider him as a son of Fluitzilopochtli. Tiic
o|)position of the two gods. (Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipocn.
has another reason: the diflerence lies not in their woi-
ship. but in their nature and being, in the natu..d plic-
nomena which they ivpresent. Ifthegod ofthe benelici;!!
atmosi)here. the manifested god-power of the atmosphcit'
of the fruL'tilN inii' seasons, is adored in ()uetzalcoatl ; then
QUETZALCOATL AND THE SNAKE.
2S3
Tezcatlipoca is his opposite, the god of tlio gloomy loAver
icaioiis (k'stitiito of life uiid goriii, the god of drouth, of
uitlicriiig. of dentil.
\Vlu'i'ever, therefore. Qiietzaleoatl rules, there are riehes
!ui(l ahuudance, the air is filled with fragrance and soiig-
liirds- an actual golden era; but when he goes south-
w;;i'ii with his song-birds, he is expelled by Tezca,tlii)oca,
(lioiith sets in. au'l the palaces of gold, silver, and i)i'e-
cioiis stones, s\inbols of wealth, are destroyed. lie
pioiuiscs, however, everywhere to retiu'n. A rejtresen-
t.ition mentioned and co[)iv'd by lluml)()lilt, sliows Tez-
catlipoi'a in the act of cutting up the .'^■nake. This
liiis ll(^t the meaning of the acts of Hercules, of Ton-
iitiiili. of the great s[)irit of the Chippewas, of the (ler-
luau Siegfi-ied, of the Celtic dragon-killers Tristan and
Iwciii. oi' of the other sun-gods, s[)ring-gods. and culture-
licrocs. who fight and subdue the snaki' of the uul'ertile
moisture; such an inter[)retatioii would beoppcs 'd to the
ii:itmvof this god. On the contrary, the god of death
iiiul drouth here liuhts the snake as the sviiibol of mois-
tint', of the fertili/ation of the plant-life.
Tlie ([uestion now arises: if (^uetzak^oatl only received
bis snake attribute in the south, and this his name, what
was his original northern and Toltecan name
\\
aiiswt'i-. coiiK^iding with the views expressed by Ixtlil-
Mu'liiti and others, who ailirm that (^uetzalcoatl and hi?
woiiiUy companion, lluemac. were one and the same
pi'isou. The opposed o[)inion of Ternaux-Comjya
ns.
whi» states that (^)iiet/alcoatl must have been an Olmec.
^\llile lluemac was a Toltec, ax^tually gives the key to
thf snhitiou of the (piestion. Both are right. Ixtlilxo-
chitl and Ternaux, lluemac is the ori^iinal Toltec name
the Toltec natioui
'•0(
I ml
er,
aiK
I author of the
liHJN books, the ambient name used bv the Tolt
ee
A;
tills i)('o[)le succum))ed more and more to southern iulhi-
t'lii't's. jiiid their ancient air-god in his s[)arrow form re-
fi'ived in adilition the snake attribute, on accom;; of
liis rejuvenating inlluence iH)on nature, then, the new
iiaiiie of the more cultivated peo})le soon ai>peared.
284 GODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP.-
The name ma}', therefore, ])e Ohiioc, hut not tlie pxl ;
Ave may sooner suppose that the attrihutes of the Maya
•i'oil, \'otan, have heen transferred to the Toltec gol.
JJoth names having thus a tlouhle origin; the leucud
Avhieh found two names, made also two persons of them,
and phiced them side hy side. It is, however, easy to
see that they are naturally one: Ilueniac has just iis
nnich a religious signification as Quetzalcoatl ; as II uc-
matzin, he wrote the divine hook, containing all the
earthly and heavenly Avisdom of the Toltecs. Quet/.;il-
coatl has, in the same degree, hesides his religi<jus \)n^\-
tion, the worldly one of ruler and founder of a civili-
zation. As (^uetzjilcoatl possesses a divine nature, so
does lluemac, to whom also are ascrihed the three hun-
dred years of life, and the impression of the hand in the
rock.
besides the attri})utes of the sparrow, Hint, and snake,
there are others which ascrihe to Quetzalcoatl the stiuu'
properties, hut less prominently. As god of the aii',
he holds the wondenuUy painted shield in his hand, a
symbol of his power over the winds. As god of the lei-
tilizing inihience of the air, he holds, like Saturn, tlir
sickle, syml)ol of the harvest — he it is that causes the
grain to ripen. It used to be said that he pre[)ared the
way for the water-god, for in these regions, the rnius
are always preceded by winds. It was on account of
this intimate connection with the rain, which liad
(dready procured him the snake attribute, that his
mantle was adorned Avith crosses. We have already stni
that such crosses represented the rain-god Avith ihr
Mayas, a;id are symbols of the fructifying rain. ( 'on-
set [uently they are Avell suited for the god Avho is only
air-«iod in the sense of the air exercising its fructif\iiiu'
and invigorating influence upon the earth.
Another cpiestion, Avhicli has already occurred to us.
must here be considered. Why did this god come fioni
the east, depart toward the east, and Avhy should lif ho
expected from the east? The Toltecs have, accordiii:;;
to almost unanimous statements, come from the north.
QUETZALCOATL AND THE TllADE-WINDS.
1285
mid I'ven Quetzalcoatl commences his rule in the north,
ill TiiUa, Jind imxioetlsgrathiiiUy on his journey from the
north to the .south-ejist, just Uke the Toltecs, who tniv-
I'kd southward from Tulla. It is plain that lie dejKU't.s
lor the east, hecause this is his home, from which he came
iiinl w ill return. His eastern orijiin is, no dou])t, hased
u[)()U the direction of the eastern trade-winds, whi(;h
carry rain and, with it, fertility to the interior of (Vn-
tral America. The rains hegan three or four weeks
earlier in Vera Cruz, Tampico, and Tabasco tluni in
I'liohla and Mexico. Another reason, which has. how-
ever, a certain comiection with the ahove, m.ay be the
relationship of the god of air and the smi-god, who often
assumed an ecpial iK)sition in nature and in worship.
A\ e know that the founders of the Peruvian and Muys-
caii cults come from the east, because they are sun-gods,
(^hiet/alcoatl is not such a deity, it is true, but the ferti-
lizing air-god is also in other places closely connected
with the fructifying sun, as, for example nuitzilo[K)chtli,
( )(liii. and Brama. The sun is his eye. This connection
with the sun, Montezuma referred to when he spoke in
the jiresence of Cortes of the departure of Quetzalcoatl
foi- the regions from which the sun comes. As the
sun is the eye of heaven, to whom the heart of the vic-
tim sacrificed to the god of heaven is presented, so it is
at night with the moon, to whom the same tribute was
jiaiil at the feast of Quetzalcoatl. 1 merely refer to this
liere to show the connei.'tion of the air-god with the great
heavenly Ijodies.
Several other si "tcations are attached to the idea of
ail aii'-god. It is natural that the god of heavenly bless-
ini: sliduld also l)e the god of wealth. All wealth de}H'n<ls
i»ri.:iually uixin the produce of the soil, u\)(m thelilessing
• •t' lieaxcn, however worldly the o[)iniou of the matter may
he. (iold is merely the symliol <»f this wealth, like the
uoldcn shower of Zeus. The image of (Quetzalcoatl was,
tlieict'ore. aeeoi'dingto Acosta, adorned with gold, silvei',
je\\rl<. rich leathers, and 'j::i\y dresses, to illustrate his
wtaUh. For this reason he wore a uolden helmet.
280
OODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
TI,
and Ills sceptre was decorated with costly stones, i iic
same view is also the basis of the myths of tlie anciiiits
about snakes and dragons guarding treasures. Tli<'
fact tliat tlie inercliants of Chohda worshi[)efl the god of
wealtii before all others, and as their chief deity, recjuirt's
no explanation.
His worship in Cholula was conducted as follows:
Forty davs belbre the festival, the merchants bouiilit a
s[)()tless slave, who was iirst taken to bathe in a lake
called the I^ake of the (jlods, then dressed up as the
god (^uetzalcoatl, whom he had to represent for Ibi'ty
days. During this time ho enjoyed the same adoriitioii
as was given to the god: he was set upon a raised
place, pre.*<ented with llowers, and fed on the choicest
viands. He was, however, well guarded during the
night, so that he might not escape. During his exhibitinu
through the town, he danced and sang, and the Avomen and
children ran out of their houses to salute him and niiike
him presents. This contiinied until nine days l)efore the
end of the forty days. Then two old priests ap[)roa('lu(l
him in all humility, saying, in deep voice: Lord, know-
that in nine days thy singing and dancing will cease, bc-
cau.se thou must die! If he continued of good s[)irit. iiiid
inclined to dance and sing, it was considered a gooil ouk ii.
if the contrary, a bad one. In the latter case they \nv-
pnred hiui a drink of blood and cacao, which was to ob-
literate the remendjrance of the past conversation.
Alter drinking this, it was hoped that he would resiiiiii'
his former good humor. On the day of the i'estixal
still greater honors were shown him, nnisic sounded and
incense was biu-nt. At last, at the midniiiht hour, he
was sacrificed, the heart was torn out of his body.
held up to the moon, and then thrown toward the inuiLiv
of the god. The body was cast down the ste[)s of the
temple, and served the merchants, especially the slave-
dealers, for a sacrificial meal. This feast and sacriiice
took place every year, but after a certain number of
cycles, as in the divine year, TeoxihuitI, they were cejc-
brated with nmch more pomp. Quet/..dcoatl had, gene-
QIETZALCOATL AS A lIEAIJNd (iOD.
287
nillv. Ills liuiiiiin .siicrificoHiluringtlio A/.toc nilc. as udl
us the otlu-r gods.
The iMnvor Avhieli rerstablishos tlio inacnn'osin. lieals
ami ii'jiivcimtes the microcosm also: it is the geiu'ral
hfiiliiiji' power. With the good Aveather thoiisiinds «)t'
invidids are restored, and relreshing rains not only re-
\ i\(' the thirsty plains of the tro})ics. hut mail hiinsell'.
Tims the air-goil, tiie atniospheK". hecomes a healing
uoil. A Ph(X'nician told I'ansanins tliat the snake god,
J]scula[)iiis. signified the health-restoring air. If this
jiod of heaven is also a snal<e-go(i. like (^net/alcoatl. the
rejuvenating and reVnvigo rating i)o\ver of nature is ex-
])rcssetl in a clear pai'allelism.
The snake-god is also a healing god. and even tho
(iit'i'k JCsculapius eainiot <lispense uith the snake.
It is. thus, not to he wondered at that the sterile Avomen
of the Mexican peoples directed their prayers to (^)uetzal-
cuatl.'"
'fhis concludes the able sunnning-up presented by
-Miillcr. and it is given as I give all theoretical matter,
neither a(ve})ting nor rejecting it. as simi)ly another ray
ol'li^ht l)ent in upon the god (^uetzalcoatl. whose nature
't is not proposed here to either exj^ain or illustrate,
l)!it only to reproduce, as regarded from man\ sides by
the earliest and closest observers.
■'" ^fulh')•, Anv nl-a)i'is('hc I'lTfUiiianrn, pp. r)77-")!l(). Sonic fnrtluT notes
rci^iuilini; this ^'od from a (litt'i'i-cut poiut, miiy be fouud in UiKasi ar d<: JJour-
binii-ij, ralcitqud, pp.-lO etc., liG etc.
CHAPTER VIII.
GODS, SITERXATUKAL BEIXliS, AND WORSHIP.
\abious accounts op thk Bihth, OitioiN, AND Dehivation of thk \amk
OF THE Mkxic.vn Wau God, HriTziLopocHixi, or HIS Tkmpi-k, Imagk,
CEnKMONIAL, FksTIVAIX, AXI> Hl;-t DEPt'TY, OU PAGE, PaYNAL — Ct.AVIuE-
no — UoTCiiiNi - AcosTA — Sous — Sahaoun — IIekhep.a — Tokqckmada
— J. (}. ilil.LKll's KfMMAllY (IF THE HuiTZILOPOCHTLI MyTHS, THKIU
OitKiiN, Kklation, and Signification — Tylok — Codex Vaticanus—
Ti^aloc, God (IF Watkk, especially of Bain, and of Mountains —
ClAVIGERO, GaMA, and IxTI.ILXDCHITL— PkAYEU in time of Di!(lL(illl
— Camargo, MoioLiNiA, JIendieta, and the Vatican Codex on thk
Sacrifices to Ti.ai.oc — The Decorations of his Vicitms and the plac; s
OF THEIR Execution— Gathekin<; Rushes for the Service of thk
Water God — Highway Rorberies ry the Priests at this timk—
Decoi!Atioxs and Implement's of the Priests — Punishments for Cekk-
MoNiAL Offences — The Whirlpool of Pantitlan — lMA(iEs (if ihk
Mountains in honor of the Tlaloc Festival — of the coming Rain
AND Mutilation of the Images of the Mountains — General Prum;-
NENCE IN the CULT OF TlALOC, OF THE NUMBEB FoUB, THE CRoSS.
and THE Snake.
Iluitziloporlitli, Tluitziloput/li. or Yitzilipiitzli. wns
the litxl ol' war and tlie ospocially national god ol' llic
Mexicans. J-^onio said tliat he was a ])invly spiritii.il
boini:. others that a woman had l)orne him after mir.u-
ulons coneeption. This legend, following Cliivigero. r;iii
as follows:
In the aneient city of Tnlla, lived a most devont
woman. (\)atrK'ne liy name. Walking one day in tlic
temple as her custom was. jshe saw a little ball of I'entli-
ers tloating down from heaven, which, taking withcuit
C->88) ^ ) J c
BIUTII ( F HriTZILOroCHTLT.
289
th()nt:1it, slit> put into Ikt bosom. The "svulk bcinj: omU'd,
liDWcvcr, slio could not find tlio hall, iind wondci'i'd
niiu'h, all the more that soon after this she found her-
self jireiiiiant. She had already many children, who
now. to avert this dishonor of their house, consjtii'ed to
kill her; at which she ^vas sorely troubled, lint, from
the midst of her \vond> the ^od spoke: I'ear not. O my
mother, lor this dauLiiM" will I turn to our jzreat honor
iuid ulory. And lo, Iluit/iloiK)chtli. perfect as Pallas
Athena, was instantly born, sprin^ning \\[) with a mi;j,hty
war-shout, <iraspin,n" the shield and the jilitterin,u spear.
His left le^' and his head were adorned with plumes of
•■rei'n: his face, arms, and thighs barred ter>-ilily with
lines of blue. He iell upon the mmatural children, slew
tiiem all. and endowed his mother with their spoils. And
iVoiii tlitit day fortji his names were Tezahuitl. 'i'error. and
Tet/auhteotl, Terrible <"<)d.
This was the god who became protector of the ^^e\i-
ciuis. who conducted them so many years in their j)il-
,i:riiiiage. and settled them at last on the site of .Mexico.
And in this city they I'aised him that proud temple so
iiuicli celebriited even l)y the Spaniards, in which were
MiHuially held their solenni festivals, in the (ifth. )iinth,
and lifteenth months: besides those kept every i'our
years, every thirteen years, and at the begiimingof evei'v
cciitiny. His statue was of gigantic si/.e. in the postui'e
of a man seated on a blue-colored bench. iVom the four
coriitrs of which issued I'our Invm snakes. His forehead
was l)liK'. but his face Avas co\'ered with a golden mask,
while another of the same kind coveri'd the back of his
Iicail. I'pon his head he carried a beautiful ci'est. sliapi'd
like the beak of a bird: n[)on his neck a collar consist-
ing often figures of the human heart; in his right hand,
a large, blue, twisted cltd); in his left, a shield, on which
iii'iieart'd live balls of feathers dis))osed in the form of a
and from the n})[)er part of the shield rose a golden
itl
('l'l)SS.
ii: witli lour ai
■rows. whi(^h the ^lexicans pretended to
li.nc been sent to them from heaven to ]ierform those
^liiiioiis actions which we have seen in their hi.storv. Ilia
Vol. III. I'J
290
GODS, KITEUXATUIIAL r.EIXGS, AND WoUSHIP.
Im)(1 y \vii.s ^irt with ii larjiv jioldou siinko. and adorned with
various lesser li<:nres of animals made; of ^old and jnc-
cions stones, whieli ornaments and insignia had each their
pecidiar meaning. They never deliherated npon making
Nvar withont imploring the ])roteetion of this god, with
]»rayers and sacriliees; and oll'ered np a gi-eater nnnilu r
of hnn..in saei'ifiees to him than to any other of the gods.'
A dilVerent account of the origin of this deity is given
])\ IJoturini, showing the god to haveheen a hravo Mexi-
can chief who was afterward apotheosized: —
While the Mexicans weiv pushing their conipiests and
their ad\ance toward the country now occ'., Tied hy tliciii,
tiny had a very I'enowned captain, or leadei'. called
llnit/iton. He it was that in these long and perilous
jourmys through nnknown lands, sparing himself no
fatigue, took cai'e of the Mexicans. The fahle says of
liim that being fidl of years and wisdom he was one
night caught n[) iii sight of his army, and of all his
people, and presented to the god 'JVzauhteotl. that is to
say the I'riuhtful (Jod, who, being in the shape of a
hoiM'ihle dragon, connnanded him to ho seated at his
right hand, saying: Welcome. valiant ca[)tain; very
ii'rateful am I lor thy fidelitN' in mv sei'vice and in gov-
erning my ])eo[)le. It is time that thou shouldest rest.
sint'e thou art already old. and since thy great dei'<ls
I'aise tlu'C \\\) to the fellowshij) of the innnortal gods.
]\eturn then to thy sons and tell them not to he alllicttd
if in future they cannot see thee as a mortal man: ibr
i'lom the nine heavens thou shalt kK)k down propitious
ni)on them. And not only that, hut also, wlu'n 1 strip
the A'estments of h
uman
itv from thee, I will leave to
thine alllicted and orphan ])eo[)le th)' bones and thy
skull so that they may be comforted in their sorrow, ami
may consult thy relics -as to the road they have to tbl-
low: and in due time the land shall be shown them that
• IIuit/ilojiDchtli is diTivi'tl from two words; huitzUin, the hninniiiii.'-1'ii'1.
mid Kjuirlitl'i. left,-- so Ciillrd fl'olll the lift foot of his ilim^'f bliU),' dici'l:!!' 1
with huumiiiiy-biid fcuthtrs. L'lavUjiro, Sturm AiU. M Mcsnko, toiii. ii.. l p-
17-11).
IMAGE OP iiurrziLoroniTLi.
i':\
I luivo (Icstiiu'd for tliotn, a liuid in wliicli tlicv slmll
huM wide ciiipiiv. iH'iujr respected of tlie otlii-r imlioiH.
Iluit/itoii did nccordinjr totln'se instructions, and id"t( r
ii M)n'o\vfid interview with liis j)eoi)lc. disappeared,
carried awav l>y the <:()ds. The weepinj;" Mexicans I'c-
iiialued with the skull and hones of their heloved ca[ttain,
wliich tlu'V caj-ried with them till thev arrixed in \ew
Spain, and at the place where they hnilt the jiireat city
nf Tenochtitlan. or Mexico. All this time the de\ il
sjioke to them throuirh this skull of I[uit:',iton, often askin.;;
fur the innnolation of men and women, from whieh
tliiiii: orijiinated those hlood\ sacrifices. practicc(l after-
\\:irils hy this nation with so imich cruelty on prisonei's
(it war,
'U
iifi deity was (
alk'd.
Ml I'arlv as we
as in
l;iU r times. Iluit/.ilopochtli. — for the princijial men he-
licved that he was seated at the left hand of Te/catlipoca,
a man (U'l'iwd from the oriiiinul namelluit/iton, and
from the word )iHipoc/ie, 'left liand."^
Acosta <iivL's a minute descrijjtion of the ima^^e and
tcnipie of this <:'od: —
"The chiefest idoll of ^fexico was, as T liavo sayd<',
^')t■/,iliput/li. it was an imaiic of wood like to a man,
set \ pon a stoole of the colour of azuiv, in a ])rankard or
iitti r. at every corner was a })iece of wood in forme of a
Srrpciit s head. The stoole signified that he was set in
hcaxcn: this idoll hadde all the forehead azure, and had
a hand of azure vnder the nose from one care to anotln-r:
\p()U his hcjid ho had a rich plume of feathers, like to
the hcake of a small hird, the which was covered on tho
tdppc with jiolde hurnished very hrowne: lice had in his
Icl't hand a white taruet. with the fljrures of five pine
apples, made of white feathers, set in a crosse: and from
ali.i\t' issued forth a crest of jiold, and at his sides het;
IkhMc foure dartes, which (the Mexicaines say) had
licene sent from heaven to do those actes and prowesses
xvliich shall he sjx)ken of: In his right hand he had an
aziiri'd staffe, cutte in fashion of a waving snake. All
those ornaments with the rest hee liad, carried his senca
2 Untarliil, Jiha de una Hist., pp. CO-1.
8oa
GODS, SUPKUNATUllAL llKINdS, AND ^V()l:sHIl^
lis tlic M«'xi('iiinos doo nIicw; tlu" iianu' of Vitzili|)iif'/!i
Hi<:iurK>s the K't't liiind of u ^liiiiin^ (('iitlu'r. I will
^'^M•ilk«' IiiTrciirtiT of tlic |)r()\v(lc 'IVmjilc, the Hiicriliccs,
li'iists imd cciviiHMrn'S of tliis ^rt'iit idoll. )«'i>j<:' vciy
iiotalth' tliiiijis. Hut at this pri'Si'nt \\v will only nIm'w.
that this idoll tliiis riclily tippiiri'lcd and drckt, was set
Apoii ail liijiii Altaro, in a small pcccc or box*', well
coNcicd with liinu'ii clothes. ji'Wi'Us, irathcrs and onia-
iiu'iits ol'^oldc. with many rnndlt'sof H'athi'rs. the laircst
and most ox(|uisitt' that t^onld he found: hee had ahvaics
a<nn'tine before him for the greater veneration, loyninu;
to till? ehamJMir or chappell «)f this idoll, there was a
l)i'ec(! of lesse worke, and not so well heautilied. where
there was another idt)ll they called Tlaloe. These two
idoUs were alwayes together, for that they held them as
companions, and of ecpial pt>wer.
Tlieri! Avas in Mexico, this Tu, the famous Temple
ol' \'it/ili[)utzli, it had a very jireat circmite, and witliiu
SI (aire Court. It was built of great stones, in fashion of
snakes tie(l one to another, and the circuite was called
('oatei)aiitli, which is, a circuite of nnakes: vpjuMi the
topi)e of every chamber and oratorie where the Idolls
were, was a fine piller wrought with small stones, blacki'
as ieate, set in goodly order, the ground raised \\) willi
white and red, which below gave a great light. A'poii
the top of the pillar were Imttlements very artificially
made, wrought like snailes [caracoles], supi)orted by two
Indians of stone, sitting, holding candlesticks in tlicir
hands, the which were like Croi,* mts garnished and en-
riched at the ends, with 3ellow r «d greene feathers and
long fringes of the same. Witl i the circuite of this
court, there were many chamljcr; )f religious men. and
others that were a})poiHted for the vrvice of the Priests
and Popes, for so they call the sov raigno Priests which
serve the Idoll.
There were foure gates or entries, at the east, west.
north, and south; at every one of these gates beganne a
faire cawsev of two or three leairues lonu'. There was in
the midst of the lake where the clttie of Mexico is built,
TKMri.i; or iinTziLoi'dciiTij.
2! 1:5
lliui'i' l;uv<' (Viwscics in rrossp. wliicli did imicli li(';iiiti('v
if: \\)n\ ovt'iT poi'tidl <»r ciiti'v, wiis a
(i(>.l
or
Moll.
Ii;i\iii;:' tlu' visum' tiinu'd to tlu; ciuisry. ri;:lit iiuiiiiist
the Ti'iiiitli' ^iti' of Vit/ilii>iit/li. TIh'I'c witc tliirtii'
>t(|i|tcs of tliirtio ladonK! loiij:. and tlicv divided IVom
the circuit of the conit hv u Mtri'ctc that went lictwixt
tlicui; \|)()n tilt' topiH' ol'tlu'sc stc|>|H's tlii'iH' Wiis u walkc
tliirlic footc broad, all plaistcrcd with chalkc. in tlu'
millet of which walko was a I'allisado artill. '.dly niado
ufNcrx jiiph trees, planted in order a I'adoine one from
ain'thcr. These trees wei'e very hij^jic. and all j>iei'ced
with small hoK's from the foote to tln' top. and there
were roddes did rinnie from one twe to another, to the
wli
it'll were chained or tied nianv dead mens iiead
es.
A pon every rod were twentie seniles, and these ranckes
of seniles continue from the foote to the toppe of the tree.
This Tallissado was fidl of dead mens scudls from one
end to the other, the which was a wonderfnll monrne-
fiiU sii:ht and fnll of horroi'. 'I'hese were the heads of
such as had heene sacriliced; for after they were dead.
iiiiil had eaten the llesh, the liead was di'livered to the
Ministers of the Temple, »vhieh tied them in this sort
\ntil tlu'\ fell olV hv morcells; and then had the\ a eare
•t oth
tl
lers m tlieir niaces.
\'])on the tojipe of the
ttiiiple were two stones or chappells. and in them wert>
tlie two Idolls which I have sjuiken of, \'itzilipnt/li. and
liisfoinpimion Tlidoc. These Chappells were carved and
pravcn very artificially, and so lii;j,li. that to ascend \ p to
it. tht'i'e was a staire of stone of sixscore stepjjcs. !)et()re
these Chainher.s or (,Miapi»ells. there was a Court of l(»rtie
I'liote s(iiiare. in the midst thereoi". was a hi^li stone of
five hand breadth, poynted in iasiiion of a I'yramide. it
w:i< placed there for the sacrilicinji' of men; Ibr beinn'
laid on their haekes, it made their bodies to bend, and
.-<) the\' did o[)en them and pull ont their hearts, as I
s'.iall shew heereafter." ^
' .1 ■'->'.(. lli^l. X'll. Li'L. i.p. nr)>-3, nni-:?. Aff.stn sivcs n (It'scriptinn cf
lliii\vtli(ii'L,'(icl Vit/.ili|)iitzli.(liiii-t((l aihl
til.' \v,niiliriii''s (if the Mcx
icaus iiiK
d tl
itiii therein, iiiiich as tlic (Iml of Isr.id ilircctiMl his ])('(i|
WlnlelllfSsj
III', acrciss
to the Promisutl Luud. TniJitiuu also tells, Low ho hiui-
2:)i
GODS, SUPE11NATUI?AL BEINGS, AND WOESHIP.
tS)li.s (k'soriht'S tliis tom[)lo also: —
T\]v top of tlio tnnicatoil pyramid on which the i(h)ls
of Iliiitzih)p()ehtli and Tlaloc were placed was I'orty l"eet
scpiare. and reached l)y a stair of a hundred and twenty
steps. On this platform, on either hand, at the head of
the stairs, stood two sentinel-statues supportin.u; jireat can-
dlesticks of an extraoj'dinary fashion. And first, I'roiu
the jas])er Hags, rose a humi shacked altar of <ireen stoue.
Op|ii)site and ))eyond was the chapel wherein hehiiid
cui'tains sat JIuitzilopochtli. on a throne supjjorted hy a,
hhie iiloljc. From this, supposed to i'e[)resent the heax-
ens, jtrojected four staves with seri)ents' heads, hy which
the jtriests carried the jiod when he was hrouiiilit
Ijefoi'e the puhlic. 'J'lie image hore on its head a hird of
wrought pliunes whose heak ami crest were of l)urnishcd
gold. Tiie feathers expressed horrid cruelty and weie
made still more ghastly hy twostrii)es v !' Mueoueon the
hrow and the otiier on the nose. Its right haiul leaned
as on a staff upon a crooked serpent. I [)on the left ana
was a buckler liearing five v.liite j)lums, arranged in foiiu
of a cross; and the hand grasped four arrows veneratiil
as heaven-desceutled. To the left of this was auotlici-
(•hapel. that of Tlaloc. Now these two cha[)els and iddls
were the same in every [)articulai'. I'hese gods were
esti'cmed hrothers— their attrihutes. cpialities. powers.
inclinations, service, prayers, and so on, weie iiU'ntical
or interclanmeahle.^
Sahagun says of lIuit/ilo[)ochtli. that, being originally
a man. he was a sort of Hercules, of great strength and
warliki'. a great destroNcr of towns and slaver oi nii'n.
self nviiilrcl lli:it iiiiinncr of sacrifii'i' must lU'coptalilf to liis wilh-sdiiir c.f
the priests having,' ovirninht (itl'iiulfd him, lo, in tlic mniiiiii^', tlnv \m ic
all ilciul iiiiir. tlirir stdiiiiuhs liiniu; tiit (ijicii, aiul tinir liiiirts juillidd I;
wliii'll riles in sneriliee were tllereii|icili MilDpteil fur tie- service (if tliat til it\ .
ami i-etaiued imtil their rcintiiiL! out hy the stem Spanish hnshamlrv, sn \X' II
nilaptiil to surh foul and hloody tares. I'ttrclids, ///s J'il<iriiiii:-i, vol. i\., ] p.
1002 ;{.
•< SnIU. Ilist.Cimii. .l/(.r.,toin.i.,i>p.3!m-8. Tliis writer says: 'TheSimni-U
soldiers called thisidol lliifhiliilina. hy a corru]it ]iroiiuiiciatiou; so too Imiu.iI
Diaz del Castillo writes it. Authors ditt'er much in desiiihin^,' this ma.Liiiili-
ceiit huildiuL,'. Antonio de Hi rrera follows Framiseo I.ojiez de (n'mar.! I""
closely. We shall foil ,A- Father Jusef de .\eosta and the hetter infcinm d
uuth.ir.s.' J'l.. p. Ji'J.j.
HUITZILOrOClITLI AND CAIIAXTLI.
295
licli tlic idols
ras iorty I'cot
1 anil twenty
t the liead of
in,u' ji'iviit eaii-
lul (Irst, IVoui
I'^reen stone.
in' oriiiinally
Isti'eniitli Jiiid
iver ot iiu'ii.
1 ^
lis will: -sniiic I'f
Iniiii^', tlnv \M vv
•arts jiiilli il ii;.l;
lire of thai dc i'\,
lisliaiidry, sn W' 11
\iiii.-:, \ci. i\.. 1 1'.
k-s: 'TlicS|iiiiii-li
liii: so too l'i( ni:il
Jn^,' this luii.uinli-
|/ (1( (ii'liuiia too
lii'ltir iiifoiiii' d
In wdv he had been a livini fire, very terrihle to his
adversaries; and the devise he bore AViis adrap)n's head,
iViLiliti'iil in the extreme, and easting fire out ol' its
iiiDiith. A jii'eat \vi/ai'd he had been, and sorcerer, traus-
ioniiiiii: hinisell" into the shape of divers birds and beasts.
A\ hile he lived, the Mexicans esteemed this man veiy
hiddv lor his strenjith atid dexterity in wiw. and when
lie died tlu'y honored him as a fzod, oiVeriniz' slaves, and
sacrilieinLi' tliem in his presence. .\nd tiiev looked to it
that those slaves were wjU ted and well decorated with
sih'h ornaments as were in use. with ear-rin.Lisand \isors;
all Ibr the gi'eater honor of the jiod. in Tlaxcala, also
they had a deity, called Camaxtli, who was siniiliU' to
this llnitzilopochtli.''
Gage, in a pretty fair translation of Ilerrera, describes
this god with Tezcatlipoca. lie sa>s: —
'• The gods of ^lexico (as the Indians reported to the
first Spaniards) were two thousand in number; the
I liefest wei'e Vitzilopuchtli
and Tezcatlipoca. whose
irs.
images stood highest in the tem[)le u})on the alt;
They were made of stone in full proportion as big as
a iiiaiii. They were covered with a lawn called Xa-
car: they were beset with peai'ls, precious stones, and
j)iei'es of gold, wrought like birds, beasts, iishes, and
llowers. adoi'ued with emei'alds, turquii's. chalcedons,
and other little fine stones, so that when the lawn was
taken away, the images seemed very beautiful and gloi'ions
to heboid. 'IMiese two Indian idols h.id for a girdle great
snakes of gold, and lor coUai's oi" chains about their
necks ten heai'ts of men maih' of gold ; and each of them
iiai'i a counterfeit visor with eyes of glass, and in their
iieiks Heath jiainted. These two gods were brethren,
I'll' fe/.catlipoca. was the god ol' prox icU-nce. and \ it/.ilo-
I'lichtli, god of the wars, who was worshiped and feared
iiiiire than all the rest." ''
I'onjiiemada goes to some length into the legend
'i Siihdiiun, If'i.ft. doii., torn. ]*., lili. i., \i. i.
'■'Iir/i's Viir ,\uvciy, pji. ll(j-7; Ihrnni, ll(>t. Gni., torn, i., due. ii.,
lili. vii., cap, wii.
,
20(5
GODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
ami (loKM'iptioii of this god of war, Iluitzilopoclitli, or
Moxill:"—
lluit/il()])oclitli, the ancient god and guide of tlie
^lexicans, is a name variously derived, ^^onie say it is
composed of two ^yor(ls: kaltz'd'u}^ ' aliunmiing-hird". and
tldhtiijiHclilll. 'a sorcerer that spits lire.' Others say that
the second piu't of the name comes not from thdnii[)ucht-
li. hut I'rom ojnichtli that is, "the left hand;' st) that the
v,hole name. lluitziloi)ociitli, \vouhl mean ' tlie shininiz-
ieathei'cd lei't hanch' For this i(k»l Avas decorated with
I'ic^h and res[)lendent feathers on the lei't arm. And
this god it was that led out the Mexicans from their own
hind and hrought them nito Anahuac.
S)me held him to he a purely si)iritual heinu'. others
aflirmed that he had heen horn of a woman, and relatdl
his history alter the folhjwing fashion; Near the city of
Tulla there is a mountain called ('oatei)ec, that is to say
the Mountain of the Snake, wheiv a woman liyed. iiaiiud
(V)atlicue, or Snake-petticoat. She was the mother oi"
man>' sons called Centzunhuit/nahna. and oi'a (humhtcr
whose name was Cono
)lxaul
IIIUI.
Coatl
'3ue was \ci\
de\dut and careful in the seryice of the gods, and slie
occupied herself onlinarily in sweejjing and cleaning the
sacred places of that mountain. It hai)[)ened that on
iiy, occu[)ic
(I with these duties, she saw a little hall uf
leathers lloating down to h.er through the air. which sht
taking, as we haye already' related, louu'l herself in ;
short tinu' pregnant.**
L'[)on this all her children conspired against lui- ti
7 T
cni los nil
siiids Natuviilcs atiriuiiii, (jnc (stc Noinlii'i' toinaii
Pios I'liiiciiml, inu' lUos tr.ixiniu, «1 (iiiiil Uiiiii dus Ndiiilu'cs. el uiio lluii-
zilopuclitli. y tl otio Jlcxitly, y tstc sigiuKio, (luitiv tkcir OiiiIiHl;!! ilc
Miij-'iicy.' T'lnpu'initlii, MdiiKn/. Ind., timi. i., ]>. 'J.'X).
■"* • Acoiitti'ii'i, jiiK s, vii dill, (|tlf cstiiiidd 1)uili(ii(lo. (■f)liU' acostiiliilir.i' ii,
i,|;ir
Ail
I', lIllll IK
:lotl
II liriMli u;
ill, liccJiii (Ic j'luniiis, a iiiiiii
ovillii, licclio (Ic liilndi), (|iic sc Ic villi! a los iiiaiids, la (|Uiil t( inn, y im in'i
outre Ills Nahnas, o l''aliUlliii, y la imiiic, diliajn dc la faja ijiU' Ic ci iiiii il
(MiiT])() ( ])nri|n(' hiiiii]irf tiai'ii iajadn estc ^'iiii'io di' vrstidui no iuia^iii.ii: '
Ai'itlid di' Imii'iv. y Imsi'n la | (
li.ta
iiiiis^im luistciid, ni tin df minrl
di' I'liiiiia, ]iara viv di' ijui' jxidiiii apiuvi
lid la liall'i, l^iK dn dc csli) adlnilada, y limchci nias dc culidccv t li si, <liii'
'liail
It en Kcrvicid dc siis
Hi
ii., 1>1). 11-
punlu He aviii In ilio jircuadii.' Torqtunnula, M(»iurij. laiL, tciu,
DOUGH STATUE OF IIUITZILOrOCIITLI.
207
A;\y lior. and cnnio armed aga'uist lior, tlic (lau^litur
('i)\()lxaulu|ui boinu; the riiijileader and most violent
of idl. I'lien, immediate! V, IIuitziloiMK'litli was horn,
fully armed, ha.ing a shield called te/'chnd! in his left
liimd. in his right a dart, or long hhie pole, and all his
ith I
l;i.'i.' Iiarred ove>' witli lines oi the same eoh)i
t'th
11
IS lore-
luad \vas decorated with a great tnl't of green leatiiers.
his left leg was lemi and leathered, and hoth thighs and
tlir arms barred with bine. He then eansed to ajuu'ar
;i serpent made of torches. t<'(fi^. calk'd j'lii/icndf/: and
lie ordered a soldier named 'rochancahjui to liuht this
s(r[K'nt. and taking it with him. to i-mbrace ("oyolxanh-
(jui. From this end)race the matricidal danghter innne-
(iiatcly died, and lluit/iloiiochtli himself slew all her
lu'itln'en and took their sjMjil, enriching his mother
lluicwith. Al'ter this he was sm-nanied Tetzahiiitl. that
is to say. Fright, or Ama/ement, and held as a god. born
of a mother, withont a father. — as the great god of bat-
tl's. foi' in tiiese his worshipers Ibnnd him \cry favor-
alile to them. Besides tlic ordinary image of this goil,
piTiiianently set np in the great temj»le of Mexico,
tiu'ic was another, renewed ever\- \eai'. made of iirains
an<
I seeds of varions kinds. \n ouv of the halls in tl
le
iH'iiililiorliood of thi' temple the jiriests colk'cted and
giniind up with great de\dtion amass of seeils. ol'theama-
iMiitli and other plants. moist<'ning the same v.ith the
blooil of children, and makinu' a douuh thereof, which
tlicy shaped into a statue of the form and statm-e of a,
man. The pi'iests carried this image to the temple and
the altar, previously arranged for its reci'ption. jilaying
tniiiipets and other instruments, and making nnicli noisi>
ainl ado with dancing and singing at the head of the
procr.ssion. All this during the night: in the morning
the lii;jli-])ricst and the other [)riests blessed and consi-
ciatcd the imaiie, with such ])l«'ssin<:' and consecration as
^vel•^' 111 use anion
- tl
lem.
Tl
lis (lone, ant
I til
peoi
lie
iiv<(iiil)k'd. every jierson that could come at the image
touched it wherever he could, as Christians touch a relic,
iiiil made ollerings thereto, of jewels of gold and pre-
lli
208
GODS, SUrEENlTURAL BEINGS, AND WOESHIP.
,
cious stones, each according to liis means and devotion,
sticking the said offerings into the soft fresh doiigli of
Avliich tlie idol was confected. After this ceremony
no one was allowed to touch the image anv more, nor to
enter the })lace where it was, save oidy tlie higli-pric'.><t.
After that they hrought out the image of tlie god Tay-
nalton." — who is also a war god, being vicar or sub-cap-
tain of the said Iluitzilopochtli, — an image made of
Mood. It was carried in the arms of a priest who rep-
resented the god (Juetzalcoatl, and who was decorated
with ornaments rich and curious. ]>eibre this priest
tl
lere man
bed
mother carrMu
5i[tl
le nnaue ol a ureat
n
ssnake, large and thick, twisted and of many coils. The
])rocession lilcd along at great length, and here and there
at various temples and altars the priests olVeri'd U[t sacri-
fices, iunuolating human captives and (piails. The
iirst station, or stopping-place, was at the ward of Tent-
lacbco. Thence the cortege passed to Tlatelulco (when;
I, Tor({uemada. am now writing this history); then to
roi)()tlan; then to Chapultepec — nearly a league iVoiu
tlu. city of Mexico; then to Tepetoca; then to Acacbi-
nanco; then back again to the temple whence itha<l set
ou
t; and then the ima<i'e of Pavnalton was put
on til
altar where stood that of llnit/ilo[)ochtli, being left there
with the banner, called czpftiiizfll, that had been carried
bet
ore I
till
u'uu
th
dv tl
le march: only the ureat snake, men-
tioned above, was carried away and put in another plae
III
^ Tills I'lynaltDU. or raynnl, was n kind of (lciiiity-j,'0(1, (ir sulistitntr fiv
Hnit/.ilop iclilli; used in cases of niLjcnt baste and iuiiuediate eiiiiiL^i my.
wlieie ]prrliaiis it nii;,'lit l>e Uiouj^'ht tliero was Jiot time fciv the li ii;_'lli< m I
cereiiKinies necessary to the invocation of the ^'leater war deity. Sahauan s
account of Paynal is concise, and will t'.irow lij;ht on the I'cniailis if
Tor'|ueniada. as L;iv( n ahove in the text. SaUa,L;nn says, in ett'ect: 'J'liis {.'m"
I'aynal was a liital of suli-captain to Hnitziloiiochtli. 'I'he latter, as diii f
<Mlptain, dictated the delilKnte undertaking,' of war aj;ainst any province: the
former, as vicar tn the other, served when it became iinexinctedly necessary to
t die U|i arms and make front hurriedly i\L;aiiist an enemy. 'J'hen it wastli t
I'aynal -whose name means ' swift, or hurried, ' — when livins,' on earth m t
out in person to stir uji the ])eoi>le to repulse the enemy. Tpon his dealii
lu; was deilied and a festival appointed in his honor. Jn tliis festival, his
iniaf,'e, richly decorated, was carried in a lowj. jirocession, every one, hean r
of the iilol or not, running,' as fast as he could; all of which representeil (lie
promiitiiess that is many times necessary to resist the assaidt of a f"c attacli-
luy by stupri.-ii; ur umbutjcade. ISalaujun, Hist, Ucn., turn, i., lib. i., p. -.
SYMBOLIC DEATH OF HUITZILOrOCHTLI.
299
to ^\llIeh it belonged. And at all tliose places ^vliore
tlu' procession appeared, it was received Avitli incensings,
^aciilices. and otiier ceremonies.
Tliis procession iinislied, it having occupied the great-
er part of the day. all was prepared for a sacrifice. The
king himself acted the part of priest; taking a censei',
lie put incense therein with certain ceremonies and in-
ci'iised the image of the god. This done, they took down
again the idol. Paynalton. and set out in miu"<'h. those
going in front that iiad to he sacriiiced. together with all
things ])ertaining to the fatal I'ite. Two or three tinii's
they made the cii-cie of the tem[)le, moving in horrid
,.()i't^ov. and then ascended to the U)\). where they slew
the victims; ])egiiniing with the j)risoners of war. and
(inishing with the I'attened slaves, purchased I'or the
occasion, rending out their hearts and casting the same
at the feet of the idol.
All tlirough this day the festivities and the rejoi(ring.s
coiitimicd. and all the day and night the pi'icsts watched
vigihmtly the dough statue of lluit/ilopochtli. so that no
oversight or carelessness should interlere with the venera-
tion and .service due thereto. Kaily next day they took
down said statue and set it on its feet in a hall. In-
to this hall there entered the i)riest. called after <^)iiet-
/.alcoatl. who had cai'ried the imagi' of Paynalton in his
iunis in tile procession, as hefore I'ehited : there entered
also the king, with one of the most intimate servants,
calleij Tehua, of the god llnit/iloj)ochtli. four other
liivat ja'iests, and lour ol" the ])rineipal youths, called
Tclpo('litlato(iue. out of the nuniher of those that had
t'hai'ge of the other youths of the temple. These men-
tloued. and these alone, heing assiMuhU'd. tlie pi'iest
named after (^)uet/,alcoatl took a dart tijiped with lliut
iiii'l hurled it into the hreast of the statue of dough,
ulijcji fell oil receiving the stroke. This ceremony was
••^f^ii'd. "killing the god llnit/ilo])0(;htli so that his body
luijiit he eati'ii.' L'pon this the ])riests advanced to
till' fallen image and one of them ])ulled the heart out of
It, and gave the same to the king. The other priests
III
PM
GODS, SUPERNATURAL REINGS, AND "WORSHIP.
10
cut tlio ])iistv 1)()(ly into two liiilvos. OiioiiiiirAviis piM'ii
to tilt' |)C'oi)l(' of Tliitoluloo, who ])iU'to(l it out in crKuihs
iMUoii";' nil their wjinls, iiud ^jKriiiUy to the younii'
soldiers. — no woman heinj^ allowed to taste a morsel.
The other halt' was allotted to the people of that part of
^Texico ealled Tenochtlitlan; it was divided amoni:' tl'e
tour wards, Teopan, At/acpialeo. (^)uepoi)an. and Movdt-
lan; and given to the men, to hoth small and great, even
to the men-ehildreii in the cradle. All this eereinony
was called tcoq/ui/o, that is to say. ' god is eateji.' and
this making of the dough statue tind eating oi" it was re-
newed once every year
Closely as J. (r. Midler studied the character of ()uet-
zalcoatl. his examination of that of lluit/.ilopochtli. li;is
])een still more mimite and was indeed the subject of a
monograjjli [)uhlished by him in 1847. .V studi'iit of
the subject car.. lot aiVord to (nerlook this study, and I
translate the more im))ortant ])arts ol" it in the paragrajihs
which Ibllow; not, indeed, either i'or or against the in-
terests of the theory it suj)i)()rts, but lor the sake of t]:c
accurate and detailed handling, rehandling. and group-
ing there, by a master in this de[)artment of mytholo;. i-
cul learnimr, of almost JiU the data relating to the matter
in hand: —
lluit/ilopochtli has l)een already referred to as an orig-
inal god of the ail' and of heaven, lie agrees also witli
(^)uet/alcoatl in a second ca[)ital ])oint. in having be-
come the anthropoinor[>hic national god of the A/.tcis.
as (.)nct/,alcoatl of the Toltccs. On their marches ami
in
leir Avars, in the establishment of codes and to\vii<,
as well as in misfortune, the A/.tecs were
m naunmcss
guided by his oracle, b^' the sj)irit of his being. As tlic
^foltccs. especially in their later national chaiaelei'.
iliJVer from tin.' Aztecs, so dilVer their two chief natimi^d
,-. Mis. If the cajatal of the Toltecs. (Miolula. resembled
I'ltxhrii Ivonu'in its religious elTorts. so the god enthi'eiied
1h"re was transformed into the human form of a liiuli-
priest. Ill wlioni tuis [K'ople saw
lU
his 1
iKiiian K
leal.
"^ TonjitfiiiiKhi, Mmvirq. linl., toiii. i.. j). 2'.'.'!. tnm. ii., ]ij). 11-.'!, 71
THE NAME liriTZILOPOCIITLI.
aoi
the same manner one mit-lit bo led to compare tlie eap'i-
t;il ot" the A/tecs witli ancient Rome, on account of its
wirllke .spirit, an<l tliei-el'ore it was rijiiit to make the
iiitioual god of the Aztecs a war god like the Roman
MlD'S.
We will commence with the name of the god. which.
Mccordiug to Sahagim. Acosta. Torcjuemada. and most of
the writers, signifies "on the lel't side a humming-hird :'
iVoiii liiiifvlhi^ "a hiinnning-hird,' and opoc/if/i. 'lei't.'
Ill connecting the A/tec words, the ending is cut oil".
The image of the god had in reality, fre(|uently, the
fiathers of the humming-hird on the left loot. The con-
nection of this hird with the god is, in many ways, ap-
|irn|ifiate. It no douht appeared to them as the most
ticiutifnl of hirds, and as the most worthy re[)i"esentant
of their chii'f deity. Does not its crest glitter like a
crown set with rubies and all kinds of precious stones?
The A/tecs have accordingly, in their way, called the
hiiiiiming-bird, 'sun-beam,' 'orsun-hair;' as its alighting
upon llowei's, is like that of a snn-heam. The chief god
of the Caribs. Jnluca, is also decorated with a band
of its leathers roinul the forehead. The ancient Mexi-
cans bad. as their most noble adormnent, stati'-mantles
of the same featiuM's. so nnich praised by Cortes; and
even at tiie pi'esent time the Aztec women adorn their
cars with these plumes. This hunnning-bird d(«coration
on the left loot of the god was not the only one; he
hail also a green bunch of |)lumaue u|)on his head, shaped
like the bill of a small bird. The shield in his lel't hand
was decorated with white featiiei's. and the wliole image
was at times covered with a mantle of feathers. To
till, general virtues which make com[)i'ehensible the
limnniing-bird attribute as a divine one. nuist be added
the sju'ciiil virtue of bravery peculiar to this bird, which
is specially suited to the war god. The Knglish trav-
cl'i- RuUock tells how this bird distingui.she;* itself
lor its extraordinary courage, attacking others te)i
tunes its own size. Hying into their eyes, and using
its sharp bill a.s a mo.st dangerous weapon. Noth-
( If.
iif.
I
802
GODS, SUPERNATURAL BEIXGS, AND WORSHIP.
in<r more tlariiifi can ))o witnosstnl than its attack upon
other birds of its own species, ^vhen it fears distiirbinici!
diirinji the Ijreeding-season. The elVects of jealousy
transform tliese birds into perfect furies, the throat
swells, the civst on their head, the tail, and the win^s
are expanded; they fight Avhistlinji in the air, until one;
o
f tl
leui I'alls exhausted to the <iround. That such a
mai'tial s[)irit should exist in so small a creatuic
shows the intensity of this spirit; and the I'cliuious
feeling!; is the sooner iu'oused, when the instrument ol' a
divine power ap[)ears in so trillinu' and weak a body.
The small but brave and warlike woodpecker '■itood in a
similar relation to Mars, and is accordingly termed y
iici'S
minims.
This, the most connnon ex])lanation of the nam(» 1 1 nit-
zilopochtli, as ' liumming-bird. lel"t side' is not followed
hy Veytia, with whoui I'richard ajii'ei's. lie declaims
the meaninji' of the name to be ' left hand.' I'roui /mif-
zitoc, 'hand,' because lluit/ilopochtli. according to the
fable, after his death, sits on the left side of thi^ god
Te/catlipoca. Now, lluitzilopociitli is in another place
considered as the brother of this u'od ; he also stands
higher, iuid can therefore scarcely have obtained his
name from his jiosition with respect to the other deity.
Besides, hand in Aztec is properly translated as iti'u(/.(tv
toilKl.
Over and above this attribute which "ives the iiod li
IS
name, there are others which point towards the concep-
tion of a war god. lluitziloi)ochtli had. like Mars an 1
Odin, the spear, or a bow, in his right hand, and in
the left, sometimes a bundle of ari'ows. sometimes a
round white shield, on the side of which wei'e the fdiir
rows sent him from lu'aven wherewith to perfmin
ai
S ile-
ll llCdi',
the heroic deeds of his ])eo[)le. On these weapon
l)ended the welfare of the state, just as on the
of the Roman Mars, which had fallen from the sky. ei"
on X\ni pnlhuUtini of the wiU'like Pallas Athena.
l\y-names also point out lluitzilo[)ochtli as war god;
for he is called the terrible god, Tetzateotl. or the rag-
■:.: li
KINDKED OF IIUITZILorOCIITLI.
nf)3
iii;i. Tt'tziiliuitl. Tlioso niiinos lie rcccivi'd at liis ])ii-tli,
wlicii 111', jn^t i.ssuud I'rom liLs mother's wonih. overthrow
liis jidvorsiirios.
Xot loss do liis eoniioctions indicate his warlike nature.
His viMUiiiest hrother, Tlacahuepanouextot/iii. was also
a WAV u(»d. >vliose statue existed in Mexico, and who re-
el 1
cs'ised noiuaue, especially in li
db
Ti
7.CIIC
o. In still elosi-r
relationship to him stands his hrother-in-arms. or. as
lu'riial Diaz calls him, his pa;j;e, raynalton. that is,
'the fleet one;' ho was the jiod of the siid<len war
!il;inii, tmniiifus or ji'onoral Icrce eii nmssc: his call
()l)rn:('d all capahlo ol' hoarinir arms to rush to the de-
t'ciu'o. lie is otherwise considered as the representaut
lluit/.iloiiochtli and subordinate to hiiii. lor he was
I as the eiidiiii:' ioic
()iil\- a, sm
idl
imaiio, as Diaz savs, juk
not
es.
The statue of this little war-(!rier was always
pliK'ed ujion the altar of lluitzilo[)ochtli, and .st)metinies
cMi'i'ied round at his feast.
Other symholic attributes establish Huitzilopochtli as
till' Lieiieral national god of this warlike jx'ople. and sym-
Mnli/.cd Ins
pe
rson;
pi
esence.
On the march from the
iiiicient home, the priests took their turn, in i'oiirs. to
t;in\ bis wooden imaue, with the little Wivi I'allen i'rom
lifa\i'u. and the four arrows. The litter, upon which
the inuiLie was carried, was called the 'chair of uod,'
tnu-jKiHi. ;ind was a holy box. such as was w^viX anion;.:;
the Mtruscaus and l\iiy[)tians. the (Jreeks and the Ko-
iiiaiis. in Ilium, tuiioni:' the .Japanese, aiiioiin' the Mon-
.^kIv In America, the Cherokees are also I'ound with
Mii!i ini ark. The ark of the covenant cariicd l>y the
I-i\ltrs through the desert ajid in battle, was of a simi-
lar kind. Wherever the Azti'cs halted for some time
IIIU'IU
- tl
leir wanderings
tl
ie\' eri'(
■ted
lit
111 altar or
>^a rilicc mound to their god. u[)on which tlie\' jilaced
this gods-litter with the image; which ancient obser\-
aiui' they kcjit up, in later times, in their temples.
by lis side they erected a movable tent. fti/icniKcii/iiin^
Otit'tshiitte). ill the open country, as is customary
among lUMuadic people, such as the Mongols. The god,
■Mi
(;OI)S, SUrERNATrRAL RETXGS, AND WORSHIP,
iKmcvcr. uiivo tliciii the codrs iind iismlivs of a ciiltiiicil
jn'oplt', aiul received oll'eriiigs of pri.-^uiier.s, liiiuks. jiiul
(|iiails.
As the liead of a sparrow on a Imman IhxIv points (o
tlu! roi'iiier worship of (^iiet/alcoatl under the forui of
a sparrow, so the Inunmin^Li-hird attribute on the iniiiLic
and in the name of iluit/ilopochtli. ]H)ints him out as an
oriiiinal auinial <i<)d. 'rhe<ieiu'ral mvtholo.uical rule, that
such animal attributes refer to an ancient worship oi" the
}i()d in (|uestion under the form of an animal. ])oints this
out in his case, and the special m\ th of Iluitziton assists
here in the investigation of the I'oundation of this orij:iii-
Jil nature.
When the A/tecs still lived in A/tlan. a oertaiu
JIuit/iton enjoyed theii' highest esteem, as the falilc
tells. This lluit/iton heard the voice of a bii'd, which
cried " tihui, ' that is * let us uo." " He thereupon
asked the jK-ople to leave their home, which they ac-
cordingly <lid. Whi-n we consider the name Iluit/,i-
tou. the nature of the story, and the mythical time to
which it refers, no doubt remains as to who this iluit-
ziton is supi)osed to be. It is e\ident that he is none
other than the little bird itself, which, in our later form
of the myth, as an anthro[)omor[)hic I'able, is separated
from him; separated euhemeristically, just astheLaliii
I'icus Avas separated from his woodi)ecker. This I'iciis.
whose songs and tlight were [)ortentous, was i
■cli-
resented as a youth with a wood[)ecker on his head, ol"
which he made use for his seer-art; l)ut was originally,
as denoted l)y his name, nothing else than a woodpcckcf.
which was adoi'ed on the wcjodeii pillar i'rom whicli it
sent its sayings. This woodpecker placed itself u[)on tlic
rtv'dliiDi of the ^^abines. and guided them to the region
which has been named IMcenum after it. As this hinl
guided its peo[)lc to their new abode, like lluit/iton,
so many other animal gods have lead those who. in
ancient times, sought new homes. Thus a ci'ow con-
ducted Jiattus to Cvrene; a dove led the Chalcid-
*' St't.' this vol., ]). G'J, iiotu.
IIUITZITOX AND PAYN'ALTOX.
305
ians to rvronc; A|M)11(). in the form of u tloli)liiii. took
till' Civtiins to I'vtho; Antinous loniuU'd a new M-ttU'-
iiii'iit. to wliicli a snake liad pointed tlie wav; a hnll
carrii'd ( 'adinns to Tliehes; a wolf led the lliipinians.
Tilt' ori,ninal stoek of the Sonth Aniericiin iieoplc. the
Mltavas. reeeived the divine order, thron^h the bird Cara-
caia. to roam as enemies in the territories of otluT
people instead of settling down in a fixed hahitation —
this is an anti-enlture myth. As the lonnding of towns
favors the hirth of myths like the preceeding. so also does
till' fomidinji" of convents, the sites of which, according
to the numerons fables of the (Miristian media'val age.
were [)ointed ont by animals. — one of the remnants of
olil heathenism then existing in the ])opnlar faniy. 'i'o
ii'smne the snbjec^t, lliiit/.iton is, therefoiv, the humming-
bird god. who, as oracular god, connnanded the Aztecs
to emigrate. His name signifies nothing else than 'small
liuiiuiiing-bird.' the ending ton being a diminutive
syllabk'. as in Paynalton. Thus the humming-bird was
the bearer, at the time of the great Hood, of the divine
message of joy to the Tezpl of the ^lichoacans, a peoj)le
related to the Aztecs. It had been let loose as the
water receded, and soon returned with a small twig to
till' ark.'- On the Catherine Islands [islands of Santa
("ataliiia].'' in California, crows wore adored as inter-
preters of the divine will. From the above it is also
sell-e\ident that lluit/iton and IIuitziloi)()chtli were one,
which is the conclusion arrived at by the learned re-
searcher of Mexican lanuuaiics and traditions, the Italian
Hotiiriui. The name. myth, and attributes of Iluitzilo-
piH'htli point then to the hunnning-bird. Previous to
the traiisli)rmation of this god, by anthropomoi'phism,
lie was merely a small humming-biid. /inltzi/oir, by
anthropomorphism, the bird bc'j.ime, howevci". merely
the attribute, emblem or symbol, and name of the god,
— a name which chaimed with his form into ' hmnming-
iid on the left,' or Uuitzilopochtli.
i\
} I
1 1"%
'",■11
•ill
'i4
'-Sc,. this vol. ]). CI.
" Sfu this vol. j>. i;Jl.
Vol hi. 20
300
CJODS. SLTEKNATUllAL IJEINGS, AND WOUSIIIP.
■
Tlic identity of tho two, in spito of tlio diffcivnt ox-
])liiniition.s of the luune, is acceptt'd hy Voytiii, \vliojii\«'s
lluit/it(H', us the name of the eliief who le«l tiie A /.tec;
iinnies ihn'inji their hist wunderings from (.'i»icomo/t«M'. or
the Seven (.'lives, intt) Anahuiic. Under his leiuU-rshij)
the Aztecs were everywliere victorious, and for this
rciison he was placed, after his death, on tlie left side «)f
the <>:(){{ 're/,(Nitlipoca; since which time he was called
lliiit/.ilopochtli.
The identity of llnit%it(m and iruitziloiKK'htli. is also
shown hy other facts hesidesthe name, the attrihnte, and
the iiiytliological analojiy: the same important acts are
uscrilied to hoth. We have seen that lluit/iton coiii-
niandeil the Aztecs to leave their home; accordinji to
another account of Acosta, this was done on the ]iersiia-
sion of Iluitzilopochtli. If other Spanish authors state
that this was done hy instigation of the devil, they mciiii
none other than IIuitzilo|H)chtli, using a mode of sju-ec li
which had hecome an estahlished one. This name hecaiiie
a conunon title of the devil in (Jermany, under the I'oriii
of ^'i/,liputzli, soon after the concpiest of .Mexico, as mny
he si't'u in the old popular drama of Faust, 'i'he I'ahle
fiu'ther relates of lluitziton that he taught the Aztecs to
l)roduce lire hy fi'iction, during their wanderings. The
gift of (ire is usually a.scribed to a culture-god. Iluitzil-
o[K)chtli was such a deity; he introduced dress, laws, and
ceremonies among his people. The statement that 1 1 uit-
ziton had at some time, given fire to the ])eople, has jio
historical meaning; there is no |)eople withoit fire, and
a formerly told mvtli mentions that man nuid(^ (.i-eeveii
before the existence of the present sun. Tim significa-
tion of the fable is a religious one, it is a niyih in which
the Aztecs ascribe the origin of all human culture tu
lluitziton their culture-god, afterward Huitzilopochtli.
This god wore also a band of human hearts and faces
of gold and silver; while various bones of dead men. as
Avell as a man torn in pieces, were depicted on hisdri'ss.
These attributes like those of the Indian Schiwa and
Kali, clearly point him out as the god to whom huniau
KACIIIFICE AIYTHS.
.'KIT
sinrificcs wvvo iniidc. Tt \\;\h oxtciisivcly liclicvcd
;im(»ii;j; tlio nations coinixisiiijr tlu' Mrxicaii llniiiirc tluit
liiiiiiaii sacrilia's had Ik'imi introduced hv tin- A/.tccs
Avitliin tlic last two ccnturit's, Jid'orc that tiin«' only
MihmIK'ss oiVrrinjrs had hcen made. A myth ])la('cs tlio
(•(iiiinu'nci'nu'nt of human sacrilitvs in tho ronitecntii
(ciitury, in which the throe lirst sncci'ssive cases thereof
arc said to have occurred.
The (\)lhuas, the rulin<x nation at that time in tlie
\alley of Anahuac, are said to have louj-ht a hattle with
tlicir enemies of Xochimilco, wliich was decided in iavoi*
nf the Colhuas, owing to the imjK'tuous attack made hy
the ti'ilintarv A/tecs in their aid. While the Coliiuas
were i)resentin}i a larjie nnmher of prisoners hefore their
kiii^. the Aztecs had only secured four, whom they kept
secreted, hut exhihited, in token of their hravery, anum-
licr of ears that the\' had cut from their slain enemies,
lioasting' that the victory would have heen nnich delayed
li;id they lost time in making prisoners. Proud of their
tiinmph. they erec^ted an altar to Iluit/ilopochtli, in
llnit/,iloi)ochco, Jind made known to their lord, the king
of the (\)lhuas, that they desired to oiVer this god a
costly and worthy sacrifice. The king sent them, ))y
tlie hands of })riests, a dead hird, which the messen-
litMs laid irreverently upon the altar, and departed.
flic Aztecs swallowed their chagrin, and set a fra-
grant her!) with a knife of iztli hesido the hird. As
the king with his suite arrived at the festival, more
lor the sake of mocking the jn'oceedings than to grace
tlii'iii. the four prisoners taken from the Xochimilcos
were Wrought out, placed upon the stone of sacrifice,
their hreasts cut open with the iztli, and the palpitating-
heart torn out. Thi.s sacrifice hrought consternation
ii|)oii the Colhuas, they discharged the Aztecs from
their service and drove them away. The Aztecs wan-
(h red lor some time ahout the country, and then, at the
coiiiiuand of their god, founded the town of Tenochtit-
laii. or Mexico, on a site where they had found a nopal
iOpimtie) growing n^Kin a rock.
I
III
(iODS, SUr^iUNATUEAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP,
At tlio seeoiul sacrifice a Colhiui was tlio victim.
An Aztec was Imntinji:, on the shore of the lal<e, for an
animal to oiVer liis patron deity, when he met a Colhiia
called Xomimitl ; he attacks him furiously, bears him
down, and the defeated man is made to bleed upo'n the
sa(M"i(lce stone.
lioth myths are aitiological, and explained by tlie
sacrifice system (Opferkultus). This is shown in the
case of the four prisoners, of whom we shall learn more
in the third story. The .second story personifies the
Aztec and the Colhua peoples in. the two niei). the
second nation supplying the first with human sacridccs.
AVitii the sacrifice of Xomimitl, the parallelism of wiiicli
to the four Xochiuiilos catniot ])e overlooked l)y any
one. the first temple of lluitzilopochtli, in Tenochtitlan,
was inaugurated.
The third sacrifice shows still more closely the relig-
ious basis ( Kultusgrundlage) of the myth. Here also,
as in the foi-mer, we have to do with a Colliun.
The Aztecs ofl'ered the (\)lhua king to show diviiir
honors to his daughter and to apotheosize her nito the
mother of their national god, declaring that such wiis
the will of the deity. The king, rejoicing at the lionoi'
intended for his daughter, let her go, and she was
brought to Tenochtitlnn with great pomp. Xo sooner,
liowever, had she arrived than she was sacrificed, flayeil,
and one of the bravest youths dressed in her skin. Tiic
king was invited to the solenni act of the deification of
his daughter, and only became aware of her death when
the llame from the copal gum revealed to him the bloody
skin about tlie youth phu^ed at the side of the god. Tlic
diuighter was, however, at once formally declared motlitf
of lluit/dopochtli and of all the gods.
'I'his aitiological cultus-myth is easily explained.
Till' name of the daughter is Teteionan, whom we Iia\('
learned to know as the gods-mother, and as Tocitziu. 'oni'
grandmother.' "
I^he was nev«'r the daughter of .t
" If some (if tlio uiimcs iiiul tiiytlis, iiU'iiHoiii'il or iillndcd tn tvtnu thin' U>
Haw, l)y Miillor uiul othoi-.-i, iirc yi-t luikiiowii to tlu' roiuK'i', hu will iiuum-
TETEIONAN,
309
Ijo honor
(O soon*')'
l)in ^vl' liit\«'
MMt/in. 'our
t(i from liiiif to
I hu will iiiiu lu-
liinn:iii kin^". l»iit litis lu'eii trjinsforinod into ono hy cu-
hcint'i'isni. soniculiat us Ipliigoniu is to be considered us
oritiiniiily Artemis. The goddess Teteionan liad lier
special festival in Mexico, \vlieii a woman, dressed as
pxldess. was .sacriliced; while held on the back of an-
other woman, her head was cnt oil" then she was ilaved,
and the skin carried by a youth, accompanied by a
iimnerons retinue, as a present to lluitzilo[H)chtli. I'our
piisoncrs oi" war were, moreover, j)reviously sacrificed.
Similar to this story, told ])y (Uavigero, is another,
narrated by Acosta. According to the latter, To/.i was
the daughter of the king of Culhuacan, and was made
the first human sacrifice by order of lluitzilopochtli. who
desired her for a sister. Tozi is, howevei", none other
than Toeitzin, and is also shown to be 'om-grandmothtr.'
According to the Aztec version, the custom of dressing
priests in the skin of sacrificed beings dates from her —
such iv[)resentations are often seen, especially in Jlnm-
holdt : the Basle collection of ^fexican anti([uities possesses
also the stone image of a [)riest dressed in a human skin.
Thi' fourth month, Tlacaxipehualitzli, this is, 'to flay a
man.' derived its name from this custom, which is said to
have been most frequent at this period of the year.
(loddesses, or beings rei)resenting goddesses, are saci'i-
ficed in both of these fables. We have met with human
sacrifices among the .\[uyscasin Ceiiti-ai America, and ',n
connection with miuiy deities of the Mexicans, in whith
the human victim represents the god to whom he is to
he .■sacrificed. Slaves impersonating gods were also
sacrificed among the northern invHans, the so-c.dled
/iii/ics hniros. The ])erson siicrificed is dexoined b\'
the god, is given over to him. is alieady part of him,
is the god h'lnself Such was the case with the slave
that pe'\-onated ' ■ ■ .'tzalcoatl in the merchants" festival
in ( 'Ik lula.
'!"! " critic is only able to admit the relative tiaith of
'" 1" 'lie iiiiiiossiliility i>f iitiy iirruiii^ciiiciit of llu'so iiiixcil iiiul ftir-i.n ilviil
1 ■,''ii(ls liy whiili, without iiitiiiiti' vi>iliiii)^'r, tliis tioiilili' rciilil lif wli'll'.
"I' iiiliil. Ill i,'oo(l tiiiii', 1111(1 willi what ciiiiiin -^s is |Ki.ssililc, the list of j^'oiU
uu I ligt luls will bu lUiuiu iw iR'Uily us iiiiiy lii- foiiipleto.
mi
iM
11
310
GODS, SUPERNATUKAL BEINGS, AND WOllSHIP.
the rccentncss of the pLM'iod in which the origii )f ^rexi-
can hunijin wicrif'cos is j)lace(l by these three myths. AVe
jdrejidy know that luiniin siicrifices are very ancient in
all America, and that they have only l)een put aside at a
few places l)y humane efforts ; as in Peru to some extent
l)y means of the Incas. We have met with them through-
out all South America.
The statement so generally made that the Toltcc
Quetzalcoatl preached against human sacrifices, certaiulv
implies the previous existence of such sacrifices. This
statement about Quetzalcoatl also points out the way to
the assimilation of the varying accounts, fables, mikI
myths. \n very ancient times human sacrifices jiit--
dominated everywhere. The Toltecs, like the lucas.
endeavored more or less to abolish them, and, even if not
altogether successful, they reduced them considerably.
The Aztecs rei'n trod need them. In the l*]ast Indies,
these sacrifices date back to the era before the Hood, ami
the (jreeks there met with remains of anthropophauiy,
the basis thereof.
IJrahmanism sought to exterminate these ancient sac-
rifices, and the Vedas forbid them, a })rohibition wliidi,
in connection with the ci stoin of pretending to saciilicc
human beings, gives evidence of a former use of actual
sacrifices. The later sect of Shiwaits again introduced
them.
However ancient the national political jjliaso of lliiit-
/ilo[)ochtli may be, the nature phase is still older.
This god, too, has a nature-basis which not only explains
his being, but throws light upon his further unlblding
as a national or war god. All searchers who do ni»t
Ix'gin with this basis, see nothing but inexplicable rid-
dles and contradictions before them.
I'his nature-basis is first seen in the myth about liis
birth. In the neighborhood of TiiUa there was a pla"i'
called Ooatepec, where lived a god-fearing woman,
called Coatli(!ue. One day, as she was going to tin'
temple, according to her custom, a gaily coloretl ball nf
feathers fell down from heaven; she picked it u[i and
TWO MOTHERS OF HUITZILOPOCIITLI.
811
ofll
iiit-
I ol
\vy.
.x,)l
mis
nlolt
Yuvs
do
iiiit
il)K'
v\A-
lioiit liis
5> 1
lii">'
\V()iiiiin,
; to
til."
1):
11 n\'
up,
;uiil
liiil it in licr bosom, intending to decorate the altar
tlierewitli. As she was on the point of producing it for
this purix)se, it could not be found. A few days after-
A\ urd she was aware of being pregnant. Her children, the
("culzunhuitzn^diuas, also noticed this, and, in order to
avoid their own disgrace, they determined to kill her l)e-
loro she was delivered. Her son't)w was however, mirac-
ulously consoled by a voice that made itself heard fioui
uithiu her womb, saying: Fear not, O mother, 1 will save
thee to tliy great honor, and to my great fame! The
brothers, urged on by their sister, were on tlie point of
killi ".> he'' when, ])ehold, even as the armed Athena
-, i!/;., . oui her father's head, lluitzilopochtli was born;
till >l;ield in his left hand, the spear in his riglit, the
inveu })huna<e on his head, and hunnuing-bird feathers
on his left leg; his face, arms, and legs being, moreover,
stri[)ed with blue. At once he slew Ids opponents.
])liuidered their dwellings, and brought the spoils to his
mother. From this he was called Terror and the Fright-
ful (Jod.
If we dissect this myth, we notice that another mother
appears than the one formerly sacrificed in his honor, Te-
tciouau. Two motiiers present nothing remarkable in
iiutholouv. I ha\»^()ulv touiention Aphrodite and Athena,
uho according toilillerent accounts, had dilferent lathers.
Soloug "IS Hit' fo'-iiiution of mythsg(jes on. Ibiuided u[)on
iVi'sh ('oiK'( >t, :•!!- )t' nnture, somewhat dilferent ideas
(for wholly 'lili. •vnt jven !iere, the two mothers are
not) IVoui distinct j^oiuts of view, are always possible,
it is the aiithropouu)i'[)hisui of the age that fixes on tlie
oiii'-siih'd conclusion. Teteiouan is lluitzilopochtlis
mother, because she is the mother of all the gods, ^fhe
mother, in this instance, is the Floi'a of the A /.tecs, eu-
luiiicrized iuto a goil-l'eariug wouiau. ( 'oatlieue. or Coat-
1 intaua. (>'" whose woi'ship in Coatepec and Mexico we
^\t' have n!) .icly spoken.
riu> seeoM ' point ])rominent in tlie myth, is the
• lose eounection of Iluit/ilopochtli with the botanical
kiii-iluiu. The humming-bird is the messenger of
''» i
,1 s-
:i|ii
tM
r5i2
GODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
sprinir, soiit by the south to the north, by the liot to
tlio ti'iuperate rejiion. It is the means oi' IVuctityiiig thi'
ilowers, its movements causing' the transfer of tlie }h)1-
len iVom the stamens to the gerui-shells. It sticks its
long, thin little bill deep into the Ihnver, and rununag-
ing beneath the stamens, drinks the nectar of the llowcr,
uhil(! })romoting the act of plant-reproduction. In the
Latin myth also, Mars stands in close connection uith
Flora: Juno gives him ])irth with Flora's aid, witiiuut
the assistance of .Tupit' -. in our mythology of the
north, Thor is on a fric .^ noting witii Nanna. the
noi'tbern Flora. We are a , Ay ac(|uainte,l also with
a fable of the Pimas, according to which the godiU'ss (»l
maize l)ecaine pregnant l)y a raindrop, and bore the
forefatiier of the people, he who built the great houses.
The question, why Iluitzilopochtli should be the son
of the goddess of plants, and what his real connec-
tion with the l)otanical kingdom consists in, is solvi'd hv
t'xamining his worship at the three ancient yearl\ feasts.
which take place exact!}' at those periods of the year
that are the most inlluential for the Mexican climate.
the middle of May, the middle of August, and the eml
of l)ecem])er. As a rule, in the ilrst half of May
the rain begins. Previous to this, the greatest drought
and torpidness reign; the plants ai)pear feeble and drooii-
ing; nature is bare, the earth gray with dry, withered
grass. After a few days of rain, however, the trcs
appear in a fresh green, the ground is covered with new
lu'rbs. all nature is reanimated. Trees. l)ushes. plants.
develop their Idossoms; a vajjory fragrance I'ises over all.
IMie fruit shoots from the cultivated field, the jnicv.
l)right green of the maize refreshes the eye. Miihlin-
pfordt, who stayed a long time iu these regions, gi\('s this
(U'seription of the season, Yl'dker's statement that rain
and water stand as iructifying principles in the first
rank in ancient ])hysics, and that they meet us in innu-
merable myths, holds doubly good lor the tropics. It
riMjuires little imagination to understand what ji ])(iuri-
ful impression transformed nature, with uU its beaut v
SISTERS OF IIUITZILOrOCIITLI.
aia
iiiul hlcs.siiifijs, must produce in tlio soul of the child of
iKiture. It is on this account that the ancient ThUoe
ciunc to enjoy so high a regard among the A/tecs, nor
has C^uetzalcoatl disdained to a(h)rn his mantle with the
crosses ol' a rain-god. And so lluitzilopochtli s (irst least
of the ^ear, the lestival ol" the arrival of the god, of thc^
olt'ering of incense, stands at the heginning of the
st'ason of the reVnvigoi'ating of nature hy the rain. The
pagan (iernians used to say that Xerthus, Freya, llulda,
JKrtha. Frieg, and other divinities, entei'ed the countiy
at this period. The Aztecs p 'pared es})ecially for this
Irast an imago of their chief god, made of edible plants
and honey, of the same size as the ^vooden image; and
tlie youths sang the deeds of their god before it, and
li\ inns praying for rain and fertility. OlVering of nudti-
tiidesof ([uails. incense-burning, and the significant dance
ofpi'iestsand virgins, followed. The virgins, ^vhoonthis
(lay were called sisters of liuitziloi)ochtli. wore garlands
of di'v maize-leaves on their heads, and ,can'ied split
reeds in their hands; by this representing the dry sea-
son. The priests. o!i the contrary, rei)resented the
(juickened nature, having their li[)s smeared with honey.
Now although. ac(!ording to Max von Wied. there were
111) bees in America before the ari'ival of the Europeans, the
Ik'cs are here ivpresented ])y humming-birds, also called
liouey or bee birds, which, hovering and hunnning like
Ih'cs, gather their iood from the tube-sha[)ed Mowers.
This food consists of a small insect that lives on honey,
and tluy Iced their young by li'tting tlu'ui suck at the
tnuLzne covered with this honey. ^fhe priests boi'e.
i'lntlier. another symbol of s])ring: each one held a staif
in his hand, on which a llower of feathers was fixed,
liu\inLi' another bunch of feathei's (ixed over it; thus too,
lV('\a"s hawk-plumage denoted the advent of the line
f^easoii. A pi'isoner had been selected a year in advance
as u \ ictim. and was called ' wise lord of the heaven.' for
111' pci'sonated the god, and had the privilege of choosing
the hour of the sacrifice; he did not die. like the other
piismors, on the sacrilice stone, but on the shoulders of
:l i
I
311
fiODH, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
tlie priests, 'i'he little children were consecrated to tlio
god of their country, at this festival, l.'j a small incision
on the liieast.
So also Mars appears as god of spring, he to whom tlie
grass and the sacred s[)ring time of the l)irth of animals
fver sdcrnm) were dedicated, whose chief i'estival and
whose month are placed at tlie connnencement of spring,
at which time the J^alii also sang their old religious songs.
and a man personated the god. The Tvrian i'estival ol"
the awaking of Hercules i'ell also in spring, ibr the same
reason. Thus, in the myth of the birth of lluit/.ilo-
pochtli. and in his fu'st festival, spring, or the energy that
produces s[)ring, is made the basis of his being. His
warlike attributes are iip})endages of the anthropomor-
phized national and war god.
The se(!ond great iesfivid of the deity takes place in
the middle of August, ^fhe rains which have lasted
and rel'reshed up to this time, become intermittent, tuid
the flue seasyn ap[)roaches. during which the azure sky of
the tropit!s pours its splendor and its benelicial warmth
upon men. animals, and plants, scattered over a jilaiu
situated 8500 feet al)ove the level of the sea. This is
the t\vell"th month there, the iuonth of ripe I'ruits. Tlie
idols in all temples and dwellings are decorated with
llowers. It is now no longer the rain which is the l)k'ss-
iuii', but the blue sky which cherishes the varieuated
ilower-world. For this reason the image of lluit/ilo-
pochtli was blue, his head was wound round with an aziue
ribbon, in his right hand he held an azure staif or club.
and he sat on an azure stool, which, according to ancient
ac(X)unts, i'e[)resents heaven as his dwelling-place. His
arms and legs had also blue stripes, and costly ))lii('
stones hung round his neck. The Kgyi)tian god of fer-
tility. Khem. was also re[)resented in blue.
The thii'd I'estival of lluitzilopochtli takes place dur-
ing the winter solstice, a period which plaj-s a great rnlc
in all worshi[)s and myths. The best-known I'estival <>!'
this kind is the one held on the 25th of Deceinbcr
throughout the Koman Empire, to celebrate the birth ul"
DEATH OF VEGETATION.
315
^litliras. the invincible sun. Tho (Miipcwas in Xoith
America call Decenihor the month of the small si)iiit,
ami January that of the great spirit. The Mexican I'es-
li\ al of this month represented the character of the enter-
ing season, and the new state of nature. The cold sets
in. the mountains are covered with snow, the ground
(h'ies up. the plants search in vain for their nourishment,
iiianv trees lose their foliage — in a word, natme seems
'lead. And so it haj)[)ened with their god. The priests
|ir('l)ared his image of various seeds kneaded with the
l)l(K)il of sacrificed children. Xumerous religious purilV-
iugs aiul ])enances, washings with water, hlood-lettings,
lasts. j)rocessions, burning of incense, sacrilices of ([uails
und human beings, inaugurated the lestival. One of
(^>ii('t/.alcoatrs pi-iests then shot an arrow at this image
ol' lluit/il(jpochtli, which penetrated the god who was
now considered as dead. His heart was cut out, as
with human victims, and eaten by the king, the repre-
sriitati\e of the god on earth. The body, however, A\as
«li\i(le(l among the various <piarters of the city, so that
every man received a piece. This was called tcoijua/o ' the
god who is eaten.'
The meaning of the death of this god is. on the whole,
<'\ ident; it corresponds with the death of vegetation ; and
a comparison of the myth of his birth, with the two
other il-asts of Jluit/ilopochtli, leads to the same conclu-
sion. This third I'east is. therelbre. at the same time, a
lestival in honor of the brother of this god, Te/.catlipoca,
die god of the under-world, of death, of drought, and of
hunger, whose rule commences where that of his brother
ends. The myth gives a similar form and sense to the
deatli of Osiris, who is killed bv Tvi)hon. and the death
<it' hionysos and llei'cules in the IMio'uician colonies.
Adonis lives with Ai)hrodite during one half of tlie year,
and with l'erse[)hone the other hall'; the Indian Krish-
na leaves i'or the under- world ; thus, too, ]>rahma and the
<V'Ui(' sun-god, llu, died yearly, and were yeai'ly born
aiiain. The festival of the self-burning of the Tyrian
Heracles is also of tliis kind; it tidies place at the time
niG
GODS, SUPEUNATUllAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
II
of tlic (lying oft* of vogotation, ^vcn if this .should he in
the .wiiniincr.
As regards the ou.stoni of eating tlie god. this also
occurs at another feast wliich is celebrated during this
season, in honor of the gods of the mountains and the
water. Small idols of seeds and dough were tlien jjrc-
])are(l. their breasts were opened like those of human vic-
tims, the heai-t was cnit out. and the body distributed for
I'ating. The time at which this occurs, shows that it
stands in necessary connection with the death of the god.
When the god dies it must be as a sacrifice in the i'ashiou
of his religion, and when the anthropomorphized god
dies, it is as a human sacrifice amid all the necessMi-y
usages pertaining thereto: he is killed by priests, the
heart' is torn out, and his l)()dv eaten at the sacrifice
meal, just iis was done with everv human sacrifice.
Could it be meant that the god, in being eaten, is iiii-
l)arted to, or incorporated with, the person eating liiiu?
This is no doubt so, though not in the abstract, nuta-
j)hysic;d. Christian or moral sense, but only with regard
to his nature-sense, (seiner Xaturseite), which is the \vi\]
essence of the god. Jle gives his body, in seed, to be
eaten by his people, just as nature, dying at the ap[)i'oii(li
of the winter, at this very period, has stored uj) ;iii
abundance of its gifts for the sustenance of m.an. It
gives man its life-fruit, or its fruit of life as a host or
boh' wafer. As a rule, the god, during the time of sac-
rifice, resales with the ofterinii" those bringinu' sacrifices:
and, the eating of the flesh of the slave, who so often
represents the god to whom he is sacrificed, is the same
as eating the god. AVe have heard of the custom aiming
some nations of eating the ashes of their forefathers, to
Avhom they give divine honors, in order to become pos-
sessors of their virtues. The Arkansas nation, west nf
the Mississippi, which worshi[)ed the dog, used to <'at
dog-Hesh at one of its feasts. Many other j)e()[)lcs
solenndy slaughter animals, consume their flesh, and
moreover pay divine honors to the remains of these ani-
mals. Here the eating of the god, in seeds, is luaJe
n
YEARLY LIFE OF THE PLANT- WORLD.
317
rl(>;ir — this custom also existed umoug tlie (iivoks. Tiio
division of the your-god by tlio juicioiits. in myth and
idi'iioiis svstom. has, for tlio rest, no otiicr sense than
liiis this distribution of the l)ody of Iluitzilopochtli. Tliis
is (lone with the sun-bull at the festival of the Pei'sian
Mithras, as at the feast, and in the m^th of the Diony-
s()s-/ii;ireus. of Osiris and Attys.
The three ^early festivals, as well as the myth of his
liiith. idl tend to show the positive; connection of Iluit-
zilopoohtli with the yearly life of the plant-woi'ld.
The fn-st festival is the arrival of the god, as the plant-
\v()ild is ushered in. witli its hynnis praying for rain.
its virgins representing the sisters of the god and the
inimical drought, in the same sense as the brothers and
sister. esj)ecially the latter, are Ids enemies in the mytli
of iiis ))irth, and, as TV'zcatlipoca, tlui god of drought is
liis brother, lirothers and sisters not seldom represent
])!iriillel contrasts in mythology and worship. The
second celel)ration presents the god as the botanical
kingdom in its splendor, for which reason the Llexicans
cill the liununing-bird the sun))ea»a. from the form as-
siiiiu'd by the god at this time. The humming-bird,
iiKiicover. takes also his Avinter sleep, and thus the god
ilics in winter with the plants. The Greenlanders asked
the younger Kgede if the god of heaven and earth ever
died, and, when answered in the negative, they were
iiiuch surprised, and said that he nmst surely be a great
,u<)d. This intimate connection with the plant-world is
idsoshown in the l)irth-myth of lIuit/,ilo[)ochtli, who hero
iippears as the son of the goddess of iilants. It now be-
coiiu's easier to answer the question of AVuttke: has tbt;
\\x\)h of this birth reference merely to the making a man
nut of a god already existing, or to the actual liirth
<»f tiie god? The Axtecs, it is true, were undecided on
this point, some conceding to him a human existence on
oarth. others investing him with a conciousness of his
nature ])eing. AVe, however, answer this question sinqily,
IVom the preceding: the birth of the god is annual, and
tlie mvth has therefrom invented one birth, said to have
-ii
■i-'
m
818
GODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP,
tiikon })laPO at some period, while tlio anthropf)mori>liisiu
fables very prettily the traiisforiiiatioii into a man. Of
tht^ I'onner existence of a horn god. the mvth knows
nothing, for it is only afterward that it raises the god
into heaven. It has not, however, come to enheinorism
in the case of nnit/,ilo[)ochtli, though it has with Iliiit-
ziton. In placing the god in the position of son to the
])lant-go(ldess, the mvth separates his JK'ing from that of
the mother, conse(|nently, llnit/,ilo[)Ochtli is not the jjlant-
world himself, however closely he may ho related to it.
This is made clearer by following up the hirth-mytli,
which makes him out to he not only the son of Coatliciic.
hut also of the force causing her fructification. The
variegated hall of feathers which fell from heaven, is
uone other than lInitzilo[)ochtU himself, the little hmn-
ming-hird, which is the means of fructifying the plants,
and the virile, fructifving nature-force manifested hv
and issuing from him in the spring. He is also hoiii
with the feather-tuft, and this symbol of the fine season
never leaves him in anv of his forms, it remains his at-
tribute.
The Tapuas in South America have, after a similai"
svmbolism, the custom, at their yearlv seed-sowinu'
festivals, of letting some one hang a bunch of ostrich-
feathers on his back, the feathers being spread over like
a wheel. This feather-bunch is their symbol of the fViic-
tifying power which comes from heaven. Their behcf
that bread falls from heaven into this tuft of featheis is
thus made clear. In this myth we find the natural biisis
of such a birth-myth. In our northern mvtholouv,
Neekris, the ball, is, in the same manner, the father of
Nanna, the northern Flora. That this virile power ot'
heaven is made to appear as a ball of feathers, suits tlie
humming-bird god. The Esths also imagined their goil
of thunder, as the god of warmth, in the form of a bird.
In the same .sense, doves were consecrated to Zeus.
in Dodona and Arcadia, and a tlying bird is a symbol
of heaven among the Chinese. This force may. how-
ever, be symbolized in another form, and give rise to a
THE VIRILE NATURE-POWER.
819
liirtli-inytli of exactly the same kind. Thus, the
(liiuditer of the jiod Saiigarius, in the Plirvjiian myth,
liitl in lior hosom the fruit of an ahnond-tree. which had
prown out of the seed of tlie child of the eaitii. Audistis:
the fruit disappeaivil. the daughter hecame j)rejrnant and
liore the heautil'ul l)oy Attes. Accordin*!; to Aruohiiis,
it wiis the fruit of a pome<iranate-tree, which fructified
Xiuuia. Amoniz; tlie (Miinese. a nymi)h. called l*u//a,
the uourisher of all living things, hecame pregnant hy
(Mtiiig a lotus-llower, and gave hirth to a great law-
LiiMT and coiKiueror. Dana!', agiiin, hecomes pregnant
iVoiii the golden shower t)f Zeus — an easily undeistood
sMiiholism. It is alwavs the virile nature-])ower. either
iis seen in the sun, or in the azure sky (Ibrwhicli reason
iliiit/iloixM'htli is called the lord of tlie heaven, Ochihus
or IIiKihilohos), which puts the variegated seed into the
Avniiih of the plant-world, ' at the same time hringing
hiinsi If forth again, and making himself manifest in the
|il;iiit-world.' ^Fhis heavenly life-force no s(M)ner linds
iiii cju'thly mother-woml) than its triumi)h is assured, even
licforc l)irth. while develo[)ing its hud; just as the inner
voice, in the myth, consoled the mother, and })rotected
her iipiinst all her enemies. It is only after his hirth
thiit the myth holds Iluitzilopochtli as a personal an-
throitoin()r[)hic god.
This is the natural signification of nuitziloiuH'htli,
which Ave have accepted as the basis of all other devel-
oimiciits ol" the god. and for this universal reason,
uiiiiicly. tiiat the most ancient heathen gods are nature-
pxls. inytliologic rules being followed, and that the [)agan
rcH-ioii is essentially a nature-worshi[) as well as a poly-
theism. The special investigation and following up of
the \;ui()us virtues have led to the same result. 15ut,
as this view has not yet been generally accepted in re-
pinl to this god, a few words concerning the uiTh)!! of
tile ;mthropom()ri)hic national aspect of lIuit/,iloj)ochtli,
^\ ith his natural one may be added. It has been thought
iiecessiiry to make the martial phase of Iluitzilopochtli
tlie basis of the others, as with ^Mars. AVar is, iioni
ii
■^n
I
i:
• :J ' ■ ; 1
iRi.
'•I %
■ iit
8i0
(iODS, srrEUN'\TrR.VL IJEINfiS, AND WOUSIIIP.
tilis |K)"mt of view, a child of spriiijr. Iu'cmuh' wi'!ii)oii,s
uri' tlu'ii iv.siiiiu'tl after the long winter armistice. This
is not iit all the ease >vith lluitzilopoehtli. heeause the
laiiiv season, settiiiji in in sprinu', viien the airival and
hiith of the god are celebrated, renders the soft roads ol"
Me\i(() unsuitable for war expeditions. Wars were
originally children of autumn, at which time the rijie
i'ruits were obii'ijts of robbei'V, Hut the idea of a war
and Uiitional god is easily eoiniected with the bjisis of a
I'riictilying god of heaven. I'his chief nature-god miiy
eithei" be god of heaven, as lIuit/,ilo[)ochtli. as the I'iuii-
giving Zeus is made the national god by Homer, to
whom human sacrilices were lirought in Aiciidia down
to a late i)eriod, or he may be a sun-god. lil«' Jijial. to
whom prayers for rain were addressed in lMi(eniciii. to
further the growth of the IVuit. and who alst) received
human sacrilit'es. '{'he (Vdtic 11 u is also an ethereal
war god. properly sun-god, who received human sacri-
fices in honor of the victory of spi-ing; none the less is
Odin's connection with war. battle, and Avar horrors; Ik-
Is a (ire-god. like Moloch and Shiva, to whom huui.iii
sacrilices were made for fear of famine and failm'e ol'
croi)s. The apparent basis of such a god has not to he
considei'ed so much as the point that the ])e()[)le ascribed
to him tbechii'fgovei'nment of the course of the year. In
such a case, the chief ruler also becomes the national god.
the life of the nation depending innnediately on the
yearly course of nature. Is the nation warlike, then, the
national god naturally becomes a war god as well. As
authropomorj)hism conne(!ts itself with the nature-god
only at a later period, so does his worship as wai* Liod
and national god. in the casj of Mars, as well as of
Picus and Faunus, the same, succession is follow cil.
Mars, for exam[)le, is called u[)on in a prayer which has
been jjreserved by Cato. to ])i'otect shepherds and Hocks.
and to avert bad wt!atlier and misgrowth; \'irgil rctcr-.
to him as a god of plants. In the song of the Ar\;diaii
brothers, he is called upon as the protectoi' of the llowcrs.
Thus, in his case also, the nature side is the basis. The
KNAKE SYMBOLISM.
Cliiiu'se svJulM)lism of tlio union of tho two sides or
[tliiisi's, i.s t'X[)r».'.sso(l in Niieli a uiiiinior as to inai\o sprars
and \vi>ajH)ns roprcscntatitais of tlu' {ienns of i)lants.
This union has already Ix-en illustrated nuiouf: the
A/tecs, in the huinniin;i-l)ird, the sunheaui which plavs
round the llowers, in wln)se little hodv the intensest war
spirit hin'iis. Among the Hjivptians, the heetle was
placed upon the rin«i' of the warrior, with whom it sig-
Jiilied world and production.
It remains to speak of another attribute of ITnitzilo-
pochtli, the snake attribute. lluitzilopcKihtll is also a
suake-fiod. We have already, when tri'atin^; of tlu^
snake-worship of the Mayas, referred to the luunerous
snakes with which this "od is connected hv myth and'
imaue. and how this attribute was added to the oi'i^,inal
hununin<j;-bird attribute, in Coatepec, where the sn;d\e-
goddess Coatlicue gave him birth. \i' the snake sijiiii-
fir-, in one case, time, in another, world, and in another
uce, water, or the yearly rejuvenation of "•crms and
ms, the eternal circle of natuie. domination, sooth-
saying. — it is quite proper; for all these (pialities are
found united in the god. k^till other cpialities, not
seeminjiiy possessed by him, we pass over, such as a
coiuu'ction with the earth and with the healing jMjsver. to
he foiuiil in other Mexican gods, or the evil principle,
which is entirely wanting. Just as the snake changes
its skin ever}' year, and takes its winter slee[), so does
llnit/il()[)ochtli, whose mother. Flora, is, thei-efore, a
snake-goddess. Even so the snake rejjresents the seed-
corn in the mysteries of Demeter. In the Sabazii it re-
presents the fructifying Zeus and the blessing. It is also
the symbol of productive power and heat, or of life, attri-
hute of the life-endowing Shiva; among the Egyptians it
represents the yearly rejuvenation of germs and blossoms.
Tiie snake Agathodirmon a[)pears with ears of grain and
poppies, as the symbol of fertility. If thegod exhibits
this nature of his, in spriiig, in the rain, then the snake
is a suitable attribute. In India, snakes are genii of
seas, and the Punjab, whose fertility is assured by tho
Vol. III. 21
11
m
-|-
Ilwl
i
•■■I
I
322
GODS, SUPERXATURAT, BEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
vojulv inuiidations, haw the name of snake lands CSivx-
akhantla), and claims an ancient worship. The sustaiu-
in^JC water-god, Vishnu, also received the snake attribute.
Anioujj; the Chinese, the water could he represented hy
a snake. The Peruvians call the boa constrictor the
mother of nature.
I'he idea of the yearly rcnewnl of nature is also oon-
necti'd with that of time forever vounii;, and the Aztecs,
therelore, encircle their cycle with a snake as the syiii-
hol ol" time. The nioj'e positive signification which
tlie snaki', placed by the side of the hum!nin<i-])ird. gives
to lIuit/ilo[)ochtli, is thrt of a soothsaying god, like the
snake Python among the (Jre'eks. The snake sigViiiied
'king' among the Egyptians, anu this suits lluit/.ilo-
pochtli also, who may properly enough he considered the
real king of his people. H\ as connected with Iluit/ilo-
pochtli, the snake also represents the war god, on ac-
count of its s[)irited mode of attack, 1 cannot with cer-
tainty say, but the myth as well as the worship places
it in this relation to tiie war goddess Athene. Although
the idea of a national and a war god is not ([uite oljscuicd
in the snake attribuu yet the nature side is es[)ecially
denoted l)y it, as in the so'thern countries, where snak(i
worship prevailed; tlie referoio" to the southern nature
of this god is quile evident in the snake attribute. In
the north, moisture, re[)resented by the snake, has nevci'
attained the cosmological import which it has in the liot
countries of the south. There, the snake rather iv^nc-
sents an auticosmogonic, or a bad princi[)le.'''
Mr Tylor, without counnitting himself" to any e^ten*^ in
details, yet agrees, as far as he goes, with Miiller. lie
says: " The very name of Mexico seem., derived fro'u
Mexitli, tlie national war-god, identical or identiliiil
with the hideous gory lIuit//iloj)ochtli. Not to attemiit
a general solution of the enigmatic nature of this inex-
tricable eom[)ound parthenogenetic deity, we may notice
the association of his principal festival with the winter-
'^ MUll'T, Amerikanbiche rrreliijionen, pp. 591-C12.
WINTER-SOLSTICE FESTIVAL.
323
solstice, wlicn his pasto iilol was sliot through witli an
iiirow, and Ix'ing thus killed, was divided into morsels
iiiid eaten, wherefore the ceremonv was called the tco-
(jiKilo, or ' god-eating.' This, and other details, tei. 1 to
si low lluitzilopoehtli as originally a nature-deity. Avhose
life and death were connected with the year's, while his
runetious of war-god may he of later addition." '"
Of this festival of the winter solstice the date and
lurther particulars are given hy the \'atican Codex as
I'ollows: —
The name Ptinquetzaliztli, of the Mexican month that
lu'gan on theHrstof Decemher. means, heing interi)reted,
■ (he elevation of l)anners.' For, on the first day of ]>e-
ci'inher every person raised over Isis house a small paper
Ihig in honor of this god of hattle; and the captains and
soldiers sacriliced those that they had taken prisoners in
war, who, ))efore they were sacriliced, heing set at
lihcrty, and presented with arms ecpial to their adver-
saries, were allowed to defend theip.selves till they
were either vanquished or killed, and thus sacrificed.
The Mexicans celehrated in tills month the festival of
their first captain, Vichilopuchitl. Th.^j- celehrated at
this time the festival of the wafer or cake. They made a
a cake of the meal of bledos. which is called /.-.or/ //t, and
ha\ing mjule it, tliey spoke over it in their manner,
and broke it into i)ieces. These the high priest put into
certain very clean vessels, and with a thorn of maguey,
wliich resembles a thick needle, he took up with the
utmost reverence single morsels, and put them into the
mouth of each individual, in the maimer of a com-
munion, — and I am willing to believe that these poor
people have had the knowledge of our mode of com-
munion or of the preaching of the go? pel ; or i-erhaps
the devil, most envious of the honor of (i(xl, may ha\e
Icil them into this su[)erstition in order that by this
<cremony he might be adored and served as Christ our
lionl. On the twenty-first of December tliey cele-
»e'i-i I
m
"• 7V-r's T,\m. Cull., vol. ii., p 279.
324
GODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
l)nited the festival of this god, — through whose instni-
mentiility, they say, the earth became again visible alter
it had been drowned with the waters of the deluge: tlu y
therefore kept his festival during the twenty following;
days, in which they oftered sacrifices to him."
I'he deity Tlaloc, or Tlalocateuchtli, wliom we lia\ c
several times found mentioned as seated beside Iluit/ilo-
pochtli in the great temple, was the god of water and
rain, and the fertili'zer of the earth. lie was liild
to reside where the clouds gather, upon the highest
mountain- tops, especially upon those of I'laloc, Tlasoiilii.
and Toluca, and his attributes were the thunderbolt, the
tl.'ish, and the thunder. It was ah:') believed that in
the high hills there resided other gcds, subaltern U)
Tlaloc — all passing under the same naiuv^ and revered
not only as gods of water but also as gods of niomi-
tains. The prominent colors of the image of Tlaloc weic
azure and green, therel)y symbolizing the various shades
of water. The decorations of this image varied a good
deal according to localitv and the several fancies of
dilferent worshipers: the description of Gama, Ibuiided
on the inspection of original works of Mexican religious
art, is the most authentic and com})lete. In the gieat
temple of ^Mexico, in his own proper chapel, called cjn-
odtl^ adjoining that of Huitzilopochtli, this god of water
stood upon his pedestal. In his left hand was a shield
ornamented with feathers; in his right were certain
thin, shining, wavy sheets of gold representing liis
thunderbolts, or sometimes a golden serpent represent-
ing either the thunder})olt or the moisture with wliich
this deity was so intimately connected. On his I'eet were
a kind of luilf-l)oots, with little bells of gold hanging there-
frt)m. Round his neck Avas a band or collar set with
gold and gems of price; while from his wrists depeiuhil
strings of costly stones, even such as are the ornaments of
kings. His vesture was an azure smock reaching to the
middle of the thigh, cross-hatched all over with ribbons
^' Spiei/minve ih'l'e Tavalc dd Co Jki' Mt.e'ncnio f WitkwioJ, tuv, Ixxi, ii ,
iu Kinjs'ioroii'jlt's Mcx, AiitUp, vul. v., pji. llto-ti.
DECORATIONS OF TLALOC.
o'S^
of silver formino; squares; and in the middle of eacli
si|iiiire was a circle also of silver, while in tiie angles
thereof were flowers, pearl-colored, with yellow leaves
JKiiiging down. And even as the decoration of the vest-
uie so was that of the shield; the ground blue, covered
with crossed ribbons of silver and circles of silver: and
the feathers of yellow and green and flesh-color and
l)lue, each color forming a distinct band. The body was
naked from mid-thigh down, and of a grey tint, as was
also the face. This face had only (me eye of a somewhat
extraordinary character: there was an exterior circle of
blue, the interior was white with a black line across it
and a little semi-circle below the lino. Either round
the whole eye or round the mouth was a doubled l)and,
()!• ribbon of blue; this, although unnoticed by Torijue-
mai'a, is aflirmed by Gama to have been never omitted
from any figure of Tlaloc, to have been his most char-
acteristic device, and that which distinguished him speci-
ally from the other gods. In his open mouth were to be
f^wn only three grinders; his front teeth were })aiiited
red. as was also the pendant, with its button of gold,
that hung from his ear. His head-adornment was an
open crown, covered in its circumference with white and
greeu feathers, and from behind it over the shoulder
(lo[)eii(led other plumes of red and white. Souietimes
the insignium of the thunderbolt is omitted with this
goil. and Ixtlilxochitl represents him. in the picture of
the month J'^tzalli, with :i cane of mai/.e in the one hand.
and ill the other a kind of instruuient with which he
was digging in the ground. In the ground thus dug were
jiut maize leaves filled with a kind of food, like fritters,
called ttzidU; from this the month took its name."^
A prayer to this god has been preserved by Sahagun,
ill which it will be not'ced that the word Tlaloc is used
stMiietimes in the singular and sometimes in the jjlural: —
our Lord, most clement, liberal giver and lord of
verdure and coolness, lord of the terrestrial paradise,
" I'Utvhipro, Staria Ant, (hi Messirn, torn, ii., p. 1-1; Lean y 0'(nnn, I)i'S
P'f'lr'is, pt i., I). 101, lit ii., pp. 7C-D.
;ii
m
320
GODS, SUPEUXATUKAL BEINGS, AND WOllSHIP.
odorous and flowery, and lord of the incense of copal, av(X»
are we that the gods of water, thy sulyects, have hid
themselves awav in their retreat, who are wont to serwi
us with the tilings we need and who are themselves
served with uUl and aucldll and copal. They have lelt
concealed all the things that sustain our lives, and
carried away with them their sister the goddess of the
necessaries of life, and carried away also the goddess of
pepper. our Lord, take pity on us that live; our I'ood
goes to destruction, is lost, is dried up; for lack of water,
it is as if turned to dust and mixed with spiders' wehs.
Woe for the miserable laborers and for the connnoii
people; they are wasted with hunger, they go about un-
recognizable and disfigured every one. They are blu(>
under the eyes as with death; their mouths are dry as
sedge; all the bones of their bodies may be counted
as in a skeleton. The children are disfigured and 3 ellow
as earth; not only those that begin to walk, but even
ihose in the cradle. There is no one to whom this tor-
ment of hunger does not come; the very animals ami
birds suiter hard want, by the drought that is. It is
pitiful to see the birds, some dragging themselves along
M'ith drooping wings, others falling down utterly and un-
able to walk, and others still with their mouths open
through this hunger and thirst. The animals. our
Lord, it is a grievous sight to see them stuml)lin<i' and
falling, licking the earth for hunger, and panting with
o[)en mouth and hanging tongue. The people lose their
senses and die for thirst; they ])erish, none is like to re-
main. It is woeful, our Lord, to see all the face df
the earth dr^', so that it cannot produce the herbs nor
t!ie trees, nor anything to sustain us, — the earth that
used to be as a father and mother to us, giving us milk
and all nourishment, herbs and fruits that therein giew.
Now is all dry, all lost; it is evident that the Thdoc
gods have carried all away with them, and hid in
their retreat, which is the terrestrial paradise. The
things. Ijord, that thou wert graciously wont to gi\e
us, upon which we lived and were joj ful, which are the
PRAYER TO TLALOC.
327
life and joy of all the world, and precious as emeralds
(»i* sapphires, — all these things are departed from us.
( ) our Lord, god of nourishment and giver thereof, most
Ininiane and most compassionate, what thing hast thou
determined to do with us? Hast thou, peradventure
iiltoii'ether forsaken us? Thy wrath and indignation
.sliidl it not be appeased? Uast thou determined on tlie
].ei'dition of all thy servants and vassals, and that thy
city and kingdom shall be left desolate and uniidial)ite(l?
I'erad venture, this has been determined, and settled in
lieaven and hades. our Lord, concede at least tliis,
lliiit the innocent children, who cannot so much as walk,
wlio are still in the cradle, may have something to eat. so
that they may live, and not die in this so great lamine.
What have they done that they should ))e tormented and
should die of hunger? No iniquity have they conunitted,
neither know they what thing it is to sin; they have
neillier offended the god of h*'aven nor the god of hell.
AVe, if we have olTended in manv things, if our sins have
n'ached heaven and hades, and the stiid< thereof gone
out to the ends of the earth, just it is that we be de-
stroyed and made an end of; we have nothing to say
tlieret'), nor to excuse ourselves withal, nor to resist
what is determined against us in heaven and in hades.
Let it be done; destroy us all, and that swiftly, that wo
may not siilVer from this long weariness which is worse
than if we burned in hre. Certainly it is a horri-
1)le tliin-i; to suifer this lumber; it is like a snake lacking
food, it gulps do^'M its saliva, it liisses, it cries out for
something to devour. It is a fearful thing to see the
anguish of it demanding somewhat to eat: this hiuiger
is intense as burning (ire, tlinging out sparks. Lord,
let the thing happen that many years ago we have heard
said by the old men and women that have passed away
iVom us, let the heavens fall on us and the (U-mons of
tlie air come down, the Izit/.imites. who are to come to
destroy the earth with all that dwell on it; let dai'kness
and obseurity cover tiie whole world, aiid tlie lKil)itation
ul' men be nowhere found therein. This thing was
'H
328
GODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND WORSinP.
I
known to ilic ancionts, and thov divulgod it, and from
mouth to mouth it has come down to us, all this tliiit
lias to happen when the world ends and the earth is
weary of producing creatures. Our Lord, such present
end would be now dear to us as riches or pleasures once
were — miseral)le that we are! See good, Lord, that
there fall some pestilence to end us quickly. Such
l»lague usually comes from the god of hades; and if it
came there would peradventiu'e l)e provided some allow-
ance of food, so that the dead should not travel to hades
without any provision for the way. tliat this trihu-
lation were of war, which is originated by the sun, and
Avhicli ])reaks from sleep like a strong and valiant one,
— for then would the soldiers and the ^ rave, the stout
and warlike men, take pleasure therein. In it many
die, and nmch blood is spilt, and the battle-field is filled
with dead bodies and with the bones and skulls of the
vanquished; strewn also is the face of the earth witii
the hairs of the head of warriors that rot; l)ut this they
fear not, for they know that their souls go to the house
of the sini. And there they honor the sun with joyfid
voices, and suck the various flowers with great delight;
there all the stout and valiant ones that died in war are
glorified and extolled; there also the little and tender
children that die in war are presented to the Sun, very
clean and well adorned and shining like precious stones.
Thy sister, the goddess of food, provides for those
that go thither, supplyijig them with provision for the
way; and this provision of necessary things is the
strength and the soul and the staff of all the i)e()[)le of
the world, and without it there is no life. J?ut this
hunger with which we are afflicted, our most humane
Lord, is so sore and intolerable that the miserable com-
mon peo[)le are not al)le to suffer nor support it; being
still alive they die many deaths; and not the people
aUme suffer but also all the animals. our most
compassionate Lord, lord of green things and gums.
of herl)s odorous and virtuous, I beseech thee to look
with eyes of 2)ity on the i)eople of this thy city and
PRAYEK FOR RAIN.
829
kliiirdom; for the whole world down to the very
In'iists is ill peril of dofstriiction, and disiippearanee,
and irremediable end. J^iiioe this is so, 1 entreat
tlu'O to see f2,ood to send l)ack to us the food-<iiving
uods. gods of tlie rain and storm, of the h('rl)s and of
the trees; so that they perform again their olfiee here
with us on the earth. Scatter the riches and the ))ros-
]ii ritv of tiiy treasures, let the timbrels of joy he shaken
that are the staves of the gods of water, let them take
their sandals of india-rul)her tiiat they may walk with
swiftness. Give succor, Lord, to our loi'd, the god
(>r the earth, at least with one shower of Avater, for
wlicn he has water he creates and sustains us. See
liooil. Lord, to invigorate the corn and the other foods,
much wished for and much needed, now sown and
])laiitcd ; for the ridges ol' the earth suffer sore need and
aiiuuish from lack of water, t^ee ikmmI, O Tiord, that
th
ic jM'ople receive
this f
ivor and mercv
let th
)f tl
leui see ana enioy ot tlie verdure and coolness
li
at tl
d
una
hand.
that
iuv as precious stones; see good that the fruit and the
suhstance of the Tlalocs l)e given, which are the clouds
that tiiese gods carry with them and that sow the rain
ahoiit us. See good, Lord, that the animals and
hcrhs be made glad, and that the fowls and bii'ds of
l)i'i'('ious feather, such as the qnecJtotl and the rd/fiKin,
ll\ and siu"' and suck the herbs and llowen
And let
not this come about with thundcrings and lightnings,
sviubols of thy wrath; for if our lords the ^Malocs come
with thunder and lightning the whole peo[)le, being lean
ami very weak with hunger, would be terrified. If in-
deed souui are alreadv marked out to <ro to the earthly
paradise by the stroke of the thunderbolt, let this death
III' restricted to them, and let no injury befall an-' of
the other })eople in mountain or cabin; neither let luu't
c )aie near the magueys or the other trees and plants of
tlio earth; for these things are' necessary to the life and
sustenance of the people, poor, forsaken, and cast-away,
wli(» can with difficulty get food enough -to live, going
iilmiit through hunger with the bowels empty and stick-
Mi
■ Mi-
4\
330
GODS, SUPERNATURAL UEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
ing to the ribs. our Lord, most coinpassioiiato, most
generous, giver of iiU nourishment, be jjleased to bless
the earth and all the things that live on the lace thereol'.
AVith deep sighing and with anguish of heart I cry upon
all those that are gods of water, that are in the four
(piarters of the world, east and west, north and south,
and upon those that dwell in the hollow of the earth, or
in the air. or in the high mountains, or in the dei'[)
(Mves, 1 beseech them to come and console this poor
jjcople and to water the earth; for the eyes of all tlisit
iidiabit the earth, animals as well as men, {ire turned
toward you, and their ho})e is set upon your persons. ()
our Ijt)rd, be pleased to come.^'"'
This is a prayer to Tlaloc. But it was not with
])rayers alone that they deprecated his wratli and iiii-
l)lored his assistance; here as elsewhere in the Mexican
religion sacrifices played an important part. When the
rain failed and the land was parched by drought, great
processions were made in which a number of hairless
(logs, connnon to the country-, and good to eat. were
carried on decorated litters to a place devoted to this
use. There they were sacrificed to the i^od of water b\-
cutting out their hearts. Afterwards the carcasses weiv
eaten amid great festivities. All these things the Tlas-
caltec historian, Camargo, had seen Avith his own eyes
thirty ^ears before writing his book. The sacrifices of
men, which were added to these in the davs of liroat-
ness of the old religion, he describes as he was inforintd
by priests who had ofliciated thereat. Two festivals in
the year were celebrated to Tlaloc, the gi-etiter feast ami
the less. Each of these was terminated by human siicri-
fices. The side of the victim was opened with a sliiii'[)
knife; the high priest tore out the heart, and turnii)g
toward the east ottered it Avith lifted hands to the smi.
crushin<>; it at the same time with all his strennth. Ho
repeated this, turning in succession towards the remain-
ing three cardinal points; the other tlamacaxqfnx, or
19 S'lhaijim, in KiiKishnrnni/h's 3fex. Aidiq., vol. v., pp. 372-(); Suhajivi,
Jlist. Gvn., vol. ii , pp. Gl~70.
VENGEANCE OF TLALOC.
831
])i''K'sts, not ceasing the wliile to diirkon with clouds of
incense the laces of the idols. 'J'he heart was lastly
hiinied and the hod^' ilnng down the steps of the temple.
A i)iiest, who had afterwards heen converted to Christi-
anity, told Camargo that when he tore out the heart of
a victim and Ihnig it down, it used to i)al})itate with such
lorce as to clear itself of theground several times till itgrew
cold. Tlaloc was held in exceeding resiX!Ct and the priests
alone had the right to enter his temple. Whoever dared
to l)las[)heme against him was supposed to die suddenly or
to he stricken of thunder; the thunderbolt, instrument of
liis vengeance, Hashed from the sky even at the mo-
ment it was clearest. The sacrifices offered to him in
tiuu's of drought were never without answer and result;
ior. as Camargo craftily insinuates, the priests took good
i'lwv never to undertake them till thev saw indications
of coming rain; besides, he adds, — introducing, in de-
liiuice of nac detis uikrslt, a surely unneeded pei-sonage,
if we suppose his last statement true, — the devil, to
to conlirm thet^e people in their errors, was always sure
to.st'iid rain.-*"
Children were also sacrificed ta Tlaloc. Says Moto-
liuiii. when four years came together in which there
\vas no rain, and there remained as a consequence hardly
any green thing in the fields, the people waited till the
niai/.e gi-ew as high as the knee, and then made a gene-
ral snl)scription with which four slave children, of live
or six years of age, were purchased. These they sacri-
lici'd in a cruel manner by closing them u[) in a cave,
which was never opened exce})t on these occasions.'"^
Accordinu' to Alendieta, ay;ain, children were some-
m
'^ Cnmnrfjn. Ifisl. do Tlaxcollav, in Xoiinllcs Avnnlcs ihs Vii/.. 1813, toni.
'•''••, i'|i. IH:t. 11^5-7. Cuiimrj,'(), l)tiiii,' a 'riiiscultec, most cf lii^ vriliii^s
liiivt iiarticuhirivfert'iict' to liis uwn proviiu'f, but in this us in ollur jilaci'S
lio sii IMS t(» be describing' f,'enei'al Mexieim ('ustonis.
-' 'i'lio text without suyiiij^ (Hrcetly that these Tinfoituiiate chililveii wore
i'l(Ki (1 thive alive apjieavs ti> infer it: ' ( 'uaiulo el niaiz estabu a la rodilla,
Jiaia nil dia repartiau y cehaban iiecho, eon (jue eoniprabiin euatit) nifios
isil;i\iis de edad de ciiieo a seis anos, y saerifieabanlos a 'I'laloc, dins di 1
iiLinw. poniendolos en una oueva, y eeii-Abanln, Imota otro afio (jue hacian lo
iiiisiiiu. Este cruel sucriticio.' MuioVuda, in IciizUdvekt, Vol. tie Doc, toni. i ,
II. 1.-).
832
GODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS. AND WORSHIP.
i
tinios oftl'rod to this ^od Ity drowniiifr. The cliihhoii
were put into a canoe which was carried to a certain ])iut
of the hike of Mexico where was a wliirl|K)()l, wliicli is
no longer visible. Here the boat was sunk with its
living cai'go. These gods had, according to the sanu'
author, altars in the neighborhood of ix)ols especially
near si)rings; which altars were furnished with sonic
kind of roof, and at the principal fountains were I'our
in number set over again.st each other in the shape of a
cross — the cross of the rain god.-^
The Vatican Codex says, that in April a boy was
sacrificed to Tlaloc and his dead body put into the nuii/c
granaries or maize fields — it is not clearly' ajiparent wliicli
— to preserve the food of the pe()[)le from spoiling.-^ It
is to Sahagun, however, that we must turn for the most
complete and authentic account of the festivals of 'f hdoc
with their attendant sacrifices.
In the first days of the first month of the year, which
month is called in some parts of Mexico, Quavitk'lo.i.
but generally Atlcaoalo, and begins on the second of our
February, a great feast was made in honor of the Tliilocs,
gods of rain and water. For this occasion many cliil-
dren at the breast were purchased from their motluis;
those being chosen that had two whirls (remolinos) in
their hair, and that had been been born imder a good
sign; it being said that such were the most agrccahie
sacrifice to the storm gods, and most likely to inihuv
them to send rain in due season. Some of these inlants
were butchered for this divine holiday on certain moun-
tains, and some were drowned in the lake of McxIid.
AVith the beginning of the festival, in every house, from
the hut to the palace, certain poles were set up and to
22 'Tiimhifn tenian ulolos junto a los npnns, mnyornipnte orifii dr las
fu*!iitt's, i'l do li.,"iiiii HHS ixlturt's con sus gi'iulas ciibiertus por eiiciiiiii. v i ii
niuchiis princiiHiK'S fuentes cuatro altares de estos a nianiia de cni/ uiios
t'nfreiite de otros, v alli't'n t'l atjna echabau muobo encieuso ofrocido y jiai'i 1.'
Mmlictn, Hist. AV-/es., pp. S7, 102.
*■' 'In cpu'sto nit'se ritornavano ad ornare li tempj, e le iinniapiiii cme.
ncUo passato, id in tine dclli vcnti di' Racriticavnno un putto al Dio dill' nv-
qua, e lo nifttovano infra il inaiz, a tine clie non si f,'uastass(' la j)r(ivi-i(iiie
di tutto r anno.' S/iii'iiazione dvUe Tarole dd Vodkc Mixicuno, tav. Ix., in
JuHjsborouijk's Mix. AHtiq,, vol. v., p. I'Jl.
SACRIFICES OF CHILDREN.
333
tlic'so wore attached strips of the paper of the country,
(iiiiil»ed over with india-rubber gum, said strips
luiiii,' called amateteuitl-, this was considered an honor
to the water-gods. And the first place where children
were killed was Quauhtepetl, a high mountain in the
ii('iLilil)orh(X)d of Tlatelulco; all infants, boys or girls.
Mini (iced there were called by the name of the place,
(^uiuihtepetl, and were decorated with strips of paper
(Ived red. The second place where children were killed
uas Voaltecatl, a high mountain near Guadalui)e. The
victiins were decorated with pieces of black paper, with
red lines on it. and were named after the place, Yoal-
tt'Ciitl. The third death-halt was made at Tepetzingo. a
a well-known hillock that rose up fi'om the waters of
tilt' lake opposite Tlatelulco; there they killed a little
girl, decking her with blue paper, and calling her (Jute-
zalxoch, for so was this hillock called by another name,
roiaulitla, on the boundary of Tlascala, was the fourth
hill of sacrifice. Here they killed children, named as
usual after the locality, and deconited with paper on
which were lines of india-rubber oil. The fifth place of
KU'iifice was the no longer visible whirli)Ool or sink of
the lake of Mexico, Pantitlan. Those drowned here
wcir called Epcoatl, and their adornment epmqianinhpd.
The sixth hill of death was Cocotl,'^* near Chalcoatenco ;
till' infant victims were named after it and decorated
with strips of paper of which half the number were red
and half a tawny color. The mount Yiauhqueme, near
Atlacuioaia, was the seventh station; the victims being
named after the place and adorned with paper of a tawny
color.
All the.se miserable babes Ijefore being carried to
their death were bedecked with precious stones and
liili fea'uiers and with raiment and sandals wrought
cinioiisly; they put \\\m\ them pajier wings (as if
they were angels) ; they stained their ftices with oil of
■' ' Whonre is dei'ivcd the namp cncolrs, liy which the boys of the choir of
the < .itlicilriil of Mtxico are uow kuowu.' JiilstamutUe, uote to Sahnijan, Hist.
0V«., tuiu. i., lib. ii., p. 85.
814
GODS. SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP,
in(li.i-rn1)l)or, and on tho middle of each tiny cliock tlicy
painted a round .spot of white. Not ahle yet to walk.
tlu! victims were carried in litters .«liining with jewels
and awave with plumes; llutes and trumpets hellowcd
and shrilled round the little l)edizened heads, all so un-
fortunate in their two whirls of hair, as they piisscd
alonj:;; and everywhere as the litters were home by. nil
the jx'ople wept. When the procession reac^hiMl tlic
temple near Tei)etzinco, on the east, called 'ro/.ociiii.
the priests rested there all nifjht. watchinj; and sintiiiin'
sonji;s, si) that the little ones could not sleep. In the
morning the march was again resumed; if the childiiii
we[)t copiously those around them were very glad, sny-
ing it was a sign that much rain would fall; while it
they met any dropsical person on th" road it was taken
for a bad omen and something that would hinder the
rain. If any of the temple ministers, or of the others
called qnaqudc'Uli, or of the old men, broke oft' iVoin the
procession or turned back to their houses l)efoi'e they
came to the pliice where the sacrifice was done, they
were held for infamous and unworthy of any public dl-
fice; thenceforward they were called 7iwcauhijiieA\ini is
to say, ' deserters. "^^
Afore ludicrous than diabolical arc the ceremonies nf
the next feast of Tlaloc. In the sixth Aztec month, the
m')nth Etzalrpialixtli, there was held a festival in lioiKir
of the gods of water and rain, liefore the conmieiice-
ment of this festival the idol priests fasted four (lii\s.
and before beginning to fast they maile a pi'ocession
to a certain piece of water, near Citlaltepec, to gather
tules; for at that place these rushes grew^ very tall ami
thick and what part of them was under water was
very white. There they pulled them up, rolled them
in bundles wrapped about with their blankets, and
80 carried them back on their shoulders. Both on going
out for these rushes and (m coming back with them, it
Avas the custom to rob anyone that was met ori the load;
25 JCuifju'm-nni ill's Mex. Ant'iq., vol. vii., pp. 37-8; Saharjun, Hist. Ctn., t'lm.
i., lib. ii.. pp. 84-7.
RPOLIATIOX OF C.ESAU Toll THi: f IIT'RCFI.
nn:
;ml rss cvory ono know of this oiistopi tI»o ihkmIs
\v('ir urncnilly pretty clour of stni^'^lors uhoiit tliis tiiiio.
X(» one, ii!)t ovon a kin,u,'H oilirer l•otunlill^; to his
III i-<U'r Avith trihuto. ooulil ht)[)o to osoiUH.; on such
nil (K'ciisioii, nor to ohtuin from any court or nia^is-
tiMto Jiiiv imU'innilication for loss or injiirv so siistaiiiod
ill u;()o;ls or i)L'rs()n; and if ho niado anv resistance to his
I'lciical spoiU'rs they heat and kicked and (h'a^<:i'd iiitn
n\('r the <:round. Wiion they reached the temple with
their rushes they spread them out on the ground and
|il;iited them white with green, into as it wore [jainteil
mats, sewing them firm with tlireads of niatruov-root:
(»!' tlieso mats they made stools, and chairs witii hacks.
The first day of the fast arrived, all the idol ministers
and priests retired to their apartments in the tomplo
hiiildiiigs. There retired all those called tltir)i<ii'(i':ti'(jiii()-
{iijitix, that is to say, ' priests that have done feats in
war. that have captured three or four ])risonors;' these
iihhoimii tlie\ d" I not reside continually in the temple,
resorted tliKher it set times to fulfil their offices. There
retired also those called thmacdzan/aKjue. that is, ' priests
that have taken one prisoner in war;' these also, al-
though not regular imuates of the cues, resorted thither,
when cahed hy their duties. There retired also those
that u\v r,i\UH\tliiiii(t('(i.zqfiecnic((iihjK\ ' })riest singers,' who
resided permanently in the temple huilding hecause they
had as yet captured no one in war. Last of all those
also retired that wore called tldttuiavJexcdhodn. which
iiieiiiis ' inferior ministers,' and those hoys, like little
sacristans, who were called tltnn(ir((f<)f(ni, 'little ministers.'
Xe 11 the rush mats that had hoon made which
ere called aztajiUpdhitl, 'jaspered mats of ru.shos. or
mats of • hite and green' were spread round ahout
the hearths (hogares) of the tenn)le. and the ]>iiests pro-
0' I ded to invo.st themselves for their oflices. They
, it oil a kind of jacket that thev had. called xlcoUL of
painted el(>th; on tl loft arm they put a kind of scarf,
iiniriiid.cdl- ill the left hand they took a hag of copal, and
m the right a censer, temaitl, which is a kind of saucc-
ill
aiia
GODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
pan or frying-pan of baked clay. Then they entered into
tlie court-yard of the temple, took up their .station in
the middle of it, put live coals into their censers, added
copal, and offered incense to>vard the four quarters of
the world, east, north, west, and south. This done
they emptied the coals from their incense-pans into tiie
great brasi<>"s that were always burning at night in the
court, brasiers somewhat less in height than the height
of a man, and so thick that two men could with difficulty
clasp them.
This over, the priests returned to the temple build-
ings, cabneaic^ and put off their ornaments. Then tluy
oifered before the hearth little balls of dough, called
ventelohtli •, each priest offering four, arr.anging them on
the aforementioned rush mats, and putting them down
with great care, so tli't they should not roll nor moNc:
and if the balls of any one stirred, it was the dutv of
his fellows to call attention to the matter and have liiiii
puiiislu'd therefor. Some offered instead of dough four
little pies or fotu" pods of green pepper. A careful sciii-
tiny was also observed to see if an\' one had any dirt on
his blanket, or any bit of thread or hair or feather, ninl
that no one should U'\\) or fall; for in such a case he liiid
to be punished ; and as a conserpience every man took uood
heed to all his steps and ways during these four diivs.
At the end of each days ofterings, certain old men. cjilhd
quaqnarii'ilth), came, their faces dyed black, and tluii
heads shaved, save only the crown of the l)ead, uliiiv
the hair was allowed to grow long, the reverse of the
custom of the (Mu'istian priests. These old men daily
collected the (»lVerings that had been made, dividing,
them among themselves. It was further the custom
with all the priests and in all the temples, while fasti iiu
these four days, to be wnkened at midnight b}- the hlast
of horns and shells and other instruments; when all
rose up and, utterly naked, went to where were
certain thorns of maguey, cut for the purpose the day
before, iuid with little lancets of stone they hackiMl their
ears, staining the prepiavd thorns of maguey and he-
B.Vl'IIING IX THE FESTIVAL OF TLALOC.
837
siiu'iii'iii;;' their fiicos with the lilooil that tlowcd; each
iiiiiu staininvi' iiiagucy-thonis with his hlood in luunber
|iio|M»rti()iioil to his dcvotioii, .some live, others more,
others h'ss. This (U)iie nil the priests went to hathe
tlu'iuselves, how eoid server it luijiht l)e. attended h_v
the music of marine shel'.s and shrill whistles of haked
claw J'] very one had Ji little hag stra[)i)ed to his shoul-
ders, ornamenled with tassels or strips ol" painted pajjer;
in these haus ''vas carried a 'ort of herb ground line
and made up with a kind of black dve into little longish
pellets.'-'' I'he general body of the [n-iests mai'ehed
uloug. each one carrying a leaf of maguey in whieh the
tliorus were stuck, as in a pincushion, which he had to
use. rn'fore these Avent a pi'iest with his censer fidl of
live coals and a bagof co[)al; and in advance of all these
walked one carrying a board on his shoulder of about a
.^pan b'.'oad and two yards long, hollowed a[)[)arently in
M»me way, and (ill'd with little rollers of wood that
r.ittle(l and sounded as the hearer went along shaking
them.-' All the priests took part in this procession, oidy
I'oiu' remaining behind to take care of the temi)le-build-
iiig. or cahnecac, w ITu'li was their monastery. These four
(luring the absence of the others ivmained seated in the
alinecac and occupied themselves in devotion to the
;-'i)il<. in singing and in rattling with a hollow board
ef the sort mentioned above. -iVt the piece of water
where the i)riests were to bathe tlu'ivwcre four l.ousi's,
called ti.rdHCidIi, ' fog liouscs,' set each toward one of the
t'lHU' (juarters of the com[)ass; in the ablutions of the (irst
iTiLilit one of these houses was occupied, on tlu' .H'co'.i 1
-'■ ' Ell ii(|noll:is tMl(\L,'iis llov;il)iUi niia inaiicra df liaiiiiii hoclid a l:i inMiionv
']'• rsiii.i'i-i)l tie I'.itmics, (jiic illiis lliiinaliiui vy.'KiHiiUi. qui' cru ci'iifKidiiiiil i
!■ '11 tint I y cull polviis (If luia virva ([Ui,' lUos Hainan \ irill; i'n luimi \i liAm
il'M'ii-^tilla,' l\'iiiiishiivi>H'ih's Mix. Antii/., vol. vii., [i. 51.
"' Saliai;iiii j^'ives two ililtTcllt accolllils of this ili^tiiilm nl : ' I'lia taMa tali
I U'u'a ' OHIO (los viU'as, y luiclia coiiio tin ]ialnio I'l piico mas. ^ \aii di m in do
I ^las talilas iiiias soiiajas, y il '|IU' Ic Ilr\alia i\a soiiaiiilo con (lias, l.laiiia-
I sta talila .Vxochicaoali/lli, o Naciilhiiioavill.
Tl
II' hccond (l( scil|itloil
Ilia lahia df aiiclnnii dc nii jiidnio y dc laiLjuia dc dos luii/.as; a IiccIio.'H
iviu iiiais sonajas fii cstii talila linos ])i'da/.il
« la iiiisiiia talila. v dciiti'o dc cUa ivan soiiaiK
tililil M. llauial
"il aii.l ri.!.
ilo.-< d(
lo 1
(■ made ro rolli/os \- atado.4
OS linos (■
<n h
>tlo
la aiaillicliuaoa/lli.
ijh'.s .t/i.r. .1,,/;
.J., \o
I'.stil
• 11''
m
Vol. m. 'J'J
338
GODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP,
niglit another, and so on tln'ongh all tlio four nights and
f'om* houses of the fog. Here also were four tall polos
standing up out of tlie water. And tlie unfortuuiiti'
bathers, naked from the outset as we renienil)er, reached
this place trembling and their teeth chattering .\itli
cold. One of their number mumbled a few words,
which being translated mean: this is the i)lace of
snakes, the place of moscpiitos, the place of ducks, and
the place of rushes. This said, all flung themselves iiito
the water and began to splash with their hands and
feet, making a great noise and imitating the cries of
various aquatic birds.-'* AV'hen the bathing was over,
the naked priests took their way ])ack accompanii'd by
tlie music of pipes and shells. Half dead with cold and
weariness tlle^' reached the temple, where drawing their
mantles over tl em they flung tliems(d\ es down in a con-
fused heap on the rush mats, so often mentioned, and
slept as best they could. We are told that some talke<l
in their sleep, and some walked about in it, and some
snored, and some sighed in a painful manner. Thcic
they lay in a tangled weary heap not rising till noon of
the next day.
The first thing to be done on waking was to an;iy
themselves in their canoiiieals, take their censers.
and to follow an old priest called (^natiUiUMiilti to all
the chapels and altars of the idols, incensing tliein.
After this they were at libertj^ to eat; they s(|uatte(l
down in groups, and to each one was given such food !is
had been sent to him from his own house; and if any one
took any of the portion of another, or even exchanged liis
for that of another, he was ])unished for it. I'uiiish-
ment also attended the dro})ping of any morsel wliile
eating, if the fault were not atoned for by a fine. After
this meal, they all went to cut down branches of a eei-
5^ ' (^iiiuiiz ili.'.n a V()ci\'ir y A ^'litar v a rniitrahai'cv Ins jivcs di 1 :iu''ia,
Uixts a los iiiiiidcs, (itros ;'i lums avcs zaiiciidas drl a;;ua (jiU' llaiiiu |iiiiilili,
rtros a l<is ciicrviis iiiaviiuis, utrns a las fj;ar/iitas blaiicas, otvos a las j^ar/as.
Ai;ui'll IS palalnas (jitc dccia I'l sati'apa ]>ar('c<' (jnc craii iiivocacioii drl I'l-
liitiiiii) para halilar a<|iifl|iis l('ii,L,'iiai,'is du lives cu ul aj,'iui,' KiiKjulinruwili's
J/'.r. Aiiliij., vol. vii., \k 01.
EELIGIOUS DISCIPLINE.
389
tain l<infl called nrj'nhifl, or, uliere those were not to lie
1()Uii(l. ,rreen ciines instead, and to brinjr them to the
t('in[)le in sheaves. There they sat down, every man
A\ itli his sheaf, and waited for an arranued siunal. The
siiiiial jxiven, ever^' one sprang np to some appointed
])iii-t of the temple to decorate it with his houghs; and if
iiny one went t-> a place not his, or wandered from his
coiiipaiiions, or lagged hehind them, they pimished him
— a punishment only to ho remitted hy paying to his
accuser, within the four days of which we arc now speak-
ing, either a hoii or a blanket or a ))reech-elout, or, if very
p(;i)r. a ball of dough in a euj).
Those four days over, the festival was come, and every
Mi;m l)egan it by eating efzrrlH, a kind of mju/.e poi-ridge,
in his own house. For those that wished it there was
i/vncral dancing and reioicin;.!;. ^lanv decked themsohes
out like morrv-andrews and went about in parties carrv-
iiig pots, going from house to house, demanding etzalli.
Tlicy sang and danced Ijofore the door, and said, "if
you do not give me some porridge, I will knock a hole in
your house;" whereupon the etzalli was given. These
revels ])eiran at midniiiht and ceased at daw
n.
Tl
ion
iutk'od did the priests array themselves in all their
glory: underneath was a jacket, over that a thin trans-
p;u'('iit mantle called aiii'i/iqHcinlfl, decorated with par-
rot-l'cathers set cross-wise. I'ctwoen the shoulders they
t'asti'uod a groat round pajuM" lk)wor. like a shield. 'Vo
the nape of the neck they attacheil other llowers of
IM'UllU)
.led
pa[)er
f)
f
a senu-cn-cu
liir si
laiR
tl
lose
un
ilowii on botli sides of the lu'ad like ears. The foroheiid
\vas painted blue and over the jiaint was dusted ])<)\vdor
ol iiiai'casito
In the I'idit baud was oari'ied a bauinadc^
ti'ier-skui. and eml)i'oit
doreil
witli httlo white slu'lls
11,^
^vl^K•h clattered as one walkeil. The bag seems to liavc
Ik'cu three-cornered; from one angle hung (U)\vn the
tiller's tail, from another his two fore I'eet. iVom another
lii-i two hind leet. It contained incense mad(> tVoui a
I'l'i'taiu herb called i/iini/tt/i.'"' There went one priest
•"' ' Vimlitliiiilli or Yiiuitl, may/, uuu'ruo o iicyro.' Mulina, \'<K'al>ulario,
m
840
GODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
Ijciiriiijr i'. hollow board filled with wooden rattle.*!, as
before do^erihed. Jn advance of this personage theie
inarclied a miiuber of others, carry iiiji' in their arms
iinages of the jiods made of that gnm that is ))lack and
leaps, called tiUl (india-ruljher), these inutues were called
ulk'kii, that is to say ' gods of ulli.' Other ministers
there were carrying in their arms lnm])s of copal, sha[H'd
lid having a I'ich feather,
lik
•ce sngar loaves; eacli jnram
called (pietzal, stuck in the peak of it like a phnne. In
tl
us manner wei
it tl
le pr
ocession wi
th tl
le usui
noi'iis
ai
id shells, and the purpose of it was to lead to punish-
ment those that had transgivssed in any of the points
wo have already discussed. The cul[)rits were marclied
alonii'.
some he
Id
'\y
the 1
lau'
at tl
le nane
of tl
le nee
others by the breech-clout; the boy oifenders were held
by the iiand, or, 11' very small, were carried. All these
were brought to a })lace called Totecco, where water a\ as.
Hero certain ceremonies w> re })erfoi'nied, pa[>er was
burned in sacrifice, as were also the pyramids of copal
and images of ulli, incense being thrown into the (lie
and other incense scattered over the rush mats wifl:
which the place was adorned. AVhile this was going on
those in chai'go of the cul[)rits had not been idle, but
jreat was the noise.
wei'e tliimin
i-tl
lem 11
ito tl
10 water
(
it is said, made by the s[)lash of one tossed in, and the
watei' k'aped high with the shock. As any one came to
the surfai'o or tried to scramble out ho was pushed in nr
pushed down again — well was it then for him who cpuM
swim, and by long far diving keep out of the reach of
his tormentors. l'\)r the others thev were so rouuhly
handled that they were often left for dead on the water's
edge, where their relatives would come and hang fhciii
up by the feet to let the water they had swallowi'il run
out of them; a iiiodiotl of euro sui'ely as bad as the
malady.
The shrill music struck up again and the jirofes^ioii
returned by the way it had come; the friends ot tiie
])unished ones eari'ying tiiem. The monasttTv oi' <al-
niecac reached, there boLian Jinother Ib.n- cla\s' l:i>t.
THE FOl 11 15ALLS.
311
ciillfvl nefhicaciWdlktl'i \ 1)iit in this tlie sharp religious eti-
(|iK'tto of tho first lour (hiys fast uas not observed, or at
least one was not liable to be informed upon or pujiished
I'or a breach of such eti(piette. The ci>nelusion of tiiis
fast w'ixa celebrated hy feasting. Again the })riests de-
corated tiieniselves in festal arra}\ All the head was
p:iinted ])hie, the face was covered with honey (niiel)
mixed with a black dye. Over the shoulders were car-
ried the incense-l)ags embroidered with littU; white shells,
— hags made of tiger-skins, as before described, for the
chief priests, and of paper painted to imitate tigei'-skin
in the case of the inferior priests. Some of these
satchels were fashioned to resemble the hird called <it:dt-
z'lciiihili others to resemble ducks. The priests marched
ii! ])rocession to the temple, and l)efore all marched the
jii'iest of Tlaloc. He had on his liead a crown of basket-
work, fitting clos(; to tiie tem[)les below and spreading
out above, with many plumes issuing from the middle of
it. 11 is face was anointed with melted india-rubber
gum, black as ink, and concealed by an ugly mask with
a great nose, and a wig attached whi(;h fell as low as the
wiiist. All went along imunbling to themselves as if
tiny prayed, till they came to the cu of Tlaloc. There
tlicy stop[)e(l and spread tule mats on the ground, and
(lusted them over with powdered tule-leaves mixed with
yiaulitli incense. Tpon this the acting priest placed
t'niir round chalchiuites, like little balls; then he took a
small hook painted blue, and touched each ball with it;
iuul as he touched each he made a movement as if
fliMwing back his hand, and turned himself completely
I'ound. lie scattered more incense on the mats, then
lie took the board with the rattles inside and sounded
witli it — perhaps a kind of religious stage thtmtU'r in
imilation of the thimder of his god. ri)on this every
<>ue retired to his house or to his monastery and put oif
Ills ornaments; and the unfortunates who had been
(lucked were carried at last to their own dwellings ibr
the rest and recovery that they so sorely needed.
Tiiat night the festivities burst out with a new glory,
U2
GODS, SLTERNATURAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
the musical instriimentH of the en itself were sounded,
the great drums and tlie shrill shells. AVell wateluvl
that night were the prisoners who were doomed to death
on the morrow. When it came they were adorned witli
tiie trappings of the Tlaloc gods — for it was said thev
were the images of these gods — and those that were
killed first were said to he the foundation of the others,
which seemed to he symholi/ed hy those who had to die
last heing made to seat themselves on those who had
heen first killed.""'
I'lie slaughter over, the hearts of the victims were put
into a pot that was painted })lue and stained with ulli in
four places. Together with this })ot oiYerings were taken
of [)aper and feathers and precious stones and chalchiuites,
and a party set out with the whole for that part of the
lake where the whirlpool is, called Pantitlan. All who
assisted at this ofl'ering and sacrifice were provided with
a supply of the herh called ktaahiatl, which is something
like the incense used in Spain, and they puffed it with
their mouths over each other's faces and over the faces
of their children. This they did to hinder maggots
getting into the eyes, and also to protect against a certain
disease of the eyes called cvocKUIo-o-idliill-j some also })iit
this herh into their ears, and others for a certain sui)er-
stition they had held a handful of it clutched in the hand.
Ihe party entered a great canoe helonging to the king.
furnished with green oars, or paddles, spotted with ulli,
juid rcnved swiftly to the place Pantitlan, where the
whirlpool was. This whirl[)ool was surrounded l)y logs
driven into the hottom of the lake like piles — jirol)iihly
to keep canoes from heing drawn into the sink. These
logs heing reached, the priests, standing in the l)ows of
tlie royal vessel, hegan to play oii their horns and shells.
(.'onspicuous among them stood their chief holding the
^i* ' romenziibnn luon;o a nirttiii' a los captivos; nqnollns quo prinitTo iiiata-
liiiti (lociiin (juf oi'un el fniulaiiicnto de los (jne tn'aii iinagcii (If los 'riiiliH|iii s,
<|'lf iviin iulci'o/adds con los Diiiam, a;"^ lU' lf)S liiisnios Tlaloquts (lui (ivan
altTczatldSl (leciau eraii sus iinaK<'iii's, y asi losqiiH inoiian a la ])i)sti'<' iviiiisi;
;'i si'iitar siibrc los que priiiKio liabiau luueito.' Kliujabovvwjh' s }kx. Anlnj..
vol. vii., p. 54,
IMAGES OF THE MOUNTAINS.
843
])ot oontiiining the lioarts; lie llim^ thorn far into tlio
Avliirlinir hollow of water, and it is said that when the
hearts plnnged in, the waters weie strangely moved and
stirred into waves and loam. The preeions stones wei'e
also thrown in, and the papers of the offering were
fastened to the stakes with a mnnher of the chalchinites
and other stones. ^V prie.st took a censer and put four
papers called tdhnltl into it, and hnrned them, ottering
tliem toward the whirli)ool; then he threw them, censer
and all, still hnrning into the sink. That done, the
canoe was })ut ahout and rowed to the landing of Teta-
niacolco. and every one bathed there.
All this took place between midnight and morning,
and when the light began to break the whole l)ody of
the ])riests went to bathe in the usuid i)lace. They
washed the blue paint olV their heads, save only on the
foi'ehead; and if there were any oifences of any priest to
he punished he was here ducked and half drowned as
desci'ibed above. Lastly all returned to their monas-
teries, and the green rush mats si)read there were thrown
out behind each house.''^
AVe have given the description of two great festivals
of the Tlalocs. — two being all that are mentioned by
iiiauy authorities — there still remain, however, two
other notable occasions on which they were propitiated
and honored.
In tiie thirteenth month, which was called Tepeilhuitl,
and which began, according to (Mavigero, on the 24th of
()('t()l)er. it was the custom to cut certain sticks into the
s!ia[)e of snakes. ( V-rtain images as of children were al.«<o
cut out of wood, and these dolls, called Iiecatutoiiti, to-
}:<'ther with the wooden snakes, wi-re used as a founda-
tion or centre round Avhich to buihl ui) little efligies of
the mountains; wherein the ^I'lalocs were honored as gods
of the mountains, and wherein memorial was had of
tiiose that had been drowned, or killed by thunderl)olts,
or whose bodies had been buried without cremation — the
31 A'iiM/N'»»-())(';/('s ^fl•.r. A)i(Ui., vol. vii., pp. 40-55; Sahatjun, Hist. Got.,
torn, i., lib. ii., pp. 111-124.
84i
GODS, SrPERNATrilAL BEINGS, AND WOllSIflP,
tlolls porlinps ropros(Mitiiig tlio liodics of tlii'so, and tlic
f^nakos the tliiuitU'rliolts. Having then tlicsc avockUmi
(lolls and snakes as a basis, tlicy uoiv covered uitli dough
mixed iVoni the si'eds of the wild amaranth: ovit eiich
doll certain papiM's Avere put: I'ound one snake and one
doll, set hack to hack, there appears next to have been
hound a wisp of hay. (which wisp was kept from year to
vear and washed on the viii'il of everN I'east). till tiic
pro])er shape of a mountain was arrived at; over the
whok> was then daubed a layer of dough, ol' the kind
already mentioned. We have now oui- image of the
mountain with two heads looking opposite ways, stick-
ing out from its sunmiit. JU)und this sunnnit tlieic
f^eeni to have been stuck rolls of dough representing the
clouds ustially formed altout the crests of high mountains.
The face of the human image that looked out over thcs'
dough clouds was daubed with melted ulli; and to both
cheeks of it were stuck little ton i lias, or cakes of the
everywhere-present dough of wild amaranth seeds. On
the liead of this same image was [»ut a crown witii feiith-
ers issuiii'j; Irom it.
Tl
lese nnaues were made at nii:ht.
^2 Tills ])assiiL;o viliitin^' to the making; of iiniirjps of (lu> nioiiiitiiiuH is siu
a cliaotic jmiiMc in tlic oriL;ii!.il Hint one is foicccl to usi.' lai>;ily any iii
Btructivr iiiiaL;iiiation oiio may jiosscss to rcini
llU(
even 11 collllUclK lis
•scii)iliou. J ^'ivf tilt' (ii'iuiiial: it any one can make iliyiiu' or reason ort
of it l>y a closer
opiiortiinity
r followiiii^ of the words of Saliaj^Min. In- shall not want tl
Al trcce nics llaiiiiihan 'leiieilliuitl. ]!ii la liesta <jiie se lia<-
I'll est<' lues culiriah de niasa ile lilctlos uiios jialos que teiiiaii Ik clios coii;i
cnlehras. y liaciaii iina;_'enes dc nioutes fniidiulas sobre niios jiali^s licchns ;
nianera dc iiiuos ([Ue llaiiialian Hecatotonti: era la iiiiaL;( n del inonte d
roll
i/.as V larumllas U'
masii dc Medos. ronianle dclaiite junto unas
luasa dc lili dos a niaiicra de luzos. y estos Uaiiialiaii "i'oniiio. llacian estas
iiiiai^eiics a hoiuii de los inontes altos ihnidc se jiiiilaii las niilies, y en iiieiiiu-
ria dc los (pic liabian iiiuerto cu a^'iia i'> hciidos de rayo. y de los i|iic no i-i'
(Hicni:il)aii sus cuerpos smo i
ine li
IS enterialian
J-.st.
Ites hi
sohre linos rodeos I'l roscas licchas dc heiio at::das con /acatc. y }^iiaiilaliaiii::s
de \\n iifio jiara otro. lia viyilia de esta fiesta Ucvaliiin a lavar estas rosr.is
■ul rio (i a la fiicntt
Li'chos dc liarii)
•id
.'i:
do las Uevalian ivanlas taiu iido eon nii
'it(
o o con uiios caracoles inaiiscos.
J.
ilialdi
IS 111 niias
<'ivsas I'l oratorias (pic t'stalmn heclios a la orilla del aj^'iia ipic se llama Ayiiiili
•oalli. Lavalianlas con unas ojas dc canas verdes; al>;uiios con d aj^'iia ip
isaliii nor sii easi
CilSll CO
I las lavaban. En acaliaiidolas dc lavar vohianlas a >ii
11 la luisiiia inusica; luc''o haciaii sol)
IS las ima!,'cnes (
IcleS
lliontes eoiuo esta diclio. Alijiinos liaciali estas inianem s de liocllc alit( > d''
Htiiiiiiccer cercrt del dia: la calie/.a dc cada uii moiite. tenia dos eaias. una dt
jiersona y otra de cni( lira, y untaliaii In
I earn (le iiersoiia eoi
I ulli dcrreiidc, y
liaciaii unas tortillas pre(pieriiielas de luasa de liledos amarillos. y |ioiiiaiil:i'^
eu las mcxillus dc lu cam de persona dc una parte y de otiu; cubiiai.lu-- > ' n
ir
SACEIFICES TO TLALOC.
345
, and the
(' woodiMi
itli (loniili
OVl'l' t'iU'll
.' iiiul oiu-
liiivo Ix'cii
)iii voiir to
0, till \\\v
over tlic
i' tilt' kind
["•C of tilt'
avs, stick-
iniit tliciv
(Mitiii,i:' the
nouiitains.
()\t'r tlu'sf
nd to l)otli
kcs ol" tilt'
;ec'ds. On
[Avith IVath-
at ni^lit.
tains IS siK li
ly Miiy c'li-
iiinchi nsilili'
r I'casdii iii'.t
Kit want llir
(pic SC llMiiil
Ik clidS ci.n:!!
Ics IkcIk.s i'l
1 1 nKinti' di'
larj^uillas d'-
liiK'ian I'stas
. y en nKlim-
i.^ unr nc M-
tis liacialiliis
ual<laliaiili;S
r cstus ri'si-as
u nniis I'itc-i
aulas rii uiias
llama Ayaiili
(1 ■,\'^\v.i <_\w-
ihianlas a --u
If^ClK'S <!'■ 1"'*
dcht' anti ^ ill'
caras. niia ili-
li ilcrnluli'. y
s, V ixmiaiila^
ubiiaulus 1 uU
and in tlio niovninji tliey ^voro carried to tlioir " oi'atorit's.'
and laid down on bcils ol' ruslu's or rocds; tlii'ii Hxxl was
olU'ivd to tlu'in, small pii's or tarts, a poriMdjiV of niai/.c-
llonr and snuar, and tlio stowed tlosli of fowls or of doj:s.
Incense was htn-ned l)efore them, l)einu; thrown into a
censei' shaped like a hand, as it were a ,i:reat spoon fidl of
hiirnin:^' coals. Those who could all()rd it sanj:' and
drank pultjuo in honor of their dead ones and of these
}i()ds.
In this- feast four women and a man were killed in
honor of the Tlalocs and of the mountains. The four
women wei-e named respectively, Tejioxch, Matlal(|uac,
Xochetecatl. and Mayavel — this last was decorated to
iipiH'iii' as th(! ima^e of the mauneyes. ^I'he man was
called Milnaoatl; he stood for an imajie of 'the snakes.'
These victims, adorned with crowns of pa[ier stained with
uHi. were ))orne to their doom in litters. JU'int: carried
to the sunnnit of the cu, they were thrown one by one
(Ml the sacrificial stone, their hearts taken out with the
ilint and oil'ered to Tlaloc, and their bodies allowed to
slide slowly down the temple-steps to the earth — a too
rtipid descent beinji' hindered by the ])i'iests. The
corpses A\ere carried to u place where the heads were
cut oif and jtreserved, spitted on jioles tluMist throuuh
the tein])les of each skull. The bodies wt-re lastly
cairie(l to tlii' wards from which they had set out alive,
and there cut in j)ieces and eaten. At the same tiiiu^
the iniaiics of the mountains, which we have attempted
to dcsciihe. were broken uj). the douuh with which
they were co\ ered was set out to dry in the sun. and
was eati'ii, every day a piece. The i)a[)ers with which
the said iinaues had been adorned were then spread
over the wisps of hay. above mentioned, aial the
whole was I'astened np in the rafters of the oratory that
every one had in his house; there to remain till recpnred
uiins ]m]i(li'S fnio llainalmn Tctonitli; jioninnlns unas roronas ni las
calii/as ccui sus jiciiaclnis. Tiunljicn (i los iinaj^fncs dc Ids niuiitds las pcmi-
iiu sdliic ai|Uillas fiisras de zaoutf, y Ine^'o en aniantciiniln )i(inian cstas
iiiiuLiiiits 111 sus oratories, sulire unos Icclios dc opadafiiis d df junuias o
juiiios.' Kiiiijsbuivi'jh's Jkx. Antiq., vol. vii,, jip. 71-2.
i:
I
JUfi
GODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
for tlie next yoar'.s foiist of tlio .same kind; on wliicli
occasion, and as a preliminary to tlic otiior ceremonies
wliich Ave liave already described in the fn'st part t)f this
least, the people took down the i)aper and the wisp from
tiieir ))rivatt> oratories, and carried them to the itiihiic
oratory called the (laiacalU, left the paper there, and re-
turned with the wisp to make of it anew the image of a
mountain.''''
^riie foin'th and last festival of Tlaloc which we
have to descrihe, I'ell in our Decemlier and *n the six-
teenth A/.tec month, called the month Atenm/.tli. Ahout
this time it ))e^an to thunder round the mountain-tops,
and the first rains to fall there; the common people siiiil.
'■ Now come the Tlalocs," and for love of the water tlity
made vows to make images of the mountains — not, how-
ever, as it would a[)pear, such images as have been de-
.scrihed as ai)[)ertaining to the preceding festival. Tlie
priests were very devout at this season and very earnest
in prayer, expecting the rain. They took each man his
incense-[)an or censer, made like a great spoon with a
long round hollow handle Idled with rattles and termi-
nating in a snake's head, and oftercd incense to all the
i<lols. Five days before the begimiing of the fejist the
connnon ])eople bought ])aper and uUi and Hint knives
and a kind of coarse cloth called neqiit'jij and devoutly
l)repared themselves with fasting and penance to make
their images of the mountains and to cover them with
pai)er. In this holy season, although every one bathcil.
he washed no higher than the neck, the head was lel't
unwashed; the men, moreover, abstained from their
wives. The night i)receding the great feast-day was
.si)ent wholly, Hint knife in hand, cutting out })aper into
various shapes. These papers called tdertt/, were stnincd
Avith nlli; and every householder got a long pole, covered
it with pieces of this paper, and set it up in his couit-
\ard, where it remained all the day of the iesti\al.
Those that had vowed to make images of the mountains
'"^ hlii'ishoi'otiiih'!) ^^vx. Andq., vol. vii,, pp. 71-3; Suha'jim, Hid. Um., toiii.
i., lib. ii., pp, lo'J"102.
KILLINT. ni.V(iKS OF THE MOrXTAIN'S.
'Ml
Hint. Um., toin.
invit "(1 priests to their houses to do it for them. Tlie
j)ii('.<,s eiuiie. heariiij;' their (Inuns and nittles and iustni-
iiieir s of imisic oi' tortoise-shell, Tliey made the imajres
— iippareiitly like human fijiiires — out ol' the d()ii;jih of
uiltl amaranth seed, and covered them with paper. In
sDiiie houses there were made live of such imajit-s, in
others ten, in others fifteen; they were figures that st(M)d
f(tr such mountains as the clouds jiather round, such as
the volcano of the Sierra Xevada or that t)f the Sierra of
Tlascala. These images heiny; constructed, they were
set in order in the oratory of the house, and Iteloiv each
one was set iixxl — very small pies, on small ])lattei's, pro-
jini'tionate to the little imajie. small hoxes holdin<ia little
sweet porridge of maize, little calabashes of cacao, and
otlici" small green cahihashes containing pulcpie. In one
night they presented the figures with food in this man-
ner four times. All the night too they sang before them.
and [)layed upon llutes; the regular flutists not being
employed on this occasion, but certain small Ijovs who
were paid for their trouble with something to eat. When
tlie morning came, the ministers of the idols asked th(»
iiiMster of the house for his tzofzo/xizfll, a kind of broail
wooden knife used in weavini;.''* and thrust it into the
))r('asts of the images of the mountains, as if they were
living men. and cut their throats and drew out the heai'ts.
whicli they put in a green cup and gave to the owner of
the house. This done, they took all the })aper witli
which these images had been adorned, together with
certain green mats that had been used for the same pur-
liii-<c. and the utensils in which the ollering of food had
In'tu put, and burned all in the court-yard of the house.
The ashes and the nnitilated images seem then to have
liccu carried to a public oratory called Aiauhcalco. on
the shore of the lake. Then all who assisted at these
ceremonies joined themselves to eat and drink in honor
ul the nnitilated images, which were called fcjiiciiK,'.
^\omen were allowed to join in this ban(piet provided
^' T/iitzdiiaztli. j)iilo niichn oomn pnchilla con que tiipen y iiiirictau In
tul.i iiiii; he text'.' Molina, \'ocubulario.
•^13
r,oi>s, suPEnxATni.vL rKixcis, and wonsirip.
tlu'V ltroii;iht (ifhH'n or twenty lu'.'ulsof mui'/c with tliciii :
tlicv rt'ccivcd every one his or her share of food iiiid
|)iil((iie. The |)iil<iiie was ke[»t in hlack jars ami lifted out
to he (h-iiuk with hhick eni»s. Tliis han<[uet over, the
paper streamers were taken down irom tiie poll's set up
in the roin't-yards of the iioiises and carried to eertiiiu
places in the water that were marked ont hy jiiles drive u
in — we may I'etnemher that our whirlpool of I'antitlau.
in the lake of Mexico, was one phioe so marked an<l to
to the to[)s of the mountains, and lett there as it would
api)ear.''
In takina; leave here of Tlaloc I may draw attention
to the [)i'ominen('e in his cult of the nundter four, tlic
cro.ss, and the snake; and add that as lord of one <»f tlie
three A/tec divisions of the future world, loi'd of tlic
terrestrial paradi.se, we shall meet with him a;^aiii in
our examination of the Mexican ideas of a future life.
3'> Khuislinroiifih's Mix. Aiiliii., vol. vii., pp. 80-1; Sfihtiiinn, J[i.-il. Gr,).,
torn, i., till. ii.. i)p. J7<i 'J. l'.»S, 2l(t. Fiiithcr notice' of '1 Iiloo iiml his \vi>i-
Kliiji will li ■ foiiiul ill the Sjiii'iinsidne diilc T'trah' dil CoiHc" .][i,r!rit)iii, \:[\.
xwiii.. Ivii., Ix., Ixii., in Kirishnnnt'ili's .\fi\r. Anlii;., vol. v.. pp. 17'.*, I'.Mi J;
linhirini, I'I'ii, pp. I'J -It, '.t'.t. 1(11; Aimr. Kthnnl. Sur,, Tniiindcl., vol. i.. p. Iti'-'i;
Miifiiliiiiii, Hist. IikL, in IfUzhnlnUi, Col. ih' />or., toin. i , pp. U:i. .'t'.i, li. II "p:
y'liniii'tiiiiilii, MiiiKinj. Iiid., toin. i., p. 2'M), iind torn, ii., pi). -l."!-!), ll'.>, liil.
117, l.~)l. '1\'2, 2")1 1; llirnr'i, IHsl. (Im., ilcc. ii., HI), vi., citp. xv.; (Imiiiii'i,
Ifisl. CnHij. .l/-,i-., fol._'21t;; '////.-/■•,s I'riin. Cull., vol. ii., pp. 235, 213; JJuHu;
AmcrUauilacIti: i'rrdiijionm, pp, 5UU— 1 tt puHiiiui,
CnArTER IX.
nODS, SLTKPiNATUKAL in-INCS, AND WOIL-IIIP.
TllK MnlllKll on AM.-NonusIIINd (toDDKSS UNDKU VAllIdl'S NAMICS AND IS
VMildCS ASI'KCTH — IIkU FkasT in TIIK F.I.KVKNTII A/.TKC MdMll OfliP-
AM/.II.I — 1'"ksT1VAI.S of THK ElilllTH Mosul, 1I|-KVIK(III,1IITII., AND
Ol IIIK I'milTH, lll'KVlo/OZl'l,! — 'I'lIK DKU'ICATION ol' WO.MKN I HAT IJIKU
IN ( iii;,i>-i)iitTir— TiiK (joiiDKws oi'" Waiku unuku vai;ioi-s namks and
IN VMilol'S ASI'KCTS^CkiIKMONIKS of THK liAP'l'ISM OK lis lUATloN OF
( llll.lil;KN— ThK (loDDKss OF LoVK, IIF.U VAmoFH NAMKS ANI> ASI'KCTH —
Kills OF (.•ONFKH^SION ANU ABSOLUTION TUK I ioi> OF FIUK AND HIS VAKI-
oi s NA.MKs— His festivals in thk tknth month Xocotlvkti am> in
'llli: Kli.llTFKNTlI .MONTH YzCM.i; AL--0 HIS (^'AOIiH' NMAL FKSTIVAL IN
■||:K I.MIKI: MONTH -Thk OllKAT FKs:iVAL OF KVKIIY FiriY-IWO YKAIls;
I.liill lINd THK NKW FIUK — ThK GoI> OF IIVDKS, AND TkoVAOM I VTK, COI.I.KC-
Tiil; llF THK S(iri,S OF THE FALLEN ISKAVK 1 )K1FI(:AIT0N OF DKAI) UrLKKS AND
IIKl:ol S- .MlXCOAIL, (iol) OF HL"NT1N(V AND HIS FKAST IN IIIK Idl'l; TKKN I II
JliiNIII, (^IKCIKlLLI — VaIHOL'H OTllKK MkXKAN DKIITKS 1'ks 1 1 VAL IN TH K
SKCiiNl) MiiNTH, 'ri.ACAXIl'KHlTALlZTI.I, WITH NoTKK OF I III: ( . I.AI i| A TdKIALi
SMLlFICKs -Cd.MI'LKlK SYNOPSIS oF THK FKslTVALS OF THK JIkXICAN C'AL-
INhu:, FIXKI) AND MOVADLK — TeMI'I.KS AND I'lHESTS.
(\iit('(itl is a <i<)(l(l('ss, or jicconrm;! to some tiooil aii-
thoiltli'SM p)(l, who held, under maiiv iianiesaiid in many
ili.nacters. a most important |)l;ice inthedi\iiie world of
the A/.ters. and of other Mexican and Central American
pcoiilcs. ;>he was o'oddess oi' mai/e. and const'(|iieiitU',
li'Mii tli(> im[)()i-tance in America ot" this j:riiin. ol' ;ii:ricul-
tiiiv. and ol" the prodiurniti; earth oencrally. Many oi' her
V!irii)iis names seem dejjendent on the varyin;^' asjiects ol'
thf luai/e at dillerent staji'es of its orowth : others seem to
luiw originated in the mother-like nourishing (pudities
\v4
E. :
'^1
3:.0 GODS, SUl EPiNATUriAL HEIN(iS, ..NT) -WOltSIIir.
of tlio uTiiin of wli'i'li ,slio was t]io doity. ^[iillcr lays
iiuicli stix'ss oil til .• as[)ect ')i' hoi* clianietcr: ■"The I'orcc
wliicli sustains lite tniist also Iiavo creati-d it. (V'litcutl
was tlirri'lorc coiisid'.Mvd ac bi"in<iiii,u' cliiidi'di to li^lit,
and is rcproseiitod with an infant in her arms. Xdicl
tiivc's lis such ;i representation, and in our .Mexican
inuseuiii at I>asel there are many imaji'es in this form,
made of burnt clay. \\'here agriculture rules, there
more children are brought to mature age than among
the hunting nations, and the land revels in a large j)oi)u-
lation. Xo part of the world is so well athqited to
exhibit this diHereiice as America. Centeotl is coiisc-
»iueutly the great producer, not of children merely, she
is the great goddess, the most ancient goddess." ^
Centeotl was known, according to (Ma\igero. ly tiie
titles Touacajohua, 'she who sustains us;' Tzinteotl,
■ original goddess;' and by the further names Xiloiun.
Iztiicacenteotl, and "^riatlaulKpiicenteotl. She was fur-
ther, accoi'diiig to the same author, identical with To-
nant/in. 'our mother." and. according to .Miillei' and
many Spanish authorities, either identical or closely coi'-
necteij with the various deities known as Teteionan, "the
iiiother of the gods. " Cihuatcoatl. ' the snake-woman.'
Ta/.i or Toci or Tocit/.in, ' our grandmother.' and I'lartli,
the imi\i'rsal material mother. S(|uier says of 'ria/^il-
teotl. that '"she is ("inteotl the goddess of mai/.e. midcr
another aspect." ^
She was paiticularly honored by the Totonacs, with
' MiOhr. .\iiiiril,(iii!scli(> t'rrilhii,,iip)i. p. VXi.
5 ('I,ivij4( !■(>, >l,iri<i Aiil. <l'l .lA.ss/r,,, t(,iii. ii.. ])p. ]C,, '22, indciMl snj lli;:t
Trtiioiiiiii 1111(1 'I'dcit/.iii iiif ' ccvtMiiilv dirtcn nf .'
;< Si/iiiiT's S, fjii III Sijiiiliiil, J). 47. A iiassiiu'c v. Iiii'li iiiiiki's tlii' )iriii<ii ,il > !i -
iiicllt (if tlic cliaraitcr (if Tuci or Tucit/ili that dt' (idiMtss cif l)iscd I ii ;iy
111' cdiKli'iisi (1 fr mi Acdsta, as fdlldws: ^^'lll n tlic Mexican--, i ili'ii'
WHiiili riiiL;^, liad sitilcd fur a fiiiic in the tcnitdi'v df ( iillniacaii, tin W'lc
iiistnictid li.v liii'ii- ^-dd lliiit/ild|idclitli to j^n fdrlli and iiiaki' wars, ai.ii tlr^t
td a|idtli((isi/i'. after liis dirtctidiis. a (idddcss nf |)isc(ird. FdllnwiiiL; tli' '•c
dircctiiiiis. tlnv sent til the kiiifi df Cnllniacan fdr lii^ daiiL;lit(r to In ili ir
iincc'ii. Moved liy tlie lioiior, the father sent his liaph ss daii^hli r. L^i'i l. -
<iils'.y attireil. td li(^ ellllirolled. I!iit the wiley, siijierstitidlls, and fi rdijelis
^Mexicans slew the L;i:l and tiayed Jnr, and eli'ihi d a yoiiiiL; man in In i -l.in.
calling,' him 'their eoddess and mother of th'ir i^'od.' und. r tin ikmii. if
'I'oeey, that is ■ giuud mother.' See iilso J'uicIms, Jits 7'i7'//(//a.s, ^l 1. iv.,
II. liMlt.
THE MOTIIER-NOnilSlIEK.
a-ji
Avlioiu slie AViis tlie eliiof divinity. Tlicy jiiviitly lovod
lici'. l)('ru'\in,L!.' thiit she did not di'iuiind liiiiuaii \ ictims,
hut Wiis coutont with tlowcrs and iVuits, the I'at hananji
and the yellow maize, and small animals, such as do\i's,
(|iiaiis. and rahhitn. ^fore, thiy hojK'd that she would in
the end utterly deliver them iVom the eruel necessity of
such sacrifices, even to the other j;<)ds.
With very dilVerent leelinji's, as wo shall soon scf did
tlie Mexicans proper api)i'oach this deit\, niakin-! her
temples horrid with the tortured r(>rms ol' hui.ian saeri-
(iccs. It shows how dee[) the stain of the hl(K"l was in
tlie .\h'\iean reli,i: ions heart, how jjoisonous i'ai- the odor
(if it had crept throuiili all the senses of the A/tec soul,
when it coidd he helieved that the ,i:reat sustainer. the
yellow waxinf;;' mai/e. the very in<»ther o.t" all, nuist he
led upon the llesh ol" her own children.*
To make comprehensiltlc vaiious allusions it seems
well here to sum up rapidly the chai;ictets gi\eii oi' cer
* I'hiri irrn. f^lnyi' .\iil, ih'l Mms'irn, tiini. i., pj). V\ 'I'l; Expt'inir'niii ihl C'kIiX
'I'll' rhtiiii-Ri'iiii'ii.'<ls, liiiii. XII.. ill h'iiiiisli(iriii('ili's .l/c.i-. Aiitni., vnl. v.. p. 1411;
S/ii'-'i'iii'iiif ili'llc 'I'liri'le ikl I'liil'hf .U' .fh-diio, tiiv. .\\x., ///., p. INO; lliniilmldl,
h'^s'ii ViiVil'iijiii'. tiiiii. i., J). '217; Srliiiiilcrn/t's Ar'h., vnl. vi.. p. (iHl. Tlic sucri-
liif-lo Ci'iitio'tl, if slic !»• itliutic.'il with till' caith-iuiitliir, iirc illuslratid
liy th'' -.(atcMifiit of Miiiiiiitii, //(>/. h'd's.. p. SI, tliat tlic .Mixii'aus paiiitril
till' r:ii-»ii(-'_""l(l('ss as li frc)^' witli a bluntly luontli in ivi ly jninl of her l.-xly,
(whiih !>"•,' wt' s.kall n»»tt aj^itin liy and ,1(V in a Ct'uticitl ftstivali lor iiti* y
sai'l tliiit till' t-iui'tli (1< vipiil'iil all tliiiiurs :• ■ I'm if alsn. liy tlir liy, aiiiiin>;
(itli I's iif a like kpMil wliii'h we shall t'liciiiiutcr. ;'iat m.t to tlu' niiulims almio
(:i^ .Ml' .1. (1. Mrilhr sniiifwht'iv attirnisK luit to the Mcxicaiiw also, licioii^'nl
till' ill 1 of tiinlti|ilyiti^' tlu' organs d tin ir dcitirs to ixpiTs.-' j^nat \io\v< I's in
miy 'jivi'ii itiri'i'tKin. Tlir followiu-.; unto from thr Sjiiiiiii.inid' il>IU 'I'ur.'h
ill! I', „!',,■> Mixh'iiiiii. ill A','(((/.v/<(./',, ((,//('.>' .)/i'.l'. .l/i/((/., Mil. ,.. pp. 17'.* KO, illi.s-
trati > till' last point iiotiiTil. ;j;iv('s anotliiT foiiii ov ri Ution of tlu' hoiIiIi'ns of
Husti'iiani'f. and also tin' origin of flic iiaiiir appliid to thi' Mi'xirau
iniists: ■ Thi'y fi'i^,Mi that May.'i;4nil was a woiiiaii with toiii- liuiuli'id linastvi,
M\<\ that till' f,'ods, on aci'or.nt of licr fniitfulm >--, rli iiitri d h. r into tin'
Mii'^iii'V. whii'li is tin' vine of that country, frmn which tin y malic wine.
Sli' |il'i'sid. d ovcv 111 -ic thirteen si;..;ils; Imt uhm M'I' chanced to he lioin on
til'- tii'st si'^'ii of rln Herli. it jivomiI unlucky to him: tor they say tli.it it was
applii d to the ■riamat/.at/'.'_;ucx. who were a race of demon-- liwi'lliii;^ annMiL'st
tli' 111. who accordin'4 to their .'iccount wainlci'' d thi'iiiiL;h (in air, from ulciii
tile iiiiiiistcrs of their temples took their denomination Winn this si>'u
iirnv. d. parents ciijiiiiicd their children not to li ave the house, lest any miiv-
fiirtuiic or unlucky accident should hefall tin in. 'I'lny helieved that llnso
wlin Were horn in Two Canes, which is Ih second sii,'n, would he loii',; lived,
f'lr they say that thai si'4n w.is apiilied to heaven, 'riny iiianiifai'tare so
iiiiniv ihiii'^'s fiom Hiis pl-uil r'alleil the Ma'..;U"y. and il is so m ry useful in that
'■"Uiiliv, th.'it the devil tnnk oe.'Msion to iiidni'i them to In li. -^e that il wa.-* a
g'i'l. and to worship and utfcr siuailiucs to it.'
nil'
352
COUti, SUrERN.VrUIlAL BEINGS, AND WOKMUP.
tain iioddosses identical with or roscniltlini:' in v.irioiis
]»()ints this Centcotl. ( 'hiconiccoatl ' was. iiccordinj:,' to
i^ah!i;j,ii.i. tile Ceres of .Mexieo. and tiie iioihless of j)rovi-
.•^ions, as well of w hat is drunk as ol" what is eaten. She
was rcpi-esfiitt'd with a, crown on her hcnd. a xa.'^t' in hci'
ri,ulit hand, and on hei- left ai'ni a .shield with a threat
ilowei' painh'd thereon; her garments and her sandids
were red.
'^riie first of th<' .Nfcxican p)ddesses was. I'ollowiuu' tlic
same authority. ( "ioacoatl. or C'ivacoatl. the lioddcss ofad-
vei'se thin.iis. such as ))<>vertA', dowidieartcdness. and toil,
►^he appeared often in the jruise of a great lady, wearing
HUidi a[)parel as was used in the palact" ; she w as also heaid
at night in the air shouting and even roaring. IJcsidcs her
name < 'i();ic();itl. which means 'snake-woman. >lie was
known as Toiiant/.in. that is to say. ' oui' mother.' Mic
was arrayed in white I'ohes. and her hair was arranged
in IVont. over her forehead, in little curls that crossed
each other. It was a <'ustom with her to carr_v a cradle
on her shoidders. as one that carries a djild in it. and
after setting it down in the market-place I>esidi' the
other women, to disappear. When this cradle was e.v-
■> S'lhuiiiin, ///'s/. '/'//., ti,iji. i., lil>. i., j/j). o-O: O'lU'iUn. in Aii"i\ f^ifumf.
Siii\, Ti'ilas'irl., vol. i., |ij(. M\ . ;JIO-Ol), CDlKl'Usin;/ (rum .iiul (•(.inlin nlilr.(
n\h)\\ the ciiliccs V'atiiMinis jind Ti'lliriauns savs; • Tmii ic;wi:.,'iiii. ali.is
Tiiciiiijiiit/al ^)]ii('kiii>< rose), a)icl Ciiicnmi cuiittl (wvcii serpents i : wife ni
'J'linaeall' cotlt ; tlie canse of wti rility, t'aiiiinc. anil iiii.-^eiii ; '■'..,
Aiuijn;4sl Silia^'im's siiperiDr deities, is f<yiiniK'iv.iii'i)atl, the ' si an.'
ttlso c.illeil T'lnaiit/iii, ' oiU' iniiUli'l';' Hud he, »(S/'/)f lis lie i> liD'al
«lliisiipjis. calls liei' J'^ve. and a>«ri1)es to he/, as fhe inti 1 1 : fli"
/•'^fieesj ti) 'i'ouataeiie^a. all the liii-i-ries aii/J a<-h< r-M (hiii:<(s '.c mi- wnld.
Thin anal. i;,'y i^. if I aui not mistaken, tl*. <.nl/ foim.l i .11 for nil 'Ji. alhi-
HioiH to Kve and her historv. li> fi-ye, diif**!^. and aft' I ,...,,
t rjir. (ers li iv> tri t| to i xtraet from oaiiitin^^s wii eli 1
/ I I, Tliev w I'e (■■•riiinly mistaken in sayin>< llial ih ,.
■ ■■ ill. if ( liiv' I'H' 'oitatl. seven S'rtniMs f hi y slioulil li
I r|ieU-t W.rniill. rhirollleeoijt), ill i '" !"ii •'
;■ ■+'•.. )*. aeeordl e^to HullifjCntt . I, ., 11
siijiyli' - ■ ! in>; an t driiiUiiiK; pmh.AAi the >mu; ,.,. i'/iui
trofl tie ~ Iff mai/i ^ f roni ruilli. niai/» >, whi'ii lii' does li"l
Th- f"«;Kl:itiou for asenl;in>', ti 1 /u i llie naiie
i|H //.,« /'/. li'(/-\ |rf i,, \i. ■i'f - '#et: Cili
I '|i ' •' liavc) f^iveu l»iit'i
■ 111 I. iMiali ra<'e. It ir, -
i\y, ' ■•■ilimi. nakes,' or in ih' n^n■|^tt'ulk ^■l ■ .iL *^
COull, !. illie. qt cOUtt'.
MEDICINE-GODDESS.
853
m
11' ... .
lilMll.''
..f the
wmld.
. allu-
,li ili-
,,!■ Ill'
amiiK'tl. tiu're was found a stouo knifi' in it, aiul with
tlii.'^ tlio j)i'i(^'.st.s .slew tlicif .^acrilicial victim."^.
The ;j.'oil(les.s of ^aiiaiiuii's (le.'^cri[)ti(»ii u\ost rc^oml)-
lini:' till' 'I'oci of otlici' writiM's. is tlir one tliat he calls
' tln' iiiotluT of the ji'ods, the heart of the earth, and
Diir aiice.'^toi' or ' I'aiidniother (ahiiela).' She is de-
SCl'l
hed
tl
IS tlie "'oddess
l(U
of medicine and of medicinal
lierhs. as worshioe I hv doctors. sui'i:('ons. hlood-letters,
of those that p. ve herbs to produce ahoi'tions. and als)
of the di\iuers that pronounced upon the fortune of
children aceordinjr to their birth. They -woi'shiiK'd her
;i!s() that cast lots with ji'rains of maize, those that au.'ui'cd
h\ lookiiiL:' into water in a l)o\vl. those that cast lets with
its of cord tied together, tl
I (».•<('
that
( I VCAV
littl
e worms
ir iiiaL:i:()ts iVom the mouth or eyes. tho.>^e that extracted
ittle st( ,;■ '■ from other parts of the body, and those that
had
«w.
tths, temdzraH'is, m their lion
.><es.
These last
al\va\ < SI
■t the imaiiv of this uoddess in the baths, callini
licr
ellia/calteCl
dtt
that
is t'
> Sil\'
tl
le lii'and mother of
the baths.' 11(M" adori-rs made thisjioddess a feast every
car. Iiuyinu a woman for a sacrilice. decoratinj:' thi.s
\ictini with tlic ornaments pro[)er to the .uoddess. l']\-ery
i\euinj tluy danced with this mif(»rtunate. and i(.\i:aled
hi'r delicately, praxinsi" her to eat as they would a ureat
l;i.il\. and annisinii' her in eveiy way that she midit not
weep nor U' sad at the prosiM-ct of death. \\ hen the
th'eailfid houi' did come. ha\in,i: slain her. toii'ether with
two others that accompanied her to death, they lla\ed
lier: ihen a man <'lothed himself in hei" skin, and went
about all the city i)layin,i:' many pranks. — by ;dl of which
iti'V idefrfity with To/i seems suiliciently ch'ar. This
,:ioiM('ss was repri'.sented with the uiouth and chin .stained
with idli. i»nd a I'oimd jiatch of the sauie on her face;
"H her head she had a kiinl of Iiuban uiade of cloth
yi)\[vi\ roun 1 and knotte(l behind. In this knot
wci'e
tuck plumes ,*Cdiich issued trom it like llames. aiK
tb fell behind oxer the .shoulder;
d
tlic tauls ot t!
1 1 ' r 1 ' »
>/:vei
uidals. a shirt with a kin<l of broad .><errated
■1 white [lettieoal.s. In her hit hand
^,:>l
CODS, srrEPvNATUIlAL BEINGS, AND AVOPiSIIIP.
i !
slio licld a shield ^vitll a round plato of gold in the centre
thereof: in her right hand she held a ])rooni.'''
The festival in -vvhicdi divers of the various ninnifesta-
tlons of tiie mother-goddess were honored, was lield in
the heginning of the eleventh ^Vztee month. ])eginiiig on
the 11th ol' Septemher; Centeotl, or Cinteotl. or (^'ll-
tentl. or ^r/inteutl, is however represented theivin as a
nude and not a female.
J'ifteen diivs hefore the eommenoement of the festiMtl
those that took ])art in it hegan to dance, if dancing it
could l)e called, in which the feet and i)ody were hardlv
moved, and in which the time was kept hy I'aising and
lowering the hands to the heat of the drum. This went
on lor eight days. ))eginning in the afternoon and (inishiuu
with the st't of sun, the dancers heing perfectly silent,
arranged in four lines, and each haxing hoth hands full
of llowei-s. cut l)ranchos and all. Some of the youths,
indeed, too restless to hear the silence, imitated with
their mouths tlu^ .st)undof the drum; but all weri' foici'd
to keej). as well in motion as in voice, the exiictest tiiiir
a,nd good order. On the expiration of these eight days
the medical women, hoth old and young, divided theiti-
selves into two parties, and fought a kind of mock hattlc
before the woman that had to die in this lesti\al, t(i
annise her and keep tears away; for they held it ol'liad
autiurv il'this miserable creature gave wa\- to her Liricf.
and as a sign that many women had to die in cliild-
l)irth. 1Miis woman who was called for the time being,
'the image of the mother of the gods." led in person the
fii'st attack upon one of the two ])artii's of fighters. In-ing
accom[)anied by three old wonu'n that wei'e to licr as
mothers and never left her side, called res[)ectively Aoii.
Tlavitez(|ui. and Xocuauhtli.^ The light consisted in
])eltiug each other with handfuls of I'ed leaves, or kvivcs
of the nopal, or of yellow tlowers called a /iiji<i<i/siic/iit/.
the same sort as had been carried b\- the actors in the
'■ /\'i/(;/s'(iiri'";//i's .l/i.C. Aidi(j., vol. vii., pp. .')•!; S'lhiKinii, Hist. Hr,,., tiilil.
i., lili. i., jip. I 7.
1 Or, ac iiriliiii,' to IJiistaniiintr's cd,, .Abii, Tlavittcipii, ami XcHjiiuiulitli.
SaUnijun, Hist. Hkh., turn, i., lib. ii.. p. 14S>.
SACTiIFK'E TO THE MOTIIER-GODDESS.
wore yiniics
lU
to
pvcocdiiiu' ilanco. These women Jill
wiiicli were sus[)eii(]ed little p)iir(ls (ilUnl witii powder
of the herh called ij'nil. When the peltiiiji-niatcli was
oM'f. the woman that had to die was led hack to the
house where she was guarded; and all this was repeated
ihii-inu' ibiir successive davs. Then the victim reijresent-
iui! Toci. that is to sav, * our grandmother or ancestor/
lor so was called the mother of the gods, was led i'oi" the
liist time thriMigh the market-place by the medical
woman. This ceremony was called 'the farewell to the
minket-place;' fbi" never more should she see it who this
(\\\\ passed through, decorated in such mournrul rri[)[)erv,
siiiToundeil by the pomp of such hollow mirtli. She
wriit sowiuii" niai/.e on e\er\' side as she w
alk
iUli
1
liaving passed through the market she was receivetl hy
the [triests who took her to a house near the cu wln-re
she had to he killed. There the medical women and
midwives consoled her: Daughter, lie joyful and not sad,
this uight thou shalt slei'[) with the king. Then they
adoi'iied her with the ornaments of the uoddess Toci,
stiiviug all the while to kee[) the fact of her death in the
ha('I<-grouu(l, that she might die suddenl} and without
kiiowiu:;' it. At uiidniiiht. in darkness, not so nuich as
a cough breaking the silence, she was led to tlir holy
t.'iiii>le-to[). and caught up swiftly on the shoukk'rs of a
man. There was hiirdly a struggle: her bearer I'clt hiui-
si'ir deluged with blood, while she was Ijeheaded with
all despatch, and llaycd, still ^varm. The >k\\\ of the
thighs was (Irst taken off and carried, for a piupose to be
luvsfutly reveale(l. to the cu of Ccutrotl. wIk
I was
tl
le
^^l>)l of Toci. AVitli the reuiaiudcr of the skin, next
taken off. a priest clo'bed himselt". drawing it on. it would
appeal' iVom other ri'cords. like a glo\e: tiiis i)i'iest
who was a young man chosen foi" his bodily Ibices and
si/e. thus clothed represt-uted Toei. the goddess herst'll".
The Toei pi'ie.'^t. with this h«)n'ible jacket sticking to his
sinewy bust, then ciwne down from the temple amid the
chanting of tiie singers tist' the cu. On each si(h- of him
wi'Ut two persons, who had made a vow to help him in
3."jt)
GODS, SUPEUNATUHAL BEINGS, AND -WORSHri'.
!■!
m
itii i;
St''
m''
this sorvioc, and l^'liiiid came sevoral otlioi' ])i'iests. fn
front tluMV ran a luinilHT of iirincipal men and soldiers,
arnu'd Avitli Ix'sonis ol' ))l()()d-staiiK'd <:ra.ss, wlio looknl
hack iVoni tin)(.,- to tinio, and f^trnck tlieir f^hiclds as it
pro'.dkinti' a fight: theso lie ])ivtc'ndc'd to pui'siiL' Avitli
jii'cat fury, and all that saw this play (whii^li was eallcd
r,ir,i.-(i/il^ feared and trenihled «.'xeeedinL:ly. On reacli-
in,!^ the cu of lIuit/,ilo[)oehtli. the Toci })riest .s})i'ead out
his arms and stood like a cross ])elore the imajie of the
WAV <:()d; tliis he did four times and tlieii went on to tlio
cu of Centeotl. whither, as we remend)er, the skin of the
tliiuhs ol" the Hayed woman had heen sent, ^i'his skin
of the ihi<;hs another Nounii' priest. rei)resentiim' the <:(i(l
Ceiiteutl. son of 'l\)ci. had ]iut. on over his liice like a
mask. In addition to tins loathsomi^ veil, he wore a
ja<'ket of feathers and a hood of leathers attached to tiic
jacket. I'his hood ran out into a peak of a s[)iral fona
fallinii' ])ehind; and the l)ack-l)oni* or spine of this s[)iral
I'csemhled the cond) of a cock; this hood wa.s called '/(:.-
t!<i''o/iiiJii/>i!^ that is to say 'pul of Irost.'
The Toci ])riest and tlie Ccnteotl priest next went to-
Licther tt) the cu of T(/ci. where the first waited for
the morning' (for iiU this already descrihed toek
place at night) to have certain ira[)pings juit on oxer
his horrid under-M'st. When the morning hroke.
amid the chanting ol' the singers, all the pi'incipal
mni. who had heen waiting helow. ran with great
swiltness \\\) the steps of the tem[)le carrying tlieii"
olVeiiugs. Some of these ])rincipal men hegan to vnwv
the I'eet and the head of the Toci priest with the ^\llitc
downy iinier leathers of the eagle: others jtainted his
face red: others put on him a rather short shirt A\itii
tlie figure of an eagle wrought or woven into the hre;i-t
of it. and certain painted petticoats; others heheaiKil
(piails and olfered copal. All this done cpiickly. these
men took their (lei)arture.
'fhen were hrought forth and ])nt on the Toci prii st
all his I'ich vestui'cs. aiid a kind of s(|uare crown \er\
wide aho\ e and ornamented with five little hanners. one
THE siax-nE.vi;r,ns,
ill cacli corner, and in tlio contro one lii^tiluM" than llic
titlicrs. All tlu' captives that had to die \vere hrouizlit
out and set in line, and he took I'oiir ol' them one after
the other, threw them down on the sacrificial stone and
took out their hearts; the rest of the ca[)tiNes he handrd
over to the other priests to complete the work he had
heijiin. .Vfter this he set out with the (V'liteotl priest
for tlu' en of" the latter, in achaiice of these ;i little
wav there walked a jiarty of their devotees, called
iji-ii,.rn,iii. decorated with jia[)ei's. _uirt for l)reech-clont
with twisted paper, carrvinjj.' at their shoiildeis ;i
criiiii])
.led
pai
ler, romm nke ii s
diield.
and tassels of un-
lose
t\vi>te(l cotton. On either side also there went tl
that sold lime" in the market, and the medical women,
moving' tt) the siniiinui," of the iiriests and the heat of
(Iriiin. llavinji' come to the place where heads \\k\\-
s[iittcd at the en of Centeotl, the Toci priest set one foot
on the drnm and waiteil there for the ( 'enteotl [)riest.
The two heinii' come toiicther it would seem that he who
represented Centeotl now set out alone. Avith much haste
and accom[)anie(l hv many soldiers, for a })lace on the
ciiciiiy s frontier where tlier(> was ;i kind of small hut
hiiilt. There at last was de|K)sited and left the skin of
the thighs of the saciiiiced woman which had ser\t'd
siich Lihastly nse. And often, it is said, it hap])ened,
thi< ceremoiu' takillu' |)lace on the holder of a Iio.-tile
lerritorx". that the enem\' sallied out
d (1
iiLiains
t th
le iiroce
MOD, and (liere was tuihtin,!- and many were slam.
After this tlH'_\ounu' man who reiiresented the jioddi'>s
Toii was taken to the house that is called Atemiian.
iim took his >r;ii on a throne w itli a luat of
• ■auie-
•Kiu and !(
atl
lers n
nder his feet, and a tii:er-skin <t\er
tile hack of hix >eat. and there was a iirand review of tli<>
!iriii\. and o distril)ntion from thi' ro\al treasurx I"
iJiiiiieiit. ornaments, and arm
an(
1 it
was undcrs
tood
tli.il lli(i>o ^vho receixed such arms had to die with them
"I W;ir.
Th
d(
UM none, iiancmu' was iiei:iin in
tl
le c<,"i't-
■ I.iiv.f was nuicb n-<iil in (lir jiri]iiiv.itiiiti uf mai/i' fur lualdiii,' vi
Mticl-. ,,f f,„„l.
358
floDS, srrERNATrRAL IJEINCiS, AND WOllSIirP
viird of tlio tciiiplc <•!' Tocl : jiiul iill avIio 1i;u1 i'('('C'i\(il
|)rcsciits. as jiIm»\('. rcpiiii'cd thitlu'r. This diuicini:'. as in
tlic first part ol'tlu' fcstixal. consisted for the most part
in k('('[)inir time to the lu'at of the drum with hands (illcd
uith tlowci's: so that the whole court looked like a liv-
iuLT uardi'u: am
tl
lere was so mucli u'o
Id.
oi" tlu' kiuL
and all the princes WiM'e there, that the sun liaslicd
throULili all as on water. '^I'liis hejiaii at mid-dav ami
Aveiit on tor two days. On the evenini:' of the second
day. the pi'iests of the goddess Chicomecoatl. clotlie(l
Avith the skins of the ca[)ti\'es that had died in a former
day. ascended a, small cu called the tahle of Iluitzilo-
poclitli ami sowed mai/.e ol'all kinds, white and yellow and
re(l. and cala1)ash-seeds. npon the heads of the people
that ^\('ro hidow. The people trie(l to gather uj) these as
tlu'y I'ell, and elhowed each other a jiood deal. The
damsels, called rioiitlinimcdrjjne. that sei'ved the ,l:ov1(1css
1 one on her shoulder, rolk il in
CI
ncomecoatl. cai'ruM
(1 eacl
il rich mantle. se\'en eai's of mai/.e. striped with mellcd
nlli and wrappe(I in white jtaju'r: their leizs and ai'nis
■were decoi'ated ^vith feathers s})riid<leil over with mar-
casite. These sang with the })riest of their izoddess.
This done, one of th(> ])riests descended from tlu- ahoxc-
mentioned cu of llnit/il()[)oclitli. earryin.ij: in his hand a
larii'e hasket filled with j)owdered chalk and feathei'-dowii,
Avhieh he set in a small chand)er. or little cave, called <v),/.r-
(I'/ini, hetween the tem|)le-stairs and the temjile itself
This caxity was reached from helow hy Ibiu" or ii\e sttps.
and when the hasket was put down there was a p ik i;d
I'ushof the soldiei's to he first to secure some of the con t(i its.
.Fi\ery one. as he not his hands filled, with nmch eUdW-
inii'. returned iMuuiini;' to the place w hence he had mI
out. All this time the Toci pi'iest had heen lookin,!^ en,
and now he j)retended to chase those that ran. while tl
])elted him l)ack with the down and po\vderi'd c!i
they had in their hands: the kin.L;- himself runiiinL; a
little wav and peltimi,' him like the rest. After liii-
Ml is
ddoii thev all I'an aw
(\ Irom
him ami left him alone
excv'pt some priests, who followed him to a pkici' c
IMcil
THE XILONEN FESTIVAL
Tdcltitlan. uIh'11 he took ofl' the .-^I<iii of the .^acrirn'i'd
woman and hiniL; it np in a little hut that uas ihoro;
takiii;i <'art' thiit its arms wcro strotcht'd out. and that
the head (or. surrly. the iR'(;k — lor have we not read
ihat tiu' head was cut oil' the woman on the I'alal niuiit
which terminated hei' life?), was turned towai'd the road,
or sti'eet. And this was the last ul' the ceremonies of
the feast of Oehpaniztli.''
The iiitimati' eoniieetion of the jioddess Xiloiien (iVom
.nhitl. a vouni;' or ti-nder ear ol' mai/e) with ("enteotl is
>ho\vn h\- the fact that in the cii ol" Centi'otl was killed
the imioi'tunate woman who was decorated to ivsenuile
the .lioddess Xiloneii. The lestiNal ol' Xilonen com-
uuiiced on till' eleventh day of the eighth Mexican month,
which month heuins on the 10th of July. The victim
was made to resemhle the ima.ue of the goddess \)\ ha\ing
her i'ace painteil yellow from the nose downward, and her
red. On her head was [)ut a crown of jjaper with
hrow
lur corners. Irom the w
ntn
e and toi) ol winch i>sue(
1
many plumes. Hound her neck and o\er lu v hrea.sts
hung strings of prei-ious stones, and over these was juit
a round medal of gold. Her garnu'iits and sandals were
curiously wrought, the latter painted uith red stripes.
Oil la r left arm was a shield, and in the riuht hand she
held a stick. Ol' haton. [)ainted yellow. Tlie women led
her to deiith (hnu'ing round her. and the prie,>ts an
th
d tl
le
iucipal men danced Ijefore them, sowing incense as
th(y went. The [)rii'st who was to act as exi-aitioner
had (111 his shoulders a hunch of feathers held {\\v\v. in
the ui'ij) of an eagle's talons, artificial: aiiolher of the
ltric>ts carried the hollow hoard filled with rattles, so
iit'teii mentioned. At the foot of the en of ( 'eiileoll. this
latter stop[ied in front of the Xilonen woman. >cattered
iiiceii>e hefore liei", and rattled N\itli his hoard. \\a\in>:'
it from side to side. They ascended the cu. and our of
tlie priests caught the victim up. twisting her hackwards,
tier slu)ulders against his shoulders; on which living
\i'i'ixii(ifiiii',
Mr
i., lib, ii., pp. Its jli
I'. .[ii!hi
vol. vii., pp. (')'■) -7U; Siil((i'iiui, lli.-.t. '/
ti'iii.
nr.o
GODS, SrPERXATniAL nEINXiS, AND NVOllSTIII'.
nltar hvv lii'iii't avms cut out tlivotidi licr brciist. itnd juit
into ii (Mip. Al'tcr tliiit there was more (luiiciiiL:. in
uliich the woiuen. old iiiid voiiii;:'. took part in a hody hy
tlieinselves. tlieir arms and legs decorated with red ma-
caw leathers, and their faces painted yellow and dusted
with marcasite. ^i'lii'iv was also a han([iiet of small
])ies called .vorobnixiU'i, during which to the old men and
•women license was fiivcn to drink ])ul<iue: the young.
however, heing resti'ained from the hacchaiialian part of
this eiijoxnient b}' severe and sometimes I'apital punish-
ment.'""
Lastly, the intimate connection or identity of Centeotl
with the earth-mother, the all-noui'isher. seems cleaily
8vml)oli/,ed in the feast of tiie foiu-th month of the Mexi-
cans, which began on the 27th ol' Ajiril. In it tluy
made a festival to the god of cereals, under the Uiuue of
(V'nteotl, and to the u'oddess of provisions, called Chico-
mecoa
d
tl. First they fasted four days, putting certain
ruslies or water-llags beside the images ol' the gods, stain-
ing the white part of the bottom of each rush with blood
drawn from their ears or leus; branches too. of the kind
called (fr.roli/f/, and a kind of bed or mattress of hay
■were put before the altars. A sort of porridge of maize
called )itiizti)norr<i was also made and given to the youths.
Then all walked out into the country, and through the
maize-fields, carrying stalks of niai/.e. and othei- heibs
viif/. With these thev strewed the imaLic ot"
ca
lied
m('(
the god of cereals that every one had in his house, ami
they ])ut ])a[)erson it and food befoi'e it of \arious kimN:
five chH/iiiri((t<,^^ or baskets, of tortillas, and on the toi»
of each cfil(/tiirif/ a cooked frog, a basket of fliidn^' tloui'.
which they call y>//;o/// ; '•' and a basket of toasted mal/.c
mixe(l with beans. They cut also a joint from a 'pwn
mai/e-stalk. stulVed the little tube with morsels of e\ery
'" Khi'ishorotifili's ^fl.\•. Aiilii/.. vol. vii., p]i. flO-l; S<ilia(iini, 7//^.'. '/'"., t"iii-
i., nil. ii., i>p. i;i")-'.l; ('ltiriin-ri\ Slnrin Aiit. ikl Mcuslco, toiii. ii., p. TTi; 'hr-
qn«)»<i(ht. .U'liKini. Iiul.. tdiu. ii., \>\\. 'iOD-TI.
11 C'liii|\iiuitl, ci'sto ('( ciuiasta. MoVimu Vornhxhirio.
i''' ('lii.iii, 11 ('lii:i. cirrhi si'iiiill.i i\o epic siicaii a/.i'iti'. T'l.
'3 i'iuolli, la liariiKi do may/ y uliiif, uiitus (pio la lU'sliau. Id.
ULESSIN'G THE SEED-MAIZE.
•m:i
Iviiid of tlio al)()V('-nu'iitii)iU'(l food, iuid svi it rarcfiillv
(III
the l);u'k of tlic iVou'.
'I'l
lis cacli one did ill Ins (iwil
liiiiist'. Mild ill tlic aftcniooii all tliis dlli-riiii: ol" food wiis
ciriicd to the cii of tliciioddcss of jirovisioiis. ol"tlic j:(»d-
ilcss ( 'liicoiiu'eoatl. and catrii tlu'iv in a Liciicral scnniililc,
tiikc wlio take could : syiiiholi/iiiu;' oik' kiunvs not wlmt.
if not tlic laissiT-fairc and laisser-allcr svstciii of national
coinmisariat much advocated by nian\ [lolitical ccoiKt-
luists. savam> and ci\ili'/A'd.
In this I'cstival the oars of niai/o that were iircscrvcd
l\)\' seed wiTc carrit'd in })roccssi()n hv \iri:iiis to a cii,
;)[);» ii'cntly the one just mentioned, hut which is here
(mHc 1 the cii of Chicomecoatl (dtd ol' ( 'enteoti. Th(!
Ill lideiis carried on their shoiihU'rs not more than se\-en
(MIS ol" corn apiece. s[)riidded witli (h'ops of oil of ulli,
Mil 1 wrai»[)ed first in pajjers and then in a cloth. The
l.'^s and arms of these jiirls Avere ornamented with red
fi'iitJiers, and theii- faces were smeared with the jiitch
called I'lidpopotH and sprinkled with marcasite. As they
\vciit aloiiii' in this hi/arre attire, the [u'ople ci'owded to
sec tlieiii [)ass. hut it was forhidden to speak to them.
Soiiictimes indeed an ii'repressihle youth would hreak
out into words of admiration or love toward some fair
j)itch-l)esmeared iiice
hut 1
us answer came sliar
and
■^uift i'rom one of the old women that watcheil tla
\()uii'ier. m some such
fa.sl
uon a>
tl
us:
And
.so
tl
ion
s|H'akest, raw coward I thou must he speakiiiLi'. eh? Think
first of perfoi'ininj;' .some man's feat, and ;a('t rid of that
tail of hair at the na[)e of thy lU'ck that marks the
ciiward and the <i'o(jd-for-nothinii'. It is not for thee to
^\^r\\k here; thou art as nnich a woman as 1 am; thoii
liast never come on from l)eirui(l the fin;! \\\\\ the
ndiiiil:' lovers of Tenochtitlan were not without insolent
-pnii-al
aiiK
)im' them, much jiiveu to riid(
ani
retorts like the followinji;: Well said, my lady, 1 receive
this with thanks, 1 will do what _\()ii connnand me.
will take c;ire to show mvself aman; hut as for xuw.
n
H
1-1
II A
liimrcntly tin' ouvtli Kyiiil)f)lizc(l lis a frog (sec this vol. \). :i">l, iiute 1.)
luul bfurjii.' thu fruits tlicreof uu h^r bueli
,«!
IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)
to
<v ^'
A
%
/.
fc
1.0
I.I
*" i— 1112
i 1^ 12.0
1.8
1.25
U.|l.6
•* 6"
^
■S
J^f
^^
"W e%
/A
'/
Hiotographic
Sciences
Corporation
23 WEST MAIN STREET
WEBSTER, NY. 14580
(716) 872-4503
T
A
862
GODS, SUPEllNATUllAL BEINGS, AND WORSIIir,
1 viiluo two Ciiciio-l)o;iiis more tluui you and all your
linea^v; put mud on }()ur body, and iscratcli yourscU';
iold one le^ over the other and roll in the du.st; seel
here is a rough stone, knoek your face ajiainst it; and if
you want anythin<j;' more take a red-hot eoal and hum a
hole in your throat to spit through; lor God's sake, hold
your peace.
This tlie young- fellows said, writes Sahagun, to show
their coura.;e; and so it went, give and take, till the
? t?'
m
iii/e was carried to the cu and l>lessed. Tlnu the
folk returneil to their houses and sanctified maize was
put in the ])()ttom of every granary, and it '.as siiid
that it was the heart thereof, and it rLinained there till
taken out for seed. These ceremonies were specially in
honor of the goddess (J'hicomecoatl. Hl»e su[)[)lied pro-
visions, she it was that had made all kinds of mai/.e and
frijoles, and whatsover vegeta1)les could he eaten, and all
.sorts of cilia; and for this thev made her that i"esti\al
with offering'^ of food, and Avith songs and dances, and
Avitii the hlood ol' ipiails. All the ornaments of her attiie
wei'c bright red and ci
uriously uroui
iht,
d
ana in licr
hands they put stalks of mai'/e.
The Ah'xic
nis (
leil
led
niK
ler tl
le name
C
ioai)ii)iiti
hi
all women that died in child-hed. There were ora-
tories raised to their honor in every ward that had two
streets. In sucii oratories, called aoiitcuaiUl or nuti nj^
iiii
lere were
ke[)t
nnaiies o
f th
dd
lese jioudesses adorned wuii
tl
certain pajjcrs called aiiiafdecltl. The eighth mo\al)le
feast of the Mexican calendar was dedicated to them,
falling in the sign Ceipiialuiitl. in the first house; in this
feast were slain in their honor all lying in the jails under
j)ain of death. These goddesses were said to ni(»ve
through the air at i)leasure, and to appear to whom they
would of those that lived upon the earth, and sometimes
to I'liter into and possi'ss them. They were accustomed
to hurt children with various infirmities, es[)eciall} i)ai;d-
• ' KiiKis'ioroirih'n M<<.r. .1)i?i'/., vnl. vii., ])p. 43-4; Siihuiiun, niai. Gtn.,toM.
i., lili. ii., )'|). '.t7-It'(t; Clari iini, Stnr'ni Aii(. dil Miyslm, tuiii. ii., p. fi"; Tvr-
quaiiiuld, Munur<i. Ind,, torn, ii., jiii. j'2-3, OU-1, IL'l, I'l^-D, Ibl, '-oo-O.
THE MOTHER-GODDESS AND WOMAN IN CHIJ D-P.ED. 3G3
ysis .111(1 other siidik'U di.<oases. Their fiivorlto haunt
1)11 earth was the cross-roads, and. on certain ila\ s of the
u'iir. peojjie would not go out of their houses for lear of
meeting them. They weie propitiated in their teni[)les
and lit the cross-roads hy ofterings of hivad kiu'aded into
viirii)us shiiiM's. — into figures of hutter-llies and thunder-
hohs for exain[)le, — hy oiVerings of small tamales, or
jiies. and of toasted maize. Their imagi's, l)esides
the piijuMs ahove mentioned, were decorjited hy having
the lace. arms, and legs painted vei'v white; their ears
wi're mii(U' of gold; their hair was dressed like that of
Indies, in little curls; the shirt was j)ainted over with
hlack waves; the jH'tticoats were worked in divers colors;
the sanihds were wiiite.
The mother-goddess, under the form of the serpent-
woman. Cioacoatl. or Ciuacoatl. or t'ihnacoatl, or. lastly,
(^hiila/.tli. seems to have heen held as the patroiu'ss of
woiiu'u in child-hed generalh'. and. especially, of those
tliat died there, ^^'hen the delivery of a woman was
likely to he tedious and dangerous, the midwife ad-
(hcsscd the patient saying; IJe strong, my daughter; wt;
can do nothing for thee. Here are i)resent thy mother
and thy relations, hut thou alone nujst conduct this husi-
iicss to its lermination. See to it, my daughter, my well-
ht'loNcd. that thou he a stronir and valiant and manly
woman; he like her who tii'st hore children, like ("ioa-
coatl. like (^)nila/tli. And if still after a day and a
ni;.:lit of lahor the woman could not hring I'orth. the mid-
wili' took her away from all other persons and lirought
lit'i- into a closed room and made many prayers, calling
iilion the goddess Cioacoatl. and upon thi' goddess Voal-
ticitl.'" and upon other godde.s-^es. If, notwithstanding
''■' Yoiilticitl, unntlior niimo of tho muthiT-Roddosn, of tlir iiintlirv nf tin-
pnils, <if tlic iiiotln 1- of us all, of our |,'iiiiiil-iii<itlifr nr unci stK^s: nKirc p.ir-
tii'uliiiiy that foiiii of till' iiiii;lii'r-f,'(iilili ss iliscrilu il, iiftt r ^idiMj^mi oli'^^vul.
ji. :l."i:ti, MS 111 iii',r 111,. |)atV(ilnss of im ilicilU' iiiul of dnctois alnl nf tin' n\m iit-
Iiatii-i. Saiiimuii siicaks in iiiiotliir [liissiiLtc of Voalticill i Kiii'ifilinrfiiitili'H
.'/'.I'. .I/1//7., vul. v.. J). 4.")^!); 1-a inailrc ih- Ins Dii>s(:'.. cjiir I's la Did.i <lr las
iii'ili iiias y liiicli<'i(s, y I's iiiailic clc tnclns iKisnlius, la ciial sc llama Voalti-
'•itl. la i|U il liitii' |ici(li'r y ailtiifidad snlirf los I'l ;iia/.i'ali'S 1 swi at-liatlis > (pic
llaiiiiiii Xiiiliicalli, tu l1 ijual liigar ihtii Diosii vi' las cosus m cntas, y adtii/ii
IHHM
304 GODS, SlTEnNATURAL BEINGr>, AND WORSHIP.
all, however, the woniiiii died, tliey gave her the title.
m/)>'l'ifiif('Ztjni, that i.s ' Viiliaiit woinun,' and they waslud
all her body, a:id washed with soap her head and licr
hair. Her hi!.sj)and lifted her on his shoulders, and.
with her long hair ilowing loose behind him. carried her
to the [)lace of burial. All the old midwives aceoiii-
])anied the body, marching with shields and swords, and
shouting as when soldiers close in the attack. Tlicy
had need of their wea[H)ns, for the body that tlii'v
e.corted was a holy relic which many were eager to win;
and a party of youths fought with these Amazons to take
their treasure from them: this fight was no play but a
very bone-breaking earnest. The burial procession set
out at the setting of the sun and the corpse was inteiivil
in the court-yard of the cu of the goddesses, or celestiMl
women called Cioapipilti. Four nights the husband
and his friends guarded the grave and four nights the
youths, or rawest and most inexperienced soldiers.
])rowli'd like wolves about the little band. If. either
from the fighting midwives or from the night-watcliers.
they succeeded in secui'ing the bodv, they instanth cut
off the middle finger of the left hand and the hair of
the head ; either of these things being put in ones sbicM.
made one fierce, brave, invincible in war, and lilindtMi
the eyes of one's enemies. There prowled also round
the sacred tomb certain wizards, called tcmnninr-jMi/i/nti-
qiix\ st'eking to hack off and steal the whole left arm of
tlie dead wife; for they held it to be of mighty ix^tency
in their enchantments, and a thing that when they went
to a house to work their malice thereon, would wholly
take away the courage of the inmates, and dismay tliciii
so that tliev could neither move hand nor foot, thoniili
they saw all that passed.
The death of this woman in child-bed was mourned
by the midwives, but her parents and relations wcic
iovfid thereat; for thev said that she did not ii"o to hades,
or the under-ground world, but to the western pait of
l,u cDsiis (l;'S(*iiuccrt;ul:is I'U los fiUTpos do Ids houibri'S, y fnrtiliua his cos.h
titruas y bliiiKliis.
THE HOUSE OF THE SUN.
;u;3
tilt' IT )Hso of tlie Sun. To tlio eastern part of the IIoiisi' of
tli;' Sun. as the ancients said, were taken uj) all the
soldiers that died in war. When the sun rose in the
innruiu^ these brave men decorated themselves in their
jcuioply of war. and ac(!ompanied him towards the mid-
ln'iivcii, shouting and lightinjr, apparently in a sham or
i.'vicw battle, until they reached the \m\\{ of in'on-
d;iy. whi(!h wjis called ncpiiifliitoiuitin/i. At this j)oint
the ''croines, whose home was in the west of heaven, the
III r'lttiiiiiii'-iqiio, the valiant women, dead in ehild-bi'd. who
rajikt'il as etjual with the heroes fallen in war, m( t these
lit'iocs and relieved them of their dutv as "iiards of
lioMor of the sun. From noon till night, down the
western sloi)e of light, while the forenoon escort of war-
riors were scattered through all the fields and gai'dens of
ln'aM'U. sucking tlowers till another day should call
thciii anew to their duty, t!ie women, in panoply of war,
just iis the men had ))een, and fighting like them with
cliishiug shields and shouts of joy, Itore the sun
to his setting; carrying him on a litter of quctzofi-x, or
rich feathers, called the qndzid-dpiuwu'niti At this
setting-place of the sun the women were, in their turn,
relieved by those of the under world, who here came out
to ivccive him. For it was reported of old by the
iuu'ieuts that when night began in the upi)er world the
sun hegan to shine through hades, and that thereupon
the dead rose up from theij" sleep and bore his shin-
iug litter tlu'ough their domain. At this hour too the
cflcstial women, released from their duty in heaven,
srattered and poured down through the air wy^m the
< arth. where, with a touch of the dear nature that makes
the world kin, they are descrii)ed as looking I'or spimlles
to spill with, and shuttles to weave with, and all the old
fmuitufe and imjilements of their house-wifely piide.
Tills thing, says Sahagnn, '' the devil wrought to deceive
withal, tor very often, in the form of those women, he
upiuared to their bereaved hus))ands, giving them [)etti-
t'oats and shirts."
\ er\ beautiful was the form of address jjefore burial
■iuinhiHiiiii
866
GODS, SUPEHNATURAL BEINOS, AND WORSHIP.
iisod by tlio inidwifc to tlio dead woman wlio liad taken
rank aiiioiij; tlio iii'n-iotifiiie'it/uc or )iu>r!oaijiid'ni : () woniiin,
^troii;;' and warlike, cliild well-lKdovt'd. valiant one.
Id'aiitifnl and tender dove, wtronj;' hast thon been ami
toil-endnrin^' as a hero; thou hast conijuered, thon hast
done as tlid thy mother the lady Cioaeoatl.or (^nila/tli.
AVrv valiantly hast thou fought, stoutly hast tlioii
liantlled the shield and the spear that the <i'reat motluT
l)nt in thine hand. Up with thee! break Irom .sleej)!
behold it is already day; already the red of moniin.?
shoots through the clouds; already the swallows and all
birds are abroad. Rise, my daughter, attire thyself, go
to that good land where is the house of thy father and
mother the Sun; thither let thy sisters, the celestial
women, carry thee, they that are always joyful and
merry and fdled with delight, because of the Sun witli
whom they take pleasure. My tender daugiiti'r and
lady, not without sore travail hast thou gotten the glor}
of this vich)ry; a great pain and a hard penance hast
thou undergone. Well and fortunately hast thou piu-
chased this death. Is this, peradventure, a IVuitless
death, and without great merit and honor? Xay, verily.
but one of nuich honor and ])rolit. Who receives other
8uch great mercy, other such haj)py victory as thou? for
thou hast gained with thy death eternal life, a lite lull
of joy and delight, with the goddesses called Cioapipiiti,
the celestial goddesses. (Jo now, my lady, n»y well-
beloved; little by little advance toward them; be one of
them, that they may receive thee and be always wifli
thee, that thou mayest rejoice and be glad in oiu- fatiiei'
and mother the Smi, and accompany him whithersoexcr
he wish to take pleasure. O my lady, my well-beloM'd
daughter, thou hast left us behind, us old peoi)le, un-
worthy of such glory ; thou hast torn thyself away from
thy father and mother, and departed. Not indeed of
thine own will, but ^thou wast called; thou didst follow
a voice that called. AVe must remain orphans and Ibi-
lorn. old and lu(;kless and p(X)r; misery will glorify it-
self in us. my lady, thou hast left us here that we
rHAL(^HIIiriTLirUE.
new
iiiiiv li'o frtHii door to dcor iuid tliroii^li tlit' streets in
]M>\erty and sorrow; we pray tliee to ri'iiiemlter us
where tlioii art, and to provide lor the poverty that
we here endure. The sun wearies us with his ^i-eat
heat, the air witli its coldness, and the iVost with
its torment. All these tilings alUii't and jirieve our
miserahle earthen lK)dies; hunger is lord over us. and
we can do nothing against it. My well-lu'loved. I pray
thee to visit us since thou art a valorous woman and a
lady, since thou art settled Ibrever in the j)laee ol" delight
and blessedness, there to live and he forever with our
Lord. Thou set'st him with thine eyes, thou s|)eal\est to
liim with thy tongue, pray to him I'or us, entreat him
that he favor us, and therewith we shall he at rest.'^
rMialchihuitlicue or Chalchiuhcyeje is described hy
riiivigero as the goddess of water and the mate of Tla-
Inc. Slu' had other names relating to wati'r in its dilfer-
eut stiites. as Apo'/onallotl and Acuecuejotl. which mean
the swelling and tluctuation of water: Atlacamani, or
tile storms excited thereon; Ahuic and Aiauh. oi' its
motion, now to one side, now to tin' other; and Xi\i<|ui-
liilihiii. the altei'uate rising and falling of the waves.
The Tlascaltecs called her Matlalcueje. that is 'clothed
ill a green rohe;' an<l they gave the same name to the
highest mountain of Tlascala. on whose summit are found
th(»>e stormy clouds which generally hurst o\er the city
of Tiiehla. To that sunnnit the Tlascaltecs ascended
to peitnrm their sacrilices. an<l olVer up tiieir jtrayers.
This is the very same goddess of watei' to whom Toi*-
<|uem;i(la gives the name of llochi(piet/:d, jiiul IJoturini
that ol" Maciiilxoe'hicpietzalli.''*
Of the accuracy of the assertions of this last sen-
tt'iire I iim hy no means certain; Hoturini and Tor-
<|iieiiiaihi hoth describe their goddess of water with-
out gi\ing any sup[)ort thereto. lioturini says that
" /vifi'/s'ioroK'//! '.s ^f>'X. Antiq., \v\. rii., p]). 5, .'15, vi>l. v.. jip. 450 'J;
Siih'i'iiiii, Hist, litn., torn, i., lib. i., pp. «-'.», lib. ii., pp. 78-'J; tuui. ii., lib.
vi,. pp. 1S5 l',»l.
" Clar'tjvru, Sloria Ant. del ^fcssivo, toui. ii., p. IG.
IHIIHI
sns
GODS, SUPEKNATURAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
islic' was im'tapliorically cilk'd l)y the Mexiojuis tlio
jioildi'ss of till' Petticoat of Freeioiis Stones. — eiial-
eliilniites, as it would apjKnir from other authorities,
l»eiuji meant. — and that she was represented with
hir^e jiools at lier feet, and symholized hy certain
reeds that <irow in moist placjes. 81ie was par-
ticuhuly honori'd ))y fishermen and others whose trade
connected them witii water, and great hidies Avere ac-
customed to dedicate to lier their miptials — prohahly,
as will he seen innned lately, liecause this goddess had
much to do with certain lustral ceremonies performed
on new-horn cliildren.''"'
Many names, writes Torqucmada, were given to this
goddess, hut that of Chalchihuitlicue was the most coni-
nion and usual: it meant to say, ' petticoat of water, of
a shade hetween green and ]>lue,' that is, of the color of
tlie stones called chalchihuites.'-*" She was the com-
])anion, not the wife of Tlaloc, for indeed as ()ur author
adirms. the Mexicans did not think so grossly of their
g(jds and goddesses as to inarry them.'"*
According to Sahagun, Chalchihuitlicue was the sister
of the Tlalocs. She was honored hecause she had power
oN'er the waters of the sea and of the rivers to drown
m ll.hinni. hhn. pp. 2ri~Ci.
2" ' 'riif stoiu's ciillfd flmlfhiuites by the Moximus (ftiid written variously
chiilclilhthx, rlidlrliilnds, iiud cfllcUihiiis, by the chroiiii-lcrs) wiiv I'sti tliu il »(
IiIkIi v.-iliit' l)y all the Ci'iitriil AiiU'riciiii ami Mexican natinns. Tin y \\> n;
j^enerally of ),'reen (|uavtz, jaile, or the Ktone known us iintilii tic Kf^n ( nililu
. . .Tile L,'oihli'Ss of water, amon^'st the Mexicans, bore tln' name of t'luilrliinil.
• iii/i'. the woman of the ' /i.(/i7ii((i7c.s, and the name of ('Ittth'UUulntjinn was
often applied to the city of Tlaxcalla, from n beautiful fountain iif wati r
found near it, 'the color of which,', according' to Tonpieniada, 'was
between lilue and ^;reen.' ' Squkr iu rdhiclo, ('(irt<(. \>. 110, note 1."). In
the same work ]). TiU, we find mention nnide by Palacio of an idol aji-
parently reprtseiitin^' Chalchihuitlicue: 'Very near lure, is a little \ill!i'_e
called Coatan. iu the neiLtlduirhood of which is r lake ["Tliis lake is<lisljiiit
♦ wo leai,'Ues to th;- southward of the j)resent co.ihiderabletown of '/(('(/'/'"^m,
from which it takes its name, Laijnnit <h '/t.-f 'i^/rc " - (iuatemala], siluatxl
on the tiauk of the volcano. Its water is ba.l; it iw deip, and full of <•!!>•
mans. In its middle there are two nnudl 'slands. The Indians rej^ard the
lake as nn oraile of much authority... I learned that certain ncj^'ioi > ai.d
mulattos of an adjacent estate had been there [on tlie islands], and liiid
found II ^reat idol of stone, in the form of a wcmian, and some objects wliirli
had been ottered iu saeriflce. Near by were found some btoms called t/ed-
c/t('(i7cs'.'
21 TorqacinaiUt, Momvq. Ind., torn, ii., p. 47.
MilMillllDllllM
IDOL OF CHALrillllUITLIcrE.
3C9
tho^o tliat went down to tlicin, to raise tempests and
wliirlwinils, and to cause boats to founder. Tliey
worshiiH'd her all those that dealt in water, that went
ahdut selling it from canoes, or peddled jars of it in the
maiket. They represented this goddess as a wiunan,
painted her face yellow, save the forehead, which was
(il'tcn hlue, and hung round her neck a collar of pre-
cious stones from which depended a medal of gold. On
licr head was a crown of light hlue paper, with plumes «)f
ureen f«'athers, and tassels tliat fell to the n{ii)e of her neck.
Her ear-rings were of tunjuoise wrought in mosaic. Her
clotiiing was a shirt, or upj)er Ixxly-garment, clear hlue
petticoats with fringes from which hung marine shells,
and white sandals. In her left hand she held a shield,
and a leaf of the broad round white water-lily, called nthi-
nictoiin!" In her right hand she held as a scei)tre a vessel
in the shape of across, or of a monstrance of the Catholic
Ciiurch. This goddess, together with Chicomecoatl,
•ioddess of provisions, and Vixt<K'ioatl. goddess of salt,
was held in high veneration bv kings and lords, for thev
Slid that these tiiree supported the common people so
that they coidd live and multiply.-'
Chalchihuitlicue was especially connected with certain
ceremonies of lustration of children, resembling in many
52 Athinipi'irnnn, ninfn vol onrnnfnr. flnr do yrrnn do aRun. yfuVnid, Voi-aU-
ii'iirli. The Abbt) Uriisst'ur adds, im wliat antlioiity I liiivf nut litcn iilile
til tiiid, tliiit this If af was Di'iiainciitcd with {.'oldtii tla^'s. IIIM. dm .\til. I ir.,
tola, i , p. ;t21. He adds in a note to this ]>assMj,'f. wliat is virv true, tliat,
■ Suivaiit Ixtlilx(»cliitl, «'t apri's lui Vtyiia, la dt'csst- ilist auxanrait t'ti' adun'o
wiii> III fcivnic d'une t^ienonillf, faitc d'unc st nle t'lm iinulc, <•! (jiii, sMi\aiit
IxiliiXnihitl, I'xistait encore an ttiiijisd*- la (•(imiui'tc dc Mtxico. I,a si tiUi
dt'is^f iidun'c sous la t'i)rim' >ini(Hk' duiii' t,'ii iiduillf ('tait la ttirc' (Scu
this Vdl. p, ;i,'jl, note 4.) (luniaia, Hist. ( tmii ,l/.,i'., fdl. IVJCi, says that Iho
tit,'ini' iif a froj,' was held to 1<»' the j^ddiUss of tisht s: ' Kntic Ins I'ddhis. . . i s-
liiiiM 1 1 ill' la rania. A la <-nal triiiau i tn' dinsa dil inscadu.' Mntnlii.ia i x-
ti'iiils tliis last statcnii nt as follows. 'I'hc Mexicans had idols he sa.vs. in
Irn-JidhiUi, (ill, (/c l)iic., toni. i., ]). 'M, ' de his jiesrados ^,'lalidis y de lo- lii-
f,Mitiis di- a^ua. hasta sapos y ranas, y de otros jieii s ^;i:iniles, y estos di eian
i|ilt' el'an los dioses del peseado. De llU ]illiiilo de la la;4nna de Mrxieo
lliv.iinn unos i<lol()s de estos jieces. que eran unos (leees lieehos de pii dra,
i;i'.iiidi s; y despiies volvieiido por allf pidit'i'onles para eonur alj^nnos jii n s,
y ri spiindii run que hubiiiu Uevado tl dios del ptscudo y que uo podian t(j-
iniir |.i 1-1 s.'
''' Kiiiiis'inritii'ih's l/'.r. Aniiq., vol. vii.. pp. t>-Ct, Ilfi; ShIkiiiidi, Ilift. Hin.,
h>m. i . lili. i., pi,. <j. 10, lib. ii., p. 81; .l»/itr. ElhnvL Hoc, trannuct, vol. i.,
IT- ;^i^, ;{-.!).
Vol. m. 21
MlMiflittaldDllllllll
870 GODS, RUPEnXATrRAL BEINGS, AND WOIISIIII'.
points Ijiiptism ani()ii<_' riirlstijiiis. U Avoiild s«'oin tliat
two of these liistnitioiis were practiced uimhi everv in-
fiiiit. and the (irstt<M)k phico innnediately ii]m»ii itshiith.
AVhen the inidwifb had cut the umhilical cord of the
child, then slie waslied it. and while washinj: it siid.
varvinir her fnhlress according to its sex: Mv son, ap-
IM'oach now thy mother. Chalchihnitli«Mie. the jioddess of
water; may slie see <r(K)d to receive thee, to wash thee,
and to pnt away from thee the lilthiness that thou take.»t
from tliy father and mother: may she see p)od topnrily
thine heart, to make it "^ood and clean, and to instill
into thee ^kkI hahits and maimers.
Then the mi«lwife turned to the water itself and s|)oko:
^fostc()m[)assionate la<ly, Chalchihuitlicue. heie has come
into the world this thy servant, sent hither hy our
father and mother, whoso names aro Ometecutli and
Omecioatl.'^* who live on the ninth heaven, ^^hicll is the
place of the hal)itation of the jiods. We know not what
are the gifts that this infant l)rinp:s with it: we know
not what was given to it hefore the heginning <tf tlie
Avorld ; we know not what it is. nor what mischiel' and
vice it hrinirs with it taken from its i'atluM- and mother.
It is now in thine hands, wash and cleanse it as thou know-
ost to ho necessary; in thine hands wo leave it. Purge
it from the filthiness it inherits from its iatln-r and its
mother, all sjMjt and defilement let the watei- . arry awav
and undo. See g(X)d, our hidy. to cleanse and purity
its heart and life that it may lead a cpiiet and peai'eal)l('
life in this world; for indeed we leave this creatuie in
thine hands, who art mother and lady of the gods, and
alone worthy of the gift of cleansing that thou has luM
from hefore the hoginning of the world: see g(M)d to do
as wo have entreated thoe to this child now in thy i)re-
sonco.
Then the midwife spake again; I ])ray thoe to reccivo
tlii.s child hero l)rouirht hefore thee. This said, the mid-
wife took water and hlew her l)reatli upon it. and gave
to taste of it to the ha])e, and touched the babe with it
** See this vol., p. 58, note 15.
TWO Ll'STKATIOXS OK IJAl'TISMS.
.".71
(111 the hrciist iiud on tlio top of the head. Tlicn slic
.Slid: My >vrll-lK'l«)Vi'd son, or djiU}:lit(.'r, ajiproacli licrc
thy niotliiT nnd iiitlicr, ('liidcliilinitli< ik- and Cliiilcliilmi-
thitoiuu^; K't now tliis goddt'ss take tlu'c. lor Aw lias to
liiiir tlii'u on licr shonldi'is and in Iut arms tliroiijih this
Wdld. 'i'lion the niidwile dipjK'd tlu; child into wattr
iiiid ,snd: Kntcr. niy wn, into the water that is called
hiiuiiiif/(ii' iim\ ttisj)(i/(if\ let it wash thee; let hini cUanse
tlice that is in eveiv place, let him see }i(K)d to put away
fiuiu thee all the evil that thou hast carried w ith thee
IVuin before the bejiiiminjr of the world, the evil that
tliv father and thv mother have joined to thee. Jlav-
in;; so washed the creature, the midwife then wnipped
it 11)). addressin
it tl
le w
hiU
as
foil
ows:
tri'cioiis
stone, rich feather, () emeiald, () sajiphire, thou wert
shaped where abide the fireat {jiod and the j^reat {goddess
tliat are above the heavens; created and 1
orme<
1 tl
lOII
Wert by thy mother and father, Ometecutli and Omeci-
(latl. the celestial woman and the celestial man. Thou
liast come into this world, a place of many toils and
troubles, of intemiu'rate heat and intemperate cold and
iiid. a place of hmi'ier and thirst, of weariness and of
wi
tears; of a verity we cannot say that this world is other
tliaii a i»lace of weeping, of sadness, of vexation. He-
liold thy lot. weariness an«l weei)ing and tears. Thou
liast come, my woll-beloved, re|)ose then and take here
tiiy j'est: let our Lord that is in every j)lace jirovide for
iiiul siip|K)rt thee. And in saying all these things the
midwife sj)ake softly, as one that i)rays.
The second lustration {)V bajitism, usually took ])lace
on tlie fifth day after ))iith. but in every case the astrolo-
pt'is and diviners were consulted, and if the signs were
Hot i)ropitious, the baptism was post[)oned till a day of
|:n()d sign came. The ceremony, when the child was a
liny, liegan by bringing to it a little shield, l)ow, and
iiirows; of which arrows there were four, one pointing
toward each of the four j)oints of the world. I'hero
W( re idso brought a little shield, bow, an<l arrows, made
of paste or dough of wild amaranth seeds, and a potttige
:i72
OODS, Sri'EUNATURAL llEINCiS, AND WOllSIIIP.
of luHins nnti toMHtod maizo, and ft little hivcch-cloiit and
Idanki't or niantU'. Tlic (mm)!* in sncli cusvh had no more
than till' little sliield, Ixm-, and anow.s, togctlier with m)iiu'
tainaU's and toasted niai/e. When the child was a j-iil.
there were hn)n|iht to it, instead ui'ntiniic wea|)ons, cer-
tain woman's implements and t(K)ls lor spinnin;; and
weaving, the s})indle and <listafV, a little shirt and petti-
coats. Tlu'se things heinj; prepared, snitinji the k'.\ of
lh«! infant, its parents and relatives assemhled helore
sunrise. AVlien the sun rose the midwiro asked for a
new vessel fidl t)f water; and she took the cliild in her
hands. ^I'hen tiie hy-standers carried all the impleniciits
and utensils already mentioned into the cjurt-yard of
the house, where the midwife set the fat'c of the ciiild
toward the west, and spake to the child sa\inji: ()
jirandson of mine, O eagle, O tijier, valiant man,
thou hast come into the world, sent l>v thv father and
mother, the <;reat Lord and the jrrcut lady; thou wa>t
<'reated and begotten in thy house, which is the place (if
the supreme gods that are above the nine heavens. Tboii
art a gift from our son (^uet/alcoatl. who is in c\cry
|)lace; join tiiysi'lf now to thy moth •, the goddess of
water, Chalchihuitlicue.
Tlien the midwife nave the child to taste of the water.
]tutting her moistened fingers in its mouth, and said:
Take this; l)y this thou hast to live on tiie earth, to
grow and to llourish; through this we get all things tb:it
siip}>ort existence on the earth; receive it. ^rhen with
her moistened fingers she touched the breast of the child,
and said: Behold the pure water that washes and
cK'anscs tiiine heart, that removes all filthiness; rccci\('
it; may the goddess see g(H)d to puril^v and cleanse thine
heart. Then the Uiidwife poured water u\)im the iuiid
of the child saying: O my grandson, my son, take tliis
water of the Lord of the world, which is thy life, in-
vigorating and refreshing, •^vashing and cleansing. I
pray that this celestiid water, blue and light lihie. niiiv
(liter into thy body and there live; 1 pray tiiat it in;iy
destroy in thee and put away from thee all the tilings
rilAYEU TO THE EAllTII-MOTHFU.
HT.T
o\ il jiiitl adwrso that wcro >/\\'vn tlioo Itcfdro tlic l)('<rin-
niii;^ <>r the woi'ld. Into tliiiu' litmd. C) {.^nddi'SM of water.
arc idl iiiiinkiiid \nit, licciiii.- '">" Mt our luotluT Cliai-
(■liilmitliciic. llii\"m;jc i*o uasliod ti<i' IkmIv of tlic child
iiiid H) spok«'ii. till* midwife said: \Vlieres(K'ver thou art
ill this cliild. () thou hurtful tiiin<r. hejione, leave it. put
tliysclf apai't ; for now d(H's it live anew, and anew is it
main is it purified and eleansed; i
low ana in
I Mini: now
is it sha[)ed and engendered hy oui* mother the godihss
uf watt'i'.
All these things })eing done and spoken, the midwife
liftrd the child in hoth her hands toward heaven ;"id
s;ii(l: Lord, hehold here thy creature that thou luist
Milt to this plac ' '' i)ain. of allliction. of anguish, to this
world. (live it, () Lord, tliy gifts and thine inspir:i
tioii. I'oraMiiuch as thou JU't the great god. a. id hast with
tlicc the great goddess. Then the midwife stoojied again
ild
iiiil set tlie cliUd upon tlieeartli. and raisec
th
•th
d
d ittl
le svci
nid
time toward heaven, saying: O our lady, who art
iii(»tlu'r of the lii'avens. who art called Citlalatonac. "' to
thci' 1 direct mv voice and mv crv; 1 |)rav thee to in-
spire with thv virtue, what virtue soever it may bo. to
Liivc and to in.stil it into this creature. Then the mid-
5' Sci' note 21. ' Entro los Diosps quo rstns oici^'fis Mcxiciiiuis tiiiLiicrdn
trill r, y si'T iii.iii)rcs, <jin) otros, fucniii dos; \ii<> lliiiiiii(lii|()m(tfciilitli. i|i;('
i|uirn' liccir, (los hiiiiili^os, i> niviiUcni^; y el «itr<i ll.utiiiroii Oiiiiiihiiiiti, timi
i(iiii IT (liH'ir, (liis iiiii;^ii-i's: los (|iialis, jxir dlros iKPiiibns, fmi'dii llaiiiiiilns,
('ill iliitdUin', (|Ut' (Hiicrt' (li'i'ir, K-itn ll.i ((iic r. siiLukIccc, o risiiliiiulfciriitf;
y il dtni, t'iliiliciif, i{\u- (|iiii'rt' ili^fir, I'aidt lliii df 1m l'','^trtlla: . . . Jvstcis ilos
Oidsrs tiiiL;i(li)s dc fstii (iciitilid.id, ci'i'iiiii sir tl viin Hmiiliri', y el otri)
Mn^'i r; y <'i)iii() il dus uatunilciMS distiiitas, y di' disthitns sixos las iiua.lpra-
liall, iiiUlii Jior los lliilllliri'S dirhiis pan re. J)r cstiis dos IlinsiS, (<i Jinr
lurjor di I'll-, Di'iiiDiiios) tiivifioii cit'iiIi) istnH natnralts, iiuc nsidiaii en vim
''ludiiil liliiriitsii, iisi'iitada sohri' Ins oiht t'iilns. I'liio sucln < ru mas uUm, y sii-
|iiiiai> dr cllos; y <|ilt' til lunnUa Ciildad '_:"^aliaii di' tndns Ins di liiti s iiiiaLiili-
iilil. s y jiiisi'iau todas las riniiri^as il<il .Miiiido: yd. ciaii, (|iir disdc alii iii lilia
liL,'iaii. y t;i)vciiiaI)Mli tudii istii iiiaiiuiiiu iiifi'iinr dil Muiido, y tmlo aijUrllo
qui' IS visihlc, (' iiivisililf, inllnifiido t ii tmlas las Alliums, (|iic crialiaii tmlas
1 IS iiicliii iiioiu's iiaturalcs, (pie vi'iims iivir cii todas las ci ■ turns racioii.ili s.
i' irriiioiiali's; y (|n<> cuidahali di' tiido, ciniin jmr liatiiralcc^.i los coiiviiiia,
iitaliiiulo disde h([Uc1 sn asiiiit() las cosas criadas. . . Dc iiiaiiira, (jiic m j^im
111 iliilio, t'st.'i iiini claro dc fiitcudir, ((Uc ttuiau ()|iiiiion, (pic Its (|iif ;i ■_.■ ii,
V LTnvi-nialian v\ Muiidi), fraii tlos (I'liiivifiif a sabtr) vii llins. y viiu I'iosa,
ill' ins (inults el viii) tint' t'r.i (1 Dios lloiiilpn', oliralia fii todo tl j,'iiirrn d>>
I'l-i Vavniics; y td titro. (|iif era la I'insa. I'ri.ilia, y nlir.dia fu tudo v\ yi.iun)
iK las Miiycrus.' Tiirqutiinula, Mviainj. lud., toiu. ii., p. 'Si.
(hi
37:4
GODS, SUPERN'ATL'IIAL DEINCIS, AND WOllSHIP.
^vifc' stoojH'd njjaiii uiid sot tlio diild on tlio <j:roinul. ami
raised it the tliii'd time toward heaven, and said: our
]jord, ji'od and •ioddes.s celestial, that are in the heavens,
hehold this ereatnre; see ^ood to })onr into it thy virtue
and thv hreath, so that it nia\' live noon the eaitli.
Then a fonrtii and last time the midwile set the hiilic
n[)()n the ground, a fourth time she lifted it toward
lu'aven, and she si)ake to the sun and saiil: O our Lord,
k^iiu, Totonametl, Tlalteeutli. that art our motlier and our
father, hehold this ereatiuv. uhich is like a hii'd ol" pre-
t;ious plumajio, like a ,4^/^""" 'J'" '•' 7'"''/' "/*',■'' thine. O our
Lord the Sun, he is; thou who art valiant in war and
nainted like a tiiier in hhick and jii'av. he is thv creature
and of thine estate and patrimony. Tor this he was
])orn. to servo thee and to give thee food and di'ink: he
is of tlie family of warriors and soldiers that liiiht ou
the Held of hattk>.
Then the midwife took the shield, and the how iuul
'" '^,'iqnantf)totl, imxiiro dc ]iluiim ainiirilln y ricu. .l/ii/i^a. Voi'(Oiti](irU,
ApodiiliiiL,' to Hiistiiiiiaiitt' hiPWfvir, tliis liiiil is not one in iiiiy wiiy rcinurl;-
iilili' for iilinuii;,'!', but is idtiitic.il with tlic ti'inci iltscrilxil liy Clit\i^;( lo. iiml
is licrc nscil iis nil cxiiiiiiilc of ii vi;_;ilaiit ainl active siililitr. r>nstaiiiai;ti' liu
a note to SiiliiniHii, {lisi. dill., toiii. ii., lib. vi., jip. UU 5) writrs: T:iiciiii,
of this bird r(|Katcd iiiciitioii lias liccii made in this history, for the Iluliiiiis
used it for a iin'ans of i-oiii]iaris(iii <ir simile in tlnir s|i(i ilns. It is an i arly-
risiui; bird (iiiadru^^ador), and has nothing' noli.blc in its ]iliiiiia^,'r or in its
voice, liiit only in its habits. This bird is one of the last to ^^o to re>t at
lliilht and one of the first to iinnoniicc the coiiiinij; sun. An hour before day-
break ti bird of this sjiecies, liaviii;,' juissed the nij^dit with many ol his ft 1-
lows on any liranch. be^dns to call tlieiii, with a shrill eh ar note tli.it lie
l\ee|)s re])e,'itill'4 ill 11 tjlad tone till some of them I'ejily. 'J'lie luirnn is ahnilt
the si/e of a sjiarrow, and very similar in color to the bunting' Ualaiidria ,
lilt more miuvellons in its habits. Jt is ii social bird, each tree is a tovMi of
many nests. One tsariKt ]ilays the jiart of chief ami ^'uards the rest; his pest
is in the to)i of the tree, wiielice, from time to time, he llies from in st to in -t
ntteiini; his notes; ami while he is visitint; .•> nest all within are sih nl. If
lie sees any bird <){ another s|H'cies aiiiiroachilij,' the tree he sallies out n| (ii
the invader and with beak and win;,'s compels a ntreat. lint if he >i • -^ i
man or any larL;e objecv advaiiciiiL;, he files si-reamiiiL; to a neivhl'eriii','
tree, mid, meetiiif^ other birds of his triiu' llyiiif^ lionuward, he oblij^i s tla ui
to retire by cliailj;ill,L! the tone of his note. Wlieii the dallf;! r is over lie li -
turns to his tree and Ix ijins his rounds as before, from nest to nest. 'I'zaiuas
iibonnd in Miehoa<'an, ami to their observations it^^ardinj^' tlnni the lii'ii.uis
are doubtless indebted for many hinis and {•om)iarisons a]>i)lied to MiMiiis
dili'^eiit ill duly. The iiinrlinll. or lliiiilii/itirliiil, is alaif,'e a(|iiatic bird \viili
liluniaj,'e of u beautiful scarlet color, or a reddish white, t xei pt that <'f ilie
n'>ek. which is black. Its home is on the sea-shiu'i and by the river b.iiiKs.
where if feeds on live fish, never touching' tlead flesh. ►See i.'ti(ri<fni, Sluria
Aul. thl Mt.ishv, tolu. i., pp. b~, 'Jl-3.
DEDICATION OF THE CHILD TO WAR.
875
tlic dart that wore there prepiireil, and sjiuke to the Sun
lifter this sort: IVliold here the instriimeiits of war
which thou art served with, wliieli thou dehj:htest in;
impart to tliis hal>e tlie gift that thon art wont to gi\e
to thy soldii'rs, enahling them to go to thine house of
(U'li^lits. where, liaving fallen in battle, the\- rest and are
joyful and are now with thee praising thee. AVill thi.s
jiiior little nohod}' ever he one of them? lla\e pity upon
him. element Lord of ours.
During all the time of these ceremonies a great torch
of caudlewood \va.s burning; and when these ceremonies
wei'c a('('om[)lished, a name was given to the child, that
of one of his ancestors, so that he miuht iidierit the Ibr-
tuue or
lot of
lim whose name was so taken.
Tl
us name
was api)lied to the child by the midwife, or jiriestess,
who [H'rformed the ba[)tism. Sui)iHJse the name given
was Vautl. Then tiie midwife began to shout and to
talk like a man to the child: Yautl, valiant man,
take this shield and this dart; these are lor thy anuise-
iiu'iit. thev are the delight of the sun. Then she tied
the little mantk' on its shoulders and gii't the lireech-
clout about it. Xow all the boys of the waid were as-
sembk'd. and at this stage of the ceremou}- theN- rushed
into tbe house where the l)a[)tism had taken place, and
representing soldiers and forra_)ers. they took food, that
was there j)repared for them, whicii was called ' tiie
na\('l-strinii.' or 'navel," of the child, and set out with
it into the strei'ts, shouting and eating. They ci'ii'd
Vautl. Yautl. get thee to the (ield of iiattle. put thyself
into the thickest of the light; Vautl, Yautl. thine ollice
is to make glad the sun and the earth, to give them to
eat and to driidi; ujjou thee has fallen the lot of the
sitliliei's that are eagles and tigers, that die in A\ar. that
aie now making merry and singiiig befoi-e the sun.
And they cried again: O soldiers. O men of war. come
hither, ('ome to eat of the navel of Yautl. 'i'hen the
midwife, or prieste;
took the child into the house, and
departed, the great torch of candlewood being carried
37G
GODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
burninj]; before her, and this was the last of the cere-
mony.'^^
'•i^ Jviifishnrouf ill's Mcx. Ai^lii]., vol. v., pp. 479-JS3, vol. vii., pp. I^l-'J;
f!ahaiiHn, If'isl. <ieii.,toin. ii., lib. vi., pp. 215-2^1. Accoriliiif^ to si'iiic au-
thors, and I think Boturini for ono, this buptisin wns stipiilt'inciitiHl by )iiiss-
ini^ tlio child throu^'h tiro. Tlitro was siu-h a pcri'iiioiiy; however, it w.is
nf>t oonnectoil with that of baptism, but it took placo on the last ni;,']it ef
t'vcry fourth yoar, beforo the tive unlucky days. t)n the last night of ev<!y
fourth year, parents chose god-parents for their children born during the
three preceding years, and these god-fathers and god-mothers pass((l tin.
children over, or near to, or about tlie tlanio of a prepared tire iro<ieurlos juir
las llamas del ftiego <pie tenian a])iirejailo para esto, ipie en el latin se (.Iim^
Instr(iri'). They also bored the) children's ears, which caused no small u|)-
roar (Habia gran voceria do muchaehos y muchaehas por el ahugeraiuiiiito
de las orejas) as may well be imagined. They clasped tin? children by the
temples and lifted thi'in up 'to make them grow;' wherefore they lalhil tlio
feast isi'uUi, 'growing.' They finished by giving the little things puhiue
in tiny cups, and for this tho feast was called the ' drunkenness of childK n.'
Suliioiiin, Hist. '/'«')!., torn, i., lib. ii., jip. 189-192. In the Siihiiininiir ili/k
Tariik (lei Codicc Mixh-iino (Vaticano), tav. xxxi., in l\iii<is'iiiriiii[ili' s l.'r.i'.
Anth/., vol. v., p. 181, there is given a descrii)tion of the water baptism dif-
fering somewliat from th it given in the text. It runs as follows; ' I'lu y
took some licitle; and having a large vessel of water near them. llKyiu.de
tho leaves of thti tieitle into a bunch, and dipped it into the watir. witli
which they sprinkled the child; and after fumigating it with incense, tiny
g.ive it a nam(>, taken from the sign on which it was born: and they put into
its hand a shield and arrow, if it was a boy, which is wliat the Hgure of
Xiuatlatl denotis, who here represents the god of war; they also uttered
over tlie child certain jjrayers in tho manner of deprecations, that lii»
might become a brave, intre|)id, and courageous num. TIk' otlVring whicli
liis parents cavri'd to the temple the elder priests took and dividtd with ilie
t)ther children who were in the tem])le, who ran with it through tlie wh^lo
city.' llendieta, Hist. Krlcs., ji. 107, again describes this rite, in substance
as follows: 'They had a sort of baptism: thus whe'n the child was a feu-
days old, an. old woman was called in, who took the child out into tliecnurt
of the house where it was born, and washed it a certain numbiT of tiiia s
with tho wine of the country, and as many times again with water: thru
she put a name on it, and jierformed certain ceremonies with the uuibiliial
cord. These names were taken from the; idols, or from the feass tliat
fell abotit that time, or from a beast or bird.' See further Ksjilinii 'hm
(/(' /'( ('iilprrii)a lie .Mi')i(liii(i, )it iii., in A"/e/s'/')ci)i(;//(',s' Mi.e. AiitUj.. vn].
v., pp. 9l)-l; ToriiHiiiiddii, Mawirq. hul., tom. ii., pp. 4 1'l, 4 l9-4"i'^: ' '"-
rinvii. Stori'i Ant. del .M>ssico, tom. ii., jip. H^t-'.); Ilnidiuldt, Vms dis
Ciirilillhrs, tom. ii., jip. HI I, ItlH; (iimid, l)iis J'iilnis, jit ii., i p.
39^41; Prisrnd-n M,.r., vcd. iii., p. 3S.-.; Jiniiton'.^ Mijlhs. ]>p. 122, l:.(i;
Mit'liT, Aiiiirihiini.irlie rrnliijinneii. y. ('iij2; liini-t, I,<i Tvirv 'I'l iiiji'i-f'. p.
271. Jlr Tylor, speaking of 1I( xico, in his Aanliitur, p. '.iT'.), siy-:
'Children were sprinkled with water when their names were '^\m n
to them. This is certainly true, though the statement that liny
believed that tho process purilieil them from original sin is pinlialMy
a monkish tietiou.' l''arther reading, ln>wever, Inis shown MrTylnr the
injistiee of this judgment, and in his masterly latest and greatest wmk isie
J'riiiiiUri' Ciiltiire, vol. ii,, pp. 4'.;9 .'Kl'i, he writes as follows: I'lie last ^riiip
of riti'S whos(^ course through religious histiU'y is to be outiiiud heie. t.iKis
in the varie I dramatic acts of cereiuoiiial purilieation or Lustr.ition. Willi
all th ' obscurity and intricacy dm' to age-long modifieaiioii, the jriiniliM'
thoU'-dlt which underlies these ceremonies is still o|ien to view. ]t is tile tial:-
siti in from practi-al to syiuliolie eleansiny, from removal of bodily iiiipuiity
to deliverauco from invisible, spiritual, and at last moral evil. ^Heu this wl. [<.
THE AZTEC VEN'US.
377
Tlio Qoddoss (or god, as sonio have it) coniioctod by
the Afoxicaii.s with carnal love was variously called Tla-
zolteotl. Ixcuina, Tlaclquani, with other names, and,
especially it would appear in Tlascala. Xochiquetzal.
She had no very prominent or h()nora))le place in the
minds of the })eoplc and was much nK)re closely allied to
tlu^ Roman Cloacina than to the (Jreek Aphrodite.
(';imar<io, the Tlascaltec, gives nnich the most agreeable
and pleasing account of lier. ller home was in the
ninth heaven, in a pleasant garden, watered hy innu-
iiieriil)le fountains, where she passed her time s})iiniing
and weaving rich stufts, in tiie midst of delights, minis-
tered to l)y the inferior deities. Xo man was able to
approach lier, but she had in her service a crowd of
dwarfs, buffoons, and hunchbacks, who diverted her with
tlu'ii' songs and dances, and acted as messengers to such
gods as she took a fancy to. So beautiful was she painted
tliat no woman in the world could ecpial her; and the
place of her habitation was called lamotamohuanichan,
Xochitlycacan, (Mutamihuany, (^icuhnauhuei)aniuhcan,
and Tuliecayan. that is to say 'the i)lace of Tamohuan,
the place of the tree of ilowers Xochitlihcacan, where the
air is pui'cst, beyond the nine heavens.' It was further
said, that whoever had been touched bv one of the
ir"....Iii 1)1(1 Mexico, the first act of oordiionial liistriition tonk iilai(^ at
liiilh. 'lilt' nurse waslicil tlit^ iufimt in the liiiiiie of the \v:ltel■-^(lcl(less, to le-
iiiDVr the iniimrity of its birth, to cleuuse its heart and },'ive it a ^'ooil and pi r-
fi ' t lifi : then lilowin^on water in her li^'ht hand she washed it again, wa nil iij^
it iif fiirtheoniiii;^' trials anil miseries ami labors, and inayinj,' the invisihlo
111 ity to (liseeiid n])o)i the water, to cleanse the chilil from sin and foulness,
uHil to deliver it from misfortune. The second act took place some four
(lays Inter, uidess the' astrologers jiostjioned it. .\t a festive gathering, aiiiiil
tires ki pt alight from the tiist ceremony, the nurse undr<ssed the child sent
h.v the g.ids into this sad and doleftil world, bade it to icceive the lifi -givinj,'
v.itev. and washed it, driving out evil from each lindi and oU'ering to tho
ih itii s appointed jirayers for virtue and blessing. It was then that the toy
iii-iininients of war or craft or household labor were placed in the boy's or
gill's hand ( 11 rtistom singularly corres]ionding with one usual in China),
Mi'l the other children, instructed by their )iareiits. gave the new-comer its
cliild-tiame, here again to be replaceil by anoth' r at manhood or womanli<iod.
'I'lii i-e is nothing unliki ly in the statement that the child was ii!so passed
fi'Ui' tiiiii stnrough the tire, but the authority this is given on is n..t stitVuK nt.
'1 lie riligious character of ablution is well shown in Mi xico by its fmni-
ing ]iart of the daily service of the jiriests. .\/.tee life ended as it had
111 L'uu. with this ceremonial lustration; it was one of the fniier.il eeremouiea
to spiiuklu the heiul of tho corpse with the lustrul water of this life,'
:]«
m
378
GODS, SrPEllN.VTrRAL LEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
llo\v(M'.s tliiit grow ill the l)eautiful ganlon of XocirnnR't-
/al j^lioiild loNu to till' 011(1, should love ftiithriilh'.-"'
])otiiriiii givt's ji U'goiid in which this goihk'.^s figures
in a very charaxitoristic way. There was a man etilled
Yiippan, who. to win the regard of tlie gods made liini-
selt'a hermit, leaving his wife .and his relations, and re-
tiring to a desert place, there to lead a chaste and w)li-
tary lile. In that desert was a great stone or rock,
called Tehuehuetl. dedicated to penitential Jicts, which
rock Yap[)an ascended and took np his ahode n[)on like
a western ^^iiiieon Stylitos. The gods observed all this
with attention, liut donbtliil of the liriiiness of purpose
of the new recluse, they set a spy upon him in the per-
son of an enemy of his, named Yaotl, the word ijaul/ in-
deed signifying ' enemy.' Yet not even the shar[)ened
eye of hate and emy could find any spot in the austere
continent life of the anchorite, and the many women sent
hy the gods to tempt him to jileasiire were repulsed and
hallled. In heaven itself the chaste victories of the
lonely saint were applauded, and it began to be thought
that he was worthy to lie transformed into some iiigiier
form of life. ^IMieii Tlazolteotl, feeling herself slighted
and held for nought, rose np in her evil beauty, wrath-
ful, contemptuous, and said: Think not, ye high and im-
mortal gods, thiit this hero of yours has the force to \nv-
servc his resolution beloro me, or that he is worthy of
any very sublime transformation; I descend to earth.
behold now ]nnv strong is the vow of your devotee, how
unfeigned his continence!
That day the ll(}\vers of the gardens of Xochiquetzal
were nntended by their mistress, her singing dwarfs
were silent, her messeiiixers undisturbed bv her liehests.
and awav in the desert, bv the lonelv rock, the
crouching sp}' Y;iotl saw a wondrous sight: one shaped
''!'* I'nmnriio. in Xi>iivi}li>t Aiuydrs iks Voyfif/iK, ]8i;i, tdiii. xcix., pj). Wl-
3. 'On <('li'liiiiit chiKiui' iinii('i> uiic ft'to Koltiincllt' en I'lioinuiir di utto
(liM'ssc \cK'lii((U(tz:il, ft mil' fiiiilc ilt!"))t'\ipl(' so I't'iinissiiit dans son t( iii|ili'.
On ilisidt ([u'cllf ('lidt 1:1 fiiunir du Tliiloc le di<u dis emix. <t (jni' 'I'l xciit-
li])n(a 111 lui av.i't cnlcvrc ct I'avidt tninsporti'c an nciivirnir cicl. M' t-
lacucycufi ('tail la dc'isst' dcs nmyicicuut'S. Tlaluu I'l'iioiisa (^uand Xudii-
quetzul lui tut I'ti,' tiikv('i','
m
TLAZOLTEOTL SEDUCES YArPAX.
370
like !i woman, but fiiirer than eyo c;m concoivo, aJ-
viiiu'inji' toward the lean })enance-Avithoivd man on
the sacrod Ijciij^lit. Ila! thrills not the hermit's mor-
tilic'd llesh with something more than suiprise, while
the sweet voice speaks: ^ly brother Yappan, I the god-
Jess Tla/olteotl. amazed at thy constancy, and commiser-
ating tliy hardships, come to comfort thee ; what wa^' shall
1 t;ike. or what path, that I may get up to speak with
thee? ^rhe simple one did not see the ruse, he came
down from his place and helped the goddess up. Alas,
ill siicli a crisis, what need is there to sjieak further? — no
otiicr victory of Yappan was destined to be famous in
he;i\t'ii. but in a cloud of shame his chaste light went
down lor ever. And thou, shameless one, have thy
liiTce re»l li[)s had their fill of kisses, is thy l'a[)hian
soul satisfied withal, as now, Hushed with victory,
thou passest back to the tinkling fountains, and to the
great tree of tlowers, and to the far-reaching gardens
where tiiy slaves await thee in the ninth heaven? Do
thine eyes lower themselves at all in any heed of
the miserable disenchanted victim left crouching,
humbled on his dcf^ecrated rock, his nights and days of
lasting and weariness gone for nought, his dreams, his
hopes dissipated, scattered like dust at the trailing of thy
rohes? And for thee, poor Yil[)pan, the troubles of this
lite aie soon to end; Yiiotl. the enemv, has not seen all
these things for nothing; he, at least, has not Ijoriie
hunger and thirst and weariness, has not watclud and
waited in > ' . it avails nothing to lift the i)leading
hands, they are warm l)iit not with clas[)iiig in prayer,
and weary but not with waving the censer; the tliut-
ediicd mace beats down thy feeble guard, the lU'ck that
Tla/olteotl clasped is smitten through, the lips she kissed
roll ill the dust beside a headless trunk.
The gods transformed the dead man into a scorpion,
with the Ibreaims fixed lifted up as when he (lei>recated
the blow of his nniiHlerer; and he crawled under the
stoiic upon which ho had abode. His wife, whosi' iiaine
was Tlahuit/in, that is to say ' the inilamed,' still lived.
UHM
380
GODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
The implacable Ytiotl sought her out, led her to the spot
stained with her hiisbaiid'H blood, detailed pitilessly tlie
oircuinstances of the sin and death of the hermit, and
then smote oft' her head. The gods transformed the poor
woman into that species of scorpion called the aiiicrdii
enccinlldo, and she crawled under the stone and foiiiid
her husband. And so it comes that tradition savs Ihiit
all reddish colored scor[)ions are descended from Tlahni-
tzin, and all dusky or ash-colored scorpions from Viip-
pan, wliile both keep hidden under the stones and llir
tile light for shame of their disgrace and punishmi'iit.
Last of all the wrath of the gods fell on Yaotl I'or liis
cruelty and presumption in exceeding their connnands;
he was transformed into a sort of locust that the Mexicans
call ahadcachnpuUia.'^
8ahagun gives a very full description of this goddess
and her connection with certain rites of confession, much
resembling tliose already described in speaking ol" Tez-
catlipoca.** The goddess had according to our author,
three names. The first was Tlazolteotl, that is to ,'-;iy
'the goddess of carnality.' The second name was
Yxcuina, which signifies four sif4ers, called res[n'('-
tively, and in order of age, Tiacapan, Teicu, Tlaco,
Xucotsi. The third and last name of this deity was
Thichpiani, which means 'eater of filthy things,' relcrriiig
it is said to her function of hearing and })ardoMiii^'
the confessions of men and women guilty of uncltaii
and carnal crimes. For this goddess, or these god-
desses, had power not only to ins})ire and provoke to
the couunission of such sins, and to aid in their accoiii-
plishment, but also to i)ardon them, if they wcit con-
fessed to certain priests who were also diviners and tel-
lers of fortunes and wizards generally. In this confession.
however, Tlazolteotl seems not to have been directly ad-
2'' Holiinii'i, TiV'ii. pp. 15, r>3-T: ' Ppro, no ineiios indijjfiiiidos Ins I)ici-^(s
(I'l pcca ki (li? Y,i[)p:iii. (Jill' tit' la iiiolu'diciiciii, y iitri'viiuit'iitK dc )'''"". Ic
cinivirtitTKU en Lim^'ostii, iiuc lliiiuiiirlos Iiidios AliHdvuclinjinH'iH. iiiiiiiilaiiiln
Kc lliiMiiissc en iideliinte Tmnlefiiiui'nnit, ([Ue (piiere dicir/'Vov/a ('uli-.'i. \ < n
efecto estt'iminiitl piii'eceqne llcvii ciirt^o coLsi^o, projiriedad de his JlaUiias,
(jue sienipre fiir),'itn lis Ikhu'iis, que hiin (piitiulu ii .sus Proxiuius.'
3" iSee this vol. pp. 220-u.
CONFESSION.
381
divsscd, but only the supreme deity under several of his
uiunes. Tliu.stlie person whom, by Ji stretch (»!' courtesy,
we may call the penitent, havinji; sought out a conl'essor
IVom the class ubove mentioned, addressed tluit I'unction-
ury in these words: Sir, I wish to ai)proach the all-
powerful god, protector of all, Yoalliehecatl, or Tezcat-
li[)(H'a; 1 wish to confess my sins in secret. To this the
wizard, or priest, replied: Welcome, my son; the thing
thou wouldst do is for thy good and profit. Tliissaid,
he searched the divining book, toiiitJuiiuitl^ to see what
day would be most opportune for hearing the confession.
That day come, the penitent brought a new mat, and
wliite incense called cojxtlH, and wood for the fire in
wiiich the incen.se was to be burned. Sometimes when
he was a very nol>le personage, the priest went to his
house to confess him, l)ut as a general rule the ceremony
took place at the residence of the priest. On entering
this house the penitent swept very clean a portion of the
lloor and spread the new mat there for the confes.xor to
seat himself U[X)n, and kindled the wood. The i>riest
then threw the copal uikju the fu'e and said: O Lord,
thou that art the father and the mother of the gods and
the ni;)st ancient god,'^ know that here is come thy
vassal and .servant, weeping and with great sadness; he
is aware that he has wandered from th(? way, that he
has stuml)led, that he has slidden. that he is spotted
with certain filthv sins and grave crimes worth\ of death.
Oui- Lord, very pitiful, since thou art the protector and
defender of all, accept the penitence, give ear to the an-
guish of this thy servant and \a--al.
At this point the confessor turned to the sinner and
said: My son, thou art come into th(> presence <►!' (J od,
favorer and prot<!ctor of all; thou art (M)mo to lay bai'c
thy inner rottenness and unsavoriness; thou art come to
piiltlisli the secrets of thine heart; see that thou lall into
iii> jtit by lying unto our Lord; strij) thyself, jjut away
all shame before him who is called Yoalliehecatl and
Te/catli[)oca. It is certain that thou art now in his pre.s-
3' Sue this vol., pp. 212, 22G.
382
GODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
[If
enco. althouuli tlioii art not worthy" to seo liim, noitlicr
will he .speak with thee, ibr he is invisible and iiui)ali)able.
See then to it how thou come.st, and with what heart;
fear nothing to publish thy secrets in his i)resenee. '/wx'
account of thy lil'e, relate thine evil deeds as thou didst
perlorni them; tell all with sadness to our Lord (Jod,
who is the favorer of all, and whose arms are o[)en and
ready to embrace and set thee on his shoulders, lie-
ware of hiding anything through shame or through weak-
ness.
Having heard these words the penitent took oath,
after the Mexican fashion, t j tell the truth. lie touclied
the ground with his hand and licked off the earth that
adhered to it;'^^ then he threw copal in the ihv, which
was another way of swearing to tell the truth, 'riuii
he set iiimself down before the priest and, inasmuch as
beheld him to be the image and vicar of god. he. the
penitent, began to speak after this fashion: our Lord
who recei\'est and shelterest all, give ear to my Ibul
deeds; in thy presence I strip, I put away from myself
what shameful things soever 1 have done. Not fioui tiiec
of a verity, are hidden my crhiies, for to thee all things
are manifest and clear. 1 laving thus said, the i)eiiiteiit
proceeded to relate his sins in the order in which tlicv
liad been committed, clearly and (luietly, as in a slow and
32 Othor descriptions of this rite are given with n Iditionnl details: ' Usii-
l)!iii iiiiii ciTcinouia gi'iieralincnto en toda esta tierrii, hoiulivcs y iiiul;i ii s.
niiiosy iiifias, que quando entraban en algnn higar doude ha))i.i iiiiag( nes dc
lo.s idcilos, una o niucbaH, luego toeaban en la tierra eon el dcdo, y liu,i;()
le llcgaban A la boea ('» a la lengua: a esto Uaniaban comer tierra. baeienddio
en revereneia de sns Dioses, y todos los tjut! salian de mus ensas, aniKpif no
saliesen did pneblo, volviendo a su casa haeian lo niisuio, y juir los caniiiuis
quando pasaban delante ulgun Cii li oratorio haeian lo niisnio, y I'U lni,'ar de
juruniento usabau esto misnio, que jjara aflruiar (piien dfcia v( rdad baiiaii
esta eeremonia, y los (pie se qnerian satisfacer del que bablaba si dt cia vi r-
dad, deniandabanle bieiesc esta ccrenionia, luego le creian eonio juranu iito
. . . Teiiian tand>ien eostundire de hacer jurauiento de cniuplir al.i,'nna cosa a
que se obligaban, y acpiel a quien se cd)ligabau les demandaba (pie biiirsi u
juraniento jiara estarseguro de sii palabra y el juramento (pie haeian ( ra lu
esta forma: I'or vida del Sol y de nuestra sefumi la tierra (pie no falte ( ii 1"
qu(! tengo dieho, y para mayor seguridad eonio esta tierra; y biego toialm
eon los (ledos en bi tierra, Uegabalos a la boca y laniinlos; y asi eoniia tiiira
haeiendo juramento.' KhuisbiiVdWih's J/cr. Andi/., vol. vii., jip. 'X>-l'>. b'l;
Sithmiitn, Hist. Utn., tom. ii., lib. i., ap., pp. 'Ill, 220; Vlavhjtiv, Gloria Aid.
(Id JJftssico, tom. ii.,.p. 25.
rEXANCES.
888
distiJiotlv pronouiipod cliant, as one tliiit >viilkc'(l along a
vrrv straight way turning noithor to tlio right hand nor
to the k'l't. AN'hen ho had done the priost answerod him
as follows: My son, thou hast spokon hot'urc our Lord
(lod. revealing to him thine evil woiUs; and 1 siiall now
tell thee what thou hast to do. Wiien the goddesses ( 'iva-
])ipilti descend to the earth, or when it is the time of
the festival of the four sister g(xldesses of carnalitv that
are called Yxcuina, thou shalt fast four davs afflicting
thy stomach and thy mouth; this feast of tiie Yxcuina
Iteing come, at dayhreak thou shalt do penance suitahle
to tliy sins.'' Through a hole pierced by a maguey-thorn
tluoiigli the middle of thy tongue thou shall jiass (ertain
osier-twigs called teimiharntl or tbicotl. i)assing them in
front of the face and throwing them over the shoulder
one hv one; or thou ma\est fasten them the one to the
other and so pull them through thy tongue like a long
cord. These twigs were sometimes passed through a
hole in the ear; and. wherever they were passed, it
would a[)pear hy our author that there were sometimes
used of them by one penitent to the munher of four
hundred, or even of eight hundred.
If the sin seemed too light for such a punishment as
the preceding, the priest would say to the penitent: .My
sou. tiiou shalt fast, thou shall fatigue thy stomach witii
hunger and thy mouth with thirst, and tluit for four
davs. eating onlv once on each dav and that at noon.
Or, the priest would say to him: 'fhou shalt go to offer
liii|K'riu the usual places, thou shalt make images covered
therewith in munher proi)ortit)nate to thy devotion, thou
shalt sing and dance before them as custom directs. ( )r,
agiiiu. he would say to him: Thou hast offended (jod,
'■' (^lile ilitftvont vprsions of this sentenco aro \i\xf\\ liy KiiiyslKirou^irs
mill liiistitnmntc's editions ri'S[>fftivt'ly. That of luiiiisliur'ndili's Mu'. Antii/ ,
Vol. vii., j>. 7, reails: ' tiuamlo deeieiulcn i'l l:i tiena las Uiosas Ixciiiiiaiiu',
lnii,'(i (Ic iiiariaiia o on aniauccitinilo, jiariKinc ha,'as la iicnilcncia coiiviiiilile
l")i' tiis ]ii'ca(los.' That of l$nstaniantt', Sitinuiun, ///.sY. h'ln., toiii. i., lili. i.,
]>. l^t. 11 ails: ' Ciiando ih sficndi'ii k la tierra las diosas llaiiuulas ' "irdfiiji'ilt't, d
luaiiilo SI' hai'C la fiesta de his diosas de la carnalidad (jne se Hainan )'.i7in'-
imiiii', ayniiaras cuatio dias atli),'iendo tu estiiiiiai^o y tu Imea, y Uepido <1
dia lie la fiesta de estas diosas i\Haimiine, lue^'o de mafiana o cu uuiauecieudo
para que hayas la peuiteuciu couveuible por tus iiecados.'
381
GODS, StTEUXATUllAL DEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
thou li.'ist fiot (Innik; thou must expiate the matter he-
Ibre TotiK'hti, the jrod of wine; and when tliou goest to
do jK'nance tliou ^lialt }ro at night, naked, .save onlv a
pieee of paper hai«jiin<>; from thy jiirdle in front and an-
other hehind; tliou .shalt repeat thy prayer and tiieu
throw down tliere before the god.s tiio.se two piece.s of
pajter, and .so take thy departure.
Tlii.s confe.ssion was jjuid not to have been made to
a priest, or to a man, but to (iod; and, inasumeh as it
could only be heard once in a r •ins life, and. as lor a
relapse into sin after it there was no forgiveness, it was
generally put oil' till old age. 'i'he ab.solution given by
the priest was valuable in a double regard; theab.<olv((l
was held .shriven of every ci'ime he had confe.s.sed. and
clear of all pains and i)enalties, temjWHal or spiritual,
civil or ecdesia.stical, due therefor. Thus was the licry
la.sh of Xeuiesis Ijound uj), thus were struck down alikt;
the stall' of Minos and the swoi'd of Thiinis before the
awful jegis of religion. It may be imagined with what
reluctance this la^t hope, this uni(pie lil'e-confe.ssion was
resorted to; it was the one city of refuge, the one Mexi-
can benelit of .sanctuary, the .sole horn of the altar, of
which a man might once take hold and live, but no
more again for ever."
3< ' Dt> esto liicn ne nrfjiiyo quo ftniu|no lm1)ian lipolio niuchos jipcuiIds in
U('iiii)i) (Ic su juvciitnd, no sc t'Dnfcsiilmii dc cllcis hiistii In vijrz. |<ir im s.'
<it)li'4;iv a cisiir tie jji'ciir antes dc In vcjcz. jxir In ii)iini()ii «|nc tcniiiii, (|iif tl
(ju<' t(irniil);i i'l I'ciiicidir en los jici'iidos, al ([ue sf confcsaba una vtz nn li iiin
renicdiu.' Kifitishiiriiii'ih's .lA.i". Anlii/., vol. vii.. j)j). (>-8: Saliiiiinii, Jli.-<l. lim..
torn, i., lili. i.. pp. l(t-Ui. I'rcscott writes, .)A.r., vol. i., ji. ('..S: "it is n -
markalile lliat they ailndnistered tlie rites of confession and alisoliition.
The secrets of the confessional were lield inviolable, and i>enances wi n iiii-
jiosed of nnich the same kind as those enjoined in the lioinan (nilii'lic
(Church. 'I'here were two remarkable |iectiliarities in the Aztec cennn'MV.
The first was. that, as the reiietition of an oti'enee. once atoned for. wiH
deemed inexpiable, confession was made but once in a man's life, an<i wa-;
tisually tleferred to a late ]ieiiod of it, when the jiinitent nnbindent d his
<'onscience, and settled, at once, the Ivw^ arrears of initpiity. Anotht rpi i u-
liarity was, that priestly absolution was received in place of the Ic^'al puiiisli-
ment of oti'ences. an<l authorized an ac(piital in case of arrest.' Mentioii ef
Tlazolteotl will be found in lininiird, ('11111]. Mix., fol. ',\0: Tdrijin imi'l'i,
MniKiri/. Iwl., tom. ii.. ])]), (!'2. 7'.t; Ihi^ria, /li.4. <i(n., toiii. i., dec ii., lib. vi.,
«'ap. XV.; Clnriiiiro, Slitrhi Ant. drl Mrsxiro. t(un. ii., ]». 21. 'J'hey say lli.it
Yx<'uina. who was thi' ^'oddess of shame, protected adulterers. She \va> I he
.L(oddess of salt, of dirt, and of immodesty, aial tin; cause of all sins. Tin y
paiutud her with twy fuccs, or with twy iliU'^-rcut colors yu thu face. Sho
GOD OF Firn.
Tlic Mcxiciiii ^^()(1 of fn'c as we liavc alrcadv noticed
was iisiiallv «'alli'(l Xiiilitfctitli. He hail. howi'Scr. oIImi"
names such as Ixco/aiihtjiii, that is to sav, ' vel low -faced ;'
aiii
1 (
iiecaltzm, w
hid
1 iiieaii.'-
atiie (It lii'(
anil
11
lle-
liiieteotl. or 'tlio ancient jiod.'''' His idol represented
a naked man. the chin hlackened with nlli, and wearini;
a liii-jewel of red stone. On his head was a pai'ti-
colored i>ai>ei' ci'own. with fzreen pinnies issninii' iVom the
top of it like llames of (ire; from the sides hnng tassid.-s
t>l' leathers down to the ears. The ear-rin<rsof the inuiLie
were of tnr(|iioise wrought in mosaic. On the idol s
hack was a dra-jon's head made i>f vellow feathers and
<(nne
littl
marine sliells.
T«> the ankles were attaclu'd
little hells or rattles. On the left arm was a slTudd.
almost entirely covered with a [)late of gold, into which
were set in the shape of a cross five ehalchinites. In
the riiiiit hand the uod held a round pierced })late of
;:old. called the "lookiiig'-plate.' (miradoruinirailero) ; with
this he coveied his {\u'i\ loo'..,n,u; only thronjih the hole
in the uoiden plate. Xinhtecntli was held hy the people to
he their father, and reiiarded with feeliiiiisof min.iiled love
and fear: and they (H'lehrated to him two lixi'd festivals
every year, one in the tenth and another in the eij:liteentli
iiiMiitli, totiether with a niovahle feast in which, accord-
in:: to (Mavincro, they appointed iiia,iiistrates and re-
newed the ceremony of the investiture of the fiefs of the
kiuLidom. '{'he sacrifices of the first of these festivals,
the festi\'al of the tenth month. Xocotlveti, were par-
licnlai'ly crnel even for the Mexican relitrion.
The assistants hegan hy cnttinir down a irreat tree of
ll\t' and twenty fathoms Ioiilt and dressiniir off the
lirani'hes, removing all it would sei'iii hut a few round
the top. This tree was then dragucd hy rojx's into the
fity. on rollers apparently, with great precaution against
IS tlw wife of Miznitlnnteentli, tlip K"<t of lu'll. Sli<^ was also tlif' f^oddi
if pi'ii^titiitis; 1111
Isl
It' i)n
siiliil
over lliisi tliiiticn sii^'iis, which wi n u
ill 1111-
vv. ami thus tiii'v hclil that tlmsr who wt re lioni in tlu'so f;i.L;iis woiiM In'
liiUUr
lY lUdStltlltcS. .^/lll(/((
(/(//(■ 'I'artili' dd Coiliff .l/cfinnm, (
Vati
. tlV. NXXIX.
i,.i'i'-'i. (tii'td-i' hlhvs. )p]i. 'JIM
Sui: \]\\-i vol., ])]). •.il2, 220.
Vol.. HI. 2i
h'tii'inlioniHi'li's M'.(. Aniiq., vul. v., p. 181; JiruMi ur di-
■■iul.
n.^,!
OODH, RUPETlXATnU.Mi nEINOS, AND WOUSIIIP.
hi'iiisiii^ or s|H)irm;!; It; anil tluMvoiiicn met tlic cuti'viim'
])r()(v.'.s.si()ii fiiviu^ tliosi* tli.it drii^it'tl (^ikmo to drink.
The tree, which was called ivoroti, was received into the
coiH't ol' a cii with shouts, and there set up in a hole in
in the jiround and allowed to remain for twenty days.
On the e\e oi' the festival Xocotlvetzi. they let this larLfc
tree or pole down j^enlly to the <ironnd, hy means of
ropes and trestles, or rests, made of heains tied two and
two, proI)ahly in an X shape; and carpenters di-essed it
perfectly smooth and .straiiiht, and, where tlii' hianclies
Iiad hi'en left, near the top, they fastened >vith ropes a
kind of yard or cross-heam of live fathoms lonu'. Then
was [)repared, to he set on the very toj) of the jiole oi*
tree, ix statue of the <rod Xinhtecntli. made like a man
out of the dongli of wild amaranth seeds, and coNcreij
and decorated with innmnerahU' white papers. hito
the head of the imaj^e were stuck strips of |)aper instead
of hair; sashes of pa[)er cros.sed tin* hody from each
.shoidd<'r; on the arms wen^ [)ieces of pa|)er like wiiiiis,
])aintcd over with fij^ures of si)arrow hawks; a ma\-
tle of p:i|)('i* covered the loins; and a kind of paper
ishirtor tahard covered all. (Jreat strips of paper, half a
fathom hroad and ten fathoms lonj*', lloated I'rom the
feet of Ihe donuli fiod half way down the tree; and into
kisi head were struck three rods with a tamale or small
pie on the top of each. The tree beinu" now prepaicd
with all these things, ton rojjcs were att 'chetl to the
middle of it, and l)y tl 3 help of the ahove-nientioned
tressles and a large crov pulling all together, the whole
structure was rejired int an upright position and there
lixed, with great shoutin, and stamping of feet.
Then came all those lat had captives to sacrifice;
the}' came decorated for dancing, all the body i)ainted
yellow (which is the lii ory color of the god), and the
face vennilion. They wore a mass of the red plumage
of the parrot, arranged to resemble a l)utterlly, and
carried shields covered with white feathers and as it
were the feet of tigers or eagles walking. Kacli one
went dancing side by side with his captive. These
Fl'STlVAL OF TIIC FIKr OOD.
n87
(':!|)tivi>s liad the h )ly piintcl white, iin 1 tlii' fiioo vor-
iiiirntii. s!iM' till? clic'c'k.s which wi'iv hhick; tiicy w»'n^
luloriu'tl with papcrH, imich, iippiircntly, as tin; »h)ii^h
iiicinv WHS, Jiiul thi^y hail white i'rathcrsoii tht'liojul and
lip-oniaiiuMits of leathiTs. At set of sun the (hincini^
ceased; tiie captives Avere shut u[) in the atlpnlll, and
wateiied hy their owners, not heinjjc even allowed to sleep.
Altont midnifiht eveiy owner shaven ..way the hair of
the top of the head of his slave, which hair, heinj;
l':i<tened with red thread to a little tuft of feathers, he
put in a small case* of cane, and attached to the raf-
ters of his house, that every one niiiiht see that he was :i
viiliaut man and had taken a captive. The knife with
wliieh this shavinji; wasaccoin[)lished was called the claw
(tf the s[)arrow-hawk. At dayhreak the diM)med and
slioiu slaves were arranjicd in order in front of the place
(MJIed Tzompantli, where the skulls of the sacrificed were
sjiitted in rows. Here one t)f the priests went along the
low of captives takinjr from them certain little hanners
that tlu'v carried and all their raiment or adornment,
and burning the same in a fire; for raiment or orna-
ment these unfortunates should need no more on earth.
\\ liile thev were standing thus all naked and wait-
ing for death, there came another i)riest, carrying in
his arms the imago of the god i'avnal and his
oiuauients; he ran np with this idol to the top
nf the cu Tlacacouhcan where the victims were to
ilie. Down he came, then up again, and as he went
up the second time the owners took their slaves hy
the hair and led them to the ])lace called Ajjctlac and
there left them. Innnediately there descended from the
cu those thiit were to execute the sacrifice, hearing hags
of a kind of stupefying incense called ylaa/d/i,^'' which
^'•' Tl Jiiulitli c mm jiiiuitii, il cui fusto o lnnp;n nn puliitn. In ff>!,'lio Honiii,'li-
niiti u (incllo (1(1 Sitlcii). mil di'iittite, i tiori yiiiUi, c li railict' Kottilc C'ds'i i
liiiii, conic I'liUro paiti (1( Uii iiiiiiitii, Imuno lo sttsso Ddurc e saporo (1< 11'
Anicf. E' assiii ii'iilc jicr la Mi'iliciiia, cd i Mcdiia .Mcssicuni radoi'Miivaiio
(■riilrii ]iarccclii(! inidattic; iiiii HtTvivaiisi iineorii d'cssa jx r alfiiiii usi stijxT-
sti/iosi,' This is the n(it(> f^'ivcii by ( lavi^cro, Slurin Ant. del Mi'syiro, toni.
ii., |i. 77. ill di'sfi'iliiii;,' this fcstivid, ftiiil tlin incense used for stniicfviiif^ tli««
victims; btc u diffurciit uoto Luwtvur, iu this vol., p. SM, iu which Muliuu
!' I
■m
2 J':?'
388
GODS, SLTEKNATURAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
I
tlicy tliivw l)v hiuuiruls into tlie fiiccs of tlio victims
to (Il'iuUmi soiiu'wlijit tlieif u^oiiios in tlic fbiirl'iil dcutli
before them. Iluch captive wii.s then bound bninl and
foot and so carried \i[) to the toj) of the en where .*<nioul-
dered a hn^e heap of live eoal. The carriers heaved thi'ir
hvinj^ bnrdens in; and the old narrative j^ives niinute
details about the ^ivat hole made in the sparklin.u' endu'is
by each slave, and how th(^ ashv dust rose in a cloud as
he fell. As the dust settled the bound bodies could be
seen writhin<:' and jerivini;' thenisidves about in tornieut
on their soft dull-red bed. and their ilesh could be heanl
(•rairklinji' and roastin;;'. Now came a [)ai't of the ceic-
mony re(|uirinj;' nmch experience and judj;nient ; the
uild-e\ed priests stood grapi)lin!:'-hook in hand bidiuLi
their time. T\n) victims were not to die in the lirt'. tlw
instant the lireat blisters began to ■!>=" hand.M)niely over
their scorched skins it was enouiih. they were i'aked
out. The poor blackened bodies were then llnnj;' on the
'tajon' and the a,ii'ouiy.ed soul dismissed by the sacriliciiil
breast-cut (froui ni[)ple to nipi)le. oi' a little lower): the
lieail was tb( n torn out and cast at the leet ofXiuhte-
<'utli. god of liri'.
This slaughter being over, the statue of Paynal was
(^lU'riod away to its own cu and every man went home tn
eat. And the young men and boys, all those called
«/'(i'.vp(i/('qii(';'' because thev had a lock of hair at tli(> nape
of the neck. came. tog(>ther with idl the people, tlie
women in order amouij; the men. and be-ian at mid-da\
to dance and to sing in the court-yard ol" Xiubtecutli;
the [)lace was so ci'owded that theiv was hardly room to
move. Suddenly there arose a great cry. and a iiisli
was made out of the (M)urt toward the place where was
raised the tall tree already desiM'ibi'd at some leiii;tli.
Let us shoulder oui- way forward, not without ri>k l'>
ii 'scrilx's ijhinlilU fis 'liliick nmi/.c' In so!iio casi s. iiccdnliiii,' tn JTi mlii l;i,
li'sl. Hflcs., J). 1011. tliiic was 1,'ivin (o llic coiKhiiiiitil a ct riaiii liiiiiU lli.it
ji it tlicm hi'sidc tlicinschts, sii tliiit they \\<'lit to the sacriticf uilli a f;lia>tly
((riinlicii iin'iiiiiiciit.
" ' ' 'iii'.fi>iiUi. calxllo lai-'.;ii (pic^ di'xan a los nniuhiichos uu il co^'oli', (lU.uaio
li).i tiesciuiluu.' Molina, \'ucittjulario.
JltSIIIP.
CLiiir.iNd Fou THE (ion.
!S!»
)r tlio vii'tlius
fotirrul death
mil liiuid ami
wIkmv siiioul-
•.slicjived tln'ir
•iivi's iniiiutt'
irkliii!: cinlxMs
' in ii cloud as
odii's could Ih'
)ut in lornitMit
ould 1k' licanl
•t of the CtTC-
ud,mncnt ; the
1 hand hidiiiLi
n the lire, lli*'
idsonielv over
y \vere I'idxcd
n lluiiLi,' on tlie
the !<aci'ili('ial
le lowei') ; the
X't of Xiuhte-
* Taynal \vas
wi-nt liome to
thosi' called
r at the nape
people, the
I at niid-ilay
Xiiilitecntli:
rdly room to
. and a rush
,'e where was
some h'n,i:th.
hout risk ti>
■cilaiii iliiiik 111. it
licf with It ^liiif-tly
ll C<>g(lti\ (lU.Uiiij
our rihs. and s(>e what \vc can .^oo: th<'rc stands tlie tall
pole with sti'eamers of paper and the ten ropes l)y which
it was I'aised (hniLihnu' from it. On the top stands the
il()iiL:h imaii'e of the fu'i' pxh \\ith ail his ornaments and
we:ipons. and with the i\\\vv tamales stickini;' out so
oddly above his head. Ware (dnhsl we i)ress tooclcsi';
,-houldi'r to shoulder in a thick serried rinj:' round the
loot of the pole stand the ' cai)tains of the youths' keej-
iu;:' the yonni:sters hack with cudticls. till tin* word he
iiixen at which all ma\ heuin to (dind) the said nole for
the Lireat prize at the top. Ihit the youths are wild for
fame; old reilowned heroes look on; the (yes of all the
women of the cit\" are fixed on the j^reat tr<'e wlieri' it
shoots ahove the head of the strni:'iilinLi' crowd; ulorN' t<»
liiiu who first uains the cross-beam and the imai;*,'.
.*^tand ]yM'k, then, ye captain><. let us ])assl There is a
rush, aiul a tiam[)linii'. and desi)ite a rain of blows, all
the pole with its hanujini;' ropes is aswarm with (dind)ers.
thrusting' each other down. The lirst youth at the toj>
sei/.i's the idol of doujih ; ho tak(>s the shield ami the
arrows and the darts and the stick (//(//f for throwint;'
the darts; he takes the tamales iVom the lu'ad of the
statue, crund)les them uj). and throws the crumbs with
till' plumes of the imaLii' down into the ci'owd ; the secur-
iu.:' of which ci'umbs and plumes is a new occasion for
shoutini:' and scnunbliuii' and listiculVs amonu,' the nudti-
liide. When the younu' hei'o comes down with the
apous of the nod which he has seciu'ed. he is I'eceixcd
with fa r-roarinii' applause and, cai'ried up to the cti Tlaca-
ciiuhcan. there t(> receive the reward of his activity aud
eudurauce. praises ami jewels aud a rich mantle not law-
ful for another to wear, and the honor of beinu' carried
hy the pi'iests to his house, auiid the music of hoi'iis and
shells. The festi\it\' is o\er now : all the people lay hold
iin the ropes I'astened to the tree, and pidl it down
with a crash that breaks it to pieces, touvther. apparent I \ .
with all that is left of the wild-amaranth-douiih iuia-e
• •f Xiuhtecntli.*
W(
•t- l(
III ;sjiiron
;//('n .1/r.i'. Aiilii]., vol. vii., jip
8- 11, 2S, (;;j C; Snlii
Hint.
3af)
GODS, SUPEUNATURAL BEINGS, AND AVOIISIIIP.
Another foast ol'tlio ffod of fircMvas held in tho month
n
/o-
Y/('iiHi, the t'iiihtwMith month; it uas called VKiflti.iy
<(nfof(f. that is to say 'our lather the (Ire toasts his loir!.'
An ima,i>e of the iiod of fire uas made, with a IVanic of
hoo[)s and sticks tied to^iether as the hasis or model to he
covered \\ith his oi-naments. On the head of this imauc
■was put a shinin.n' mask of ttn^juoise mosaic, handed
across with rows ol" jireen chalchinites. Tpon the mask
was put a ci'own littinii' to the head helow, wide aliove.
and tioriicous with I'ich i)lunia"(f as a ilower; a win' of
leddish hair was attached to this crown so that the
evenly cut locks flowed from l)elow it, hehind and ai'oniid
the mask, as if thi'V were natural. A rohe of costly
featiiers covei'ed all the front of the ima^ue and fell over the
ground hefore the feet, so light that it shivered and floated
with the least hreath of air till the variegated feathers
lilittered and channed color like water. The hack of tlie
nnaii'e
SC'l
nis to have heen left unadorned, concealed 1
• \'
a throne on which it was seated, a throne covered with
a dried tiger-skin. ])aws and head complete. IJefort' this
statue new fire Avas i)roduci'd at midnight h\' horiui:
k ol'
•apidly hy hand one stick upon another; the spunl
tinder so inllauied was put on the hearth and a liri' lit.''
At hreak of day canu* all tlu; hoys and youths with iiaiiie
and fish that they had captured on the previous (la\ :
walking I'ound the fii'e, they gave it to certain old ii
that stood there, who taking it threw it into the flame
hefore the "od. liiviny; the vouths in retiu'ii cei'taiu tain
lell
i\'
ides that had heen made and offered for this purpose I
the women. To eat these tamales it was lU'Cessary to
stri|)off ihemai/e-leavv's in which the_\- had heen wiappeil
and cooked; these leaves were nt)t thrown into the fire.
^■.rt.. lom. i.. lili. i., i))i. l(i-l',1, lil). ii., i)p. (12 t, 141-8; Clurhivro, Slnr'nt .1/'.
till M'ssin,, tolii. ii., [ip. 1(1, 7(1; .'"•iiii'ldiimif ihllc 'I'liriili' ili I I'liilifr Mij-lcn/n',
(Valiciino), tiiv. Ivi., in A'i/if/s'">n)i(|//i s .i/i.r. .Ic/iV/., vol. v., j). I'.IO.
v]h\
' l.sta tstalua asi ailciniailn iki l<ji>s dc uii lu^'ar (jiU' cstalia dciauti'
(1
I, a la iiicilia ikh'Iu' s
icaliau fut'i;(( niii'Vii jiaia (^ur ai(li( sr en ai|
hi
y sacabauld cou iiiios ])al(is, iiiio jmi sto aliajo, y sultrc I'l liairi'liabaii ii'H
(itri) jiaio, coiiio tdicitinldli' cntri' las main
ill f^iaii jiiisa. y cnii aijiu
iiKiviiuii'iitd V calor sc ciiriinlia 1 1 fiii't'o, v alii In toiiialiaii con yisca y i'
('< inliiii I'll (
I Ii
;:if,
Mll'l-i'inl-iin
Jiul. (nut., tuiii. i,, lil). ii., i>. ISl.
:;/(',s Mf/. Anllij., vol. vii., ji. bl; Sulmjiu
FOUIITII YEAH FESTIVAL.
3'.)1
hilt -were all \r.\i toui'thcr iiml thrown into wiitcr. After
this all tlu' olil niLMi of the wunl in uhit'h the Hit' was,
{hank [)iil(iur and sang hufoiv the iina,no of Xiiihtcriitli
till ni,Liht. 'riii.s was the tenth day of the mouth and
thus finished that feast, or that i)art of the feast, uhich
was called rii/iiiH'itdiiKdi/iit/lhJli.,
On the twentieth and last day of the month was made
iinother statue of the lire .liod, with a frame of sticks and
lioDps as already descrihed. They i)iit on the Iiead of it
ii mask with a <iroiind of mosaic of little hits of the shell
called A'y/f/:7//,"'coin[)osed helow the month of hlack stones,
udeil across the nostrils with hlack stones of another
it. and the cheeks made of a still different stone called
Da
st»
iVii-ilnilcldl'l
'I
A;
th
s in tne nrevioiis case mere was a mown
th
01
1 this mask, and over all and over the l)od\' of the
iiua^e costly and beautiful decorations of feather-work.
Before the throne on which this statue sat there was a
lire, and the youths olVered pune to and reci'ived cakes
from the old men with various ceremonies; the day
hein^' closed with a mvat drinking' of nuhiue hv the old
lHM)|ile. thouizh not to the })oint of intoxication. Thus
ended the I'iiihteenth month; and with rej.iard to the two
cci'emonies jr.st descrihed, Saha,Liun says, that though
not ol)ser\c'd in all parts of Mexico, they were ohservod
at least in Tezciico.
It will he noticed that the festivals of this month have
hcen without human sacrilices; hut e\t'ry I'ourth year was
an e\ce[)tion to this. In such a _\"ear on the twentieth
and last day of thiseijihti'enth month. l)eiiiii' also, accordiiii;'
to MHiii', the last day of the year, the live Nemonteni. or
unhii'kv da\'s. heini;' excepted, men and women wei'c slain
as inniLii's of the god of liri'. The women that had to
die ('allied all their ap[)ari'l and ornaments on their
shoulders, and the men did the same. Arri\i'd thus
nuked where the\' had to die, ]nen and women alike
wciv decorated to resemlile the li'od of lire; the\-
■^ceiK
le.l
the en. walked round the saerilicial stone, and linn de-
^1' Ovl'iim -111:'! as llustiiiuunto spullrf it. ' TiirichUl, cnil, uouulia o vi iic ru.
J/m/(,,((, I'uca'.nUuiiu.
r]92
(iODS, SITKIIX.VTURAL lU'.INCS, AND WOliSIIir.
sooncU'd iiiid rotiinicd to tlio place w1»oro tlicy woi'c to
1)0 kc'jtt for the night. l"]ju'h male victim had a rope tied
round the middle of his hodj which was held by his
guards. At midnight the hair of the ci'own of the head
of each was shaven ^A\' before the fire and ki'[)t I'm- a
reli(^ and the head itself was covered with a mixtuic
of resin and hens' leathers. After this the dooiiud
ones hnrned or gave away to their kee[)e!s their now
IS the morning broke the^■ were
nseless annari
•1,
ant
I
ilecoraled witn papers and
d led
ni processKJii
to d
le. wuii
th
>int:inn' and shonting and dancinu'. These festivities
went on till mid-day, when a })riest of thecii. arrayed in
the ornaments of the god I'aynal, came down, jjassed
before the victims, and then went np again. They wei'e
led np after him, cai)tives first anil slaves afti-r. in the
order thev had to die in; thev siiiVered in the usiuil
manner
Tl
lere was tiien a <ii
th
and dance of the lonb
led by the king himself; each dancer wearing a high-
fronted [)aper coronet, a kind of false nose of blue pjipi-r.
(.•ar-i'ings of tnnpioise mosaic, or of wood wr«)ught with
Mowers, a bine curiously ilowered jacket, and a iiijuitle.
Hanging to the neck of each was the figure of a dog
made of paper and painted with llowei's: in the right
hand was carried a stick sha[)ed like a chop[)ing-kniie.
the lower half of which wns painted ivd and the u[)per
half white; in the left hand was carried a little paper
bag of copal, 'i'his dance was i)egun on the top of tlu'
cu and tinished by descending and going lour tluus
rouud the court-yard of th(; cu; after which all eutt'red
the palace with the king. This dance took place only
once in four years, and none but the king and his lonls
could take part in it. On this day the eai-s ol' all diil-
dren born diu'ing the three preceding years were borrd
with a bone awl. and the children themseU'cs passed
near or through the llames of a (ire as alivady I'elated."
Tbei'e was a further ceremony of takiniX the children l>v
the head and lifting them up '* to make them grow;
<' See this vol., p. 370, note 27.
THE GitEAT NEW FIRE FESTIVAL.
303
riiid froiri tills the month took it.s naiiie, Yzcnlll nioanliiir
trowiii
th
4 -J
Tlu're was goncmlly obsoi'vod in honor of fliv a custom
calU'd 'the th^o^vln,L^' Aviili'li was that no one ato without
first tliiiLiinjr into the (ire a scrap of the I'ood. Anothej'
coiuinon ceremony was in drinkinji; puhiue to lirst
spill a little on the ed<:e of the hearth. Also when a
person heuan ni)on a jar of pidcjue he emptied out a
little into a broad pan and put it beside the fu'e, whence;
with Muother vessel he spilt of it four times upon the
edize of the hearth; this was ' the libation or the tast-
nr.
4:1
The most solemn and i
mpoi
tant of all the Mexican
festivals was that called Toxilniolpilia or Xiuhmolpilli.
the "the bindimr
ni
of tl
le
}■
ears.
.vei
two \ears was called a sheaf of ve
y
U's ;
lilty-
ind it
\v
;>s held for certain that at the end of some slu-af
fifty-two \{",u'}^ the motion of the heavenly bodies
I the world itself come to an end.
Iioi
lid
cease am
As the possil)le (b»y of destruction drew ne;ir all the
jH'ople cast their household jiods of wimmI and stone into
the wiiter, as also the stones used on the hearth lor cook-
and hruising pepi)er. Tiiey washed tlioroiiiibly their
liduses. and last of all put out all lires. I'or the li:ihtin!i
of the new (ire tlu're was a place set a[)art. the siunmit
nf a mountain called Vixacbtlan. or lluixaehtla. on the
liDundary line between the cities of lt/,ta[)ahij)a and Col-
liiuicaii. about six miles from the city of Mexico. In
the jiroiliiction of this new (ire none hut priest.- had any
part, and the task fell s[)ecially n[)on those of the ward
<'()])( ileo. Oil the last day of the (ifty-two yi'iirs. alter
tli(> sun had set, all tlii' priests clothed themsehes
with the dress and insi^jiiia of their i^ods. so as to
tl
ieiiisel\es
appc;
U"
lil
\e very gods, an(
d set
out 111 pri
^- K'lifi-i'inrivKih'ft ^^\r. A»ti'i., vol. vii.. jip. .1'1, S:j-7; S^iihivitni, ffht.Oni.,
tmn. i.. lib. ii., ])j). 71 •"), ls;t ',U; l!"htriiii, Ih'ii, p. l,is; Sii'iiidiiniir itrlle'
T'ii-:i!,i .1,1 I'lufi,;' Mi.i'ii'itno, ( \'iiti('iiinO, tiiv. Ixxiv., ill l\ii'(i.--l.iiri null's .l/i.c,
Aiil'iij., vol. v., ji|). li(l')-7; Chtci !''>''>, Slnriii Ant. (II Missifo, tuiii. ii., !>. S2.
" Kill in'mniii'ili's Mix. Aidiq., vol. vii., p. 'M; >((/u(/'0(, llisl. <iin., torn.,
i., lil). ii., 111)., p. 'Hi,
1301
CODS, sri'EKNATURAL BEINGS AND WOUsnil'.
cession for the iiiDimtiiiii, wiilkin,^ wvy slowlv. \\\\h
miK'h <iriivity iiu ! .^llciu'c, us helitted the ociMsloii and
the pirl) tlu'V Udi'c, '■walking," astlu'v plirjisid it, • like
gods. " Till' priest of the ward of ('()j)i)li'(). whosi' ollicf
it was to [)roiliice the lire, oari'ied the instriiinciits there-
of in his hand, ti'ving them from time to time to see that
all was right. Then, a little hefore midnight, the mount-
ain heing gained, and a en which was there hwilKil tor
that ceremony, they hegan to watch the hea\(Mis and
os[)eeially the motion of the IMeiades. Xow this niuht
alwa\s fell so that at midnight thesi; seven stars wci'e in
the middle of the sky with respect to the Mexican hori-
zon; and the i)riests watched them to see them pa.^s the
zenith and so give sign of the endnrani'c of the wi"ld,
for another liftv and two years. That sIliii was the
signal for the })roduction of the new iii'e, lit as follows.
The hravest and llnest of the prisoners taken in war was
thrown down alive, and a hoard of very dry wood was
pnt U[)on his breast; upon this the acting pi'iest at the
critical moment hored with another stick, twirling it
rapidly ht'twc'en his palms till lire caught. Then in-
stantly the bowels of the captive were laid open, iiis
heart torn ont, and it with all the body thrown n[)on and
consumed by a pile of lire. All this time an awful
anxiety and suspense held possession of the peo}»le at
large; for it was said, that if an> thing hap[)ened to pri'-
vent the ])rodnction at the pro[)er time of the new lire.
there would l)e an end of the human race, the night and
the darkness would be perpetual, and those terrihli' and
ugly Ijcings the Tzitzimitles" would descend to devour
all maidvind. As the fateful hourap[a'oached, the pe()|ile
gathered on the Hat house-tops, no one willingly remain-
ing below. All pregnant women, however, were clnsed
into the granaries, their faces being covered with mai/.c-
leaves; for it was said that if the new lire could not he
])rodnced, these women would turn into fierce animals
...nd devour men and women. Children also had masks
['11 ■ t
** Or hiUlinlli.!i as ou p, 1'27 of tLis vol.
FEAST OF THE NEW FIRE,
395
of mnl/i'-lcar put on tlicir faces, and they witc ko\)t
;iu;ik(' I)y cries and pnslies, it heinLi' iK'lieved that if they
were allowi'd to sleep thev would become mice.
I'Vom the crowded huuse-toi»s everv eve was hcnt on
Yixachtlan. Suddenly a moving spi-ck <jf li.::ht was
seen liy those nearest, and then a great cohnnn of llame
sliot u[) against the sky. ^I'he new iivvl anil a great
shout of joy went u[) from all the coimtry round about.
The stai's moved on in their courses; fifty and two years
more at least had the universe to exist. lOvery one did
[)eu;iuee. cutting his car with a s})linter of llint and
sr;ittering the blood toward the [lai't where the lire was;
escu the ears of childivn in the cradle were so cut.
And now from the bla/.ing j)ile on tlu? mountain, burn-
ni'.
hram
Is of
pn
le candU'-wooil were carrie(
1 by tl
le
swiftest rniniers toward eveiy (piarter of the kingdom,
lu the city of Mi'xieo, on the temple of lluit/ilo'pochtli,
hei'i);'e the altar, there was a lire-[)lace of stone and limo
cniitaining nuich copal; into this a bla/.ing brand was
Ihuig by the (irst runner, and from this place lire was
cai'i'ied to all the houses of the priests, and thence again
to all the city. There soon bla/.ed great ci-nti'al lires in
e\i'iy ward, and it was a thing to be tu'vn the nudlitude
of pi'opK' that came together to get light, and the gene-
r;il rc'ioicings.
The hearth-fires Ijcing thus lit. the iidial)itants of every
house l).'gan to renew their household gods and furni-
ture, and to lay down new mats, and to put on new
riiiinriit; they made everything new in sign (jI" the new
slienf of yeai's; they beheaded ([uails, and ])urni'd in-
cense in their court-yainl toward the four ([uarters of tlu>
W(»ld. and on their hearths. After eating a meal of
wild auiaranth seed and honey, a fast was ordered, even
tlie (hiidving of water till noon being forbidden. Then
the eating and drinking were renewed, sacrilices ofslaxes
nd (Mptives wore made, and the great hres icnewei
4 solemn festival of the new lire was celebra
ted
ill the year loOT, the Sj)aniards being not then in ilu>
land; and through their presence, there was no public
n^r, r,0DS, sttpetixatuhal beings, axd woRsiiir.
ccroTnonj wlioii tlio next slicaf of years was finished in
Mictliin, tlio ^foxicaii hades, or phice of the dead.
si,Li'ni(ies eitlier primarily, or hy an a('(juired nieaiiiiii:.
' northward, or toward tlii' north.' thoniili many authori-
ties have loeated it nnderjiroimd or helow the t-aith.
This region was the seat of the power of a ^od best
known im(h'r his tith'ot' Mietlanteeutli : his female eo)ii-
jianion was ealled Arietlaneihnatl. nnule identical hy foiiic
legends with Tla/olteotl. and hy others apparently with tiir
ser[)ent- woman and mother goddess.^*' There has heendis-
*'< K'litii.^horoH'ih'ff ^f(^x. Anl'iq., vol. vii., ]ip. 1o7, 101-D; Sah'fitoi, lli-^t.
(•I'll., toiii. i., HI), iv., up., i)j). IU()-7, toiii. ii., lili. vii., i)p. 'iOd 4; 'runim-
iwuln, M'ninri]. Iml., tmii. ii., i)p. '2',*"J ■"); llnt'irini, lih'ii. pp. IH-lil; I'hn-]-
ifro, Slitrln Aiil. ilil M<fislri). toiu. ii., pp. (',2, Ht-."); Miiul'ii'ln. Hist. /•Jrlis., p.
IDI; ,1 ov/r/, //;.s7. ,/<; /,(.s yniUns, pp. :t'.IS-l). Leon y (Jiiuia, Dus I'lnlrns. pt
i., pp. ■">l-"i."), (litt'crs somcwliiit from the text; he was unfortiuiate in in vir
having,' stcn tlie wurk.s of Saha^nm.
■"> riiis viil. ]). .')'.). The iiittiiiivtatioiis of the codices represent tliis l;(1iI
as ])f' •iili.iriy hoiioreil in tiieir paintinu^s: Tiiey place Mieliitlateeotle njipu-
site to til. Min, to See if he can rescue any of those sei/eil upon liy tlie lords
of the (liMil. for Michitla sit;nities ihe dead below. These nations jaiMli il
only two of their is;(t\\>^ with the crown called Altontcateeoatle. vi/., tli
of heaven .md of ahiinilanee and this lord of the dead, which kind of
II
VV//.-
lave seen up
/:
on the captains in the war of Coatle. A.'.r/i/
iril'imi I
hi
t ii., lam. xv., in K\
iniishiiriiiiiili s
Ml'
Aiiti
J), llll. ^liqilitlalltecotli si^,'luties the },'reat lord of the dead f(
'/■•
ellow III hi
111
11
o alone after Tonacatecotle was iiaiiited with a crown, which Kind (jf a
crown Was
tri.
Jiaintiie.
used
■ven after tli
rrival of the Christians in tliosi
son wno coiiui
1 llll
was seen in the war of ("oatlan. us the pi
relates, who was a lirother of the Order of Siiint Doniinic. ikhihiI
•aliic
dc los Itios. 'I'liey painted this demon near tlie sun: for in tli
wav as tliev lielii'vcd that the on
ducted souls to heaven, so tl
that the otl
icr carriei
I tl
to hell. He is here rejiresented with his
open and stretched toward the sun. to seize on anv soul which
icy SIlppCM il
iiilids
srapc
;llt
from him. Siiidiiitiniii' ihUr 'I'lirali' ihl Ciiil'irf Mi.ririiiin (Vatican')'), ta\'. \\\iv.
in Kiinix'iiiriiii ill's Mix. Autii/., vol. v., p. 1!S'2, 'I'he Vatican Codex says fuitlii r
that tlese were four L;ods or jirinciiial deiiions in the Mexican h 11. .Miipiil-
lamtecotl or /it/.imiti; V/punteipie. the lame demon, who a]i|ieari<l in the
streets with the feet of acock; N'extepelma, scatterer of ashes; and (diitei
le who desceiiils lii'ad-foreinost. 'I'liese four have ■'oddess
ic,
not as \M\rs.
Ilolp
hut 1
L'od
IS conipaiiions, w
hich
was the sun
Icsses stood to one anotlier, tli
])le relation in which all the ^lc\i("iii
haviii" been- accordiii'.,' to
most authorities -in their olympus neither marryiiiL; luu' j^'ivin^' in niairia;:i .
" ini; our way as veil as jiossible across the frii,'litful sjielliiiLiof the inlir-
I'ick
pr< tcr. t
'r/iuimitl. wasjoin<ilasi,'oildess, Mi(piit
le males anil tenia
lies seem paired as follows: To .Miipiitlaniti
ecacn'ua
to Vzi
mnteipK
Xt
to Nextepeluia. Mica|ietlacnli; and to t^onteiiioipie, Clialniecacinatl. '-y
iiif il.l!- I'tii-iili' ili'l Cii liiv Mi.i'h'itiiii I Vaticaiio), tav., iii
in Kiml:
M .{'. Aiitii/., vol. v., pp. Ki'J-;!; Ilnh'
toiii. i.. lib. iii,, up. jip. 2il(t-;t: A'
[ilrii.
VV
:5(i-l; Siiliii'iiui, lllsi. a
•ih'x Mix. Aiii'iij., vol. v., ji
iw;
17, says t'Mt tUis god was kuuwu by thu further iiuiuo of Tzontemuc and .\<
TEOYAOJIIQUK.
■.t7
cKVCR'd iirul tluM'f is now to hcsct-n in tlio city of Mexico
i! Iini:v ci)ni|K)iin(l stnttic, rcpivsciitiiiji' vjirious deities, the
most proiuiiicnt bcinp; a certain jicxldess 'leoyaonrKine.
who. it seems to nio, is almost identical with or at least
ii.KiiiiMtl. <"ftvlirr(i, Slovia Aitt. iJil .lAsxico, torn, ii., ]iii. (>, 17. (lalliitin,
.liK'C. Ellnio!. >■()(•., TrtO'Sdct., vol. i., pji. .'J.")!!-!, siivs tliat ' Mictliiiiti ucili is
s|Mi'iiilly ilistiii},'nisli((l liy tlii' iiitcrpntci's as one of the cmwiicd {^nds. His
!■ |i;i si'ii'. itidii is fiiiiiiil niidiT tile liasi-: uf the st itiic of 'l'i(i_vuciiMic|iii, and
(laaiii lias pnlilislic<l tlu' <M)i)y. Accindiiii,' to him, tlic naiiii' of thit i^ml
liiialis. the tjoil of tho phioo of tlic dead. He lilcsidcd over the flllitnd of
th'p.,-- who dii'd of disciist'S. 'I'lic soids of all thosi' kidcd in hatllc witi- h d
liV l'coyaonu<[ni to the dwelling' of the sun. 'Jlii> others It'll nn<hr the do-
iiiiiiiDi of ,"\li('tuiitriu'tli.' Ti'rijiii'uiitihi. Mnniiri/ . Ind.. iinn.i.. ])]k1~, 1IH, 417,
tn!ii. ii., p. IJH. Jirasscnr d(^ lioiirlioiii-^' mentions tliis ^^ticl and his wife,
li!iii.;ini,' u]) several i'lteresting points, for whieli, howi'ver, lie must hear (ho
> lie nsjionsibility : S'i' Kcislr (/i.>i .S'n/ovi.s' dc I'llisl. I'nin., pp. ',).s '.). • |)ii
foiiil (les eanx <pii coiivraient le nionde, ajoiite iin autre diieimunt mexicain
(''."/. .l/'M'. Till-Iliiii., fol. 1, v.), le dim (lis rc'Ltions il'eii has, Mic/lin-Ti nrl-
U f.iit surLjir nn nionstre marin iiomiiu' CiiincHi on ('njinrlii ( Mcliili./ni, llisl.
Ant'ni. ill- Is Inilhis, ])art. MS. Dans ce doniment, an lieu de cijiiiilll il y a
fipint'i, qui n'est ]ieut-etre ([u'une eri'eiir du eopiste, niais ipii, peut-etre
aissi est le souvenir d'une lauLjnt' p(M(liie et ((ui se rattaeheiait an fijiirun
Minri-I'iquti', dn Perou.): de ee monstre, (pii a la forme dun eainian. ii ere«;
It ti ire ( J/)/o//;(i(, Ih'itl.). \e serait-ce pas l.'i le crocodile, ima;4e du teiiijis,
(he/ li s lv^'y|)tiens, ct ainsi (|ne riiidi(|Ue Champoljion (Dans Ih niju'lhiit, i.,
il'.i et To, ltM'rf>c(>dilo est le symhole (hi couehant et des ti'ni'lires) symho'e
i',',\lenieiit de la Iv'iwin du I'lKirliniit, de r.l)/(i7(((? Dans rOicus mexi-
ciiii. lo piinc(! des .Morts, .WcCtni-Tiitrlli, a i)our conipa^ne Mirhi-iciliKdll,
Ci'lle ([ui etond les niorts. On rap])elle Jxcniiui, ou la d^'esse nn
visa^^e Jieint on an doulile visai,'(\ ]).irce (|u"elle avait le visa;„'e de
ilcnx couhnirs, rout^t' avec le contour de la ixiuche et du nez [x int en
ii'iir (r,„/. M,x, TiU-lli'm., fol. IS, v.). Ou lui doiiiiait anssi ie iiom d"
V'/./c. Ufiii!^ la d 'esse de I'ordure, ou 'Fhi' (I'ljiinhi. Irt nian;,'euse d'oi'dnre, ]>aico
ipielle pii'sidait aux amours et aux jilaisirs Inhriqin s a\i'c ses trois sceiirs.
• Ml la ti'ouve p<'rsoiiii'iee eneori' avec ' hdiilicn, (lUehpiifois ri]in'senti'e coni-
lue iiM eliien, soit h cause de sa Inhriciti', soit a cause du noiu de ( liiuriKiul -
Uii'idiilH on les Xouf-Chieiis, (ju'on lui doniiait ef,'alemi nt {Cud. Mi\e 'Dll-
/.''■'"., fol. 21, v.). Cost ainsi (jue dans I'ltalie ante-prias;^i(jne, dans la
Siiiie et dans I'ilo de Saniotlirace, anti'rieureliieiit aux Thnices et aux I'elas-
'„'es. oil adorait une Zerinthia, une Hecate, deesse ( hieiiiie (|ui iiounissait;
si' , Irois tils, ses trois chions. sur le lueiue autel. dans la denieiiie sout( iraiiLi ;
liiiie et I'autre rapixilaieut ainsi le souvi'iiir de ces helaires qui veiilaient an
piril (h's pyramides, oil elh'S se |)rostituaient aux mariiis. aux iiiarehands i I
mix viiyaL;eurs, ])our niiiiasser rar!.;ent m'eessaire a rt'reetinn di s tolnln aux di s
mis. " 'Tout iin calcul i\e» t(>iii|)s, dit Jvlistein ( Sur Irs smirri'^ df In ( 'iisiim-
'j iiiii'dc S(tit'-liiiiii(dlii)n, ])p. 101, llt7), se ratt.ache a radoralion solaii'e de eette
ileesse et de ses tils, ]jO Chien, le Sirius. reurne dans I'astre tie ce num. au
/eiiith de ranni'e, tliiraiit les jours de la canic iile. On connait le cycle ou la
li'iiode epic pri'side I'astre tlu chilli :^tin sail tpi'il ne m' raltache [las seuh -
iMi lit aux institutions do la vieille ili^'ypte, niais encore a ci Ih s de l,i haute
.\sie." En .Vnii'riipie le iioni tie la tleesse J.rfiiiiiii so. rattache t'L,'alemiiit ii la
ciiii^tillation du siid, oil t^n la ])t>rsonnilit> encore avec l.dl irnliuhiiui, aiitie
iliviiiiti' lies ivrojJtnes et ties amours ol)scenes: les iistroloi,'Ues lui atli ihii lieiit,
r.M L;r,iiiil |)ouvoir sur les I'veiienieii's de la j^iierre. et, d.ins lis tleriiieis temps,
'III 1 11 faisait dependre le chatiiiieiit des adiilteres et ties incest ueiix ( I'ld. .Ui.r.
■/i"-/.'m/i,, fill. 1(1, v.).' See also, Uriiiltih's MijUiS, pp, l;iU-7; J.niik 1/ ddhi'l,
li ■■- I'i'dn.t! Mt i., [). 12, i>t ii., i)p, OJ-0,
■liiiiililili
no8
()f)DS, SLTEnNATrn.VI. llKINdS, AND WOPiSIIIP.
a ('(mncct'mjx link lu'twi'di tlio iiiotlicr troddcss iiiid tli(^
coinpunioii of Mictliiutcciitli. Mr (liillatin .^iiv.s'' tliiit
tlu' Mt'xiciin p)(ls •' wciv p.'iintcd in dillrrciit ^VJ^^s ac-
cofdiiiLr to their vai'ioiis iittrihiitos and names: and tln'
1
)ri('sts were also in the lialiit of eonneetinii' with th
niune is I eovaonn(|ni, whicli mean.-'
statue of ii jiod or jroddess, svndxjis of other deities wid Ii
])artool\ of a similar character. (Jama has adihiccd
several instanci's of hoth practices, in the ])artol'his dis-
sertation which relates to the statue of the pxldcss el'
death I'oinul huried in the in'eat S(|uan^ of Mexico of
which he. and lately Mr Xehel. have gi\'en ('(([jies.^"* Ih r
to die in sacred war,
or ' in defense of the .u'ods,' and she is the proper coiii-
l)anion of Iluitzilopochtli, the jiod of war. 'I'he svniliols
of her own attrihutes are found in the upper })ait of the
statue: hut those from the waist downwards relate to
other deities connected with her or with Iluitzilopochtli.
'J'he seiM)ents are the s\ nihols of his mother ( 'ohiiathctie.
and also of (Mhuacohuatl, the serpent woman who heuat
twins, male and female, from which mankind ])ro(H'edc(l:
the same serpents and feathers are the svmhol of (^hicz-
atlcoliuatl, the precious stones desi<:nate(Mialchihuitlvcue.
the ji'oddess of water; the teeth and claws refer toTJaloi-
and to Tlatocaocelocelotl (the tiger king) : and t(^)getlicr
" .1(jir>r. Elhnnl. Snc, Trnmact.. vol. i., ^p. 3:)8-9.
■■^ Spi'jiliiiif^ of the fxront iiiiuj^i' in tlie Mexican niiisoiim (if nnti(|iiiti('S siip-
jifiscil l)v Koiiu' to lie this MixiiMH ^'oddt'ss of war, oi' of di ath, 'I'l (PViiiiiiiii|Ui',
IMr I'ylor says, Aiidhuitr, jip. 'l'li-',\: ' Tlic stone known a^ the statue of the
Viir-f,'oil(l ss is II liiif,'e hloeU of hasalt eoveri'd with senlptuies. 'J'iie aiiti-
«|Uai'i<'s think that the li'^ures on it stand for ditt'eient peisonaues. and iliat
it is tlir<'e j,'ods, — Hnit^^ilopoelitli tlu' j^'od of war, Teoyaoinicini his wife, and
MiethinteiietM tlie ^(od uf hell. It has necklaces of alternate hearts and dead
Men's hands, with death's liead for a ceiitial ornament. At the hettoni of
the l)lo(d< is a strange sprawling tignre, which one cannot see now. fur it is
the base which rests on the gronnd; hut there are two shotildvrs i.idjtclinLC
from the idol, which show plainly that it did not stand on the <.'i-nnnd. Imi,
was supported aloft on the tops of two ]iillars. The tignre carved upon the
liottoni repii'sents a monster holding a skull in eacli hand, while olheis lianL;
from his knees and elhows. Ifis mouth is ti mere oval ring, a connnoii Ua-
tiire of Jlcxican idols, and four tusks ])roject just above it. The new moen
liid down like a bridge forms his fore liead, and a star is )ilaced on each >iile
of it. This is tliought to have been the conventional rejireseiitation of Mict-
lantenetli (fx)rd of the land of the dead', the god of hell, which was a phe e
of utter and eternal darkness. Probably eacji vi( tim as he was led tn tlie
altar could look up between the two pillars and see the hideous god of lull
staring dowu upou him froiu ubuvc'
(i.vM\ o\ TFiK (OMrorxi) iMAiii;. n;)i)
nitli licr own iittrihiitos, the wliolo is ji most horrible
(ii^iirc."
Of this urcat conipoiiiid stiitiio of ]Inif/iI()[)ochlli (Tor
tliciiiost jtiiit iiiKh'i- his iiiinu'ol"|\'oya(»tljitohiiii), Teovao-
iiii(|ii('. iiiHJ Micthnitccntli. and ol' i\\v thicc ih-ilics M'pa-
r;itrly Leon v (Jama treats, in suhstanci' as lullows.
iKriiiiiin.!' with Mictlantcciitli
A'.*
The ( 'hovalici' IJotiu'ini nicnti*
»ns aiiotlicr o
th
.f 1
lis
names, 'reoyaothilohua, ami says that as director and
chiel' of sacred war ho was always accompanied hy
ieo\aonii(|ii(.
H'odd
ess
wh
lose hiisiness it was to
CilIK
ct the souls of thos(! that died in
wsir am
1 of
those that were saci'ificed afterward as captives. Let
tliesc statements he put alonjiside of what 'rorcpiemada
>;ays. to wit. that in the Lrreat feast of the m«»ntli lluei-
miccailhuitl."' divine names were ^iven to dead kinirs
and lo all famous pcM'sons who had died heroically in
ar. and in the power of the enemy; idols were made
fiirlli
ermoro oi tiiese persons, and they were put with
I th
ith
til*' deities; for it was said that they had iione to the ])lace
ol" delights and i)leasnres there to 1
)(' wi
th tl
le uods.
IVom all this it would appear that before this ima^c, in
^\
hicl
I wt-ro (
lo.sel
v uni
ted 1
eoxao
tlatol
Mia am
1 '1
eoxao-
Tiii(|ii(>. there were each year eele])rated certain rites in
iiicmoi-y iind honor of dead kings and lords and captains
lU'l soldiers la,llen ui
battU
And
not oiilv <lid tlu^
Mcxii' ins veiu'rate in the temple this image of many
II) 1/ i!'(iiia. l>'is I'iiilnis, pt i.. pp. 41-1.
^"'Uw (.■ml
1 IIIOII
th, so llilllli'd liV the Tl;l
lit' c-i aiiil otlirrn. Spo Tit-
q'lniiiilii. M iiiifi/. Iiiil,, Idiii. ii., i>. "J'-IS: ' Al (lc( iii.o Mis dil Kiil( iidmio
liiiliaini llriniiibaii sus Siitl'apas, Xixcitllmctzi. <|ili' (iitiilr dccir: t^iliiiidd si-
la", y acalia la Fnitii. v ddiia dc scr, jior istu raiani. ilr i|iic ]>ui' ai|U( 1 I ii iii-
I I) Si- ai'iliaha, ciui' cue cii iiiitstro Aj^tisto, <■ ifi cii tud'i < sti' Mrs sr ]>isan las
I'nit IS 111 tli-rra fria. I'l ni Ids Tlaxcaltecas, v otins In llainaliaii lliii'Viiiici'a-
i iniiir
HHi' iju
iiic dri'ir: La licsta iiiaidi- df lus Uifiinti
V 11,
iiiiavaiila asi.
1' iripi"' I'.s
tv M
fs solciiiiiK^Mban I-', iiu'inoi
la df los l)ifiiiiti
coll L'raiKlt s <•
y llaiitos, y dolilados iutos. ijui' la pi'iiiicni, y sr ti uiaii los cut rjios
iir iii'''ri), V sc tiziiubaii toda la cam: v asi. las ccvciik
mas, (pic sc liaciaii
ill- Dia, y dc Xoclio. en todos los 'IVniiilos. y fiicva dc dlos, craii dc miicli i
t.isti(;a, scunn (jnc cada viio podiii liaccr su si iitiiiiiiiito; y cii cstc Mcs da-
MiiUr.' dc iiiviiios, asns licics difniitos, v?i todas
aipii
llasT
crsolias scil-
nlailas, (pii. liavian imicrto liai^anosaiiicute vn las (iucrras, y en jiodcr dc sns
ciiiiiii'^'os, ^ !i's liaciaii sus ldi>los, y los t'oloeabaii, con sus Dioscs. diciciido,
•lUi' avian ido al lugar de sus dcleitt'S, y jiasaticuipos, cii couiiiauia dc los
uiius niuscb.'
I
4(V)
CIODS. sri'KIlNATlUAL UEINCiS, AND WOltSlIIP
j:o(l)^. but tlic judicial iistiolopTs H-i^uncd a nmstcllatioii
aii^wcrin.ii' tlicivto ami iiilliicnciiii:' pcixtiis lioiii iiikK r
it. In (Icpictinii this (•(Histcllatiou 'IVovaotlalolma Iliiit-
'/.ilopoclitli was I'i'prcscntcd with oiilv hall" his ImkIv. ji.-
it wore seated up. a hciieh. anil with his month optn iis
if spcakin^i:'. His head was decorated after a peculiar
fashion with li'atheis. his anus were made like trunks
of trees with hianches, while from hisjiiidle there is.Mud
♦'crtain herhs that fell downwards over the hench. Op-
posite this (iiiure was TiM)yaomi(pU'. naked save a thin
I'ohe. ■' and standinj;' on a pedestal, apparently holding; her
head in her hands, at any rate with her head cut oil'.
iiei- eyes handa,u'ed. and two snaki's issuin;:. from the neck
wlu're the head should have heen. lictween the pcd
and the j:oddess was a llowerinji' tree divided throu,i:h tlic
middle, to w hich was attached a heani with \ aiioiis (io»-
]»ieci's, and over all was a bird with the head separated
Irom its hody. Thei'e was to he seen sdso the heatl of a
bird in a cup. and the head of a serpent, to^ethei" with
a, ))ot turned upside down while the contents — water iis
it would appear by the hieroj:lyphics attached— ran out.
Jn this form were painted these two ^ods, as one nf
the twenty celestial si;ins. sniriciently noticed by lloturi-
ni. althoujih as he conlesses. he had not ari'anued tluiii
in the proptT order. Ueturnin;.^ to notice the ollice at-
tributed to 're()yaomi(|ue. that of collectinji' the .miuIs of
the (lead, we lind that Cristuba'; del ( astillo says that
all boi-n under the sign which, ^\\t^^ the* god of war. this
goddi'ss rided. were to become at •,\n early age valorous
soldiers; but that their curee) \\ :■..-. to be short as it was
■''' As tlio \\ii(ilp(loRori]ition1)o('oniosn littlr pnzzliiifjhrvo, I ^'ivc tli<'<iii^;iiial,
l.i'iDi 1) ildiiin JJns I'ii (litis. \K -i'J.: • Klifrt'iilc lie ( st.i ti^iuii fsta T(oviiiiiuii|iii
ili'sinidii. y cnliicita (mhi s(ik> mi ci mlal. inivada sdlnc una hasa, ('i |(iii imi lU
) ilastra; 111 calic/a s('j)ara<la tlil fiicijid. ariiliii dil cuillo, cdii los (ijusvcn-
4i.i(l()S. V <n sn lll'MV (Ins vilioias
ibn
lUc uaciii del iiiisiiio
Iliitr.: cstas (Ids tittums fsta iin arlxjl de Hon s jiavtido jxir iiiidio, al ciial ^t
jiiiitii un iiiadiio con vnrios atravtsanos. y ciHiiiia dv ('I uim avc, cuy.'i <a-
lii/.a csta tainliicii divididii d(l (•U(ii)0. Se vt' taiiil)icii otra caluza d> aM'
diutro df una j cava, otra de sicrix'. una olla con la lioca para aliajc saliciuld
dc cila la materia (jui' contcniii dt'ntro, cuya ti},Mira )iurii<' m v la (|Uc usalniii
vara ri|irts(iitar il a.^ua; y tinalincidi- ociipan el rcstodcl cninlro
[iif tl
ic rt -
jn s( ntaiion of tlic ((instt'llutit • above mcntitiuid in tLf text] otrus ytit
tieos y tigurus difereutes.'
4I:-
j
I
MUTECACIlIUATIi.
401
hiilliinit. lor tlicv were to fall in hiittlc voim-.
Tl
l(\S(«
SI)
Ills were to list' to liravcn, to dwi'll in tliciioiisi' oC tlin
<iiii. wlu'i'i' wi'iv Avoods and urovr;
Tl
K'lV \\h'\ Wi'W to
exist loiii" yriirs. ut tlic ciul of wliicii tinio tlu-v witc to
III' converti'd into hinls of rich and hraiitiriil |)liiinii;j,f,
and to ^(> aljoiit .suci-iing llower.x both in hi-avcii and on
t'aitli.
To the statiiL' nR'ntionod uhovc tin'ro was joined with
;:i'(iit |>i'o|»rietv the imago of uiu>tiiei' god, I'eignt'd to he
the god ofiiell, or of the place of the dead, which latter
is the literal siunilication of hin nami'. Mictlanteciitli.
Tl
lis nnau'c was eniiraved ni denn-rciiel on
(h
the I
<»wcr
plane of the stone of the great conii)onnd statue; hut it
was also venerated separately in its own proper temple,
called Tlalxicco, that is to say, 'in the howels or navel
of the earth.' Among the varions ollices attributed to
this deity was that of hnrying the cor})si's of the dead,
priiicipallv of those that died of natural inlirmities; for
tin- souls of these went to hell to [)resent themselves ])e-
foie this Mictlanteciitli and before his wife Micteeacihu-
atl. which name Tonpiemada interpiets as ' she that
throws into licll.' Thither indeed it was said that these
• lead went to olfer themselves as vassals carr_\ ing oll'er-
iiigs. and to have pointed out to them the places that
they were to occni»v according to the mannei' of their
ileath. This god of hades was further called Tzontemo*',
a term interpreted by Toi-cpu-mada to mean * he that
lowers his head;' l)ut it would rather appear that it
should take its signilication from the action indicated
by the great statue, where this deity is seen as it wen;
carrving down tied to himself the heads of corpsi's to
llUl
V th
lem in tlie urounil. as
Hot
uruii sa\s.
The pL
ices
"!• habitations sui)posed to exist in hell, and to which
the souls ol' the dead had to go, were nine; in the last of
which, called Chicnhnauhmictlan. the said souls were sup-
posed to be amrdiilated and totally destroyed. There
WHS lastly given to this god a place in heaven, he being
.i'liiicd with one of the planets and accompanied by Teo-
tlainueay.(pn; at his feetj there was painted a body that
Vol. III. 20
d02
(iODF, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND -SVuRSIIir.
was lialf ])iirio(l. or coverod with ciirtli from tlio head to
the waist, while the rest stuck out uncovered. It oiiU
reuiiiiiis to he said that such was the veneration and re-
li^i'ious feeling with which were rejiarded all things re-
lating \o the dead, that not only there were invented lur
them tutelary gods, nmch honored hy fretjuent feasts ;uid
sacrifice: hut the ^^exicans elevated Death itsidf, dedi-
cating to it a (hiy of the calendar (the first day ol" the
.sixth "trecena"), joining it to the nund)er of the (Celes-
tial signs; and erecting to it a sum^jtuous temple called
^Jolnahuac. within the circuit of the great teni[)le of
Mexico, wherein it was ])articularly adored with holo-
causts and victims under the title Ce Micjuiztli.'^"'
'''^ lidtiirini, Fili'a, pp. 27-8, mentions the fjoddess Tcoynnmiqur; on y]i
30-1, lie notices tlic respeet with wliiili Mictliintecntli and llie dejid veie n
t,'.irded: ' Me icst;i sol(» tnitiirde In deciinii teiciii. y ultima l)ii(lail t sto c s, t !
Jfios ili'l liifivriKi, (iei'().L,diti('i), ijuc expliea el j)iados(i acto de sepnltav lo?
inilertos, y el ;4l',in Vespetu, (pie estos anti^Uos Indios teldall ii los sepiilires,
(•reV( iidci, a indtauioji ile otias Naeiones, no solo ([Ue alii asistian las idn:,!?
de Ids Difiiiitos, . . . sino ([lie tand>ien dielios i'aneiites elan siis I )ios( s Imll
i/ftis, ilii ilii-li, (imisi iiiili' tidiiH, enyos luit ssos. y ceni/as dal'
l)les, y eiertas senales de el doniinio. (pie tuvieron en lupu I
in a
Hi ii
hlhltM-
a niiMiia tn ir;i.
o con los siKlores (li 1,1
doiidc s(> hallahan sepiiltados, la (pie liavian doniadi
Aifiicuitiii'a. y aim defeiidian con los i'es|ietos. y elo(puncia iiiiida de si
(l:i
lUestl'OS
Illdi
[■n li
I sei,'iiiH
la Kdad dedi( aron dos ni( ses de i I
alio llaniados Micni/lliKitl, y lln' i/ii(irn(/ll(iiill k la ( onnneinoracion de los
J)ifnntos. y en la tereera exercitavoii vaiios aetos de |.i( dad ( n sii niiiaoiiii,
jiriiclia consliiiite de (jne C()ufessaidii la iinnioitalidad de el alma.' S( c fm-
th( r 'rniiiHf nmhi, Mdikik/. IikI.. toui. ii., )))>. 't'l'.t-'MK Of the coiiipoiind iilol
discussed aliove, Hr .'.••■!;1', \'iifs (lis I'lirdilli'ns. toni. ii.. i j). J.").'*-?, sjKiiKs
at some length. He says: 'On distir.L;iie. a la partie siip('iieure, hs teles do
deux monstres accoh's et Ton tvouve, a elnnpie face, d( iix yi ux et ime lai;^c
KUellle ariiu'e de (jiiatre dents, ("es fiu;ili(s iiionstineiises n'in(ii(plent ] ciil-
etre (pie des nias(pies:
■ar, ehez h s Mexicains. on I'toit dans I'lisau'edc lii.is-
(pier tes idoles a r('po(pie de la inaladie d'un roi. < t dans toiite autre cala-
iiiiti' ])nl>li(pie. liOs hras et les jiieds sont cachi's sous line drapdie entoui('ii
(•rpens, et ipie les Mexicains dcsiusnoieiit sous le noiii de fnhimiV
III (h sirpi lit. Tons ces
I'llofiiies S(
i'i(//('
soires, suitoilt les fialiL'es en f(iriii(!
deplumes, sont scnlptes avee le I'lns ;^'iand soiii. M. (iania. dans uii im -
moire particidi'T, a rendu tres-])rol)alile (pie eette idole repr('s( nte le di' u d('
7
11 t^'i! -ri
re, IhiiltiliijHiclitli, ou Tliirah
nil pant
iii'.rriitilii, et sa f( iiini
'i'iii/imi<iiii (de iiiiiiiii, niourir, et de tnij/itii, j^iierre divine'). paree(|ii clli
oonilni-<oi
on ilii Sii/i'il, le
t les allies des guerriers niorts piuir la d('fense des dieux, a la iiinh
■il. le naradis d( s Mexicains. oil elh' les transfornioit en colilins
I.es teles de iiiorts et les inailis coiipt'c s, dont (piiitre entour( nt le sein dc la
d('esse. ra|ipellent les liorriMes saerilices ftKifjiiiiiilK/iiiltnlitHiJ c('lc lai's dans
Ji (piinziriiie periode de treize jours, aiais le solstice d"('t(', ii Ihoimi ur (In
dieu de la j^iicrre et de sa conipiiLine Tiiij/<niiiijui. Les mains ((iup('( s alti i-
lieiif avee la figure de eertililis vases dans les(Mlels on liriiloit relicelis. ( i s
vases ('toiciit appeh's tnp-.rii'nUi, .vf/cs <ii /oniii' dc ctth hiinsr {t\v li'ptii, lioiii^e
tissue de til de jiite. et de sii'itH, etileliasse). Cette idole ('talit scul]it('c snr
toules Hcs faces, iui'm(,' par dessous (tig, ij), oil I'ou vuit reprc'seiiti' Micllmi-
^Kli
MIXCO.VTL, (U)D OF IirNTING.
iO:\
^fixcoiitl is tlio fioil, — or goddess iioconliiig to somo
UDol iuithoritit's. — of hunting. The name means 'cloutl-
st'r|ieut' and indoeil seems common to a whole class of
(U'ities or heroes somewiuit resemljling the Xihelungs of
iioi'thern Kui'o[)ean mythology."' Ho is further sn[)-
[losed to he coiniected with the thunderstorm: ''Mixco-
;itl, the Cloud-Serpent, or Iztac-Mixcoatl, the AVhite or
(ileaming Clou(l-Seri)ent," writes Urinton,'^* ''said to
liiive been the only divinity of the ancient Chichimecs,
held in high honor ])y the Nahuas, Xicaraguans, and
Otoim's, and identical with Taras. su[)reme god of the
Tiu-iiscos, and Camaxtli, god of the Teo-Chichimecs. is
another personification of the thunder-storm. To this
(lay this is the familiar name of the tro[)ieal tornadt) in
the Mexican language, lie was re[)resented, like .love,
with a bundle of ari'ows in his hand, the thunderbolts.
l)()th the Xahuas and Tarascos related legends in whii'h
he figured as father of the race of man. J^ike other
lords of the lightning he was worshi[)e(l as the dispensei*
of I'iches and the [)atron of traiVu'; and in Nicaragua
his image is desci-ibed as being 'engraved stones' [)ro-
h.il>l}' the supposed [)roducts of the thunder."'
inlill'i. Ic se'tijnenr iJn /i'x il's iiiort!<, on no suumit dunti iMiu'dlcM'tdit souti iiiio
1 11 I'air iiu iiioyi'U (Ic (Iciix coloiuirs siir It'sijuillcs rc|i(isiiicnt lis ii.irtics 111:11-
<|ii''rs A it J>, iliiis li's tii^'uns 1 vt 3, D'aprrs ciiti' ilispositidii liiz:i;Tf. la
h'\'- (I • I'iddlo sr tioiiv lit vniini'iiil>liil)l<'iii<'nt ('Icvi'i' di' ciiKi ;i six mi Ires aii-
clr^siis du p.ivi' dil ti'lii|ilt', di' iil.iliii'l'i' ([lie lo. jiivtrcs ('TnijiixijuiJ tViiilinit lit
Irs iiiiiliiciu'i'uscs viitimus h I'aiitil, vn li'S aisuiit pii-scr iiu-dtssuus di' l.i
li-iliv (],. Mirthlnh-ilhlli.'
'' Ai'i'di-diiiL; td IJriissciir di' BdUrlKMiri^'. iii Vnfurllin AiiDiiha th s \'i}i/ii'ii>i.
l**"!"*. I nil. clx., ])\). 'Jil? S: ' Lcs h 'I'ds I'L .1. mi-diiix qui. sons Ic iidin !;.'niiiiiii(^
il ('liirliiiii''iiiU's-Mi.M (iluias, jduriit iiii si l;Imiii1 Vdlc <l;iiis lii iiiythdidLjif iiiix -
!■ liiH', 1 1 cjiii dii viv^ nil ix" sii'cli' df not'''' " r. . dlitiiin lit l:i iiri'iidiidi'riiiici' siir
1 I'lafi ,111 ii/.t''iiiii' . . .Lcs i)lns (' 'li'lu'cs do ■■■s hi'i'ds sdiit .Mix"dlniiitl-Mii/,i-
t/.iu , Ic Serpent Ni'liiil.iix et Ic Duiiii ), fond !(ciir cic l:t idviuitj' a Tdllan (aii-
j'li.ii' Inii 'riilai, 'ret/catlipdiM. sp 'eiidcincnt adui' a 'rel/.cnco, ct soa fr,' k?
.M;\dliiiatl Ic jeiiiie, dit ( 'iiiii ixtii, en piu'ticiiliei' aildi'c a Tlaxcidliiii, I'liii it
laatic iiiei'tidnii.'s, sdus d'nutrcs iidiiis, p.iriiii lcs rdis d ■ ( 'iiUiiiaciui ct cdii-
si'll'c^' ailisi ()ili' le premier, edliiinc lcs lirilicipuix fdi (latellis de 111 iiidll-
III' liii' tdlt''([iie .' 1 if^iiorcoii ils rec^nrciit Ic jdur. I'n niaiiusciit mcxicain,
[ ' lex (,'hiiiiali..-,,di'a], en lcs ddiuiaut poiii- tils dl/.tac-Mixculiiiatl on Ic
•'I'l'iiciit Itlaiic .N'liuli'ux ct d'l/.lac-i 'halcliiulhiciii' ou l.i Jllaiiclic D.inic
a/ur 'c, fait all''u;dri(iiiciiiciit iillusidi; aux pays n linlcux et ucpiatiipics oii ijs
"lit p;is iiaissanec; le mcme ddcuiu'iit ajoute ipi'ils vinrciit par (ail c( (prils
ili'Mi ur.'rint uii certain temps eu l)ar'|Uc. reiit-clrc ipie le iidii' d' 1/tac (ci
lliaic, cj,'alciiii'nt ddiin ' a Mixcohilatl, cl 'sif,'nc aiissi uiii) nicj dill'cn utu du
c 1 1 i. ,l,.s liidiciis ct plus en rappdrt iivec lit uotre.'
'' UrinVin's Mi/llis, p. loH.
404
GODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
ii
Til the fourteenth inoiith. called QiiedioUi, and bei-in-
iiing. accordi'gto (^lavigero, on the fourteenth of Xovciii-
l)er, there was made with many obscure ceremonies, a least
to this fiod. On the sixth day of the month all asseui-
hled at the cu of IFuitzilopochtli, where during four days
tJK^y made arrows and darts for use in war and for
general practice at a mark, mortifying at the same time
their tlesh 1)V drawinir Idood. and bv abstaining from
women and puUiue. Tliis done they made, in honor of
the dead, certain little mimic; darts of a hand long, of
which four seem to have been tied together with Ibiii'
splinters of candle-wood pine; these were put on the
graves, and at wt of sun. lit and burned, after which the
ashes were interred on the spot. There were taken a
maize-stalk of nine knots \\'\t\\ a paper Hag on the top
that hung down to the bottom, together with a shield aiitl
dai't belonging to the dead man. and his maxtle ami
blanket; the last two beinir attached to the mai/e-stalk.
The hanging flag was ornamcMited on either side with
red cotton thread, in the (igure of an X; a [iivrv of
twisted white thri'ad also hung down to which was sus-
pended a dead hu Muiing-bird. llandftds ol' thi' white
leiithers of the heron were tied two and two and I'astencil
to the burdened mai/.e-stalk, while all the cotton thrcail-
used were covered with wh'te hens feathers. stu"'k ou
w ith resin. Lastly all these were burned on a stone biin k
(•ailed the qimii/iririi/cd/ico.
In the coiu't of the cu of Mixcoatl was scattered much
dried grass brought from the mountains, uj)on which the
old women-priests, or ciodf/iHiKn'itzquc, seated <^hemsel\os.
each with a mat before her. All the women that hail
children came, each l)ringing her chibl and five sweet
tamales; and the tamales were put ou the matsbefoiv
tlie old women, who in return took the childrer tossei
them in their arms and then returned them to theii'
mothers.
About the middle of the month was made a spcial
feast to this god of the Otonn's. to Mixcoatl. In the
morning all prepared for a great drive-hunt, girdir;
BRIVE-IIUXT OF MIXCOATL.
tlu'ir blankets to tlieir loins, und tiiking bows and arrows.
Tlicy Avendcd their way lO a mountain-slope, anci-
ently Zapatepec, or Yxillantonan, above the sierra of
Atlacui/.oayan, or as it is now called, accordinji' to l>usta-
inaiite. Tacnl)aya. There they drove deer, rabbits, bares,
coyotes, and other game tojiether, little by little, every
one in the meantime killing what ho could; lew t)r
no animals esca[)ing. '^Fo the most successful himters
blankets were given, and everyone brought to his house
the heads of the animals he had taken, and hanged them
wy. ("or tokens of his prowess or activity.
'hi ■ were human sacrifices in honor of this hunting
u'l'i \\nh other deities. The maimfacturers of puhpie
!;i;iight, rpparently two slaves who were decorated with
papei- an 1 killed in honor (;f the gods Tlamatzincatl and
\ /(|nitt'catl; there were also sacrificed women supposed
to represent the wives of these two deities. The (■(if/ji.r-
'/'".-• on their part led other two sla\'es to the death in
lienor of Mixcoatl and of Cohuatlicue his wile. On the
morning of the last day but one of the month, all the
(looiiu'd were brought out and U'd round the cu where
they had to die; after mid-day they were led u[) the cu.
round the saci'ificid block, down again, then back to the
'■'ifji'i/cd. to li" ;tt once guarded and forced to kee[) awake
tor the ii'LihL At midnitiht their heads wer<' shaven
liel(.''e the i'jj, and every one of them bni'iied tbi-re
viiat ..■«»'-. |,o had, little i)aper Hags, cane tobacco-
plpcs" ,:ud dr'i:'!ving-\v ssels; tiie women threw into
tlic llame ih^'ir raiment, titeir ornaments, thcii-
(lU'S
indies, little baskets, \-essels in which the spin-
were twirled, war[)ing-frames. fullers eaitb
)r(;.-
]tieces of cane for pressing a fabi'ii^ together, c(
tor fastening it n[). maguey-thorus. measuring-rods,
inid urlier implements for weaving: and they said that
!ill tii :> thiii'is ha<l to be liiveii to them in the otlu r
Wi
ii'l;^ i(';er Iheir death. At daybreak these cai)ti\(:
\\v\v c;i. a-d or assisted up. each having a jiaper lla^
;/;.-/,
< ;ill;i
di' Imiim: fun i.t'inrmi ;li't< .]h,c. Aidii/., vol. vii., ii. 7"
,S((/i
'U'"'.
'I., turn. i.
lib
a, 1-
KiU.
406
GODS, SUPEKNATURAL IJEINGS, AND AVOIlSniP.
mm
li
li
]K)nu' iM'foiv liiiii. to the sovoral eiios of tlic gods tlicv
wcw to die in lioiior of. Four tliut hiid to die, prol):il)lv
l)L'iure Mi\(V);itl, were, each by four ])earers, carried up
to a temi)U'. Ixmiid hand and foot to re[)resent dead (h'lr;
uhik' others were merely assisted np the steps hy ;i
youth at each arm. so that theN' should not faint nor iUil;
two other youths ti'ailing or letting them down the sai
,ste[)s after they were dead. The preceding ivhit
only to the mal(> (.tptives, the women being slain before
lie
cs
tl
le men, ni a st j i
•V. called the coutldii: it is saiij
that as they were fo. ap the steps of it some screaiiicil
and others wept. In letting the dead bodies of tli
CSS
CSC
women down the ste[)s again, it is also specially written,
that they were not hurled down roughly, but rolled down
little l>y little. At the place whei-e the skulls of the
dead were eN[)osed. waited two old women called A/./v/-
iit'"iii(\ having by them salt water and bread and a in
or gruel of some kind. The carcas.'^es of the victims;
being brought to theui. they di[)ped cane-leaves into the
salt water and s[)rinkled the faces of them thei'ewitli,
and into each mouth th(>y put four morsels of l)rc:i(l
moistened with the gi'uel or mess above-mentiout'(l.
Then the heads were cut off and spitted on poles; and
the feast ended.'"'
SI I
In connection with the religious honors paid to tlic
dead, it may be here said that the ^fexiciins had a deity
ofwhoui almost all we know is that he was the god <»t'
those that died in the houses of the lords or in tlic
palaces of the principal men; he was called Alacuilxn-
■''■' IxlifisJiortiK'ih's .If ,v. Anlifj..\o\. vii., jij). 7.1-0; S<iliihii(», Ifist. Gx.. tnni,
i. lil> ii., i>|). l('rJ-7; Tiifqui'iifulii, Mtmirii. Ind.. tuiii. ii., pp. MS 'J. l-'il '-',
'J^l-l: < liii-hicru, Slorii Aiil. ihi .l/rssici, toni. ii.. p. Til; Mi'dhr, Ain'rili-
id-rh ■ I'rn lljhiiiiii, j>|). ts:), JStl, aiul (■ls<>\viicri>. 15niss"\ir, as his l.•n^tnlll i-.,
(■iilii'iuci'izes this ^'oil, (Irtiiiliiii,' the I'Vcuts of liis rciu,'!!, ami thr()ii/in'_' mi
his polii'V. as siihi rly iiiul IxlicviiiLjlv as if it \vt re a (pltstimi of the niu'H I'f
a f.!> lis XIV., or a XaiMih'ou I.; see Hi^l. Xat. Cic., toni. i., jip. '22' '■'•'<.
(1 ):iiaia, ''n/c/. .l/i'.r.. fnl. HS, and others, iiiaki' ("aiiiaxtlc, the iii'iiuipal 'j'"'' f
Tl.iscila. iilriitii'iil with MiNi'nati. The <'liichiiiii'cs ■ had oidy oiic ,i,'o(l calli d
3[;\.'iiatl ail 1 tiu'V ki'|it tills iiiia'.,'o or statue, i'liey held to aiiotiii'l' L;od. iii-
visihle, witliout iiiiaLje, called looallielieeati. — that is to say, j^'od iiivisjlili .nil
iMi]> iloahle. favoi'iiiL;. siielteriiii,', all-imweiful, by wlioso power all livi , • t ■•'
»S(/( ijitn, lliit. Uui., toiu. ii., lib. vi., i>. 01.
IP
MACUILXOCHITL.
407
cods tlu'v
prohiihly
;irru'tl u\>
lotul di'vv;
ops hy ;i
t nor fail:
tlio same
iji ri'latcs
liii Iteforc
it is saiil
scrraiiH'il
1 of tlu'M'
V written.
illod down
ills of the
Hod fci.rd-
lld il mess
10 vietiiiis
2S into the
[thorowith,
of ]»reail
nitioiieih
us ; iind so
id to the
id u deity
the U'oil et'
)V ill the
MacuilM'-
"isl. G I'., tnlll.
lis ;». l.".l l
lis (•ii--t'iHi i^.
liiMiri/iiiu ' 'I
tho rfi'-'ii "!'
pp. •'•I' ■■"!.
Ilicipal 'J"il : i
i„';4oa..,l|.a
tiirr -I-!, iii-
ilivisilili :i'i I
all Uv. , a.'.'
•hitl, ' tlio cliiof that uivos llowors, or that takos oaro of
thi' iiiviii''' of llowors
Tlio fostival of this uod foil
amoii,tr tho m()val)lo Toasts and was oallod Xocliilhnitl,
or ■ tlio fostival of llowors.' Thoro woro in it tlio usual
pri'liiiiinai'v fastinj;' (that is to say. oatinji hiit onco a day,
at noon, and thoii only of a rostriotod diot). hlood-U'ttin|i',
and olforin^' of food in tho toniplo; tlioii,i:h tlioro did not
oeeiir thoroin anythin<i' su^iijicstivo oithor of a ^od of
llowors or of a god of tho inoro iiohlo doad. Tho imago
of this doity was in tho I'konoss of an almost naked man,
either llayod or painted ci . vormilion color; tho month
and chin woro of throo tints, whito. black, and light hlno;
the faeo was of a light reddish tingo. It had a crown of
light groon color, with [)lnmos of tho sanio liuo. and t s-
sols that hmig down to tho shoulders. On tho hack of
the idol was a, dovico wrought in foathors. ri'i)rosoiiting
a haimer planted on a hill; alw)ut the loins of it was a
hright I'oddish ])lankot. fringed with soa-sludls; curiously
wrotinht sandals adorned its feet; on the loft arm of it
was a white shield, in the midst of which woi'o set four
."^toues. joined two and two; it held a sceptre, shaped like
a heart and tipped with groon and yellow leathers. "'
5' This deitj' lanst not, it wonltl sof-m. bp coufonndcd with iinnthor
Miciitidiii'il by Siihiii^im, viz., ('(uitlyiicc, ov Coiitlyntc, or Coiitlantnuaii. iv
Unilijiss (if uhiiiii Wf kiiDW little Siivi; the fact, iii<iihntallv lilt iitiniii d. tliiit
>\u- A, In ic^Miiliil with ^n at (U'Vutimi by thi' dcalirs in flowers. Sic /{iiajs-
Ini-'i'i'ili's .l/i.c. .liitiij., vol. vii., p. 12, and Sulni'init, Hist. <ii:ii., toni. i., lib. li.,
'" l\"nfi-iiinni((iili'n .]fi'.e. Aiiti(i., vol. vii., pji. 1'.' 11, \'M'i; Sulniqiui, Hist, 'int.,
t'liii. i.. lili. i., pp. \',l ■>2. lib. iv.. |i. Ito."). I'xituiini, him ilr iuki Hist.. ]•]•. 1 115,
.s|ii aks of a i,'i)(l(li'ss t-allfd Macuilxochicpict/.illi : by a coinjiai'ison of the pass-
iij'' witli iiutc -JS of thischaptiT, it will 1 think be e\iileiit tli.it (he elnvalic I's
-M u iiikdihiqiietx.alli is iilcuticiil not with .Macuilxoehitl, but with Xochiqiiet-
zil, the .\ztec Venus. See furtlier, on the relations of this ^'oddess. Unit-
>";■(/>■ Hom-liiiiiV'i, Hist. \i:t. <'ii\, toni. iii . )ip. I'.n) 1 : • .Mailahiu've, (pii
il'iiiiiait son nom lui versant (h' la nionta;_'ne dii cote dv 'I'laxeidlan. etait
i'L;:ird('e eoiiiine la proteetrice speeiale di s niai;ieieiines. I. a h'^eiide disait
'[U I lie I'tait devenue l'i'|M(Use de 'rialoe. ;i|)ris ipie XoelliilUc t/al eiit I'ti' eii-
1' V ,■ .■( ee dieii [see this vol. p. :{7S |. Celle-ei. doi:l elle n'c'tait. ajires tout,
iiu'iiiie personiiith'ation ditien'Ute, et:ut appeh'e aussi ('hah-hiuhlyeiii'. on le
•bilHiii Slim; d'l'inerandes, en sii (jiniliti^ de dresse des eiiux. Le syiiibiilc sons
I'lpii 1 oil la rcpreseiite, I'onmie deesse des iiuKuirs hoimetes, est eiliii d iin
I vi lit ill eom|iosi'- de eimi tleiirs. ee (pie lend encore li' lioin rpi'oii 111! doiiliait
" Maeiii|-\i],.]|i,pi|.t/,il|i " ' IJrasselir, it is to be reinelubeird. disliiiL;iiisli' s
h l«. ell XocliiipietZiil us the y.iddess of honest love, iiud Tlazoltiotl us Ihu
b' ' id. >s of hilirieitv.
408
GODS, SUPERNATURAL' BEINGS, AND WORSlIir.
ti'i ■■ir
P 'M
Oino Acatl was tlio god of )»uiK|iiets and or.uiu'sts; liis
name sijiiiilicd ' two canes.' When a man made a feast
to his friends, lie liad the image of this deity canied \n
liis house hy certain of its priests; and if the host diil
not do this, the deity a})])eared to him in a dieam, re-
buking liim in such words as tliese: 1Miou l)ad man. ))e-
causo thou hast withheld from me my due honor, know
tliat I will forsake thee and that thou shalt paxdearh
for this insult. AVhen this god was excessiveh auucied.
lie was accustomed to mix hairs with the I'ood and drink
of the guests of the object of his wrath, so that the gis cr
of the feast slunild be disuraced.
ni the case of
lluitzilopochtli, there was a kind of connnunion sacra-
nieut in connection with the adoration of this god of
feasts: in each ,vard dough was tak<'n and kneaded by
the |)riucii)al men into the figure oi' a ben:' of about a
cu))it long, called the bone of Ome Acatl. A night seems
to have l)een spent in eating and in drinking ])id(|ue: then
at break of day an unfortunate person, set up as the living
image of the god, had his belly pricked with [tins, or
some such articles; beinii; hurt thereby, as we are told,
^riiis done the ])one was divided and each one ate what
of it fell to his lot; and when those that had insulted
this god jite, they often grew" sick, and almost choked.
and went stmnbling and ialling. Ome Acatl was repre-
sented as a man seated on a bunch of cyperus-sedges.
His face was i)ainted white and Idack; ujjou his iicnd
was a paper crown surrounded by a long and broad fillet
of divers colors, knotted up at the back of the head: and
again round and over the /illet. was wound a string of
chalchiuite beads. His blaid<et was made like a net. ami
had a, broad border of Howers woven into it. He bore
a shield, from the lower })art of which hung a kind oi
friniic of broad tassels. In the riiiht hand he held a
s('ej)h*e called the tldi'hlcfoiili/Nc. ov 'looker,""'* because it
was furnished with a round plate through which a hole
'»'' Tlio fire-god Xiuhtccutli wseil an instrument of tliis kind; see this \"1.
p. ISS").
IXTI.ILTON, HEALER OF CIIILDKEN.
409
was ji'uMTcd, and the jiod kept liis face covered 'with the
plate and looked through the hole.
00
Yxtliton, or Txtliltoii, — tliat is to snv ' the little iieiiro.'
according to Sahaguii. and " the hlaek-ra<'ed." aceonling
to ('la\igero — was a god who cured children of Aaiious
disea-^i's.''^ His ' oratory" was a kind of ten»iK)rarv huild-
iug made of [)ainte(l hoards ; his image was neither graven
nor painted; it was a living nuui decorated witii certain
M'stinents. In this ti'm])le or oratory were kejit many
jiaiis and jars, covered with hoards, and containing a
tluid which was called • hlack water.' A\'lien a child
sickened, it was hronght to this temple and one of these
jai's was uncovered, n[)on which the child dranl< of the
Mack water jind was healed of its disease — the cure being
[irohahly most prom[)t and com[)lete when the })riests as
well as the li'od knew somethinu' of i)h\sic. \\ hen one
made a least to this god — which seems to \n\\v heen
when one made new })ul(pie — the man that was the
image of I.xtlilton came to the house of the reast-givei"
with nuisic and dancing, and i)receded \)y the smoke of
''"A'',/'/s';())V)u //I's }ri',r. Aiil'i'i.. vol. vii., pp. ll-l'J; Sulniiiini. ll'isl. (Iiui., tniu.
i.. lili i, in). '2'2-li; Tuniiifiii'itl'i, Maii'ini. /m/., turn, ii., )>ii. os, 'JK) -I : ciuri-
',' :■■!. St'iriti Ant. (Id Mi'.isko, toiii. ii., p. "22; Jir(insi:nr ik li'iarhinuv, llist.
X'll. ("n\. tiini. iii., p. ■r.)2.
'■' This t,'ii(l, wlio was iilso kiidwii Ly the titli> <if 'rialtrcnin. is tlic tliiid
Mrxic.iu ,l;ii(1 L'omii'ctfil witli iiiiMliciiic. Tlici'f is lirst that unnanu d t,'iiilili^s
(IiMiiliiil (ill p. It.");i, of this Vol.; and there is then a certain 'i'/.ipull,it( na,
(iesciilied l)y Saliaj^'un - hiiiiishordK'ili'x Mi.r. Anli(/., vol. vii., p. 1; SiiIkhiiiii.
llisl. h'cii., toni. i., lit), i., pp. 7-.S -as the ;.;o(l(less of turpi ntine (M'e llnifisi nr
ill- lli>nrhniirit, llisl. .\<it. I'ir., torn, iii., p. I'.U). or of some such snli-
st nice, used to cure tho itch in the head, irruptions on the sktn, sore
throats, ch ipjicd feet or lips, .and other such thinus : ■ 'r/a[)Utlatena fui' Uha
lailU'er, se;,'iin su lionibrc, nacida ell el Jiuehlo de 'I'/ajiutla, v por esto sc
II ini I la .\ladrc il(; Tz.iputla, poripu' fui' la priniera (pii' invi nto la retina cjuc
se li.inia u\itl. y os un ucivte sacado jior artitieio de la ivsina ilel jiino, (pie
:ilniivcch:i para siinar ninchas enferniedades, y ]iriiiieraiii( iitc aprovecha (■(in-
tra una niaiieru de bubas, ('• sarna, (pie iiacc en la cal" /a. ((lie se llama (^ua.\o-
(' icivistli; y tauibioii cdnti'a otra eiiferniedad es jirovi ( Icisa asi nii>mo. (pie
iiacc en la cabeza, ([ilc cs coino iiiibas, ([Ue se llama ('ha^'ua( hicioi/lli. y tam-
liiiU para la sarna de la cabeza. .\provecha taiidiicii contra la roiiLtUera de !a
i,'.ivi,Mnta. .Vprovccha tambieii contra las '^'rietas de las )iies y de los labios.
l.s taailiien coutra, los empeincs (pie iiacen cu la cara d en las in.-iin s. Ks
t.iiii'iii u contra cl usayre; contra muclias otras eiiferniedath s cs bin no. V
cemo csta iiine;(.'r debi(') scr la iiriincra (pn^ halh'i esto ticcyte. c(iiitaroiiIik
(litre lis Oiosas, y liacianla fiesta y saeriliciosj anuellos (|iie vciiden y liaceii
ot. accytc (pie au llalUil Uxitl.'
L I
!|::
Ill
-110
GODS, STTERNiSTURAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
i'opal iiKHMiso. The reprosontiitive of tlu? deity luuiiij:-
jiiTi\c'(l, the first thing he did Wiis to eat uiid drink;
there were more dances and lestivities in his honor, in
■Nvluch he took part, and tlien he entered the oellar of
the house, where were many jars of pnlipie that had lu'eu
covered for four days with hoaids or lids of some kind.
lie o[)ened one or many of these jars, a ceremony called
' the openinji of the first, or of the new wine," and him-
self with tho.se that were with him drank thereof. This
<l()ne, he went out into the court-yard of the Iiou.h'.
where there were prepared cei'tain jai's of the above-
mentioned black water, which also had been ke[)t covered
four days; these he opened, anil if there was found tlieri'-
II
1 any
dirt,
or
pie
ce <
jf stri
iw, or hair, or asli. it was
taken as a siiiii that the "iver of the feast was a man of
ill
evil iHe. an a(
lulti
tl
erer, or a tniei, or a (luarreisomi' iier-
d,>
son, and he was aflronted with the charge a(;cordiugiy.
AVhen the rei)re.sentative of the god set out from the
house where all this occurred, he was presented with
certain blankets called ij.r.f/neii, or Ivqnen. that is to .siy.
'coM'ring of the face,' hecause when any fault had been
found in the black water, the ii;iver of the feast was nut
to shi
ime
la
V
Opuchtli, orOpochtli, 'the left-handed,' was veneiat('(l
li}- fishermen as their protector and the inventor of their
nets, fish-spears, oars, and other gear. In ( ^lithdniac. iui
island of lake (Uudco, there was a god t)f fishing ctdled
Amimitl. who. according to Clavigero. diil'ered from the
first-mentioned only in name. iSahagun says that ( )pu(li-
tli was counted among the number of the Tlal(M|uis.
and that the ofl'erings made to him were composed of
])ul(pie. stalks of green maize, flowers, the smoking-caius.
or i)ipes called ?//x'//, copal incense, the odorous lierl)
l/t(tii/tt/i. and parched maize. These things sei'in to lia\e
heen strewed hefore him as ru.shes used to he strewed
before a procession. There were used in these sok'mni-
'■- ICiiKis'iiimiiih'a .lA'.r. Aut'n]., vol. vii.. ])\i. 12-111: Sdlni'nni, Ilisl 'iV/i.,
loin, i., lib. i., |>p. 21-j; L'htfhjcro, Hist. Ant. dd Jkss'uo, toiu. ii., p. -1.
OruCIITLI, GOD OF FISIIIXG.
411
tics oortain r.'ittk's oncloscd in liuUow ualkiiig-sticks.
The iiiiiiuv of this jrod was like a man. almost naked,
with tho I'aoo of that givy tint scrn in (inails' IcathiTs;
on the head was a paj)ei' crown of divers colors, made
like a I'ose. as it were, ol' leaves overla['pinj:' each other,
tDpped hv ^reen fi'athers issuing from a \ellow tassel;
(itlicr long tassels hung IVom this crown to the shoiddeis
of the idol. Crossed over the hreast was a green stole
rcsemhling that worn hv the Christian priest when siiv-
in.g mass; on the feet wi're white sandals; on the left
anil was a red shield, and in the centre of its lield a
white llower with loin- leaves dis|)()sed like across; and
in the left hand was a sceptre of a })eculiar fashion.'''
Xipe. or Totec, or Xipi'totec. or Thipetotec, is, accord-
ing to Clavigero. a god whose name has no meaning.''^
who was the deity of the goldsmiths, and who was much
vciieiated hy the Mexicans, they heing persuaded that
those that neglected his worship wuld be .^mitten with
'■' 'Tciiiii ill 111 niiini) izqnicnla mm roildn t<ni(la do colonulo. y on ol mo-
ilio di' csti' ciiiii]!!) mill tl(ir liliiiii-;i cull (|ii,itn> ujas .1 iiiiiiii r:i ilr cni/. y ili- li>s
1 s|i;i[ ins lie liis ujas suliiiii ([iiatro imiitiis ([iic (ran tiiiuliion djiis t\f In iiiisiiiii
lliir. Ttiiia mi cotro on In iiiuiki »li ncliii oiiniu mi oaliz y dc In altu dc I'l
siilia ('111 no nil cnsunilli) do sactas:' KiniishdrnKiili's M'.r. vic/i'i/., vol. vii., ji. l:f;
^'ih I'lmi, lliril. liih., toiii. i.. till. !., [ip. -li 7; r/iM-i;/'/'", •'-lorin .\iit.ilil Missi-
'". loin, ii., p. 'JK; 'I'an/iK uinilu. MoiKirij. IikL, toiii. ii.. pji. •'■0 1. ' Jjn |i'm1i('
iiviit. toiitifois, son Lti'iiio jiarticnlior: o'i'tait Opodilli, lo (iaiicln r. ]icisoiiiii-
ti alio:! ili. iluit/.ilopoflitli. . . . : ' Ilnisa' i(r di iinnriinni-'i, I list, i/is .\<il. ("n\,
I nil. ili.. |i, r.il,
•1 ( hiriiirro, Stiirht Aid. til l/os/ro. foiii. ii.. p. '21. Tills is (vidcntly ii
I'liiiiil'i-, liowcvci'; IJcitiiiini ( \plaiiis Tolic to incaii " <,'od oiir lord.' and Xipo
I'T Oxipc, as he writes it i to signify ' t^od of Ihr tlayiiiL;: ' ' Tl'ixij'i liniiliJIi,
Syinlii)lo del primer Mes, tjlliere derir !>■ .-'Iiiilltliiiiiiilii ih (itiilfS. Jionpie (11 sil
Jiiiiuer dia so dcslndlaliall iilios Iloinliies vivos dedieadi>s al Dios 'l'i'h-i(t\ cslo
e>. I)iii!i Svi'ior itiii'strii, o al l>ios ",ri/», l)iiis ili: il Ih^linlininii nlo. kviioojio ito
Tl'i.r'ijh iic(i;' lldliirini, Itha (h iin" //(>V., ji. 'il. Salnij^mi says that the naine
1111 alls Mho tliiyt (1 (>ile.' ' Xipetotee. (pie ipiiere decir desoUiido:' l\"iiii;s-
"(■'■'I ill's Ml ,e. AiiHi/., .dl. vii., (ip. 1 I : Siilmiiini. Ilisl. if n.. toin i,. lili. i.. ji, 27.
\\ liili Toiwiiiciiiaila atlirius that it means ■ the Imld.' <ir ' the liaeUeiied one;'
' T. 111. Ill los IM itoros otro Oios. que se llainaliii Xippe, y Totic. . . Kste De-
III aii 1 \ipp(>, ipie ipiiere decir, Calvo, d .Xtiij'ado: ' 'ii.rijni ininlit, lAmK/i/.
/"/., toiii, ii., p. ."is. Urasseiir, U'l^il. \'it. ("n\, toiii. iii., p. fidli, iiaitially
a its all those di'riviitioiis: • Xijie, le clianve on rccoichi', aiitK ment dil
1 11 ■re 'I'otec nil notri' sei^'iieiir.' This t^'od was I'uither siirnami cl, according,'
I" lie' iiiterprotor of the Vatican Codex, 'the iiionriifiil coiiihiilail,' or, as
•eillatin ^,'ives it, 'the disconsolate;' see .S'/iic/'ci'mc (/i/Zc I'ltfiih ild l otlirr
.1/' !•; '.(/nn Vuticaiio\ tav. xliii., in ICniiislniviniiili's l/cr. .la/ii^., vol. v., p. l!SU;
luid Aiimr. Etitiinl. ,Soc., Tninsnct., vol. i., \i\). 111."), ItriO.
,1 i'
412
(JODS, SUrERXATURAL DEINGS, AND ^VORSIIIP.
(lisonsos; ospocially tlic lK)ils, tlic itdi, Jiud \yd\us of tlie
liojid and oycs. Tlu-y cxt'clk'd tlu'iusolvrs tlRTcfoiv in
cnu'lty at liis fi'stival tiniL", occuiTing ordinarily in the
wcond niontli.
Saliiitiun d('sc'ril)os tliis ,Liod as specially lionoivil Ity
dwi'llcrs on tlio sca-sliorc, and as having had his origin
at Za[)(»tlan in Jalisco. Ho \vas smp[)os(mI to alliict
|)co[>k! with soi'o eyes and with various skiji-discascs.
such as sniall-[)ox, ahsccsscs, and it(di. liis image \v;is
made like a human form, one side or Hank of it heini:
l)ainted \ello\v, and the other of a tawnv color; down
each side of the iace from the hrow to the jaw a thin
stripe was wrought; and on the head was a little cup
with hanging tassels. ^J'he u})per part of the luxly w;is
clothed with the Hayed skin of a man; i'ound the loins
was girt a kind of green skirt. Jt had on one arm a
yellow shield with a red Ixn'der, juid held in hoth liiuids
a scepter shaped like the calixof a poppy and tipped with
an arrow-head.*"'
On the last day of the second month, — or, accoiil-
ing to some authors, of the first, — Tlacaxipehuali/tH.
there was celel^rated a solenni feast in honor at once
of Xi})etotec and of Iluit/ilopochtli. It was preceded
by a verv solemn dan(;e at noon of the dav liel'oi'c.
As the night of the vigil fell, the captives were shut up
and guarded; at midnight — the time when it was usual
to draw blood irom the ears — the hair of the middK- of
the head of each was shaven away before a fire. A\ lieu
the dawn appeared they were led by their owners to tlie
foot of the stairs of the temi)le of ]Iuitzilo[)ochtli. — and
if they would not ascend willingly the ])riests dragiicil
them up by the hair. The priests threw them down one
by one on the back on a stone of three quarters n[' a
yard or more high, and si^uare on the top sometliin.;'
more than a foot every way. "^Fwo assistants held the
victim down ))y the feet, two by the hands, and one by
the head — this last according to many accounts })uttin'i-
<■'' 7i"»'/.s'/')/v(i(f//('s ^^l,\•. Aittiij., vol. vii,, p. 11; Sahiii/nn, Hint. Gin., toin. i ,
lib. i., jip. '.^7-8; Uutuiini, Idat de Succu Jlist., p. 51.
If !■ i .*!
KATING THE DODIES OF THE SACIJIFICED.
-IK)
;i vokc over tlio luvk of the man aii<l so |)i'('ssiii<r it down.
Tlirii tlio pr'u'st. lioMinjji; witli hotli liands a sjiliiitcr
ut' lliiit. or Ji stono ivscnihlinji' Hint, like a kiriic lance-
luad. struck across the breast therewith, and tore out the
litait through tlie gash so nuule; which, al'ter olVei'ing it
to the sun and other gods hy holding it uj) toward the
I'diu' (juarters of heaven, he threw into a wooden vessel."'
The l)lood was collected also in a vessel and given to the
owner of the dead captive, wiiile the body, thrown down
tlie temple steps, was taken to the caljjule by certain
old men, called qiKKjiiiicnifflii, llayed. cut into ])ieces. and
di\iil('(l lor eating; the king receiving the tlesh of the
tlii::h. while the rest of the carcass was eaten at the
house of the owner of the caj)tive, though, as will appear
li\ a remark hereafter,''' it is improbable that the captor
(ir owner himself ate any of it. \\'ith the skin of these
Ihiyed persons, u party of youths called the tofotccH
clotlied themselves, and fought in sham fight with an-
other party of young men ; prisoners being taken on both
lilies, who were not released without a ransom of some
Kind or (Kliei
th
'n
lis sliam I):
ittl
e was suc('ee(
led 1
)V com-
liats of a terribly real sort, the famous so-called gladia-
torial lights of Mexico. On aiireat roiuid stone, like an
'•' Tliise liuiiiini s;icrili<'os were bofi;!!!!. iiccovdiiit; to f'liivi^cro, Stor'ui Aul.
il'-l Mss'irn. toiii. i.. i>|). l('i-">-7, t>y tlif ^Iixiciiiis. Ix'fori' the fiiniuliitiuii of tlifir
<ity, while yet slaves of the ('uUuMs. These Mexicans IkkI done j^ood sc r-
\iic to their lulers in ii battle ii^'uinst tin' Xochiniilcas. The masters weir
I \iHiti(l to furnish their serfs with a thank-orterini; for tlie war |,'oil. They
^'■llt a tiltliy raj^ ami a rotten fowl. 'I'he .Mexicans receiveil and were silent.
Till day c)f festival caiiie; and with it theCulhiia iioliles to see the s])ort ■
till Hi jilts and their vile sacritiee. Jliit the tilth did not ajipear, only a
iiaiM- altar, wreathed with a fiaj^'iant lieii). hiaiiiiL^a j^riat ilake of ki i n-
i;iiiiiiid ohsidiau. The dance hc^'an. the frenzy nioiiiiti d n]i, the jiriists
iiihaiucd to the altar, and with them they diaL,'L;ed four Xoehimilca inisnn-
< i>. There is a ijiiick strui^'^^le. and over a i»ri>on<r liruisi il. doiilih-d hack
Mipiiie oil the altar-lilock i,deains and falls the itzli, driven with atwo-handeil
I'low. The hlood spurts like an il into the licnt face of the hiyli priest, who
^r.ilililes, 'grasps, tears out and tlint,'s the heart to the u!od. Aiiolhei-. aiiolli-
c!. aiioilier, and there are four hearts hcatint; in the lap of the ^uilii inia^e.
There an- more dances hut there is no more sport for the ( iilhuas: with lips
ciiiHidi-rahly whitened they return to their place. After this there could hr
111) iimre mastership, nor tliouf,'ht of mastership over such a people: theie
^.is too iiiucli of tlie wild lieast in tliein; they had already tasted lilooil.
And the ilt xicans were fiUowed to leave the land of their bondage, imd jour-
ney north toward the future Tcuochtillau.
'■ Sec Ihiii \ul,, p. 115.
' ! 'XIII
4 '
411
onns, surERNATrn.vL deixos, and wonsiiir.
ciioniioiis tiiill-stoiic, ii oii])tlvo was tied by a cord, piiss-'
iii^ round his waist and tln'oujili tlio liolo of tlio stone,
lont:' ('noiiL:li to ju-rinit liini Iri'cdoni of motion ovcrN-
wlicrc aliotit tlic block set lu-ar or at a, temple cidltd
yo/Hco. of tbe i^od Totec, or XiiK'/"* ^^'ith vai'ioiis ccic-
monies. more partic idai'ly des(;ribed in tbo pirecediiiLi'
\-obnne. tbe boinid man fnrnisbed with inferior weapon-!
was m!id(^ to fii-bt with a pieked .Nfexiean chamition —
tbe latter boldiuji" np liis sword and shield to tbe sun
before enii'au'inji'. if. as sometimes bap[iened, tbe despci -
ate tbonj:h bami)ered and ill-armed captive — whose eliili-
swoi'd was, by a relinement of mockery, deprived of its
ja|i,Li'ed Hint ed^inji: and set witli feathers — slew his oppo-
nent, another champion was sent ajzainst him. and so
on to tbe numlier of live, at which i)oint, according! to
some, tiie (Niptive was set free; tbonjih accordint;' to oilier
antborities, he was not allowed so to escape, bnt cbaiii-
pions were sent against him till he fell. Tpon wbicli a
priest Cidled tlu' i/ooa/hoa opened his breast, tore out bis
heart. otVered it to tbe snn, and threw it into tbe iisii.d
wooden vessel; while the rojtes nsed for ))indin,i;' to the
tijib ting-stone were carried to tbe fonr qnarters of the
world, reverently with weei)ing and sijibi
ni<
A
second
priest tbrnst a piece of cane into tbe gash in tbe victim's
breast and held it np stained with ))lood to (be sun.
Then tbe owner of tbe captive came and rec< ived the
blood into a vessel bordered with IV'atbers; this vessel be
took with a bttle cane-and-featber broom or aspei'gilhiiii
eiicli
and went abont all tbe temples and calpnles, giving to
<w Fiuthcv iKitico of tii'.-t stnno apppavs in ICinqshnrivirih'fi ^^ex. Anllq., v(.l.
vii., p. '.M, nr Salitt'iun, llist.'nn., toiu. i., HI), ii., up., ]>p. '2(l7-S: ' Kl scs. 111,1
y (los ((liluio s(^ lliuiiiii)ii Tcuiiiliu'utl. Eni iiiiii jiicdra coiiio iimt'lii ilc iiioli-
110 },'nmilf, y istalm a^'iijeriailu cii el nii'dio coiiio iiiucla dt; inciliiiu. Si'ln''
«sta picilrii pdiiian los t'St'lavos y iicni'liillabaiisc con cllos: cstiilian alail.is
por nii'dio (Ic till inaiii'va qun poilian lli't,'ar liasta la oircniiifiniicia ili' l:i
]ii( lira, y daliaiilcs annas con (pio jiclt'iiscn. Em estc un <'S]i('( taciilo iniiy
fr('(iiu'iit<', y doiidii concnrvia j,'i'nte do todas las coiiiarcas ii vri'le. In siitia-
])n vestido dc nn pidlcjo de oso I'l C'ni'tlachtli, era alii el padvino ih' jes ia;>-
tivos (pic alii niatalian, qnc los llcvaba a la jiicdiay los alalia alii, y los ddii
las annas, y los lloniba cntre tanto (pic iidcalian, y qnando caian los 1 11-
ti-cf,'al)a al ipw? Ics liidiia dc sacar cl conizon, (pio era otro satrapa vcstidn inn
(itro jicllcjo (pu> sc llanialia Tooidlaouu. Estii reluciou queda cscrita cu la
fiesta de Tlucuxip<;!uuliztli. '
miH CCIT-
ircccdiiig
u)sv chil)-
x'l'mlliiin
tiiciilii luiiy
KKLATIONS IIKTWKKN (ArTOIl AND CAl'TIVK
•ii:
(tl'tlic idols, iis it Avci'c to tiistc of tlic hlood of liis Ciiptixc
Tin- sl;iiii lio.ly \v;is then ciiiTicil to the Ciilpiilco. w lici'c
while iilivc. it luul lu'i'ii coiilintvl tlu* nii:lit lid'oic tin
siicrilico
ill
1(1 there sUiiiiHMl. 'I'lienee it was hroiiLiiit tt
tlie house of its owiu-r. who -liN ided and niiide presents
(tfit to liis siijH-riors. relatives, and IViends; not liowcNcr
tii^tiiit:' thereol' hiniseir, lor. \\v are told, "lie counted it
lis the llesli of liisowH body. ' because from the hour that
he took the prisoner " he held him to he his son, and the
ciiptiw looked n[) to his captor as to a lather."
The skins of the dead helon<:('<l to their captois. who
nine them at!'ain to others to he worn by them lor ap[)ar-
eiitly twenty days. probal)ly as a kind of penance the
persons so clothed collecting; alms IVoni evei'yone in the
iiirantime ami hringin;i' all they p»t. each to the man
thiit had uiveii him the skin. AVhen done ^vlth. tli«'se
lis were
hid
awa\' in a rottinu' condition in a cei-tain
cave, w
w
hilt' the ex-wearers thereof washed tiu'mselve
lese
ith iii-eat rejoicintis. At tlio pnttin<i' awa\- of tl
skins there assisti'tl nmnbers of people ill \\llh the itch
iiiiil such other diseases as Xipe inllicted- Impini: thus
to he healed of their inlirmities, and it is said tliat manv
were so curec
m K
nlis'iin'tii
lull's .l/i'.f. AiiHf].. vol. vii., pp. 2n, 37-l:t; S<ih<i<iin), 1114. i;
tiiiii. i., lib. ii,, )ip. .")! ;i, S(;-',i7; HsjilU'drtim <ld ('iiilr.c Till I'liiim-l;,
I't. i . luiii. iii.. ill J\iii'i!<hi'riii(iih'>i Mix. Anli'i.. vol. v., p. loll; >'/>'
1/ /( 'I'liriili' ilf I CiiiHir .]li\fii'iiiii> { Vaticiiiio', liiv.lxiii.. in /(/., vol. v., p. I'.il ; 'I'l
'/"
"nht, Mninrn. Iml., toiii. ii., ]ip. l"jJ. ■J")i -I; l.riiii i/liiiiiiit,
l'!iil
.1/..
|i|i. r)()-i; I'lvsmll'
Ml
vol.
torn, ii., p. Isl. We li
p. 7s, note; ( Inrhji-
(lavii^cro. Ihiil. toll
Sti.
I'P
VilX, Jlt
.1)./. ilil
Ihit lliis(^rcut ^'liiliat>iri:il Mock was soiiutiiius to an cxtniortiinarv 1 xtiiit ii
if
saciitici'' to thi> ixi'cutlolurs as \vi 11 as to tlif dooiiii tl victiiii
Ii
till' l;i-;t year of tin; i>iL;ii of X\\v last Moutczunia. 11 faiiioits 'I'lasialtcc j^i ik val,
I liliuiiMil. was i'a])tnn (lliy tlir miicst accicltiit. His sticiij^tli of aim was
••uliihat few uun could lift liis )//(((/"((// io7, ol' sword of tlic .Mexican tyjii-.
frmu the f^'roiind. Montc/.nina, too |iroiid to use sncli an iiij^lorioiis ti'iniii|ili,
iir I" iliaps moved iiy 11 sinccn
adiiiinition of the tcriililc and dii/nitii d \\airi-
'li'i iiil hini his libcrtv, either to return to Tlascalu,
to accelit
illif. ill Mexiio. Hut the honor of the chief was iit stake, as he iiiidi islood
iiiil not even a favor would h
pt from the iiiiteii Mexiraii: th
diath, the death! he saiil, and, if you dare, hy battle on the !,'lacli.it..riiil
stmii'. So they tied him, (liy tlif foot says Clavij^'ero 1, upon the !■ nuiiiiriitl,
iiiiN. il with a j^'reat statl'only, and chose out chiinijiions to kill him finiii tho
iii'isi 11 iiiiwned of the warriors; but tin- t,'rim Tlasciiltec dashed out the br ins
iif ii-,'lit with his club, and hurt twenty more, before he fell, dyiiis,' like him-
stlf. They tori^ out his heart, us of wout, uud u costlier heart to Mt xico
UL'Vcr smoked before the buu. •
ii
fli
J •:
'■'!
1;
'•;
I
;.■ i
41(5 GODS, SUPE\IN.\TURAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
Tlio merchants of Mexico — a class of men avIio hawkcil
their goods from })lace to place and wandered often fai-
into strange countries to huv oi sell — -had various deities
to whom tliev «
did
spe
cial honi)r. 7\mon<>; these tli
chief, and often the only one mentioned, was the jiod
Yiacatecutli. or .Jacateuctli. or iyacatecuhtli, that is " the
lord th:it iiuides,' otherwise called Yacacoliuh«jui, or
.Iacacoliuh([ui.™ 'i'hi.s chief god of the merchants had.
however, according to »^ahauiui. five brothers and a sis-
ter. also reverenced by traders, the sister being calli'd
( 'hahnecacioatl, and the brothers respectively Chiron(|ui-
avitl. Xomocuil. Xacxitl, Cochimetl. and Yacapitzaoac.
"^Phe princi[);d iiuage of this god was a flgun^ r<'[)i'eseiit-
ing a man widking along a road witli a stall"; the Wwr,
Idack and white; the hair tied uj) in a bundle on tlic
midiUe of the top of the head with two tassels ol' rich
(|uet/.al-featl.ers; the ear-rings of gold; the mantle blue
bordei'cd with a llowered fringe, and covered with a rcil
net. through whose meshes the blue a})peared ; round tin-
ankles leather straps from which hung marine shrlls:
cui'iously wr )ught sandals on the feet; and on the arm
a plain unornan^'nted yellow shield, with a spot of liulit
blue in the ct-ntre ',>f its lw\>.\. Practically. ho\ve\ti'.
every merchant re\'oreuced his own stout staif— gener-
ally made of a solid, knotless [)iece of black cane, cjillid
iifatl — as the representative or symbol of this god Yiaca-
tecutli; kee[)ing it, when not in use. in the oratoiy ov
sacred place in his house, and invarial)ly putting IihuI
l)efore it preliminary to eatii'g his own meal. When
traveling the traders weiv accustomed rtightly to .-tack
i\[) their s-taves in a- convenient position, bind tlieiii
al)out, build a lire before them.'' and then ollering blood
"" This last nanio iiioaiis. TDrqUPiiiaila, Mmidrq. Iml.. tnin. ii., ji
l>
f,.n.
1. ■ tilt' lii);ik-Uiisi'(l;' aiul it is ciiri'Mis ciioii^'h tliai tills tvp
fiK'c. so ^'ciicially (•(iiint'ctcd with the llilirc w racr ami thi<>iit,'ti lliriii \mi1i
partiiiilar astiitiiuss in trmk', should lie the characteristic of the .Mi xic.oi
j^'oil of trailc: ' Los iiuri'adi'rcs tuvicroii Dins iiaiticiiliir, al ijiial llaiiian'ii
Iyacatecuhtli, y ])ov otro iionilire se llaie.'i Yacacoliul
i:i
n]Ul. (JUe ipllere il> '11
(Ue tieue 111 uail/ a^'ullena, (luc iiicijiiiaiiieute re|iicseiita jiersona pi
tjeiie vivei;a, o hahiliilad. paia inofar giaelosaiiiente
ii eii'Miiar, v cs s.ihi
hagaz ( (jue ( s ]U'(>|iia c
iudi
(Ic u
lerciiileVi'S
^' Without liiyiugaiiy paiticul.ir stress ou this liyhtiu^' a tire before Viaca-
[ir.
lo liawkeil
1 often Ihi-
jiis deities
these the
IS the ii»)(l
iit is • the
iili(jiii. or
liUlts liiul.
and ii si.v-
inu; eallt'il
'hiron(|ui-
Nipitzaoiio.
represeiit-
V; tlie liicc
^le on till'
.'Is of rich
uitle hhie.
^vith a reil
round the
jne shi'lls:
the arm
»t of VvM
however.
-geiHT-
le. ('idled
>d Viiic;i-
atory or
ttiiii:' I III 111
Whrll
to ,-t;i('lv
id theia
mii' hlooil
II
11., Jl. '1.
this ivj" ■ 1'
)i Ihcin with
thr .MiNii'a"
il Uaiii;iliili
(|ijici'c ih I'll".
■I'sDtia lUf
y es s.tl'i'i, y
NAr.VTECITTLI.
41'
an 1 copal, pray for preservation and shelter from the
iiKUiy perils to which their wandering life made them
especially suhject.'"
Xaiiatecntli. that is to .say ' four times lord.' was the
i:()(l of the mat-makers and of all workers in water-llags
!uid rushes. A heneficent and hel[)ful divinit\, and one
III' the Tlalocs, he was known hy various names, such as
T('[iah})a(';i, Teaaltati, 'the purifier or washer;' (^uit/.etz-
clnliua, or Tlaitlanililoni. " he that .scatters or winnows
ilown;' 'riiinempopoloa. 'he that is lariie and liljeral;'
Teatzelhuia, • he that sprinkles with water; and Amo-
t('!U'iU[ua. "ho that .shows him.self <irateful.' 'i'his god
lia I two tem[)les in Mexico and his festival fidl in the
tliirteenth month, hv Claviii'erj's reckoning. His imauf
ti'. cinhled a hlaek man, the facelieing spotted with white
ami hlack. with ta.s.sels hanuingdown hehind su.pporting
a green plume of three ieathers. Round the loins and
ri'.;cliiiig to the knee:', was girt a kind of white and hlaek
t or pt'tticoat, adorned with little .sea-shells. Tlie
.11
ticiitU— pi rhajis liri'o iioccss.'iry .is a eaiiiji-firo ami probulily, at any rate, a
thiti'^' I'liU' lirfdi-c many other ^'uds it ma' 1m- tintircd tii.it tlir iiii' u^d
M'cMis t(i l>i' iiaiticnlifiy couiu'ctiil with tlu' iprn-hant u'lul and indeed wiiii
the till ridiaiits themselves. I>esciil)in^,' :i ceftaiii coming; dnwii <ir arrival of
the L;(ids amimi,' men, belji'ved to tal-e place in th(> twelfth Me\iean month,
S:iiia;4iili -after descriMn.L,' the eomiiii,', tirst of Tezeatlipoea, wlio, ' hein)^' a
y.iiith, and ii;j[h, and stroni,', w.ilked fastest,' mid then the comiiiL; of all
till' rest I their anival liein;,' known to the pri'sts hy the marks of their fet t
'111 a little heap of maize thmr, specially prepared forthe purpose i- -says that
.1 day after all ihe rest fif the i,'ods, came the i,'od of lire and the ^'od of the
iiH'ri'liants, ti)L,'ether; they luiiij,' old and nnalile to walk as last as their
yiiiuiL;cr divine hntlu'rn : ' Kl dia si^'iiieiite IliLraha (I dios dc los Meicaderes
11 iiu ido Viaiacapitzaoac, «') Viacatecntli. y otro l)ios llamado IIiscocaii/i|iii
V'.i'iii'aiih(pii ), ('i Xivctcnclli ( Xiiihteciitli). (pie I's (1 Dios di 1 fiii ^'o a (piieii
ills iiiercadei'es tieiieii j^rande devueioll. Estos dos Uei^'alian ;'i la postre iili
ilia dispues de los otros, porijiic deciau (pic eran viejos y no andalian tanto
I'oiiiii los otros:' hlii'ishor'iit'ih's Mij\ .l/n'/'i/., vol. vii., ]). 71, or Suhdijn)}, Uisl.
'e I'., turn, i., HI), ii., ji. I'jH. See also, '.'er ihe connection of the tire ^.'od
Niiiliti ciitli with ImsinesH. this vol. p. 'J'JCi; ami for the liiiih p.osition of tin;
ill' riliints themselves besides Tezcatlipioca s( e tlii.. vol.. p. z2H.
■' /i'i'/i7.s'')i//'()/i.///\' Mi'.v. Aiithj., vol. vii., pji. il Hi; Stiliii'imi. ]lisl. litn., torn,
i., lib. i., pp. *2'.) :i;i: riiu-i'ji'm, Stm-in .\hl. ikl .l/l.s.^ieo, torn, ii., p. '2(l. TIh?
Niiliuilnln'calli, or Nauiehecatl, mentioned by the interpn ters of tliecodie(s,
ii-i a '_; 111 honored by the iik reliants. is cither some air ;,'od like (^uetzrileoatl,
'I)'. .'IS Sidiai.;nii eivi-s it, merely tlus name of a sii,'n: sec Siiiniuzuiiii' ili'<l' 'I'n-
I'l'i I'liiVii',' .Ui.i'/i'/oii) ( Vaticano ', tav. xxvii.. in ICmiiahortnifili's M'.y. AhUu ,
^"1 v.. p. 1711; also. ]ip. lll'l -10: h'.vjilii'iii'iim ihl Cinhx 'rillir'nnin-l,'' im ir.is,
li "■■
Mill. Ml.
iN
'(/('(
inn.
'h>r
injlis .]fr.r. .l/i/iV/ , vol. vii., pp, loo-G
Vol. 111. -il
Iliit. i,t-,i., toni i., lib., iv., pp, 301"), a'"; J\iiii,s-
418
GODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND WORSIIIP.
I., Ml
sandals of this idol wore white; on its U'ft arm was a
shield made like the hroad leal' of the water-hly. or nc-
)mi)har; while the right liand lield a s('e[)tre like a
tlowering stall', the Howers heing of i)aper; nnd a^Toss
the l)()dy, passing under the left arm, was a white scarf,
painted over with hlack llowers.^''
The Mexieans had several gods of wine, or rathor of
pulque; of the.se the chief seems to have heen Te/catxoii-
catl. otherwise known as Te(iuechmecaniani 'thestran-
gler.' and as Teatlahuiani 'the drowner;' epithets
suggestf'd hy the elfects of drunkenness. Thecom|)aiii()ii
deities of this Aztec Dicmysus were called as a class hy
tiie somewhat extraordinary .»ame of ( VMit/oiitotorhtiii
or 'the four hundred rahhits' ; Y'aulatvatl. V/iiuitccatl,
Acoloa. Thilhoa, Pantecatl (the Patecatl of the inter[)re-
ters of the codices), Tultecatl, I'apaztac, Tlaltecaiooii.
Ometoi'htli (often referred to as the principal god of
wine). Tepuztecatl, CMiiniapalnecatl, were deities of tiiis
class. The princi})al characteristic of the image ol' the
Mexican god of drunkenness was, according to Mendicta
and Motolinia. a kind of vessel carried on the head of
tl
je
Idol
11
ito which
d
1 vessel wine was ceremoiiioiisiv
poured. The feast of this god. like that of the [jrecediiig
divinity, fell in the thirteenth month, Te[)eilhuitl. Miid
ii. his temple in the city of Mexico there ser\ed four
hundred consecrated i)riests. so great was the service
doiu this everywhere too widelv and well known nod.'^
71 7w,i;/.s')(j)vii((//i's ^^(.^'. Aiitiq., vol. vii., pp. 10-17: Suhanmi. Hist. (Icn.. toui.
i., lil). i.. pp. 'X\-'>; TonpunniiUi, Mmutrq. Ind. , t^m. ii., pp. r)lJ-(!ll; Clitri'iirn,
Utori'i Aiit. <li'l MessHti, toui. ii.. p. 22.
"1 ICiii la'.oraii'ili's .l/'.f. AnHij., vol. vii., pp- 7, 10. ltd. it:!; Siilni'iini. Hist.
Urn., tmii. i., lib. i., pp. 11. 31) -iif, lil). ii.. j)|). 200, 20"); 'ruyiiminiiih'. Mm^nr'/.
/»,'/., ♦um. ii., pp. 5.^, ir)2, 1S4, iU>: Siih-'insinnv ikllr Tdmlr (/./ Coi/iiv Mi.vicni.'i
( Viitiriiiio), tiiv. XXXV., iitid K.rjillritr'ion ttd I'liik'.f Tclli riiiiiii-Iti')iii iisis, h\w.
xvi., in /ii/i(/.s''Hi)V)((f//('.s Mix. AiU'kj., vol. v., pj). Ill, 1H2; tiiilliil'm, in .iin'f.
Klliiio. ."MIC , Tritn.^dct., vol. i., pj). ;Mi, ;i.")0; (joiiHiva, I'diif/. Mix., fdl.'"^' Il">;
Clnrliirii, .s7<)/'i'( Ant. del .l/cs.sico, torn. ii.. p. 21. 'Otms tt iiiiiu ti;4iira- il''
hoiiibrts; tt'iiiun ostos en lii ciibczii un inorti'm en lu!,'iir dc iiiitva, y iilli li ^
et'lialiaii vino, por scr el ilios ilil vino.' Mulntliihi, llisl. /(n/ins, in lriizhiiU-il>i.
Cot. (/• />ii.\, toni. i.. p. ;t;i. ■ Otms con nn morttvo m l,i ciilHZa. v istc |iiinci'
3110 era el ilios ilil vino, y nsf lo rchalian vino lu lupicl funio niorti ro:' .1/'"-
ictii, lli.-il. /•,'(•/■>■., p. S8. ' J'liitict'd t't I'lijiaztiic. . Esti' era uno ili' los tn •)
piKiblos (Ic dondo so sacaliau los csclavos piir.'V el sacriticio ([lU' sm liaiia ili!
diii, 111 idolo Cintiijidotuclitiit, Dios del viuo ou (.'liiit'S uuuiljiado Iluiijiiirlitli, d
THE HOUSEHOLD GODS,
41'J
The Mexicans liad cortaln liousoliold gods called Tepi-
totoii, or Tepictoton, 'the little one.s,' — small statues of
Avhicli kings kept six in their houses, nohles four, and
(H)innu)n folks two. Whether these were a particular
class of deities or merely miniature images of the already
(U'scrihed greater gods it is hard to say. Similar small
idols are said to have iidorned streets, cross-roads, fount-
ains and other places of puhlic tralfic and resort.'''
With these Tepitoton may he said to finisli the list of
Mexican gods of any repute or an}- general notoriety; so
that it seems (it to give here a condensed and arranged
resume of all the iixed festivals and celehrations of the
Aztec calendar, with its eighteen months of twenty
(liivs each, and its live sup[)lenientai'y days at the end
ul' the year. There is some disagreement as to which of
the months the year ))eganwith; hut it will hest suit
our present purj)ose to follow the arrangement of Saha-
iiun. the interpreters of the Codices, Tonpiemada, and
Clavigero, in which the month variously called Atl-
cMliualco. or (^)uahuitlehua, or Cihuailhuitl, or Xilomana-
liztli, is the first.'" Tiie name Atlchualco, or Atlaooalo,
t'piilhiiitt on sii t'^mjilo prnjiio qne ps el cniidrnf;psinin cuarto pdifteio dp Ins
i[ni' s (iitfiiiiin (11 lii iivt'u del iiiiiyor, coiiio dicr p1 Dr. Hi'rii.indf/: '•'rcin-
I'luui cnit (iiciitniii viiii den, in cujus lioiiorcni tits captivds inti rdiii tiinipn,
it II 'imiictu jnj^ulaliiiiit, (juoniiii pviiiiniii Tcimztcciitl imiicinialiaiit scciiiiduiu
tiiltiiiitl, tci'tium v(i'i> I'lipii/.tiii' (juud licbiit (juntiinni ciicii fi-stuni Ti'iicil-
liiiiltl." Ajjiid P. NiiriiulicrK, paj^. 141.' Iauu y (liiiiiK, lins I'iiilnis. ])t ii.,
\i. M'l. ' T,is liuvpurs ct 1 ■ ivr(',jj;iii's iiviiicnt cciicndiint, imrnu Ics Azti'(|n(w,
lilii>icm's diviniti's )iiiiti('ulirres: lu priiicipidc f'tiiit Iz<iuit(M!itl; iimis Ir plus
iniimi diviiit i'trc Tc/;i';dziiiuidl. apiiili' aiissi 'r<iincchiiiciimiani, on lu IVii-
diiu;" llrassiiir (h' lini(rli<iiini, IHst. Xul. ( ir., turn, iii., ]). -i'.Ki.
'' Torijid iiKtilii, MiiiKirt/. Intl., t<iiii. ii., p. (il. ('Idr'nii-ri}, Storia Aid. dii
1/i-.M'ro, torn, ii., J). '2:i. The. le were wlint tlip Spaniuids called ' oratoiids '
ill the liouscs of till' Mi'xicalis. In or licforc tlii'sr oratories the jieople otl'ered
conked food to suih iiiiai;es of the ^ods as they had there. Every inoniinj;
till i.' l-wife of the house wolie up tlie iiniidiers of her family and took
care tliat tliey made the jnoper otl'eriiij,', as almve, to these deities, hlinis-
'"./■.. i(,//,'s .l/f,r. A)Uki., V I. vii., p. U5; Suliayun, Hint, (hn., tom. i., lili. ii.,
lip. II. '211.
"" It is obviously of little ponseipienop to niytholot,'y whetliiT the Mpxi-
ciiiLS called the month .Uleahnalco the first or the third month (or, as
Hoturiiii has it, the eij^'hteenth,") so Ioiil,' as we know, with some aeciiiaey,
t'l what uionth and day of the month it corresponds in our own (ti'peorian
i':ili Hilar. For the complete discussion of this ipiestion of the calendar
We lifer readers to the preeedini^ volume of tiiis series, (iama was unfor-
tuiiati ly uiiaciiuainted with the writings of Sahayun, and bustumaute (who
420
GODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP,
or A tiiloaoplo, means 'the biniiif; or scarcity of water;*
(^iialniitleliua. or (^uavitleloa, 'the sprouting of trees;'
and Xilonianaliztli, ' the ollering of Xilotl (that is heads
of maize, wliich were then presented to the gods to seeuie
tlieir blessing on the seed time).' This first montli he-
giiniing on tlie second of Fehriiary according to Saliaguii.
the eigiiteenth according to (Jama, and tlie twenty-
sixth according to (Mavigero. was consecrated to Tlaloc
and the other u'ods of water, and in it ureat mnnl)ers of
•liild
ren were saci
ificed.
In further honor of the Tl;
Iocs tliere were also at this time killed many captives (in
the gladiatorial stom^
It was the second month, called Tlacaxiphuali/tli."'
or ' the flaying of men.' that was specially famous for its
gladiatorial sacrifices, sacrilices ali'eady described and
])erformed to the honor of Xi[)e, or Xi})etotec.''*
The third month called "^rozoztontli, 'the lesser l;ist
or
pc
n
nice,' was inaugurated bv the sacrifice on tl
mountains of (children to the Tlaloc;
'11
lose
•;o
that
traded in flowers and were called ^ochiman({iie. or Xo
chiimuKiui, made a festival to their goddess. Coatlyciic
or Coatlantona. offering her the first-fruits of the flower:
cilitcfl the works lioth of Giiiiia iind Sahiii^un) romnvks in ii in^ti- to tin'
\vritiiii:!s of the iistidiioiiiii': • Muchiis vi'cis hi' (li'j)l()r,iilo, quci'l sjliin Sr. 1).
Autmiio Li'oii y ttuiiiii no huliiisc ti'iiiilo a In vistit paru fonuar csta |ir(iiii>,i
ohm h)s inaimsfritds del P. Si'ha^un, <iU(' he jmtihcado en los afios dr 1>^2'I
y liO en la oliciim dc D. Altjaiidio Valdt's, y solo huhicsc li'i'do la ohra di 1 I',
'roninciiiada, dispi'pnlo do D. Antonio ^'alc•l■iano, (jU(> lo fui' dc diclio 1'. Sn-
liaf^iin; jiuis In h'cturii drl tcxto dc I'sti', (jiio acaso trnnci'i, i'> no cnti ndin
hii^n, podrian hahcvli' dcjado dudas en hcchos nniy intiri'santcs a csta hU-
toriiv.' Sec /<('(>/( // ddtiut. Don I'h-ilrns, pt i, pji. ir)-S',l; /v'('i"/s')'«n/";/A'<
Mi.(. .111//'/., vol. vii., pp. 20-;}|, or Suliaijan, Ilisl. (ifii., toni. i., Ii1>. ii., jip.
r.) Tti; Tnriini iiKiiln, MdiKinj. Iml.. toni. ii., pp. lTiI S(l; AcdsIh, Ilisl. '/«'
his }'(('/., p. H!)7; ('liiriicro, >/(/(!(( A>i(. ilil Messirn, torn, ii., j)p. "iN ^1:
KxidicitrAnn d'l Colli. r Ti'l'i-rimio- lli'iiii usis, pt i., and Spiniitiion,' ihll" Tm-nii'
ilii Coiliir Miwirniio (Vaticaiio), tav. Ivii-lxxiv, in luti'jshiiriiinili's Mi.r. .l;i'"/.,
vol. v., pp. 12'.)-;n, ll(it-7; liotiirtiii, lilm ik. nihi Hist.. ]ip. 47 ."i.'i: lioiinii-'i.
I'oDij. .Ml. I'., fol. 'i'.ll: .Miilli'r, Anil rihniiisriii: rnrliiiinni ii, pi>. CilC-S; liru.'i.siiir
ill' lionrhonrii. Ifist. .Vut. I'ir. torn. iii.. pp. 502 37; <lnllulin, in Aimi'. Kihuo.
Soi'.. Triitisiicl., vol. i., j)p. r)7 111.
" Sot' this vol., pp. ;tl$2 -1.
■''* It is also snrnanu'd Cohuailhni'!, ' foast of tho snako:' soo nhovi'.
"" 'I'hori' scorns to ho soino cnnfusion with roi;ard to whotlior or not tin I'i
woro f^ladiatorial saoriliois in oaoh of tho tirst two months. Sal)ai;iin, hnw-
ovir, iip|)oars to dosoril)o sacrilices of this kind, as oociirriii;4 in hntli jicrinils;
tlioio of tho t'lrst month hoint,' in honor of tho 'I'lalocs and those of the sccoiid
II honor of Xipo. I'Vir a doscriptiuu of those ritos boo this vol. pi>. 414-5.
THE CEREMONIAL CALENDAR.
421
(ftlio year, of tliose tliat had Krowu in the
precincts o
f
the cu i/djnco, a cii as wv have seen, oonseerated toThiloe.
Into a cave Ijelonging to this temple there were also at
this time cast the now rotten skins of the Imman heinj^s
that had heen Hayed in the preceding month. Thithe!',
•• stinking' like dead dogs," as Sahagnn phrases it. marcht'd
in [)n)cession the persons that
wore tliese sums an(
tl
lei'e
they put them ofV, washing themselves with many cere-
monies; and sick folk trouhled with cei'tain skin-diseases
loliowed and looked on, ho[)ing hy the sight of all these
things to he healed of their infn'mities. The ownersof the
c;i[)tives that had heen slain had also heen doing [)enancc
for twenty days, neither Avashing nor hathing during
that time; and they now, when they had seen the
skins deposited in the ca\e, washed and u'ave a hi
()
uupiet t
!1 their friends and relatives, ])erl'orming many cere-
monies with the hones of the dead ca})tives. ^VU the
twentv davs of this month singing exercises, praising'
the goil, were carried on in the houses called C'uicacalli,
the [lerlbrmers not dancing hut I'cmaining seated.
Tlie fourth month was called, in contradistinction to
'he tliird, A'eitozoztli, or Ilue>tozo/tli, that is to ,<ay.
'the greater penance or letting of hlood ;' hecanse in it
not only the priests hut also the poi)ulace and no])ility
(lid penance, drawing hlood from their ears, shins, and
ntlier parts of the hody. and ex[)osing at their dooi's
li'iivesof sword-ii'rass stained thei'ewith. After this thev
an(
performed Cciiain ah'eady deserihe(l ceremonies
iind then made, out of the dough loiown as Ir.odlH,^^ an
imaii'e of the goddess ( Miicomecoatl. in the court-yard of
lier tem[)le, oll'ering hefore it all kinds of mai/.e. heans,
i'lul ciiian, hecanse she was the maker and gixcr of these
tilings and the sustainer of the people. In this month.
i;s well as in the three months preceding, little children
^vel■e sacrificed, a cruelty which was su[>[)osed to pleasi'
^" s,'(. tliis vol.. pp. 3r,n-2.
*■' ' l,r 'l\i,hiiit!i[ itilit im cdiniiosi' (Ic f,'r:iini's li'jnniiincnses )i;ivtifuliriiH
iiu Mc: iijuc, qu'cm iii:iiil;( uit di.' ilivirsus uiiiuiivfs.' Ilntsstar i!t lli>tir'.<iiirij,
His!. Xat, ( i|)., torn, ii., p. 513.
=: if
Is ■>'■
42'2
GODS, SUPEKNATURAL liEINGS, AND WOESIIir.
tlie wiitci" ^<);ls, and Avliicli Avas kept up till tlio rains
bcji'aii to fall ahiindantly.
The fifth inontli, called Toxcatl and Hniictimes Tt'po-
pocliiiiliztli,*" Avas ])ogiiu by the most solemn and famous
ibast of the year, in lionor of the prin('i[)al Mexican ^oil.
a [i(n\ known hy a nndtitiide ol" names ami epithets,
amonji; which were Te/catlipoca, Titlacaoan, Yautl, Tcl-
1
)IU
htli, and Tlamat/incatl. A Acar before this li-ast.
one of the most distinguished of the captives reseiNcd
for sacrifice was chosen out for su[)erior ^irace and jiti-
sonal a[)i)(.>arance from among all his fellows, and gixcn
in charge to the i)rit'stly lunctionaries called cal[)i\(|ii('s.
These instru(^ted him with grcit diligence in all the arts
l)ertaining to good ))reeding, according to the Mexican
idea: such as playing on the ilute, walking, speaking,
saluting those he happened to mei't, the use and canv-
iug about of straight cane tobacco-pipes and of lloweis.
with the dexti'rous smoking of the one, and the graceful
inhalation of the odor of the other, lie was attemlri!
nijon l)v eii
dit
)ag(>s, w
ho were clad in the li\er\ ol'
of tlu> palace, and had pi'rfi'ct libei'ty to go where lie
l)U'ased night and <lay; while his food was so rich tliat
to guard against his growing too l"at, it was at tinus
necessary to xavy the diet hy a purge of salt and water.
I'ed and adored as the livinu' inia'.
Kverywiiei'e nonoi
and accredited representative ol' Ti'zcatlipoca, he \\i nt
about i)laving on a small shrill cla\- Ihite. or life, ami
adoi'ned with rich and curious raiment furnished li\
the king, while all he met did him reverence kissing
the earth. All his body and face was })ainted — l)lai'k,
it would ai)pear; his long hair Mowed to the waist: I
head was covered with white hens' feathers stuck
us
on
\l 1
mw
''^ Tho iiiinio 'ToiKipoclmiliztli' si.L;nifioa 'fiiiidlvc or vapor.' As tn ilic
lupiinin^; of ' 'I'oxciitl' writers aro diviilid, IJotnrini intirpntiii;,' it to iin iiii
'ttt'ort,' iilid ToniUfinatlii 'a slippery jpliiee.' .\eosta, SaliaLtnii, aiul Oain.i
iiL'ree. liDwever. in accepting it as an epithet ajijiliid t" a striiiL; of ]iarclii '1 "i'
or toast. 'il maize nscd in een'iiionies to lie innueiliatcly di scrilicd, ami .\c'i—
ta fiullier fjivi's as its rout siL;nilication ' a dried tliin;^.' Consult, in aiMi-
tiuii to the references L;iven in the niit(> at the lieniiniiii;.,' of tliesc descriplii ns
of tile fiMsts. Aciislii, lllsl. ill' Ins Viiil., p. llSli: Kiiiiislitiriiinili's JAx. Aidiij.. vil.
vii., pj,!. lo-'J; ,'Sahitjiin, Jli.-,!. ij\ii., toin. i., lil). iii., pp. lUO-11.
11^'
THE MONTH TOXCATL.
42;}
w
illi refill, iuul covoi't'd \vitli a liiuliind of tlio lloweT!
of tl
le .^ume IIuwl'Ivs
nilk'il y:'/"/s//cA///; while two string
crossed his hotly in the fashion of cross-helts. j'^ar-
liiiLi's of !-olil, a necklace of i)reciou.s sttjues with a
i\'at depeni
lent
1
em lian^iMiL
to tl
le breast, a lip-orna-
iiu
nt (harhote) of sea-shell, hraci-lcts of i^old ahovi!
the elhow on each arm, and strint:s of ^vnis called
initciicrtll Avinding I'rom wrist almost to elhow. lilit-
tcri'd and Hashed hack the li,i:ht as the d,rt)med man-
jiod nioveih He was covered with a rich heaiitifidly
iViimcd mantle of netting, and hore on his shoulders
si )i net 1 ling like a })urse made of white cloth of a s[)an
s(|u;ire. ornamented with tassels and fringe. .\ white
iiKixtle of a span hroad went ahout his loins, the two
cuds, curiously wrought, I'alling in front almost to the
kht'c. Little hells of gold kept time with every ui(»tion
of his ['wi. which were shod with painted sandals called
OiX'llllKlfdCl',
All this was the attiro he wore from the ))egi]ming
)f his year of pre[)aration; l)ut twenty days h( fore the
w'X of the festival, thev changed his Aeslmcnts,
ooini!
w;i>h
ed away the ])aint or iXya from his skin, and cut
down his long hair to the length, and arranged it after
the fashion, of the hair of the captains, tying it u[) on the
nown of the head with feathers and frinLie and two "old-
hu
toned tassels. At the same time the\ marrit'i
d to 1
iim
I'liur damsels, who liad heen pauqiered and educated for
this pur[)ose. and who were sui'uamed respecti\i'l\ after
lour
uodd
esses,
XCK-I
ii(|Uet/al
Xil
ont'U.
Atlat
onan.
and \'i\tocio;itl.**' Five days hel(.)re the great da}' of
^'' Witli tlilii'of these f,'(i(l(lesses we live l(ileialil\ faliiilim, laiowillf^ Uiein to
!"■ iiiliiiiately coniiecteil with each other ainl eoiu-eriied '.i tli( inndiiitinn,
luiservatiiiii, or siiiniuit of life and (if hfe-L,'iviiii,' fund, v . .\tliitoiiau little is
kll'iWU. liut slie seems to lieloll^ to tln' sallli' elass, lieill^' j^'eliefally llielili'iiiid
ill i'e!iiiecti.,ii witli Ciliteotl. ller name means, aeeofdili;^' to Tol(|il( liiada,
'slie tiiat shines in the water.' ' < )tra ('u|iilia, n Tern | do a via, (]\ie s( liamaliii
XiiiJK-ali'd, deilieado al J)ios Cinteutl, en euia tiesta sariilieahaii dos Vaiuiies
I'.sijavos, y una ]\Iuj,'it, a los i|Uales jioiiian < 1 nondife de su I)ios. Al vno
lliiiiialian Jztac'iiiloiitl, Oios ']|atlauhi|iniinteutl, l)ios ih' las Miests elict n-
tlidas. o eojorachis; y a la Mn^'ei' Atiantoiia, ((iie ((iiiei-e dei'if, i|iie roplan-
d'ce en el A;^'ua, i'l la ipial des(dlalian, eiiio pellejo, y ciieio, m> ve^tia vii
Saixidute, .'ueyo (|Ue aeababa ti baciiliciu, i^uu ciu du uucku.' TuOj'ttiintda,
«|
!'■'.'.
I .'!
|! )
421
GODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
the feast,"' tlio dav of tlio feast lu'liii;' eountcil oii(\ all
the peo[)U', li'iLih and low, the kiii^' it would appeal" iK'iii'i
alone exeepted, wrnt out to (Celebrate with the niiin-iioil
a solemn han([net and dance, in the ^va^d called Tecim-
nian; the fourth dav before the feast, the same was done
in the ward in which was (inarded the statue of Te/.ciit-
lipooa. The little hill, or island, called 'J\'[)et/inco. lis-
in«^ out of the waters of the lake of Mexico, was tlic
scen(^ of the next day's solemnities; .solenniities renewed
for the last time on the next day, or that inmu'dintely
preceding:; the ,nreat day, on another like; island called
'iVpel[)ulco, or Tepepulco. There, with the lour women
that had been given him for his consolation, the liou-
ored victim was put into a covered canoe usually re-
,serv(>d for the sole use of the king; and he was cari'ied
across the lake to a place called Tlapitzaoayan. near
the road that goes from Yztapalapan to Chalco. at a
I'
)•(/. hnl.. tola, ii., p. l-jo; see iilso, K'uKjsborouiih's Mcx. .iiili(/., vol. vi
>!(/(
iKlHii, Hist. '/<)!., toiii. i., lili.ii., lip., p. 'JOD.
'•'■I;
"1 .\(M).stii, llisl. ill' Ins Vii'L, pp. ;{S-2 -3, j^ivcs jin lU'coiint of v.'irioiis other
coreinoiiios which took jiliicc ten diiys Ix'foro thf '^vvni fr:ist duv. which
It li.is been foihiwcd liy Tor([Ucin:ul!i, Clavi^'cn
(1 l.tt.
vvliich wii rc|ii'o(liu'o from the quaint but in tliis cii.so at least full niiili
r writers, and
•urate
tr;nislatiou of ]v(}
a translation which, however, makes th
lis cliaiiter tlie
2'Mi of the fifth boo.'c instead of the '2Stli as in tlieori^'inal: "TIk iicaine forth
ono of the chiefo of th(> temjile, attired like to the idoll, carrvinn How. rs in
Ills hand, and a tiiito of earth, having,' a very sharjie sound, and turiiiiiL; t i-
vvanls the east, h(; sounded it, and then lookini,' to tlie wist, north and smilh
he did till' like. And after he had thus sounded towards the foure parts of llie
world (shewini* that botli they that were present and ab:
did h
mil)
liou put his tiii;,'er into the aire, and th
his mouth, and did eate it in si^nc o"
id
n j^'atliered \\) earth, which he put in
f adoration. The like ibd all thcv that
were present, and woepini.:;, tiny fell Hat to the p-ound, invocatiiiL; the dark-
iiesse of the iii^^dit, and the windes, intreatini,' them not to leave them, nor to
f ir.Ljet them, or else to take away tlieir lives, and free thciii from the labors
they indured tlnu'ein. Theeves, adulterers, and ninrtherers, and all others
ort'eudors had j,'reat foaro and heavinesse, whilest this tlute sounded; so as
Hiune ci
aid not dissembh^ n^v liide their ofTcnccs. Hv this
lUealleS tlieV ill
deinaiiihil no other thin^,' of their ^,'oil, but to have their ott'eiiees concealed,
jpowriiiL; foorthmaiiy tearcs, with t,'ri at repentaunce and sorrow, oft'erini^'uii at
Htore of incens ! to apjiease their pods. The eoura'^ious and valiant lucti,
and all the olde souldiers, that followed the .\rte of Warre, lieariiit; this tlute,
(h'ln ui'.idcd with ^'rcat devotion of (iod the Creator, of the J.orde for wlionie
wee live, of till' siinne. and oT other their t,'ods, that they would u'ive tlirin
vietorie a^'ainst their ennemii's, and strength to take many captives, therewith
H ) honour tlnir sacntiees. This cerenionie w,is doone ten d;i
f 'ast: Durini' which t
enne (laves
before till!
the Priest did. sound this tli'ite. to the cinl
that all iniL;ht do this worship in eating,' of earth, and dciiiaund of tluir idol
\v!nt th 'y ph'ased: they every day made their praiers, with their eyi s lilt \p
t ) heaven, and with siyhs and groaninos, as men that weru grieved for tlu ir
Blniies aud otfoucfs.'
m
THE FEAST OF TOXCATL.
425
]ilaco whore Wiis a littli' liill eallcd Aciicuilpan, or
("iiliiilte[)('('. Here K'ft him the lour hcautil'iil iiirls,
whose MKjietv for tweiitv chix.s lie had eiiio\t'(l. lhe\'
ictiinrnig to the eai)ital with all the [jfopli'; thciv ae-
ooiiipiin^ing' the hero of this terrihle tragedy only those
eight attendants that had heen with idin all the yeai".
Almost alone, done with the joys of heauty, l)an(|uet,
anil dance, hearing a hnndle of his Ihites. he walked to
11 little ill-hnilt en, some distance from the road men-
tioned idiove, and ahont a leagne remove,! iVom the city.
He marched np the temi)le steps, not dragged, not
hound, not carried like a connnon slave or <'a[)tive; and
iis he ascended he dashed down and l)roke on everv
sti'i) one of the Ihites that he had heen accnstomed to
])!ay on in the days of his pr(xs[)erity. lie reached the
top: -hy sickening n'i)etition we have learned to know the
rest: one thing only. IVom the sacrificial stone his hody
was not hurled down the steps, hut was carried hy lour
men down to the Tzompantli, to the place of the spitting
of heads.
And the chroniclers say that all this signified that
tliosi^ who enjoyed riches, delights in this life, should at
the end come to poverty and sorrow — so determined are
these same chroniclers to let nothing escape without its
moral.
In this feast of Toxcatl. in the en calle(l lluit/nahuac,
wliei'e the image of lluit'/iloi)ochtli was always ]<e[)t. the
priests made a hust of this god out of tzonlll dough, Avith
[tieces of mi/(piitl-wood inserted hy way of hones. They
ilccoriited it with his ornaments; juitting on a jacket
wrought over with human hones, a mantle of ve'"\' thin
niipii'ii. and another mantle called the thKitnitpinUo,
covered with rich feathers, iitting the head helow and
widening out ahove; in the middle of this stood op a
little rod. also decorated with feathers and sticking into
tile top of the rod was a Hint knife half covered witii
l)I<)()d. The image was set on a platform made of pieces
(it" wood resemhling snakes and so arranged that heads
uud tails alternated all the way round ; the whole hornu
f\
mm
,;l
If \
!
420
GODS, SITKIlXATUnAL BEINC.S, AND WORSIIir.
1)V iiiiiiiv ciiijtiiiiis iuid iiu'ii of war. Pn'loiv this iinaue
•'ind })latr()i'iii a iiimiln'i' of strong youths carried an
ononiioiis shcrt of [)ajH'r resell ihUiij;" })asti'hoar(l, twenty
fathoms Ioiil;'. one fathom hroad, and u HttU' It'ss than an
inch thick; it was snpported hy sp^-ar-shafts arranged in
pairs of one shaft ahove and one heiow the paper, wliile
])ersons on either side of the [)aper htdd each one of
these pairs in one hand. \\ hen the Drooessioii, with
(hinciiiij; and sinjiiiig, readied the en to he ascemU'd. the
snaky phitforin was carefiill\' and cautiously hoisted 141
])y cords attached to its four corners, tlie image was .-ct
on a scat, and those that carried the paper rolled it up
and set down the roll hefore the hnst of the god. It was
Miiiset wlu'ii the image was so set up; and the following
morning every one oilered food in liis own house In fore
the image of ][nit/ilo})oclitli there, incensing also Mich
images of other gods as he had, and then went to oiler
([uails" hlood hefore the hnst set np on the en. The king
l)i'gan, wringing oft' the heads of four (jnails; the priests
od'ered next, then all the })eo[)le; the whole muhitiidc
carr\iiiii" clav fire-])ans and hiirninu' coi)al incense of
every kind, after w liich every one threw his live coals upon
u great hearth in the temple-yard. The ^ irgins painted
their faces, put on their heads garlands of parclu'd niai/.c
Avitli strings of the same across their hreasts. decorated
their arms and legs with red feathers, and carried lilack
pa[)er Hags stuck into split canes. The Hags of tin
daughters of iK^hles were not of papier but of a thin cloth
called fdiKtoac, painted with vertical black stripes. These
girls joining hands danced r(jund the great hearth, upon
or over which on an elevated place of some kind there
danced, giving the time and step, two men. Inning each
i. kind of pine cage covered with paper Hags on his
shoulilers, the strap snpporting which passed, not across
the Ibrehead. — the usual way for men to carry a burden,
--but across the chest as was the fashion with woiiicu.
I'he priests of the temple, dancing on this occasion witli
the women, bore shields of })aper, crumpled up like great
ilowers; their heads were adorned with white featheis,
DEATH or Tin; vxteucalli.
427
tlu'ii" lips iiiid part oftlii' faco wcro sincari'd willi su^iir-
(Miic juice whii'Ii pr()iliic('<l a jK-ciiliari'llrct ovci- the Mai'k
^vitli Avliicli tlu'ir I'accs wcio always ])aiiit(Ml. Thoy
(•;iri'it'(l in their liaiuls jjieccs of paper ealled nuKiKiiKi.rfli,
iiml sc('[)ti'es of palia-wood tip[)od Avitli a black llower
and lia\iiiu ill the lower [lart a hall of hlack leathers.
In dancing' they used this sce[)ti"e like a stall", and Iho
pai't hy which they j;'riis[ieil it was wrappi-d round with
a piijier painted with hlack lines, 'i'he nuisic lor the
ilaiicci's was ,suj>[)ruMl hy a party of unseen nnisi(!ians,
whii ni'ciipii'd one ol'the ti'in[)le huildinjis, where they sat,
lie that played on the di'uni in the centre, iuid the per-
lt)iiiicis on the other instruments ahout him. 'V\\v men
and women danced on till niiiht. hut the strictest order
aiii
1 decencv Were ni'eserx'ed. and any lewd word (
ly
or
look hrouLiht down swil't punishment Iroiu the ap-
1'
)iiit(
o\-erseer.s.
This least was closed l)y the death of a youth who
liail liccn during' the ])ast year dedicated to and taken
i:iiv of for lluitzilopocjlitli, resend)ling in this the vic-
tim of 'rezcatli[)oca. whose companion ho had indeed
Tl
lis
hn-ii. hut without receivinii' such hiiili lionoi',
Hiiitzilo[)ochtli youth was entitled Vxteucalli, or Tla-
calicpau. or 'reicauhtzin. and was held to ho the iuiaiio
(1. A\'hen the da\ ol" his
iml
it'[iri'seutati\'e of the yn
(Icith came, the })riests decorated him with pa[)ers
painted oxer with hlack circles, and put a milre of
ta.:l('s' I'eatliers on his head, in the midst of whoso
]iliiin('s was stuck a Hint knife, stained half w;iy up
with hlood and adoruetl with red leathers. Tied to his
IKII
ilders. h\- strings nassinu' across
the I
)reast. was a
]i!(cc of very thin cloth ah(»nt a span s([uare, and over
it liniiLz- a little hag. Over one of his arms was thrown
;i \vild heast's skin, arranged somewhat like a maniple;
hells of gold jingled at his legs as ho walked or danced.
1 here xvere two peculiar things coniiecti'd with the
death of this youth; first he had absolute lilH'i'ty of
••iioice reLiardinu' the hour in which he was to die: and
s'l'ond, ho was not extended u
[)ou any
block
or
altar,
428
GODS, SUPEKNATrUAL lUUXfiS, AM) WOUSIIIP.
l)iit ulicii lie Avislicd lie threw liiiuscir into tlic iU'iiis of
ilic i)ricsts. jiiid liiid liis lu-art so cut out. His licud
AViis then liiickcd (tiV !U»d spitted aloiiusidc of tliat of
the Tc/.i'itliiMK'ii youth, of whom wc hiivc; s}>(ik('ii ;il-
i-('iidy. Ill this SMiiic (hiy tho priests made littli' marks
oil childri'ii. ciittiiig thi'iii, with thin stone knives, in
the hreast. stoinaeii, wrists, uiul iK'shy part ol' the arm>;
iiiiirks. iis till! S[)iinish priests considered, hy which tlir
(h'vil shoukl know his own shee[)/'"' The ceremonies nf
the ensuinii' monlhlv Ibstivals liavo ah'oadv heeii dc-
.H'rihed at k'Hiith.**''
There were, hesides, a numljcr of movable Iciists in
honor of tile hi;^hcr gods, tlie celestial bodies, and the
l)atron deities of tho various trades and ])rofes,<ioiis.
Sahiii^un gives an account of sixteen movable feasts.
many of whicii, however, contained no religions ele-
nieiit.^' Tho (irst was dedicated to the sun, to whom ;i
ghostly deputation of eighteen souls ^ is sent to make
known tho wants of the people, and iin[)lore futuiv
I'avors. The selected vi(rtiins were ranged in oiMk'r at
tlie place of sacrifice, and addres.>^od by the priest, who
exhorted them to bi'ar in mind the sacred naluic (»!'
their mission, and the glory which would be tlieii>
n[)()n its proper fiiinilment. The music now strikes up:
amid the crash and din the victims one after aiiotlur
are stretched upon the altar; a few llash«'s of the i/.tli-
knil'e in thi' practiced hand of the slayer, and the eiu-
bas.sy lias set out for tho ])rosonco of tho sini.*^
The sixth, seventh, and eleventh foi^ivals were cele-
brated to (.hietzalcoatl. Tezcatlipoca. and lluit/ilop' btl
iesi)ectividy. Tho public and household idols '
I'f. \m
m
8^ S'lh'ii/iin. Jlixl. Gi'ii., torn, i., lib. ii., pp. 100-11; TurqwvHul
Ituh. tiiiii. ii , i)|). 2ii:i (!; Chti-hicro. stuvUi Aid. thi .l/cx.s/co, toiii. ii
f<" l''(ii- tlif iiumtli Et/.iil(iu;ili/.tii. s( (! tliis vuluuif. pp. IKit-
iiiinitlis 'I'fcuilliiiit/iutii, Hii(Vtfiiiillniitl, and 'I'Iumu liimaco. sc'(
tlrs wiirk. ]\
-S; for X(iciitlliiut/iii 1111(1 Oclipuni/tli, this vi
:iS.')-'.», :ir>l-',): fovTcotlci-o, vol. ii..i>p. ;i;(2-l; for'r.pcijliiiitl, (^i<'<
<liitt/.;iliztli. luul Atciiio/tli, this vdlmiie, pp. :U;t-lI. llU-Ci, 2'.l7-
oli'i-S; for Tititl, vol. ii.. pp. ,'?;{7-S; for Iizcalli, this volniiii\
"' //;.s/. 'i'r;i., toiii. i.. lib. ii., jip. l'.U-7. 2H'>. 'riicri' lire othi
notices of tiicsc nioviililc fciists, \vhi<'h will be ri'fcrrcil to us thcv
o-'' Luti Cusaa, llUl. Apulujutica, MS., cup. elx-wi.
'>•(/.
•■ I'l
i;i; {.
'1
\h>
■ vol.
11
. .f
ollllih
•llolll
1
It
'iin-
t 1,
lip.
•V sc;i
i'.l
1 ;;
ImI
•'I'l"
iV.
MIS( Krj.ANF.ors IT.ASTS.
430
;.'()(ls were at Mivli mmsoiis ilccoratctl. and prcsciitcil witli
(iirriiii,i;s of UkmI. (juails, and iiiccns*'. hiiiiiii: tlu' fcsfi-
viil (»r tlu' ji;()(l of (ire. the tliirti't'iitli of (ho niovahlt?
feasts, various piihrK^ oHicials wore elected, and a i^reat
many ;:rand liaiuincts ;iiven. 'I'l:i' (iftiiiin/i/iia/irJ/!, or
fast ol" bread and \vater.' seems to lia\e iieen one of
till' most imitortant of tlie ino\al)le feasts. Tlie |teo|(It'
invpareil for its eeli'lu'ation, \vliieli took place cNcry
rii:lit years, by a rijiiil fast. l)roken oidy by a midday
Mral ol' water and misaltcd bread. Those ulio olleiideil
(lie '^in\!< ]>y iiejilectin;;' to observ*' this last uere thon^lit
tn expose themselvi.'ft to an attack ol' leprosy. Tlit;
pcoitje indnl,u«'d in all sorts of amusements diiriiii:' tin?
Iioliilay season which sncceedi-d tlu' fast. The mo>t
iute resting;' featnre of the festivities was a bal masipii',
which was snpposed to be attended by all the ^ods.
Tlic chief hon(;rs of the day wvw, howe\'er. reiitlercd
tn ihe Tlalocs, and roimd their elli^y, which stood in
t!i' midst of a pond alive with froiis and snakes, the
ilinict'rs whirled continually. Jt was a jiart of the
c'rciuonies for a inunber of men called )iiti.nit<r(r: lo
'l('\<iiir the re[)tiles in the pond; this they did by each
sti/inn- a snake or a froji' in his teetii, and swallowin.u it
liiadiiallv as he joined in the dance; the one who lirst
Itnlfcd his titbit cried out ti'inmitbantly, " ra[)a. pa[);il'
M\i'ry l()urth year, called .'cn.vilinitl, or 'divine yi'nr.'
;iiid at the be,tiinninj;' t)f every period of thirteen years,
t!u' feasts were more numerous and on a larger scale,
ilii' (lists more severe, and the sacrilici's far <ii'eatei' in
UMuiber than n[)on ordinarx' occasions,**'' I'he entiic
series of festivals may be said to have closed with the
M'lerini To.\ilinol[)ilia. or 'bindini: \\\) of th(> years.'
wliich took place ever\- lil't\-two vears. and marked the
''xpiratioii and renewal of the workls lease of ex-
istence.™
"•''("(•: .,rn. St'ma Ant. tJd .l/i ss/Vo, tniii. ii., p. 81; Suhfuim}, Hist, dm.,
I"i:i. i., Ill', ii., I'l). 77 S, lit") 2IS. Tlii- hist tivi: dnys df the vcii wen-,
II ■ciir'liiiL; to (ii)iaai'ii, ('indj. Mix., fol. K.'U. drvntcil to icli'^iDUs <•( ii inoiiics,
:is ilri'.viiiL; (jf hlodd, siiciirti'i's, ami duDi-i's, but most otlii.r authors statt iliiit
til' V \ViW p,i,sed in (inict iv tircmunt.
''•' Scij tiii.s volume, i>i>. 'i'J'o U.
'ii I
I III I
CHAPTER X.
Ill
lillliliai
GODS, SUPERNATURAL BEIXGS, AXD WORSTTIP.
Rkvencks of the Mexican Tkmplks— Vast ncmber op thk Pi.iests— !MrM-
CAN Sackudotal System— PiiiKsTKssKs— The Oiideus of Tui.max'-.vc.y-
OTL and Tki,po<.;itiliztli — Kklioiol's Devotees— Baptism —CnicrM-
cisiox — Communion — Fasts and Pkxance — BLoon-nr.AWiNo — IIcman
Sackifices -The Gods of the Tauascos -Piiiests and Temple Skk-
VICK OF lIlCIIOACAN — WoiiSHIP IN JaLISCO AND OaJACA — VdTAN AM)
QcETZALCOATI. — TUAVELS OF VoPAN— TuE APOSTLK WlXEPECOCIlA— Ca MI
NEAU Xi'sii.Ain'AcA — The Pkincess Pinopiaa — Wousuip of Costaiun-
TOX — TUEE WOUSHIP.
We hfive seen in the preceding volume that tlie num-
ber of reliii'ious edifices was very great; that in addition
to tlie temples in the cities — and ^fexico alone is said
to have contained two tlionsand sacred buildings — thtMt;
were ''on every isolated hill, along the roads, and in
the fields, substantial structures consecrated to some
tleity." Toniuemada estimates the whole nu'uber at
eighty thousand.
The vast revenues needed for the support and rei)air
of the temples, and for the maintenance of the inuui'u^c
army of priests that oiTiciated in them, were deiivcd
from various sources. The greatest part was supplied
from large tracts of land which were the propei'ty ol'
the chunih, and were held by vassals under certain
conditions, or worked by slaves. Besides this, taxes of
wine and grain, especially first fruits, were levied upon
(WO)"
.iifc.
i.iKSTs— Mnxi-
Tl_\MAXiACAY-
riSM — ClKCUM-
iVINO — IIlMAN
Tkmi'i.k Skk-
\ — VdTAN ANJI
'KCDCiiA — ('a\ i;
OF COSTAIILN-
TEMPLE REVENUES.
431
cnmmiinitlos, and stored in p:riiniirios attached to tlio
tcnipU'S. The voluntary coiitril>utioiis, Crom a cake,
feather, or robe to shives or priceless gems, giveii in \)vv-
foi'iuance of a vow, or at tlie niuneroiis festivals, foniied
IK) unimportiMit item. (^)'iantitie.s of food were pi-ovided
bv the parenis of the children attendinj.?: the sch(U)ls,
iiiid there were never wanting devout women eager to
prepare' it. In the kingdom of Tezcuco. thirty towns
\\\'\\: reipiired to provide firewood for the tem[)les and
palaces;' in Meztitlan, says Chaves, every man gave
four nieces of wood everv fivedavs: it is easv to helieve
I'
11
that the supply of fuel nnist have been immense, whc
wc consider tluit si.v hmidred fires were kept continually
l»la/ing in the great temi)leof Mexico alone." Whatever
siirphis remained of the revenues after all expenses had
been defrayed, is said to have been devoted to the su[)-
port of charitable institutions and the relief of the j)oor;''
in this respi'cf, at hast the Holy Mother riuuch ot" con-
temporary lMn"o[)e might have taken a lesson from her
pagan sister in the New World.
Vm'.\i temple had its complement of ministers to
conduct and take part in the daily servici's. and of
s(M'\aiits to attend to the cleansing, firing, and other
iii'Miial ollices. In the great tem[)le at Mexico there
wcic five thousand priests and attendants.^ tlu" total num-
ber of the e(!clesiastical host must therefore have been
immense; (Uavigero [)laces it at a million, which (h)es
ni)t appear improbable if we accept Tor([uema(hi's state-
ment that there were forty thousand tempb's as a basis
fur Hie computation. It should !)e reiueinbere ! how-
ever, that the sacerdotal body was not composed entirely
' ' Tills Piiehlos, ([IIP ?i los TninploH ile la Ciudatl dc Ti V/.cuco spiviaii, con
I.i fiiCirliDn, y corti^M dc Kolili'. trail ((iiiiict'. . . .y otms (|iiiiiri' riirlilos
. . . .sriviaii Ids otnis scis llli'sps tlrl \nt>, con lo rnisliKi. h las C'usas Itciiies,
J Ttiiiiili) Miiior.' Tnriiiii'iiKKhi. Mnunnj. Ind.. toiii. ii., \u ''''•
'^ Hiippiwl, in Trnuiii.e-CiniijKtits, I'd//., K('rio ii., toiii. v., p. 1(05.
3 Torii'i iiiml'i, Mtnon). Iml., tiiin. ii., j)p. I'il-Ci; I, is I'lisiis, Hist. .1/)')-
/"■)'"''''. MS., cap. cxxxi\. . cxli. ' E' <lit crcilcrsi, die (pic! trattu lii paisc,
c!ic avca ii iioiiic di '/V(i//((//ii//i. (Terra di t;li Dei,) fossi' cos'i appcllita, per
essiivi (li'lle posscsioni de' IVuipj.' Ciarijiru, .'itoria Aiil. dii Mtssico, torn,
ii., p. :! 'i.
* ijuinara, t'onq. Alex., fol. 120.
4^)2
GODS, SLTEllXATURAL BEINGS, AND WOKSIIIP.
of pormaiuMit inonihorx; soino wcro nioroly oiipfajiod for
a certain numljor of years, in fiilfilhnent of a vow inadi^
by theiu.selve.s or their parents; otliers were ohliued to
attend at intervals only, or at certain festivals, the re>t
of their time being [)assed in the pursuit ol' .some pro-
fession, usually that of arms."
The vast iunnl)er of the priests, their enormous wealtli,
and the blind zeal of the peo^jle. all combined to render
the sacerdotal power extremely formidable. The king
himself performed the I'unctions of liigh-pricst on cer-
tain occasions, and frequently held some saci'ed oHicij
before succeeding to the throne. The heads of (Mnu(h
and State seem to have worked amicably together, and
to have united their power to keep the masses in sub-
jection. The sovei"ign took no stej) of im[)()itan('a
withou' first consulting the high-priests to learn whetbcr
the gods wei'c favorable to the project. The peo[)U' were
guided in the same manner by the inferior ministers, and
this inlluence was not likely to decrease, for the pricsls
as the possessors of all learning, the historians and poets
of the nation, wei'e intrusted with the education of
the }outh, whom they took care to mold to their
purposes.
At th(> head of the Mexican ])riesthood were two
supivuu^ ministers; the Teotecuhtli or 'divine lord,'
who seems to have attended n)ore particularly to secular
matters, and the lIueiteoi>i\(pii. who chielly supei'iii-
tended religious aiVairs. These ministers were (dcctcd,
<)stensil)ly from among the priests most distinguished in
l)oiut of birth, piety, and leai'iiing: but as the king and
principal nobles were the electors, the prel'erenci' A\as
doubtless given to those who were most (le\'ott'd to tbiir
interests, or to members of the royal family." Tluy
■'' Sahdiiitn, IlisL (hn., toiu. i., lio. ii., p. 112; Cltir'nicro, Slnrht .1-/. il'l
Afi'ssiro. torn. ii. , jip. .'iO-?.
•< T(ir(iMin<i(li(, Mdtuin/. Ind., toin. ii., pji. 175 7; Clailijvn. Sl(>nii .1''.
(/(/ .l/css/iY), toiii. ii., p. ;i7. Sa'..iis,'un calls tliciii (.Mutzalcoatl 'Pcdli /tluhia-
<M/.(|i.i, wild WHS tilso hii,'h-i)ri<st nf lliiitziln]i(iihtli. iiiul I'luliM'tliiiiiiu'a/.iii:!,
wliii was Tliiliif'H chief piicsf : tlicy were equals. lUld electeil liom the liin:.t
perfect, witliout reference til liirth. Hit. h'cii.. toiti. i.. lih. iii., pp. '-'''• '•
'{'111 re are tun iiicdusistt ucies 111 this, the only s(roiii^ cdutraciiciii'ii ef liiii
statement uf the ahu\c, us Well a.i several oilier authors, who form the ati-
siiir.
frifraufd for
I vow niinlc
obliqued to
Is, the \v>t
some pru-
oiis wealtli,
(1 to render
I'lie king
ie«t OH cer-
lered olllce
of (Mmr.h
L^etlier, iiiiil
ses ill .siil)-
iiiip()i't;iii('9
I'll ^vlletiler
people were
iii^ters. and
the pi'ieyi.s
s and [)oets
iication of
I to their
were two
ine lord,'
to H'Cidui"
■ supei'i li-
re eleeted,
u'liislu'd ill
kiiiLi' and
reiH't' \\;i>
'd to liirir
}■■'' 'Hh'.v
Unrhi A,.l. 'id
(1. Slov'ni A'L
'r<Mili'/.llulii;i-
'tl;Uii;uM/i|Ul,
rma the iiiii;4
i., vp. •:;!; 7.
iiilMll nf I'ai!
iovM the .l!l-
MEXICAN PRIESTHOOD.
433
\\er;> distinmiished l)v a tuft of cotton, falllini' down
111 1011 the JMvast.
Ti
leir rolK'.s ot cei'einonv varie(
I with
the nature of the god •whose ie.sli\al they eelehi'ated,
I'l Tezeiu!o and Tlaco[)an, the pontifical dignity was
always coiiierred upon the second son of the king. The
Totoiiacs elected their pontiff iVoiii aiiu)ng the six chief
il'll'St.-
() seem to have risen from tlu; ranks of the
leiiteotl monks; the ointment used at iiis consecration
was comiiosed partly of children's blood. High as \vas
the high-priest's rank, he uas not hy any means e.v-
(iiipt from punishment; in Ichatlan, for instance, whert'
lie was elected })\ his fellow-iiriests. if he violated his
Mtw of celihac}' he was cut in [)ieces, and the bloody
iiiiiis were given as a warmn
g to 1
lis successor,
Next in rank io the two Mexican high-priests was
the Mexicatlteohuat/.in, who was apjiointed by them.
jiiid seems to ha\e been a kind of A'icar (leiieral. His
tliilies were to see that tlu' worship of the gods was ))r()[i-
erly observed throughout the kingdom, and to su[)ervise
t!n' priesihood. monasteries, and schools. His badge of
IfC
was a i)ag oi incense ol [leculiar slia]
PC
T
wo
ies;
coaijjutors assisted him in the discharge of his dut
tlie llirit/uahuacteohuatzin. who acted in his place when
I the 're[)antiM)huat/in. who atti'uded
('oiKjuered provinces retained
iu'cessar\'
cliiellv
to tl
aiK
le
diool-
tliority iif my li'xt: first, Siihumm culls (he lirst lii'_;li-]iriist (^iict/.ali'oatl
1/(^111, a iiaiUL' whii'h scarcely accords wiili llic till • of lliiit>:i-
Tidt. ctl
li|i'ifhlli's hi^'l!-|iri('st ; sccmully, he ii^iiorcs the almost uiiaiiiiiKius cviilcni
of 'ilil writers, wiio state that the latter olHce was liereilitary in a certain
Al Siuinno roiit'ilice Uamaliaii eii 1 i len^'lla mexicaiia'Tehuatecolt.'
lii^l. .l/)o/oi/e7i(V(, JIS,. caj). cx.wiii, ' i'^l mayei' de Imlos qi
iti^iii -t.
hllpeilail
iihtli.
■'/, I 'iti,
M
fol. :tia. liut 111
'f the 'I'lasciltec hij^h-jiriust. ' A los sti)>reiiios Sacevdnti
.11;
its till' tilh
iiiiauaii ( >i
iiiti-jiia leuj^jua I'apas.' .I'O.s^*/, ll'tsl. dv !'t^ I'm/., p. itl) J. See also (_'/,'i-
f>. Iltjiiiiii't, in rirniiii.r-CiDnpiiiia. \'"i/., si'rie ii., tom. v.. ]ip. lillll 1.
/,
•7 .1/.,
Tm-iiKi iiiitil'i, }[iiii'inj. Iml., tom. ii., \>\i. 177,1 Ml; Cluri'ii r(
tun
ii., p. 11; //.
IHsl. '.'
dec. iii., hi), iii.
Is ' '(.sirs', llisl. .l/)o/i)i/i /id/, MS., c:i|i
SInrhi A,, I.
qi. XV.;
Sail
I'liiil,
Hist. Ifvit., torn.
PI). L'lS 1!). tirasseur do Honr-
h')ini,', llif<t. Xnt. dr., tom. iii., p)). 51'.) .",1, wiiost^ chief antliDrity is Ih .-
iiiiidi/,, and who is not very clear in his descrii)tiim, holds that the M. xi-
<illii'()liiiat/iu was the siiprem- |)riest, and that he also hore the till
■leealiili, the rank of
cluet 1
f priest of Hull/
1)1
oehlli, and was the ri^lit
lian 1 minister of the kinL;. (.^n t/aleoatl's hiL;h-|)riest he places ne\t
niilv. 1) It iiiitside of tlii; jjoliticd sphere. Oa ime pat;e he slates thai tl.'"
iii^'h-priesl was 1 1 cti'd by llii; two chief lucu iu the hierarchy, and uii au-
\vL. 111. -M
4yi
GODS, SUPERNATUPiAL PEIXOS, AND WOPiSIHP.
control ovor tlioir own relijiioiis alTairs." Anionjf otlicr
(liuiiitnr'u's of the dnircli may ))e iiK'ntioiicd tlio Topil-
tzin. who held the heroditarv ofHce ol' siicriliccr. in
wliich ho was aided hy (ive assistants;"^ the Thliiui-
miloltecuhtli, keeper of relics and ornaments; the Onic-
toehtli, composer of hynnis; the ^ria[)ixeat/,in, miisicul
director; the Epcoa([uacnilt'/in, master of ceiTmonies:
the treasurer; the m;ister of tem[)le properties; and a
nunilier of l(>!i.ders of special ceU'l)ra,tions. IJesides thoc,
every ward, or parish, had its rector, who perfoniicd
divine service in the temple, assisted hy a numher of in-
ferior priests and school-children. I'he nobles kept pii-
vate chMj)lains to attend to the worshi[) of the lioiischoM
gods, which everyone was reipiiivd to lia\e in his dwell-
ing'." The statement of some writers indicate that the
body of priests attached to the .service of each ,u()(l. w;h
to a certain extent independent, and uoverned h\ it-*
own rides. Thus in some wards the service of llwit/.i-
lopochtli was hereditarv, and held in hiuher estiniitiou
than any other.
otluT he ilistiiK'tly implies tliat tlio kiiiL; niado tlio hi^lior ii]i]"iiiitiiii iit< in
ordrr til ciiiitriil the fhurcli. Tho saciiru'iiij,' iivicsl, wIkiiii lie i\ui. nilv
h(il(is ti) 111' thr siuiic lis the liit,'li-iiricst, he invests witli the vurk u( !4iiii rul-
;....; 1 1...;.. ».. ii... n '
issiiiKi, ;iiiil heir tij the thrciiie.
L in II HI iin* iiin'in.
^ Cii'liajiil Kt;iti'S that a tenure lieariuL,' the name (if tlie penple, or tin ir
chief tiiwu, was erected in thi^ Uk tropnlis, and attended by a liody of juie-ls
brdnLjht frum tho jiroviiiee. hisnirsn. p. 11(1. Tliis may, liowivi r. he ,i mi —
interpretaiiun (if 'J iiriineniadii, who yives a desoiiptiim cif a liiiililiiii,' atta'-liid
to the ehief temph' at Mexieo, in wliieh the iihils of Muhjimati d penple wire
kept inipisoned, tu prevent them froni aidin;^ tluir wor^liipers to ngaiu
their liherty.
'" Some authors seem to associate this aiWco with tliat of tie- iioiititl. hut
it ap]i''ars tliat the lML;h-priest merely iiiani,'urati d the sacr.ticis on spcijl
oce isions. 'Era esta vna diunidiid silprema, y eiitre ellos tenida en nnu Im,
la (pial se hercdana eomo 'osa de mayiini/.L;o. id ministro (pic ti nia cilci'i
<le matar . . .era tenido y rencreiieiado como supreme Saicrdote, o Puntiti ■• .'
Arostd. Ifisl. lie l((S I'ml., p. 3oJ. • l",l'a como decir. el Sumo Saceldnlr, .d
qual, y no a otro, era dado est(^ oticio de alirir los Homlin s por los pi . li .-.
. . . .sicmio co'iiunmente los hennhr'is. de este I'atrimonio. y sucrte iv li -i-
nstiea, los pri iioi;enitos.' Toriiin nunhi. Mutiiirij. Iinl., toni. ii., ]i. 117. il i.-i
difficult fo ill r ide upon the inlerpretatinn of tliese sentences, 'riie c\pri ■--
siein of his luin^' 'held or reverenced as po)iti(l" certainly indicatis tli;it :iii-
other priest held the office, so dors tli' sentence, 'it was iidierited hylr
li;st-l)orn' of cm'taiii families, lint the phr.ise. ' 1 1 Sumo S.iciidote, nl ipi;;!
y no ,'i otro, era dado este oticio,' jmints very directly to the hi_;h pi'i' si .iS
the holder of the post.
" T'lniHi'vuvUi, Minnvq. hd.. torn, ii., pp, 17S-0; Clm-l'ii'm, Sli'ri'( .1"'.
<h'I ^fl•^:si'■ll, torn. ii.. p^i. ;t7-'.>: S'lhitiiitii. //i.sf. ^r()(., tom. i., lib. ii., pii. 'il5-
'Jij; />'/i(.si, ((/' dt Buurbourj, liitit. Xut. Co:., tom, iii., p. 551,
ME.vICAN riJIE.VrESSE.^.
■!.■.•
oiutim lit-; in
lie r\lii. lillv
k of L'liH r;il-
Tlie distintruisliinii: dress of the onliiiary prie><t.s was a
black cotton clotli, iVoiii live to six i'ei't s(|Uiiri>, which
liimg iVoni the haclv of the head lilce uveih Their hair,
v.liich was never cut and frequently reached to thi>
kiu'cs, was painted hhick and hraided with cord; (huiuL;
iiiMiiy of their long fasts it was left unwashed, and it
was a rule with some of the more ascetic ordei's never
to cleanse their heads.'" ]leed sandals protected their
feet. They iVetjuently dyed their hodii's with a, hlack
mixture made of ocotl-root, and painted themselvis
with ochre and cinnahar. Thev hathed every niiiht in
])i)iids set ai)art for the pur[)ose within the teni[)le en-
closure. When they went out into the mountains to
sacrifice, or do i)enance, they anointed their bodies with
a mixture called fcojuiffl, which consisted of the ashes of
jioisoiious insects, snakes, and worms, mixed with ocotl-
soot, tol)acco, ol()liuh(|ui, and sacred water. This (ilthy
compound was supi)osi'd to be a safeguard against snake-
ites, and the attack of wild beasts
acred otlices were not occupied hy males only; fe-
males held positions in the temples, though they were
I'xcluded IVom the sacrificial and hiiihei' ollice;
Til
manner in which they were dedicated to the temiile
scliool has heen alri'ady described." Like the Houiaii
vestals, their chief duty seems to have been to tend tlie
sacivd fnvs. though \\\oy were also re(|uired to place the
meat offerings upon the altar, and to make sacei'dotal
^e^tlnents. The punishment inllicted u])on those who
^i()lated their vow of chastity was death. They \\vvi.\
tli\i(led into watches, and during tlu' performance of
u' a,
til' ;il.;ii(K)ii 1)1
III llnlllln'o. . .
f'Wq. M'X.. fill. ^2.'! i. He (loscrilirs tllc dress us ' viia l(i)i;i
uicii cstnclia. y liir^,'ii, y fiiciiiia viiu inaiita [mr ciiiiii iHHnlaila
'li
1.
(liiis frstiual
UcLii'ii las iiienias, ' etc.
Halt s, y II
iialKlii sil
1 ^;la 1
naliilaila ili.'
II (7,
trhjtra,
Sl,„;„ Ai,l. iJd Mr
torn. ii.. i<]K :i'.i 10; . I. •.->//, I/i-l. -/.•
?''< Vid , pp. ;!(!:» 71. Hvassiur ilr lioiirliiMiiL; thinks tliat tl;r ti oji.itli w.-s
tint
'iutniiMit iisi'd at the CDiiscriatinii ut' llir liiLrli-piiist, liiit it is imt
pi-i pm-atiiiii w I
rvcil iiKiiils aliil invaliils as liii<ly ]iaiiit, Woiilil Im
I'l'l'ii' d til thi' licails Mild iif hiLili-prii'sts iiiiil liiii^s. IH>t. .\iil. I "u\, tmn. iii.
\> ■> iS. Mvt ry ])nistly ailiiniiiHiit liad, dniilillrss. its mystic iiicaiiiiii,'. 'I'lii'
cnsiDiii iif piiiiitiiiL; tlir Imdv Maik was lirst duiiu iu lunioi' of tlu; j^ml nf
ll.ijrs. /;„/„,
/./.
bcu Vol. ii.
p
in
211'. -i-, tt SllJ^.
436
til
GODS, Sn'EllN'ATrilAL BEINGS, AND WOKSIIIP.
(list;
nice
It'll" unties wvw I'oquu'L'il to kccj) iit !i proper (
from the in;ile ;is,-;i!^tiiut.s, iit whom they did not even chiiv
to ^liuiee/'
01' the .severul relijiions orders the most renowni'd for
its stuu'tity uas the Tliimiixeacavotl, which uus eoiiM'-
erated to the service of C^iiet/.aleoatl. 'I'lie sn[)erior (4"
this order, \vho was named after the god. ne\-er deiiziud
to issue from his seclusion except to confer with the kin:..
Its memhers, called tbDiincdniii'i, led a verv ascetic lil'r.
li villi;' on coarse fare, dressing in sim[)le black rohes. '
and ])erlorming all manner of hard work. They bathed
at midnight, and kept watch until an hour ortwobefoic
dawn, singing h\inus to (^iiet/.alcoatl; on occasions some
of them would retire into the desert to lead a life of
jirayer and penaiu'e in S(ilitnde. Children deilicated to
this order At'erc distinguished by a collar called ijniiiuiO.
which they wore till their fourth \ear. the earliest wi^-
it which tlu'N" were admitted as novice;
The I
eiiiak>
A\
ho joined these orders were uot m-cessarily viruiib
lor
h seems tnat married women were ailini
itted.
The ordi'r of Teljiochtili/.tli. 'congregation ol" yoiiui:
men," was composed of youths wlu) li\ed with their pa-
rents, but met at sunset in a house set a[)ai't for tin in.
1o dance and chant hymns in honor of their }»atron goii,
Tezcatlipoca. Females alst) atleuded these meetings.
and, according to n'j)ort. strict decorum was maintained,
at least while the sei'\ices lasted."^
Acosta makes mention ot" certain ascetics who dcdi-
<\ited themselves lor a year to the most austere lil'e:
r. T<
'iiniufmnila, Monani. Tn'h. toiii. ii.. jip. 1S!)-:II: Siih
t iiii. ii., iili. vi., i<\>. 2SS M; M'll'nini^i, llisl. Imii
i
'iiiiiii)'.
/>>
tciiii. i., \\\). iy.i-i. ' Susti'iitribiiiisi' (1(1 trail !J() dc sus luai
jiiulrcs y imriciitt^s.' Mcuilict'i, Hist, hrhs., p. 11)7.
m.st.
Tiali:
iiali fU Ills cahi (;as coronas I'diiio
fravl(
ll,:ll(
cro/ido liusta media onja. v mas larj
. ra (Ic trciUj'adii K- atai
llr
o jior I
1 ciilodrillo liasta la
ll'isl. U
tic
'" (.'lavi^'iTD (iss(>rts that at thi> au;i' of two tlic Imy was cousi crated t<i tli<'
irdcr of Ihtinni'uzfiuintl by a cut in tlic lireast. and at seven li<
adniitti
!^li>)in Aiit. ilfl .iii>.^'.-\ <oni. ii., ji. -11; Mnldlhiin, Hist. Im/i'is. in Ifuhaiol'i,
('■il. ill- l)"i\, torn. i.. )). 5:!.
!•* Tiiriiunini'hi. Mnniini. Iiiil.. torn. ii.. pp. I'JO-t. Wlietlier tliis decoruiu
was ])reserved after tile ailjoarnnieut of the meeting, is ii point which soiiio
wr.teis arc iuclilicd to doulH.
rj:r.iGiors devotees.
■
111 _v asslstcil tlio ])ri('sts at tlic lioiirs of iiiecii.'-inu'. ami
ilivw in
icl'. lilood iVoin tlu'ir liodics in sacrillcL'. '11
i''\'
ilrcsscil ill white nthcs and lived 1)\' Ix'Li'^in'j.".''' ('aniar::()
ivt'ci's to a similar class ol' [H'liitciits in Tlascala. wlio
I'liUcd tlicnisclvcs lliintiir- iihi^nc, ;nid soudit to ol)laiii
ili\iiu' i'avor hv passiiiii' IVoiii tciniilc to tciiiplc at ni:.:l:t.
ciirrvinji' pans ol' lire iii)on tlu'ir heads; this tliev keiit
uj) t'oi' a year or two. dnrin|L!; which time they led a, very
strict life.-" 'IMie Totonacs had a very strict ^-ct. limite<l
ill iiiimher, devoted to Centeotl. to which none were
iidiiiitted hilt widowers of irre[)roacliahle chariicter. who
liud passed the a,u'e of sixty. It was they who miide
the historical and other paintiniis from which the lii;ih-
pi'iest drew his discourses. TJiey were much res[)ectcd
the iK'onle. and were ai)i»lied to h\
tl
I'l'
vice, wliicn they pive i:ra\ely. s([ua
•1
itted
clas.^es lor ad
illion tlieii
liaiiiiches and with lowered eyes. The}' dressed in
ins. and ate no nie.'it.
ild
le cnildren. who were all reiinired. sa\s
11
Las (
asa-^.
to attend school hetweeii the a,^es of six and nine, ren-
dered valiiahle assistance to the priests hy performing'
the minor duties ahoiit the teni[)le. Those of the lower
hool performed much of the oiitsido lalior. sncl
I a-
I'Mi'iyiiii!' wood and drawin,Li' Avater. while the sons of the
iieliility were assigned hii:her tasks in the interior of
the hnildiii,Li'."
Thi' (hiily routine of temple duties \v;is performed hy
)f priests, who relie\cd each oilier at inter\;ils
nnilK'S (
■\v lionrs or (la\s.
Tl
le ser\ ice
whicll cliiell
'•)ii'«i<icd of hymn-chantin'i' and iiiceiisi'-hiiriiiiiL;, \\;is
1 cri'oiMiUMl four times each k\\\\ . at daun. noon, sunset,
iiiul midniuht. At the midiiiiiht service the priests
<h-ew hlood from their hodies and hathed themseKcs.
le SI
111 received oilerings of tpiails four times dii
I'll
i
I'' nUi. ,Iohifi Vml. pyi. 311-'2.
"" llisl. VV'M- , ill Xdiii-rU' s Aiimihs ill's Vol/., IStj.'i, tuni. \ci\., ])\k
■'' Lis r,/.sv(.s, //;.s7, . l/,,./,,;/../;.-,^, MS., ciii. ('xwii.; .\h„'lll '. ir,.-l. K>
/...'„ t
l.ns i\
v's. UUI, .1/
-(\n, MS.
UUl. li., Jl|l, lb,]
cup. CWXIX.
ihl, .1/..
•i;'.s
GODS, SriM-.KNATrUAL UEIXCIS, AND WoltSIIIl'.
the (1:
IV. and li\(> tmu's (liinii'i the in
rl.t.
Tl
lO
priot-
of (^iU't/;il('n;itl soiiluU'il tlii' lioiirs of tlicso uutcli
\\\{\\ sli('ll-trmii[K'ts and di'uins. Thrice ovei'v moriiin
tilt' Totoniic pontilV wmIUmI incciisi' toward the sun
•,\\\i'\' uliicli tilt' I'ldcr pi'ii'sts, who lollowi'd him in
ilK
'coi'diniz' to I'ank. \va\<'d thcif ccnM'rs tliivc time
hcl'orc the principal idols, and once hcl'orc the otlicis;
ilnally, iniH'iisc wa^^ hnrncd in lioiioi' of the })oiitill'
himself. The copal that I'emaintMl was disti'il)nte(l in
h
icai)s nnoii
tl
le \arions
dt;
Later in the daw tli
ami
hii:h-priest delixcred a lectnre hefort' the jiriest,-
and noliles.-' Their pravers were standard compo.-i
tions. learned l»\" I'ote at school;-' while I'ccitin'^' tin
III.
th
ith tl
lev assnmed a scinattni^' postin-e.-" nsiiallv Avi
face toward the east; on occasions of Lireat solenmity
they jirostrated themselves. A te>t was sometinu's ap-
plied to ascertain whether the deity uas disj)ost'il to
res[iond to the })rayers ol" the nation, when oll'ered
Idi-
a iiai
ticuli
pm-i
)( )se
lis was (lone i)y s[)rinKm
ikli
sniiiV n[)oii the altar, and if. shortly afterwards, thi'
foot-i)rint of an animal, particnlarly that of an cauK'.
was found impressed in the sniilV. it was i-eiiarded a- a
mark of divine favor, and ureat Avas the shouting win ii
till' priest annonnced the anbury.'"'
^lanv rites and ceremonies wore fonnd to e.\i>t
•-' Clitniirrn, Storid A)tt. (Id Mcusico, tmn. ii., p. .39. According; to Toi-iiuc
iiiM(la, tin; iiij^ht soivice w.is imrlly (k'Vutuil tn tin,' god of night. JA',.ri/.j
}nil., toui. ii., p. '2'27.
•-' llisl. Aimliiiictirn, >rS., cup. clxxv.; SiilnKinn, Hist. Gtn., turn, i., li'i. ii.
jij). 221-."), 27."); Afosta, J/isl. ilv lus i'ml., pp. ;iJG. 'Si',i; Ikinra, llisl. '".-.
dec. iii., lib. ii., cn]>. xv.
This Wiis tlio aiis
givon by Juiin de Tovur. in his Hi.4. IihI.. ^IS,
to till' doubts expressed by .Vcostii us to the iintheuticity of the long-win
]iiMyers of tiu^ Aiexieiins. whose inipeil'eit wiitii
i'< jii'odiice oriitions. y/t//'.s' ^^p'lii. CvKij., v
1. i., p. 2fS2.
not well udiipt
III !■
Mn'ili'lu. I fist. /•;<■/(, s'.. p. !):{. Chivigoro, Stnna Ant. del 3Trssico.Um.
ii., p. 2t. certainly siiys: 'Taceano le loro ])regliieie conmnenionfo inginnc-
eliione,' but we are told by Sahagun and others, th.it when they approai-lH il
tile deity with most linniility, namely, at tlu' (•r>nfessii)n. ascpiatting pi'siii'U
W.is assumed: the s:
line was I
lone when tlitv d>'liveri il oratiiui;
'I'l
e-t sign of adoration, aecunliiig to Caiiiargo, was to take a handfiil of i.iitU
d gr.ass and eat it; very similar to the manner of talving an oath or lh ■ '-
'J a superior, which cousistfd in toiicjiiiig tlii> liand to the grouiiil and lli' n
]'Ultin'_; it to the lips. Jlist. Tl'i,l\, iu At
xci:s.. 11. 1«^.
-- lb.
die
AhhuI'S ihs V<y., lM:i, I' ui.
n; tu TilV'lllr-
;ht. J/..-"7.
BAPTISJI AM) CJIK r:M(ISI()\.
■IVJ
aiiuMiL:' the ci\ili/.od luitioiis ol' Auicricii that wcri' very
>iiiiiliir ti) ccrtiiiii others ohservt'd hy .lews iiiul Chris-
ti.iiis ill the olil U()i'l(h The iiMiiiinenihle siiccuhitor.s
Mil the oriiziii of tlie JihoriLiiiiiil iiiliiihitaiits of the lu-w
wurM. Ol" at least on the origin of their eivlli/iitioii,
ha\e not neglected to ))rinL:' lorward these eoincidciices
--there is no uood reason to supiiose them anuhing
else in sii[ij)oi't of their Aarious theories.
The cleansing virtne of wati'r wonld natnrally snggest
its aihiptahility to the purilication of spii'itual stains;
the priests and ascetics, iilunging at niidni^iht. uith
their self-inllicted wonnds unclosed, into tiic icy
jiDol within the tenii)le inclosure, had this end in
\\v\\- ; there is therelore no cause to uondci- that
haptisni developed into an estal)lished I'ite. The fact
that infants were ba[)tized immediately after hirth,
]iii)\rs that these peo[)le heru'Sed, with the ('hri,>
tiaii-
an(
M
ews, that sin is iidierited; but this, to mv
thinking at least, does not necessarily show that any
coiiniuiuication or connection ol" any kind evci- took
jihicc or existed ))etween the inhahitants of the old
world and those of the new. They saw that life was
not all liap})ines.s; they saw that a man's sullrring
liciii us at his birth; they were peculiarly a|)t to rc-ard
vwvy misfortimo as a diri'ct visitation of the oH'i'nded
,i:im1s, whose anger they continually deprecated bv prayer
Mild sarrilice; how, then, could they help but beliexe in
tile inherency of sin — in the visiting of the sins of the
fiitliii's upon the children — while the sull'ering entailed
upon irres[)onsiI)le infamy was continually beibre them?
The rite of circumcision has been the main-stay of
tlie uunierons theorists who have attempte(l to ])rovo
that the iiati\e Americans are descended irom tlie .lews;
hilt with the same evidence they may be proved to be
iloceiideil from the Callirs. the South Sea Islanders, the
I.thlopiaiis. the l']g\ptians. or from any Mohaiiiiiiedan
l'<'ti[)K'. who all either ha\'e jiracticed. or (b) now prac-
tice ciivumcision.-'' Brinton thinks that the rite was
-'~ Al ilii' |ircsiiit iliiy till' riti' of ('ircuiiicision may liu t
Ulibuikt u liu.j from Cliiua tu the Caiic of Good llo^ie.
nicK
lal
liiiiftt ni ail
i;!ifi
I I
no
or)!):-;, srpEPvNATrR.vL r.r:iN( s, axd worvSiiip.
1
)]•()
lul.b
y ii s)iiil)()lif; rcntmciiition o
f tli<> lusts of t!
Ilcslir"' but. as it would Im' diHiinilt to liml a- uioiv li-
centious riice than tlif Ainci-ican. this suit[)ositi(iii i'^
unsatislactory. After all. \vli\' need we |iro[u' aiiKniu
the iV(M»ss(s of an ohscuiv cult lor the nieaninj:' mimI
oiii^in of a custom which may havi' had no reli^ioiH
ideas connected with it? We know that several of tlic
nations of the old world practiced circumcision nicivly
for purposes of cleanliness anU convenience, why nut
also the Americans?
A rite, analogous in some aspects to the Christiiiu
connnunion. was ohserveil on ccrtiiin occasions. Tlins.
in the fifteenth month, a dough statue of lluit/.iln-
pochtli was l)i'oken n[) and distrihuteil anions' the nieii;
til
IS ceremonv was called tiiu^ndio. meanin
VI -th
aten.' At other times, sa<'red cakes of amarantii-
sei'iis
and 1
ione\'. were s
tuck
upon niaguev
■thor
and <li.-
trihuted. Menilieta states that toi)acco was eaten in
honor of Cihuacoatl. The Totonacs made a doiiL:!
I ol
lot Ml
tirst-fruits from the tem[)le jiarden. /'///. and th'
of three infants sacrificed at a certain festisal: of this
the men ahove twenty-five years of a^uc. and the woiiirii
ahove sixteen, p.artook every six months; as the (loiiuh
hi'came stale, it was moistened with the lu'art's hlooil of
ordinary victims.'*"
alrea<lv described.''^
The rite of confession has been
Fastinu: was ob.served as an atonement for sii
we
as a preparation for solemn
festivals. A
n oritiu;n'\-
i-^
consisted in abstaininir from meat for a period of iVoiii
one to ten Awx':^. and takiuLi' but one meal a day. at
niMni; at no other hoiu' niiiiiit so nnich as a drop ct"
water be touched. In the 'divine \ear' a fast of eii^litv
(ta\s w
as observe(l. Some of the fasts held by tin'
priests lasted one hundred and sixty days. and. owiiii:
to the insullicient food allowed and terrible nuitilation.-
?'-» .V////(s. p. M7.
■I'l 'rnrijifi'iiiitln, .\finnf(]. TikL. torn. ii.. p. s:!; MiikVuIh, Hist. E/o., ip.
lOS-!); Liis Ctt.iii.-i. //is/. .l/(!i/i<./,'7(i'((. MS,, caji. <-l\xv. ; h'.fjiU'-'ic'inii ,1,1 i,., In-
T l!''r'i'iifi-lii'm- ii!<U, in Kiii'ifilniniicjli't; .1/(,c. Antiq., Mil. v., [i. l:i:i.
^' tSuu this volume, pj). 3biU— 1.
lASTS AND rENANX'E.
Ill
]ii';icti<M^(l, tliosc loiii:!' feasts not iiiilV('(|ii(Mit]v I'csiiltcd
t;i!;illv to \\\i\ (IcVotiTS. Tllc Ii'lLili-pr'u'st soilli'tillics set
a sliiiiiiiu' c'XiUMpIe to his siihordiiiiiti's hv noiii^:;' into the
moimtaius iind tlicrc [tiissiuu; sevenil moullis. in iM'iTcrt
siilituiK'. ^M-iiNinLi', bm'niiu'; in.ix-nsc, (IniuiiiLi' blcMxl IVoiii
Ins hoily. iniil sn[)[)ortii.'j' lilt' njion nncoola'il ni.u/.c.'-'
Ill T(M)tiliiiiu;iin. I'onr priests nmU'rtook a fonr u-ns'
|M'iiaii('('. whicii. if strictly observed, entitled tlrin to be
r.':^arile(l as saints forever after. A tliin niantle and a
l)iv('(tli-cloiit were all the dress allowed tlicin. no matter
hat the weather minht he; the hare <:roiind was their
w
only bread, ii stone their softest ])illow; their noonday
and only meal was a two-oiinee eak«'. ami a small bowl
of |)orrid,iie made of meal and honey, except on the
liist oi" each month, when they were allowed to take
jai't in the j^eneral biiii(|iiets. Two of them watched
y alternate ni^iht, drawinu^ blood and jirayintj;'.
vy twentieth day they passed twenty sticks throHLih
the upper part of the ear: and these. (Jomara sdlemni;
a>-sin'es ns. were allowed to accnmiilate from month t;t
iiiiiiith. so that at the I'lid of the four yeai's. the ear
li''ld four thousand three hundred and twenty sticks,
which were burned in honor of the gods at the e.\pii'a-
tioii of the time of penance.'''
lllooil-di'awinu; was the favorite and most common
laoile of e.\j)iatinLr sin and showin,:^' dcNotion.* ('haves
says that tlu' )U'oj)le of Me/titlan drew blood e\-ery live
days, staining pieces ol' paper with it. and olVerinu' them
111 tilt- Liod.'" The instruments \\:<('^\ '\\\ ordinary scarili-
••atiou wvvi' mauiie\-thorns. which were otVereil to the
i'lol. and afterwards burned, but for i
nore se\'ei'e dis-
''■'■ T'l-fpinnnil'i. .]fonm-q. /»'/.. tnm. ii., iip. "Jl'-'-ia; .l<v),-.7'(, ///>7. ih' A/s
Y"l., ]i. :n:t: Sidifiiinn. Hht. <ii'ii., tmu. i., lili. iii.. pi). "27") H.
■" ''"/"/. .lfi',1'., fol. aaii. Siiiiui of th'-so sliclis were thickt-r than (i tiuL;i'V,
' y iiiivis, foinn el taiimrio lie I'li l)iMi;i).' ' l-'.vau i^ii nuiiicru il^' (|aatri>;iiii-
t IS.' rnr(/iiiiiiii<l(i, Mmcirtj. Ii((l., tiiiii. ii.. jiji. li)2-;i; Mi>lii!iii\ii, Ill^L. Imlhis,
ia ['■■r.liiilri'tfi, Cul, il,_' /Aic., tola. i.. pp. I'll-.i.
^^ I! 'Iiliiiti, ill T'rwni.f-i'Diiip'ins. I''.'/., st'ric ii.. toiii. v., ]>. :!' •"). '\']io
jr. \icMii jiriosts pi'vfoniii-il this sacrilico fvcry iivi' ilays. Kxiibiii'itinn '>/ Hi"
' ■ •/'.!' \''ili,-'niiif:, in Ivii'ishiirntrih's .]fi;r. Aiitl().. vul. vi.. ]i. li_."). ' ])c la s :ii-
!-''•' ■ 'I I ■ sa ■ahaii ili> las i)aiti'S di'l Cni'i'po cii caiia pi'oviuri.i t uiali iliu iiUttj
C' liiuuinv.' Las Vunas, Hid. Apulnj-UtM, ilS., c.ip. cl.vx.
i i H
i M
ill
(UJDS, SlTEUNATUiaL IJEIXCiS, AND ^VOUSIIIl'.
il
(•i[)rm(> i/tli kiiivi's woro iisud. uiid tionl.s or hticks wi.'ici
piisscil tliioii^li the toiijiiK'. cai's. or <i,vuitiils.
The ollcriiiu' most acct'pttihle to tliu Xiilma divinities
UiiH limiiiiii life, and witlioiit tliis no frstiviil ct" anv
ini[M)rtan('(* was ooniploto. Tliu oi'i^in of tlio rit(? ol'
luiiaan sacrilic.i', as connctitcd with snn-woi'ship at k-ast,
(kites haek to tlie earliest times. It is mentioned in tk(>
story of the first ai)i)earancu of tlju huu to tho Mexicans,
wkich i-eiates how that hmiinary rel'used to ])n)('eid
npon its daily cirenit nntil apjjeased by tho saerilice of
certain heroes who had oll'ended it.''"' Some allirm tliiil
human saerilice was (irst intro(hi(!ed In' 'iVzcatli[K)Cii;
others anain say that it was pra(!ticed heforu (^uetzal-
coatls time, which is likely enonjiii, il", as wo are told,
that pi'o[)liet not only preached against it as an alionii-
nation, hut sluit his ears with both hands when il \v;is
even mentioned. Written, or painted, records show its
existence in ItlOl, thongh some nativo writers assert
that it was not praciiced nutil ai'ter this tlato. The
nations that encompass tho Aztecs ascribe the iutio-
duction (tl' human saerilice to the hitter people; a stiite-
ment aiu'epted by most of the early historians, wlm
relate that the first human victims were lour Xochl-
mik'os, with whose blood the newly erected altar of
lluitzilopochtli was consecrated.^*^
The number of human victims sacrificed annually in
^lexico is not exactly known. Las Casas. the ehauipioii
of th(Miatives, places it at an insijiiiiticantly low li^;:uri'.
while Zumarraga states that twenty thousand were sacri-
3"' Spo this volumo, p. 01.
M Clurliiyii, Storhl Aid. (hi Mnssiro, torn, i., pp. l""<-7. Tonjiitniiula,
however, iiuiitious one I'iirlier fiiicriflco nf some ref met. ny Mexieiuis, «li'i
(lesii'eil to K'uve their wandering countrymen iind setth^ iit Tula, contrary h'
tlie eonunanil of tho f^'otl. MDiuirt/. Lid., toni. ii., pp. ILJ-l'!, "jO. 'On pr. -
tend ([Ue eet usaLju vint do hi province de C'liaU'i) tlans cello do Tliixeallan.'
<'<iin'ir>iit, lli.4. iliix.., in Xounlli's .\nnale.i des I'"//., ISlIJ, Nnn. xeviii., ]'.
11)1); llrn.'iseKr ih' lloiirhour<i, Quuire Liilri'S, p. 'M',]. ' (inetzaleoatle was tliu
first inventor of sacrifices of hnnian blood.' Kxiihtiiaihi)u>j' ('mh'.f I'l.ti'-'inn-'y
in ICiifjsliitrdii'ih'.i l/i.r. Antli/., vol. vi., p. 201. It is conei'ded, l^iwever, hy
other writi rs, that (,>iiet/aleoatl was opjio.sed to all bloodshed. See this vi'l-
lune, p. -JTS, Miiller. AnifriL'unisrln: Urn'Hiiiiita-ii, p. *'rJS, thiuUs that the .\/-
ti'cs introduced certain rites of hniuuu saurilico, which they connected with
olher.s already existing in Mexico.
m'MAN SA( lUriCES.
ii:;
(iccil ill tli(! (Nipitiil iilonc cvcrv year. Tliat tlic iiiiiiilH'r
\v:is immi'iisi' wc cjiu rciulilv lu'ru-ve. wlu-ii wu iviul in Toi-
(|in'iiiiu|ji. Ixtlilxoi'liitl., !»()tiirini. iiini Acostii, tliiit IVnin
,<t'\('iity to eighty tlioiisuiul liiiiniin lHMn;is wvw .sluiij^h-
tfii'il lit the iii!iii}iiiriiti(in of the ti'inple of Iluit/.iloiinclitli,
iiiiii ii proportioiiiitcly liirgo luiiujjer at the otluT e'ck-hra-
tion
S ()
rti
If Kind
Tlic victims were mostly captives of war. and for tlu;
Hole jiiii'[)ose of obtaining:' tliese wars were often niade; a
1;
:v proportion of tin
sa(
riliced, liowe\i'r. Avere <>
slii\('s and (^liildreii, either hoii^ht or j>ri'sented foi' the
jiiirpose, and condemned criminals. Moreover, in>lances
uri' not wantini; of devont [)eoplc oHerinii' theinselM's
voliiiihirily lor the good of the [>eo})le and the honor of
thi' god.''"* Tile greater j)art of the victims died nnder
the knife, in the inannei- so often descrlhed;" some,
lowever, were, as we have seen in
th
le nrecedlliii
voliinu!, hnriied alive: (children were often hnrieil, or
iinniiired alive, or di'owned; in some cast's criminals
were crushed hrtween stones, 'i'lie Tiascaltt'cs fi-eiiiiently
IxKmd the doomed one to a polo and made his body a
target for their speai's and arrows.
It is dillicnlt to determine what reliLiious ideas were
coinie(!ted with the almost nniver.sal practice of anthro-
]ii»phagy. Wo luivo seen that several of the savage
t;ih('s iite portions of slain heroes, thinking therel)y to
inherit a })ortion of the dead man's good (puditii's; the
siinie reason might he assigned for the cannil)alism of
the Aztecs, were it not for tlu; lact that tlu'v ate the
llesh of sacrilicod slaves and children as well as that of
3 Tirijiiiiiinil't, Mmirij. livL, toni. i., p. ISC. ' Eran ri\(l;i auo I'stos
Xiii >s siiiiiilcicliis 111 IS (Ic vciut(,' mil jmr ciniitii.' Id., Unw. \\., ]>. Ii'fi. A
iiii~. Mimtnictiiiu of /iiiii.'ivrui^it, win* dors not ^pfcify tlit'iu us clulili'in. I'ln-
\''i<i;,,st,,i-hiAii\. ltd Missiro, toiu. ii., [). I'.t, Idui. i., p. '!')' ; l.cllU.nnrliHl,
//■>'. I'liirli., ill /uu(/.s/"(Cii(/«//r,s .l/'.c. Aiillf]., vol. ix., p. 'J(1S; Unlnr'nii, I'lid,
p. -■* ' .Vtiiiiiaii (pit? iiiiiii vi'Z ipic piissiiiiiin ilo ciiic'i mil. y <li;i viio ipic t ii
(liiii rsas i)iiiti's t'lU'iou iissl s.icritit'.itlis inas do Vfyiilii mil.' .1 ■a.-iln, llisl. lA'
' '■< )''!'/.. )). :j.")ii. (Tomara states tiiat thtM'oiKpiurors couiitfd l.'iii.ODO skulls
in OIK! sluill-yard uloiif. Chikj. .l/..r., fnl. ]■>■!.
•"^ ' Null fiUMUK iiiai vi'iliiti i .Mcssicaiii sacriiicavo i prnpj Im- Na/ii)iiali, so
n-iu .■nl.ii'i), ell,. |,|.i. li i,ii.,, iiciini |.|.;i|,i, rei (Ii iiiorti'.' I'lacvjuro, Slurhi Atd,
d : Misslci), toiu. iv., p. •J.'J'J. A ratliLr lia^ty iissertion.
^^ Si'u Vol. ii., p. \iv7.
Tl
'
4 It r.oDs, srri:i:yATTT.AL bEiIvGS. and woriSiiir.
^Vill•|•i(ll•s ;;i)'^' iiotalile jn'i'soiis. AVluitcvci" ni;iy liavc
I), '('11 the (ir'.:Mial sinhilicaiici' ol" tlir I'itc it is most jinil)-
al)l(' that liiiaDy the hi^ly. tlu^ essence of which sci'vcil
to I'CLiale the ,i:.>il. mm-, i-cLiai'ded inei'ely as the reiiiaiiis
of a »li\iiie least, aiuh therefore, as sacred loo(L It is
(jiiite itossi!)|e. ho\vt'\'er. ihat reliuious anthropopliaL:\'
;ii"a(hialiy dcLiviierateil into an uinuitural appetitj lor
hiiiiiau ilesli and nothiiii;' more.
I here close tlie revimv of the Aztec <i'ods. T/ike most
of its l»r;uic!ies. this ureat centre ol' Xortli .Vmericaii
mvMiology rests on natural ithcnomena and anthrope-
nior[i]iic croatioiio. with an occasional enenicristic dcvc!-
o[)ineiit or apotheosis, hut is attended l»_v a \vorslii|i --ii
.^aiiLiiiiiiarv and monstrous that it stands out an isojattil
six'.'tacle of the extreme to which fanatical /eal an I
hlind supi'i'stition can iiX). A glance at the (Iivek a;i!l
Roman ni_vth(»lo:zy is sullicient to show how nnich piu'ci'
was tlie Xalnia conception of divine character. The
Xahua .nods did not. like those of (Jrcece. ])lay \\ith
vice, l)ut I'ather ahhorred it. 4V'/catli[)oca is the only
deity that can he fairly compared with the fitful Zius ef
llomei'. — now mo\ed uith extreme nassion, i
V
now 'j:n\-
erne, I l»\- a n(»Me imitnlse. now swa\ed I)\" hi'utal hist.
now drawn on hy a xcin of humor. I'lit the j)oli~-lii' I
(J reek, poetic, relined. full ot ideas, exultinii' in ITn
sti'om:'. heautihd. innnoral nods, and makini!' his art im-
mortal !i_\ his snhlime reja'esentations of them, pri scnts
a plctin-e \i'\-y ditf'rent from tlu' A/tec. ,ihleLiniatic,
hlooijy-mlnded. ferocious, hrokeii in hody an 1 in spirit
worshi',). o'.ershadowcd li\ coinit-
tl
h
i\' the excesses o
ss terrors (
f hi.-
•f tl
le nna^uiation, (iiialai
\'j: <
)ntimiali\'
l);'for;' LVods who fea-t on his tiesh and
d. \
(•Ncrliic
less there was one hi'iuht spot, set afai'olfon the Imri/on.
ujion which the A/tec miuiit look and hope. Lik'' t!ic
Ihahmans. the Ihiddhists. and the dews, he looked i'oi-
wai'd to a new ei'a nndei" a nreat leader, excn (^>uct/:il-
<-Matl who linil promise(l to rdurii from tie Lilowiiii'
cast, hrin.uing' w ith him all the [iros[ii'rity. peace, and
woiisiiir IX :»ii(ii()AiAX.
415
li;i]i|)iiir'ss of his foi'iiicr I'cii:!!. 1'lio Totoiiacs. .■ilso.
Iviiru orone ill lioiivi'ii who plcMiliMl uiiccasiiiL'Jv lor tlinii.
\\itli the urcat goil. and who was uhiinali-i^)- to bring
ai'iii
It a ut'iitk-r era.
Vroi'shij) in Miclioacan. tlioiigh on a smaller scale, was
\ci\ similar to that in Mexico. The niist\' I'orm of a
!ilir(
nie Iiein-j; that hovers thronuh the 'aUei'. heri
a--iii
lies a more distinct outline. 1
lowcNcr
A I'ir>t
(';iii<e. a Creatoi' of All. ;i liuler ol" toe World, who
<to\vs existence, and regulates the ."'"^on
s. IS re-
('i)u:ni/,ed in the god Tuca[)aclia: an invisiMe hein.
whose
hode IS ni
the 1
leaveii a,oo\t'. an ineone<'i\a-
!rllK
■ing whom no image can represent, a mncil'id
to whom the jieopl.' mav hoi.el'idl\' |ii'a_\.'" l>nt
tlif wry beauty and siiiijilieit\' ol" the coneejition ol
ihi- god seem to ha\(? operated against the poj)ularity
el Ins worsliii).
Tl
le iieoiilc nc'deil a less s|i-!ilo\' \ per
Mmiliiation of their ideas, au'l this th<>y found in » "uii-
ciiiicri. I'l'iginally the patioii divinity of the ('hichimec
ml M's of the coiuitry. and by them <'.\aUed o\( i' Xara-
tiiii.:a. the l()rmer head god of the Tarascos. Urassiiir
<K' tloiirlt-turL;' thinks ('nricaneri to be identical with the
lnt'|ii,»ic('< pi'c-
Miii. auil gi\es as his reason that the (
sciiteii their olferings lirsi i- tiiat luminai'y aiid then to
the inferior deities. There is anothci' ooint that secius
to lav.»r this view.
Xarat;
Tl
le iiisiunia of < 'uileaneri ;ind
niua were carried by the priests in tie \an of
tlif armv to inspii'e courauc and coididmce of \ ic"
t'ny. I'efore .netting out on the march a fii'(> was
lighted before the idol, and as the incense rose to
lic;i\rn. tlie priest addresM'd I be uoil of lire, imploring
liiiii to accept the olVering and favoi' the e\pcddioii."
'ill'' image of ( 'uricaneri was profusely at|oiii('(l
Wllil
Jew,
•1^. each one of which reproentt ! a human sucrili
re
la:i'ii' ill honoi' of the god.
^il'iiili- ij Ijlu-if . Il'isl Ciiii'i. .l/r,i'., p. 71: //.
Ifisl. (ini.. i]i r. iii.
■' Hi; Is
!•■ Uiiiirl,n,ivii, H'lsl. \.it, ''('r., toui. iii.. pii. 7'.i-s2. 'I'iii.s un-
til' i jjiv-fs the iiiiuiu as Cuiicawcri
fifi
I
I
<')!
446
00D«, srrnnxATrr.AL nF.ixas, a\]» wonsiiip.
Tli(> pxldcss Xiiratanua. tliongli sooond in rniik. sccins
to liine occiipicil the first [)la('(' in the aiVcclions ol" the
Tii.ras(N)s. in si)it(' ol" the nivtli wliicli associates liri'
iianif with the (lownfall of the native dvnastv. saviiiLi'
that slie transroi'ined their pi'int-es into snakes, hrcaii.-c
tfcey appeared di'unk at lier festivals, and thus aiforded
the (Miichiniees an opportnnitv to seize the sccjitiv.
The priests did theii' ntniost. besides, to maintain hif
])r('sti.i('. and they were sneeesst'nl. as we have seen fioiii
tlie position of the iioddess hy the side of Cuiieaneri. in
the van of tiie army.
Anions- the inf<'rior gods were Arano\ai)a, son el'
Xai'atanii'a, and 'J'aras. from wliom. says Saha'jiiii.
the 'faraseos took theii' name, and wlio (•ori'esj)on(led
to the .Nh'xican Mixeoati. The ATatlalt/incas wor-
shiped Coltzin. snlYoeating Ix-fore liis image the I'ew
Inunan heings olVered to him. The\ I'^vereiwod wry
higldy. also, a great reformer, .^nrites. a high-priej«t,
who preached morality, and. inspired hy a pro])hefic
si)ii'it. is said to have ])repared the people for a heltcr
faith, which was to come irom tlie direction of thi'
rising swu. The festivals of the Periwscnai'o. which
coi'rcsponded to our < 'liristmas. and the /itacuarencuain.
or 'I'l'surrection.' wer<' instituted 1)y ."^m'ites, Thcsi-
idt-as. however, hear tra/X'S ot' ija\ing been 'inipi'ined'
In' th<' padi'es.
The ]))ie.sts of \fi(4u>aoay> exorcised even a greater i^*
ihience oNcr the people tliai» Ihose (>f Mexico. $f) orcUy
to retain this jxmer they apjx'aled t(/ the ivligious side
of" the ]K'0])le s char/t/tcr |>y thimderiiig sermon-- aii'l
so'lemn rites, and U) their affecti</iis hy jiracficing" i;uify
n^- every o|)portim'i'ty. The king hii^nself. wIi/jj )'e paid
I»i><aineial visit to th/' high-j)^*'^ to inaugurate ifjj»#' olVci-
fff/ 'y^' l'irsf-fniit>« xet ;in e\ani|/l<" of' fiomility liv kne^'l-
th'/ l;<'rore the pontiff' an«) r<'verently kis.-' • ' hand,
Tli<" oriests o^ Michoacan (orif^'d a dist^; coiii-
'/ three //rders. at the Jwad o/t wfii' •.
:./u'f^ ij4 Cin'Wneri.^^ 'J'Im^w- *vhoser\ed li
(>•/ .*fl»»»o J^Z/'I'ito C'uiii.)»/'«|iMi/y.' /.i'/imiiii,l, ( rOi. M>i:h<xtfjiin,))\> ,
^V()r>siirr ix jai.isco.
■in
(less X;ir;itfini.;i wcvo. called ii;it(ir<chii. and wwv dis-
tliiLiuislicd 1)\ tlii'ii' sliiiNcii crtm-iis, loiiii' black liaii'. and
1uiii(-< l)(>rd('rc(l with red IViiiii'e/'' Murriaiit- was one of
tlicir pi'ivileiies.
Tlie teni[)le-servico of ^riolioncan was unicli tlie same
a- in Mexi'-o. Ilmiiaii sacridces. -vvliicli seem to liaxc
been introduced at a late |»eriod. weri' jirohalilv \i'r\'
numerous, since Inindreds of Innnaii victims wei'c im-
molated at the I'nneral of a monarch. '\\
le nea!
.I'tlie
-acriliced weri' eaten hv the pi'iests. sa\s Ueanniont. and
this is not nidikely since the Otomi' impnlation of Micho-
acan sold liesh in the jjnhlic market. iVn-in::' seasons
el" droKjiit the Otonn's son,uhi to jtropitiate die lain iiods
Kv sacrilicinii' a viru'iu on the too of a hill."
In -laliseo. several torms of worshi[> appear, each A\itli
't< special divinities. These were mostly uinii of natii-
i;il ■atnres. 'I'lms. the towns ahont ( 'hapala paid (ii\ine
iidiiors to the spirit ol' the lak»'. Avho was represented hy
a mi>--hai>i'ii imai:e with a miniatni'e lake hefore it.
The people of othei' [>laces Inid idols monnted on r
()C|\S,
or rcMivsented in the act of liditiuLi with a nild animal
ni' ujiHister. In /eiiti[)ac and Aca|H)neta the stars were
Imuoii (I with olferiniis of the choicest frnit and llowcrs.
lliliially inn<»cent were the olVerin,<:s hronvht to Idlt/.in-
tcoHi, the child \nA. whose xonthfnl form was reared
U) scvci'al 111 ce
\
n mstance ot apotlieosis occui're(
ill .\a\arit. where the skeleton of a kin;:', enthroned in u
d .li
CUM'. I'eceiVed (|i\ine lionol's
•Viiionji' the temple^ conseci'ated to the \ai'ioiis idoh
iiia\ he mentioneil one ni
dal
isco. wliicli was a stiiiare
Piimid, decorated with hi'east-woik and turrets, to
!.!>
' 'OiiivuMKIiis do flue
tii . "•iui. X
ilcinulns,' savs Ilinra. U'lsl. d
VO. Ill
" II' rnrt, If'ist. l/in., di'i'. iii., lil> iii.. cup. x.; Umiini'inl, (ri'n .M-ihun.
•'. Ms . I. II. '^'1 :i, T'l: Alvijn . Hist. Cu,- /i. ilv ,te>u^, loin. i.. )i|i. HI 'J; /.'/v/.s-
' ;. y/'s(. .V((/. <;i\, tolii. ill pp. ij'.), I'p-l 5, 7'.i-s2; 'I'nn/in hkkOi,
' I iiu. ii., ]). ."'J.'); Ciirliajiil I pilKi.s.i, Hist, .l/ij*., tmn. i.. pp.
it tl
1" siicnhcfs \vcri> ii
tr<iiiui'«il liv KiiiTiiiiii(1iiiy tiil" s. jind
1 was unkuowu to the Tariiscos. 'Sacrilicali.iii ciiji hras.
iii> los liiimlii'fH, aiUKpK' fiiisi'U catitiviis, pciicjin si hi i-
iio di' csclaviis.' S'lli'iiimi. Hist. Uvn., tolii. iii., lib. X., p.
A. ii.. pp. 02U-1, uf this work.
4 IS
(ioDS, SUPEUNATUKAL liEINGS, AND WOltSlIIl'.
I i
I i!>
i
i;
uliicli Mcccss Avas had Iiy a stiiii'case f^ixty ('('ct in Iiciplit.
At each of the lour conicrs was a licarth so arraiijivd that
i\\v siiioki' ficjiii the saei'ed Hre si)iva(l in a dense eloud
o\ei' the temple. Another, at Teul, consisted of ;i stone
l)niidinLi'. fi\e fathoms in lensith, h\- t'nree in hiva(hli,
iuid tiradnally widening towards tiie to[). Two ontraiico.
one at the north corner, the other at the sonth. each
■with live steps, gavi' admission to tlie interior; close Ky
Avere st'veral piles, lormed of the l)ones ot" the saculiccd.
The I'estixals which took ])lace seem to have heen dis-
graced not only hy excesses of the most infamous charac-
ter, hilt hy the most horrihle cruelties, if we are to
In'licvi' Oviedo. who writes of furnaces filled with chaiTcd
human remains. These sacrifices, however, if sacriliccs
they were, whicli were connnon in the noi'th-eastciii
|)aits. where intercourse with Mexic(j had produced
many changes, do not appeal" as wo advance southward.
Not only <lo they entirely vanish. })ut the chroniclers
state that in Colima. which was re[)uteil to have heen
at one time governed hy a very wise [)rince, no outward
woi'shi[) of any kind could he found; moreover, they
liint at an atheism havinii' existed there, restricteil oiih'
li\' moral [)rece[)ts. Jhit the reality of an (jasis of this
characti'i'. in the midst of the most degra(h'd superstition-^
and the wildest fanaticism, is at the least, doiihtfiil. and
the work of the l-'athers seems to he once more apparent.^'
ein-
aiid
The worship of Oajaca hore even a stronger \v>
hlauce to that of Mexico than did that of Michoacaii,
the assertion of some modern writers that hoth nations
have a- common origin seems full} home out hv tlic
records of the old chronicler.s. The array of gods was.
' " possible, ^reati'r. for almost everv feature of the Liraiid.
11
w 1
Id S(
ctiier\ . e\er\" want. e\er\- virtue, even e\t'r\ \ ic
1 • r.
iiniiioiil. t'rnii
MS., ]), '2\V2. U-\U (if ii Snin-i'iiir 1). im
(11, iitui wiUi liiiii nil fv< r viiiiir4 xirtjiii from wlmiii all nun il( -" ( i"l
lonran.
hclicf whicli tli(cliilil-^'(i(l is sail! tn have indinulu'attMl; hut the iic(
Hint
.1" ./
icwliat (■(infuscrl 'lutli as til pliicc aiut aullioiity.
tdln. UK. )
11)7
(1 l\ulilla, '•
.V.
(iillirir
Ai.-n
llisl.(
:\is., p. 8,
lidii ailililidiial iiod'i. Init uivc no ilcscriptioii. \'ill<i-Si>ri"r ij Sitnvhiz. V'A
trn, toiii. ii.. \>
h.il,-l.i
•7(1; -I/cm/o, I fir,
toiii. iii., )). 'iD'.i; T'llo. iu /(•
'I'l'/, iu .'?■'.'(,•.
'/. ilr lhii\. toiii. ii., ]). 'M\'\: Orinl". Hist, 'r n., tuiu. iii., 1)
:. Mx. '.nvj., l>v^'din, toui. Viii., ['[>. i'JG -8.
oiilj,
WOllSniP IN OAJACA.
4-lt)
;;iys Uiirgoa. had one or more patron dritie^. to \vliom
ollt'i'iiiLis wore made on
id I
tlie hoiiseliold altar;
Ins was
csin'cially the case in tlie np[)er district of Mizteca and
Ziipoteca, where the rugged, cloud-capped peaks, dense
forests, hoiling cataracts, and stealthy streams, all tend-
ed to fill the crude mind of the nati\e with a supersti-
tious awe that must have vent. Throu'ji:h all this mav
\)v discerned the vague shape of a Supi'euie Jk'lng. JR'ar-
iiig mtuiy titles, such as I'iyetao I'iyexoo, ' one without
lioing." I'itao C'ozaana, 'creator of lu-ings,' Wichaaua,
• creator of men and iishes,' Co(|ui/,a-( 'hil)ata\a (\)/aa-
iiatao.
th
le sustanier and "overnoi- ol all, and a nui
dtiti
1(K
III' other titles, which merely serve to show how inded-
nite was the position this Invisihle One o('cupi((l in the
iiiiuds of a peo[)le unahle to rise to a definite coi)ce[)ti()n
us eunnence,
an(
I ui'ovelim:: hefore the hideou>
giKdiU's hred of their own imagination."'
\\'lien the disciples of (,)uetzalcoatl. the Toltec god
and lawgiver, went forth at the conmiand of their ma>-
tti' to i)reach his doctrines, some are said to ha\e wended
tln'ir way to Oajaca, whei'e they founded seveial centres
of worshi[).''^ and among them Achiuhtla, the head(piar-
tci's of the Miztec ivlinion, situated in the most I'uiiucd
jiart of the moimtains. Here, in a cave the interior of
which was filled with idols, set u[) in niches upon stonos
'Ivt'd vvit'i huuian blood and suioke of incense, was a
large ti'an>[)arent chalchiuite." entwined l»y ii snak(!
wliost! head pointed toward a little hird j)erched on the
a[K'x. I'liis relic, worshi[)ed since tiuie immemoi'ial
under the name of the " heart of the peo[)le." has all the
I'hicf attributes of (.^uetzakvvitl ; the stone, the euiblem
I't'the airuod. the snake and the hird: \et how nuuilateil
"' 'Los (lionx, do quolqtiiMiatur(> qii"ils fiisM'tit, iiviiicnt diuis In 1iiiil;u(!
Zip 'ti''(iui> l(j iioiii ilo "ritiiD," qui CDiTisi'dii 1 ;i ridi'c dii j,'riiiiil-ts|iiit. dun
'•split ('ii'udu.' /icKss- Kc '/i' li inriiiinvii. Hist. Xi>t. 'ir., toin. iii., \t]K 2(i-7.
'' Tiirquciiiiidii. .W'lii'Kv/. liiiL, tciiii i., pii. '255-0, also n-fiis to cinii^'iii-
ti'iii (if Toltec cliicf* tu fomul ticw stilt* s.
'" ' Viiii (■siii(i:*l(lii tan ^»l^•^ud(' coiiui vn j^'fuosso piiiiiciito d<' < sta tiiiia,
t'luii laln'ado crHtuiii vii.i iiiif^ita, o paj ii'illo com f,'randissimo piiianr. y dc
iinilii, I'l baxo i..osciiili* viui ciilulirilia cull I'l lucsnio arte, la picdia era tan
triiiiipir lit', que brUfc*b,i ^k■^>^lu ol fuiido.' Uuri/ua, '.hmj. Diti'iii-., toiu. ii.,
pt i., fol. 1 ■".(;.
Vol Ul. m
450
GODS, SUrEIINATUr.AL DEINfiS, AND WOllSHIP.
i'lJ
fii, ■';
tlio original mytli. liow mucli of its boautiriil sipiiificMncc
gone! l)U)-g()a invests tlio relic, with another attrihiitc
in ni;ik!iiLi' it the snj)[)()rter of tiieeartii. another Atliis in
liu't, whose movements [)ro(ln(^o eartlKiuakcs. This jilso
a(!eor(ls with the character of (,)netziilcoiitl. who. nniU'r ihc
)f U
I to
(It
•th
name ot ILneuiac. was supposed to produce eai'tli(|Uiik('s.
TheZapotecs, besides, prayed to it foi' victory and weaUh.
and (^hii'tzMliMMitl as the 'peace god.' could donl)tless iii-
ihience the former, while the latter gilt was always in his
])ower.^'' \n several other pliices were idols with tiir
same name, as at ^'angiiistlan, Chalcatongo. and Coatlaii,
where the temples were caves, a i'act worthy of note
when we consider that (,}netzalcoatl is stated hy the
m\th to have erected temnles to Mictlanteciitli. the
Mexi(^an I 'Into
50
The I
ew an
thors, however, who have referre(l to tli
A
reuc. neai
ly all h(»ld it to represent N'otan; the oil
name sniinlies
heart
writers donhtless hecar.se the
in the Tzendal dialect of Chiajias. whert' he
most prominent deity, the modern, heciiuse its attrii)ute
was tlH
th
accord wi
th th
ose
of tl
lis liOl
1. I?iit A^otan has so iiiiich
in common with (^)ii< tzalcoatl that some writei's are in-
clined to consider them identical, or at U-ast related.
Miiller. however, declares him to he an original .Ma\a
snake-god. one of the thirtei'ii chief snakes, to whom the
bird attril)nte was given at a late po'iod. boiToweik |i.i--
haps. from (Jnetzalcoatl. He is gradually anthi(>|
})hized into one of the many leaders whose names have
titmei''
been Liiven to the davs of the
mon
th. N'otan takini; tli
third of the four names that desi"nated (la\s as well as
/■ears. Yet Professor Miiller concei
<9 Bari-'oii "ivcs the roMc in this instanco ;
les that the j^od
wa-
(' wliich varies somrwli it in
tho wordiiiL;. iiltlioiiL;h tli(^ furnicf s(iiw(i vi'imiiiis: ' J'.l Alii
Koyiio.' lii'i'i/. Dcscrip., toiu. ii., j)t ii., fol.
y i-(ii-ai;i
,1(1
'.Mi
Davila I'aaillM. Ilisl. /■'.>'/.
ilc
I'
(lit. I.
i'litions nn iilol iiiiiong tlio Zapotucs in sliapf (it ii '.iiii'
which may havii n'pri si'iiteil IIikmiiiio.
riic ZaiHitccs hail ntht'i' ternjilos also, fashioiii^d like tluisc of Mcxii
BUIK
iiiiposiil terraces of stoTio-easeil oarth
Br
■libi
-; (iiic NV
hieh
luoasurcil 'JiMIO paces ill C'ireuinft'reiice, and rosi> to a hei'.dit of SS 'Ml iivV,
on (■■ich ten'aee stood an adobe eha|iil with a veil attached for tlto storiiic of
iter. On the occasion of a s,'reat victorv another terrace was added to the
pilf
if'-ii'i.
ip.. toiii. i., ]it ii.. fol. r.)S.
^1 C'(('//'t''i, Ttutiv, ill liiu'i Dcucr'qjtim, p. 37.
lilted.
Ma\:i
1(1111 till'
1. jHT-
KIlllOl'-
's have
11-- till'
well as
)il was
VOTAX AND QUETZALCOATL.
4.' I
broiiiiht from Cholulii. und tliiit ciM'ttiiu spcolnl attril)Utc's
of (^)itc'tzalcoiitl luiiy he recognized in tin; liiiuivs on tlie
I'alciKine niins. whicli probably ivler to \'otan; and I'ur-
tlicr. that a phase of tiie myth seems to point to liini as
the iii-aiidson of ()uetzalc(^atl.
n
rassc
nr de Iiourl)onr!
while acce[)tin}^' his identity with the " iieart of the ])eo-
ple.' considers that the d(jii))lo aspect of the tradition
allows lis to suppose that there were several Votans, or
that this name was accorded to deserving men who came
alter liim. At times he seems to l)e a mytiiic (creation,
the mediator between man and (lod. the re[)resentation
()fwisd(jm and power; at times a prince and legislator
who introduced a higher culture among his people. The
analogy presented by traditions between Votan, (Jiicu-
iiiatz, (^d\ulcan. and (^uetzalcoatl, would lead ustobeliexc
that one individual united in his pers<,n all these a[)[)el-
lations. Xe\ertheless, a compai'ison of the diiVerent tra-
ditions admits of two, Votan and (.^uetzalcoath the other
names having the same significiition as the latter.
It is certain, however, that from them, whether heroes,
priests, rulers, or warrioi's. Central America received
the culture which their successors ))rought to such per-
lection. The knowledge of one supreme being ap[)ears
til have been among the fu'st dogmas instilled into the
minds of their peo[)le; l»ut in the tradition presi-uted to
ii>. the hero's name is often confounded with that of the
•livinities.'^ Tiike (^uetzalcoatl, A'otan was the (irst histo-
rian of his people, and wi'ote a l)ook on the origin of the
race, in which he declares himself a snal-.e. a descendant
ef iiuos, of the line of Chan, of the race of Chiviui.'^
'- Hi> al<o palls liini ihr Mizti'C <'ultur j;o(l. l/iioi/i't/iis'/ic I'rrclhjioHen,
I'p. isc-ito.
'' /#'■.«. ,V((/. dr.. toin. i.. pp. II 5,
^ I'^ian, 'snake,' was tlu- ii.uin' nf a tiiln' of L.iortiidonfs, near Piilon-
QiW'. kn.'wn alxo as Colluiiis, Chain's, or Qiiiiumu's. Ilrasunii- il'' lin'trliuurii.
P''li.! Ik;), p. pi9. Tlio Ix.olt rcfcrnil to or a copy of it, writtiii in the
T/iiulal or Quic'bt' hingua^t'. was in tho possession of Xnfn z (!'■ la N'<(,'ii,
lii^liMp of rhiap;is, who |iul)lislicil short extracts of it in his ConsUtid. hhi-
C'^ I'm seems to havi' IkkI it burned, together with other n .tivii relii's, in
lii;il, cit Hnthui lan. Trevious to this, however, Onlofiez y Aguiar had oh-
t;iiii«d a »-o|iy of it. written in I^atin rharaeteis, and ^'a\e a ri'suiue of the
cni! nt- in h s Ill-it. ,!,■! CI,!,,, MS. Tliis author contradirts liiinsi If l>y stat-
iuvj, iu uue part of Lis MS., that tho origin. d was wiitleu by a desuundaut
m
452 GODS, SUrEKNATURAL BEINGS, AND ^YOUSIrIP.
One ofliis titles was ' lord of tlio liollow tree,' the tepii-
liunste, or tepoiiti/tli.'^'''
Kroni the confused tniditioii of the T/.enduls. .is \vn-
(hii'ed hy Xufiez de hi A'egji and Orchjfiez y Ajiuiar. it
seems that N'otan, ])roeeeded hy divine eoininand tf»
America and there portioned out the huid."' ile aceuiil-
in^ly departed from Vahim ('hi vim, i)assed I»y tlie 'dwcl-
lin<i of the thirteen snakes,' and arrived in \^dum \'o-
tan." Avliero lie took with him several of his family to
form the lUH'leus of the settlement. With them lie
passed throuiih the island-strewn Laj^una de Terminos.
ascended the I'sinnacinta, and hei'e, on one of its tribu-
taries foinided Xiichan,''^ or I'aleiKiue, the future metrop-
olis of a, mi,i:hty kingdom, and one of the re[)uted cra-
dles of American civili/ation. The T/endal iidiahitaiits
bestowed i!j)on the straniic looking' new-comers the naine
'rze([uiles, 'men with pettico.ds.' on account of their Ioiili;
)f Volan. /,
(/v/ssr'(f
iir n,
'iir'i, Pojitil I
I'eru inii Aiilit/., p. 12; Cnlurrd, Tiidro, in 11
\)p. IxNxvn., cviii.
7'v/„„7;
I),-
who 1)
Iii.s
'/'•. I'P
;!.•{ I. Cal.i-
ITU,
lint (if till- iii.\ til on Ordoricz' ni;''i fiii^, wliicli lie iit tiin
Mconis to liiuc iiiisunilci'slood and niiitilati d, thiiilis iii.'t C'liiviin n firs to
Ti
ripoli, and it is tli
snako, whirli, a.Ljain
(■auaan. Votai
Ni
Oivini, till! J'JKiTii.'aii wor
1 f.
ivfi.
to Hivitis, tlu^ disccndauts o
I s I'xprpssion. a>-
liisli
siijnilifs ' 1 am a ilivite from I'liiioii.' Tutlrit, in //
I an
Ih
f Jl.
il<.-, a CI
son 'if
ii.nii.
linh,
till s uisfni)., [)
;u, it
'1-
/7'''(, p. ll-J. It m;iy bo of intiTist to conipavc his nann' with
Odon in tho Michoacan cali'nihi
d Ot<
tliii Oil
JMII
d and chief.
Ifumholdt was paftirniarly stiiirk willi its iisi'mbhinoi; to Odin, tht; Sc
din I
p. Ixxvi.
il-h
r
torn.
i., p. 'iJS; lints
.k L
jouriiunn,
I, I'lyp'il I '"A,
''I' Eijuivah'Ut to hiving' th(> foundation for civilization. AccordinL; to Or-
dofrnz he was sunt to )>i'oph' thu continent; a view also taken by Claviiiim.
SUirhi Aid. ihl .l/r.^.sii'o, toin. i., pp. lol) 1. 'I'oripicmada's account of the
Hpicadine; of the Tolti'cs southward, may throw some light on this subjeri.
Monanj. fml., tom. i., p. 'Jot;, et seij.
^' \alum ('liivim, Valiim Votan, land of Chivii
,d Votan. See note
Oabrer.i considers two marble col
umiis
font
d at T
uiL;ler, w
ith 1'
insia'iptions, a trace of his route; tho dwcUini^'S of tlie thirteen snakes umi
thirteen islands of the Canary j^roup. anil Valum Votan, the Island nf
Si:ito Domini,'!). Teal rn, in Iti'i's /> .sen'/)., p. ;Jl, et seq. ]\Iiilier, .!»(( /(/."-
u/s'/r rrrcli limin), p. IS;*, hints siu;nitic;intly at tin; worship of the snakc-
i^o Island, under the name of \'audoux. llrasse
^ id Votiiii (111 Santo Di
IJoiirbi
iih
IS on this point have alread • bei
ill the account of (iuet/.ah'oatl's mvth. The thii
teen chiefs of Xili ilba.
illiout
lire is a rum Dearing tlie nann
een
till
n made, pretty evident
snakes may iiuan thir-
if Valum Votiiii
lea^'iies from Ciud id Ue.d, Chiaiias I'opol Vah, ]>. Kxwiii. Ci-
) he take-i seven families wilii
dufiez holds Valum Votan to bo Cuba, wl
Liui. Ciih/rm, ubi sup.
'^^ Ordoinz sa\s the ori^'inal Na-ohau means ' jiluce of .jiiakes.' Bni6Si
de Bourbourij, Illit. Nat. (.'if., tom. i., p. OU.
ur
TRAVELS OF VOTAN.
4. -a
robes, lint soon oxrliiinnod Idcns jiiid custoiiis with tluMii.
siiliiuittcfl to tlicir rule, iiiid •s.wr tliciii tlicir daiit:! iters
ill iiiarriuge. 4'hi,s event is laid a tlioii.siiid years before
Clirist.''' ^
( Irdone/, proooeds to say tliat Votan, after the estiihlisli-
ment of liis uoveriniieiit. mnde four or more visits to his
Ibiiiier home. On his first voyaiiv he came to a jiretit city,
wlicicin a matin ificent temple was in conrse of erection;
this city Ordofie/ sui)[)o.sed to he Jerusalem ; he next \islted
nil ('(lilice Avhich had heen oi'iginally intended to ivach
lica\cn. an object delciited by a confusion of toniriies;
(iiially he was allowed to penetrate by a siil)terranean
p:issa,i!(' to the root of hoa\en.'^^ On retnrnini;' to Paleii-
(iiic. N'otan fonnd that several more of his nations had
iiri'ivc(
1: tl
lese no recou'in/ed as snawes. ant
ii-
dsl
lowei
I tl
lein
iiiaiiy favors, in retnrn for which his snprt'inacy was
made st'cnr(-. and he was at last apotheosized.''* Amonji'
tlic iiionnnients left by the hero was a teni[)le on the
lliiehiietan l\i\'er. called 'house of dai'kn
ess,
Irom its
subterranean chambers, where the records of the nation
Avciv de[)osited under the chari^e of a fixed number of
eld men. termed t/"/tiifiii'><^ or guardians, and an order of
priestesses, whose superior was likewise the head of tlu^
''■' A (lute whifli is onnfirmcil by tlif rhimalpnpooii MS. Unisnittrili' Pxnir-
h'lif'i. I'lijidl y'nh. p. Ixxxviii. (.>nc trailitiiii iiuikcs tlic 'I/ciiuilcs s|i(ak u
Naliiia (liiilicl, l)iit it is jKissibli' tliul ( U'll'iiV /, ciuifciuiuls tui) ciio^s.
llisl. SuL I'i '., tiiiii. i., ji 70.
'" 111 till' ti'ailitiiiiis jiiM sciitrd on pp. Ii7 -8, iifl, of tiiis voliiiiic, \vi
/'/.
fdiliul icfiiciicf t(i Clidliil a as the plaiT wlni-c tiif t
lUlil to till
)iifiisi(in of tipii''iu
li I,.'
f ISatxl was Imilt,
•li t'lids til coiiiu' t tills iiivth with tlmsc
,.f tl
V iiii'jhli.iniif' coiiutrv.
Onl.
I'tiiiiiliix iilias 1
I'lUili to till' native MS. from whii'li ln' took
laVi- pi
iliaMv ailiinl
Hint, vit Niiut /
ill
t a','i"i'i'S \vi
til him ill most rispii'ts. ('al)n'ra, 'I'lntrn. in Hio's /A.sr-ci/i
I'^l, I'ousidci's till' j^rrat lily to !)(' lioiiii, luit atiri'is witii liis aiitlioi itirs
tlial till' Jatti'i- cilitict.' is till' tl
pf I! iliij. .V T/iinlai li'uriiil rclati's that
iiliti'naiii'au passat,'!', IrailiiiL; from I'aliiiijui' to 1 iillia. mar O
I'lii'iiiiio, was
i'"ii~tnii'ti'il in
ciiinratioii of till' ci'listial p
into wiiicli Votan in his iiuility of siiaki', was a hnitt' d. /:
i^saor, or scri'i n
t loll
./r li<
'I'I. //i^■^ \itl. ("if., torn, i., p[). 72 I!
'■' t'aliicra lias it tliat tln' lu'w-coiiU'rs avi' si'vi'ii 'rzi'qni'a's, or shiiiwvi cki' 1
f'luiitiyiiu'ii of Votan. 'i'lii' voyaL,'<'s ami otlior iiiciilints lir I'onsiilirs roii-
finiif il hy till' si'iil|)turrs on tin' I'aliiiipii' ruins, wliiili shows Votan snr-
rouiiili'il l)y symiiols of tiavil. iiiilirati 'lis of tlii' plans visitiil in the ohl aiul
ii'-w worll; hi' rt't'oHiii/i's thi' attrilmtis of i isiris in th • idol liroiiLfht ovrr by
Voiiii, with till' inti'iition of I'stablishiii'^ its w iiship in tlu' mw worlil.
La^lly. Votan and his faiuiliis arc l'artlia''iuiaiis. 7'i ihn, in Uki's Dusrr'ndl ./i,
I'l'-
31.
It
i r
;
I
I ■
I
\->v
(ioDS, SI riiuNATrii.vL i;i:ix(is, .\nj> ^V(»l;sIII^.
limit' nicmbors. llcvc wore also kcj)! a imiiilHTor tapirs,
a sacred animal auinii^ the; jicoplc'"'
The claims (»!' \'»)taii to be considered iis the "heart of the
j)eo|)le.' are sini[)orte(l. accoi'din^n to the aho\e accoimts.
chielly l)y his name, which means "heart." and hy the fact
that a chalchiiiite. of which stone the relic was made, was
placed \)\ tile Mi'xicans and othei' |)eo|iles hetwi'cn the
lips oCdeceased. The other attrihntes accord nioicwilh
the charactei' of ( Juet/alcoatl, as Ave have seen, and the
tradition is wvy similar; its coid'nsion j^oes to show that
it is a nnitilated version ol' the Toltec myth, ll" we
accept \'otan as a ,!zi"andson ol' ( )iiet/.alcoatl we may alxi
snp[)ose that he was one ol" the disci[)les sent ont hy the
j)rophet to spread his doctrines, and that his own name
has been snhstitnted tor that ol" his master. This \ ieu
is fax'ored l»y the fact that (^net/alcoatl is identilied with
the snake-luM'oes of '^'ncatan and (iiuitemala. coimtriis
that lie beside and beyond Chia[)as. Then, ai^ain, we
find that Votan's worshi[) was known in ( diolnla. ami
that he landeil in the \-eiy I'l'.iiion when' the former lieiu
disaj)peared. However (h)nl)tfnl tlu' preceding ti'aditinn
may be. there is one among the Oajacans, which to nic
lias all the appearance of a mntilated version of the
nn'th of (.)netzalcoatl, deformed still more b\' the ortho-
do.v Fathers. In very remote times, about the era el"
the apostles, according to the padri's, an old Avhite man.
with long hair and Ijeard. a})pearcd suddenly at llualiih
CO. coming fr(»m the south-west by .^ea. and preaclu'd tu
the natives in their own toimuo, but of things be\niid
their understanding, lie Tucd a strict life, passing the
greater })art of the night in ;i kneeling [)ost{U"e, and eat-
ing but littli'. lie disap])eared shortly after as mysteii-
ously us ho had come, but lei"t as u memento uf his \ isit
'•^ Tlio ruins of IIiulinft;in. ' city of iild nion,' arc still to lie seen. i')">-
S'}ir lb HoKrhiiiif'i, Ilisl. .\iil. ("n\, toiii. i., i)[i, 7;i 4; 'J'schndis rentrian Adi'/..
]>\K 11-15; Dniii' melt's />(>■• )7.s', vol. i., Jip. Itt 21. Vf,i;u niclitioiis that :it
Ttoi)i\(ii in (.'liiiijiiis Im loiuul stvtiiiil faiiiiliis wlio boi'o tin' hero's nam.)
anil cl.iiniid to l)c ih sci mlanls of his. This has little valui', liowcvir, fni we
Lnow tliat priests assumed the naiiii- of tin ir t.;ci(l. and nisul.v all nivtliie;il
lieriies have hud (.hsei. udauts, as Zeus, lleiaklcs, and others, llolarhd, I'.i'.u,
i>. uo.
'I'ili: AI'OSTLi; \VIXE1'KC()( IIA.
4ri5
;i crnss. wliicli lie plauti'd \vitli Ills own li;iii<l. ami ad-
iinini.-lii'il till' [K'oplc to [)iv.sc'i'\\' it sacrcdlv. lor oiu' day
Dliir ailtlloi'S
tlifv would l)t' taught its .sijiniCicaiict'
dcMTilu' a [irrsoiiaizc of tlio .saiiu' ai)[)('ai'an('(' and cliarac
tcr. coiniii:^' iVoiii tlic .'-aiiie tjiiartci'. and appearing: in tlio
coil
iti'\- sliortU' al'tcr, hnt it is dou!»tlcss the
aiMc o
Id
ri
iiiaii. ^vllo, on k'a\ing liiiatnli'o. may have turned his
.-tcjr; to the intciMor. His \o'\vv is next heard in .Miet-
l.ui.'' in\('i,LihiiiL:' in ^uciitle hut lirni arci'uts a;_alu.-t tho
|.lra>iu'es of this world, mid oiijt)inin;g repenlance an(,l
(■.\|i;ation. His lifi' was iu strict accoi'danee w 1th his
ilm'ti'ines. and ncvi'i". cxi-cpt at conlt'ssion. did he aji-
|iin;i!'h ;i woman. I'lit tho lot of \\'i.\i'[)t'eoeha. as tho
Za[intecs call him. was that of mo>t reformers. I'ersi'-
itcil hy those whoso vioo JUid su[)orstitions he ai lacked,
III' was dri\en from out' |ii'ovinco to anotliei'. and at last
tiink I'efuiic on .Mount ('em[)oalti'[)ec. Mm'U here his
jiur-iiers foUowod him, climbing its craggy sides to lay
liaiiils upon the prophet. Justus thoy rt'acheil the sum-
mit, he \anished like ii shadow, leaving only tho print
of his I'eet ui)on the rock.'"
Among tho points in this myth that coi'ivspond to tho
character of ( )uot/.alcoatl may ho lujticod tho appearance
(if tlie pi'oi»het from tho soutli-wost, which agrees with
tlie direction of th(^ moisturo-hoaring winds, tlie chief
•itrriliiito of tlie Toltec god: tho cross, which indicates
imt (ir.ly the foiii' winds, hut the rain of which tliiy are
till' lii'arers. alti'Ihutes recogni/ed hy the .Mexicans who
• Icciirated the mantle of the god wit ii crosses : tlie long
and the dress, which all accord
I'l'anl. tile white
ace
with tlh Toltec t^hietzalcoatl. Lik<' him Wixein'cocha
tiui-lit gentle doctrines of reform. lil<e him he was j)erso-
'"■ A I'll ivtii 111 of tlii>i relic wiis si lit to I'dpc riiiil Y.. in I'il'!: tin vi'iiiain 1. r
w:i> ilrji.isitrcl ill tho catlii'ihal fi.ir safu kf('])iii,u;. IJirii'i'i, iico'/, li'srrlj,., lom.
li.. It ii.. fnl. :t."il)-'2.
I'lif place of the il'ail, or hades, also called Yupa.i, land of (niid;
H''t.-iS* I' I' I
h' lli'iirlioui-fi, I list. X(tt.
('llK. toUl. 111., \>
'' Fray .Tiiaii ill! Ojedo saw and felt tlie iudiiitatiou nf two f. . t upon tlio
t''">l;, til" inusi'lcs and toes as distiiicily iii.arked as if tiny li..d 1" i n pulsed
Uixiii suft \va.\. The Alijis liail this tiadition written in ehaiactei.-i on .siun.
l!'ii-j;ii, (Ji.wj. i)<:s<:i-ii,., tuiii. ii., pt ii., fui. 2J'J.
IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MTO)
1.0 !f «- IIM
I.I
'^•- IM IIIIIJJ^
1.8
1 1.25 1.4 1 6
•• 6"
►
V]
^
/a
^3
>.'
*
'<^ V
'♦,
O
"#
/
/A
Photographic
Sciences
Corporation
,\\
^v
4»
c?>^
\^
^^
«
^
^
O" .A. ^1^^>
V
23 WEST MAIN STREET
WEBSTER, NY. M580
(716) 872-4503
Ua
I
ill* '': i '^tl
m
l::r
«■■'
IP
tell
4")fi GODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND WOPoIIir.
ciitod and forced to waiidor from place to place, and ;it
last disappeared, leaving his followers the hope of a better
future. The d(x;trine of Wixepccocha, took root iuid
flourished in the land he had consecrated with his toils
and i)ra\'ers, and, according to Brasseur de Bourl)ourg.
Wiyatao. the pmtiff of Zapotecapan, wns vicar and suc-
cessor of the ' prophet of Monapostiac." "*
The early padres saw in tliis jxTsonago none other
than St. Thomas, the ajx)stle, who had walked across
to plant tiie cross and prepare the way fjr Christianity.
There is, or was until recently, a statue of him in tlic
village of Magdalena, four leagues from Teh janteiu'c
wi»i(^li represented him with long white ))ea!(l, and
nuilHed up in a long robe with a hood, secured by a C(»r(l
roinid tiie: waist; he was seated in a rellective attitude,
listening to the confession of a woman kneeling by liis
nide."^ A similar statue is mentioned by Kurgoa. as
having existed in a cave not far from Xustlaiiuacu. in
Mistecapan."" where it st(M)d near the entrance, on a mar-
ble monolith eleven feet in height. The a})i)roa('h to the
<'avern appears to have formerly led through a beautiful
••arden; within were masses of stalactite of the most
tantastic and varied forms, many of which tiie [leoplo
had fashioned into images of diiVerent kinds, and of the
most artistic execution, says the padre, whose fancy was
doubtless aided by the twiligiit Avithin. Here lay the
embalmed bodies ol kings and pontilfs, surrounded by treas-
ures, for this was a supposed entrance to the flowered
fields of heaven. The temple cave at Mictlan Ixire a
similar reputation, and served an a sepulchre Ibr the
Zapotec grandees. It consisted of fom* chief tli\isiiiiis.
the largest forming the sanctuary proper, the second and
wi A iiiuiip Kivon to Wixopponphft hy the tradition, which mlils tbiit ]\>- wns
nci>ii oil till' isl.iii I (if MoiMpostmc, Hour Tclmuntepoc, priviDiiH to liis liiml
(lisaiipt'iu'iiiicc. Ilriissi'iir ik liniu-hoimf, Hint. \itt. Cir,, torn, iii., \'. III.
(Jiift/ ilco:itl also i]isa|i)i('tir*'<t sciiwiiril.
*•^ Ur ilrhiirki'il Hear Tchuaiiti'pfc, bearing i^ cross in his hand; Gni„lr<i,
]{ IS /(IS II sii'iulf/i (If III fitiniirn jiri'iHriiriiin en <l yui'vo-Miiiiiln, MS.: I'urr'fl",
J\<hiiHn-i, Hist, ilil Esldili) Oii.riitiiietiii, torn, i., cap. i.; Jinissvur ilv Iloiirin'ur'i,
Jlisl. \iil. <'ir., toni. iii., pp. 9-10.
•'•* l>rasm>nr d(* Honrhoiirf,' scoiua to jilac' it at riialcatini-'o. TIi-<'. N'''.
til'., toai. iii., p. II*; bourjixt, Ucdij. Ihscr'qi., toui. ii., pt i., ful. 17 ',
GODS OF OAJACA.
457
tliiid tlio tombs of kings and iTontifTs, and tlio fourth u
vcstihiilo to Jin immense labvrintliinc grotto, in wiiieli
linive warriors were occasionally buried. Into tiiis, the
verv ante- room of paradise, frenzied devotees would at
tiiiu's enter, and seek in its dark mazes for the alxxle of
tlie uods; none ever returned from this dread quest, foi*
tlie entrance was closed with a great stone, and doubt-
less many a poor wretch as he touched in his last I'eeble
gropings the bones of those who had preceded hiuj. felt
the liglit come in upon his soul in spite of the thick
(larkness, and knew he had Ix'en deluded ; but the
mighty stone at the mouth of the cave told no .>^ecrets.''"
The prominence of the Plutonic elenu'iit in the wor-
shi[) of Oajaca is shown by the fjict that I'ezelao. whose
character corresponded to that of the Mexican Mictlan-
tcciitli, received high honors. The other cons[)ieuous
tiods. as enumerated bv Brasseur de l^)urb(>ui'.''. Avere
IMtao-Cocobi, god of abundance, or of the harvest ; Cociyo,
the rain god; (.\)zaana, patron of hunters and (Ishennen;
and I 'itao-Xoo, god of earthquakes. Othi'r deities con-
trolk'd riches, misfortunes, auguries, jMietic insjiiration
- eveu the hens had their patron divinity. As might ))e
exjiected of a people who regarded even living kings and
jtriests with adoration, a^wtheosis was connnon. Thus,
rt'tila. :iu ancient Zapotec cacicpie wlio.»<e name signified
(log. was worshiped in the cavern of ("oatlan. .Vt one
end of this subterrane.an temple; a yawning abyss re-
ceived the foaming waters of a mountain toncnt. and
into this slaves and captives, gady dres."<ed and adorned
with llowers, were cast on certain occasions.""
At another })lace was a white stone ,»*haped like a nine-
|iiii. suj)posed to l)e tlie embodiment of Piuopiaa. a saintly
]ii!ii('('ss of Zapotecapan, whose eor[)se had been miracn-
kmslv eonveved to heaven and returned in tiiis f(jrm for
the henefit of the devout.^^
'■'' /•,'\.v(/, m nml Lluna, M'j. Hist. De/^rrip., p. .130.
""'I.i' fciiiim t'littrradi), hito. y t'inhiilsiiiim<1<> «n hh prn])oicinn.' Tli*>
rave Wis sniiposfil to connect with the city of (iiiiijiiiK, '200 Iciiyiics (listiint.
lln-ni-'i. Ilisl. 'r'lji., dio. iii., lib. iii.. ciij). xiv.
"' ' I'ii'drii lilanca. liibrmlii al niodo dc vn aclio <li- IioIhh ...vm ^;nicsso
tiiluliu.' UnrjiKt, iJeoij. Dcacrq)., tum.ii., jit ii., lol. 3<)2.
■■yiiiiiii
453 GOD.S, SUPEUNATURAL BEIXUS, AND WOllSUll'.
hi
fi-
In Chiapas thoy wor.^hipod Costiilmutox, \vli()uas rcj)-
ivseutt'il witli iiim'.s horns on lii.s hciid, and .^at on a
throne .snnouinled by thirteen grandee.s. In the district
of Lhmos, Vabahin, or Yahuhui, and (\nianduni weio
the chief "ioils. Even living beings held the position of
deities, according to J)iaz, who states that a fat old
woman, dressed in richly decorated robes, whom the
natives venerated as u goddess, led them against tlio
Spanish invaders, bnt was killed.'" Among the Mljcs a
g»'een Hat stone, with blood-red, lustrous rays, was held
in nnich veneration. Although this is the only reference
made by the chroniclers that may be connected with sun
worshi}), — which, by the way, could scarcely have claimed
a very high position here, since the founder of the Miz-
tec royal family is stated to have been victorious in a
contest with the sun, — it is worthy of note that the Zapo-
tec woi'd Hii/ui, lire, also denotes divinitx', idol, ever\ tliiiij;
sacred, the earth itself." The household idols had their
names, history, and worship depicted on Ijark. and
smoked or uainleil hides, in order to keej) them always
before the [)eople, and insure to the youtli a knowledge
of their god. How finnly rooted idolatry was, and how
slow the work of eradicating it must have been,
to the padres, notwithstanding they destroyed every
idol they could lay hands on, is shown by the laet
that among the (juechecoros a statue of Cortes si rvid
as an object of worship.'* Nagualism is one of the
ancient Ibrms of worship which still tlourish, anil. consists
in choosing an animal as the tulelary divinity of ehild,
whose existence will be so closely coiniected with it, that
m
\.r\
\\
; I
72 Jlinvil Dl/n, Il'tst. Cnnq., fol. 170: Snhiznr y Ohirtc, JIhl. (',,„ i. .1A.iv. p.
1H7. Tliurii wi'vo lutttiy aniuii£;thc piidri'S who litld Vahnliiii In lia\f lntii mi
imiiic'iliiitu ilisceiKliiiit of Noah's sou llain, hccausr the iiaiiic si^iiilUil ' rliii (
hliick iiian, or uc^ro.' Pi/'ieda, iu Soc. Mcx. (Iiuk/., litiMin, loiii. iii., \i. 411*.
'i Hftiftsiiir lie Umirbouni, Hist. Xat. Cic., toin. iii., p. 17; IhirUn I'ddllli,
Ifist. Fi:n<l. .t/i.r., jip. (>;j8--y. In Chiapas are fouiiil a uuiulu'r of rcpn .sniia-
tioiis of heavenly bodii.'s, aciilptured, or drawn ami at Pah mpie a suii tc lu-
plii is snpposuil to have existed. I'ii'ieda, iu Soc. Mex. inw/., linbUn, tuiu,
iii., p. 4iy.
"' Tliey 'worship liis inia;,'o in their own peculiar way, souh linn .s hy <iit-
tinn oil' a turke}'"s lieail.' ' The natives are aliont a.s far ailv.iiici A iu ( liii^li-
aniiy as they were at the time of the couipiest.' lltdcluw/a Cai. Miij., m^iI. ii'.
p. u"i2.
TREE WORSHIP.
459
tlic 11 fo of one dopenJ.s on tliat of the other. l>iirfrou
.status tliat the priest selt'cted tlie animal by divination;
when the Ijoy jiiew up he was directed to proceed to a
uutuntain to oiler sacrifice, and there the animal would
appear to him. Others say that at the hour of the
mother's confmenient, the lather and friends drew on
the lloor of the hut the outline of various animals, eft'ac-
iiiji each figure as soon as they Ix'gan the next, and the
ligure tliat remained at the moment of delivers re})re-
M'lited the guardian of the infant; or, that the bird or
beast first t^vvn ])j the watchers after the confinement
was accepted as the nagual. The bestowal of the sign of
the day upon the infant as its name may peihaps be con-
.»i(lered as a species of nagualism, since the name of ani-
mals often formed these signs.^"'
A form of worship particularly marked in this country
was the veneration Jiccorded to trees, as may be judged
IVoni the myth which attributes the origin of the .Miztec,
as well as a portion at least of the Zapotec peo[)le tt) two
trees. This cult existed also in other parts of Mexico
and (V'ntral America, where cypresses and ])alms grow-
ing near the temples, generally in groups of three, weiv
ttiided with great care, and often received olVerings of
iiiccasL' and other gifts. They do not, however, seem
to have l)een dedicated to any particular god. as among
the {{omans, where Pluto claimed the cyi)ress. and\'ic-
tnry the palm. One of the most sacred ol" these relics is
ac\ press standing at Santa Maria de Tule. the venerable
tnuik of which measures ninety feet in circumference, at
a height of six feet from the ground.™
One of the chief olVerings of the /aj)otecs was the Idood
of tlie. to them sacred, turkey; straws and l""atbeis
Miuared with blood from the l)ack of the ear. and from
heueath the tongue of persons, also constituted a large por-
"'' Bunioa, Gfog. Descrip., toin. ii., pt ii., fol. 395; Firry, CnnUd L'lndlfn,
v\K (;-7. ' ■
' Soiiic consider it to 1>i' composid of tlirt'(> trunks whicli Imvc ;^id\vn (o-
l;ii1i r, aiiil tiic (Ifcp iniK'ntiitions ctrtuiiily ^ivc it that apj)! arani c : Imt tni .s
111 this spicifs Hfncrallv jinsiiit irr<j,'iilar forms. Ksi'iih rn and Liiimt, M'j,
JliM, JjLScrlp., i^iK •J,2i-3; ClMnaiy, liuints .l/;n./'., pLut. xviii.
4G0
GODS, SLTEUNATUIUL BEINGS, AND WORSIIir.
tion of tlic sacred ofTtTings, and wore presented in spec-
ial grass vessels. Ilinnan sjicrifices were not connnon u itli
the Oajacan people, but in case of emergency, captives
and slaves were generally the victims, I'lie usual nioilc
of ofl'ering them was to tear out the heart, but in soiiii'
places, as at (yoatlan, they were cast into an abvf-s.
Jlerrera states that men were offered to the gods, woiiuii
to goddesses, and children to inferior deities, and thiit
their bodies were eaten, but the latter statement is doiilit-
fui;^
■" Hist, den., drc. iii., lib. iii., cap. xiv.; BurfjCi'i, Geoq. Drsnrip., torn, ii ,
l)t ii., fol. '282; Miildenpfnrdt, Mjh:<i, toiii. ii., p. I'Jl. Poutelli, who cliiiiiis
to liuve piiid rt visit to the forbiililon retreiits of the mountain Liiciindoins,
a fow yciirs ii<,'(), mentions, among other peculiarities, a stone of sm-ritici',
iiit(nla<;ed l)y serpents, and covered with hierof^lyphics, on which the heiut
of hniimii beings wcro toru out. Correode Ultramar, Paris 18G0j Cat. Faiiwi,
Nov. 7. 1862.
' . 1!
i 'A
cn.vrTER xr.
GODS, SUPERNATIUAL IJEINT.S, AND WORSHIP.
Maya Panthkon— Zamna— Cuki'lcan— The Gona of Yucatan — The Stm-
B II, OP THE Ckoss in Amkkica — HuMAN Sacuifices in Yucatan —
PiiiKsrs OF Yucatan — Gdatkmalan Pantheon-Tepku and Hi;hakan —
AviLix AND Hacavitz— The IIehoes of the Sacked Book— (iuicHK
Gous^ Worship of the Choles, Mancues, Itzas, Lacandonks, and
oTiiKits— Tradition op Comizahual — FAsre — Priests op (Juatkmala -
Gods, Wohship, and Priests of Nicaragua — Worship on the Mi is-
yrno Coast — Gods and Worship of the Isthmians — Phallic Wor-
ship IN America.
The religion of the Mayas was fundamentally the same
as that of tlie Nahiias, though it differed wuievvhat in
outward forms. Most of the gods were deified heroes,
l)rought more or less prominently to the frout l)y their
importance. Occasionally we find very distinct traces
of an older sun-worship, which has succumhed to later
tiums, introduced, according to vague tradition, froui
.Viii'ihuac. The generality of this cult is testified to by
tlic numerous representations of sun- plates and sun-pil-
lars found anion'!; the ruins of Central America.'
' • Toda csta Tierrn, con estotra, . . teniii vniv niisma nianerft do rcli^'inii,
y rii,K, y si t'u algo ilifereuoiuba, era, en iiiiii jidoo. ' • Lo misiiio file ilf las
I'i-i)viiu'ias de Quatiuiala, Nicaraf»na, y Hoiiduias.' Tori/udiKKln, MoKaii/.
Ii'l , torn, ii,, pp. 54, I'Jl. Tylor thinks tliat ' tlio civili/ations of Mixico
mill I'liitral America were originally independent, hut that they came much
111 lontact, and thus moditied one another to no small u\tent.' vl)i'///'(((c, p.
llM. ' Oil re(!()nnait faeilement tjue h' oiilte y etait partout base siir le ritnel
till''niii., ,:t (pie Ids formes nuimes ne ditt't'niient fallen! Ics uucs dcs unties.'
/i'ussiur i/c llourbinttv, lUit, A'u<, (.'ic., torn, ii., p. 5o'J,
(401)
462
GODS, SUPERNATURAL REINGS, AND WORSHIP.
J'-'
k
In Yuciitan, Ilunjib Kii, 'the only god', railed also
Kiueliahau, 'the mouth or oye.s of the .sun',"" >« ivpic-
sented as the Suprouio JVinji;, the Creator, the Invisihlc
one, whom no image can represent;' Hi.s sj)ou.se Ixa/al-
voh was honor(>d as the inventor of weaving, and their
son Zannii'i, or Yaxcooahnmt, one of the culture-heroes
of the people, is supposed to have been tlie inventor of
the art of writing.* The inquiries instituted hy Las
Casas revealed the existence of a trinity, the first per-
son of which was Izona, tlie Great Father; the second
was the Son of the Great Father, Biicab, born of the
virgin Chihirias,'"' scourged and crucified, he descended
into the realms of the dead, rose again the third dav,
and ascended into heaven; the third person of the trin-
ity was I'ichuah, or Ekchuah, the Holy Ghost.* Xow. to
accuse the reverend Fathers of delil)erately concociting
this and other statements of a similar character is to ac-
cuse them of acts of charlatanism which no religious
zeal coidd justify. On the other hand, that this mys-
terious trinity, had any real existence in the original
belief of the natives, is, to put it in its mildest form,
exceedingly doubtful. It may be, however, that the
natives, when questioned concerning their religion,
endeavored to make it conform as nearly as possible
to that of their conquerors, h ping by this means to
gain the good will of their masters, and to lull suspi-
cions of lurking idolatry.
l^acab, stated above to mean the Son of the Great
Father, was in reality the name of four spirits whosnp-
2 Brusseur de Bonrbourg, Hist. Nat. Civ., torn, ii., p. 42, calls him i\w
sun.
3 Roprespiitiitions of the sun, with whom he peoms to bo idcntifind, iiic
not iin|i(issil)ln to those peoples if we nisiy judj^e from the sun-jilatcs with
l!il)[uu^' tonjiucs and other repiesentatious found on the ruins in Mexico iiinl
Central America.
* ' Porcjue a este le Uamaban tambien Yt.'.amna.' Coqollndo, Hist. Yw.,
pp. 19fi, I'M.
i Tlie daughter of Ixehel, the Yucptec mediciije Roddess. lirassfur ih
BonrUm-ij, Hid. Sal. Civ., torn, ii., p. 4kI. He writes the virgin's imiiie »s
Chiribias. Ixehel seems to be the sauK-^ as the Guatemalan Xmueaue, niotber
of the K'>ds.' /(/., Qnatre IaUvch, p. V.A.
* I.HH Casaa, Wst. Apohtjiitirn. MS., cap. cxxiii.; CofjoUwlo. Hist. I'c., p.
190; Hinii'sal, Hist. Chyapa, p. 210; Torqavmada, Moiuirq. hid., torn, iii., p.
1J3.
ZAMNA.
463
ibrm,
ligion,
Groat
hosiip-
bim tlio
ported tlio firmamont; while Eeliuah, or tlio Tloly
(jrlw)st. was tlu; patnm god of morcliiiiits jind travelers.
The lioddess Ixojinleox was held io be the mother of
tiie "loiis, hut as Ct)jrolhido .states that she had several
names, she may possibly be idcntieal with Ixa/ahioh,
tlie wife of llmial) Ku. whose name implies jieiieratioii.^
The Mayas were not behind their neijihbors in the num-
ber of their lesser and special divinities, so that tliercf
was scareely an animal or imaginary creature which they
did not represent by sacred images. These idols, or
2''//iw,'* as they were called, were generally made of terra
cotta, though sometimes they were of stone, gold, or
wood. In the front rank of the circle of gods, known
by the nam(» of hi, were the deified kings and heroes,
whom we often find credited with .attributes so closely
('oMue(!ted as to imply identity, or representation of
varied phases of the same element." The most })opular
names were /amna and Cukulcan, both cultin*e-heroes,
and ennsidered by some to be identical; a very probable
supposition when we consider that Quet/alcoatl, who is
admitted to be the same as Cukulcan, had the attribute
of the strong hand, as well as Zamna. The tradition
relates that some time after the fall of the (^uinamean
Empire. Zamna appeared in Yucatan, coming from the
west, ivud was received with great respect wherever he
stayed. Besides being the inventor of the alphabet, he
is said to have named all ix)ints and places in the
coiuitrv. Over his grave rose a city called Izamal
or lt/an)at L'l, which soon becanie one of the chief cen-
tres of [)ilgrimage in the peninsula, especially for the
alllicted, who sincerely believed that their prayers when
accompanied by suitable presents would not fail to obtain
llilUK' u^
le, luothtT
JUL iii'. !'•
" ' Oi'lle fie Venn matrice d'embryon, ix-a-znl-uoh.' BmHseiir de Bourbonnj,
Ms. Tiiiiino, torn, ii., p. 2oH.
" ' Iildlo, o Zt'im.' Villdiiutierre, Hid Conq. lUn, p. .13. ' Zomes which
aie the Iiim^'(>s of their familiar and domestical! spiritis.' Vdcr Martyr, dci-.
iv., Ill), vi.
" ' Li's (lieux de I'Yucatan, disent Lizana et CoRoUndo, etaiont presqne
tons (Ics ri)is ])lus oM moiuH bou8 que la f»ratitudo on la tfrrcnr avait fuit
placer an raii;^ des divinitcH. ' Wro,s.sf«r de Bourbonnj, llisl. \iil. Viv., torn, ii.,
p. 20; Luiidu, lielacion, p. 158; CoijoUudo, Uiat, Yuc, p. I'M,
4(54 GODS, sri'EIlNATURAL BEINdS, AND WOUSIIir.
a lioarin;^. This class of (lovoti-'os gcnerallv resorted lo
the temple wliere he was represented in the Conn of a
lianil, Kab 11, or workinj^ hand, whose tonch was siif-
ficient to restore health.'"
Professor Miiller thinks it very nncertain whether tlie
ereatinj^ or working hand referred to the sini, as was the
ease among the northern tribes, but tiie account given
of the following idol seems to mo to make this not ini-
])robable. In the same city was an image of Kinich
Kakino, 'face or eye of the sun', Avhoin Landarei)resents
to be the ollspring of the sun, but who subsequently l»e-
(!amo identitied with that luminary and received divine
honors in the very temple that he had erected to his
lather. lie is rt[)resented in the act of sacrilice. point-
ing the finger toward a ray from the midday sun. as if
to draw a spark wherewith to kindle the sa(!i'ed lire. To
this idol the people resorted in times of calamity and
sickness, bringing offerings to induce oracular ad\ ice."
There are many things which seem to me to idcntily
this personage with /amna, although other writers hold
them to be distinct. Cogolludo, for instance, iinijlies
that Zamna was the only son of the sun, or Snpri'ine
iVinu', while Landa and others declare Kinich Kaknio
to be the son of that luminary; both are placed on or
about the same level and considered as healers, and the
uplifted hand of the latter reminds* us strongly of the
Kab LT. Another form in which we may recogni/e
'« Lhnnn, in Lamia, Relachn, p. 350; Cofinllndn, Illft. Viin., p. 197; Briii-
ton, Mi/tlis, p. IHH, spciiks of ' Zaiiinu, or Cniailciin. lonl of thu dawn and fmir
winds,' ami connects him with Votun also. ' II y ii tonte appaicncc (piil
(■tait du la niiMne race (iis Votan) et (pie son arrivee cnt lifu p( ii d'^nnrc s
iipivs la fundiition dc la inonarchio paK-nip^n'onn*'.' hnts.^inr dc l)iiiirli'"ii''i,
Hist. Xut. I'if., torn, i., p. 7l>, et seq. The hand in picturti-wiitint,' siu'iiilics
strength, iinwer, master}', and is frequently met with on C'l'ntrid Aim riraii
ruins, inii)ressed in red color. Anu)n^{ the North American saviijjis it \v;ik
the symbol of supplication. Their doctors sometinn's smeared tlie ii^iiicl
with paint and daubed it over tho patient. Schoolcraft,, in iSlvjilioi.s' Vkch-
Uiii, vol. ii., pp. 47<i-8.
" Lizana, in Laiula, Rdacion, p. 300, translates the name as ' Sol e^n
rostro tpie sns rayos eran de t'uego,' Coiiolliulo, I fid. I'uc, pp. UW, liN;
Uraxseur de liourhount, MS. 7Vo«)to, p. 270; /(/., Hist. Xat. ('»ii.,toin. ii . ]'V.
.5-0; Miiller, Aiiierikunisclie Urrtlhjionvn, p. 475. In the syllable »»" I'f lli«
hero's n;inie is found another refercnct; to the sun, for moo is tho Maya term
for the bird ara, the symbol uf the sun.
CUKl'LCAN.
■105
Z;iinii:i is the imago of Itzamat Ul, or ' tlie (low of lioavcn',
will) is MJiid to liavo been a great ruler, the .sou of j^od,
iiiid who cured diseases, raised the dead, and proiiouiieed
oracles. When asked his name, he replied, i/txcucaan,
ijhiiniiiitjill}-
Tiie other culture-hero, Cukulcan, appeared in Yuca-
tan rr(nn the west, with nineteen followers, two of whom
were gods of fi-shes, two gods of farms, and one of thuu-
di'i'. all wearing full heard, long roln's, and sandals, hut
no head-covering. This event is .sup[)osed to have oc-
cmicd at the very time that (^uetzalcoatl disappeared in
the neighboring province of (joazacoalco, a conjecture
whicii, in addition to the similarity of the names,
character, and work of the heroes, forms the basis for
tiu'ii' almost generally accepted identity. Cukulcan
,«t()[i|H'd ut several places in Yucatan, but at last settled
ill (Iii(;licii Itza, where he governed for ten years, and
iVaiiu'd laws. At the expiration of this period, he left
without apparent reason to return to the country whence
lie had come. A grateful people erected tem[)les at
Mava[)an and Chichen, to which pilgrims resorted from
iill (luartcrs to worship him as a god, and to drink of
till' waters in which he had bathed. His worship, al-
though pretty general throughout Yucatan at t)ne time,
was later on confined chielly to the immediate scenes of
his labors."
'-•El <ino vpcibo, y posspp la prncift, o vozio di'l Cielo.' 'Noronnoinn
oti'o Di IS .Viitiir (If lii vidii, siiio H csti'.' (''"/"//ic/", Uis(. Vnc, \-i. \'',). ' Ci -
liii (lui (liiiiaiiili! i)U ()l)ticnt 111 vosi'cim Iiit^'liicc, cm rcmiilidi- riiiii cii Imis dc
placi'. i7;-iyi-/(-/i(/.' lirussi'urdv Jtoiirhoiiii/, 'Mi'). TriKUm, tvm. ii., p. 2.")7; Luinlii,
Ui'luriui). \i\i. 2H4— ">.
'I Atti r stavini; a short timo nt Putonehan, ho embarked and nothiii"^
more wa-i hi'iird (if him. The Cntli.r Cliiiintljiiijinrii HtatcK, liowcver, that liu
itj il in 'I'laiiallau, four days after liin vctiini. Ilransi m- ,li- linnrUdnvij. II, st.
-Vi(. C'ir., toiii. ii., p. IS. Ill iiiKPtlicr ]ilacc this writer reters to thiee lirnlii-
ii's, iliiinl), 'saintly man,' who weit- prubaMy si nt by (^iiet/alcoatl to spread
Ills il ictrints. but who ultimately foundid a moiiari hy. 'I hey also seem to
thr i-,v 11 doubt (111 the identity of Cukulcan with (^uetzalcoatl. ' 'II n'y a pas
a tl.iiiiri-. tiutefois, (|ue, s'il est le iin'-ino que (^uet/alonliiiatl. la doctrine aimi
'■t ■ la ni.'Mie.' /(/., pp. 10-1, 43. Torcpieiiiada, Miiudri/. fml., tom. ii., p. ">2,
Nt:it( s ih.it the Coeoines were his descendants, but as the hero never married,
liNdis.'iplos must rather bo accepted as their ancestors. Lditiln, Itilftrinii. pp.
.'t)-'.i, :iiii)-l: llernrn. Hist, (ini., dec. iv., lib. x., cap. ii. Veytia eonnects
liiia <v;tli St. Thomas. Illtl. AntUj. M(j., tom. i., j)]!. l!»r>-H. ' Spealuii^' of
Cukiikau and his oompauious Las Cusas aays: 'A estc llamarou JJios dc las
Vol. 111. 30
430
r,OT)S, St'PEIlN'ATrUAL BEIXCiS, AND WOIIHIIIP.
I'-
Bcsldi's Tzaiujil luul r'hiclu'ii, tlicro wiis ji third jrrcjil
ciMitn' <»r Avorship in Vnciitnii. nuiiu'ly, tlic t»'iii|ilc of
Aliiiliii'h, oil (Vi/miu'l Islinnl. nuid l>y s(Hih» writers to
li;i\i' Ih'cii tlio cliicr sjiiictiiiirv, Chiclu'ii lu-iuu' srcdiid in
imi>(>rt;iii('('. It cousistrd of ii wjuaiv tower ol'^'oiisider-
al»le ^^i/.^^ within which was tlic iritraiitii^ terni-enttii statue
of Ahuhu'h, dressed as a, warrior, and holdiiiir an aiiow
ill his hand. The statno wan lioliow and set up close
aiiainst an apertnro in tiio wall, hy which the priest eii-
teivd the (iiim'e to deliver the oracle; should the jjicdii -
tit)n not 1)0 rnldlled. which was scarcely likely as it \\:i>
ji'enerally so worded that it niijjcht mean anythiiii! or
nothinji'. the failure was ascrihed to insullicient s.u rilice
or unatoned sin. So famous did this oviicle hccomc.
and so ureat was the multitude of piluiims contiiiiially
llockiuLi' to it. that it was found n«'cessiiry to construct
roads leadinu from the chief cities of Yucatan, and e\<ii
from Tabasco and (Juatemala. to I'oh', a town 0:1 tin-
continent o[)[M»siio the island. Iiel"»re emharUini:. tin-
jrenius of the sea was always prf)i)itiate<l l»y the saciKici'
of a doii'. which was slain with arrow;
d
am
id m
usic urn
(lancni^
u
'^riie liacahs were foin* brothers ■ ho suppoi-ted the
foiu' corners of the lirmatnent; tlu'v were also repnded
iis air uods. (V><:'olhido sp«'aks of them as /jmal IJiiciib,
(/anal l>iicab, Chacal I'acal). and I'lkel l?acab. but tlicy
were also known by other names. Mchuah was tin'
])atron-i!od of merchants and of roads; to him the trav-
eler erected every niuht a rude altar of six stones, tbivc
laid Hat. and three set upriuht. upon which he buiiicd
incense while he invoked the protection of the jiod. It
fi('l)i-('s u rnlciitnriis . . T/os ciinlos ninndalmn quo bp fnnfosnspn Ins t'oiitcs y
' nviiiiiisi II ; y ()ii(' hI^miiids iiyiiiiiili;in el vicriics ii(iri|iii' li.lihi iniiriin mi|imI
(li.i liiKiili; _v tiiiii' jxir iiniiiliri' aipifl diii Hiiiiis.' Ilisl. .I/ki/d;/. /i'ck. MS.,
cap. cxxiii. ' l\iil,iili(in, viciit <le /."/.. oist'uu (pii ]iarait tin' If iiaiiif (jiH' !f
■(jiit'tzal; sun <1''ti'riiiiiiiitif est knl.nl qui nni a run. serpent fait< x:i<t tm ni If
nu'Uie iiidt <jii(' (^i((7:'// roZ/iKt//, siriifiit iinx ]>luiiiert verti'S, on tie Qiit t/al.'
Jirassi'iir li' lionrlnmrii, m Lnnli. Itil'icinn, n. ',i'>.
^* ifoiiiiini, t'lmij. M'.v., fill. •J2; Lmnhi. Ili'iirhm, \t. IHS; f'i,(iiillii,lii, l!i>l.
Ynr., Y>. 2 i2; llrnsni'iir dr lliiiirli<iur<i. Hist. Xiit. i"n\. tuiii. ii., |ip Hi 7. " ^"
tfuiim jtor santilifuilos los que alia uniait fstiulo,' Jlnnnt, Hist. Ui-u., dvc.
iv., lib. X., dtp. iv.
YUCATEC DEITIES,
4C7
was oonsidi'n'd a ivlijiioiis duty l»v Yucatoc wayfanTs.
wiii'M [)assiii^ some proiniiiont point oil tlio road or s{>ot
\\]\v\v an iniajro of J'i('hua'< «l(x»il 'o adil a stono or two
1(1 the heap already ucoinniilatod taoiv, an aet of devo-
tioii similar to that performed liy the Kornans in honor
(if MercMn'y. Yuncemil was Ijord of Death, or, perhaps,
llii" personilieation of death itself; this dread «leity \v;h
propitiated with olferinj^s of food." Acat was (Jod of
Lit'c; he it was that formed the infant in the wond>. At
Tilioo. the present Merida, stood the ina<:'ni(ieent temple
of Vidian Kiina in which Hakliim (Miaain, the Priapits
of the Mayas and their most ancient jrod was worshii d.
• liac. or Chaac, a former kinj;- of l/amal, was hoi.u»ed
as the god of fields and fertility, and the inventor of
aLiiiciiltiire. Some distance south-west ytl' this city was
till' teiii[»l )f lImi[)ictok. 'commander of ei;_iit thoiisanil
lances', a title uiven also to the general of the army.'"
Aliciiiiy KaU was another a|)otlieosi/ed warrior-prince,
whose statue, dressed in royal rohes, was home in the
van of the army hy four of the most illustrious ca[)tains,
and received an ovation all along the route. Yxchehel-
yax is mentioned as the inventor of the art of inter-
weaving figures in doth, and of i)ainting. Xibalha. "he
who disappears." was the name of the evil spirit. Ivx-
i|Ui Miicrni relates that nagualism obtained on the coast.
Tin- naked child was placed on a bed of ashes in the
li inple. and the animal whose footprint was noticed in
till' ashes, was adopted as the naLiual, and to it the child
.lH'ivd
incense as it grew up
17
One of the most remarkable emblems of ^faya
'' linissonr de Bonrbonr^;, lll^t. Xnt. Cir., toni. ii., p. HO, culls tln' ^,'i(il of
"liath Uiikiilkii. Jl'irtd, in Hnii-itio \'iir., tmii. i., pp. IHS-K, uiciitiniis ;i
tiiiispuniit stout' ciillfil iitiiiH. by iiii'iius of which hidik'U things anil I'liusi s
t'f ilisiascs could lie discovcivil.
''• 't'cttc diviiiitc p;iriiit circ liv incino ijiie In Tihuif dcs Q' ■••hi'nct f'likchi-
'I'lrls. Ic T'rjtiill dcs ^Icxicaius, lu liiiac on lit lli'clic.' Urasscitr ile liiiurbimri,
ill l.'U'<Ui, Hiliicioii, p. 3li:t.
'' /.ir.Jli,nr!<. p. (11: ri„i„UHiln, Hisl. J'ur.. pp. 17S, l'JO-1, VM>-7 , Lim, :,
/■'■'"lioii, pp. '20(i S: l/niiiiii. in /</., jip. ar>()-(U; Ti niditx-l'iiiiiinnis, in .Wm-
|'''".>i Aiiiiiilisi (lis Viijl , ISIU, toin. xcvii., pp. 1i'-l; Ihniii'wrh'if Jhsirls. vol.
'•III'. 17, 'il; /,'( i/(<s'('. Hist, (tnidjfi, pp. 215-0; lirasseur de UourUonrj,
Jll-l. Xat, Lie, tum. ii., pij. 4-10, 2U, 42-50.
468
GODS, SUrEllNATUIlAL DEINGS, AND M'OESKIP.
|i 4
'i
i
!> I
worship, ill the ostimatioii of the conquerors, was the
cross, which has also ))ccii noticed in other parts of Cen-
tral America and in .\rexico,''^ although less prominently
than here. Among the many conjectui'es as to its origin it
is sup[)osed that it was received from Spaniards who
were wrecked on the coast hefore Cordova discoveicd
Yucatan, as, for instance, the pious Aguilar, Cortes" in-
terpreter; but this would not account for the crt)sses tli;it
exi-ted in other parts of Centi'al America. The natives
had a tradition, however, which placed the introduction
of tUe cross a few years before the concpiest. Anuni::
the many pro[)hets who arose at that time was one wlio
predicted the coming of a strange people from the di-
rection of the rising sun. who would bring with them
a monotheistic faith having the cross for its eml)lein.
lie admonished them to accejjt the new religion, and
erected a cross as a token of his prophecy.''' Another
tradition states that a vorv handsome man passed throiii:h
the country and left the cross as a memento, and this
many of tlie [)adi'es readily believed, declaring this per-
i^onage to be none other than the wanderer St Thomas.-'"
The o[)inion that it was introduced by early Christians,
or oid-woi'ld pagans, is, however, opjiosed by the aigii-
ment that other more practical features of their culture
'■* 'TnileCrncisonoct'h'briqnt'lK'ili Juoataii, (lilla Miztccn. ili Qucn t.iio,
(1i Tt'jiiiinc. f (li TiiiuiTii/tfin'c' Chiriiit m, >t(irii( Aid. iltl Missir,., tdiu. ii..
J). 11. Tlit're wt'i'i! iilsoiTossfsiit I'lili'iKiuc. on SiiiiJiiiiii ilcl'llda. iil ( Mp.iii,
i:i Niciu'ilLtnii, aiid otlu'r iiluccs. ' Din Ti>ltikcii Itabtii naiulicli die Vi u li-
r 111,' (li's Krcuzcs iiiit (Inr.lians lu'wiisstir Inziihtui^' ilcssi Hum auf il. u
llr.m'ii, VDU iltr altfii Url>cv()lUonui),' aiif^iiuiiniiRii.' Mullii\ An" lil.'mi^' in-
i'ri'i'li I'mnvn. ])[). IKS-'.I; I'liliniti, Carlii. \>. hS.
'■' This and dtliii- iiiMiditcics, whiili. if not nine faliii<ation'<, Ik^iv at
least inaiks of iiiutilation and addition, may l)f found in Turiiiiiintfl'i,
Mifiiirij. Iiiil , tiiiu iii . pp. i;tJ-;i; Hciu'skI, liisl. ( luidjui, pp. lit") (i; 'i',"/-
I'l'hi, lllsl. J'i«',, pp. it',) llll); llrii!<sviir d' llniirlinnni. Ili^t. Xnl. i jr., I.ini. ii.,
jip. (l(i;! (1. Hiinton ttiinUs tliat tluy may rt'fcr to • tlir iiturn of Zainiii.'i, or
KiK'kulcin, lord of tin' dawn and llic four wiiiils. \vorslii|ip(d at Cn/iui'il
. .under till' sit,'n of the cross.' M;/llin, \). ISS. 'J'hi' report cin-ulatdly
Aguilar of his |ieiiple and of tlie cross, may have yivon the ju'opliits a ilui .
■'^" ' The fonuation of such an opinion l>y the S[iaiiiard,-, seems to sin «'
lilniost coiielnsivejy, that th<^ al)ori^;ines of tlu' eipuntiy did not n t liii ai y
traditional history on the suhject that would justify the simpli' In lief, lli'it
Callio.ic Europeans had ever possessed intliieiice enoui;h anionu' tie la lo
hive estahlisherl so imi)ortant a feature in their superstitions oli>( r\anii-.
Mr' iillnli^ /I'c.s'i. (/■('//(. s ill Aiiiir.. p. ;!27. '.Vtimiahali iple ]ior <ple h.'diia mm i-
ti ell I'lla un homhre mas replalldeciellte (Jile tl S(d.' J.'IS (u.vlt, Ili>t. .l/"'/u-
t/.ji(;.(, MS., cap. cx.uii; I'dtr Martyr, dec. iv., lib. i.
THE SYMi;OL OF THE CKOSS,
•k;;)
l„i;V .it
would Imvo It'ft their lUiirk at tlu; saiiio time. The svm-
liiil itsoir is so siiii[>k' ami siiu'jicstivo of so iiiMiiv idras
that it siH'ins to nio most reasonable to ,sii[)|)ose that tlie
natives a!lo[)te(l it without foreign aid. At all events.
tl
le erois was ni use both as a \\
di-
ions cinhlem ;nu
ail iustninieiit of i)iinislnnent long heforc* the ( hristian
cia. it is surcd y innie<'essai'_v to areoiint for its preseiict'
ill America by theories invented for the occasion, or,
ill fact, in any way to connect it with Christianity.
The most common signification attributed to the symbol
is fertility or generation. A piece of wood fastened
hitii/.ontally to an npright beam indicated the height of
the ovt'i'tlow of the Nile. If the Hood reached this mark,
the cro[)s nourished; should it lail to do so. famine was
till' result; thus, we are told, in I'igyi>t the cross came to
lie worslii|)[)ed as a symbol of life and generation, nr
fi'ared as an image of decay and death. Wy other i>e(»-
jili's and for otiier reasons it was close'iv connected with
phaHic rites, of which I shall siieak elsewheri
or was
Cllll
iiected with the worship of that great fertilizer ami
life-giver, the sun. Among theChinese the cross signi-
lies ('oiict'j)tion. The cross of Thor may possibly be
ail exce[>tion, and refer merely to liis hannner or thun-
derbolt.-'
\\"\{\\ the Mexicans the cross was a symbol of rain,
t!ir feitili/ing eU'inent. or rather of the Ibur winds, the
I'Mi'ers of rain, and as such it was one of (^)uet/ale(>atrs
(Mialchiuitliciie. the sister of the rain-i^ods.
eiii!)lems.
.IM'I'
in her hands a cross-shapeil vessel. The cri
to
lie found in Mexican MSS.. and appears in that of I'e
Afr r.nlff, V TTi-uins, in liis '■■'!:.■ Dr
V. 120,
■cw run -IS
lii\i lucii iiiiiri' j)o\v. iliil in iiriii|iirin'4 misl.iMS in ain-iriit liihtrnv, tinii
till i'li ii, liM'^tily taki u u\< liy Cliiistiuiis in mII av^ts. tliat i vii-y liioiiiiiiK iii uf
iiuiii|t;ity iiiiiriiiil witli a cniss, ur with aiiv uf llmsc syinlmls wlmli tii- y
it till
ir iiiiiiiii'41'anis I
if Chiist, wirr nf ('liristiaii nr
Million ill Imlia as ill Iv^yiit, ami I'.iiniii
Mr Mil
Til
in liis litii't
;i;
tl I
ii
>■, Vill, 11., J)
■M,
wnti
irt'i'inlril at till' jirtciilii
iii"-t usual syliiliiils aiuoiii,' tl-c
I .ii!i iiii of iiiii\(isal iiaturr is ci
lilt not tlif jiic'ty of till' Catliolii' ( ii
sscllinli tliat the iTos
s was oil
it l!
ilii
i^lyjili
if l'".L!yi>t ami India.' Th
illv lioiiori il in till' (iiiitilr ami ( li
li.iii um-lil.
in l!ic cav.' at I'.l.iiliint a. in India, ovrr tlif liiad of th
l'Vii:.'i|i d li^iiri'. airaiii
li
n tliis li''iiii' itiie cross
lilt!
Ill
tilt front thu hiigf Liiiyliaui' viihallus;.
' ■ %
u
14:1:
470 GODS, SUPEnXATUKAL BEINGS, AND ■WOrSIIIP.
ji'rvuiy with :i l)ir(l, wliicli, its an iii]jjil)itinit of tlio air.
may Ik' said to ucconl with the character of the symhol.
The ^rexicaii indiie of tLj cross, toiKhdq'KiJiHttf, 'tree of
one life, or llesh,' certainly conveys the idea of fertility.
It is nevertheless regarded hy some writers merely as an
astronomical siiin.'-'^ The first cross noticed ])y the S[)aii-
iards stood within the turreted courtyard of a temple
on Co/umel Island; it was com[)osed of lime and stone,
and was ten spans ([)alm()s) in height. To this cross tJic
natives prayed Ibr rain, and in times of drought went in
j)rocession to ofler v<i/i(»iii-/ie* as they called the symliol.
(juailsand other propitiah)r3- gifts. Another cr(»ss .vtoiid
within the precincts of the Spanish cloish'r at Mf'rida.
Avhitherthe picjus monks had most likely brought it from
Co/umel; it was about three feet high, six inches thick,
and had another cross sculptured on its face."' The
seal [)tured cross at ralencpie has the latin form: a bird
is perched on its apex, and on either side stands a human
figure, apparently priests, one of whom offers it a child."'
2'2 ronstnntio holds it to ho a syniliol of tho solstiops. M'lUe-ririin, T'l^'iU
In irroi/., toiii. vi., jij). ■iitl-i'r, iiniiiholtll, K.aiiii. Int., [din. ii., y\k :!.M-ii
Wlllrrl,-, V
'!/■
I 'ill.
V
>A: M'nili
Ai
III' rihiiiiisi
T'^niniiinuhi, .\fi>iiiiri/. Iiul., U
'/((' Vrriliifh
IT ■!'•
.(HI;
pp. 133, -itllMi, •_'J',J: M'i iillnli's /,'(
'■/('.■', pp. 33J-(!; Kliiiim, Citlttir-di.srliii'litr, toni. v., p. 143; (iuiii'ini. Jli^l.
h l..(o[.iV.i. 1!
riiitipii rt'fiTs til ii stuti'iiKMit th;it tlu' Mcxiciiiis had <Tiicif(iriii
!,'V.ivcs, 1111(1 supposes tliiittliis rcfci'itil to four sjniits of tli'
rl.l \\h
t.' (MITV llle ilici'iisid to luMVcll, but there seems to be 11 luistilke on bulh iif
til se points. Mjltlix. ))|). '.t."(-M; 'initio's ('
IS M I/I lis, Vdl.
Ji. (II. ct sei|.
< I x's Mi/thnliiiii/ iif Ari/ini Xnliiins, vol, ii., pji. 3ll',l-7li. Some of the (i<
r -tein
ll toll
tl.e 1
iciul ]iiece, iiuil biiiig of this shiipe, Ti ivs(Mnl'le, sdiu
vliiit, II Mexieiui eoiii.
No solo .se hallo vnii Cni/, sino nlj^'uinm.' Coijulhuhi. Illsl. F'"'., yy
M'.t 3(12; /;,
"(/ hi'
1 1., c.ip. 1. ; Uniiiiir'i, I iiiiij.
Hist. Ciiiiij., f(il. 3; /liriirn, llisl.dtii., de
il.
Ml
f(i
Ii. Ste)ihelis fciuiid a cvciss iit tl
•Il of MeJDriidii, ill M('ridii. whieh :iii old iiKiiik h:id iIiil; out of tie' ruin
lit a
rhnrel
1 oil Cozuniid Island.
Tl
U' eonilei
till
if 111
• ('(iZlllllel Cli
villi the niiiied ehiircli on the island edinpletelx imiibdates the sticiiiri-t
j'ldif dtlVred at this day that the eross was evi r riuoj^'iii/ed by the IinlLis
II ■; a syiiilml (if w 'ishi]).' Viirii'mi, vol. ii.. \:\i. 377 S. Kathfl' a hasty iiss. r-
tidii when made in the fa if so many old anthorilies.
•-' This se.'iiis t I e nitirm the idea that ii was wurshiiicd, yet Const.nilio
i-e,' oils it as II representation of the birth of the sun in the wiiiti r selsiiee,
lid holds the ruin to whieh tho cross belongs to bu a sun *'iii]ile. '/"'';-
/',
(/(' hi 'f'''i)i/.. toll), vi., pj). 4!il-'"); Miill'V, Aiiiiiil'ii
ri.,^ r
ii'i'iiii'ii,
ill it tile T(
I'aleliqlle eross nielely represents lUie (if tliese ti(MS with the hint
\t. IDS; .'^tiplii'ii's I'riit. Aiiiir., vdl. i , pjt. ;Mri-H. Sipdi r. vho di u > s
luahuitl was intiiideil to represent II cross, thinks llmt lli-'
(I eniss.vise
I'.ll-,
i'ltrl'i.
1-2 l-l; Jon
IHsl. .1,
ft si'ij. who iduuiilius almost every fcatiuu of Central Amurieaii W'lrsi
ii,i
ifi
[IP.
HUMAN SAClUFItL.-5 IN YL( ATAN.
•171
)f tlio iiir.
le symhol.
7, 'tree of
■ fei-tililv.
ivlv MS ;ili
the S[);iii-
ii tt'iiiplt'
111(1 stone,
s cross the
it >vi'iit ill
e syiiiliol.
r(vss st()(i(l
it Mi-v'uh.
lit it IVoiii
lies thick.
l\-' The
111: ii hii'd
'< u huniaii
, a chilli. -■'
Brim, Pn'riii
i., ].i.. :i:.l-f;;
yy. -Ill"- .'H II I;
"( iilliili's /iV-
iiii'ini, llif-l.
,il crucifiiriii
il villi well!
(Ill llntll I'f
711. it siM|.;
till' Cll.^M S
illije, Miliii -
^t. F'"'., l')!.
ic. ii . liii.
riiss at ill''
if till' niiii-i
iicl Cfi'ss"
StiI'llL'l •-t
lie IlhlioliS
i:isty iiss. 1'-
Colist.'it'li'i
it( r soKiii'i',
i|ili'. l/"/''-
I'/ic (■''(■"''•
vlid ill II < s
ks lli;it 111.'
liialii'i,' -^
ur.. ]'. II '.
ail wiii'.-iii/
The Vucutccs were as careful as the Mexicans to i)i'c-
ptire for their iimnerous iestivals h> lasts marked hy
strict chastity and al)sence IVoin salt and [upiJCi'."' Scar-
iliciitioii could not he omitted hy the jtioiis on these oc-
(•;i>i(iiis. althouiih women were not called uj)oii to draw
lilwDil.'" Yet their gods were not h} any means so hlood-
lliirsty MS the Mexican, heing generally appea.-^ed hy the
liloiid of Muinials. Miid human .sicrihces were cMlUd I'or
niily on extraordiiiiiry occasions. ('iikiilcan, like his
lin)toty[>e (^)iiet/alcoJitl, douhtless oj)|»osed the shedding
lit' liuinan hlood, hut after hi.s depMrtiire the [iractice
cfrt;iiuly existed, smd the jiit at ( 'hiclieii It/.a. wlK).><e
waters he had con.secrated with his jn'ison. was Minoiig
the first places to ho polluted. Tin,' Nictims here were
gfiicrally young virgins, who wei'e charged when they
^huiiid come into the presence of the gods to entreat them
for the needed hlessiniis. Medel relates that on oiu' oc-
casitiii the vi(;tim threatened to invoke the most terrihle
c.ils n[»on the pi'()[)le, instead of hle.ssings. if the>' sac-
rilici'd her Mgainst her will; the [)er[)lexed priests
thought it prudent to let the girl g(j. and select another
and more tractahle sacrifice in her place. The \ictims
who died under the knife, or were tied to a tree and
shot, were usually enslaved captives, esjiecially those of
rank, hut when these fniled, (!riniinals and e\cii children
\\crt' suhstituted. All contl'ihuted to these sacrifices,
citlier hy presenting slaves and children, or hy siihscrih-
to th
le i)urcnase monev
\\ hile awaiting this doom
the \ictinis were well treated, and condiictcd from town
to town amid great rejoicings; care was taken. Iiowcver,
that no sinful act should deti'act from their purity or
With the Pliii'iiii'i.'iii, iissi'its tliiit tilt! ralciHjiii- crov, j i,,vi s tlic'l'Miaii (ni.L'iu
lit ill.' aliiii'i;,'ilii'S.
'-' C'li'^i ill lull > siiys, liowcvpr: ' Holiaii avuiiur dus, y tns dias, t-in luiiiif
£■ is;t al','iiim.' Hist. I'kc, J). 191.
'-'■ I 111 SI' imitilatidiiH were lit tiim s v(iy scvM'f. '()tnis vrzi s lia/iaii im
s iziii y pi'iiiisii sacritirio afiiiilaliiliisc liis (juc lu lia/iali < li d tcimlii, diilido
r'li'st IS ( II I'i'iiyla. sc li.iziali SI lulus a^;tl/i iii.s Ml ios mii mlirns mi ili s a! m'S
liVii loi' I 1 lailn. y lirclins Jiiissavali tiiila la mas laliliilail ili liiin (|ilr | inliali,
'111' iliiiiiln as-;i todns asiiliis.' JaukIu, ltil<ir!<)h,\i\-. li'i'J 'J. 'I'liis aillhni thinks
t'lat til" |irartii'i' iif slitting tliu iiR'iiute y'lVu lisi,- to tin- iili u tin. I ('iu'iuiici-
hi'iii lAistoil in Ymatau.
472
GODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
^iti
- n
v.ilue,'^^ Somotimes the ))otly was eaten, sa\s Laiulii.
the feet, hands and liead heing given to the i)riests. th('
rest to tlie chiefs and others; but Cogolhido and (loiiiiira
insist that cannihahsm was not practiced. The liittcr
statement can not «ipply to the whole of the })eninsul:i.
however, for on a preceding page Cogolhido relati's tliat
Agiiilar's shipwrecked companions were sacrificed and
eaten ]\y the natives.'^^
C\infession, which Cuknlcan is said to have introduced.
was nuich resorted to, the more so as deatli and dis a.^e
were thougiit to l>e direct punishments for sin couunit-
ted. Whirried priests were the regidar cc.nfessors. hut
these were not always applied to for spiritual aid: the
wife would often confess to her hus])and. or a hushaud
to his wife, or sometimes a public avowal was made. Men-
tal sins however, says Landa., were not conl'fssed.-'
The priesthood of Yucatan were divided into dilVcicut
factions, some of which regarded Zannia and Cukulcau
as their resj)ec..ivo founders, while others reniaini'd true
to more ancient leaders. According to Landa tlii' lii;.:h-
priest was termed Ahkin ^lai, or Ahau Can Mai, and
held in great veneration, as one who.^e advice was fol-
lowed bv the kinus and srandees. The revenues of the
office, which passed as an inheritance to the son or near-
est relative, consisted of presents from the king and of
tributes collected l)y the priests. The ordinary inicsts
bore the title of alikln^^ and were divided into several
87 7,'/)?'7r^ JJilarlivu pp. Ifil-R; CorjoUwlo, THst. r>(i:. pp. 193-1; .!/;.'■_/, in
jV()i(r(7/(,s Antiitlcs ihx I'o//., 18i;i, torn, xcvii., p. 43; vol. ii.. p]i. 7lil-"), of
this WDik. ' Fia' want of childi'L'n tlicy sin'rilic'c (lot,'t,'('s.' I'lhr .U<iili/i\ dec.
iv., lib. vi. ' El imiiKTo de In gonto Kiicnticii(l;i ciii lunclio: y csta .•ustmiiliic
fill' iiiliddiiziilii en Yticatiin, i)or los Mcxiciiiids.' ' Flccliiinaii alu'iiiias vrZ( s
nl sacrilicailo. . . .(li'solljiuiuilos, vi'Ktiase el siifcrdolc el julli j", y liaylaun, y
entcrrauau el eiicrpo en «'l )iatio dol ti'nii)l<).' Ili rn in, lli.-l. '"/'.. ili'i'.
iv., lil>. X., cap. iii., iv. 'I'liulition it'liitcs that in (i cave near I'Mual iNistid
a well lik<> that of riiichcn. j^'iiardcd by tin old woiiiau, tlic builder of the
dwarf palace in that city, who sold tlu^ water for iiifaiils, and tin se she cast
before the snaki' at her side. Sh']>h<ns' C'liiit. Aiiiir., vol ii., ]>. I'J-").
2'* r.'iiiild, H'liivhm, p, 105; CoyoHudo, JJist. I'uc, pp. 2.'), ISO; limnavi,
IHsl. I,>il., fol. (12.
•M lirhicion, p. l.")4; llcrnm, TfhI. Gen., dec. iv., lib. x., ca]). iv. ]Mir(li>-
cri])tioii of baptismal rites, see vcd. ii., ji)). (iS2-4, of this woik.
■'" '(4)110 se derivii de nil verbo kini/nli. (pie signilica " sortear o nhar
Biiertea. " ' Liz tnu, iu Laiula, lUhicion, p. 302.
rniESTS OF YUCATAN.
473
lilTciviit
ukiilcau
\vd true
|lL' ll'lLlll-
ai, and
IS fol-
of tho
• iicar-
uitl of
M'it'sts
.si'vcral
¥..'■/. in
Till ■"», "f
i'li/i\ ili-i'.
■>tuiiil):('
mas vi'/cs
ia\laui>. V
" .. iW.
ill I xisti ll
I- (if till'
sill.' cast
classes. Some of tlioin preached, niaile olTcrinns. kept
records, and instructed tlieson.sof n()l)k's and those des-
tined lor the priesthood in tlie various hranelies ol' e(hi-
ontioii. The ch'ibines M'ho construed the oraeU's of the
puis, and accordiniily exercised great inlhieiuH'. held tlio
liiiiliest place in the estimation of the ])eople. before
MJioni they appeared in state, borne in littei's. The sor-
cerers and medicine men foretold fortunes and cured
diseases. The cluics 'were four old men elected at everv
celebration to assist the priests, from \vhieh it uould
seem that the priesthood uas not a very inimerous body.
ii(u-(»i Avas the title of the sacriflcer. an olliee held
I'oi- lil'e. but little esteemed; this title uas also boine by
tlie general of the army. Avho assisted at certain festi-
vals, ^larriage seems to have l)een })ermitted to all,
and confessors were actually required to liaye wiyes. ACt
tlieri' were doubtless a large number uho liyed in a state
of celibacy, devoted to their sacred duties. Their dress
varied accordinu" to their rank, the hitih-i^riest beiuu' dis-
tingiiished by a mitre in addition to his pe(adiar robe;
the most usual dress \vas. however, a larue white cotton
I'ohe'^ and a turban formed by wreathing the unwashed
hair round the head, and keeping it paste(l in that
jiosition with blood. Connected with the sun wor-
shi[) was an order of vestals, formed by jirincess Zu-
hiii l\ak'. 'fu'C viruin.' the dauiihter of Kinieh Kakmo.
supei-ioress of the vestals. The members were all vol-
unteers, who u'cneralh' enrolled themsehes for a cei'taiu
time, at th* ' pii'ation of which th«y w< ic allowed to
leave and entei" the married state; some, howexcr. re-
mained forever in the seryice of the temple, and were
apotlu'osi/ed. Their duty was to tend th»' .siereil (ire,
the emblem of the sun, and to keep strictly ejiaste;
those who broke their yows were shot to death with
aiTows,''-
linlli'ir'l,
Fnl' .!.•>.
I'l 1 1 hav
^' ' Loiirjnca rnlipa iioirps.' M<vrhi, Voyartp, tom. i'., p. IHS.
'■! rM,/,,//i(,/,,, //;.s^ Ynr., p. r.iS; limsainr <!(• Ilifurlciirii. ///>'. V'r7. r'l'r.,
•I'lii. ii., ji. (;; Tiriiii'(.f-('('iiiiii(iis, in Xounllis .Ikmi/is ihs I'l //., IM.'!. tiiii.
Xivii., jip. u'J-11. Teiuijks are ileHcribtd in vol. ii., i>ii. 7'.U -i, of tliis work.
m
I
!
mm
i74 GODS, SUrEUXATUUAL BEINGS, AND WOllSIIIP.
Tilt' chief {icooinit of Guatoiiiiilau wcrsliip is (U'rivod
from the .siei'ed book of the (Quiches, the J^opol I'nh^ i,j
which I have ahvudy referred in the opening' panes of
this vohiiue, hut the descriptiou given in it is so con-
fiised, the names and attributes of the gods so mixuil,
that no very ndiable conchisions can be derived tlieie-
from. 'i'liis very confusion seems, however, to imhi-ate
tliat the im[)i)rted names of llurakan, (Jiicuma;/, and
others, weie witii their attribut^^'s attached to native lie-
roes, who undergo the most varying fortunes and charac-
ter, aiuid which now and then a ghuico is obtained at
their original form.
Tlie most ancient of the gods are two persons called
nunAh[)u Vuch and Hun Ahpu I'tYu. or Xpiyacoc and
Xmucane. (^•eatorand l*rotector, fxrandfatlici-and ( iraiid-
niother of the sun and moon, who are often confounded
inider either gender and re})resented with big noses, like
tai)irs. an animal sacred to these people. Jh'asseur iden-
tilies them with the ^fexican Oxomoco and Ci[)actun;d."
Tonacatlecutli and Tonacatepetl, Ometecutli and Oineci-
liuatl. the female also with Centeotl and Toci, and places
her in the (^)uich(' calendar as Ilun Ahpu. while the male
heads the list of months under the name of Imoj. .''* Con-
33 ' r('lM)i'('s ilaiis toutrs les triiditions tVoviiiine toUinine, c; nimclcs jirvts
(In soKil it (!(.■ la uiunie.' IJiasstui' de lioarhoimi, Hist. Sat. ( ir., tow. i., ii.
120.
3^ ' Uidi-MipH- !'(/(•/( nil Tirour de Snrbacane nn Siirii,Mie ct ilitn-Aliim-l'li't
nil 'I'iri'ur df SiU'liacaiir iiu Chiicid.' lininsriir di; llintrlionyii. I'njil \'"Ii,\]k
cwiii.. txix. pp. '2-'t. Tin j- ure iilso refcrrcil to us (•(iiijuivru. Id., ///^^ A"'.
( ("r., toiu. i., [). ol. Xiiiuiit!Z spells the l.itlLV iiiiiui' lluu-alipii-iihri, ,ind
Btatt'H tliat tilt V aro lii-ld as orack-s. Hist. Ind. (I'Kit.. ]ip. 4, l")li f>. ■'^-'. I :'■*
Casas, Hist. .\ji'ito(iitir<t, MS., cap. exxiv. vtfi rs to these beiiiLjs as h.iviiii,'
been iiiloved under the iiaiiio of j^'iMiidfather and ijrandiiiotlier liet'oie the
deliltie, l)\it later (jii a woman appeared who taught tlieui to <all tln' ^;od> I'y
other names. This woman. IJr.issenr de l?t)iirboiui,' holdfi to be the ii.i.li-
tional and eilelir.iled ipueii Atit, from whom .\titlau vtileaiio (jlitained its
nam ', and from whim the priiii-ely families of Giiateniala have (h ^ceiili ij.
The natives still ree.dl her name, bnt as that of a phantom. Ilist. .\iit. Ce .,
torn, ii., pp. 71 •"). He further finds eonsiderable simiLirity between iier and
Adiii of the Vedi. In his sohitioiLof the Aiitilh's cataclysm he idiiitiiiis
Xniii'ane as the South .Xinerie.in part of the continent and Xjiiyai'dc as
North .Vmeriea. <Jii drr hltri.i. pp. 22;t-l 2;t."( S. (tiieia, Orliiii ili- l^x hut ,
j)ji. ',Vl')'.iK calls tliese first beint,'s Xchmel and Xtniiilia, and ^,'ives them tliirt)
sons, who create .lU thint^s. In the yoenf^'er of tlic.se we reco;,'ni/e the two
leL,'itim ite sons of lluniiiui Ahuii, who will be desuri'-ed later on a.s the paliuus
of the line art.s.
rfVT,
TEPEU AND HURAKAN.
iijctiNl witli tliom stands Toi)eii, termed ])y the saered
li);)k Doiuiuator, lie who Begets, and whose name means
uraiid. majestic. Xhnenez, hy translating his name as
l»iil)0('s. or s\ ^>hilis, coiniects him with Xanahuat/in. the
Xiihiia hero who threw himsell' into the (ire and roso as
the stm.''"' Tei)eu is more generally known nnder the
iKiiiie of (Jnc'umatz, 'featliered snake,' which is nnive:'-
s.illy identilied with (Jnetzalcoatl, the Xahna air goil. \n
this character he is said to transform himself everv
>L'\cii days into four forms, snake, eagle, tiger, a mass
of coagtdated I)lood, one after the other, and every
."^evcu days he visits heaven and hell alternately. Ho
is also held to he the introducer of culture in (juatcmala,
tlioiigu more as one who directs man in his search for
improvement, than as a culture-hero.*' These two gods
lileinling into one, often form a trinity with llini Ah[)u
Viich and I Inn Ahpu l^ffu, nnder the one name of (Ju-
ciuiiatz. the Heart of Heaven. The assuni[)tion l>y this
goii of four ibrms ma^' have reference to the divine (juar-
tt'ttc. and in the expression ''they are envelo[)ed in a
mist of t:reen and aznre,' JJrasseur de Bourhourii' sees a
rL'tiM'en('e to the sacred hundle containing the four first
lUL'H and sacrifices, transformeil into gods.''
llurakan.''' although connected with the al)ove (juar-
ti'ttc in the enumeration of titles of the su[)reme deity,
keeps aloof from the lower si)here in which tiiese move
at times, and is even invoked hy Gucumatz, who calls
■>' To l)c ftrtiitcil with IiuIkhs iinpMoil the possossinn of ni.iiiy women imd
cou^'nui'ii'ly wniltli ami ^'I'aiulclir. Ilisl. Iml. Gmd., p. 1")7; sec this vol. p.
1)': li-m-i'iifih' li.)t(rh')iir'i, I'l'P'il I'nli.. \). :!.
•" lil'iisst'iir (If Jioui'lxmvi^, I'lijitd \'uh.. ) . 'Mo, (hits not iiinlcistaiiil wliy
XiiiKiii;/, I fist. I, III. (iiitit.. p. \->'i, tiaiishitt s litavcii ami Xihiiha as litavcp
anl li 11, but as both ti'i'iiis iloul)thss iifcr to pi'oviiu'is. or towns, it is Ittitcr
111 iitaiii tlie ti;,'ui'ative nanio. Xibalba is, bisiths, (hiivid finni the saniit
siurrc as the XiliiUia ' (h'niou ' of tli'' Viicatccs. Di-assniv tianslati s: ' Ciia-
quc St |it ' jonr-;i ii niontait an citl ft ill sept (join-si il faisait if chciiiin pour
ih'sci lahi' a Xibalba.' while Xinicm/ witli iiiort'ap)iarciit I'ornctni ss iiriilcrs;
'Sjiiiilius s<i siibia al oiclo y siite dias se ilia al intirrno.' In (j'nttr' l.it-
ti'<. ji. 'lis. fho .Vblir explains Xibalba as hell. See also vol. ii., pp. 71") 7,
ot tills work.
■ /'.i/).i/ Will , p. ewii.-cxx., 7, '•'; see this vol., pp. (S ',[, 'l'],f orcnr
reii ■!■ of the number I in invthieal anil historical aecoimts of .Mi \ieo aiiil
C'lMiiiii America is very frcipieiit.
" ■ I'arait viiiir iles .Antilles, oa il ilc'si,'nait la toinpete et le •,'ronilenieiil
ill' luraLjc' liiaaaear de Lluiirbuurij, I'opul I'ali., p. 8.
416
GODS, SUP2RNATU1UL BEINGS, AND Y.'ORSIIIP.
■SIS'
tt ■;
him, among otlior iifimos. Creator, ho who ]K\uvts and
gives l)eing. That he was held to ))0 distinct, and wur-
shiped as such hy the (^niches, niiiy l)e seen iVoui tlio
laot that they had one higii-priest lor (Jneinnatz, and an-
other for Tohil, another name of ilnrakan. who seems to
liave ranked a degree ahove the former.^'' lie it'iirc-
sented tiie thnnder and lightning, and his partieidar title
.SL'ems to have heen Heart of Heaven, nnder which were
inchided the three phases of his attrihnte, the tlimider.
the lightning, and the thnnderholt. or. as stated in an-
other place, the Hash, the track of the lightning, and the
thunderbolt.*" another conception of a trinity, lie is
also called Centre of the Ivirth and is represented with
thunder in his hand. The bird Voc was his messenger.
^[ idler considers him a sun god. probably because of liis
title 'Heart of Heaven,' which determines notliiiig.
Avhile others hold him to be identical with the
Tlalocs, the Mexican rain li'ods. He is d<)nl)tless the
same as Tohil, the leader of the (Quiche gods, who is
represented by the sign of water, but who.'^e name ,^ig-
iiiiies nmible, clash.*' In him are also fouiul united the
three symbols of (Quiche trinity, as will be seen shortly,
and his priests address him: "Hail, Heauty of the
Day, Ilnrakan, Heart of Heaven and of Earth ! Thou
who givest glory, riches and children ! Thou Tohil.
Avilix, (iragavitz, Bowels of Heaven. Howels of Ilartii I
Thou who dost constitute the four ends of Heaven I"*-
He was also god of fire, and as such gave his peopU' fno
by shaking his .sandals." According to the version of
3'J liriis.'ii iir ih' BoHvhnurfj. IJist. Xdt. Cii'., torn. ii.. p. 400.
'•" (riuciliiso says; ' C'cst cncoro I'idt'i' du l\)iimu-rr', dc I'Ei-laii- ct iL h
Foudrc, ('(Piitt'iius (liins rm scnl llmiiLiiii, Ic ceiitie, le coeur dii ri( 1. la !■ ai-
jiL'te, Ic vent, Ic sinilUe.' ('niiienlnrlon Hi'ulis, lilj. ii., cai". xxiii.. Ill), iii.. iMp.
xxi., lil). iii.; Hraasciir de Jliinrhdiiiy, rojnd I'uh., p. ccxxxv., U; /■/., //i>'.
Nat. <"n\. toiii. i., ji. 51.
■" Xiini'iKZ lilt (ju'il siynifli' PInie, Arirsr: luuis il coiifuucl ici 1(> ii"iii du
dicu aVi'C It! si^;iu'. Tnh,. .. .ost ivndii par lo int>t /)'/'/". paii'. ji'i'i'ir. [>:yt.
Mais To M.S. < 'n l.i'lihiud ... .t\'\t (pic Ics (^uiclu's roc^Muciit cfliii di' 'I'l'li'ihll,
([iii si>,'iiiru' 1,'nmdt'iiii'iit, bruit.' etc lirnsni'iir tlo lioiiHionnj, J'upul I "'i, p.
21 1. He siH'ins idniiit-al witli the Maya Huiijnctok.
'■2 llni.'i^''iir ill' Hiiiirhiinni. /fhl. Xiit. ("ir., imii. ii., ]), ">.■>:{, toiu. i.. ji. 1-*^-
■" nriiitdii, Mi/Ui!<. p|). i.")''i-7, who holds Ilnrakan to l>i' the 'riaioc. roii-
j-iccts Tohil with (^iiil/alcoatl - idi'as talieii most likidy from lir.is-^iiii de
lioiirbtmrii— slatea tliat liu wua reprcsoutt'd by u Uiiit. This iiiu.st rcfti'
IIAVALITZ AND HACAVITZ.
i77
Pjia'Sriir do T^oiirboiirii'. his temple at Utiitlaii, uliere lie
Hriiis to have taken the plaee of an ancient fi^Ml, \va.s a
truncated pyramid with extremely .steep steps in the la-
('iiilc. On its smmnit was a tem})le of jii'eat heii-ht.
Iniilt ol'cnt stone, and with a riK)!' of precious woods; the
^villls within and without were covered with line, hiil-
liaiit stucco of extreme hardness. In the midst of the
lUKst splendid sur round inji's sat the idol, on a throne set
with [)iecious stones. His priests per[)etuallv pra\ed and
hnmt precious incense helbre him, relievin;;' i-ach other
ill liiinds of thirteen, so that while some attended to his
st'i\ice, the others fasted to pre[)ai'e for it. Thi' chief
nun of the kin<i'dom also attended in hands of ei^uhteeii,
to invoke his blessing for them and their provinces, iiiiu?
fasting, while nine olVered incense." 'iohil, and the
other members of the trinity, Avilix and Hacavitz, or
(Jagavitz, who also ivpresent the thunder, the lightning,
and the thunderl>olt, were the family gods given by the
( 'icator to the founders of the Quiche race, and though
they afterwards became stone, they could still assume
other sliajies in conformity with the suprenu; will. As
family gods they had s})ecial tem[)les in the jjahice of
the princes, where their regular service was (conducted.
and three mountain peaks bearing their names, served to
keej) them before the [)eople.*''' The tlint with which
Jhinton identifies Tohil may. perhaps, be the black stone
brought Irom the far east. an(l venerated in the temple
to his ir.ulitioiiiil triinsfiinnatidii iiiti) ii stoiio. fi>r tlic Aliln' di flan s, tliat no
il(--iri|itiiiii of his iilol is ),'iv(ii liy the < In'oiiicliis. ll'isl. .\iil. i ic. imii. ii.,
J). Vi^. N'dw, althoiiLjIi till' Alil)i' iliL'laris I'dliil to lit- tlic saiiU' as (^lu t/.al-
i'i>:itl. ill tlui J'nlifit !'((/(, p. 'Jll, iiliil otllir 1>1 ici'S, hv lU-Ullowlidms tiiat
th- tiMiliiioii p isitivcly ickiitiliis him witli Uuiakaii, and coiitiiiiis (his
liy 1 \[Kaiuiiiif (lit p. I'l'lxvii., tiiat Tohil. sonirtiims in liinistlf, sonntiiiu s in
(• lauii'iion with tlio two othir uiciuImis of tin' triu.ty, conihiin's tin- attn-
h It s of tliiiuilcr, tlasli, and tliuiiih rliolt: fnitlicr, he ^,'ivfs a piayir hy tlio
Tohil priusts iu wliicli this ^'od is addn-sscd as Iliu'alian. Ilisl. Xiil.l'ir.,
t.i a. li., ]i. r).!;]. Giii'iimutz, the acknowli'dj^cd rrprfscntativc of Qiiit/.alco-
ii,l, is, hisid .s, shown to be distinct from Tohil. Kvny point, tlicnfoii-,
tr.i.l.ii'iii. name, attributes, eoiiuoct Tohil and llurukan, and idtiitily them
vith rialoc.
I' //; /. \'d. rh\, torn, ii., pp. 552-3.
'' llrassiiir lie liunrhniiri. I'^tinl Vah, p. cclxvii., 2;!"); /</., llht Xnl. ('"ir.,
fiiia. ii., p. ~)'tA.. Tho tnrnin^' into stout! • vent diro i\\\v hs trois ))rin ipiinx
V'>1 las s't'tfiguiruut ou cossoriut do lancer Iciirs fuiix. ' Id., ijnulrt Ldlns,
p. Ml.
478
GODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
of K;ilil).'i. 'house of siicrifico,' at Utiitlaii. l)iit tliriv is
no coiiliniiiitiou hy tho clironidcr.s. It is, Ik'.skK's, stated
tliut tlic wor.sliip of Kulihii had greatly dccrmcd. hut
Uiis !it:!iiii ivstoivd to sotnetldiiii Uke its foniuT uiory h\-
(iiiciimat/; 'l\»hil, on the otiier hand, always stood
hiuli. and his high-priest helonged toa dill'ereiit ramilv."'
.\ similar stone existed in a teiajjle situated in a deep
ra\ine near Ixiinche, in whose polished i'aee the gods
made l<no\vii their will. This stone was often used to
determine! the fate of those accused of crime; if tlic
judges [KM'ceived no change in the stone the prisouoi*
went IVi'e."
We now come to the heroes with whose adventur(>s tlic
J\>fi()l Vn]i is chielly occupied. From the union of the
(irandfather and (irandmother who head the list of
(^ui('h(' deities, proceeded two sons, llmdiun Ahj)U and
A'ukab Ilun Ahpu.^** They incur the susj)icion and
hatred of the princes of Xil^alha, who plan their down-
f;dl and for this purpose invite them to their coiu't. under
the [)reten(;e of j)laying a game of hall with tiiem. On
their arrival the\ are subjected to various indignities
and (inally condemned to lose their heads. ^I'he iicnd
of Ilunhun Ahpu is placed between the ^\itll('^ed
l)raiK'lies of a calabash-tree; but lol a miratde t.ikcs
j)la('e; the tree immediately becomes laden with fruit
and the head turns into a calabash. Ilencefortii tiie tree
is h(dd sacred and the king commands that none shall
touch it, X(|uiq, however, a royal princess, Eve-like,
disregards the injunction, and approaches to j)hi(d< the
fruit. As she stretches forth her arm, llindnui Ahpii
^[)its into her hand, and Xcpiiq finds hei'self pregniiiit.
Her father soon perceives her condition, and in a fury
condenuis her to death, telling the executioners to bring
him the heart of his daughter to prove that they have
■ifi firassenr de Jiourhounj, Hist. Xut. Civ., torn, ii., p. 4!)7, 7o; J'L, J'op'd
Vuh. 1>. cflxii.; Kcc note 7.
*'' hi., I fist. .\'<il. ("n\, toiii. ii.. p. r)21; Jiifm-ns' IH.fi. G'i«it., ji. ;!Mt.
■''* ' lliniliHii-.ilipit sittiiitto ChiKinc Tireiir do Surlmciinc : Vnknh-lliui-.Vijt'i.
Sep! 1111 'Tircnr do SiirhiieiiiK'.' lirussi )(r de Bimrbonrii, I'lijial \'nh, \>. t-xwv.
Tlii'ir cliicf uiuue Abpii • dt-siyiie la puissiiuce volcuuiiiue.' Id., (^adnL.t-
ires, p. 225.
ADVENTI'llES OF XQUIQ. IIUN AllPr, AND XllALANQri'. IT'.t
(lone tlicii' duty. AVliilo licin^^ 1«m1 to the wtxid .\(|iiii(
|ilc,nls c'lriK'stly for licr life, and liiiiilly jii'cvnils upon
licr cNi'cntioncj's to deceive lior fUtlicr l>y sulistitiitiiii: for
Ik'I" lu'iu't till? jclly-liko rt'sin ot* ii tree, \vliicli sIk- pro-
cures. X(|m1(| [)nKU'i>ds t(» rtatliin. to llic (iinndiiiothrr.
Xiiiiicinii'. iuul ^ivi's l)irtli to the twins I Inn Alipii and
Xl);d;ui(iue.^'"' who devidoi) rajudly. their superior talents
SMdi innke tlieir elder hrother.s jealous, and they jitteinpt
their destruction, ))ut the twins antici[)ate their (U'>i.Lins
iuid transforui them into apes. These hrothei's ilun
Hat/ luid Ilun (Miouen. were the sons of Ilunhnn Ah|)n
hy Xliakiyalo. and were invoked as tiie patrons ol" the
line arts""'. Ih'asseui'de liourhonru' explains this luvth hy
sayiiiu' that Ilunhun Ahpu denotes the Xahna innni-
iirauts who hv their siinerioritv li'ain the women of the
country, and whose children carry on a suceesslul struLi-
ule with the ahoi'iiiinal race. The continuance of the
contest and the trium[)h of the Xahuas is descrihed in
the adventures of Ilun A'-nu and XhalaiKpie. A rat
I'eveids to them their origin, aiid the ])lace where the
hall-i:ame imi)lemeuts of their father are hiihlen. They
lilay a match with the Xihalha j)riuces who had chal-
K'liLivil their father, and are successful in this as well as
several herculean tasks assiuiied to them, hut are never-
tl
leles-
hui'nei
^riie ashes, thrown into the water, are
tianstiirmed into two htmdsome young' men. and then
into Hian-llshes, a reference, |KM'haps. to the arrival hy
sea of allii's to help them. Again tiny make their i\\)-
lieai'ance in Xibalha, this time as conjurers, and lay
'■' Ilmi Ah|m. n savlniPfin sliootor. ' Xlmhitiinc. dc Irnhnii, tif^ro. j;iL;ii;ir: If
'/"■' final est im si,L,'in> plui'icl. ct li' ,i' (lui piv'ci'dr, jii'oiiDii. cz xh \ iiliLiliiis', I'st
nltiriiativciiii'Ut nil (liiiiiimtif m; uii si^^iic fi'ininiii.' Ilnissi nr ili- liniiilmin-ii,
/'■'/'■:/ Vnh, p. cxxxv. A'i//"/('i, Hist. Inil. iiH(il..\i\i. l|i'i-7, l.")il, nniiirks ilir
siiiiil.irity of tlu'St' ))i'rs()iiiiL;(s to tlu' (lod son ami viij,'iii cf tlic ('iiristimis.
•'' • U'ln-IUilz, Un siii^,'e (diiun Filour); llitii-i'linm n. nn nui sf lilaii liit,
on s'liiilii'llit.' Tlu'v si'cni to coiti'sjkukI to tlu' J[fxicaii Oziniiatli and I'iit-
zinticutti. BrasKi'itr ill' ItDKfhoitrii, I'npul I'k/*, j))). cxxxv., li'.l, 117. '\'\\v In \n
Hiin-l?atz nfcrs t" S()nu'tliin<,' utidcrf^ronnd. or dicp ddwii, and Hini-Clniiuii
' " I'nc Siiuiis cucIk'c" ou " Tin lac on st'iitiiK'llc." ' lintli names inili<iiti'
tlic disdi'dircd condition and movement of u region (tlm Antlllts). /(/.,
V''"//v L'Hns, pp. -i-iT-'J.
'''iics d'Mix fivrcs, s'i'tant eml)rassi's, s'cliuictnt dans Ks llanmus.'
lli''issuur dc lionrbounj. Hint. Xat. L'ic, torn, i., p. 137.
IM!) OODS, Sri'KHN'ATUUAL UEINC.S, AND WOUSIIIP,
Ir-it
tlu'ip j)liiiis so .skilllnlly us to overthrow tlie Pnncc Vii-
kiil) CiiUix with his udhiTcnts, uikI ohtiiiii tlio ii|M)tli-
rosis of their liithiT uiid hi.s julhi'ivnt.s us sun. iiiooii,
und stars. VuUiih Cukix, wlio ivpresents the sun.
inuy ho tukeii us tho represeiitutivu of uii oMt r
suii-worship replueed hy tlie newer cult iiitnxhieed hy
llim Alipu.'^ The huniinj; of tliis hero ugrees with
thut of the .\[»'\i('uii Xunuliuut/iu wlio hy this uet he-
euiiie ii SUM. I II lUct, Brusseur (U- I'ourhourg eoiisichrs
the whoU' us u version of the Xulmu mytli. Fiom aii-
otiier point of view Hun Ahpu. whose nunie. siuuilViiiii
'surhueuu-lilower or uir-slu)oter," suits the uttrihute of
the uir-iidd. muy ho considered us the nioruini; wind
<]is[H'r>inji tlio clouds und disclosing the splendors oi' the
sun.'''
In the Qii'itre Ldtres, the AhhJ takes unother \iew
of the myth, und sees in it hut u version of the eoii-
vidsious that take [)laco in tlio Antilles, tho k^even (Jrot-
tos of the Mexican nivth. of whi(di 1 have snokt ii in
I nrecediu';
1
chuut
l)ter,
lluid
lun
All
pu,
uknl)
Ah[)U. und the two legitiniuto sons of tho former aiv
volcanoes, and their plays, death, und trunsforuintion,
ure earth((uakes, extinction, und U[)heuvals. The hurn-
ing of llun Ah[)U und Xhuluncpie und the scutti'riiig of
th«;ir ushes ui)on the wuters is the llnul cutustr()[ihe. the
siidcing of the Atluntides, or the seven islunds; and as
tho hrothers rise uguin in tho form of heuutiful young
men, so do now islun Is tuko the pluco of those de-
'''2 Vuknl) Ciikix, 'Huvcn ar ' ' a typo of the sun, allb<)u^,'h (livlaml in
Olio \)\acv to liiivc isui'ix'd tho ir attrilmto, soouis to hiivo lucu \V(ii--hi|ii il
lis till' siiu; liis two sons, Zi ■.•iiii and Cabriikiin, rci)icsoiit rts],c(ti\ily
t 10 ci'ditoi- of tli(! oiirth iiud thi iirth(jniiko, which conliriiis their f.ithir's
]ii;^h iiositiou. llriiKuvKr tlf lioiu uri/, I'ojud \'iiU, |)|). ;U 'J, ct-iv., {•cliii.
■'■'Tho iiHoLjoi'iiMl iicfouiit ol huso events is rohited on lip. lil tcp P.iJ ( f
J'opol Villi, .-iii'l .|{nissom''s veniM <s are t^ivon on iiaj^os oxxxiv. to oxl. .luni-
ros. lUst. (in'tt , ]). l(!l, states t'( .t Hun .-Mipii discovorod tho use i.l' c.icmi
and cotton, which is hut another indication of the introduction of ckI-
turo. Av'conUn^' to Las Casus, Xbalancjuo descends into hell, Xiliii.h.i,
whei'o ho captures Satan and his chief nieu, and when the devil iniiilnii s
tho h(*ro not to hriiij,' liiai to tho light, ho l^icks him Imck with the ciu'-e
that all things rotten and abhorrent may clini,' to him. When lu' reliii us, his
people do not receive hiiu witli due honor, and ho accordingly leiives fia'
othoi- parts. Wait. ApiAitij^'tlca, MS., cai». cxxiv, ; Turquemad i, .Uunani. ln<L,
turn, ii., pp. 53-i.
UVicad aons.
4S1
|c,-liiriil in
wiir-hil" il
|s].irtivily
II' filth, i''-^
(H-liii.
Cxi. .)iiiii-
(]( cik:!!)
In (if fi:l-
Xilm.liM,
iiiipli'it^
the flllM!
llinns, liis
lr;i\.s t'..r
|t(/'7. /"'^-i
^ti'DVi'il. Tlicconriniiiitioii of this \\v finds in a tradition
t'lirn lit on the islands, which si^'aks of certain n[iiicavals
similar to tlic uhovc.'*
Tlu' (i)nich('s had a mnltitndc of other }:<>ds and ucnii,
wilt) coMti'oll«Ml tiic t'K'incnts an<l cxcrcisi-d thcii' inlhicnco
\\[)ni\ till' destinies of man. 'I'lie jilaci-s where they most
lovi'd to linger wei'e dark (niii't s[)ots. in the niidis-
tui'hed silence of the j:rotto, at the '••')t of some stei'[)
liirci|iicc, beneath the shade of mighty trees, especially
\vliei(' a sprin,!,^ trickled forth hetwei'ii its I'oots. and on
tlic summit of the monntains; and here the siiiii)le natiso
ciiiic to ])oiir out his sorrow, and to oiler his sacrifice.
Ill some ]ilaces this idea of seclusion was carried to such
iiii i'\tciit that iilols were kept hidden in siil)tcrraiican
cliiijH'ls. that they mi^lit not he distiirheil or the pt'oi)h;
lii'CDiiie too familiar with them; another reason, howevi-r,
Wiis to jiri'vent their heing stolen hy other villagers. The
nod of the I'oad had sanctnarii's, called hunmih, all alou>:;
the liiLihwiiys. especially at the junctions, and the trav-
eler ill passing never failed toi'iih his legs with a hand-
I'lil of grass, upon which ho afterwards spat with great
respect, and deposited it upon the altar together with a
small stoiie. hulieving that this act of [)iety would give
liiiii renewed strength. Jle also left a small trihutt^
IVoiii his stock of food or merchandisi', which remained
to tleeay heforo the idol, for none dared to remove it.
This cu-tom was also ohserved in Nicaragua.
Tlic household uods were termed (■/((■i/hi/Iih, 'guardian
nf the house,' and to them iucciise was hiiriu'd and sae-
liliee made during the erection of a building; when
liiiislied. a corner in the interior was consecrated to their
use. They seem to have been identified with the spirit
et'depiirted friends, for occasionally a cor[)se was buried
l»eiieatli the house to insure their i)reseuce.""
Among the more superstitious highlauders. the ancient
worship has retained its hold upon the population to a
i' Q'l'ihr Lttrt
PI
2'2.",-,5.'); SCO this vol. 2G1-4.
• Ml one oci'iisioii the |it(H)lt.' ' t'Ltorj^'ricnt I'liiii'im nil (!<• Icnrs f'lls, dniit
niiniit li's c nV.i
Xd. (.
(liiis lea foucliitioiis. ' liraasiar ik 1.
toiu. ii., ]Mi. 5 il-1.
Vol. 111. \ii
jtjufiiuai'tj,
lllit.
iSl
GOJJS, SUrERNATUIlAL BEINGS, AND WOllSIIIP.
great extent, in si)ite oftlic eftorts of the padres. Sclier-
zer tells us thiit the people of istlavucan revereneed ^(kIs
of reason, health, sowing, and others, nnder the names
of Xoj, Ajniak, Kanil. und Ik. who Avere generallv
embodied in natural I'eatures, as niountjiins, oi- Mg
trees. They recognized an Ornnizd and an Ahriinaii in
Kij. the god ol' light and gooil prinei[)le. opjujsed jiy
Juiup. the god of earth and evil princi[)le, who was rep-
resented In' a rock, three feet high and one loot thick.
snp[U)sed to he a distorted human face. The nati\e
priests generally took the horosco|)e. and a^jpi/intcd a
iiaLi'ual, or guardian s[)irit foi' their children, hcfore
the [)ailres were allowed to baptize them. They are
said to have sacrilicetl infants, scattering their heai't s
blood upon a stone heft>re the idol, and burying the IkjcIv
in the woods to avoid detec^tion.''
The ('holes and Manches of Vera Paz. impressed with
the wild I'eatures of their country, venerated the mount-
ains, and on one called I'iScurruchan. which stood at the
junction of several branches of their princi[)al ri\ ci'. tlicy
ke})t up a pei-petual lire to which })assers-by added tiul,
and at which sacrifices were olfered. At another place
the padres found a rough altar of stone and clay sur-
rounded by a I'ence. where they l)urned torches ot black
wax and resinous wood, and olfered lijwis. and blood
from their bolii's. to mountains, cross-roads and pools in
the ri\er, whence came all means of existence and all
inci-ease."''
The chief idol of the Itzas was llubo, who \\as
represented by a hollow metal figmv with an oiieiiing
between the shoulders, through which human lieiiii:s
were jiassed. charged to im[)l()i'e the favoi's »)f the goils.
A lire was then lighted beneath the ligui-e. and wliilc
the victims were roastini:' alive, their friends ioiued in
5'' fnilhmer vmi Isthintntn. jip. ll-I!. Tho niitivrs lu'licvcd that tiny
woulil liav(' to sliaiv all the siitltrii»f,'s and ciuiitiniis of tiuir iiii,l,mi;i1s. <!(f'i''s
yi ic Surrey, yi, 3!U; Ili'in ra, Hist, ilon., dec. iv., lil>. viii., lap. iv.. also ii-
fri-s to uaj^u Is, mid statrs tliat the llondnras ]ii'oti'!,'i' iiiado liis coiiipai I \vii!i
it in tho inomitaiiis hy ortiiiiiLjs and hlood-httiiit,'.
■'" Ksjiiiiiisit Cliniii. A])'is{., jip, H44-5; licuai-al, Hist. Clii/iqxi, p. "i-^'i
Vilkiijulkrrc, JILst. i.'onq. Ilia, pp. 151-3.
WOr.SIIIP OF A IIOE>=E.
483
|nu1)0, "vvlio UiH
Jwith :ni oiu'iiiii'-;
Ih liiunau Ik'IH:-^
Ivors of tlu' K'"'^-
li'iLiun'. Mini uliil''
llViontls joiui'tl ill
Ls lu'li.'V.'.l tl::it tli-y
Lf tluiv iiiil;ii:.1>. ''":'' ''
|. viii.. fill'- 'v- i'l^" ''■'
a (liinco arounil it, drowning tlio cries of tlu' victims
with shouts and rattling of driiiii.-'. Xo wonu-n wore
ailowt'd to join in the temple ccMVinonios. On the chief
i>lau(l in the lake of IVten, the conquerors found twenty
one
■<tone temples with .stone
amui
roofs, the chief of which
formed a kind of pyramid of nine ste[)s. In this was
found a large chalchiuite, representing one of their two
hattle-gods, I'akoc ar.d Ilunc^hunchan. who gave oracles
ami wei'e supposed to join the peoi)le in their dances.
This familiarity evidently bred contem[)t. however, for
i; is i-elated that when a prediction of the oracle was
iMt fuliilled, the priest without hesitation castigated
the idol. In the same temple stood a gypsum image
in tlie form of the sun, adorned with rays, inlaid with
iiacu!'. and ha\ing a ga[)ing mouth set with huuiaii
teeth. The hones of a horse, which hung from the
nifh'i's. were adored as sacred relics. These were the
remains of a wounded horse left hv Corti's anioiiL:' the
n;iti\i's when on his wav
to 11
onoin-as.
II;
i\iu\s seen
tl
iV.
lanian
Is 1
U'C
Irom
its hack, thev heliesi'd that
the animal produced the ilash and report, and lienc(^
adni'i'i
I it
IS i/nnmciau
Kul of thunder, and hrouiiht
11.
iwers.
llesl
mi Hicense
)ut such olVerin
(iKL
not sustain life, and it was not lonui,' hefore the hon
es
of the apotiieosi/.ed charger were all that remaiueil to
lii-^ \\orshipers. In another [)lace was a stone and lime
imil.ition ol this horse, seated on thelloor on iis haunches,
\\h;«h the natives adored in tli
ame mauiicr
Tl
lis
iiiu:aal-worship was the moi-e readily adiiiitlcii. since
thciiuods was sunnosed to assiniie such forms. '^
dol
th
1 iMir idols were so numerous, say iiie coiKpierors,
that it took over a hundred men a whole day to (h>ti'oy
tlio>c existing on the chief island alone: ( 'oLiolhido
iilUnns that the })riests had chargi' of all the idols." The
I'liicf god of the Cakchiipiels, Chamalcan. or rhimala-
'■ 'I'liiiaii luii' sus DioSL's a los Vfiiiidos.' I'ill'i lulii rn\ ll'o!. ' 'i'/. It.n,
"///■</. )')(,•.. iiji. (V.lll. IS'J-lt:!, r)ii;»; VUh«vdWrri', ll'isl. f ,.,,./. Il.i. pp.
l'"l-J. ISJ, ,-,;)ii 2; Mn-dd, T. (,■■/-/-■, toiii. ii.,' p. \\1; MCaW^li^ li ^ ■irdits
i"-i""''., p. ;ns.
I'
1' lis ^■
iim^
J „ .;
r r I
■■)■
(ipiii
11- '^
-Mi ■ '
■ K ■ <
481
GODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
can,"" had man}' of the attrilnites of Tohil, ])ut took the
foi'in of a bat, the syml)ol of the royal houise of Zot/il.
Every seventh and thirteenth day of the montli tin-
priests placed before him bloodstained thorns, fresh white
resin, bark and branches of pine, and a cat, the emblmi
of night, which were burned in his honor."^
1'he purest form of sun-worship appears among tlie
Laeandones, who adored the Ir.niinary without tlic
intervention of an image, and sacrificed before it in
the Mexican fashion. They had teuiples, however, the
walls of which were decorated with hieroglyi)hs of the
sun and moon, and with a figure in the act of prayiii::'
to the sun."'^ Tlie Xahua tribe of the Pi[)iles also wnr-
shiped the sun, before which they prostrated themscKis
while oflering incense and muttering invocations. (^)ii(t-
zalcoatl and the goddess Itz(|ue\e were honored in .lie
sacrilice,"' which genei'nlly consisted of a deer. The
relative im[)ortaiu'e of (^uetzalcoatl and Itzciueye. iii:iy
be seen from the statement that the festival held
in honor of the former on certain occasions lastnl
fiftei'ii (lays, while that in honor of the latter was Imt
of live days duration. The chief centre of worslii[i
was at !Mictlan, near Tluixa Lake, where now is tlie
village of Santa Maria Mita, founded, according to tni-
dition, by an old man, who in company with an <\-
ceedingly beautiful girl issued from the lake, both dressed
in long blue robes, the man also Avearing a mitre.
lie seated himself upon a stone on the hill, while the
girl pursued her way and disappeared, and how, by his
order, was built the temple of Mictlan, round wlii<'h
stately palaces afterwards arose; he also organized the
government of the place.''*
f'" ' ('hn-mnli'nn spiiiit done Fli"'che on Dard frotte d'ocre jaunc,' etc. Hi'is-
seur til' llonrlhiiirii. I'niuil \'iih, jip. 218-!).
'■I III., Hist. yal. fir., torn, ii., j), ITU.
'■i MiUhr, .\iiiirUciini!<rhi; rmTniiinirn, p. 475. In their wiint of iil(il> t!i' y
(•(iiitiHstrd stniiiijly with their luiyhbors. VUlaijutkm. Hist. (_'ohq. It:". \-
71; Mori'lit, \'i>i/'i'ji', toiii. ii., ]i. "'.>.
''■''C'l'st a f'ux (m'cllts (iflViiit'nt jirosqno tons lonrs siu-rific(>s.' 7?/'''»""'
de Jliinrlinurii, Hist. Xut. dr.. fciiu. ii., j). T)"!!!; I'alitrin, Ciuin, pp. I^f!-'*'.
i'< ' l/('p()(pio ([lie I'S t'vi'iiriiiciits imraissciit iissij^'iicr i« Cfttr li'u'i ii'l'i
coJneido uvt'C hi 2"-'i'ii-'de dc hi graudo I'migratiou tolti'ijue ft hi (oud.itifU
TRADITION OF COMiZ.VIir.VL.
485
Ainonii' the vt'sti,:i('s of older worsliip we fin 1 tlic n;i-
tlvfs ul' ( V'lHjuiii ill ll()Mtliir;is.'''' VfiicrMtiiii:' aiul praviii^ue
fi)!' li'.'alth to two idols. c;dk-4 r<'s|)<'ctiv('l v (Jrcat I'litluT
ill) 1 (ircat Mother, which prohiddy rdl-r to the (Irand-
I'llliiT and (Iraudmother oi" t!ie <)ui('hf's. A Taint idea
(4 a >n[)ren»e IJeinj:'. savs loi'<|Hen»a(la, was nnxcd u[)
Vvith the worship of the snn and stars, to which sacrilices
were made. Their cultnre-tradition s[)eaks of a heauti-
I'lil white woman, called ( 'omi/.ahual. or ' ll\ ing ti,i:ress,'
a re[)iited sorceress, as the introdnci-r of civili/afion in
(\'r(iiiin. She is said to ha\e descendt'd from hea\t'ii
and to hiive been trans[)oi'te(l ]ty an invi.-ihle hand to
the city ol' (V'alcoquin. where she hnilt a palace adorned
with monsti'oiis fiLinres of nu-n and animals, and placed
ill the chief tem[)le a stone havini:' on each of its three
tl
1 ree
fi
ices o
f straniic and hiileous aspect : h\' aid
el' this stt)ne she conipiered her enemies. Slie remained
n \iri:iii. ve
ttl
nve sons were horn
tol
ler
amonLi' whom
she di\ided the kingdom when she j:rew' old. After
ai laniiin^' her alVairs. she commanded her attendants to
cany her on her bed to tlie hi,::liest part of the [)alace,
wluMii'e she suddenly disap[iear«'d amid thunder and
li^litniiiLi'. doubtless to resume her jilace amoiri the <:'ods;
diivctly afterwards a beautiful bird was seen to lly up-
Is and disa[)[)ear. The peo[»le erected a temple in
wiiri
honor. Where the nries
th
4 del
iverei
1 1
ler oracles, am
Cflehl
ated every year the anniversary of her disa[»[
H'ar
aiice with li'reat feasts. Palacio j-efers to a stone, like
tlieoui'with three faces, nanu-d Icidaca. in Ce/.ori. which
(liM
losed thinjis })ast. present, and I'uture. and bel'oi'e
\viruh the people sacriliced fowls. rabl)its and \arious
(l;s (livers I'oy.'iniiios gu: ti'in.tlicus.' Tirnx^' nr iln lUmrhonT'i. JH^I. Xul. I'^ir.,
t"ui. ii.. p. tsl; /,/., l>,,/„il \'nli, p. fxxviii. Near t!i.> \ill:(_'r of Cdii.-i
Wiis :i siiiiill l;iki> wliicli tln'.v ri l;ii1(IcI .cs (i.a'iilar. iiitn whiili iioiif il.in .1
1 1 iii'ir ItMst lie sliijulil Iju smitteu uiiU <liiiiiliii> >^. ami dcatli. I'ltlnci". I'lrhi,
''■■"'■
' ' ■ Aiijoiuvl'lnu lit' 'iriirid.'i . . .]\ y u (iicunf imjniircl'liui iiii \ iila.'i' ilu
lui'Mii' iioiii, piifdissf ii 1'2 1. ilt'(.'iiiii:ivii|4iia.' lirnasitnr ih UmirljiiKr'i, llisl. A"/.
<^'''.. tola, ii., p. 10(1.
''• ' AuiKjue otros (licL-ii, (pie I'liui siis IL riiiainjs.' T'ln/ni nitiilii, Mmnirti.
ln'L, luui. i., p, 3o0.
480
GODS, SUPEIINATUIIAL BEINGS, AND WOKSIIIP.
*i5;
kinds of food, and smeared the face \vitli Ijlood drawn
from the generative organs."
The religious fervor of the people is shown by the fiiot
that whatever work they undei'took they connnenccd In
sanctifying it with prayers and offerings and hy incens-
ing their implements that they might iiccpiire nioiv
ellicacy; thus, before connnencing to sow, tlie laboivi's
killed a turkey whose ))lood they scattered o\'er the
lield, and performed other ceremonies,*'^ h'imple in their
mode of life, they did not im[)ortunc the gods for vniu
luxuries: their prayers were I'or long lile, health, chiM-
reii, and the necessaries of life. The first they hopeil
to obtain by scarifications and penances; to gu;nil
against disease, they sent the priest a bird, generally ii
quail, to sacrifice. When actuallv attacked bv sickness
confession was resorted to as a powerful nu'ans of pro-
pitiation, as was also the case on all imi)ortant occasions
to secure divine blessings and avert immediate danger.
It is related ))y an old chronicler that when a p;nty of
travelers met a jaguar or puma, each one immediately
commended himself to the uods and coniessed in a loul
voice the sins he had committed, ini[)loring pardon. H'
the object of their teri-or still advanced ujion them, ihey
cried, "we have connnitted as many more sins, do not
kill us!" and sat down, saying one to another, "one ol'
ns has done some grievous deed, and him the wild bea>t
will kill !"«'
In their scarifications, those who drew the most blooil,
especially from the secret organs, were held to he the
most pious. Among the Pipiles the women joineil in
drawing blood from the ears and tongue, and sme;niiig
IP?
«7 Cn7in, pp. 82-4. As iin inst.nifo of tlio roHpoct rntirtiiinccl fi>r tlm
iiliils, Liis (Basils rt'l.itcH tliut oil the Spuniiinls diico piofaiiiiiL; tliiiii \wi!i
tlicir iDiU'h. tile liiitiv<'s l)i(iii<,'ht (■ciisrrs with wliicli tluy iiicciisid lln in. aiil
tlnii carrit'd them liack (d tlii'ir altar witli <^ro:\t ns)ii'i't. sliciMiiiL; th' ir
l.ldol ii|)(iii the niiid travcrsril by tlic idols. Hist. AiniUiif lii''i. M^.. lap.
clxxx.; Torijiii'iiKtil'i, .honniy. Jiol., tmii. i., Mi',; Ihrnra, Jl'i>t, lim,, dvc.
iv., lil>. viii., cap. iv.
I''* Si'o v.tl. i' of tills work, pp. 71!)-'20.
•''' ll'iiiiiiii, Ui'ii'iU'ica ill' Ids linHnt. in Xhiifnrz, Ifinl. Tiul. (Iniil., ]']). li''-
Sl: llriis-mir ili> llniiruiinrn, llisl. Xnl.i'ir., toiii. ;i , ]<\k 511 1-.")''!'!; I.^is i.'asn.f
Jli.il. Ajiijiojd'ii:a, MS., cap. i;Ix.\i.'w. j Jw.triV!>, lliat. Uiuit., p. I'Jo.
I: ;;
I i
SPECIAL FASTS.
•487
it oil cotton, olTerod it to Qiu'tzalcoatl. and then to
ItziHieyc.™ On extriiordinary occasions, as in the event
of a public calamity, the priests and chief men held a
ci)iin(!il to determine the i)i'opitiatoi'y penance to he im-
posed on the people, and the kind of sacrifice to l)e
oll'cred ; the Ahgih were called upon to trace magic circles
iiiid liiiinvs, and to cast grains, so as to determine the
time when it should ))e made. The esteemed task of
collecting the fuel for this celebration devolved u[)()u a
royal prince, who formed the Ixn's of the district into
])ands to forage for the wood. The efl'orts of the people
idone were not considered sufTicient at such times to
])i'o[)itiate the gods; it recpiired the sanctified ])rescnco
and })oweri"ul inlluence of the high priest to secure
remission of sins. This personage, whether king or
])outilK subjected himself to a very severe fast and
penance during the twenty, or even hundred days de-
termined u
pon.
lie removed to an ai'bor near the hid-
den sanctuary of the idols, and lived in entire solitude,
subsisting on grains and fruit, t(juching no food ])re-
l)ared by lire, sacrificing the otVerings brought him
(luring the day, and drawing blotxl. ^J'he fast o\er. uith
its attendant separation of man and wife, bathing, paint-
ing in red, and other acts of penance, the nobles went
ill a l)0(ly to the retreat of the idols, and having adorned
them in the most si)lendid mamiei", conducted them in
jn'occssion to the town, attended by the high priest and
victims. Jn places where the idols were kept in the
tt'in[)les of the town, they marched with them round
the city, T'ne various rites closed with games of ball,
played under the siiiiervision of the idols, and with
feasting and I'cveling.'^
The I'opol Vuh ascribes the introduction of human
Micriliees to Tohil. who exacted this oilering from the
lirst lour men in return for the lire given to the (^hii-
hik' Las (..'asas states that Xbalan([iK' initiated
clu s. w
'I'lir uiiiiiiit Qiiiclii's ' I'ocncillii'ciit li'iu' sniii,' iivct- dcs I'lm
■</, I'lifiiil \'iili. ]>. Ui
(/(• liii'irl:
xiiir'i,
lllsi. V.i/. r
t'Mii. ii., )i]>.
II I?
Ilisl. Ajiulviiistica, Sm., cu^J. clxwii.; vol. ii. of tliis work, pj). 088
,iis (.'asas,
11
1: i);
•1S8 GODS, SLTEIIXATUIIAL I'.EINGS, AND AVORSIIIP.
tlicni. 'I'lu'ir kiiivos of snerlficc , lio says, liad fallen
iVom lioaNC'ii. ami wimv accord iiigly adored as "liinids of
(Jod,' and >sct in rich handles of uold oi' silver, orna-
monted with turtjuoises and emeralds. The ordinai'v
sMcrifKies occurred several times a month, and anionji; the
ri[)iles, the mnnher and (piality were indicated hy tht>
alendi
ir ai
id consisted chiellv of bastard ho\s from six
to twelve }ears of a^e. Their most solenni oIleriiiLis
were made at the connnencement and end of th(> rains,
and were attended by the chief men only, duanos
states that human sacrifices were not oil'ered hy the
IMpiles and that the attempt of caci(iui's to introduce tlnMii
resulted in an insiu'rection; and, although this will
scarcely ap[)ly to later times, it seems tlnit foiiiirrly
the sacrifices were very few in number. The ('al. Iii-
([uels ai'e. however, said to have abstained from the
I'ite. (N)rtes relates that at Acahl the fairest liirls to
be foimd were seU'ctt'd by the priests and bronnht up,
in strict chastity, to be sacrificed, at the proper time, to
the pxldess of the place. The It/as. who when c;ipti\
cs
i'liled took the fattest of their young men for victims,
had several modes of innnolation. as roastiu":' the vic-
tims ali\c in the metal imaue; dispatchin^u' them with
the knife on the stone of sacrifice, a larire one of which
was found at I'aysal; impalement, followed by extriictiim
of the heai-t, as at l*i-os[)ero; and in e:irlier times .'-Iioot-
iuii'. as Avas done bv their Vucatec an(!estors. ^Vcconliu.;'
to Coiiolhido. three persons assisted at the sacrifices,
the (i<li,'iiM, master of ceremonies, the lulhnjotn. and a
vii'iiin who nmst be the daujihter of one of these; Imt
Villiiiiutierre mentions that the stone of sacrifice at. the
chief temple at 'i'aysal, was surrounded by twt'h'c se.its
for the attendant ])riests: and assistants to hold tlie\ie-
tims were certaiidy riMpiired. Caimibalism seems to
have attendeil all these saci'ilices, the flesh bein.ii' boiled
and seasoned, and the choice bits reserved for the hi;-;h
priests aii'.l chiefs.'"
'i UrnA^onr d' Bonrliourii. PujioI I'^kIi, pp. 220-7; L'l!^ C'ci-iiis. TH-'I. .1/'''"-
ijdlk'i, MS., ch;). I'XNiv., flxxvii.; Juairvs' lild. Uual., \^. 'I'lo; ToniUfiiunh,
THE PRIESTS OF GUATEMALA.
489
KiU'li of the immcM'oiis tril)OH of (Jiiiitoinala liad a (Vi.s-
liiict and si'[)aiMte body of [)r'K'sts, ^vllo hy moans of tlu'ir
oiMrlos excrcist'd a decided inlliuMico on the state, ami
le. the (hiiches for instance, were s])irituallv governed
S!»ll
h\ indei)endent pontifts. The liiuh priests ofTohil and
(iiiciiniatz. Ahau All Toliil and Ahan Ah (lucumat/,
h lonLLed to the royal house of C^awek, and held the fourth
and lifth vauk respectively among the grandees of the
Jlinpire; Ahau-Avilix, the high-priest of Avilix. was a
iiu'inher of the Xiha'fh family; Ahau (^Jagavit/ came of
the Ahau (^iiic^he house; and the two higli-|)riests of the
Kahha temple in L'tathui were of the Zal<ik house, and
each had a province allotted him for his support. The
Tdliil [jriests were vowed to peri)etual contiuenci^ and
austere penitence, and were not [u'rmitted to taste meat
or hread."'' The pontilfat Mictlan, in Salvador, who stood
en uearlv the same level as the kinii;, hore tiu; title of
leoti, divine
ai
id was distintiuished hv a louu' hhie
lolu'. a diadem, and a baton like an ei)isco[)al cross; on
f-i)l('nin occasions he substituted a iiiiti'e of beautiful
il'athers I'or the diadem. Xext to him came an ecclesi-
astical council coni[)osed of the Tehuamatlini chief of the
jistrologers and learned priests, who acti'd as lieuten-
ant of the high ])riest. and su[)erintended the writings
i\\\'\ divinations, and lour other priests. Aoy/uvy/. who
(livssed in dilferent colors. These ruli'd the rest oi" the
jiiicstliood, composed of keepers of properties, sacrificers,
■watchers, and the ordinary priests, termed t'lijuix. who
Wfie all appointed l)y the liigh-priests from the sons of
M'^iiivil. hi']., torn, ii., p. ■'!; r<thu'hi. Cnrhi. \).CA\ Si/h'it, in JiJ., ]>ji. l\C, 7;
l''iii''s, ('aiiiin, p|). -117-8; Ciniullndit, Hist, I'lir.., j>. (;'.)',(; \"illiiiiidiirri\ Hist,
('"ii'l. [Ii<i, pp. 3:i2, r.02; (.ioi,i„r<i. Hist. Iml., fol. 'JCS; \\',d<lirl, \;,,/. Pilt.,
j' lii; sri^ iilso, tliis vol. pp. (')SS-'.», 7nii-lil, 7a."); St-plnn'.s ('fid. .\iiur., vul.
ii., ii|>, ni-o. XiuKMic/, Hist. Iiid. (!i:'it., p. '210, states, tliut in (ms^ oI' h
K vir ■ illness, :i f.ithcr would not iK'sitatc to s u'l'ltice liis son to <ilit,iin I'lljef.
Til" vi I'v fact of siieli ii talc passing cuifcnt, sliows how little liuinan life wa.s
Valil.a. '
"' 'lis ii'aviiicnt ])our touto iionnitnn' (pie dis fr\iits.' JIS,, Qnidr' /Jo
('iiii-liii-iisti'Hitiniii, in llniss'ur ill' llniirlniiir'i. Hist. Xnt. Cir., torn, ii., pji. ij'il-
Cil!, 4m1-7; /,,).s Cti.s'i.'i, Hist. Aiiiil";i''licii, MS., ciii). cxxxiii.
'' Teiii iiixCoMipiiiis vcuilcrs it lidi, Iii;rni'il ili' hiw,., p. 2'.t. wliile S(piier
t-'ii' -i ii ,is ^<7(. I'alacii), Carta, p. 02. But as iiii Aztec word, it ou^ht to lio
ir T
m
4;)')
GODS, SUPEIIXATURAL 11EING3, AND ■SVOUSIIIP.
tlio ministers. When the hiiih-priost died, the bodv
was (Miil)iiliiR'(l aiKl i)liico(l iiiacr^pt bonoiitli the paliicc.
After lil'teen days of inoiiniiiig, attended by fasts, tin"
kin::' and Telmainatliui drew lots f(^r his sueeessor from
among' the four teopix([ui, the vacancy in tiieir ranks
lieing fdlecl by a son of tiie pontilF. or one of tiieir own
sons, ^riie elected })nrined himself for the ollice b\-
Jdood-ietting and other obser\ances, while the people
(Celebrated his accession with feasting and danciiii:'. In
A'era I'a/ tlie chief priest was elected according to merit
f>"om a certani family l)\' the people, and ranivcd next
to the king."' As an instance of tlio lasting inlhicnce
possessed by the priesthood over the people, Scher/er
relates that at Istii'ivaean there were a few years iigo
as m;iny as sixty priests, diviners, and medicine-meii,
Ahgiii, Ah([ixb, and Ahcjahb, as they used to be teniied,
who exercised tiieir offices among them. At Cobau.
says \'illagutierre, a priest was so highly respected that
the person who presumed to touch him was expected to
fall dead immediately.""
The Xaliua impress, noticeable in the languages iiml
customs of Xicaragua, is still more strongly marked in
the mythology of that country." Instead of obliterating
the older forms of worship, however, as it seems to lia\e
done in the northern part of Central America, it has
liere and there passed ))y many of the distinct beliel's
held by different tribes, and blended with the chief ele-
ment of a system which is traced to the Muvscas in
South America. The inquiries instituted by a Spani-li
friar among different classes of people in the Xagi'iunlo
district go to prove that Tania<j;ostat"'* and Cipattonal.
">■> r>ihtnn. Cnria, pp. 62-6; llnrcrn. Tfhf. Gen., dop. iv., lib. viii.. c:i\'. x.;
JVuiii'/ii;, llisl. hill, (iitnl., ]i|i. 2(1(1-1; llri(!<.'<f'iir ilv liimrUimrij, Jli>t. .\iil. ' 'n'-,
toil), ii.. jiji. 105, "loo-fJ; Siditznr 1/ OiKrte, llisl. ('on<i. Mew. pp. 315-11.
^'' ///.^■^ i'oiui. ^''"t V- f'l! linifiS'iu' df HiinrbiiHnj, I'oiml \'ult, pp. I'xviii.,
cclxvi.; Schvr^ir, ImlMiu'r nm Isll'iritrun. y). 10.
'i'i Gi)iiiiirii says with ri'i^iud to this; 'lU'Iigion do Nifiiriigna 'pie ciisi i ^, l;i
mostna MixiraiKi.' ///.s(. //«/,, fol. (i'l.
"^ riic siinil.irity of tlic nnuxf i^( Iniimrhtiz nnd t'tinoii/isl. iiftiiics tiiviii to
fill'..,' 'Is an. I |iri.'<ls, is sti'ikiiiL,'. 'I'hu fiiiliii'^' /-(( iiii^lit iilso ln' ri't;''!'''!'"' "^ '^
cuu.i'.ii'iiou of thf Aztec tiUi, father. Jjttsihiiainn, Urt.'nutnau, pp. l(Jl-5.
GODS OF THE NICAIIAGUANS.
491
liiuraiHio
male ami foin.'ile doitlos wlio inhabit the regions of the
risl Mir 81111. were the siipivnio heiniis. The\- created all
tliinjis. stars as well as mortals, and re-created what
jiiid lieeii destroyed I)}' the Hood, in which work tiiey
were aided hv Mcalchot, surnained llueluie. 'the a,ui'd,'
and Cia^Liat 'the little.' In 'I'aniagostat Midler at once
recognizes Foniauata, the ancient snn-god of the Muvscas,
who after his dethronement by a newer solar deity he-
came more particularly the tire-god of that })eo[)le, hut
retained more of his original prei'minence in the
diuntries to which his worshi}) s[)read, as in Nicaragua.
This view is supported by the statement that he in-
liahited the heavens above, or rather the reuioii of sun-
lisc. His consort (M[)attonal. Milller, judging from
tlicir relationshi[). holds to be the moon; her name seems
however, to be derived from a Mexican source, probably
fioiii .I'lpiiU'i., 'dark blue color,' and. tondlli 'sun,'"' which
may be ct)nstrued as referring to the sun in its blue
('lenient, or. as the fainter siin, to the moon. In either
case the connection of the two is perfectly legitimate.
]-i'alchot. who is re[)resented as a young man, yet is
MU'iiamed 'the aued,' seems to be the same as the Mexi-
can I'^hecatl, 'wind, air,' an element ever young, yet ever
(till, and Ciauat ma\inean 'nuyisture;'**" both formiiiu' with
lliesun the lei'tili/ing forces that create.^' Oviedo gives
the names of these deities as 'i'aiiiagostat or "^ramagostad,
/ipattoNid or Zipattonal. ('alchithuehue. and ("hico/.i-
a-at.''- 'fatiier.' lie I'urther names (.'hi([uinaut and Ilecat
as gods of the winds, which seems U) be merely another
vci'sion of Chicoziaiiat and Ehecatl.
,s:l
Oris
r
ii;3.
11 \'( rhinduii'^ iiiit iltMii Stiiinmwnrto ci'ihii<( oi'Xvr o'liinlmn
1" fiiiciiifii, bfwiissfni.' //*. it is til ill- iiiiliui il tliiit tlui Aztic li litijiiciitly
cIiiiiil;.';-; iiiti) ;/, in tln'si' cnimirii's.
~| Mitlhr, Aiiiirih<iii!.<ilr I'rrdi I'miu ii. ]i|i. -i;i"i-S, ."():!: S.jnirr's Xlr./rntiiiu,
il'.il. ls."iii), vol. ii., ji[i. lU'.)--(i 1; llrassiiir ill' l'ii)nrhiinr[i, ll'n^t. Xil. ' i'.. li'iu.
ii . p. ll'i — this iiuthdi' iilciititit'S T.iiii;i','iist:it miiiI CiiKiltniia with tin- sulai-
il'iliis OxdiiKic iiiiit Cipiictijliill of thi! Tultccs, but [ilaiLs tlicin in iath< r
nil iiit't'riiii- imsitidii.
( 'xiiiiKiL!!! is iilsi) introiltic(<l, which tends in tliinw thnilit (ni !>r;is--t'iir's
iJfiititi'-iitiiiii lit' .Til
iiiiii.u'iistacl with this 1)1 rstiiiii','!
*^' ■ KhiTittl (idcr virkiiiv.t Ecutl. . . ,ist diu IhMiclitis^tuit,' fi'ir Oviidn's
Ih'Mt.' Jinschinitnn, Uiisnainen, j). 103; Uikiki, Uisl. iJin., torn. iv. , pp. iU-o,
402
GODS, SUPEIIN.VTUII.VL DEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
The fjUiitiMnultiii trinity reappears in tlio cliiirnctcr ol'
Onu'xatcite and Onu'Nutczi^iXjat"^ oa.sil\- nrouni/.ilil •
in tilt' Mexican Oinetecutli and Onieciliiiatl and tin ir
M)n lliiiatcot. the rain .liod,*"' who mentis forth thinich r,
liirhtninir and rain, 'i'liey are also suppthsed to h\('
uhi're the sun rises, doubtless heeanse that seems tlic
abode of hliss, and as fertih/ing forces tiiey are rejiarded
as creators, hut not connected witli the two before nini-
tioned. (^uiateot was tht; most prominent, if not the
sii[)reme, member of the trinity, ft)r the other two. ;is
re[)resenting the thunder and hjihting', the forermniers,
or parents, of the showers, do not seem to have been in-
voked when rain was wanted, t)r to ha\e particijiated in
the sacridees of young boys and girls oifered on such
occasions.*'
The Xicaraguans had other deities presiding over the
elements, seasons, and necessaries of life, 'J'lnis. .\hic;it
and Toste, also written Alazat and Teotost,"' the deer
and rabbit, were gods of the chase. AVhen a deer was
killed, the hunter placed the head in a basket in his
liouse, and regarded it as the representation ol the god."
Mixcoa was the god invoked by the traders, anil those
about to make purchases; Cacaguat was the patron ol"
cacao-culture; ^iiciuetanteot. god of hades, was evidently
the same as Mictlantecutli of Mexico; there were, besides,
others whose names have been given to the days ol' the
month. In Martiari the chief deity was called Ti[)ot;ini.
in Nicaragua proper, they adored Tomaoteot, " the
great god,' whose son Teotbilche was sent down to ni;in-
kind. This looks like another Christ-myth. es[)cci;dly
when we read of attendant any;els who had win<:s ;ind
•*• Tn T<rnan.v-<''nnipans, Voi/., ni'v'w. ii., torn, iii., p. 40, tlicy nvp wi
n<)in('.\-.Vt(:lit(' mil IIiiim'y-AtiH'ij,'ii:it, l)ut tlio iitjovc spelling conrsp
lu'ttfi' witli otlar siiiiilar Aztec niiiiies iu Nicariiguii. Orkda, ]li>l. Um.,
iv., p. JC.
"' ' Von (inialiui odfv (piiyahui rcgueii: mit kull Gott vtilmiuU'ii. ' />'
mnnn. Orlsiutitun, p. ](i7.
*' Oriitli), Hist. (I'eii.. toin. iv., p. 40.
s" llrdsmiir ik Ilourhoiini, Ilisl. Xni. fir., toni. ii.. ]). 113. Tlic 1
seems to be tlio siiiiic us tiie Mcxiciiu Tcotoclitli. 'raliMt iim].'
*"* ' Y I'sso tt'ueiiios por t'l ilio.s cle los veiiiulos.' Uvinio, Jli.st. Om.,
iv., p. bo.
it ten
ittO'
torn.
THE GODDESS OF THE VOLCANO.
4?)3
llrw .'i1)()iit in heaven. Tlie names of the two chief
iiiiiivls were Turaaeazcati and Taiiiaea/tohal.'*''' Thi' Di-
riiiis ri'vered in particular the jroddess of the volcimo
Masaya: for her they phiced food on the hrink of the
ciMtcr. into wliich they cast iiinnan heinjis. especially
when siic manifested lier anger hy eartlKpiakes. On
Mich occasions the chiefs and priests, who alone wci'c
pi'iinitted to look into the seething ahyss. Avent to the
f^iiiiiiiiit and called n^M)!! the genius, who issued from the
like of lire in the form of an old woman and instructed
tliciu what to do. She is described as a naked, dark-
skinned hag, with hanging breasts, scanty haii", long,
sli;n'[) teeth, and sunken glaring eyeballs. The gods
wei'c invested with all the peculiiirities of humanity,
lornied of flesh and blood, and lived on the Ibod pro-
vided for man, besides blood and incense. 1'hey also
nppeiu'cd on earth dressed like the natives, but since the
death of the cacique Xostoval these visits ceased.''" They
were personified hy idols of stone, clay, or wood, called
ii'o'iiif.'^^ whose forms their forefiithers had transmitted;
to them were brought oO'erings of food and other things,
which were taken in at the door of the temple by bovs
serving there, for none exce[)t the consecrated were
allowed to enter the sanctuary .''"'■' To encourage the piety
that pr()m[)ted these ofl'erings, the priests never failed to
remind the people of the punishment inflicted on the in-
liahitants of the ancient capital of Xagrando, who hav-
ing ,^iven themselves up to the pursuit of pleasure, and
neglected the gods, were one night swallowed up, not a
vestige of their city being left.''^ The most acceptable
uiVerintr was, of course, human blood. At certain times
''' All probably derived from llnmnrazqn'i, jiricst. Braxaeur ile Bmirbouni,
llisl. .\'(/. I'u:, torn, ii., pp. ll"J-4. 'I'liis author, following,' Ork(li>, Hisl.
.Vie. si>(lls the names Hoiuewhat diHeniitl v. ISitsclDintiin, Ortsiimnen, jip. Kl.j-
S; ()<-h'ln, y/(.s<. (,',«., toiii. ••,., PI). JN, r.2," 101.
'•*" Ih. se remarlis appear iueuiisisteiit with the stfttement that the sjiirit
only of iiirii asce7ideil to lieaveii. /(/., })p. 41-2.
'Ji ' To'int vieiit ]iroblemeiit do TiiuUaaU, etre divine.' Jirasseur tlf lionr.
hniirij, Hist. \,,i, Cii:., turn, ii., p. 113.
'J^ ' En toda Irt pluea, ni en el templo donde estan, cntran alli hombro ni
miicjer en tanto qne alli estan, sino Kolamento los mueliaelios pequenos quo
les lli'Van i' dan de comer.' Orledo, Hist, (iin., torn, iv., p. 47.
''■' Toinn'mada, Mvnarq. IniL, toui. i., p. 3J0.
1,. in
40 i
GODS, SITETIXATUUAL BEINOS, AND WonsiIIP.
the favorite idol was set on u spciir and |)l;nit«Ml in ,i;i
o|HMi ])la(;o amid jior^'coiis
Ay ad
onu'c
1 attr
iidiiiits hollii!:'
l)aniu'rs, and llowors. llcri; tlio |trii'sts ^iishcd tlit-ir
toMiriU's, and otluT parts, smearing tlif face of tiic iiii.i.i'
Avitli the blood tliat llowi'd, while the de\<Mit aiii)i'oai'lH' I
to whisjier their desires into the eai'ol'tiie idol. Songs,
danees. and ^aines attended these ceremonies.
l?«'lore each tem[)le was a conic or pvramidal nioini 1
of adohe. (ralli'd ffKcuif, or tczant, ascend«'d l)\- ;ui intcrinr
From its snnnnit. npon which thei
\VH
staircase
room I'or a))ont ten men to stand, the jjrit'st prtK'lniinc 1
the natnre of the a|)proa(!hinj; festival, and the kind ol'
sacrifice to he made, and here, ni)on a stone l)locl<, tlip
victims, ^-cncrallv captives and slaves, had tlieir htiiits
cut out. al'ter which they were decapitated, the hody to
he cut up and i)repared for the j-rand hampiets. while
the head, if that of a captive, was Innm' on a tree nc;n' the
temi)le, a particudar tree heiiii;' reserved for each trilm
from whom the victims were ca[)tnred. Tlu' mo-it prl/.cl
victims were younji' hoys and jiirls. who were hroii-lit
np by the chiefs li)r the [)in'[)ose and treated with pirat
care and respect wherever they went, for they were
SI 111-
})()sed to become deified after death and to exercise i:re;it
inlhience over the affairs of life. Women, who wcic
held to be unworthy to perform any duty in connectimi
with the temples, were immolated outside the teiiipKi
{•round of the lariie sanctuaries, and even their llesh wns
unclean
food for the hi.!j.'h-priest, who accordiniily at^
oidy of the ilesh of malei
Fusts and ba[)tismal rites, h^ (r eminent hitherto, do
not api)i>ar to haxe been practiced in XicaniLiiia. A.
kind of sacrament was admini.stei'ed, however, by menus
of maize s[)rinkled with blood drawn from the iieneiatixe
oruans, and confession was a recognized institution. Tlie
!H Potcr Jliu'tvv (Ipscrihos this I'difioo as folh
'Will
tl
)f th.
r Ti'iniilcs tlicn; iirt? diuors Itascs or I'llliTs liU;
th.' I'
Xf Vli'Wi
liliiltr-;
Wcllli', II
wliicii Jiusos cimsist of cii^ht stcjipos or stayius in soiiit! placis t
ill Hill itlicr tiftoene.' Dec. vi., lib. vi.
9"' Oriiv/o, ll\d. Gni., toiii. iv., i)p. 40-7, 53, r,(i, !):! i, 1)S. 101; /' /.r 1/"
ti/r, dttc. vi., HI), vii. ; Goni'ira, Ili4. Intl., fol. '2('i.">-('>; Ihriir'i, JliM. Uct
dec, iii., lib. iv., cap. vii.; vo' i., pp. 7U8-10, 715, of tliis work.
u .
riai:sTs of xii'Aii.voua.
■{'.):,
(•oiifcssor ^vl1s clioscn IVoin iunon;:; tin' most imivA mikI
i('-ij)i'ctiMl citi/i'iis; a ('aliil);ish .siispt'iidctl iVoiii tlif iiccU
VMS his IkkIlH' ol'ollicc. IFi' was ri'<itiiri'(l to hr a man
(il" Mimu'Icss lifo, UMmanM(.'(l. and not oonncctt'd with thi"
fciiililc. 'I'hosi! Avho wished to confi'ss went to !ii,s
lioiisc. nnd tluTo standing' with hinnility hd'orc liini uu-
hiirilrncd their eonseiv'iice. Thi? (M)nlessor was l(irl)id-
di'ii to ivveal any secret conlideil to liim in his olliciid
(■;i|ririty. nn(U'r pain of punishment. Th.' }teniinee he
imiiused was generally some kind of labor to he j)er-
loriiUMl for the henelit of tiie temple.. IJoys did not
cDiircss, hut seem to have reserved the avowal of their
I'ladillos for maturer a<ie.'"'
The olliee of hi,i:h-pr;est was held hy the Ciuitjues. who
each in his tiu'n left home and ()ccuj)ation and removed
to the chief temple, there to remain for a year atteiidin^^"
to I'l'li^ions matters and i)rayinir for the people. At the
expiration of the term he recei\ed the honorable distinc-
tJDii of uavin'i' his nose [u'rforated. Subordinate duties
wiTc perlbrmed by boys. In the iiderior temples other
classes entered for a years penance, livinu' like the chief
iu strict seclusion, exce[)t at festivals pei'haps. seeing
uonv hut the hovs who broui:ht food from their homes.
The ordinary priests were called f(nii'i>/<i^f''' and lived
nil the oil'erings made to the i(K)ls, ami perhaps by their
iiwii ( xi'rtious. for the tem[)les had no fixed re\t'Uiies.''~*
1"
Tlii'v had sorcerers. A,'./7a/ys. who sometimes caused the
•to.
do
la.
A
me
nis
erat
ive
'1
'he
vii'W
,. ..f
lilt. ■;
■111.'.
ui; 1
</'), If'isf. Gin., t'lin. iv., jip
Ih
11'
':i|p. VI
i., HI
). v., (Ml), .ill
■a, //;>■/. /-.'/., f;il. H'lll
''' llr.issiMir ilo l>imrl)i)iir'' s,lv^
'I miiiiiiii
'i'.-.t fiii'iii'c uu' aiiti'i' cdrnni-
ti.iu il I iiiot tlnmittniij'd.' Ilist. .\'it. ("u\, toiii. ii., |). 111.
• In. Il'tst. (ii.n., tiilll. iv.
(.1.
tdiu, iii., \
.414: V(.l.ii.
I'l'
<:\- A^i'l'
>HU
i'.i"ii'i. 1
u Xd'-iirril'
0(iiii;irii, //.■,./. !inl.
stiit< s tliiit tin; prii'sls wciv all ni.iiiii il, wliil • IIimt^ r:t, llisl. i,
il '•• iii., HI), iv., (Ml), vii., jisscrts tlii> cmitriirv . 'I'hr Litter view siciiis ui
I- II r t wiicll \Vi' ODiisiilcl' tll:it WOMUII Were IKit l)il':nilti(l ti) clltcl- tlic ti
111 1 thit till iiiL;li iivicst mil', dcvotfis wire olilii^til to leave their
tiii'V iiiiss il into the sanetuiirv. It is e\eii pvolialile that thei
lllll't lirlrstl
the t(
lll|iles
liad
Hi) revenues, a
11(1 tile tel
v\ IS |ierfiiriiie(l ill iiurt lit least 1)V vnluuti
re was 1111
ll|ile se
to this niilst he ailili li th
l:i't. tint althi)iiL;h the .'olifessor liULjIit imt he eiuiiieeteil with theti niiih. vet
ileiel penance for its heiielit. It iinist he cousiih
h
that
"illi lilt re^,'nlar ministers it woiilil have heeiuliilieiilty to k' ep up th ■ roiitiiin
III li'ists aiiil fereinonies, write the books of records, teach ilii' cliildieii, and
iii.aaliiiu di.'jcipline.
m
*i'
M I
406
GODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND ■VVORSIIIP.
death of cliildron by niorely looking at thorn, and uho
could assume annual Ibnns, for which reasons thev wen;
much feared by the people. To strengthen this iK'liet'
they at times disguised tliemselves in skins of beasts."
In Honduras the idea of a Supreme Being and Creator
was connected with a worship of the sun, moon, and
stars, to which the peo[)le made sacrifices.*"" Near
Truxillo were three chief temples'"* in one of which was
a chalchiuite in the form of a woman, to which tlie pco-
l)le prayed, and which answered them through the [)iicsts.
Preparatory to any important nndertaking, cocks, dogs.
or even men, were sacrificed to secure the favor of the
gods. In each of the sanctuaries presided a 2^"P"- '"'
chief priest, to whom the education of the sons of the
nobles was entrusted. These were unmari-ied men, dis^
tinguished by long hair reaching to the waist, though in
some places they wound it round the head in plaits.
Their sanctity and superior knowledge gave them great
intluence, and their advice was sought on all ailairs of
importance by the principal men, for none else dared to
a[)[)roach them. There were also sorcerers who coiild
assume animal forms, in which guise they went about
devouring men and spreading diseases.*"".
Among the bai'))arians of the Ahjscpnto Coast, we find,
ofcoui'se. a nnich lower order of belief, and one which
calls to mind tne ghouls and ghosts of Caliroruiaii
mvtholoiiv. The natives acknowledued a good spirit or
principle, to which tluy gave no definite name'"' aii'l
rendei'ed no homage, for there was Jio neci-ssity. th' y
said, to pray to one who always did good; as for thank-
ing him for mercies received, snch an idea seems never
II
^ Arri'li-iii, Ci'onii'd Sfriiji'-ii, p. 57; Ofinlo, [lint. Gen., torn, iv., ji])
107. 'Sous k- noiii lie " TcxuXi' " on di'siyiiait ks immials, k'S t,'t'iiirs
viiis de toiitc I'spi'ci', iiinsi quu k's Hoiviers.' Jirassciir de Jiourbourj, Hist.
Ciu., toni. ii., \). iV.i.
100 T(ir(jt«'iiiii<lii, Moiinrq. fnd., torn. ii.,p. 03.
'01 At (.'ape Hniidui'as they coiisisti'd of loiii,', imrrnw housrs, raisi il ;
the ground, contiiiiiiiig idols with heads of iiuimals. llerrvm, Jlibt. Oen.
iv., iil). viii., caii. v.
10- [il., and dcf. iv., lili. i.. cip. vi.; s(\' vol i., p. 710, of this work.
'0-1 'Ks 1st ilafiiv das Wuri God aus de:a Euylischeu aufj^i'UomiiK'ii.'
quUiihtnd, Birklil, p. IIJ.
. M,
lliail-
. X'lt.
lll.'TlS
, a. c.
M:'S-
THE MOSQUITO PANTIIEOX.
407
i ) liiiVG opcunvd to tluMU. In fact, tlioy liad iieitluM'
tt'iu[tlt's nor idols, and the only corenionics that pai'to(il-:
of a ivliiiious character were the coiiiiiratioiis of their
fiii/,-i'i>i. or sorceresses, who were constantly enuaued in
lii'eukinLi' the spells of evil spirits, withwhich the [)eoj)le's
faiicy. excited by ji'rewsoiue stories told roinid the camp-
lire, hi'd filled every dark and dismal place, every sti'eam
mid moimtnin to[). 'JMiese gnomes uere known hy the
name of Wnlasha.'"* and were siipj)0sed to issue from
tlii'ir hiding-places. esi)ecially at night, to do all mannei-
ol' evil; they were es[)ecially addicted to carrying olf
solitary wanderers, it was, thei'efore, say the chroniclei's.
almost im[)ossible to induce a native to go out alone after
diU'k.
Amid the nnderwood and fallen trees about the
sDurces of rivers, big snakes were thought to dwell.
These monsters were; assisted by a ivsistless upward cur-
rent and a strong wind which swept the unwaiy boat-
man within the reach of the red jaws and slimy I'olds.
Talook. junong other rivers, had this bad re[>utation,
mid a white man who despite the warnings ol' the
I'atives started to explore its mysteries, returned in a
tew days with the story that his progress had l)een op-
posed by a big white cock. Jjcewa'"'' was the name of
the water spirit, who sucked the bather into pools and
eiMies and sent forth devastating waterspouts and hiirri-
eaiies. Wihwiii, a s[)irit ha\ing the a[)[)eara:ici! of a
liorse.""' with tremendous teetli to devour humen prey.
haunted the hills during t'l" ><nmmer. but I'etired with
t!ie wiuter to the sea, whence he ori^zinallv issued. In
laniiutiiin caves, guardeti by ti-Tce white boars. li\ed the
iiati-on deitv of the inirms. the wild iiius ol' the countrw
ef childish form but innnense streniith. mIio direeteil the
lUDv ;,ients of the droves. There were, besides, certain
'"1 /;■()•«?•,>>• U'ii/,(i'(, \^.2Vi. 'Doviis, tho clii -f of whom tlmy ciill flio
^V Md'siiw, or mil priiiciiilc, witch' I'iift. ' .'^tianjijwui/s' .Uomjiulo ^li'>r , p. 3;(i,
Y'liiii,' vvriti'S ()iiliist>cr. .\iirrat'irc [>. 72.
'"' /<■//, ill 1,'iittl. ifrtii. Sor., Jiinr., vol. xxxii., j). '2')i.
'•"'' \ sliiipi' wliic'h iis^ii,'iis tho stoi-y ii counj.irutively rci-cnt il A'- 'i:ili>s3 n
iln r w.is oii'_;iiiillv inc:int,
Vol, in.' ;j-.>
ids
GOD.;, SUI^Zr.NlTUUAL BEINGS, AND WOriSIIIP.
venomous lizard,'- who after hiting a nuui ran im-
mediately- t') the nearest water: if the wounded person
did the same :nd succeeded in reaching the water first,
he was saved, and the lizard died; otherwise the m;m
was doomed/"' The Sukias who were called upoii to
exorcise these malignant heings on every occasion ol'
,sici\ness, or misfortinie, were generally old hags, supposcil
to have a compact with the evil one, in whose name
thev exacted half their fee before comnien(!iim' their cu-
cliautments. The Caribs held regidar meetings or festi-
vals to [)ropitiate these spirits, and the WooUvas, who
8eem to have had many ivligious forms in coimnon with
the Xicaraguans, had "'dances with the gods."
'IDS
I :
Among the Isthmians several forms of worship iippcai-.
that in the vicinity (>f l*anam;i resembling the systfui
prevalent in Hajti and Cul^a. says (iomara.'"'' Thd
heavenlv bodies seem to have been verv ti'eneraliv
adored. es[)ecially in the northern part of the Isthmus,
were all liood tilings were thouiiht to come from the siiii
and moon, w
hid
1 were consit
lered
IS man iuitl wiu
lilt
111)
no accounts are given of temples, or forms of \v()islii[),
except that prayer.^ were addressed to the sun
The most prominent personage in the Isthmian p:m-
theou was Dabaiba.a goddess who controlled the ihuuilcr
and liiihtninu'. and with their aid devastated the lamls
of those whodispleased her. \n South America. tJiiuKlti-
and lightning were held tt) ))e the instruments uxil liv
the sun to inllict punishment ui)on its enemies, which
makes it pro)jal)le that Dabaiba was a transl'ormed siiii-
goddess. Pilgrims ivsorted I'rom lU'ar to her temple al
I'rabii, bringing costly jjresentsand human victims, v lio
were first killed and then burned, tluit the savoi-y <» Im-'
of roastiuLi' fiesh mi'.:ht be ui'ateful in the delicate nostrils
of the izodde;
Some descri
ibe 1
ler as a nati\e 'Ji'iiice
I'l" /)' 7, in Loud (feoij. Soc, Jour., \i)\. xxxii., pp. 'i.'),'! 1 ; Y'limi'.: .V;//'/-
tlce, \). 71).
'"• /•',Mf'/)/7'N Cent. Aiiii'r., p, l.'t7; sco iilso vol. i., pj). 71) 1, of this work
Hi'i lli^l. [ml.. f( ,1. '2').-).
1"! hi., fol. S',1; Orkilu, 7/;,s/. <.,\n., turn, iii., pp. 20, 12."i.
OODS OF THE IsrriMIAXH.
•199
u im-
person
T first,
(' lUilU
JIOIl to
sion of
l[)pOS('ll
i UilllU!
icir ('11-
)!• rc>li-
is. who
oil with
I iiiipciir.
' sNstcni
"'■' ■ The
(Micnilly
Isthmus.
the SHU
:\W: I'Ht
vorship.
[lilU 1^111-
thlllldrr
Ihc hiiuls
thiiiiilt'f
iiM'il hy
Is. whii'li
led sim-
Miipli' ;it
ins. V h'>
li'V O'hir-i
lio^^tiii-*
Ml'ilK'l'.-"'.
llhis wi'k
who^f^ reign wa^ marked hy ureat wisdom and many mira-
cle-', and wlio was apotheosized aCter death. Slie was also
lioiiored as the mother of tlie ('I'eator, tiie maker of the
sun, th{^ moon, and all invisihle thiii'is. and the sender
i)lessin!i;s, wno seems
to I
lave a<
:ted
as me(
liat
or he-
tween the })eople and his mother, for their prayers for
i;iir. were addres.sed to him. aithoiij^h she is de.«cril)ed a.s
controllinu' the show<>rs. and oikmj when her worship
w;is neglected slie indicted a .-severe drontli npon the
coinitry.
\\ hen the need.s of the jx-ople were very nrgent. the
('i!cfs and priests remaine<l in the temjile fasting ami
j', . i. i" with nplifted iiands; the j)eo[)le meanwhile oh-
i i ved a fonr-dajs fast. liu;<M'ating their hodies and wash-
ing theii* faces, which were at other times covered with
piiiiit. So strict was this fast that no meat or drink
was to ])e touched nntil the fourth day. and tlu-n only a
M)!!]) mad,' from maize-llour. The priests them.selves
were sworn to perpetual chastity and iihstinenee, and
t'.iDse who went astray in thes" m;itters wei-e hnrned or
,-ti>ii('d to death. Their templfs were eiicompiissed with
walls and ke[)t scrnpnlonsly clean ; golh'ii trumpets, and
l)clls with hone clappers summoned the peo[ile to wor-
ship."i
In the province of Pocor().«a the existence of a rain-
uo I called C l."')iri[)e was r<'cogiiizt'(l. who inhahited the
Ilea cp iv'cjv-. wJKMice he regulated celestial movi-inents;
with l;im iucd
I lean
tiful
woman with one clii
Id.
Nofl
iiii.r
W:
mow 11 respcMrtiiig this divine family
This ignorance of the deity wa» further manifested by
the absence of any ionii of worship: the moral law s were
Well defined, howex'er. .so that atliiltery and even lying
Were regarded as sinliil."" Las ( 'asas states that ('bi-
iMine. 'the beginning of all.' \\ho li\ed in heaven.
A\;i- t'M> (!ue being to ^\llom the iieojile of harien
ii'l'li'i
d tl:
eir invocations an*
sacrinces
thouuli a
}i>
i/r. ili'f. vii.
lil.
/,
.\ii(li'
I'm liii'i'iiii It, ]i. I'il.
•"J
's ( 'iiIkiiiIii
>1.
r
•I'ti/'i. ill \iir(irrrti\ I'ul. ilf \ iniii, iiiui iii., )i. •) il; 11'
ITl! I;
(''"., ili'i;, iv., lib. i., fill), xi., ileu. ii., lilj. iii., ciiji. v.
500
GODS, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
certain .sect, or tribe, among them worshiped the water.
In another chapter he dechires that the Isthniiiiiis
had little or no religion, for they had no teni[)U.s
and few or no gods or idols."^ According to Peter
Martyr, the embalmed and bejeweled bodies of ances-
tors were worsliiped in Comagre, and in Yoragua gold
was invested with divine qualities, so that the gatiieriiig
of it was attended with fasting and penance/" Tiiiiii.
whom the Spanish writers declared to have been the
devil himself, wae "t widely known being who comnnnud
with his servants, ( ' ', ' masters,'"' in rootless huts
kept for this purpov Here the te piinas entered nt
niglit, and sjioke in aift'erent voices, to induce tin;
belief that the spirits were actually answering their (|tu's-
tions; the result of the interview was communicated to
their patrons. At times tlie evil one appeared in the
guise of a handsome boy without hands"" and with
three-toed feet, and accompanied the sorcerers upon their
expeditions to work mischief, and supphed them with a
protecting ointment. Among the evil deeds imputed to
these sorcerers was that of sucking the navel of sleeping
people nntil they died."' These men naturally took
care to foster ideas that tended to sustain or increase their
influence, and circulated, besides, most extravagant stories
of supernatural events and Ijeings. Once a terrible hurii-
cane, blowing from the east, devasted the country and
brought with it two birds witii maiden faces, one <»l'
wdiich was of a size so great that it seized u[)on men and
carried them off to its mountain nest. Xo tree ('(tnld
support it, and where it alighted upon the rocks, the
imprint of its talons were left. The other l)ii(l was
smaller and supposed to be the oft'spring of the lii'>t.
1'3 f[ist. Apolotjetica, MS., cap. cxxiv., ccxlii.; Torqiieinada, Monarq. In-l
torn, ii., p. fill.
11^ De(!. iii., lib. iv., doc. ii., lib. iii.
"' A n:ini(! iiiipliiHl in Cueba to nil who excelled in an art. Orkilo, ///.-'.
Gen., toiu. iii., pp. l'2'i-7.
'"J ' Liis iimuos no so las vian.' Andwpya, in Xavttrrek, To/, ih' \"i'Nrs,
torn, iii., p. 401).
1" For further account of sorcerers, see vol. i., pp. 770-8n. (toiniirii
writes: ' Tiiiiira, cpio es el Diablo.' ]H.st. fnd., lol. 'J")."); Ifiinrn, Hist, 'nit.,
dec. ii., lib. ii., cap. x., lib. iii., cap. v., doc, iv., lib, i., cap. x.
niALLIC WORSHIP.
5C1
AftiM- trvinji; scvonil plans to kill those mnn-ontinir liar-
ji'ics. they hit upon tlic device of lixini;' a lariie heain in
e '.'.round, near the place where thev usuallv aliuhted,
118
Iciiviug only one end exposed, on which was carNcd the
iiii;i,i:e of a man. A\'ith the dawn of day the larjier
bird came swoo[)injz' down upon the decoy and imheihh'd
its claws so llrudy in the beam that it could not with-
draw them, and thus the people were enabled to kill it,
The knowledge that the human mind, no matter
how low its condition, can be capable of such puerile
coiKH'ptions. nmst bi'ing \ 'th it a sense of liumiHatiou to
the thinkiiiii; man: and wed were it for hiui could ho
conilort himself with the helief that such debasing sujier-
stitions were at least confined to humanity in its fu'st and
lowest staues; hut this he cainiot do. it is true that ti.e
bclicrof the civilized Aztec was far higher and nobler
th.iii that of the uncivilized Carib, hut can he who has
.1 th
d
read tue eviilence upon wuicii
old
women and vounn"
inaiilens wore convicted of riding upon broomsticks to
witches' Sabbaths, by the most learned judges of the
most learned law-courts of modern l-lurope. deny that
tlic coarsest superstition and the lughest civilization have
hitherto "one hand in hand.
/..'/
kih>,
'S,
(!(
illi:
ni
'/;,-(.
'/'
■ ■!
rK'foro leaving this division it will bo well to say a
few words concerning the existence of Phallic \\'orship
in America.
Oiii' ol' the first problems of the ]>rimitive man is crea-
tion. If analoiiios U-ad him to conceive it as allieil to a
hiilh. and the joint I'osult ol' some uid^nou n male and
ti'iiiide energv, then the symbolization of this power is
liaMc to take the gross form of phallic worship. Thus
it is that among the earliest nations of which wo pt).—
^!.'>s any knowledge, the life-giving and vivifying
princi[)le of nature has boon always symbolized by the
hiiiiiau oi-gans of geneiMtion. The Lingham of India.
till' riiallus of (irooce. the Priapus of Koine, tlu' IJaal-
iV'or ofthe Hebrew records, and the l*ei)r-A[»is of i]g\pt,
"^ I'cUr Martyr, doc. vii., lib. x.
502 GODS, SUPEENATURAL BEINGS, AND WORSHIP.
all have plainly the same .significance. In most mytliol-
ogio.s the sun, the princijjle of fire, the moon, and the
earth, were connected with this behef; the sun and moon
as the celestial emblems of the generative and product-
ive powers of nature, fire and the earth as the terrestiid
eml)lems. These were the Father and the ^Fother, iunl
their most obvious symbols, as already stated, were the
j)hidhis and kteis, or the lingham and yoni of Hin-
dustan.
It is unnecessary to multiply quotations respecting the
basal though often veiled idea of One, underlying tlio
][X)htheistic systems. The dilliculty to the human mind
of considering anything in another than human aspect.
and our natural delight in analogies, leads, however, in
many cases to the consifleration in certain aspects of this
deity as a duality or joint essence of the masculine ami
the feminine. Take the learned Cory's suunnary of
ancient mythology: "It recognizes, as the primary ele-
ments of all things, two inde[)endent principles, of tlu?
nature of male and female; and these, in mystic union,
as the soul and ))ody, constitute the Oreat Henna pi iio-
dite Deity, The One, the universe itself, consisting still
of the two separate elements of its composition, nioililicil
though combined in one individual . . . .If we investig.ite
the l*antheons of the .ancient nations, we shall find that
each, notwithstanding the variety of names, acknowl-
edged the same «leities and the same systemof ^I'lieolDgv ;
and, however huml)le any of the deities may apiKiu',
each who has any claim to antiquity will be found ulti-
mately, if not innnediately, resolvable into one or other
of tile Primeval Principles, the Great God and Goddess
of the Gentiles."i'-'i
"« Anrh'iit Fraiiiiiputf^. iutrodurtion, p. 31. M. Pictet snys of tlie primiiivd
Coltic I'cHl;!')!!: "From a })riiiiit'u'r iliinlih/, ('(iiislitiitinL! tin- fiiinlaiu' : t il
forci s of ihc universe, there iirises ii (l()iil)le ])ro,4ressioii of eosniiciil \i>\\' i-,
wliicli, after having,' crossed each otliei- \>y a mutual tiaiisiti'Hi. at last | : -
ceed to blend ill One Suiireme Unity, as in tlieir essential iirinciples.'' S \^
Sir William Jones: " We must imt !).• surprised at liii<lin;4, on a elose c \.ii, i-
nation, that the eliaraeteis of all the I'a^'an deities, iiia.e and teniale. n' It
int I eacli other, and at last into one <ir two, f. r it seems a well-l'on ■: i
opinion that the wliole crowd of i,'ods and ^,'od(h'sses in ancient Kdiij. 1
liioileru Vi'iialies, mean <jlily the Towers of Nauue, and iirincip;iilv tli'-t 1
EATIONALE OV rilALLIc; AV01J!-HIP.
no3
To tlio moral ideal of tiio prosont ago. an idoul do-
livc'd Iroin atujuired habit, not iVoiii nature, [)haHic wor-
.sliil» will doubtless appear re[)ulsive and imU'lieati' in
the extreme. It was, neverthless, the most natural form
(»r worsbi[) that the primitive man could ado[)t; for him
the svmbol had no impure meaninji', and was assoeinted
with none of the distiustinii' excesses by means of which,
as he became more sophisticated, he converted his rever-
ence of Nature into a worship of Lust.
What could be more natural than that he should sym-
bolize th(? fecundatin,i;' principle, the creative j)ower. by
the innnediate cause of repnxhiction, or as he doubtless
took it, of creation, the phallus. JIo recognized no
iiiH)urity or licentiousness in the moderate and regular
gi'atification of any natural appetite; nor did it si'em to
him that the organs of one si)ecics of enjoyment were
iKitmally to be considered as subjects of shame and con-
cealment more than those of another. As I'ayne Knight
remarks of the ancient nations of the old world: "In
nil age. therefore, when no prejudices of artificial de-
ci'iicv existed, what more just and natural imaue could
tluy find, by which to ox[)ress their idea of the benell-
ci'iit power of the great Creator than that organ which
endowed them with the power of procreation, and niiido
thiMii partakers, not only of the felicity of the Deity,
liiit of his great characteristic attribute, that of nuil-
tiplying his own image, communicating his blessings, and
i'xtending them to the generations vet unborn." Xoth-
iiig natural was to them olVensively obscene, ^^dlen the
Mgyptian matrons touched the phallus they did so with
the pure wish of ()l)taining olVs[)ring. The gold ling-
haiii on the neck of the Hindoo wives was not an object
vi' siiaiiu' to tliem.
That the worship of the reciprocal principles of nature
was recognized and practiceil in America, there is in my
mind no doubt. The almost universal prevalence ot sun-
woiship, which is, as 1 have already intiinateil. closely
tUi' StTv, cxiivcssr.d ill 11 vixricty <if wav.-;. u-id liv ii iiiu'.titu Ic of fiinciful
n.iiufs.'' Uiithu Gods of Gruect;, itilij, and liaihi, i>. '2i'6.
501
GODS, SUPERNATURAL HEIXG-^, AXD WOllSIIIP.
,|E I.
■! M
3S
ooniiortcd with i)liiillio I'itcs. would ulono go ftii* to prov(!
this, hut Jill iiccoiiiit ot" cortiiiii niiiteriiil relics Jiiid well
known (nistoms is still nioi'c satislactorv cvidonco.
ft/
In ^'ncatan, according to Stephens, "tiie oniiunents
upon the external cornice of several large huildin,i:s
actuidly consisted of mexihra conjuiida hi coifK, too
plainly sculptured to ))e uiisundersto(jd. And. if this
were not sullicient testimony, more was found in tiie
isolated iind scattered re[)ivsentations of the nunnhrinu
rirlk, so accurate that even the Indians recognised the
ohject, and invited the attention of AFr Catherwood to
the oriti'inals of some of his drawings as yet unpul)-
lished/'
The scul[)turod pillars to l)e seen at Copjui and other
ruins in I'entral America, which are acknowledged to
he connected with sun worshii). are verv sinnlar to
the sculptured phallus-pillars of tlie East/-" Mr. S(pi
120 'This snrr.<pstinn was first pnlilicly iiiadi' in a oomniniiicntion ic.iil.'
siiys S(jiiici', Sirii'id Sijiiih(}l, p. t'.*, 'licforc tlu- Aiiicriciui Etliiio.o^icil Sm-iity,
1)V a (listiiii^'iiishftl iiR'iiilici- of tliat 1) i(ly: fniiii wliicii tlic f'lllDuiiit,' ]i,issa_;i h
ar,! LXlrai'tt il. Aftor iioticiii;^' si'vcral lacts tciuliiiL; to show the loi-aicr i\-
istcnci' of I'hallic \vorshi|) in Am vica, (lie aiiilior of the jiajxr iii'Mcci ils
i)W to ('(iitral Aiiurica. Ipoii a piiusal
,ii' fcllow-iiu'iiiht'is, Jlfssrs. Sti iiluiis ami
('atlii'rwood, into Gnatcina'a aiiil the central territories of the Com-
tiueiit, I was forcibly struck with tiie iiionolitliic idols of <'o|iaii.
We liuew notliiliL,' Ixfore, save of .Mexican, Pulenqne, and IMii; 1
leuiains; and those of Copan apiicared to mo to be unlike tliem all,
all! probably of an older dale. My reading,' furnishes nie witii but one pa-
iidel lo those siiiLtiilar monolithic sciil|itnres, and that was seen in Ceylon, in
IT'.dl, by Captain I'olin A[cKen/ie, and desciibeil in the tJth voliliiie of lie)
Asiatic Keseiirches. As tin- descriiition is short, I transcribe it: "The ti^'iiro
is cut •lUt of stone in n-Uevo; lnU the whole is sunk in a hollow, scooped oiil.
Id-
as folk
-••W.
)f the tirst joiimev o
ho that it
lefeiid.'d f
run mp
irv on the sides. It mav be about fourtc' n f> • t
h t,'h, the c(mntenanco wild, a full round visaL;e, the eyes laiiJe, the n
rot, lid and loii''; it has no bear 1; nor the usual distiiiiinishin
,f tl
(reiiloi, casts. He holds up both his hands, with the foretini,'ei s and lliuail.
Iress is liii^'h, and seems ornamented with, jewels; oil the lilth
liii^h about till
th.
b.'iu; the head-
lin.;er of the left h Hid is a riiiLj; on tin' arms bracelets; a li
waiit; the lower dress or drajiery ti^ed wilh a "irdle much lower tlim
(rentoo dress, from whiih sometliiiiL; liKc tassels de|('nd; a collar and o
ir ami orna-
ments on till! neck and shoulders; and rini,'s seem to haii;4 low frcuii the eiirs.
2ii'o appear.! lice of any arms or weapons. ' This was the nearot a|ipid\iuiatleu
I C(edd make to tin <'
Uiai
I idols; for idols I took them to
from Ihe I'aeC
that an aitar was inv.irmlily jilaeeil before them. From a dose inspection ot
(Is dra«ini;s. i found that thou .;h no siniile li^ni
,Mr. Cith
all I 111' forcLtoiii'.,' eh iracteristics, yet in tic
pirticular eiiumerati' 1 iu the C'evloii S('iilpture. It tiieii occurreil In mk
t.d
ti;j;ures I could tinil eve IV
th.:
)f tl
1' most iisu d svmb )ls of the I'lialhis was an erect stone, often in in
ri)'ij[h state, sometimes sculptured, and that no other olij.'ct of liealheii wor-
8uip was so ofteu shadoAed forth by a siuylu stuliu placed on end, as 1. o
RELICS OF niALLIC WORSHIP.
505
is of the opinion tliat tlicy niav be considorod as such,
iiiil the AI)I)L' IJnissour takes tlio same view in niakini;'
tlic plain cylindrical pillar found in so niaiiv [)la(vs
the iv[)rcst'ntation of the volcano, the godili'ss of love,
III! I wlu'n(;e it issues as the symbol of new lil"e.
Oil another pajio he terms the phallus the rrcsccnt.
the land whencu the Xalnias oriiiinatcd, and the con-
tint'ut of America the body
M)me
of th
le luiiars
Ih
ii|ipcar without ornament, as the p'tcoU' at [\\mal, a
rnuml stone of irregular ibrm, which stood in front of
niic of till! ruins, but the v>-orshi[)ers of l*riapiis at
Tlicspia and other places were conlentwith a rude stone
an nnaiic m ear
Ivt
unv
In M
exico accoi'din^' to
(iaiua, the ))residing god of s[)ring, Xo[)ancali'huey
Tlalloc. was olten represented without a human body
li;i\nm' ms
tead
pilaster or s(|uare oohunn. upon a
jii'ilestal covered with various .^culiitured designs.'-- In
IMnuco imanes of the uenerative oruans were kei)t in the
lfiin)Ies as objects of worship, and statues rei)resenting
iiii'U inul women perfoi'ining the sexual act in \ari()us
postui'es .stood in the tem[)le-courts.'"'' Xear Laguna de
Ti'i'ininos, on the coast of Yucatan. (Jrijalva found im-
;iii'.s of men connnitting a(;ts of indesci'ihahle beastliness,
while close by lav the bodies of victims recenth" sacri-
lii'cd
in their honor,
iji
riie united .symbols of the sexual
Tli:it tlio \vnvs1ii]i of fho rrinpns. [T.iiiL;liiiin] txistcil in dyV
li:is I .111,' siiRT l)cfii Siitisfai-toi'ily t-stalilislicil; iiiid liincc I wus Inl to suspect
t.iat tlirsc iiioiiiiiiifiits at Cii|)aii, liiiL,'lit In; vrstim'S of ii similar id.ilatrv. A
1 U
liuilii f iiisp'ctiuii coiitiriiii'il my siispicioiis; I'oi, us 1 sn|)|i
s.-iilpturcil (111 tlic Aiiit'fiiMli ruins the <ir''aus of ''fiiriMtiuu, ainl on the baik
id
(l| on
.f til
.MllhU.MllS I'L'lativi' to UtclilK
ill. liowi'vcr. have waiiti'd eiitii'
ilidt'
t'XistlllCl'. iiaitunlioii, ( tr
[
ill tll<' cni'llctllrss of mV
s!l>|iii'iiiiis, had the iiiatti'i' nsti'd Inn,'. (.)ii the nturii of Messrs. St. i liens
iuil t'atlieruiiod from their s coud exiieditioii, every doubt of tliu fxisteuco
(il
liallie wcu'sliip, osjic'crillv
1-1 V'"''''' />''"'■'-■•<•, pp. I'.M. :{0i; >•,
liti
in Yucatan, was rem
d.
/..
•n 1/ tiilllK
I, Ih
HI' r s .^iriiiii
(I Si/)iihol, pp. -IT-.^I).
i-^i in V
t;li iui.iiiiini fra
sipiM la I
'OS I ii'ilni.t. ]iart i., p
o and other iirovinccs ' a.loraiio il lueinlMo <die ))iiitano
.V lo teiiLjoiio nella liieschita, \- juisto sinii he lite
lodi (Ii piacere eho
iaz/.a ilisieiiie con le iin,ii,'ini de riliciio di tntii ii
nil) esscie f r I rhiioiiio \- la donna. .V ^,'li h.iiiiio di ritratto con le ean
di al/ate in diuersi modi.' H'liitiniif fill t ji' r \-n </ nUridtDiin) ill ^I'lnur
'i( lii'l I C.irlt'sv, in H'linush), Xnriiiiiliiiiii. toui. iii.. fol. .'!tl7.
I'l • llalla
litre viios arlioles vu idoiillo de oro v muchos de liaiio. dos
lelalires de iia
cai
lali-'ando viio sol ire otn
fuel' Sodonia, v otro de tiena
f'l/i U coll aiiilias nianos alo suyo, (pie lo tenia retajado, coiiio sou I'asi tudos
ilios de Vuciitaii. ' Gonuiru, Hist. Lai., fol. 5S.
500 GODS, SUPERNATURAL UEIXGS, AND WORSHIP.
r, ;
m
.'it I
:l
orjiiiiis were pul^licly ^vorshiped in Tlascala, and in the
month of (^uoclioUi a jinind i'ostival waslii'ld inlionoi'ot"
Xocliiqiictzid, Xodiitecatl, and Tlazoltootl. goddosscs ol'
t^cnsiiul (U'lijihts, wlicn tlio prostitutes and yonnt:" riicii
a(lirK!tt'd to sodomy were allowed to solicit (Mistoin on the
piiltlic stivets/-'" On Zapatero Islaiul, aronnd Lake
Xi(!arauiia. and in Costa Kica, a nnmher of idols have
been fouml of wbicli the disproiM)rtionately largo rncm-
hririii f/('iier<iflon!s virile in ererfiotie was the most jiromiiu'iit
J'eature. Palacio relates that at Cezori, in Iloiidiiras.
the natives ofVered hUxxl drawn from the ori-ans of i;viu'-
ration and circumcised boys before an idol called Icela-
ca, which was simply a I'ound stone/"" with two laces
and a number (jf ayes, and was supposed to know all
things, past, present, and future.'"^ The frecpient occur-
rence Ol" the cross, which has served in so many and
such widely separated parts of the earth as the symbol of
the liie-giving, creative, and fertilizing pi'incii)le in na-
ture, is. pcrha[)s, one of the most striking evidences of
the former recognition of the reciprocal princi[)lcs nt'
]iature by the Americans; especially when we remenilur
thiit the Mexican name for the emblem. tonaca(jualmitl,
signifies 'tree of one life, or llesh.' ^-'* Of two ten a
cotta relics Ibund at Ococingo, in tlic state of C'liia|ia<.
one would c^'rtainly attract the attention of any one who
had investigated the sulyect of phallic worship or liml
seen the phallic amulets and ornaments of the oM
woi'ld.'-' In the Museum at Mexico are two suial'
images which were evidently used as ornaments, llacii
of these represents a human figure in a crouching pos-
ture, clasping with both hands an enormous phallii-.
Col. Uraiitz Slaver kindlv showed me drawinus of these
made by himself. One of these figures is reproduceil m
another Aolume of this work.
m
m
i2''Si'p vol. ii , ]ip. 3,11-7, conrorninc; tins festival.
'-'' • 111 iiloo (If j)icilr,i vcdniido,' which may iiifiiu a ' cyliiulrieal stniii ,
ns the tiiinslattir of I'alucio's Caiin has reiuliivd it.
'-'" I'nhlr'ii,, I '((/■/'(, p. HI.
'■-'* C.iiic riiiiij,' tile cKiss ill Aiiii'iica, sec lliis vol. pp.
129 I i-cfor to the left hand liyiiie iu the cut ou p. ;M8, vol. iv., of His
THALLIC RITES.
B07
Tlic ri[)il('s iil)staino(l from tlicir wives for four diiym
iivvioiis to sowiiiir. in on
Ut t
O IIK
lull-
(' 111
tl
U' iM:in
till
iii't to tlio fullest extent on the eve of tliiit diu'. evidcntlv
uitli ii view to initiate or urge the fecnintlatiiig powers of
iiiitiire. It is even said tluit certain persons were aj)-
jioiiited to perform the sexual act at the inonK'iit of
l>l;iiitini'' the first seed. During the hitter cold nights
i)t' the 11 vpi'rhorean winter, the Aleuts, hoth men and
w(»iii(>n, joined hands in the open air and whirled jum-
i'ectlv naked round certain idols, lighted only l^y the
p;ile moon. The spirit was sui)posed to hallow the dance
with his presence. There certainly could have' heen
no licentious element in this ceremony, for setting aside
tlie discomfort of dancing naked with the thermometer
lit zero, we read that the dancers were hlindfolded, and
that decorum was strictly enforced. In Xicaragua,
iiiai/e s[)rinkled with hlood drawn from the genitals was
ri".:arded as sacred food,
l:iu
The custom of drawinn' hlood
IViiiii this part of the hody was ohserved as a religious
rite hy almost every trihe from Mexico to Panama,
tliuiigh this, of course, does not prove that it was in all
cisrs cnunected with phallic worship. Circumcision is
regarded hy Sijuier as a phallic rite, hut ther(^ is not
Miilicient testimony to support this view. 'JV/catliiJoca,
tlir chief god of the Xahuas, who has heen i'recjuently
identified with the sun, was adored as a love-god. accord-
iiiLi to l)()turini. who adds that the Xahua Lothai'ios ludd
disonlerlv festivals in his honor, to induce him to favor
th
KMr desiiius
i:tl
Oru'ies. characteri'/.ed hv the iirossest
liiciitiousness are nu't with at diiK'reiit places along the
coast, as among the Xootkas. the l'[)perand Lower ("ali-
I'oi'iiiaiis. in Sinaloa, Xicaragua,, and especially in Yuca-
tan, u here evary festival ended in a deluvuch. Dui-ing
a <'('rtain annual festival held in Xicaragua. women, of
wiiatever condition, could abandon themselves to the
\vink. Fdv cxjuniilos of tlie amnlits iiiciitioned, soe illiistratiniis in I'iiyiio
KaJLilit's Wuraliii) iif I'r'niiiiiK.
'■•" Sic vol. i., of this work, p. 0:); Or'uih), Hist. Gfn., toiii. iv., p IS;
S'f vol ii.. ,,f tliis W(vi-1;. ]<\). 71'.'--iO.
'" llutiirlid, ihn, 1>- I'i; S0(,' also this v.iliiiiio, jip. 2i:!-l.
COS
CODA, S'JPEUN.VTrRAL DEIX03, AND WORSHIP.
cinhriice of wlioinovcr tliev pleased, witliout incuniiij,-
•any di^im'tice.''-
Tlie least of the ^[exicim moiitli Xoeotlluiet/in. ' fiill.
or inatiii'itv of fruit,' is to me a most strikiii.ti' evidence
of the former existeneo of pliaHic worshi[>. or at Ica.-t
reeoiiuition of tlie feeiindatiiig })rinci[)lo in nature. I
will, however, leave the reader to draw his own conclu-
sions. This feast of the 'maturity of fruit' was dcdi-
(^ated to Xiiditeeutli, pxl of fuv. and, therefore, of I'ertil-
ity, or feiMuidity. The i)i-in('i[)al feature of the least
was a tall, straight tr«'0, which was stripped of all its
"2 Sco vol. i.. of this work, pp. 200, 411. ."fifi-fi; vol. ii.. p. 07(5, and iic-
ooiinf (if Yiicatco fi'iistH in cliii]). xxii. Jii citing,' these brutish oijjiis 1 di.iiwt
presiinic, Of wish to Mssert, thiit they were in iiiiy way cniURcteil with ]ih,illiis
worsliii), or iiuleeil, that thi're was aiiytliiii^,' of >\ relii,'ioiis nature in tiiciii.
Still. .IS they eerlainly were imlulj^eil in diiriiit,'. or iumn diately after llie '^Vt id
riliutioiis festivals, and as we luiow how the pliallie eidt de'^enerated froia its
oii^jin il purity into just sueh bestiality in (iieece and Itoine, 1 have tlioii;4lit
it well to mention them. There is nnuh tintli in the f(dlouin^; reni:irks eu
this point, by Mr. ISrinton, though wilii his statement that tin; jiroofs i,f a
recoj^Miiti in of the feeuiidatili;^' jjhueiiile iu Nature by th' Anierieans are "idln-
get!ier wanlini,',' I cannot ai^ree. lie says: ' There is no evdund whatevei- to
invest thi'se (libauehes with any recondite nieaniiii,'. They are simily indi-
citions of the thorou^'h and utter inuiiorality which jirevailed thronu'linut
tlii^ rai'e. And a still mcjre disj^ustinj.; jiroof of it is seen in the fncpu ui a|i-
jpear.uno anions! diver.so tribes of men dressi'd as women and yielding' tin lu-
Kelves to indescribable vic(!s. Tlu're was at first nothing of a reliui'ms natuie
ill sucli cxliibitiou.s. Lascivious ]iriests chose iit times to invt st them with
some such meaning ... The pretended phallic worship of the Natchez and
of Culhuacan, cited by the Abbe Brasseiir, rests on no good autliority,
and if true, is like that of the Huastecs of Panuco, nothing but an unrc-
Ktraincd and boundless profligacy which it were an absurdity to cm 11 a
religion. That which ^Ir. Stephens attempts to show existed once in Yuca-
tan, rests entirely by his own statenicnt on a fancied resemblance of no vaiie'
whatever, and the arguments of Latitaii to tin; same effect are(p;ite insutliiii lit.
There is a decided indecency in the remains of ancient .\meiican art esi" ci-
ftUy in I'eru, (Meyen) and great lubricity iu nniny ceremonies, but the ]'iei f
is altogether wanting to bind these with the recognition of ficund.itiii'.,' priici-
jile throughout nature, or, indeed, to supjiose for them any litiier oii;4in than
tlie proni|itings of an iiniiure fancy. I evn doulit whether they oiteii r' -
ferred to Hre as the deity of sexual lovo. ]iy a flight of fancy iiis]iired hy a
study (jf orii'iital mythidogy, the worshi]) of the riHiprocal priiici|ile in Ame-
rica has been connected with that of tht> sun and moon, as the )iriiiiiiiv.'
pair from whose fecund union all creatures proceeded. It is sulliciriit to
Siiy if such a mvth exists among the Imlians whirh is cpiestioiiabh' - it jn--
tiiies no such deduction; that th(,' nnxui is often mcutioiieil in their laiig^ia:^<i
merely as the "night sun;" and that in such important slocks as the In-
(piois, Ath.ipascas, Cherokees, and Tupis, the sun is s.dd to be a fen. inline
noun; while the myths reiiresont them more frecjuently as brother and sisic r
than as m ;ii and wife; nor did at le.ist th(> noithern tribes regard the sun a ;
the cause of fecundity ill nature at :dl, but solely asg'viiif,' light and warmth.'
Mi/lhs, PI). liJ-oU; .S'/ioo.'c/'tyfs Arch., vol. v., pp. IID-IT.
niALLir iirrns.
609
Iniinolios except tlioso close to tlio top ami set up in the
court of the tein[)le. WitJjin a few I'eet ol" its top a cross-
vanl thirty teet long was lasteiied; thus a perie(;t cross
was Ibrined. A))OVo all, a dough image of the god of
i\\v ctu'iously divssed was fixed. After certain lioirihlo
Kiciifices had ht'en made to tiie deity of the day. the
jM'ople assond)led ahout the pole, and the youth scram-
Idi'd up for the image, which they hroke in i)iec(>s and
scattered upon the ground.'" A great munher of simi-
liir analogies may he detected in the rites and custcjms ot'
11k' pe()i)le. and it is almost reluctantly that 1 refrain from
giving my views in full. 1 have mad«! it my aim, how-
ever, to deal with facts, and leave si)eculation to others.
Those who wish to thoroughly investigate this most in-
teresting sultject, camiot do hetter than stud}' Mr S(iuiei''H
learned and exhaustive treatise on the Serpent ^^3 nibol.
i^'i Fur a full uccouut of this fuust buu vol. ii., of this work, pp. 329-30.
]M
hS^'
■'I
CHAPTER XII.
FUTURE STATE.
Aboriginal Idkas of FrxrRK — Genkrai. Corc'TTir.Ns of Soui.-~Fr-Tri:K
Statk of tuk Alki'th, (.'ukpkwvaxh, Nativks at Miliiaxk Soi'nu. and
Okanaganh — Hapi'y Land of thk Salish and Chixooks -((ixcKi'iinNs
OF HkAVEX and Ih.l.l, OF THK NkZ PkkL'KS, Fl.ATlIKAlJS, AM) IImi \)IS
— The Healms ;)F QrAWTEAiiT axd Chayhki; — l>i:i,ii is dP the Sunmiiis.
Clallajis, axi> 1'knd i>'(1ueii.les--The FrrriiK Siatk of mik Cmi-
founian and Nevada Tribes, Comaxches, Pcehi-os, Nava.ios, Ai'A( his,
Moyuis, Mariooi'as, Yl'Mvs, axd oTiiEiis — The Sin IIoise uf ihk .Mi xi-
CAXS— 'I'l-ALOCAX AXD MuTI.AX- -t'dNDITIoX OI' THE l^EAD -JolliNKl OF
THE Dead— Ft-'CRE of the Tla^caltecs axd other Xaiions.
The hope, or at 10..:-:^ tlio oxpoctation of inunortiilitv . is
universal aiiio'iii' men. The iiiiiid instinctively shrinks
IVoni the thoujiht of utter anuihiliition. and ever ilin-s
t(j the hope of a fntinv which shall ])e hetter thiii
the jtresent. Hut as mans ideal of sujirenie liai»|rnir>s
tlepeUils upon his cnltnre. tastes, and condition in this
life. Ave (ind ainonj;' dilferent [leople Mid.c-ly<lilleriri,i'. con-
ceptions of a future, 'fhe intellectual (jrei'k inokcil li r-
Avard to the enjoynient of less gross and mere \arird
pleasures in his l']lysian Fields, than the sensual Miissul-
inaii. whose jjaradise was merely a place where hriulit-
<y ed hoiu'is could administer to his every want, or tlic
iierce N'ikinu' whose Valhalla was a scene of citntinn I
gluttony and stril'e, of altei'nate hi'wing in pieces anl
swilling of mead.
It has heen supposed b^' some that the idea of future
(5U1)
IDEAS OF rUTUKE.
611
]innislimGiita,n{l rowjinl was imknown to the Aiucricaiis.^
This is OL'rtiiinly fui error, lor some of the I'ucilie (Vnist
tiil)es hail very delinite ideas oi' I'liture relrihiition, ami
jil'.iuist all, in siip|X)sinj'' that the manner of (l<'iith in-
j|iK'ii('e(l the future .state of the deceased, im[)lie(l a belief
ill fiitiive reward, at least. The slave, too. who was
Miciifu'ed on the <rrave of his mast^ r, was thoU!j.ht to earn
])\ liis devotion, enforced though it miiiht be. a pa>s[)ort
to the ri'alius of eternal joy; had there biH'U no less
blissful bourne this i)rospective reward for fidelity would
have bt'en manifestly superlluous.
The future life of these [)eo[)le "was shar[)ly defined.
ill!
was o
f th
le eartli. eartu\
th
In it
s most connnon
1 1'.iiH it was merelv eai
•th-lil
inorta
1 ilb
Th
e. more or
I,
less fret' fr(
)ni
le soul was subject to t!ie sauic wants as
thi' body, and must be su[)plied by the same means. In
fjict. the pa;ian's conce[)tion of heaven was nuicli more
clearly delincd than the christians, and the former must
liavc antici[)ated a. removal ihitjier with a far less won-
Ui'l'lll
i: and troubled mind than the latter,
In the Mexican hea\en thei'e were various di'iirees of
iiapliiui'ss, and ea:rh was a[)[)oinl',Ml to his place accord-
ing to bis rank and deserts in this life. The hiLib-born
A\airior who fell <:'k)rl;;us
tl
Iv in hattk! did not meet on
f 111 il tcniis tlie base-born rustic who (
lied
ni Ins hi'd
Al'll III tJR-
II
ouse ol
tl
le
un. tlie most bbs:
^I'lil
aiioi
le of
tii<' hi'a\e. the ordinary a\(K'ations of life were iHit cntirt'-
ly ilispcnsi'd with, and after their simiiui:' and (hiuciiiii',
th.' man took up his bow a.iiain. ami the W(»uiaii Ik r spiu-
dii'
iMr
(' lowt'r lieavens iiosscsscd a less (teLircc ol spU'ii-
bappiiu'ss
until the abode of the iirt-at mass of
illlM' \\
1:1
lio had lived an obscuri' life and died a natu-
I il<alb was reached. These |im'siaHl their axocaticns
h' ii'cconceivcd opinions,' siys llriiif m, 'tli
Oil- 111' troroh
pi ■ill IllMllS of thu h
lillall II coll
11. .t
i,t.\fi
n tl
II' Solllt ot (i
full
'( F.vil, 1
omI III.
lave witli like iincoiiscioiis error f.ilsiliid Ins ilMctriiic ol ,i
mil .iliiiost w itiiont ail txi'i'iitioii ilmwu it inoic o
f .1 Christian lii'aviii, ht-l
aiiii iiiii^'iit iiy
I SS III till!
M)Wiirri WHS iiiiv wrll-
w .rl
• if
I itotriiic that iiioial tiiipituib' was jiiil^iil mul pmii-lii'd in tlic ni'\t
N
itrast is ilisfovcnilili' lutwccn
ilai'i! of toniii'iits ami a realm
I 'v; ii ill • WDrst, hut tl ii"',Mtive (•asti''iCon a\viiiti.d tli'; liar, tlie eowanl
onh 1
■a.' Mijtiis, p. 'Jii
)12
FUTURE STATE.
m
,11 , II
1)V twilitiht. or passed their time in a drcamv condition,
or statt! ol" torpor. As slaves were often sacrificed o\ ci'
their master's jirave that tliev miiilit sei've in the next
woi'ld. we nnist suppose that dilVerences of rank were
maintained tliere. The Tlasciiitecs sni)[)(>s('d that the
(sonnnon [tcople were after death transformed into hi'ctlc s
and disiiustinn' ohiects, while the nohler hecame stars
and l)eautiful hirds. J)Ut this condition was also inllu-
enced hy the acts and conduct of friends of th(MleceaM'(|.
Sir John Lul)hock'' does not helieve with \\'ils(ai ai, 1
other ar('h;eolot;ists that the hurial of im[)lenu'nts wiili
the dead was hecanse of any helief that they would In;
of use to the deceased in a future state; hut solely ii^ a
trihute of allection, an outhursl of that s[)irit of sacrilicc
and oiferini:' so noticeahle in all, Ironi ti.e most savap' Id
the most civilized, in the pi'esence of lost hrotlieiliuml.
friendshij). or love. In the first place the outfit in a
great majority of cases is wholly unfit and inadeciuatc
viewed in any rational scale of utility; they arc imt
such as the dead warrior would procure, if hy any
means he were again restored to earth and to his friends
In the second ])lace it was and is usu;d to so ellectually
nmtilate tlie devoted arms and utensils, as to render
them a mere mockery if they are intended for the rutuie
use of the dead. It is easy to classify this plienomeiieii
in the same cati'iiory with the deserting or (lestroyiiii: of
the house ol' the deceased, the refusal to mention his
name, and all the other rude contrivances In* which tht;
memory of their sorrow may he huried out of their sigM.
Tliis subject may ))e viewed in another light. Imw-
ever. hy eousideriug that these Indians sometimes inipnti-
si)ii'its e\en to inamiuate objects, and when the wife np
the slave is .slain, their s[)ii'its meet the chief in lln'
futiu'e land. Do they not also break the how and tie
spear tliat the ghostly weapons may seek iit)o\e ',e
haiiils of their sonu'time owner, not leaving hlni <li-
fenceless amouii' the awful shades. The nuitilation ef
PnhJsl.'i-h' '/"(/iiM, J). 139.
THE LOAD TO HEAVEN.
313
t
]ie III'
tide.-
i-h
s may pcMMiaps he ivjianicii as a syiiiDoiu
1(m1
il)
kill-
iiiLi. to release the soul of tlio object; the iiiadetiuaoy of
the supply may indicate that tliey were to he used oidy
(hu'iuii' the journey, or ])re[)arator3' state, mo.v perfect
articles l)eing given to the soul, or prepared hy it, on
cnternu
the 1
leaven proper.
The slaves sacrificed at the jrrave ])y Mie Aztecs and
Tarascos were .selected from various trades jnui pi'ofes-
siousaiid tt)ok with them the most (dn-rished articles of
the master, and the implements of their trade, wherewith
to su[)|)ly his wants. l'ass[M)rts weri; jiiven f(;r the ilill'er-
eiit points along the road, and a dog ns guide, 'i'luis the
souls of aniuialr* are shown to havt; entered heivven with
man. and this is also imjtlied hy the belief that men
wei'c there transformed into birds and insects, and that
they followed the chase. Another instance whicli seems
to indicate that the soids of these earthly objects wei'o
used merely diu'ing the [)reparatory state, was the yearly
least given to departed souls during the [)eriod that this
condition endured. After that they were lelt to ob-
li\ion. The Miztecs had the custom of in\iting the
s[tirits to enter and ])artake ofthe repa.stsj)read ibr tiiem,
and this food, the essence of which had been consumed
i\ tl, miseen visitors, was regan
The road to
led
as sacrei
aradise was re[iresented to be full of
daii'jers an idea i)robabl\' suji'iested to them b\ the
awful mystery of death, in the idea of this perilous
joiiruey. this road beset with many dangers — storms,
iiioiisters. deep w. iters, .iiid. whirl[M)()ls we may trace a
liclicriu luture retribution, for though the majority of
traxclers niaiia<*;e to reach their destination haviui;
only suU'ered more or le>s maltreatment by the way,
many a solitary, ill-pi'o\ided wanderer is omt
\c
WhriURM
1 and
prevented from doing so. In e.vceptional
i'a<('s. the j)erils of this valley of the shadow o!" death
■lie avoided ])y the intervention of a friendly dei^y who.
Ileniiesdike, hears the wearv soul strai;:ht to its rest.
Among the Mexicans Teoyaomiijue, the consort ol' the
■'Sec V'll. ii.. up. OLS, 023.
VuL. Ill a J
WM
t , < .
ill
FUTURE STATE.
\v;ir-g()(l, performed this good ofHce for the fallen wov-
run'.
A\ itli the alternative of this not very attractive future
l*efore them, it is natural that the theory of metemi)syc'h()-
sis should have found wide and ready a(!ceptan('e, for
with these peojjle it did not mean purilieation Irom sin,
as among the IJralnnans; it was simply the return of tiie
soul to the world, to live onee more the old life, aUhough
at times in a dilferent and superior s[)here. The huiDuu
form was, therefore, assumed more often than that of
animals. Tim soul generally entered the i)ody of a
lemale reliitive to form the soul oftheunhorn infiint; the
likeness t»f the child to a deceased friend in feature- or
])ecuHarities lent great weight to this belief. This rei'in-
Ijodiment was not limited to individuals; the Nootkas,
i'or instance, accounted for the existence of a distant
tribe, s[teaking the same language as themselves, by
declaring them to l)e the incarnated spirits of tlieii' dead.
The [)reservation of the bones of the dead, seems in sonic
cases to be connected with a belief in a resurrection ol'
the body. "^I'lie opinion underlying the various custom
ol pieservation ot remanis, says
Urinton. '" was. that a
})art of tlie sold, or one of tiie souls, dwelt in the boiu's;
that these wei'e the seeds which, planted in the eaitli,
or })reserved unbroken in sale places, would, in time,
])ut on once again a garb of llesh, and germinate into
li\imi' human beings."
Indeed, a Mexican (reati(
tn-
mytli relates that man sprang from dead bones.' and in
(loat/acixdco the l)ones were actually dei)osited in acoii-
venieut place, that the soul might resume them.
The most general idea of a soul seems to lia\e been
that of a double self, possessing all the essence and attii-
butes of the individual, exce[)t the (;arnal embodinicnt,
and indei)endent of the body in so far as it was able ti»
loaxe it, and revel in other scenes or s[)heres. It would
accordingly appear to another person, by day or nigh', as
a phantom, with recognizable Ibrm and features, and
* Miiths. y. 257.
'■> Sec p. o'J, this volume.
,■• i, 1 5
IDEAS OF SOUL.
'UtlOll-
11(1 ill
lU'Oll-
L> lict'll
iittri-
iUH'llt.
ll)lc to
would
:lit, as
X, aii;l
leave the impression of its visits in ide.is, romenibrances,
ordreanis. J'iVory mistj- outline, every rustle, was liable
to he reiiiirdeil 1)V the undiscriininatiiiii' ahoriiiine as a
soul on its wanderings, and the ideasof air, wind, hreath,
sliiiduw, soul, were often re[)resented by the same word.
Tlie I"]skiino word ^v7A^ signifies air, wind, and conveys
the idea of world, mind; /'Ov//?/', means soul, shadow.
The Yakima word for wind and life contains the same
root; the Aztec eJtertitl signifies wind, air, life, soul,
f-iiadow; in (Quiche the soul bears the name of iKttuh^
f-hadow; the Nicaraguans think that it is yuliri, the
l)reath, which goes to heaven." !^ome hold that man
lias several souls, one of whicli goes to lieaNcn,
the others remain with the body, and hover about
their Ibrmer home, 'i'lie ^^e.\icalls and (^)iiich('s re-
ceived a soul after death from a stone placed between
the lips for that i)ur[)ose, which also served for heart,
the seat 'of the soul;^ this was buried with the re-
mains. The custom of eating the llesli of brave ene-
mies in order to inherit their virtues, points to a l)elief
in the existence of another soul or vital (piality in the
coriisc.
.er
■^ome Oregon tribes gave a soul to every men
of the body. A ])liirality of souls is also im[>lie(i by
the belief in soul-wandering during sleep, ibr is not the
holy animate though the soul be separated IVom it ? yet
the soul [iroper could not remain away IVom the body
h 'voud a certain time, lest the weaker soul that remained
should liiil to sustain life.
\\ ith the many contradictions and vague statements
lieibre ns, it must lie admitted that the jihrase '" imiiior-
tality of the soul" is often misleading. Tylor even con-
siders it doubtful " how lar the lower ])sychology enter-
tains iit all an absolute coiieei»tioii of immortalit\", for iKist
I'
and future fade soon into utter vagueness as the savage
i;und quits the present to explore them."'*
^ O-h'ih^ Ilisl. Xlc, in Ti rn'inx-^owpanf!, ^'".'/•. si'rie ii.. toiii. iii. |). I!")."
Pj'i-< hinni'M, Si)iti: H ikr Azte(% Spr., \>. 71; Id., <' tsiiinii, ]>. l")',!; Jlrast'iitri.le
li'i'ii' .nunj, (Innii. Qnirhf'. p. liMl; liiinliin's Myths, p, VJ-o2, 2IJ5.
' \'iil. ii.. pp. Cdi, 7',);), of tills \v(ji-k.
•'' I'riin. Cult., vol. ii., p. '^'1.
i\
l:fl
I*' f
li
DIG
FUTURE STATE.
Some ti'ibos among tlio TTypcrhoroan.s actually dis-
boliovod in a future existence, while others hi'ld the
doctrine of a future reward and punishment. The con-
ceptions of a soul were well defined however; the Thliu-
keets supposed it to enter the spirit-world, among the
?/e/'S, on being released from the body. The braves who
had fallen in battle, or had been nnu'dered, became /><-
yeks, ' upper ones, ' and went to dwell in the north, wheie
the aurora borealis, omen of war, flashes in reflection fVoiu
the lights which illuminate their dances; so at least the
Eskimos regard it.''' Those who died a natural dejith
became tfU'eeyeks, land-spirits, and (('keeijeks, sea-s})irits.
and dwelt in takaiikoii , doubtless situated in the centre
of the earth,'" the road to wli' h was watered, and mude
smooth by the tears of relatives, but if too nnich cryiui:
was indulged in, it became swampy and difficult to travel.
The tiikee>eks and tc'keeyeks appear to have attached
themselves as guardian s[)irits to the living, and were
luider the control of the shamans, before whom tlicy
came in the form of land and sea animals, to do their
bidding and reveal the past and future." The keeyeks
wei'e evidently above the conjuration of the sorcereis.
The comforts of heaven, like the road to it, depended on
earthly conditions; thus, the body was l)urned in order
that it might be warm in its new home. Slaves, how-
ever, who were buried, were condenmed to freeze, hut
the shamans whose bodies were also left to moulder, iind
doubtless power to avoid such misery. All lived in
heaven as on earth, earning their living in the smiiic
manner, to which end the inn)lements and other articKs
burnt with them were brought into use; wealthy people
appointed two slaves to be sacrificed at the pyre, upon
whom devolved the duty of attending to their want^.
s Dall's Alaxkn, pp. 145, 422.
1" Hiirrett-Leuimrd siiys, lu)wever: 'Those that die a natural doatli aio
condeiniKMl to dwoll for ages aiiiouj,' the liranchcs of tall trees.' Tna-.. p. "it.
' Ciireciese de ali^junas ideas relij^ioSiis, y viviese |)ersnadido de la total uiii-
quilacion del hoiubre con la iiinei-te. ' ,Siitil i/ .Me,ri('(ni(i, I'/Vc/c, p. cxviii. it
is doubtful whether the; latter class is eonii)osed of the spirits of imii. "f
merely of marine animals. See this vol., p. 148.
" Thu Tinuohs do uot regard these as the spirits of uieu. Ball's AhifL',
p. 8S.
METEMPSYCHOSIS.
517
The sliivos carried tlieir loiiji-pendiiri doom verv jiliilo-
i.:....n.. u ;., ....M i-i if ... v. w....... ' l. ,>,.,.,->,. +'l..,f ti,,^
so >
soil
iicallx'. it IS said
It
ii)l)ears.
however, that the
1 had the o[)tioii of retiiniinLi' to this lile, and as I
liaw said, <ieiierally entered the hody of a Teinah' relative
|u foriu the soul of a cominii' inl'ant. ll'the child resenihled
a deceased iVieiid or relation, this rer'inl)odiinent was at
once recognized, and the name of the dead [X'rson was
pi veil to it. A[etein[)sychosis does not appear to ha\o
heen restricted to relatives only, for the Thiinkeets wero
ol'teii heard to e\[)ressa desire to ho horn again into I'ami-
lics distinguished ibr wealth and ])()sition, and even to
wish to die .soon in order to attain this hliss the earlier."
This helief in the transmigration of souls was widely
siu'ead. and accounts to some e.vtent for the learlessness
with which the IIyi)erh()reaiis contemplated death."
The Tacnllies and Sicannis asked the deci'as.'d whether
he would return to life or not. and the sham;in V\ho put
the (piestion decided the matter hy looking at the naked
hrcast of the hody through his fingers; he then raised
liis hand toward heaven, and hlew the soul, which had
a|)parently entered his fingers, into the air, that it might
seek a i)ody to take j)ossessioii of; or the shaunin placed
his hands n[)on the head of one of the mourners and
scut the sjiirit into him, to he emhodied in his next olf-
spriiig. The relative thus favored added the name of
the deceased to his own. If these things were not done
the deceased was supposed to de[)art to the (lentre of the
earth to enjoy happiness, according U) their estimate of it.
ilu' Keiiai sui)[)osed that a soft twilight reigned i)er-
pi'tually in this place, and that its inhai)itants pursued
thi'ir avocations; while the living slept they worked.
The soul did not, however, attain perfect rest until a
liast had heen given in its honor, attendeil hv a distri-
liiition of skins.'''
k'nl:cliHi''s Xcio V'li/.. vol. ii., )i. "tl. 'Tliey have ft coiifiiscd luitioii of
iiiiiii.rliilitv.
/'/., I). .Vs. Till' Kiiiiia''iis iilso uscil to lull ii sliivo on tli
\'' oi' wciilthv men. Drill's Musl.'i, p. 403.
'■ /'■'//•.s.l/.(,sA<(, lip. l-2-> Ii: lihiiUii-ij. Ethho. Sliz., jij). (',;i T).
" 'i'lic ("li(|)f\vviiiis iilsi) lirlil this thi'oiy. thoULih tlpy Ik'UcvmI in a hoav-
liss (111(1 II st.itc (if Jiilllisliliiclit. Murk
.'/■• 1'
;
'' Jlirlianlsuii's Jour., vol. i., pp. ■lO'J-lO; i>'uey, :<{at. a. Ellt
pp.
107-8,
1 \
51S
FUTURE STATE.
DiiU, in speaking of the Tinnelis, to which fjimily the
TaeuHies and Konai belong, states that he found few who
])eheved in the innnortality of tiie soul, and none in
I'uture reward and punishment; any contrary assei'tioii
he characterizes as proceeding from ignorance or exagger-
ation. Other authors, however, in treating of trilns
situated both in the extreme north, and in the center of
tiiis I'amily, as the Loucheux and Chepewyans, declare
that good and wicked were treated according to their
deserts, the poor and rich oi'ten changing lots in the
other life. Terrible punishment was sometimes inliieted
upon the wicked in this world; thus, in Stickeen Iviver
stand several stone pillars, which are said to be the re-
mains of an evil-doing chief and his family, whom divine
anger placed there as a warning to others. According
to Ken nicott, the soul, whether good or bad, was rec^eiNed
])y Chutsain, the spirit of death, who was, for this
reason probably, called the bad spirit.^" The Eskimos
seem to have believed in a futiu'e state, for llichardson
relates that a dying man whom he saw at Cumberlnml
Inlet declared his joy at the ])ros[)eet of meeting iiis
children in the other world Jind there living in bliss. It
is also a suggestive fact that implements and clothes
were buried with the body, care being taken that noth-
ing should press heavily upon it. The Inrge destruction
of property practiced by some Rocky Moiuitain tribes
was for the.pur[)ose of obliterating the memory of the
deceased." The Aleuts believed that the spirits of their
relatives attended them as uood t^enii, and invoked them
on all trying occasions, especially in cases of veiulcttd}^
The Chepewyan story relates that the soul arrives alter
111; llannon's Jimi:, pp. 20'J-300; Wllh's' Xar., iu U. S. Ex. Kc, vol. iv.,
p. 4H->.
I'' Whi/niper's Ahisl.ii, ji. ,315; JiWc/i'/'^fc's Vol/., ]). cxxviii.; Ilunl'islf/. in
SiiiilliSfiiilDi I!' jil.. iSCiil, }). ;tlS. ' Niicli (Iciu 'I'ddr wunli' iiiK'li iliicii ' Kukii-
giis) l?i>;^'ritl'i'ii j.'dci- Mfiisch cin 'I'l'ufil; laswcilcii /.ti;^'ti' cr sicli <li ii V. -
Wtiiidtt'ii, 1111(1 (lass liMttt' (ili'mk zil biHliUtfU.' JlnlinbifJ, KUino. >kh.. {<■ 1--!
M(icji"'>i Vdnc. hi., ip, 4-")7-S.
1' Vol. i. , pp. 12(!-7, of tliis work; Ditnn'!< Oivriiv}, p. 83; SUlii)ia)i'!< •f""i'-,
vol. xvi., p. 117: .Si'i'iinni's \'i>il. Ili'ntlil, \i>\. ii., p. (17; Ilichiirilsini's I'ul. !!■ ',
J). 'M'2. I'lio ]'',skiin(is Imd no idea of 'future rewiii'd and puuisliiuout.' V'' '■■>'
Al't^i.a. ]i. llTi.
•' b'ijMijuj's Voij., p. 50.
•! ^1
FUTURE OF THE COLUMBIAN TRIBES.
519
(leatli at a river upon uliicli floats a stone oanoo. Tii
this it oinharks and is borne hy the |ientlo current to an
extensive lake in tlie midst ot" which is an enchanted
island. A\'hile the soul is driftiiig toward it, the actions
of its life are examined, and if the good predotninnte. the
caiioe lands it on the shore, where the senses revel in
jii'Ncr-eiiding pleasures. ]iut il' the evil of its past life
oist-weijih the g<M)d, the stone canoe sinks, leavinj:' the
:«j)irit-occnpant immersed up to the chin, there eternally
to float and struggle, ever beholding hut never realizing
the happiness of the good.^'' This }>ronounced belief in a
future reward and punishment obtained among several
of the (Vdumbian tribes. The natives of Millbank
Sound picture it as two rivers guarded by huge gates,
and flowing out of a dark lake — the gloom of death.
The good enter the stream to the right, which sparkles
in constant sunshine, and supplies them Avith an abun-
dance of salmon and berries; the wicked pass in to the
left and suffer cold and starvation on its bleak, snow-
clad banks.-" The Okanagans call paradise, or the
al)ode of the good spirit, eknteh'nnl'Uhiinrd'ixt, and hell,
whei'e those who kill and steal go, I>'is/its(i)ii<th. The
torments of the latter place are increased bv an evil
spirit in human form, but with tail and ears like a, hoi'se,
who jumps about from tree to tree Avitli a stick in his
hand and belabors the ccmdennied.'-^
Some among the Salish and Chinooks describe the
hajipy state as a bright land, called tniiuifh by the latter,
evidently situated in the direction of the sumiy south,
and abounding in all good things, llei'c the soul can
iVNt'l in enjoyments, which, however, de[)end on its
own exei'tions; the wealthy, therefore, take sla\'"s with
them to ))erf()rm the menial duties. TIk' wicked on the
ether hand are consigned to a desolate region mider the
ciiiitrol of iin evil s[)irit. known as the ]\\iu'k Chief. Hiere
to ho constantly tantalized by the sight of gau'.e, waicr
'■' Uiifhviizii''n Vol/., p. cxix; Dniiti's (h-Kinn, p. 104.
'-" It'iiin'n Oreifon, \)\t. 27^-^!.
-' ll'i.is' Alfcii., {). -88; Ciu's Ad en., vol. ii., p. l."8.
620
FUTURE STATE.
Six ■
i-Hi
and {\\\\ \\\nc\i they can iiovor roach. Some lielil lliiit
tanialh Avas gained ])y a diHU'ult road called ofiil/ni/i,
Avhich lay along the Milky \Vay, uhilo others Iji'lioNcd
that a canoe took the soul across the wiiter that was sii[)-
posed to sepai'ate it IVoin the land of the livini:.-"
The Xe/- l\'i'C('s, Flathcads, and some of the IlaidiiJi
tribes believed that the wicked, after e.\])iating their
crimes by a longer or shorter sojourn in the land of deso-
hition. were admitted to the al)ode of bliss. The lliii-
dahs called the latter place /'(r^'vc/', ' above, ' within
which seems to have heen a still lu'ighter spot termed
I'ooi-iickhoir^ 'life above,' the a])ode of perenniid youth,
whither the spii'it of the fallen l)rave took its ihLiht.
'I'hose who died a natural death were consigned with
the wicked to sccirii/r/i'oir, the pm'gatorial depintmeitt,
situated in the forest, there to be pnrifii'd bel'ore enter-
ing the happy keewnck.-' The (^ueeii Charlotte Isknid-
ers teiMned pai'adise "the liap[)y hunting-ground." ii
rather strange idea when we consider that their idmost
sole avocation was fishing.'" The Xez Perc/s believed
also in a pm'gatory for the living, and that the beaxcrs
were men condemned to atone their sins Ijefore they
could resume the human forni.'^ It seems to ha\e b( en
undecided whether the wives and young children shared
the fate of the head of the family; the Flatheads e\-
])ressed a belief in reunion, but that may have lu'cu after
one or all had been purified in the intermediate state.
I'hose who sacrificed slaves on the grave, sent them
alike with the master that died gloriously on the battle-
field, or obseurel\' in his bed.
The Ahts hold that the soul inhaljits at once the heait
and the head of man. Some say that after death it will
•i-i Pdr/.rr's E.rphr. Ton>\ jip. 235,210-7; Wilkes' Xar., in l'. N. Kx. /■'i-.,
vol. ;'., p. 121; Jhtnn'a Unyoii, {). IM. The Salisli and l\ud il'Dnillis
lii'liovcd thut till' bnive went to the siin, whilo tlio bad rciiiiiiud n ar
e irtli to trouble the liviiij,', or ceased to exist. Lord's yat., vol. ii., pi' '-•'■'■
4J. But this is eonliadicti^l by other iieeonnts.
" Maefui's descriiitioii leaves a doubt whether the keowuck and kti wncl^-
kow are names for the same heaven, or separate. Vane. M., p. J-JT.
■2i Pnole's Q. rhnr. As/., p. 320.
2' C'kx's .llrvii., vol. i.,p. 2o2; Dunn, Oregon, p. 318, says, 'beavers an :i
fallen nice uf Indians.'
QUAWTEAIIT AND CIIAYIIEU.
r>21
Lllll
lU'Vr
return to tho iininiiil fonii fnnu which its owner ciin trace
his descent; others that, aceordin;^' to rank, (liseinl)oilie(l
Minis will li'o to live with (^)iiawteaht or with ('havliei;.
(^•iKiwteaht inhahits a beanliriil conntry somewhere iip
ill the heavens, thoup,h not directly over tho earth: a
iioimUv land flowing* witli all nKuuu-rof Indian milk and
liitiiev; no storms there, no snow nor frost to bind the
rivers, hut only warmth and sunshine and abundant
uiiuic and (ish. Here the chieis live in tho very nian-
.v'loii of (^)uawteaht, and tho slain in ])attlo live in
a iiei.Lihboring lo(l;;o, enjoying also in their degree, all
the junenities of tho [jlace. And these are tho only
(liinrs to this Valhalla of the Aids; oidy lofty ))irth or a
ions death in battle can conier tho right of entry
The souls of those that die a woman's death, in
their l)ed. go down to the land of Chavher. {'ha\her
is a lignro of tlesh without bones — thus reversing our
jii toiial idea of tho grisly king of terrors — who is in tho
tniin of an old gi'ay-bearded man. lie wandei's aiumt
in the night stealing men's souls, when, unless the doc-
tors can I'ecovor the soul, tho man dies. Tho coiuitry of
Chavher is also called chavher. It resend)les a sub-
terranean earth but is every way an inferior country:
tlieiv ai-e no salmon there and the deer are wri'tchedly
small, while tho blaid<ets are so thin and narrow as to
III' almost useless for either warmth or decoration. This
i> why [)eoplo burn blankets when lrn*\ing their friends;
they ciumot boar that their friend l)o sent shiscring to
the world below. Tho dead Aht seems to ha\o Ihh'U
allowed in some cases to roam about on earth in the
Itiiin ofa person or animal, doing both good and e\ il. a
itehef which induced many to make coiuMliatorv olferings
<»t' food to tho deceased. Some Chinook ti'ibes were
iilVaiil to pronounce tho names of their dead lest tiny
f'hnnld bo attracted and carry off souls. This was es-
liecially I'earod at tho sick-l)od. and tho medicine-man
liail to 1)0 constantlv on "uard with his familiars to frus-
tr
ite such attom[)ts
2«
ho
Aht
soi'corer oven sen
t 1
lis
ilcnijTs Anil., vol. vi., p. Gil); vol. i,, p. '2-i.i, of this worl
633
own soil
1 (1
own
FUTURE STATE.
to cIimnIut to rooovor tlio triinnt, ii
uliicli lio jiciuM'iillv Miu'ci'ctU'd, unlrsH tlic spirit ol'tlic
si(^k man liud nitcrcd a lioiisc.'-^ Sonu> ainonn' the tribes
hidicvi'd that tlic soid issued from animals, especially sea-
gulls and partridges, and woidd return to its ori,^inal
i'orni. The Sondiies said the Innjfer was transrormed
into a deer, the (isherman intoadsh; and the Nootkas,
that the spirit could reassunie a human form if the celes-
tial ahodi; were* not to its taste.*'*
In striUiuii contrast to the prccedinj; l)eHer>< in fu-
turity, and to that of the (Mallams. who with universal-
istic fei'linu' helievo that the good s[)irit will receive all,
Avithout ex('e[)tion, in his hap[)y huntiim-ground. we ai'c
told that the IVnd dOreilles had no conci'i)tions what-
ever of soul or innnortality, so that the missionaries found
it dillicidt to explain these matters to them, it is cer-
tainlv straniio that a tribe surroimded 1)\' and in con-
staut contact with others who held th.-sc ideas should
have remained iminlluenccd by them, i pecially as tlity
were extremely superstitious and believed in tiuanliau
<pn'it>
an(
1 d
reams.
Dislu'lief in a futurt^ state i.«
assijiued to many tribes, which upon closer examiua-
tion are shown to possess ideas of a life after thi.-:
such statements nmst, therefore, l)e accepted with cau-
tion. Amonp; the Californiaus who are said to iden-
tity death with annihilation, are the Meewocs and the
tribes of the Sacramento A^alley, Act the Iti'tter are afraiil
to pi'onounce'the name of a deceased person, lest lie
should rise from dark oblivion.''" JJut these may be n-
jiarded as e.vceptions, the remainder had ])retty delinitc
ideas of futurity, heaven being generally placed ir tin
west, whither the glorious sun .speeds to re>*
2" Tlip soiTPVov is stiitpil l)v OHO niitivo to hiivo l)V()n''lit tlie
!i a
small stii'k ami ll
it l)iii-k into tlic lu'iid of its body. Sjiniat'.
214. ' 'i'lu' iiiitivcs ol'ttii iiii.i'4;iii(' tliat a bad spirit, whidi lovos to \' nl
to nicnt. takes the place of the truant soul during its ahsciico.' Jd., p]'. li J-
4; lliilrliiiKlfi' <'(il. SliK/., vol. v., p. 22").
« M'li/i'f's ll.C., p.'lSI: Sniif y .]r;ora)ut, Vktije, p. 130; Mi ms' IV./.. p.
270; M'icjh's \'iitii\, Jsl.. p. 'l.")7; Sjimnl's Sanies, pp. 212 3.
i'J St,-
note 2.
in /hi/. AjJ. llvpi., I8,"ji, p. 212; Brlntua's Myths pp,
' Jolnmlun, iu Schuolcnifl's Arch,, vol., iv., p. 225.
,*ifi ^^
FuruuE OF t:ii: c'.vT.iroiiNi.vxs.
538
XortluM'ii ("iilifoniiiiii n';j:iir(lt'(l it u- a ^roat oamiilnj;-
pi'omul, iimlor tlu; diarjio of tlio ^ood H[)ii-it. wlicrc all
meet al'tcr <U'atli, to <'nj()v a life IVcc from \\\\\\\. Wnt
tlicrc were (laiigcM's upon tlic road wliicli Icil to tliis Miss;
r.ir OiMiiliii. tlie evil spii-it. lioMTcd near tlio dyiiii:' iiuin,
ivadv to siiatfli and carry oil' the soul as soon as it should
Icavo its earthly tonc'int'iit. 'i'o [)r('ventsii('h a caliuuity,
the friends uho attendi'd the hui'uini;' of th(> hody
shouted and li'esticulated to distract the llvil One's atten-
tliiu and enable the heart, in which tlie sold resided, to
1.';il) out of the llanies and esca[)e to heaven. If the
Ijody was interred, tl "y thou<i;ht tiu^ devil would have
iiiore chance of cajjturinii' tlu? heart, which would then ho
■lit hack to earth to annov the livinir.
Tl
u' nutives
nvAV the month of Russian lliver hiuMied their dcinl to
prevent their hecominj;' grizzlies, while those ahout Clear
Lake supposed that the wdcked alone were thus nieta-
iiifirp'iosed, or condemned to wandei- as s[)irits.'''^ Others,
liowi v'er, who adhereil to intei'inent, sought to complete
til ceremony before night, when the coyote, in which
I'oriii the evil spirit probably ai»peared, begins to howl,
iind for three days they kept u[) noisy demonstrations
ami lire.s at the graves; after that the fa.te of the sold
was IK) longer doubtful. If ca[)tured, the good si)irit
nmiil I'edeem it with a biu' knife. It was the belief in
some parts that the deceased remained in the grave dur-
iii.: the three days, and then [)roceeded to heaven, where
earth and sky meet, to become .stars, chiefs assuming the
most brilliant forms.'''
The bright rivers, sunny slopes, and green I'orests of
.iiroc
pan
uiise an
X'. se[)arated from the earth b\' :i,
ik'cn I
iiasm, which uood and wickeil alike must cross on
:i tliiu. slii)[)erv pole. The former .soon reacii the goiil.
;iiili''l. doiiiitless. by the good spirit, as well as !)y the I'wo
ii,i:lil('d on the grave b\- mouruinu' friends, but the wicked
mail luLs to falter unaided along the .shivering bridge:
31 //■W.7,;),;/.s' C'll. Ml,!., vol, iii., pp. 43S-0; ^Tu•Jl:'>i Vn)'C. IsL, p. US,
'■*■-' /' ir rs' ]'i»no, MS.
■'^ I'.; Uibbn, ill Schuolcni/rs Airh., vol. iii., p. 110.
i|
Il^l
1
i
:' '
1
{ : .
i ':'
62i
lUTUIlE STATE.
Jiiid many iiro the iiiirlits that pass l)efoiv liis frionds
venture to dispense ^vit'l the Ijeacon, lest the soul miss
the path, and Tall into the dark aoyss. Xor does retri-
bution end with the p'.iiiand anxiety of the passaize,
for many are liahleto I'etnrn to the eartii as birds, heasts,
ai
id insi'cts. When a Kailta dies, a little bird carri
cs
the soul to spirit-land, but its llight is impeded by the
i^ins of the wicked, which enables a wtitchini'' hawk to
•tak
overtaKe anc
Id
th
evour tlie sou
d.
The Cahrocs have a more di.stinct conception of future
rewai'd and punishment, and su[)[)ose that the spiiit oii
its journey comes to two roads, one sti'ewn with llowcis
and leadin<;' to the l)ri<iht western land beyond the uriMt
waters, across which <:'o(kI (Miareya doubtless aids it;
the other, bristlim^- with thorns and briars, leading
to a place full of deadly ser[)ents, where the wicivcil
nmst wander foi- ever;'"' I'he Tolewahs place hcaNcii
)einn(
I the
sun, wherever that is, and picture lull as ;i
dark [)lace where souls shiver for ever before the ciild
winds, and are harassed l)V fiends.'"' The Modocs In-
lieve ill a snirit-land, evidently situated in the air alio\i>
tl
le ear
^pi
thly ii
ome, wliere si
Olds 1
lo^'er
about
inciting till
liviiii;' to good or evil. ^ferit appears to be nu'asinvd
by bodily stature, lor contein[)tible ■woman becomes ni
small here that the warrior, whoso stature is in pio|ini-
tioii to his powers, recpiires quite a number of females to
^ujjply his wants.'"
The I'kiahs, Saiiels, and others sprinkle food about the
fivorite haunts of the dead. The mother, for iustamc.
while chanting'' her I'lOnrnful ditty over the gravi' of licr
dead babe sprinkles the nourishing milk in the aii.'
Many of the Nevada tribes thouL;ht that seveial hciiv-
ens await the soul, each with a degree of bliss in pi'(i|)iii-
tiou to the merits of the dead person; but this beliet' wa-i
not well defined ; nor was that of the Snakc'^, who i\ilird
:<• Pain :-s' I'niiin. 'NTS.: }f!llir'.t f.ii'i- ihiioikisI liii' .l/i"/i"'s, pp. "211, 21'.'.
3'> /'.KCi/N, ill (Irrrhlml }fiiitllilil. Vol. viii., pp. 43.)-!.
■K 1,1., r,,m,K MS.; tliis V(i|,.p. 177.
'■'■' Miiii'liiliii. li'iU linn (if lii<rnlns.
'■>^ I'oinrs' J'uiiio, MS.
METEMPSYCHOSIS IN CALIFORNIA.
52.^
llic favorite liorso, and even wife, for tho iloccnscd. that
lie iniiilit not be lonely.^'' Tlie AUcquas !><n[)p()seil tiiivt
lirlore tlie soul could enk-r the ever-green pniirie.s to live
its second life, free from want and sorrow, it had ex[)iated
its sins iri the form of some animal, weal\, or strong, l)ad
or good, often ]);issijig from a lower to a higher graiU*.
iircinding to the earthly conduct of the deceased. \\y
ciitini;' ui-airie-dogs and other iiame, some sought to iiather
souls, apparently with a view to increase the [)urity of
their own and shorten the pieparatory term.^'^ Tlie
San Diego tribes, on tlie other hand, who considered
lai'gc game as the embodied si)irits of certain genera-
tions. al)stained from their llesh, evidently fearing tli-d
such fiM-e woidd hasten their metam()r[)hosis; l)nt old
iiicu. whose term of life was nearly run, Avere not de-
terred by these fears.
Ideas of metem[)sychosis also appear in one of the
sniiLisof a Southern Californian tribe, which runs: As
the moon dies to be reborn, so the soul of man will ))e i-e-
iiewed. Vet this ])eople professed no belief in a futuri;
rewai'd, or punishment. It is doubtless the same people,
li\iiig near Monterey, of whom Marmier says, i\\vy sup-
liosed that the dead retired to certain verdant isles in
the ^.'n. \vhile awaiting tho birth of the infants whose
souls they were to form. Otliers regarded these islands
as paradise, and placed hell in a mountain cliasm/^
Auivtng the Acagchemems we meet with a ])eculiar
paulheistic notion. Death was regarded as an invisible
t'Utity constituting the air. which also formed the soul
of man. or his breatii, whose particular seat was tlie
heart . As man ))ecame deci'e[)it, his soul was gradually
iiliMiihed in the element wiiich had originated it. until it,
linalK became meriicd and lost therein. l?ut this was
tile belief of some only among the tribe. Others sup-
'" Vol. i., j,p. CO-IO. this work; /Jm-nc's L. Cah. \^. 1SS.
*" lA //.'/•, Snili li in >.(! (■'(/»( )(7'», \t]}. 'l'lH-\)\ Sclioolrrai't's Arcli., v<il. v,, I'j).
" i I I'''r<iiisi\ T'ly., t,<)m. ii., ]>. It'i7; M'lriniir, Xnlirr, in Ilri/aitt, I'//, m
'"'.. 1' Jltis; Fii'jcs, ill Xiiitri'Uis Anii'ibs dis !'«(/., 1S41, tolii. ti., pp. ^\i'>-
•ii M'j'nts, Ki-jiliir., toui. ii., p. 37U-80.
n
i'i
!ilJ:-
!^ ! i;-
526
FUTURE STATE.
posed thiit tliey would go to tnliner, the .i1)ode of tlio groat
Cliiuigchinicli, .situated l)elow the earth, ahoundiiig in
.seusual pleasures, unenihittered })y sorrow, aud wliciv
food and otlier wants were supplied without labor. Still
others held that Cliinigchinich sent the soul, or tlic
heart, as they expressed it, to different places, aceordiiiu
to the station in life and manner of death of tlie deceased.
Thus, chiefs and medicine-men, wliom Tacu, the eater if
human ilesh, honol■^Ml ))y devouring, became iieavcuK
bodies, wliile those who died l)y drowning, or in ca[)ti\-
ity. and could not be eaten by Tacu. went elsewhi re.
Souls of eonnnon people Avere consigned to some umlc-
fined. though evidently luip[n'. place, since ihvy weiv
obliged to pass a probationary term on the borders of tin-
t<ea. on mountains, in valleys, or Hjrests. whence tliev
came to connnune with, or among, their widows or rchi-
tives. who often burned or razed the house to be siucd
from such visits. ^'-
Tlie Mojaves have more liberal ideas and admit all f<i
share the joys of heax'en. With the smoke, (.'urliug 'ip-
wards from the l)yre. the soul rises and floats eastward to
the regions of the risinu; sun. whither Matcvil lias uoiic
bi Tore, and where a second earth-life awaits it. iree rnnii
want and sorrow. P)Ut if its j)urity be sullied by criiii!'.
or stained with Inunan blood, the soul is transfoinicil
into a rat and nnist remain for four days in a nit-holf
to be [)urified before Matevil can receive it. According
to some. Matevil dwells in a certain lofty mountain Iviiii:
in the Mojave territory. ^'^
The Pimas also believe that the souP' goes to the e.i-t.
to the sun-house perhaps, there to live with Sclmial!.
*^ Bosc'inn. in no'iin-jrm'n TJfe hi Cal.. pp. ni('-'21.
•" ' Ivi s Icjte iliiii ( ii'biri^c dt'ii Nniiicii; '" \'>fr'^ dcv Toiltcii " Iw i."
hnnxfii. /iV(',sf'/i in (/;.■ /''''.'.-ii. <;/('<., tnui i.. ]ip. MriTs. 'AH cnw.irdly Ii
(iiiil liravcry was tin: j,' khI witli tiii'lu) \vt ri' tdnmnti d witli li.ird >lii|i
fdiiircs, sickness and iN'tV its. 'Iliis hill, or li;id( s, tliiv uivir d in d
.Sti-illon's Ciiil. (hiliivnid'hh, )) '1X\\ Dmll. in I'd. .Uf.' Ivi>i.. l><7ii. ['
W^i'ipii'i'. I-Jiuh'iiii.', and Titnur s 11' /it., in I'm;. II. It Upl., vol. iji,. |i.
" Kstii|ifc. tlic soul or ln'iirt, niiiy l>i' I'onncct.'d witli c/i. luratli.
/.('/•"s l'ini((n, MS. In Sr/ii,(ilrriit'l'.-< Ari'/i . vol. iii , p. IHl. (iccnis llu'
nnufl. hut tlic I'iiri.i chii fs whom 1 Inivf ipnstionfd st ite lliat tin;
uULjrl w.i.i not knuuii to tlKni.
1,
• II
\ i-
ill-
ImI
. I
II
■./'.
!•
nil
I'
nu
FUTURE OF M.VllICOPAS, YUIIAS, AP.V; IIi:s, MOQUIS.
the son of the civiitor. hut this Mlysioii is not porfect,
in' ii devil culleil Ciiiiiwat is iulinittcd there, and he
iiit'atlv i)iaj:iios the imnates/'" The Maricopas are stated
jiione a(!couut to helieve in a future state exactly siniihu*
li) tlie life on earth, with all its social distinctions and
wailtr
SO
that
in order to ena
1,1.: th
le soul to assume its
])i'()[H'r i.iition auionii; thes|»irits, all the [Ji-operty of the
(K'ceased. as well as a great [):irt of that of his relativi's,
is oH'cred up at the jirave. l>ut according to IJartlett
thry think the dead will return to their ancient home
on the hanks of the (V>lorado. and live on the saml hills.
Here the dilferent parts of the* hody will he transformed
into animals, the head, lor instance, hecomini an cnvl,
the hands, hats, the feet, wolves, and in thest> forms cou-
timic their ancient fends with the Vmnas. who expelletl
tlu'iii from that comitr\'.'*'"' 'I'lie Vuma.^. however, do not
d
(' )iil'i)i'm to these views, hut expect that the u'ood sou
\\\\\ li'a\e worldlv strife for a pleasant valle\' hidden in
r the cafions of the Colorado, and that the wicked
!nit up in a dark cavern to he tantalized hy the
Olll' ()
will ll
\ii'\\ of the hliss heyond tht'ir in-ach
riii> Apaches helieve in metempsychosis and consider
tlif iMttlesnake as the form to he assumed hy the wicked
iiltcr death. The owl. the eaiile. and perfectly while hirds,
wc'i'i' rczarded as possessinL*' soids of divine origin, and
'ir was not h'ss sacred in their estimation, lor ihe
ll. insider of Monte/.inn a. whom it had cai'ried olf
the
Vfl'
liMll
i li:'
I'l'lU
I her father's horn-. \va< the mother of its race.^'*
Mo piis, went so far as to sup|M)se that they would
11 ii> the [)i'ime\al coinlition of animals, plants, and
II in mate ohjects
he laith oi the other i ueblo ti-d)es
ill New Mexico was more in ai-corlauc*' with their cid-
tiii<' 1 condition, namelv. that tin- soul wtxdd he 'pulged
11" -7,-,
.\'
/'(■)»((.%•. MS.
ir
Vil
tllUi'l-
ll. ii., 11.222; (^remoini'* Ani'-h"-', pp. lul-
' Cualhlu
p. ■!
I ;'i v.vii' stl riniizoii por I'l iii;ir li.icj i • I Jioiiji'iiti ••. iiiic alLiUims ilc-,
'•\ I iiuiircii vivi'ii foinii ti'ciilit''-i. > I'l ti tt;in\' iiV- ilij rem q H' < 1 us n.
1 li.rii cstiis fos:is. ' (jiiiri'n, lUii'iii. ill Ihii:. Hist. Mix., s'lic ii., tnui. i.
'■''.'/. m
//-•
ijtCI
il. iii., p. 1S2.
Ihiiri/, ill ,sv/...r)/.r<f/'/'.s Arrh.. vnl. v., p. 'Mt
T li lii\)i:r,k, ill Id., Vol. iv., p. Nij.
FUTUllE STATE.
li III
i i;j
m
\U
i.i'modiiitely after JoatU acoordinpi; to its deeds. Food
'iv'iis placed with the dead, and stones were thrown upon
the IkmI}' to drive out the evil spirit. On a certain niiiht.
in August it seems, the soul iiaunted tlie hills near its
former home to receive the tributes of food and drink
which all'ectionate i'riends hastened to oiler. Scoll'ci.s
connected the disai)i)earance of the choice viands with
the rotund form of the priests.'"
The Xaviijos expected to return to their place whence
they originated, below the earth, where all kinds of
fruits anil cereals, uerminated from the seeds lost
above, urow in
unrivaled luxuriance, lleleased fi
n!H
their earthly bonds the spirits proceec'i to an extensi\(
marsh in which many a soul is bemired throuLih re
lyinj;' too much on its own efforts, and failin;j, to :i-!
the aid of the great s[)lrit; or, perhai)s the out lit o
1
ive
stock
am
1 implements offered at the <iy;i\r I
i,i>
been inade([uate to the journey. After waniKiiii-
about for foui" days the moi'e fortunate souls conic to
a ladder conductiuii' to the under world; this tlicv
descend and are gladdened by the siiiht of two •ivr-.d
sj)irits, male and feuiide. who sit comltiuu' their li.iii'.
After looking; on for a few sims imbiliiuLi' K'ssoii-; <>i'
cleaid
mess, nern
rh
[ips
tl
ie\ c
liml
» up
to tl
le swauni iil;;iiii
ic
to be purilied, and then return to the alxule of tl
s[)irits to live m peac^e and plenty for ever. Sonn
belie\e that the b;id become co\()te;
ai
1(1 that woiiii II
tui'ii into fishes, and then into other forms.'''
Ainou'.:' the Comauclu's we find the orthodox Aiiicii-
can [)Mr.idise, in its full ulory. In tiie diret^tiou of i!ic
settiiri sun lie the hai)py jjrairies. where the bulVnio Icnl
the hunti'i' in the ulorious chas
aiK
I wl
lere
the 1
KM -I'
of the [);il<'-fai'c aids those who have excelled in scnlpii.a'
and h()rse-s:e;dinjx, to attain supreme felicity. At tiiulit
tliej- are permitted to revisit the earth, but must iv-
II
M ri, ]). 78; nomrnork'n Dcnerta, vol. ii., i>. 102; IT/i (>/''''•"• ^'''7''' '" ''"'■
Ji. li. I!>i>l., vol. iii., p. 51).
•^1 ll"i:llr, ill I'rnfii'fs ]\;sl,-rn IC-W-?, Ani,'., 1K72, p. 27; linslol. \n !'■■'■
Af. 11 i>t., l.SfiT. p.;r)S; Euton, ill S'lioulcnt/t s Arch., vol. iii., p. •il->; /wiw'
£1 Urinji), p. -11 i.
THE kEALM of MUC'CIIITA.
529
tiiru before tlio ])roiik of dav.''" Fn strikiiij:: contrast
to this idea stands the cin'ions Itdiof said to liavo bcni
held liy tho rericiiis of Lower (^difornia. Tlieir ureat
spiiit Xiparavii liated war, a)id to detei' Ills |ieo|)le fi'oni
('ii:iaiiin::' therein, consigned all those shun in hattle to
Tii|)aran or Wac. a s|)irit who rising in rehi'Uion against
the jteace-loving Xiparaya was deprived of all luxu-
ries, and iin[)risoned in a cave by the sea, guarded hy
uhales. Vet a luiinher openly ])rolessed themselves
.clliereiits of this personage. The Coeliinu's, who appear
to lia\(' had neai'ly tho same belief, di'clare that it was
the bad s[)irits who sought to secure the soul and hold
it ('a|)ti\e in the cave. W hatever nia\' l)e the eorrettt
\er>i()u. Iheir belief in a future state, says liaegei't, is
e\i(l.'nt from the custom of putting sandals on the feet
th
e (leai
1 5:1
ai
The souls of iIk; Sonora Indians dwell in the caves
id ainonu' the rocks of the clill's. and the echoes heard
tl
lere are
th
leir eiamorniLi' voiees.
W
ihas (
leeli
UV:
that
HI line uart of Sinaloa a future state was iiMiored. \et
he -:i\s that the\' ackuowli'dizcd a sui)reme mother and
ll.T
('III
u. who was the first man.
In X
i\arit we
lie upon the Mexican idea of ddT'ei'ent hea\eus. de
tci milled b\- the mode of death. Thus, childrei
I am
I
thn-.c who were carried off by disease weid, to one place;
tlmse who died a violent death, to the air regions, where
they liecame shooting stars. The others wvnt io 111 urc/iiltt.
newhere in tin; district of Uosario. where thev
pi.iri'ij so
nt'il under the care 01 men with slia\en heads.
>urii
'Ll'
111
c Ma\'
tl
lev wt
■re alloweil to consort with the li\iir.
ill die form of Hies, to seek fool: l>ut at night they
ictiinied to tbe mucchita to assume the hiinian form
"<- .l/(;V7/'>' Armi/ Life, p. TiT; SrlrnJrru/t'^ Arrh.. \n]. v., |)]i, "it, CS.").
y 1 is 1 It .it tlu> ),'r,ivt' t'lir 11 (H'it;iiu liuic; tliis wimld iiidiciit"' lh:it llio soul
III'"!' I'. I'l' ils sci'oiiil fonii. remains witli the ImxIv f^'V a wliilc. />'., ii|>. 7s 'i.
■' ^'iiilhstiiiian H'pf., 1S(;(1, !>. ;i^7: ( larijirn, SOirid d'iln I'nl., Unii. i.,
1)11. I:; ,-7, 1:1:1.
' V'lir's FiUnre Life, p, 20S. ' Lo Ucviin il ciitcrmr sciitiidd y con sin
Ii\iJM|i-; vcstiiltjs, puliiciiilii il Sll lii(li) i'i)iiiprl( iiti' piiniuii dv sus nldilialloM
nliiii'iii'i,;.' Ali'ire, llisl. I'l.mp. <lr Jesus, turn, ii., p. 21H.
" liiM. <!•■ /.K Tritniiplins, p. 18.
Vol. ill. Ji
ill
I*.
f;K
m ^ u
630
FUTURE STATE.
and pass the time in danciiifr. At one time tlicv could I)g
roleasecl IVoni this abodo. hut owin;;' to tlie iiu[)i'U(louce
of OHO man, this privilege was lost. This ])ei'son one
day made a trij) to the coast to procure .salt, leaviiijf
his wife to take care of the house. After a short
ahsence he returned, in time oidy to see her disappciir
in the nmc(;hita, whither the spii'its had hcckoned her.
Jlis sori'ow was boundless, for he loved his wife dearly.
At last his tears and sighs touched the heart of the
kei'[)er of the souls, who told him to watch for liis
wile one night when she ii[)[)eared in the dance, and
Avound her with an arrow: she would then recognize
him and retm-n home; hut he warned him not to speak
loud
word, or she won
Id d
isai)
l)l)e;
u*
lorever
Th
mail did as he was told, wounded his wife on the leg.
and had the ;ov to see her return home. Musicians
and singers were called in, and a grand least was held
to celel)ra,te the event; hut, overcome with exciteiiiciit.
the husband gave vent to a shout of joy. The next
moment the warning of the keeper was verifu'd ;i
ghastly cor[)se had taken the pliice of the wifi'. Sii
then no other soul has bi-eii allowed to i-ejoin the
living.""' It is curious to note in how many countiics
the dov'triiie of a future life has been connected with the
legeiui of some hero who has died, descended into the
nnder-v/orld, and again risen to life. Jlow closely (hies
this American leiiend resemble the t>ld storv of Orphc
ice
lis
\n\ Kur\-dice: the death and resurrection of the I!
i\i)-
tian Osiris; the Mithraic Mysteries of Persia, in wliifh
the initiated, in dumb show, died and I'ose again froiii
the collin; the Indiiin Ahdiadeva searching for the lil't'-
li'ss Sita, and made glad by his resu.scitation ; the re-
covery of Atys by Cyhele among the riirygians; tlu' n-
tiirn of Koro to Demeter ior half of every year in the
]']lusinian .Mysteries; the mock nnn-der and new liiith ol
the im[)ersonated Zagreus, in the liiicchic Mysterio: ti
Met;
unorphoses n
th«^ Celtic and Uruidic Mysteries
•** ApodvUcos Afnnfs, pp. 22-4,
EIGHT AND YOATOTOWEE.
531
])raotico(l in. rjiiiul and Hritain; all are dilToront forms of
Itiit one idoa.
An o([iiallv devoted lnis])and was the Xeeslienani
whose stor\' is told by Mr Powers in the followinii;
leiiend ;
First of all thiniis existed tlie moon. Tiio
moon created man, some say in tiie form of a stone,
othei's say in the form of a simple, straight, hairless,
liiiiMess mass of llesh, like an enormous earth-worm, irom
which he gradually developed into his present shapt*.
The first man thus created was called I'^icut; his wife,
Yoiltotowee. In process of time Yoatotowee fell sit'k,
iiiid thoutili Kicut nursed her tenderlv, she jii-adiiallv
laded away l)efore his eyes and died, lie loved her
\\ith a love ])assinji; the love of brothers, and now his
heart was broken with grief, lie dug a grave for her
close beside his cam[)-(ire ( for the Neeshenams did not
hiuMi the (lead then), that he might daily and hourly
weep aboye her silent dust. His grief knew no bounds.
His life became a burden to him; all the light was gone
Kill of his eyes, and all this world was black and dreary,
lie wished to die, that he might follow his beloved
Yoiitotowec. Ill the greatness of his grief he fell into a
trance, there was a rumbling in the ground, and the
spirit of the dead Voiitotowee arose out of her grave and
canie and stood beside him. When he awoke out of hi>s
tiance and beheld his wife, he would have s[)()ken to her,
hut slie forbade him, for in what moment an Indian
speal^s to a ghost he dies. Slie turned away and set out
t(» seek the s[)ii'it-land [ou^hiroot^ln' hoo))). literally, 'the
(l.nice-house of ghosts.') i']icut follcjwed her, but the
l^iiost turned and stiid, 'why do you follow me? 3-ou are
not dead." They journeyed on through a great country
and a darksome — a land that no man luisseen and I'e-
tiMiied to re[)ort — until they came to a river that se])a-
rateil them from the spirit-land. Over this river there
was a bridge of one small rope, so yerv
nairow
that
^jtiiler coidd hardly cross over it. Here the sjtirit of
^ o;'itotowee nnist bid farewell to her husband and go
over alone into the spirit-land. But the great unsneak-
532
FUTURE STATE.
n 5i
I M
able griof of Eicut at beholding his wife leaving him for-
ever overcame his love of life, and he called aloud after
her. In that self-.same instant he died — lor no Indian
can si)eak to a ghost and live — and together they enteral
the land of spirits. Thus Eicut passed away Irom tlir
realm of earth, and in the invisible world became a goDil
and (piiet spirit, who constantly watches over and bc-
IViends his posterity still living on earth. But he juil
his wife left behind them two children, a brother and a
fsister; and to prevent incest the moon created iuiotliti'
l)air and from these two pairs are descended all thr
Neeshenams of to-day.'"''
The future abode of the ^Fexicans had three divisions
to which the dead were admitted accoi'ding to their rank
in life and manner of death, (xlorious as was the fatf
of the wari-ior who died in the cause of his country, on
the battle-field, or in the i ands of the enemy's ])riesls.
still more glorious was the destiny that awaited his sonl.
The fallen Viking was carried by radinnt A'alkyrics to
A'alhalla, but the Aztec hero was borne in the arms of
Teoyaomiipie hersell", the consort of lluit/.iloi)oclitli. to
the bright plains of the sim-house, in the eastern part of
the heavens, where shady groves, trees loaded with
luscious fruit, and llowers steeped in honey, vied willi
the attractions of vast hunting-parks, to make his tiini-
])ass happily. Here also awaited him the presents sent
by aifectionate friends below. Every morning when tlu'
sun set out upon his journey, these bright strong wai-
riors seized their weapons"* and marched before bini,
shouting and fighting sham battles. This continued un-
til they reached the zenith, where the sun was trans-
ferred to the charge of the (.Ydestial Women, after wITkIi
the warriors dispersed to the chase or the shady grt)\''.
5^ This lef);end is taken from a MS kindly presented to inc l).v ^Ir. !^i -
phen I'uwfrs, uiul is ii i-orreuteil version of tlie lef^end entitled ' llilimieci'i:'!
and Oli'j^iince ' contributed by the same yontleuum to tlic OceiianU Monthly/,
Jiuuiiiiy, ISTt. pp. ;i(i-l.
''^ ' Kl (pie teni.i nulcla lioradadii de saetivs no podia niirnr al sol.' Stilim,!' ".
llisl. i/iii.. toni. i.. lib. iii.. j). •2(i."i. Tliis luiiy perhiips mean that tlie Inn-
bler Wiirrior, whose iiif< lior shield uiis niort' likely to be jjieiced, ((iiiiil I't
look upon the niajestie fiiee iif the suu, just us he had been iuterdieted li' n'
reyaidiny the fucu of his kiny.
THE SUN' IIOU.-iE AND TLALOCAN.
688
The ino:nl)Oi's (if tlio now escort were woinon avIio luid
(licil ill \v;ir or child-Iied, iiiiil lived in tlu; western i>iii-t
of the Sun House. Dressed like the warriors in ni;irtiiil
.iccoutreinent,™ they conducted the sun to liis iionie,
some eiU'r\ inn' the litter of ((iiet/al feitthers in which ho
reclined, whileothers went in I'ront shouting and (iuhtinj^
piily. Arrived iit the extreme west they translci-rcd
the sun to the dead of Mictlan, and went in <|uest of
lies, shuttles, haskets, and other im[)lements
tl
ICU'
n"
ni
necessary for weaving or housi'hold work/'" The only
(itliei- [)ersons who are mentioned as heing admitted to
the Sun House, were mercluuits who died on their jour-
ney. After four years of this life the souls of the war-
liors pass into hirds of l)eautiful plumage, which live on
the honev of flowers urowing in the celestial gardens
or seek their .sustenance on earth
th
Cil
Tl
le secoiK
1 pi;
ice o
f 1)1
iss was
Tlal
ocan
tl
10 iiho
1(> (if
Tlaloc. a terrestrial paradise, the source of the rivers
ami all the nourishment of the earth, where joy reigns
iiml sorrow is unknown. '" where every iniaginahle pro-
(liiet of the field and gai'den grows in profusion heneath
a |)er[)etual siunmer sky. This paradise a[)pears to
lia\e hcen erected on the ideal reminiscences of the
lia[)[)\- ToUan, the cradle of the race, where their fathers
''•' ' Wlion tho niidwifp spoalis to a woman wlm has died in oliiMbod, sho
ri'fcrs to tlii^ noble manner in wliich she lias used tln^ hwokI au.i shield, ii
ti,'!ii-e of speech whieh is )ivol).il>ly intended to reiiresent tlie bii,'h estimati(JU
ia wliich tliey held hi . /-/.. ton'i. ii., lil>. vi.. ]). ls'.>.
'■' ' Deseendiaii ae.V a l,i tieiia.' //;. J!ut it is just as likely that they \ised
till' \vi iivin;^' iiiiiile.nents snpiilied to them at the erave, as those of the
liviii','. Hrassenr de l?ourhi)iiru,' says that the inhahit.mts of this I'eeiiin had
<liy when the inhaltit lilts of the earth shpt; hut sinee the women icsiinied
th' ii- work after the settiiiL; of t!ie sun, it is more likely that they always liii I
li:-;lit lip th' re, and that they never si. '[it. Ilisl. Xnt. Clr., tom. lii., p. I'.l?.
'■' 'I he hniimiin.u;-l)ird, the eiulilem and attribute of the war-uj'Ml, oH'i n-d
en the erave in the month of tiiieeholli, jn-ohahly referred to this traiistor-
iiiation. S'ili<i(inii, Hist. ilni... torn, i., lil)., ii., p. Kit, lih. iv., p]>. 2111-."), tom.
ii.. lih. vi , ]ip. IS-i-Il, lih. ix.. ]k IJ'iH; Tiiriinnniiiln, Mmi'ini. liiit.,Uu\\. ii., p.
U'l". ' N'aehher werden sie theils in Wolken verwandelt, iheils in Kolihiis.'
.U.V'r. Aiiirrihinixrha ('/■/■('//i/i'K/ia, p. 11(11. The transformation into eloiuls
S'/e:ns to refer to the Tlascaltees.
'■' 'ri.d'iean is the name j,'iven by some old writers to the eonntry between
eiiiipts an I O.ijaea Hrdsmnr tl • I'ionrhnKrij, Ilisl. Xat. Tie. , tom. iii., p. J'.il;
Hi'i'il'm's .Ml/Iks, pp. 88-1). It may also Ix^ tlm plaee referred to under the
ui'U's of 'l'a:ai> melii, Xtic'iitlyea •.■in. I-Jrp'itiiilion nf the L'odcx Tdkrvino-
Ueincasis, iu Kiitijs'ioroujh's .\kx. Aniiq., vol. vi., p. I'll.
I f
5:11
FUTURE STATE.
rovolo(l ill richess tiiid splendor. To tliis i)liioo Avciit
tlioso Avlio had been killed by li^btiiinj;', the drowiicil,
tiiose sulleriiii;' iVoiii iteh, gout, tumors, dropsy, Icpi-nsv
and otlier iiuMU-able diseases. Children also, at least
those ubo Avei'e saerificed to the 'IMaloas, played about
iu its gardens, and onee a year they des(!ended anion.'-
the living in an invisible i'orni to join in their I'esti-
vals."'' It is doubtfid, however, whether this j)aradisL!
was per[)etual, for aeeording to some authors the dis-
eased stayed here but a short time, and then passcij
on to Mictlan; while the children, balked of their lilc
])y death or sacrifice, were allowed to essay it again, "
The third destination of the dead, })rovided I'or tho-c
who died of ordinary diseases or old age, and, accoid-
ingly, for the great majority, was Mictlan, ' the place ni"
the dead,' which is described as a vast, pathless place a
land of daj'kness and desolation, Avhei'o the dead afh r
their time of probation arc sunk in a sleep that knows
no waking. In addressing the cor[)se the_\' s[)oki' of this
])lace of Mictlan as a 'most obs(^ure land, where li,i:lit
Cometh not, and whence none can ever return.
T
H'lV
are several points, however, uiven bv Sahauun, as will
as other writers, which tend to modify this aspect nf
Mictlan. The lords and nobles seem even here to li:i\t'
kei)t u[) the bari'iers whii^h sejjarated them Irom the ein-
tnminating touch of inferiors, and doubtless the liohI
ami res|)ectable were classed apart from low miscreant
mil crunmals
ih
lor
tl
1 ere were nuie divisions m Mn
Mi
ail.
of which Chicolmahuimictlan or Xinth-,Mictlaii, was ll
■i Ui
■^ m\
•i^ Vol, ii,, p. 3:!r., this work.
''1 M''ii'H"tii. //;.^■^ A'c/r.s., p. !)7; Torqwrnnda, Mminrq. hal., tmn. ii..
82, ')1',). Th(^ rciiiiirkH of tin: iibovu iinthi;v,>i with riffvciice t:) Uin^f "li
of (lisi'iisos may, however, refer to siitl'erers from ordinary iitUictions. \
veie from nil (loi)uu'(l to Mictlan. In K.riitdti'dii'ii <i/ tlii> lixlt.r Wtl'rdi'is
JuHiis'iiiriiiiiih'n Mi'x. Anli<i., vol. vi.. jip. 10!l-71, nil \vlii> die of diseases
11 violent death are consigned toMiethm. Jirinton's Mi/lhs, pji. •JKl 7; A'/
Fnlim; JJfi\ pp. 47.") (;, Chevalier, .l/'.c. Am-'nti. el M'id., p. 1»1, who r. ■ 1
tiie sun as heaven, and Mietlan as hell, considers this an iutenned at ■ ,
ineomjilele paradise. SnlKintii, Hist. (Jen., torn, i., lib. iii., p. Jtil; CV'Ci.
Hlona Ant. dd Missicn, toni. ii., j). 5.
<•' Sdlnriun, llist. (ieii., torn, i., lib. iii,, i^p, 2^0 1. toni. ii., lib, \i.. p- '
TitniiiriiKidii, Mdiinri/. lud., toai. ii., p. o'il); llnisx nr tie llnnvUifiri. n
JS'at, tit'., torn, iii., p. 571; Tezotomoc, UM. Jhx., torn. i. , pp. Dl'J, ^^i-
ii'P
in
!m1
mk it
II 111 li
i
i
MICTLAN.
535
iihodo of tlio Aztec riiito iiiid his l^rosorpino. Tills nniiio
si'cnis also to hiive been aj)[)lit'(I to tlie whole ii'uioii,
iiii'iiniii^' then the nine Mictluns "** The (lilU-reiit idol-
iiiiiiitles in which the dead person was attiivd. deter-
mined by his profession and by his maimer of death,
Avoidd inii)ly that dilVereiit gods liad control ol' these
divisions."^ Whatevi'r distinction there may have been
u;is ke[)t np l)y the humbler or I'icher oiVerings of food,
elotiiinji, implenients, and slaves, made at the time of the
liurial, at the end of eighty days, and on the lii'st, second
third, and I'onrth anniversary of the death; all of which
went before Alictlantecntli belore being tnrni'd oxer to
the use of the person ft)r whom they were destitied."^ In
oil;' [)lace ►Sahagnn states that fom* years were passed in
tiiiveling before the soul reached Mictlan, and on another
jiMge he distinctly imiilies that this term was passed
within that region, when he says that the dead awoko
from their sleep as the snn reached the western horizon,
niiil rose to es(!ort it through their land; Torqnemada
l\'S
that i\
our tiays were occupieu in iiie joiiriie\
th
Tl
le
only way to reconcile these statements is by sii]>jK)sing
th;it the soul passed from one division to another, until
it liually. at the end of the four yeiirs, reached Mictlan
proper, or Xinth-Mictlan, and attained repose. Their
(hities during this term consisting in escorting the sun,
and v/orking like their hai)|»ier brethren in the Sun
House, besides jiassing a certain time in s\vv\). The fact
that the peo|)le besought the dead to visit them during
the fi'stival in their honor, implies that they were within
.Mictlan. though their liberty there, at that season,
/'/.. ji. 'MO. ' T,(' ]iliis f'oininmi est Cli'vicnnnli-Mlrthin, li's Xcuf si'iiini's
" /, //is^ .V'(/. ' ii-., fom. iii., ]). i'.l'); MmdWUi,
til' Mci ts.' liin^
ii'si I-:,
h
'hi
1). !•< :
SSl't'lllS il
ill- I.
lliiHir
iiiiirhi.iiri
//isl. I it'll., torn, i,, lil). iii.. i>. '2(i;{.
s.itiilii' til idiii of <i
"/■
l/'.r. f(rl. :!(I.S-!(.alllior
itlic liravcns (listiiK't from oiif iiiiotluT, ami iiirliulrs llic Mui Uousu
mill 'I'lalocaii in \h
St.
1^ Siili
'■' Mil
Viijiiii, llisl. (ill)., tdiii. i.. lil). ii.. ]!. li'i), lil>. iii.. p. 'i(i:i.
•'/. //((/., ton
V
The fa.'t that olt<iiii
nil
W( re
r)it lip for four (1 lys liy the inouriK
iiitirins tins slalfui'ii
1 1
llhl.
toUl. 1.
lil
). 111., 1),
'IV.i, t.
mi. II.
>. \i.
s li.id arrivcil at the dcstiiit li i^lii
P
iN'.t.
irayors
t. S'lliii-
Intil
it the ('\])iratioii of tlr sc fiiiir years,
tiii'v Iriil to ('iicouiitcr iiincli hanlslr)). colil, and toil.' ^.v/ilmml
TdUnano-livmiiasis, iu Klnijsburuaijli.' 8 Mvx. AntU/., vol. vi., [u UG.
if i
o: t oiivjc
hi'.
n:jG
ri^TCIlE STATH.
.'it U'!ist, wiiH not so very restricted. 'As they li('l[)(.'(l to
(.'SL'ort tlio sun, w(( iiiust siii»[)()st' tliiit they also cnjovcil
tlu^ hlcssiii^s of siiMsliinc wliile teri'cstrial hciiiiis hlcpt,
illK
1 th
)f 1
.li
il>
11! expression oi le/ozoiiioc, Ji [)liiee wliero none
knows ulietlier it be ni^lit or duy, u pliu'e of eteiiuil
rest,' nuist refer to those only wlio have pussed the tiiiu'
of prohiitioM, iUid lii[)se(l into the finiil sleep. Jt ni;iy lie
however, thiit the siiu was liisti'eiess at ni^ht, for (':i-
niarp) states that it slept after its journey.'" Jfso. tin-
dim twilight noticed anion;;' the northern peoj)le, oi- tlic
moon, the deity of tht; niiiht, must have I'eplaced the
ohs(!nred hriiihtness of the sun, if lijzht.s in(U'ed were
needed, for tho escort ami the workers could scarcely
hiiNc used ai'tilicial illumination, 1'he r<>'ite ol' the >iiii
fui'ther indi(;ates that .Mii^tiaii was situated in the aiiti-
))oilean reiiions, or rather in the centre of the earth, to
which tlie term * dai'k and pathless re<;ions' also applies.
This is the su[)i)()sitioii of ('lavi;iero, who hases it on the
i'iwi that Tlalxicco, the name of Mictlanteeutlis teinplc,
si"nilies center or bowels of tho earth.''* But Salia.:iiii
and t)thers place it in tiie north, and siip[)ort this asser-
tion by showing that Mirff(fi)ijf)i, signified north. '■ Tlic
fact that till! })eo[)le turned the laco to the north when call-
ing ui)on the dead,''' is strongly in favor of this tlieoi\ ;
tho north is also the dark(|uartor. These api)arent ly coii-
tradictorv statements mav bo reconciled bv siipitosiiii:
that Mictlan was situated in tho northern jtait of tlic
subterranean rou'ions, as tho homo of tho heroes was in
the eastern part of tho heavens.
As tho warrior in tho Sun House passes after foiir
"> nisi. T'ftX; ill Xi)ui-ellcs Annnlen drs Voi/., 1S'<3, toin. xoviii., ]>. 1'.' !;
Teznuiiiiiic, Wist. Mix., toiii. i., i>. ;i;il. ' Wlicii tlii' isuii sets, it t,'ii(s to ;;iM'
li.L,'!it to t;ii' (lend.' Exjiliuiiiliiin uf tin' Codex Tilli'riitni)-l!i.'iiit'nsis, iii A'im/s-
boniiiiili's lA'.r. Antiq., vol. vi., p. ]'28.
"' Sliifia Aiit. ill Miss'irii. toiii. ii.. p. fi. Tliilxicco iniiy lie coiisidcii^il :is
holl jir.>p(r. and distinct from Mictlan, and may have Ixcn ruled ovc r I'V
'r/ontcninc who must then be rc;^ardcd us distinct from Mictlan.'cculli. Ai "/■^-
horiiitih's -lA ,i;. Antii/., vol. vi., ]>. 21i).
~'^ Jlic'llanipacliecatl, the noith-wind, i« said to conic from lull. .s''(/(" '""i
Ifid. (rrii., torn, ii., lib. vii., pp. 25;J, 25G-7; Turqiu'iHiiilit, M-initri/. Ii"!., t^ni.
ii., p.81.
'^ Expl'inalion of the Codix ) aticanus, in Kimj.ihorouijh's Mix. Aidiq., vul.
\i., pp.2lS-'J.
THE JorilNKV OF 11 [K DKAP.
B87
M'lU's of ])(>rfc'(^t oiijiniucMt iiitci a sccmiii^ly less liiippy
ht.itc, so the Mictliiii prohatioiicr iipprars to liii\«' iil»;iu-
(liiiii'd Ills >v»»rk I'oi' ii c.oiKlitioii of owi'lastiiii: r('|>os(>.'*
This coiitlitioii is ali'cady indicati'd by tlu' very siunili-
ciitioii ol'thc iiaiiic Mii'tlan, ' [ilac*' of tlic ilcail." and hy
till' [irci'i'diu'i' statt'iiKiits; it also implied liy tlu' niytli of
tin' ci'i'Mtioii of niMii. wlicrciii tlie jiOi'-licrocs miv to
Xiilotl: do Ik'<;' of Mii'tlaiitrciitli. Lord of lladrs. that lii'
111 ly i:i\(' tlioo a bone or soiiu' aslics of llic dead that arc
wlih liim.'*
I will now revert to the terrihle four (la\s' ioiir-
ii(y.'" which those uho were mdbi'timaft' enoiiiih to
die a iH'aceful death had to perfoiiii hi-Hirc they could
iiUaiii their negative hai)[)iiu
!•
iilly nii|»res>.e(
1 with
the idea of its hardships, the iViends of the deceased
lii'ld it to he a religious duty to proside him with a full
outtit of food, clothing, im[)leuieuts. aud I'Seu sla\es. to
cuahle hiui to pass safely through the oi'deal. Idols were
;ilso deposited \)y his side, and if the dead man wei'e a
lord, his cha[)lain was sent to attend to their .sei'vice.
This luaintenance of worship during the journey is also
implied hy the sprinkling of water upon the ashes with
the words: Let the dead wash himself." The oMiciating
jiricsts. laid, Ijesides, pass[)orts with the hody. which
which were to serve i()r vai'ious points along the road.
The fu'st })a[)ers ])assed hiui hy two mountaius. whi<'h,
liki' the symplegades. threatened to meet and crush hiui
in their embrace. The .second was a pass lor the road
,uiiai'ded by a big snake; the other pa[)ers took hiui by
the grt'cn crocodile, Xochitoual. aia'oss eight deserts, and
tivcr eight hills. Then came the freezing Uzchccaijii,
"' 'Dcsput's do piis.'ulds cuiitvo MMiis, (1 (lifiinlo so sul'ii y so i1)ii I'l h-tt
UMivc iiiiiciiiiis. . . .C'U t'sic lii;_riu' (111 iiiticnio ijiic sc lliiiiialia r/i(C'//ir(//i( 7/<»,
t'lii. i., lili. iii., ]).
SI- ac ihiiliiUl V fclicciau los ilifiiiiti
S'llct imi. Hist, (i
'2'i:l; see also iidtc S. At till' ciiil nf foiii' Vfiirs tlio Hinils caiiic lii a placi
vli'f(! they ciijoyi'il iv cci-taiii do^rit.' of n'piisc. h'xiilitnulh
'( till- ('mil X I'liti
ill Kin isliDi'iimih's J/i.i'. .IiiI'kj., vol. vi., p. 21S.
This vol., p. i>\): sfo h1s(», pp. 'ilMi-JO:
'•' Set' not I'i. Four was tlif most sa( riil nuinltfr nmnni' tlu,' Mi xicniis im
w.l
t!
IS llu' other nations of Anit rica, an(
I is il.
(I fn
111 tl
f
II' iMi'liiial points. Ilriiiton's Mi/llis,\). (i". The Ctntial .\niii'
tliat thf soul arrived at its destination in four days afti r death,
iKloiatlon I
iians believiid
,Si(/,
' '.V"")
Hist. Litn., tui
lib
1'
2(;:i.
^ I
m
Olio
FUTUr.r STATE.
■"' i;
' wind of kv>i\\-fs.' wliicli liurls stones and kiilvos npoii
the travc'lf (•. avIio how more than ovor finds tlio oil'ci-iiiizs
ot'liis iVi nds of service. Ilowtlie poor m)1i1 es('a]ie(l tins
ordeal is not stated. Lastly lie came to the hroad ii\(i'
Chieonahiiapau ' jiine waters.' 'which could ])e crossed
only n|)on the hack of a dou' of reddish col«)r, Avhich \v;is
killed for this pnr[)oses hy tlirusting an arrow down its
thi'oat. and was hnrnt with the corpse. According: to
(jiom.iia. the do.u' served for a yuide to Mictian. hut otlici'
authors stati! that it j)receded its master, and when lie
arri\<'d ;it the river, he found it on tli(» opjtosite hank,
waitinu' with a numhei- of others i'nv their owners. As
soon as the doLi' I'ecounized its master, it swam over, and
hore liim safely across the rushing' current. \ cotton
strini:' tied round its neck when placed n|)on the pyre
may have served to distinguish it iVom other dogs, oi- as
a pass[)ort.''* The ti-aveler was now taken l)efore Mict-
hmtecutli. to wlioin he presented the jtassports togt'tliir
with gifts consisting of candlewood, peri'ume-canes. soft
threads of plain and coloreil cotton, a piece of cloth. ;i,
mantle and other articles of clothing, and was thcrcniKui
assigneil to his s[>here. AVomen uiiderwent the same
ordeal.''' ( *ainargo mentions a paradise ahove tlu' nine
iieavi'us. (H'cnpied hy the goddess of love, where dwarfs,
I'ools, and huuchl)acks danced and sang for her anni.-e-
ineiit. hut whether these beings were of human or dixine
origin is not stated.*"* At times tlu' old chroniclers enn-
sider Mictlan as a [)la('e of punishment,'*' hut the piie-ts
I
"■< ' Pour (jn'il no ffil ini'^ <Miti:iini' vn tnivirsant lo Sty imliin.' Iihi'f,
Trfi'i: 'I'liiijii'rr'', )). 2MII; (imiiiini, I'ntK/. Mix., ful. ;{ll'.). ' Ln; imrrcs .I-- Jil"
lilaiiiM y iit'Ltro, no podi.in iiiidar y ji.tsar el rio, jxinjiic di/i] >■ ili ri;i . I |i'ii:'i
(]• )) .111 iii'^^i'i): " \'i iiic liilii' " yd jHTi'i) (to pi lo lilaiici) (1 ri;i: •• y<> lii'- l!'.'
Ill;l11rhii(|i) ill' (•dim- Jirii'to, y pur cso no Jilli'llo piisiivns" si ;illli liti 'I 1" III
di' ihiii vi'i'iiu'jo |iiiiii:i jiiisir. ' Siilidi'iiiii. Niit, <ii'ii., toni. i., ii. iii , \<. -'>''■
''■' S'llntiiiii, Hist. (111)., fom. i.. lili. iii., pp. ;2ii(l— 1 ; '/'"/■'/ ni'uhi. )/"/»//■/.
hill.. toHi. ii., pp. 5;2K-:t(l; I'hir'uii m, Stuna Aid. ikl Mi'ssicn, -i ni. ii., M'-"' ' '•
vol. ii.. ))]i. riO;t-]',», of tliis work.
■•<" llisl. 'I'.'u.f.. ill .\uiiirllfx Aininh.i iji-.f T'l.//., ]S|;i, U>m. \ci\.. pp. I'.'iJ-!.
■"' ' ri'iiiiin pur I'irriw. ipic end intiirm) ImMiin ili' luuli rrr iliM rs;is |i. >rn
.•oiifonnc .'i 111 caiiilad iL- los ililitns.' Meinlii In, lli>l. AV/i.s'., ]i. M,!. • llnii'ii-
crs till] IS si'n'in i'asti;_;ailiis confiirnn' ;'i sns nliras. ' .^itlni'iiin. Ilisl. Hi n.. \"'<'-
ii.. lil>. vii , ]ii). :M-7; 'I' in/ii' nuiiln. M'liiirij. I nil., toni. ii.. ji. H(i. • lis it ' t
jiloii^rs ilaiis nni> olisi'iiiiti' piofumlt', iivrt's a leurs reu' inls.' t'/c i ' ,
J/...1'. Anckn d Mod, p. Ul,
THE FurniE of tii]': tlasialte s.
539
i'l tlu'ii" lioniilies nevor fipp;^!!!' to liavo urucil n^pi'iitiuuu?
t'.)f the purpDsi'of oscii[)ing I'uturi' punishment. I)iit iiuM'cly
t) ;iv()i(l etirtlily iiillictions. visited ujioii tlioiii or their
("llliUVIl.
Tl
le 1)111
iliuitl
iroi)is
4 ^vl
lose whoU? life h;iil
liM'ii one continuous act of hi'iu'volt-nco. tlie wise prince
^vll!) hail hved hut for liis countrv s ^uood. tlie saintly her-
iiiir, th<» pious priest who had passed his diiys in pci-
p'tual lasts, penance, and self-torture, all wei".' consi-ncd
Id Mictlan, together with the drujikard. '.he mur-
derer, the thief, and none were exempt f.oin the terrihle>
jiiiu'iiey. or from the loiijj,' prol);ition which ends inetenuil
,-lcep. They niiiy have jiccounted to themselves for the
iii.niifest unfairness of this svsteni hy means of tlieir
'lief in predestination, whi<!li tau,::ht that the siun und
er
•liici
I a, man w;is horn (leterimueil i-, a urent extent, it
not entirely, his character. earee»\ a. id conse(|uen
itlv I
iiture
Mietl
lui caiiiK
)t. tl
lerefore. he rei:iU'(led as a lit
lis
'11;
it i< hut a, jilaceof n<';a'ati\e i)uni>hinent. a .\ir\,'na. in
which the soul is at last Mow n out and lost."^
Tlie Tlascaltecs supposed that the souls of people (»f
rank entered afr.-r death into the hodies of the higher
animals, or even into clouds and i^'ems. while common
1 n
i'i\
"' I'ad' r.-a p<>r loH jiccii'lii-i (li. siis pailri's.' .'^iiIri'iKit. Ili:<l. 'li n., tnm, ij ,
lili.. \i . |>. .'W. Thfif priiMis aiiil iiciiiilici-M, Kiiys Acnsta, wctf iiicniy (jii
si.'iniiiii (if corjtoiMl i:iriict,uii,. fur tlit'.v I'l-rtiiiuiy ffiivcd im |i)uMiK|jiiit'iit in
t.n- « ►!
M t.
but i'\|)trtiil tli.it
wiiiiUl ri'st til
\\ :\K\ -III tlif- destiny th^y .i.;si^i:. 1 to tin
//;.sY. ,/.. /,(.v >',„/.,
.■kill, \vi' disiMTii siiiiiliir
tiiif
'f reriiie'nif'iit: t-iiicc tin- iaiNci'iu'i' uf nil pliv.siiMl turlnn- f
tiiriiis !i SI 111.
iii4 .•imtnist tl) tht' s •liciiu s . f s.itlVriii^; so in^'iinoik- y diviscd by tlie f lu ics
«>f tiif twmX. fiilii,'htiiird I iioiis. Ill nil this, SI) roiitniry to tli'' imtiivjil
.■^iiuu'.stioiis of tile I'lroi-ioiis .\/ti'i', vvc sec tiif rvidi Mc< s of a Idj^li- r (i\ili/,i-
li'iii, iiihi'iit'^d frum tliciv pu'dfcussors in tli.'' ].iiul.' rnatjitl's M .<•.. vol. i.,
yv •;:;{.
Ifhpni. Ifi-<l 'ir.'i., turn, i., lil). iii , ]). •_'';
( . I'l sill
rill- riMilir who aiiiiks iipoii the subjiTt iit all. ciiiiiiot lii.l])b(iiiv' sfl'tlck
iiiblaliif in soini' |ioi!ils bctwi 111 tlirsi- fiitiUi aboili s
\ ni.. i'..uiarl;al)li- I'l'si
'1 III' Aitxii'fiiis and tlioM. of tlir iiiii'iiiit (iitiks a)id lioniaiis. 'I'lu ir
Ml
rill
mil lias t
o pass (
iViT till' saiiii' lii'cadfiil liver, fiirii d bv a lilill • ii if .i
]u ll.iili's as in Mirtlaii. the ciindilioii of the dead was a shadowy .sort of
I'iii' nt life, in whieh, mere j^diosls of their furiiiei' siIms, tiny coiitinii d
li.iii
iiiiiy to |ierforiii tlie
lab
L'eiistoiiied on eartl
r.s and eairy on the uceu|)ations to wiieh thiy
In (i
as in "lexieo. the shades of tli
■ 1 Were occasionally peiiiiitled to vi^it th ir fi iemls on i artli, siiie.inoi.i d
Dv a sai-rihi
lb
I leli.;ioUS rites. Neither Klvsioli lioi (lie 'Anr
Ions Si. II
U-.. uas
the rewaiij of the JillieiV f^'ooil so liiu< ll (IS of tlie favorites of th(!
I'b. Sui'li |ii)iii!s of I'eseiiib.aiiee as th
■r, iitinotici It liv f!
IDS
wiio i||eiiri/.e eoneeriiiii'.: the ori,L,'in of ihe Auieriraiis; they j-'o fa (lii r lor
ua.de
;ies, and |if.hai!.T faif vol'ac,
.ll' -i*i
540
FUTURE STATE.
^'
li
8()uls passed into lower imiiiml fonris/'' With tlic ^^('\i-
oaiis tlu'V l)('lio\i'(l that little children who dicil wcii'
^i\en another trial ol" earth-lite."'' In ( Joatzacoalco tin-
))ones of the dead wei'e so [Jaeed that the s(tiil iiiidit
lia\e no dillienltv in lindiny; tiieni."' hi the Aztec crea-
tion-nivth \ve have seen that uui of hone man was
I'ornied. and iJrinton considers this, to;:etlier with in-
stances of the carel'iil preserxation of remains to lie
noticed in diiVerent parts of America, evidence of a w idc-
.s[)read ludief that the soiil resided in the hones, 1 lii^i
receives further eonlii-niation in the (^>uich(' Ie<;end whicli
relati's that the Ixines of certain heroes wi're Liroimil to
powder to pi'e\ent their removal.^'* Vet the idea does iKjt,
accord with the ^k'\ii-an custom of placinji' a stone
))etwecn the lips of the dead to serxc as heart, ami.
<lt)uhtless. to hold the soul as the (^)niche.s siippo-rd.
J]ither instance. howi'X'er. implies a Ix'lief in sexfral
souls. althou:ih no reference is made to such jiluralitv.
The Tlascaltec-; ha<l fiiiardiaii spirits wliich weiv em-
bodied in the idols called dj/Kiotoi/. and Camar-o iiicii-
tions anj.iels who inhal>iteil the air and inlhienced tlnni-
der. winds, and other ])henomena. and v\ho weiv (loulit-
less the childri'U of 'J'lalocan.'''' A (le\il thev could
.scai'ci'lv ha\i' had, for (^vil min'-led too hherallv in tlir
nature of most of the Afexican <ii/xls to adini^ </f its |»r-
w)ni(lca,tion hv one alone. The nearest ajijiroach tooin-
Satan was to he jound in a phantom calK'd TIacati i iMrti,
the 'owlish one"'"' w ho roat^^'d aJ)Out doinji' mi- .ii/;
to see an owl WiM JU^cordiniilv l«eld to U' an evil -:.;fi.
antl mut'h dita/led. Will o tlw Wr><ps vk-k- I'e^ardi h -
traiisforme(l v.iz;tf'<ls and witches, or animals,'" j^ji*-
Tlascaltecs supposed that the sparks which sjx-d nSviiy
*>/"///«(>/•//. gtt,rla Ah(. iM if/mc>. t/m. M . p. ^/; t/f /•''''■ i", >^'V /-''•''•.
». 97.
« Ahiff!^ f'liiifft l,)fi>, ffff, 4Tr, A.
^ h^nffii. //;.■</. (/<•„.. <!«•(■. iv.. lit; Jn., 0:ip vii,
*" w<///*. i> i'/*: ffi-'tssciir ilfi fitiiifl/ifiifii, /'iifiiil full, p IT .
fi f/j ThLt.. ill SninfUeH Aniit/I'M (l''i h/j/., lHi\i. but, •-•v'ifi >• ''■
TO'-i \f.iii(ir(i I. I . tmn. ii,, p. ftl.
" ^//'i, JA</.'(,y /ml., J). HI. 'ThiovUcc'A^M. Acmntti'i n „•
rUTUllE OF THE OTOMIS, MIZTECS, AXL) MAYAS.
ill
finm tlio craters of \ I >l('iiinM's were tlx' souls of tyrants
Milt foi'tli In' the ^()(ls to toriiiciit tli<' pcojilc.'*'-
Tlii' Otoini's lu'lKncd that tlif soul dicil \vitli tin-
lioly.'' while the Tarascos. a<'<-or(lin,ir to Ih rn'r;i. inliuit-
tcil a i'utiuv juib^iuciit. with its ;K'<'oin|i:iuini(iits of
lic;i\cu iind 1k-!1. hut to jml.i:i- from their hiu'ial customs,
with immohiti(Mi ol'iitteiiihiuts. t«'rm of UKJUi'niuLi', juid so
liiith. it would appear that tliej had the sauie helief as
the A /.tecs.''*
Tlie Miztecs placed the jiat<'s of p.-iriidise within the
r;i\(ru of ( 'halcatoup), and the 'jriiiidees of the kingdom
were tin'i'el()re ea^cr to he huried within its urecincts.
Ill orilt
r to 1)0 near tla' aho(lr (ji* hliss. Tiic /iipot
CCS
|il;uri| the heavenly portals within the cww of Mictlan.
Their heaven nnist accordingly h;i\chf'cn situated with-
in ' • earth, although the cii«^tom of ]>lacinti the dead
',,'ir feet towai'ds the east indirntcs that it lay to-
ird the sunny morninii' land. 'I'he common jieople at
;i-t x'cui, like the Aztt <<. to have hec-n reipiii'ed to pass
|irol»ationai'\ term hcl'ore entering: the liol_\ place, and
\\i
liiiiin;:: thi.s pci'iod they were pernntte<l to visit their
ids (ju earth on<'e a year, and partake of the repast
;r;-i
."jucad foi' them. The /ajtotfc- ^ave a< a reason for in-
tcrriim' the dead, that those who were hurned failed to
)v;(ch heaven.''^
The .Vfavas Ixdieved in a piioe of evorlastini:" de-
light, where the /ood shoiiM recline iji vohii.tiioii> repose
licih'.ith the shade of the y'/./.v/r'-','-"' indulging in dainty
"^ ''"1" iiilialiitiuilrt HU]ii)iisi' ki)i:,"-H w)ji>. uliilc l!j< v limil. i^'oiiiini 1
• tiMiit' II t('in]u)i;iiv aliuiiili- tli«rc l«iii;,' fniiipiinimis with diiii U
" (• riiuiH's, \vh( ri; tlii-v iii;iy piir^i- th<- f'liilc -j.ijts <•( tin ir wickiil-
/' \l'iiliir, (lf(;. v., lili. ii.
ri>-. Shiiiii Ant. ilil Misxiri,^ tuiii. ii . p 4: J/(;,//i'i///, IJisl. Krh.-i.,
'■'"'■
" ' ' ' ... (1,.c. iii.. Ill), ill., (Mil. X.; '<(/'' j il Ksjiinn-tn, IlisI Mix., tom.
li . |i)i. r(2(l-J, fifthis work.
/'.«•;•;/... tiiiii. ii., {•>]. •J:wt 1. • -in. i.. f.il, 1.".!» (11: chr ''-
\fisrlliii, toill. ii., p. "i; Exi'lHiiillitui nf lln- ('mli.f I'l lit liiniii-
:h's M<,C Ai't!'/., \ol. vi.. p '.»•;; A/., /■.../,,(■ I'iilirdiiii.t,
'•. (if this work.
I II -i;^iiiti(' iirliu' M-rt. < -t prolcililiiiicrit li- nii'int' ijiic In
/"'ilii'ill. nr\>f ^iii liiiin- piiismiit ft I'Nvi'. nil f. \iiil;iL;i>
*iiii.i'!.M, i4,.ii.^ j.ui.uu<;f Miiir, iloul l;i beaut"' ct I't \triiiii' friiKln.uv lui oiil
til
I: I
1 -l'
!:•■
llf>
:)i
! , j i
I
rA2
FUTURE STATE.
fooil .111(1 (k'licious drinks. Tlioso avIio died by liriii2iii.r
wxnv, (.'s[)i'(;ialh' siiro of itdinittaiico to this piira disc liir
thoir iioddess Ixtah cai'rit'd Lliein thitlicr herself, icil
leiTa-
iiiiuiy enthusiasts couunitted .sirK'i(h' with tliis ex]
tion. The wicked, on the other hand. desceiKk-d jiitu
Mitnak''^ a sphere hek)W this, where hnnii'er and otlnr
torments awaited them. Cacao inonev was kiid with
( )(ii I
1111-
the body to pay its way. and Croiiuent ofterin;is of 1
were made, hut the I'tnieral was not proceeded witii
til the fifth day. when the soul had entered its spliciv.
A trace of metem[)sychosis may I)e noticed in tlie sujici-
stitious belie! that sorcerers transformed people into aiii-
iiiak*
!)8
ml
Whether the (Juichi's ])elieved in a lutuve rewai'd a
])unislnnent is uncertain, for on the one hand we an
told that Xibidba. which implies a [)lace of terror. \\a-
their hell. whi>re ruled two princes beai'in^' the sul
tive names of One Death and ^^e\en Deaths; whili
;(.,.-
eU
IKi'
the other hand, the sacrifice of slaves and other olijcct-
implies a iieiiative punishment. A licntle, nnwarl
ti'ihe of (ruatemala is said to have had a belief similar
to that of the I'ericuis. namelv that a future life wa
("(
)rded to those onlv who died a natural death
s ai
ail'
therefore, they left tlu' boilies of tlu; slain to beasts ami
\idtures.'''''' 1'he Pipiles ap[)ear to have looked forward tn
the same future altodes as the Mexicans, and to t!a'
same dreadful journey after death. Durin,^' the l"i;i'
days and four ni_i.:hts that the soul was on the road, tin'
inotnMiers wailed deeidy, proljably with fear Wn- it-
safety, but on the (ifth day. when the priest animiim'' 1
that it had reached the iioal. the lamentation cea-ii|.
J)in'iii;4 this time also, the mother whose infant had 'Ic-
f lit il'imicr Ii' iKiui il'ai'lii'i'.ilr l;i vie' Hr'tss'itr d: Ilnurhotir'i, in I.nnd't. ':'!•
cimi, J). 2 H.
■'' An cviilcnt cnrrniiti >n of Mictl m.
■'' ' l)(/ian SI! liMcl ilifunloi nsr.i llivailo ( 1 iliaMi) jiinqni' ili 1 iKii-niu
Ls vciii.in Ids niaUs tuilds y espcciiil 1 1 mil it ■.' L'tmln, Itiliiriim p I"..
]'.»i--Ji)J; Co'ioUmlo, ll'iM. V<i\, j). 1 i-J; llr'insfur ib' llini-'i>><ivii. ll'isl. \'<l-
Civ., tum. ii., i»p. 02-3; I'nrr'iil", in M'X. Sm:. '/"';/., Ilil.l'nt, ■J.iXw v\wvi\, i"!ii.
ili., pi). 2lir)-(i.
'■'■' lirinboia Miilli!^, j). •Jt'l; lif'tnH'nr d Ilonr'ioxr'j, I'"pol /'k/i, pp. 1' \i*'.-
l\x>L., c.vxviii.-cx.\.\;; vol. li., p. I'M, ui tliis work.
FurriiE OF THE Nic.vr.Aarw;^.
'43
parted witliliold tlie millc from all other chilili-iMi. lost
lilt' tliirstv little WiUKk'i'cr should he uiiui'v. and siiiito
t!n' usurpin'.'"'^ The [M'ohatioiiary routine ol' the spirits
appears to have called them to the earth at inter\als. lor
a le;:end of the isles of Lake Ilopanp) rei'ounts that at
ci'itain times of th(! vear spectre harks Lilide in silenci^
oM'i' tlie trjiiKiuil wati'rs ot" tlu' lake. anointiuLi' e\cry
island from the least to the greatest. olteriuL:' upon each
to some hloody 'livinity of past times a hinnan victim,
an inlaiit chosen hy lot.""
The same view of futurity was t:d<en hy the \icara-
l^iiaiis. who thouiiht that the souls'"" of slain warriors
Willi to the sunrise reii'ions. the ahode of Tauiauostat
and Cipattonal, wh > wcdconied them with tlii' titl(> of
' (tiir chililren.' Hut all the uDod. that is those who had
elii'ved and reverenced the liods. were admiited here,
uhftlier warriors or not, and strouLi' must have heeu
their faith in the hliss that awaited them, for the
vii'Liins. says Anda,L!,'oya. who were cast as olVeriiiiis ihto
the si'cthinu; la\a streams of the vjlcano met thiir fate
without iear
lo:!
lie wi(
krd
were doomed to annihila
tinii in the ahode of Miipietanteot.'"' Infants who died
I).'liire they were weanetl retunu'd to the hous*' ol' their
paiciUs to he cared foi-. evidently in spirit I'orm.'" The
.Mo-i|uitos helieve in one hea\en only, and this is o|)('n to
all: foi' it tluy prepa''e at the very he.iiinniiiL:' of lift- l»y
t\ iii'i a little h;ig of seeds I'oiiiiil the neck of the infant,
whcicwith to jiay the lerriaLic aero
the ur.'Mt n\f|' he
miik! which [)aradisi.' li
i>'i ii ill 'lis i(,i I Mnid-S.rnil,
1"- )'.,/;(
h
'.'/.
In and
I, ■.:.!..
■ '/U-. ].
aixti
l->.
it\
ci'aLiiia death
)V !/'di<i ili'-ivi'il IrDiii //"/, !■> A\'' is .li^iiiii't fiMiii licnrt,
)/.,//,,/,■',
niiiii. Orlsiin
it (if til
linii, ]i
l.V.). Vet til. Ill ait
\\,IN 1 \lilil:llv l-iilisu|i I'l (I
ml. tor s uu
huliaii^ st i|. il that 'il r,,v< nii vii ari'jh.-i,
lll,r,itll.-l'S I
X|iliUii(il lliat bvtliis was iiUMiit thr liiviUh (hi'dn. Hist. Um.
t '11. iv.. [ip. -It-."
'ii'iinrl ■. < 'nl. <lt' V
tnia. iii . 11. 1 1-"
'' '• ('iiri'i'SiiniiiHll^' to *lii' .\/t><- Mit'llalitiriitl
It
if. Tint iMli
ti' flrar
v!ii!ii' I- all a
II. u ,1
ii'K.i r.'iii i' iTiai'i'iii.
jCc. il Ilium 'iilul iiutiihiSali.
tills \l
rrsnri'r I'l tDrnur a i-asa ili- siis jiatlrt's, (• siis failr. s |.
./.I. li'ist.
]■?■ m:
, t.llli. IV. )1
, !/////,.•
■n. -12 ',1; llrinl'^
t.iiii. ii . \ ]< 1 '.:! I
II mills til it tlii-( f<'t«riiv;i- diiuik y was [nvn lili'd Irst tiw cliiM sliiuiM
>; nntsf.. m' i
Ir li.,.>rli<>'":i. Hist. .\>it. (■
111'' Viiiilii^.' Ot!'('l-iii.>^ai'i! «i>i> |il(»..-<il ill'DU tlic l;1m.. , I.' in I.
vul. x.\.\ii., i)p, -Jo* 3.
',".;/.
i ■'!
>u
Fl'TUIlE STATK
moans M.niii1iiliiti(m. .'iiid no iooil is K'ft for tlic clcul. In
sonic places the dying ai'c cari'icd out to the woods and
ahiUidoii('(l to wild hcasts.'"' in ( 'osta Kica and Dai'icii
arc sjvcriliccd that their souls
<l
slaves and even wives
nia\' sei'\c their lords in heaven.
IDS
Writini: oi; the customs of Dahaiba, Peter Mart\r
says: ' Thev arc such simple men, that they know not
liow to call the soulc. noi' vnderstand the ])ower tlicrcur:
whereupon, tliey often talk anionii' theniselucs with ad-
n;iration what that iiniisihle and not intelligihle e.-scncc
mi;:ht hee. wheiehy the inemhers of men and hnitc
beastes should he moned: I know not what secret tiling
they say. should lino after the eoi'porall life. That i I
know not wlnit ) they beleeue that al'ter this pereiii'i na-
tion, if it lined without spott, and rcserued that niasM>
counuitted \iito it without iniui-y done tt) any. it sIiomMc
lioe to a certaync H'ternall felicity: contriuy. if it sIimII
sin'l'cr the same to he .'orru[>ted with any filthy lii>t.
violent rapine, or rauinj;' fui'ie, they say. it shall iindc a
thousande tortures in rouuh and vnpleasant places xiidcr
the ("entei": and spcakinii' these things, lifting vjtp tiicir
tl
le InuKU's tiie\ siicw<
the 1
leauens. anc
1 after that casti
right hand down, they poynt to the womhe of ll:"
earth"! Their hidief in a future punishment he furtlur
illustrates In relating that " the thicki spott scene in lln'
globe of the Moone. at the full, is a mann. and they li-'-
leeue hee was cast out to the moyst. and colde ('inle ni'
the Moone. that hee might ])erpetually bc(> torincntrl
betweene those two passions, in sulfering coldc. and me\ -
tni'e. foi' incest connnitted with his sister,
JUJ
The follow iu'..;' mxtbs. for wdiich \ am indebted to die
kind
ne
ani
1 industrious investiuation of M
1' I (iWr
Kuiim come to hand too late I'or insi-rtion m lli'ii"
Tl
7V/<r .)/-(/■/
icy siipiKisi
y.
tli.'it men <lii iiatnrallv lino luiil
, lil.. iv.
\\r as (lllll
vbrasti'Silii
I"'* • Aiiucl liiiiiio ill I iloiiilr cst.nia cl aiiiina dc a'picl drfiintii. , . .e»M
].].h
y (jnc ell cl lililiici ilia alia ' .\iiil<iii"i/'(. in .\iinirnti, (,,/. '/'' I'/'/w^. tdii- HI
|i. Ul-J: llirrn- f. Ili-I. <i'ii . d
Cl- . 1.. 111). v:i , can. XVI., (
Icr. ii.. lib. III.
iw J)t
'(/■-(. Iii<l I ml., f,,l.
lib. .\.
Orialo, /,;,-/. ',
(II., tiilU. 111.
V. iii.
Tin: COYOTE'S elopeiient,
345
l^'oiKM" i>liiccs T fivail iiiyscir of tlic oiiportiiiiity to </\\r
liicin luM'c: -There dwells, siiy tlie Xeeslieiiiiiiis. upon the
hills iiiid in the forests. ;i izhost iiaiiied l)/;hein ("iiileh,
\Jiich is at once man iuul woman. It is a had spirit, hut
iu'Vei'theless a Usel'id one to those who seek its aid. and
these are niostl_\' had people. Sometimes in the nipht its
■I'd eldritch crv is lu'ard in the foi'est. and then sonu'
w K
nianal'out to he o\eftaken in dishonest childhirth l:'(
)es
uiit into the wooils alone, with hvv shame and her panuis
upon her. and haxini;' hi-onuht forth, presently retnnis,
ci'viuL:' and lamentini!,' that the wicked ^iiost met and
ovcrcnne luT and that she has conceived of the spirit.
Or pi'i'liaps it is a man who has wi'oiii^iht an e\il tiling
who makes this had s[iii'it responsihle for his wicl<edne>s.
Ilitlier a man or a woman wandering;' alone in the threst
ise.\|)ose(l to the enticements of theuhust I'uhem ("iiileh,
til commit foi'iiication wi
th it.
'The ( 'o\()te"s l'jlo[)ement ' forms tlie suhjirt of another
Ncesjieiiam tale. Jt is as follows — The (!oyote and the
li;it wei'e one day gathering the soft-shelled nuts of the
f^U'j^AV pine, when there came alon,i;' two women-deer
(tlir oidy way they lia\e of e.xpressini;' ' iemaledeer" ),
who wi're the wi'»es of piiicons. The coyote, njion this,
tiKik a handfid of pitch ami hesmeared the hats lycs so
that it could not see. Tlu' jioor hat was totally hlindeil,
lull it calh'il upon the wind to hlow. and its eyes wtav
epfUed a little, as we see them to-day. .Mi-ailtillie thi'
rascaUv coyoti' tlope(l wilh the two women-deer. I'iit
it was not lonu hefori' they came to a hridLic so ''\tre!iicl\"
inrrow that the\ could not iias>o\t'i' it. dust then tlicr.-
r;i
1'
iiif alonu' a <piaiK juid he took the two women-det r
aini led them across. leaxiiiLi: tlu' hiLiamous coyote in the
larch. No .sooner had they ci'o^se(l than the sistei' ot"
the pips»us tcMik the (paiil away to his mother^ camp,
■'iii'l tlm> tlu' women-ihcr weic set at liherty. and vv
ci»\(Tcd 1)\ ilicir hushands. the iiiLit'ons.
In {Wis Mtor\ ." sa\^ .Mr 1
owers.
th
as 111 inan\ orners,
^ve have sinnethinii' analoiioiis to the were woKcs and
fWaiiMiiaiii. -US of the medieval leiic'.ids. Ital.^o illustrates
V(,l. in. :i.-.
rl
■4",
FUTUHE STATE.
the Iirliiiii Ijclicf in llio roinmon origin of all aniiuiils.
Their I'avoi'itr llicorv is, lliat tlio man oi'iuinatod i"r(jni the
t'ovotc. and tin' woman iVom the (IctT. Whcrofoiv this
storv |)i'()lial)l\\t!i\(.'.s us a jilimi)s(' of the first conrtsliij)
rcconU'd of tiie human race, when tlie animals had so
ilevelc^vd, strictly in accordance with the Daruiniau
]>rojirannne. that man was about to apjjcar u\Hni tlic
^ccne. The lailure of the coyote's elopement delay
that auspicious event a little while,
(■(I
Another Xeeshenani lei:end ivlates that there
was
once a uiedicine-man who possessed the wondeiTul liicnhv'
ol tui'uim;' inuist
If int
o a hear loi' a hriel season.
W
ICll
one of his patients was extremely ill. and. according t(
custom, he sucked him to extract the injurious matt
he would
)resen
tlv I
)e
ei/,e<l with a spasm.
Kail
el',
nil:
upon all fours, h(> would find his hands and feet sprawled
along the ground in plantigi'ade fashion, his nails w
Olllll
row long and sharp, a short tail woidd sprout Inith.
hair would spring up all over his body, in slioit he\\(ini<l
heconie a ramnu'. roariu;
hear,
W
len
tl
le
uasni
had
lasseii awa\', he wou
Id
renu'u
to tl
le lumian lorm.
Ace()rdin>i' to vet another Xeeshenam tradition, tl
leri'
li\i'd long, long ago a wry terr'ble old man. whose eliief
delight it was to kill and deN'oiu' Indians. jli> jiad steiie
mortars in which he })oun(K'd the !lesh to make it teiulei'
fur eating. I'ar down on the Sacraui 'uto [tlaius. thirtv er
forty miles away, lie and his wile i'\ed together, and
anjiuid their wiii'wam the blood of Imlians la\ a Intit
(lee )
lie Indums
all
made war on tliem
th
tri.
lo
elii.
lai.s
kill them, but they could do nothing tigainsi, tli
Then at last the Old Coyote took pity on the Ind
whom he had created, and ho detennined to kill this
old man. He was accustomed to go into the great round
when the Indians were assend)ie(l \\itldn
(lance-iiouse
it. and sla\ the cliiel'.
o the Old ('o\ote tU\
a (liTj)
anned
I tnc
hole just outside the door, and hid him.sidfiu it.
with a bill knife. Theknil'e was iust on ale\(d witl
ground, and when the old man came alomi'. goiu- into
the dance-house, he saw it. and iiave a ki>d\ at it. ''iit
SHASTA T,F.(ir,XI)S.
B47
iTkI Jiot not'ioo the Tovoto, wlio iinniodiatcly jiiniiicd out
his lioK'. iMii into the (hiiK'e-hou.so. and kilU'd the old
man.
'Ihis story, Mr Powers thinks prohahly rel'ei's to some
liinij. extinct racte oi' caiuiihals who weiv superior in
|()\ver to the present race. "To them," he sa_\s. ••may
III' assiiined the stone mortars found in so many parts of
( 'alirornia, which the Indians now livini:' here conles-
Milly did not make. Others accoinit l"oi^ these stone
mortars 1)V saxinii' tliev were made hv the chiel' of the
^[lirits, Ilaylin Kukeeny. and his suhordinates."
The Ibllowinj;' (pieer lesicnds are, on tlie indisputable
authority of Mi^ Powers, of Shasta oriuin: The world
was created hv Old (Jroundmole, ul'idor. a hu^c animal
thiit hea\ed creation into existence on its hai-k, hy
rootinji nnderneath somewhere. When the Hood canu^
it destroyed all animals except a S([nirrel, as lartjc as a
hear, which exists to this day on a mountain called hy
the Shastas, W akwaynuma, near Ila[)[)y Camp.
A lonii time ajjo there was a fn^e-stone in the distant
ca^t. white and glistening, like the purest (piart/: and the
)te iourne\ed east, hroutiht this (ire-stone and
('ii\ ()
t:a\e it to the Indians, and that was tln' oriizin of
,1 s
I 1
Oriiiinalh- the sun had nine T)rolhers. all. like him-
'ir. Ilaminn' hot with lire, so that tli
e ^\()l
Id
was
like
to [lerish; hut the coyote slew nine of the hiotli-
ers. ami thus saved maid<ind from hurning up. The
union also had nine brothers, all like to himself,
Ilia le of the (H)hlest ice, so that in the night [leople
^V(■llt near to freeze to death. Put the coyote went
away out on the eastern edge of the Avorld with a
luiLihty big knife of Hint stone, heateil stones to keeji his
hau'.ls warm, then laid hold of tlu' nine moons, one after
iuiotiier, and slew them likewise, and thus men got warm
a^ain.
' Wh
len it rains, there is some
Tndi
lan SICK III hea\'en
Weeping. Long, long ago there was a good young Indian
(Ml I'arth. and when he died all tlu' Indians cried so much
' 1
•i ,
\v
1
! 1
i
s
41 i
\i ;
I ifl ■
. i 1
i i
i ll n
lLii>^.:i^
.IS
FUTUKE STATE.
that ii Hood Ci\iii(» on tlu^ ciirtli and rose up to lioiiMii,
und drowned all jx'oplo ox('('|)t one ('oiii)l('.
Tlic ('li('n])osels relate that there was once a iii;iii
who loved two women, and wished to nianv tlicni.
\ow. these two women were mau|)ies. dtrhntcli, iind thiv
loN'ed him not. hut laii,i:lie(l his wooiiiii; to scorn. Th'ii
he tell into u raji'e and cursed these two women lh;it
were maupies and went far awav to the north, and t
he .set the worl<l on (ire, made lor himsell' a. tule
II'IV
in wln(
more.
le esc.anei
1 t(
o sea. and was never heard nl
h 1
lint the (ire which hi* had kindled hui'ued \\ii!i
a miuhty hurning. It ate its wav south with tt iiiMc
.swiftness, licking up all things that are on earth - iiim.
trees. I'ocks. animals, water, and e\'en the ground it^dl'.
I'mt the Ohl (\)\()ti> saw the hurninu' and smol
\e
ll'dlll
h
th
Itl
US i)hice lar m the south, and hu ran witli all Ins iii
to put it out.
lie took two little l)o\s in a s;
U'K liil
his hack, and I'an north like the wind. So last il; I
he run that he giivo out just as he got to the Wv. an 1
drop[)ed thi> two little hovs. I'ut he took Indian ^ii'mt
(honey dew) in his mouth, chewed it up, spat it on iIm'
lire and put it out. Xow the lii'e was out, hut the ( \)
\();('
tO(
as ver\' th.ii'st\', hut thei'o was no water, so li
)K
Ind
ian sui:ar auain. chewec
d it
nn. (lu
hu!
e III
an!
the hottom of the civek, covered np the sugar in it.
it turned to water, and the earth thus had wat<'r W'lw'xn.
I>ut the two little l)o\'.s cried hecanse thev were jdiulx'
lor tlii're was noi)ody on eai'th. Then the (\)yot(> iii.Mlt'
u sweat-house, and ,s[)lit np a great mnnher of littl-
sticks, which he laid in the sweat-hou.se over ninht: iu
the morning they were all tui'ued into men and woiihii.
so the two little boys had company, and the earth wu-^
re
peoi
lied,
no
J conclude with a sun-myth of the Pallawonaps. win)
lived on Kerji River in Southern California: I'ok-ih
1'" " Tt is possible"' coiiclndcH 'Mr P(
'Unit tliis It'Lii'iul liiis (li
fiM'iiic-c to tliiit 1,'1'iat ancient ciUuclvsni. or overtlow of lava from the ip'rtii.
which lias hcen d •iiioiistr.itcd liy I'rofcssor le (.'oute, iu a iiajur nail i" t.iie
llio Cidifuruiau Academy of Wtieuco.
si'NMvnr or iiii: i-allawuvai's.
M9
im;i(1(' all tirm,i:s. \a)]\j: ivit) tli(> sun was a man. Tlic sun
i~ liail and wislu's to kill all lliinLis, hut the uioon is Liood.
lie suns ra\ s arc aiTows. and liciiiNcs a liuin
dl<-t
0('\CI'\-
creature, more to the lion. I'ewci' to 1 lit' covotc, etc. : l»ut to
ih Mil- (Iocs liciiivcan iirrow that will slav a man. TIiccono-
Ir wi>licd to ^o to the sun. and he asked I'okMi the road.
I'dkiili pointed out tt) him a liood road, and tlieco\ote
ti'a\cle(l on it all dav. hut the sun turned round, .-o he
traM'lcd in ;i (tii'clc. and came hack at niplit to the pj.ice
wlieiiec he had started in the niornini!'. A second tiuie
asked I'okoh, and !i second time he came hack
in a circle. Then Tokoli told him to go straight to the
c;i>U'rn edge of the earth, and uait there until tin* f-nw
ciiue uj). So the covott' went and sat down on the hole
II
iUI
here tlu> sun came up, ^vith his hack turned to the east,
I ke[)t pointing with his arrow in vci-v direction, pi'e-
teiiding he was going toshoot. The sun came up under him,
iiud told him to get out of the way. Uut the coyote sat
there until it hecame so wai'm that lie was ohiiged to coil
11)) his tail under him. Then he hegan to gvt thii'sty. and
iid\cd the sun for water. The sun ga\-e him an acoi'ii-
(■ii|» full, hilt this did not satisl\'the co\-ote's <i'reat thirst.
Next his shoulders hegan to get warm, so he s[iat on his
piius and ruhhed his hack with them. TIh'II ho said to
til'' sun, AVliy do yon come up here, meddling with
iiic'.' lUit the sun said, lam not me(ldliiig with you;
I .1111 tra-veling where I have a right to tra\'el. The
ceviite told him to go round some other way. that that
was his road, hut the sun iiisisti'd on going straight up.
Then the coNote wanted to go Uj) with him. so the iiood
iiaiured sun
took 1
inn aloUL
r
resell
tlv tl
lev came to a
Jiatli with steps like a ladder, and as the sun went up he
(.'Diinted the steps; when they got up aho\-e the wdild.
tin' coyote found it getting hot and wanted to jiiiiii> dow ii,
hut the distance was too gri-at. By noon the sun was
V('r\- hot and hriiiht. and he told the coxote to shut his
c\c
lie did so. hut he ()[iened them ([uickly again, and
■pt openuig and shutting them all the afternoon, to
^c',.' how fast the sun was slidiiiLT down. A\ hen the sun
M» kt
IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-S)
V
//
{/
^ Pid.
•^ V#.
1.0
I.I
1.25
;s iiitt
2.5
— 6"
22
*" IIIIIM
lllll 1.8
U lllll 1.6
V]
<^
/A
^3
■^J
^;i
'/
/S^
Photographic
Sdences
Corporation
^v
\
•SS
!>
^\
<f>
f"
C>
23 WEST MAIN STREET
WEBSTER, NY. 14580
(716) 873-4503
nr>o
FUTHUE STATE.
camo down to the cjirth in the west, the coyote juniiM'il
oil" on to a tree, and so ehunbered down to the ground.'"
Such are the Myths of the Farthest West, sucli
the endeavors of tliese men \nienligl»tened, accordiiij;'
to our ideas of enlightenment, to define the indednahlc,
such the result of their 'yearning after the gods.' Most
of tiioir myths and Iwliefs are extravagant, childif-li.
meaningless, to our understanding of them, but doubt-
less our mjths would be the same to them. From ilw.
beginning of time men have grappled with shadows.
have accounted for material certain ies by inunatfiiid
uncertainties. Let us be content to gather and presi'ivi'
these |)erishable phantoujs now ; tiiey will be very curi-
ous relics in the day of the triumpli of substance.
'"This myth, Mr Powers thinks, hns Ixon holitth'd or corrnptMl fmiu
tho niicit'iit iiiytli of the zmliiir, iiiul, in his oiiiiiimi, ur;j;u('s for the Aim ri<;ins
II civili/.i (1, or lit h'list Heuii-civilizid, Abiutic oriyiii, — u very far-fttcUfd cuu-
clu»iuu I should buy.
THE NATIVE RACES
or THE
PACIFIC STATES.
LAIS GU AGES.
CIIArTEIl I.
GENERAL REMARKS.
Native Lanouaqes in Advanck op Social Customs— CnAnvcTKRisTic Indi-
viUL'ALiTY OF Amkbicas Tonouks— Fukql'knt Occckuk.nck of Lon<*
WoiiDs— Rkucplications, Fkkqukntativks, and Duals- Intehthibai.
LAMJUAfJEs -Gkstuke-Lanoca(ik- Si.avk and CmNixiKJAiuioNs -Pacific
States Languages — The Tinneh, Aztec, asu Maya Tonoues -Thk
LAiiGKii Families Inland — Lanhuagk as a Test of Oiikjin Simi-
LAIUTIES IN UnUKLATED LANGUAGES -PlAN OF THIS INVESTIGATION.
Tn notliing, perhaps, do the Xative R.aeos of tho l\iri)ic
States .show signs of iiiio. and of progrt'ss from ahsohito
jirimovalism. moiv tliaii in their hingiiajit'S. Indeod,
tliioiigiiout tho U'njith and hivadth oi" the two Ann'i-i(!us
alioriginal toniiiios displav uivater richness, more (U'li-
cate gradations, and a widei- seo[)e. than Ironi the nncnl-
tiired (Condition in wliieh the jH'ople uere found, one
would he led to sni)poso. I'ntil I'eeentiv. no attention
liaslieen given 1)V sehohirs to tlie.^e languages; now it is
admitted that the more tliov are studied the more do new
In'Miities appea!', and that in their spei'ch these nations
air in ad\ance of what their general rudeness in other
(Ml)
GENERAL REMARKS.
1 I
ri'S[K'cts wonlil iiiiply. Nor is tliorc tliiit diniTciici' in
tlie constniction ol' uohIh Jind llic scoju; of vociihuliuiis
bi'twi'L'ii iiiitions Avliii'li wc call i-ivili/i'tl and those calltMl
sjiviiic, whi(!li. iVoin tiii' dilVorcnce in their customs, in-
<liistrics, and |)olitics wo should c.\|)cct to find; IVoiu
Avhich it is sale to infer that in i)roLn-ess, al'ter the essi'U-
tial corporeal recjuirenients ai'o satisfied, the necessities
of the intelK.'ct, of which speech i.s tlie very (list, arc
not only niet. hut are devel«)[)ed and jiratilied heyond
\vhat the actual necessities of the hody di'Uiand. Thiit
is. speech or no si)eech the Ixxly must he fed or the
animal dies, hut with the absolute ne<'essiti<'s ol' the
}>ody su[)plied, the intellect and its supennnneraries shoot
forward heyond their relative primeval state, leaviiiii
))odily comforts far behind. Hence, in the very outset
of wliat we call progress, wa see the intelk'ct asM rt-
ing its independence and develo[)ing those orpnis only
Avhich in their turn assist its own developiiieut.
Ajiain, under certain conditions, two nations ha\iu,u ad-
vanced matoi'ially and intellei^tually side by side up to a,
certain point, may from extrinsic or incidental cmu-cs
become widely se[)arate; one may jio forward intellectu-
allv while the two "emain touether substautiallv : one
mav 'SO forward materiallv while mentallv there is no
ap[)arent dift'ei-ence. The causes which ^ive rise to thoc
stranjie inecpialitii's we cannot fathom until we can
minutely retnure the pr<\tj;ress of the people for thousands
of aues in tlu'ir history; Ave only see. in the many ex-
amples round us. that such is the fact. A people \\tll
ad\:iut'('d in art and lanunaiic mav, from war or faniiiie.
JKH'ome reduced to primeval penury and >et n'tain traces
of its former culture in its si)eech, but by no jiosslliility
can rude and barbarit' s[)eech suddenly assume dcplli
and richness from mati'rial prosperity; from all of wliicli
it is safe to conclude that lan^uajie is the surest test cl"
the .age of a i)eople, for the mind cannot exi)and with-
out an improvement in sjK'ech, and s[K'ech impro\c<
only as it is forced slowly to develop under pressure cl
the mind.
riKLATIONSHIP OF AMEiaC.W LA\<jrA(;ES.
553
Tlio roscarclios of tlu» ivw |)hilolo^ists wlio liavo ^iivcii
Aiin'i'iciin l;iii|i:iiii,ti«'s their .stiidv liii\t' Itioiitilit to lij:lit
tlu' I'ollowiiiii- I'lu^ts. First, that a ivlatioiisiiip oxist.^
aiiKMiLi all the toiJjiiK's of the iiorth.'ni and soiithrni t'on-
tiiii'Uts; and that while (Vi"tain chai'acteristics arc I'onnd
ill CDinniDn throujihout all the languajies of Ainciica,
these laniiiia^'es are as a whole snf'lieientlv iiecnliar to he
ilistiniiiiishahle from the speech ol' all the other races of
tlh' world. Althouiih some of these chai'act^'ristics. as
a iiiattei' of coui'se, are fonnd in some of tin* lan^iia,ue.s
It!" the old world — moi'e of them in tlu^ Turanian family
than in any other. — \et nowhere on the ulohe are nni-
luiinities of s[)eecli cai'rieil over vast areas and through
iiimimeral)le and diversified races with such persistency,
as in America: nowliei'e are tongues so <lissimilar and
^^'t so alike as
hen
In tl
lis ucner;
Slim
larit
V won
Id
he a stroma; j^i'onnd-work for a theory of common oriiiiin,
;'itlier indim'iions ov foreiiiii. hut for the fact that while
the lannna^i'es of America aj)iu'ar distinct from all other
laiii:uai:'es of the world, and do indi'cd in certain respects
hear a licneral rosemhlance one to another thronjihont,
\rt at the same time I may safely assert that on no other
(iMiliiient (;an there he fonnd such a, mnltitiide of distinct
aiiLiiia'ics
which definiteh
K
y approach one another in
siMircu a sin-ile worn or s\
llal>l
e as ni America
It \>
:!>• easy to pi'ovo from lairaiiane that the nations of the
New World were oriiiinally thrown tojii'ther from ditVer-
I'lit parts, and that hy intenni,Lirations. imiformity in
CI
istniiis and climate, and the lapsi' of Um'j: icjcs the
l>''it|iK> hiive hi'come ap[iro\imately hrethren in spei'ch,
while tlii'ir iiu'essant wars ha\e at tla* same time held
tlifiii asnnder and prevented a more particular iiniform-
itv. as it would he to proxc a common origin and siihse-
i|iuiit (lis|)i'i*sion: without further li^ht hoth theories are
iilikc insusceptihle of pro()f. as are. indeed, all hyjioth-
t'sr< coneerninu; the oriuin of the native races of this con-
tiiitiit. Another fact which naturally hecomes more
iippaiciit the more we investiiiati' thesuhject. particularly
iis !<'i:ards the nations inhahitinu; the western half of
5r»4
GENERAL REMAIiKS.
1^ ■ ?
m
I ,■■■■■■ '
North Ainoiicii, is, that the innuinonil)lo divcrsitios of
spi't'ch lound ainonii; tlu'sc triln's constantly toiul to dis-
appear, tend to range thenisi'lves under hroad divisions,
coalescini^ into groups and families, therehy estahlishiu^
more intimate relationship l>etNveen some, and widening'
the distance hetween others. The innnhers oi' tonuiics
and dialects, which at the (irst ap|»eared to he Iei:i(»ii,
hy comparison and classidcation are constantly ))eiii,:^ re-
duced. ( 'ould we go ))a('k, even foi" a few thousand ycius,
and follow these [)eoples through thetiu'nings and twist-
ings of tiieir nomadic existence, wo shouhl he surpriscil
at the rai)id and coini)lete changes constantly taking place:
WQ should see throughout this hroad continent the tide of
human life ehhingand llowing likea nnghty (K;ean. surg-
ing to and fro in a perpetual unrest, huge hillows of
humanitx roUin'Ovor forest, olain, and mountain, uiitioiis
l»
drivnju out nations, ahsorhnjir. or amn
hi hit
nig, on
Ivt
o lie
themselves inevitahlvdriveiiout.ahsorhed. or annihilafcil:
we should see as a result of this interminahle mixture
languages constantly heiiig modified, some wholly or in
})art disappearing, some changing in a lesser degi'C. hanilv
one remaining the same for any considerahle length of
time. I'.ven within the short period of our own ohsi i-
vatioii, hetween the time of the lirst arrival of MurojuMiis
and the disappearance of the natives, many changes aic
api)arent; while wo are gazing u|M)n them we see tlitir
houndaries oscillate, like the play of the threads in ii<t-
work. On the huiralo-liuiiting inland phiins I have scni
aggregations of tril)esdri^•en out from their old campiiii!-
grouiid. in some instances a thousand miles away. mikI
their places occupied hy others; in the narrower liiiiits
of the north-western mountains I have seen nunu roiis
trihes extir[)ated hy their neighhors, a remnant onlv
heing kept as slaves. While such was the norm:d cnii-
dition of the ahorigines it is not difhcult to percei\i' in
some degre(! at least, the eflect n|K)n languages. ^ ct
while American lauiiuanes are indeed, as Whitne\ tcniis
them,'" the most changeful human forms of speech tliiic
arc yet found indestructihle characteristic elements, allil-
LOX(; WORDS IN AMEUICAX LANGUAGES.
555
lations wliicli no circmustjince.s of time or pliico can
uhollv oljlitiTJite.
One of tlii'se diiiriictori.«tie oloinciitM is the fn'(|iu'nt
(((•(•II
nvncc of lonj:; words. Kvou tlie Otomi, tl
jlU'
ic oiilv
iMiiLiUiiiiV in Ainerira wliirli can he cullod inoiios\ llul/u',
coitsistiiiii as it does, for tiie most part, of etviiious of one
!^\lliil)l(', contains sonic comparatively lon^' wo'ds. This
t'i('t|iu'ncv of long words, the method of their constriic-
li(»ii. and the ease with which they Jire maniiiJictiired
(•(institute a striking feature in the sN'-stem of nnity that
pervades all American languages. The native of lh(!
Xcw World expresses in a single word, accompanied
pcihaps hy a grunt or a gesture, what a Muropi-an would
(•ini»loy a whole sentence to elucidate, lie crowds the
rrcatest possihle innnhei
of idt
eas into the most compact
form possihle, as though in a nndtitude of words he
Ininid weakness rather than strength. — taking their sev
;il ideas hy their monosyllahic ecpiivalents. and joinin;.
icni in one single expressii
tl
on.
Th
lis rule IS universa
and so these languages hecome as llumholdt expresses
it ■ like dilVerent substances in analogous forms," in
wiiich. as (Jallatin observes, there is ''an universal te»i-
(kncy to express in the same word, not only al' that
iiioilifies or relates to the same t)bject or action but both
the action and the object, thus concentrating in a singU;
c\|»i('ssion a C()mi)lex idea or several ideas, among which
tlicic is a natural connection." This linguistic pecul-
iiu'ity is called by various names. l)uiM)nceau terms it
the polysyntlu'tic stage or system. \\ ilhelm von ilum-
l)t)l(lt the agglutinative, Lieber the hoio[)hrastic: (»thers
tlic aggregative, the incori)orati\e. and so on. As an
illustration of this peculiarity, take the .V/.tec word for
li'ttcr-postage. oiniif/'icKi/o/lfifiifi'itffii.i'f/o/uii/fi. which in-
terpreted literally signifies, 'the ])ayment recei\i'd for
can ving a paper on whic^h something is written
Tl
le
<'lierokees go yet fiu'ther and express a whole sen-
tence in a single word — a long one it is true, but yet
one word — n'iiiif((irfi</('(/iiHirifi/r<nr/iiii(/ftrii(nrti('/!fIs('sfi which
translated forms the sentence, 'they will hy that time
OKXEnAT. REMAKKS.
• -if
liiivc nc.'irly finislicd jiriuitinu' Hivors from a distniicc lo
tlicc ami nil'.' Otlicr [)oi'iiliaritic's comiiion to allAiuti'-
icaii laiiuiia^VM iiiijilit l)0 iiiciitioiicd. such as rcMliijilKM.
tious. or a. i'('[)otitioii of tlu' .siiiic svllable to i'xjnc-s
plurals; the use of fiHMHR'iitalivcs and duals; tlu' jiiipli-
catioii of tiCiKU'r to the third person of the vt-rW; tlic
<lir(.H't conversion of nouns, siihstantivo and adjcctixc.
into verbs, and their conjufiation as such; peculiar pn-
oric distinctions arisinj; fi-oni a se[)aration of aniniiitc
from inaniinnto heiniis, and the like.
The nndtiplicity of ton<:ues. even >vithin conipni-
sitively narrow areas, rendered the adoption of some xiit
of univeisal laniiuaue ahsolutelv iiece
ssarv
Th
ternational laniiuage in America is for the most part
conlini'd to gestures, and nowhere has gesture-hniuiiai:''
attaine(l a higher degree of perfection than hei'e; ami
Avhat is most remarkable, the same representatixcs aiv
emi)loved from Alaska to Mexico and evt-n in ^^ouili
America. Thus each tribe has a certain gesture to iii-
<licate its name. which is understood bv all oth
ei>.
A
Flatheiid will make his tribe known by ])lacing his hand
njion his head; a Crow bv imitating the Happing of the
wings of a bii-d; aXezlVrce by pointing with his liiiLivr
through his nose, and soon. Fire is generally indicated
by blowing followed by a pretended wai'ming of tlic
hands, water by a pretended scooi»ing up and driidxiiiL;,
trade or exchange by crossing the lore fingers, a cerlaiii
gesture being lixed i'or everything necessary to c;n rv (Hi
a conversation, liesides tliis natural gesture-lini,L:iiaL;c
there is found in various parts an interti-ibal jaiunii
composed of words chosen to fit emergencies, from llic
s[)eech of the several neighboring nations; the wmds
being altered, if necessary, in construction or pronuncia-
tion to suit all. Thus in the valley of the Yukon we liiil
the Slave iarg(m, ano in tlie vallev of the Columbia llic
Chinook jargon, wliich latter arose originally, not a^ i>
generally supposed conventionally between the IVt ihIi-
(\inadian and Ivnglish tra[)pers and the natives ot' tli<'
north-west solely for purposes of trade, but which oriiii-
l.vnt.t:a(jes or tiii: pacifk; states.
r>57
ii;it('(l amon;x tlio trihcs tlu'inst'lvt»s spoiitnncun^ly and
In I". »!'(> the advt'iit of lliiiopi-ans, tlioiijih j^rcatlv imidirKMl
mill cxIi'IkUmI l»y siiltscci.K'Ht J']m'(>|K'an iiitcrcoui'M'.
Tims lias hccii laid, uo doiiht, tlu' ioiindatioii of many
|irniiaiiciit laii.iiiiaiivs and dialects; and thus w»' may
tMsily |)i'i'(vivc the jjowoiTuI and eontiniu'd clU'cl of one
l;ni:^iia,i:(' npon anotlier.
As to the nnmlu'r of lanjAua.iros in America much dil-
I't'iviice of opinion exists. Ilervas. Iielore liall' tlii'
(Duiitry was discovered, felt jnstilied in classilyin;^' them
all under sewn Jamilies. while others llnd. on tlie Pacific
side of the northern continent alone, over six hinidred
lairjiiiaii'es which thus far refuse to adiliate. The dilVer-
ciit dialects are countless; and yet. notwithstanding; the
riMuiiilahle array of names which 1 have "atlu-red at the
(lid of this (chapter. prohaJily not one-fourth of their real
iiiimhei" are or ever will Ite known to us.
Many of the l^acific States' laiiLniaires hear i-esenj-
Itliuiccs to one another, and may therefore he hronjiht
more or less nnder groups and classes. ^I'hese lanjiuaji't's,
liDWfver, resend»le one anotln'r too •^li|:ihtly to he calU'd
•rKilccts. and in the majority of cases no alliliations of
any kind can ho traced. Jhit four great languages are
fniiinl within our territorv, or, if we exclude tlu' llskimo,
wliicii IS not propeiMy an American language, tlu'ri; re-
main hut three, the Tinneh, the A/tec. an<l the Maya.
Of tlie lesser tongiu's there art^ many more, as will ap-
lii'ar further on. The I'skimos skii't the shores of the
imrtli ])olar ocean and helong more to the old world than
to the new. The Tinneh. .Vthahasca.or ( 'hejiewyan family
»'nv( rs the northern en<l ol' the llocky Mountain range,
'^I'lidiiig its hranches in every direction, into Alaska,
British Columhia, Ih-itish America. NN'ashington. Oix'gon,
•'alirornia. New Mexico, Texas, and Mexict). The A/tecr
liiii:iiage, whoso seat is Central Mexico, is found also in
icaragna and other i)arts of Central America. Traces
iii()i(o\('r appear in some j)arts of Stmora. Sinaloa.
iHiiango, Chihuahua, Texas, Arizona, California. L'tah.
Xi
5B8
GENERAL REMAIIKS.
11
Xcv.'ulii, Tdiilio, ^rontana, and ()rc';:;(>n. Tll0^^aya \< llic
chit'l' Central Anu'rican tonjrne, Itiit traci's of it nuiv Im-
found as avcII in Moxico. Thus wc hoc tliat uliilc the
cradU' of the Tinnoh tongue apjx'arh to Ik? in the eentic ol'
IJi'iti.sh North America, it.s dialects extend westward iiml
southward, lessening in intensity the rurther thev are iv-
nioved from the hypothetical oiijiinal centre, siiddculv
(lyinjj; out in some directions, fadinj^ gradually aw.iy in
others, and hreaking out at disconnected interv.ds in
others. Ho with the Aztec language, whose primitive
centre, so far as })resent appearances go, was the vaihy ot"
Mexico; we fnid it extending south along the shoics ol"
the l*acific as far as Nicaragua, while northward its tracts
grow fainter and fainter until it disappears. And n> it
is with the Maya, which, covering as it does a less extent
of territory, is more distinctly marked and conse(puiitly
more easily followed.
In classifying the languages of the Pacific States,
the marks of identification vary with diiferent liiniilits.
Thus the linguistic afliliations ui' the Tinneh family arc
foinided not so much on certain recurring granjinatiiai
rides, as on the nund)er of important words occmriim
under the same or slightly altered form. In tiie A/.tir
language the reverse of this is true; I'or although tosimK!
extent, in the estahlishing of relationships, we art;
governed hy verbal similarities, yet we also find positixc
griunmatical rules which carry with them nuich iiioiv
weight than mere word likenesses.
For example, in the north, wherever Aztec traces are
found, the'Aztec substantive endings tl and tfi are ciflu r
al)reviated or changed according to a regular syt( in into
^", te, t, de^ re, kl, I'e, c(t, /a, ri Aztec mnnerals aic iimiI
bv these northern nations, but in greatly modified Ibiin-;
personal pronouns are there foinid but little chanutd.
while demonstrative, interrogative, and indi'finite pio-
nouns likewise show signs of Aztec origin. The ( ii linj.^
aiiiL'., which, attached to the verb, designates the ju i mmi
acting, can be plainly trace<l; while among thest same
northern nations of which I am speaking, is found that
IN'L.Wn AND ("OAST LANdlAdF.S.
r.r>9
\< till'
iiiiv K"
ill- till'
litre »>r
I'd iiiitl
jir*' if-
(Mnily
wiiv ill
Viils ill
imitivr
ilUcV nf
lores (if
s tracfs
ml M) it
< ('\tfiil
'([iK'Htly
StMtcS,
t'ilinilies.
nily iiiv
iniiitiral
c('unlii;j:
H' A/.tci-
to some
^v(• are
jH)>itivr
•ii iiitire
hlCt'S WW
IV citlit'f
tcin into
(iirc iiMil
rorius
I'liaiiucil.
litr I'lo-
i cu'lin;-'
Isc sal 110
liud that
certain system of Ldiitvcr^i'h'i'JuiiDi or soiiii(l-slimitiii;r.
itiiLiiiiiilly discoviTcd hy (jritiiiii in tiio ln(lo-( ■ciiiianio
t'ainilv, and hy I'l'Dlrssor Mux Miilk'r culkd (iiinnn's
law. '
In tli(» pnrsiiiinco of this invcstipitlon T noticcil a
two-Cold curiosity wliifh may hi' worthy of nuntion.
Tliroiii:!i()iit till' jircjit Xorthwt'st. as well in iiios! of the
many Tiiiiu'h vocahiilarii's Jis ('Isi'wiu'rc. is found tin*
A/tec woi'd for stono, U'il^ sonu'tinics sli;^htly ('hani:x'd
hilt always rccoiiiii/ahlo, and to wliirii the saiiif nieaninji"
is iiivaiiahly attached; while on the otlu-r hand tin;
Tiiiiieh word for fire. "////. or coon, ajipears in like manner
ill s('\'ei'al of the Mexican lanjiiiaiics. and 1 even notiecd
it in the vocaiinlary of a Honduras nation. This
may ho purely accidental, hut hoth lu-inn iiiiportant
Wolds 1 thought hest to draw attention to the liict.
The lai-,u(>r linunistic! families are for the most part
found inland, while alonji; the sea-shore the s[)eech of the
jieople is hri)l\en into inmmu'rahlc iVajiiuents. J'articn-
larly is this the case alonji the shores of the; Xorlhwt'st.
South of Acapulco. as we have seen, the A/tec tonuiie
liojds the seahoard for some tlistance: hut auain farther
south, as w«
■11
as
on the uulf coast, there is found a
jiicat diversity in lanunaues and dialects. In ('alif(Mnia
the ( Diifiision hecomes interminahli'; jis if Bahcl-huilders
IVoiii e\('ry <|uarter of the earth had here met to the
etiiiiiil confonndinu: of all: xct there are lin,i:nistic
lamilios c\ I'll in California, principally in the northern
part. It is not at all iin[)rol»alile that Malays. Chine.^e,
or .Iiipaiie.sc. or all of them, did at some time appear in
what is now Xorth America, in such numhei's as materially
toiiilliu'iice lanji'iiaiie. hut hitherto no Asiatic nor European
toiiLiiu'. I'xceptin^' always the I'iskimo, has hren found
ill America; nor have allinities with any other lan,i:iia<:e
of the world heen discovered suiliciently marked to
warrant the claim of relationshi|). Theorizers enou<:h
there have heen and will he; for centuries to come half-
lled-cil sciientists, ignorant of what others have done or
lather have failed to do, will not cea.se to hrin'; ibrward
r.x)
fiKNKUAL Ul.MAUKS.
NVdiuU'iTiil coiiccptioMH. striUiiiii" aiiiiloi'irs: \\\\\ not rvw-i'
to s|M'('uliitt'. liiiu'iiisticiillv. t'tliiioloii'H'.illy. cosiiio;:!-.'!!!!!-
iciillv iiiid otlu'iwis*' to tlirir own sitisliiction ami to (hf
(M)iiriisioii nl' their n-adcis. Tlu' ahsiirditv ol" tlii'sc siin'-
iilations is apparent to all l»iit tiie speculator. Nn
sooner is a nionoMvlla'>i«' lan;:iia^'e. tlu' Otonu'. discoveivl
in America than up rises a ciianipion. Sefioi" Xiijeni.
elaimin,:: the distinction for the Chines*', and with im
otlu'f result tiian to estahlish hoth as n»ono.-:vllahic. \shi< li
was well enou^ih known hel'ore. So the Ahhi' jhassrui'
«le !)oin'hoin'L!;, who has jiiven the suhiect more \c;ir« nl'
stndv and moiv pa;:i's of printed matter than anv nthi r
writei'. unless it he the h.iH'-cra/.ed Lord KinnshoinuL;!!.
lii'st attempts to prove tiiat the Mava, ianiiiiaues are d' -
I'ived iVom the Latin. (ii'eeU. {•Jiilish. <ierman. Sciimli-
navian, or other Aryan tonjziies; then that all \\n-r
lanuiijiu'es are h'lt ollshoots from the Ma\a itst-ll". wiiiiji
iiW ,
IS the only trne prnneval laniiuauc. So nnich Inr iii
temperate speculation, wiiich. whether learned or sIimII
too ol'teii oriiiinati's in doiiKi and ends in ohscurity. In
all these hy[)otheses. ariiument assumes the Inrni < l'
anahvjies drawn hetween the ])eo]»les with whom a, n -
lationship is attempted to he estalilished. — no dilliciilr
matter, truly, when we con der that all njankiml arc
formed on oni? model, and tUat iimumeiahle similaiitii's
must ol' necessity exist amonji' all the races ol' the uIhIk'.
To show the i'utility of sut'h attempts, K't me ui\t' :i
fi'w words, analogous hoth in simiilication and soinul.
selected from American. I^uropean. A>!atic. and ntiii r
lan^uua'ies. hetween which it is now well estahli.'-heil tlmt
no relation>hi[) exi.sts. For the 'Jei'man jd we ha\»' tl ■
Shasta y^^; for h>iniii.. the (\)manche /I'iin; for A'"///', tii •
i'uhhii coIki; for weineii, the Cora rijchic; lor ///"//. t!i«'
're[)chuana (lnii.l\[\)v iiif/ifs, iiciii. i\io Chinook jii.rl. //■ ■'•
For the (J reek nopaP,^ there is the Tarahumara ri)!iil^''h':
lor i/iia^(n\ //«S£/ J', the (N)rji im«(tr\ {ovyvvt}. the ( "aliitii
'>in(i. For the T^atin Ji't<\ vdn. we luivo the Teiiclmaiia
/i
ir. iv^.sv; lor niiiror.
the (
ora uiiiciKirc
for 1 1
in/'
<i. tl
Motpii I'liKjir^ for rullk, the Kalapooyii ividiVr. lor /-v-
A( ( ii)i;ntai, wmkd siMii,Ai;mi:s.
■-iil
ncifiii
's. tlir K('ii;ii foiitiiil. iiiiiii. I''(»i' the I'Vciicli /v/ssr/'. we
liiid till* Tiiialiiiiiiai'ii riissii'ii/ir : liir fiif
oinii I
til.' T
«'])(•-
liiiiiiia Idlnnii . I'or \\\v SjiJinisli Inmn, tlic Taraliiiiiiarii
/(.!'•'>; lor I III til iin, ti.
irhiiiii. lor tilt' Italian
t!i(' Taralimiiara ross/; I'or i!m' Ai'aliic '/'•/////•. Ilic Taralni-
ii'a iijiiir; tor tlic Hawaiian //".the ScUiiimn' /-" ( iiii:lit ).
Ill
I'or tl;*' Sanscrit i/ii. tlicif is the ( 'ora /" (L;i\c) : tor
till' Mi/.tcc <i- (ont'l : I'or iii'l, tlifTcpclniaiia iiini (not ) ami
tlir .Ma\a. ///'^ (no); i\n' /mis'} (niontli). the I'iuia /im/isii
I moon); \\\y l^i'-lniinlrii (nioonLllic Kcnai /sr/ium ; moon);
fur />iii/ii Hotttl. tlic Srkinnnc pm/n (U"j:): llti ■ruin.)
(love), tilt' SliDslionc hiiniiihli (to lose): for y'. i!i»' Ki/li
/
III
(ti) drink). I'or tlic .Mala\ ti'h.ii.
Iia\c the
Tc|M'liiianii tiiii'i (toasU): loi' hnini. hilnh the ('oi.i hmi
(to li\('), /''/)f/ (to heat); lor liiinnli. the SliaMa I'mni'
(liiiiiM'). iiJid so on.
1 hese examples I could increase indellnitel_\' and liow
strikin,::' similarities in some few words liet\\«'en almost
two laniiua'^cs of the worltl. \\ hen there are enoiiLih
.•11 1 \
111' them sninlar ni sonm
1 and
siiinilication in aii\ two
tiinuiies to constitnto ii I'ule rather than exceiilioiis. such
laiiuiiaues are said to he ndated ; hnt where, as in the
;ilM)\t'-cite(l instances, these similarities are merelv ac-
t'ilciital. to pi'ove tlicni related would |H'o\e too iiiiich.
liir tlu'n all the langiiajies of the earth miiiht he .-.lid to
lie related.
Ill treatimx of the l;ni;:uai:'es of the I'acillc States,
t'niiimencinji' with those ot' the north and procec dint:' sontli-
\v;ii'd. I make it a rule to follow them wherever they
li'iid. without rcstrictiiiii' nn.self to place or nation. ( )ne
nation may speak two lanLLiiaiics; the same lanuuai^c
may 1)0 s[token hy a do/en nations, iind it the exideiice
is Mich as to imply the existence of the .siiiie lanL;iiai:e.
'ir traces of it. in Alaska and in Sonora. 1 can do no
los than .step from one })lace to the .'tlier in speakiniiof
It. IVsides the i»ames and localities of lan<jua<;es iind
liiiLiiiistic famiru's. I shall endi'avoi' to ^i\i' son:.' idea of
tlicir several peculiar (characteristics, tlu'ir <:raiimiatical
t'uiistruction. with such .spuchiien.s of each us will enable
Vol.. 111. ;)i;
1
' 1
i
m
1
n
IN
f ' J; ta|
■J
. 1'
'41
'.t
p ■■■•
5{
ft ill
r.(;2
CLASSIFICATION OF LANGUACJES.
the stiulont to injike comparisons and draw iiiftM-onccs.
In tlio lollowinsi" table I liavc attonn)t(.'d a classillcatidii
of these lanjitiujres; but in some instances. iVom the lack
ol' vocahniaries taken helbre the intermixtures that
iblhmed the advent ol' Europeans, any elassilicatioii can
he I)ut approximative.
CLASSIFIC.VnON OF TIIi: Al?01!I(nNAL LANGUAGES OF
THE PACIFIC STATES.
Es]v
AKnt.
Tlilinkoot.
TiaiKh
N.i-
Kiitt
I'liktonnuto
Northern i KMiii;iii,ili-Iiiiniiu
Eskimo Niiwaii^'iiitiiu
Nimiitimj,'iiH'UU
Kit I ''110
Miik'Hintc
AiilvL;iiiiiti'
( iiiii'L;iiinti'
r.ishtolik
Kiiiii,'jiilit
Mii!,'i.'iiiufo
.\_'uimiito
Kt jiilui|_;iimto
A'_'i(v;ninto
( Imuiitst'h
Kailiak
I rimliiskii
lAtkhii
Sotitlicrn
Eskimo
Koiiiairiiu
( Iuiskoqnif;;mnte.
( Jv\vichii!ii;mutc'.
Vakntat
'.'liilkat
llooilsinoo
Takoo
A Ilk
Kakft
Sitkii
Kclikiioo
Stikccii
Tuii'jass
Eiistt>rn
l)i vision
Sawcssaw-tiniicli or Clirpcwyan
Taiil^aw liooi-iimuli orCoinuiiiiiiH' lliv' i'
Hiii'ii Mountain
1>( av( r
'riilinL;(lia-tiiin(li or DciLj-l'iil)
I\a\vc!i(i-tinni
11^
Amliawtaw lioot-tinntli or Sin i p
Sarsis or Siusccs
'rsiliawdawlioot-tiinuli or IJriisli-
NaL;aili'r
Sloiiacnss-tinncli
lio('l<y Mountain
Eik'hiiwtawoot-tinnch
CLASSIl'ICATION OV LAN'Cr AdKS.
563
Tiiintli
Western
l)ivif^i(iii
Cellt'Ml
J,»ivisiiJii
Sdlltllrrll
.IJivi^iuu
I)it,'ntlii-knl.lii!i(irLunchtin
Vanla-kiitrliiii
N;
Ili'-IvuIcIiiii
Kutoliiii 1 I'.,,)
II;
Kul^ulh-kutchiu
riltclKillr-kulrhill
iltLi
vlllch
Aili/.-kutrliir.
Km.
iutcliiii
[ ■r<iiiiii-kiitclii
11
Keliiii
Tacnll.v
or
.Timak.ii'licituuil
.lil;_;( liiut
In^iiliU
liiliMlit
Ki'ii.'ii
I'Ljali'llZ
Atiiali urXthiUino
Knltsi'hiiuo
Tiiutin i)v Tnlkotiii
Tsilkotin or Chilkotiu
Naskntin
'i'llrtlicllill
Tsalsinitiu
N
iilaaiiliil
Nail
laautiu
iautiii
Niko/liautin
Tatsliiautiu
IJaliiuc
Sicuuiu
Tlatskaiiiii
(jiialluii4il:i
Utii|ii|iiii
J, assies
Wilaeki
! II
llonliah 1 I',,]
iviia;_!L;;
■wall
(alia
Siah
iteell
Apaellis
\]iarlie ]irci[ler
'i'ulllo
Cliii ii-a^'ui
< lili i'm
Miinlireni)
I'aiaiiii
Mrs.aieri)
l.lallel'il
Lipaii
\'ai|iien>
Nil- iiilki
Nala-e
I'inalelli)
( 'civoleril
'ri'jiia
( 'o|i)ii riiiiiu)
NaNajii
66^
CLASSIFICATION OF LANGUAGES.
1 i
?1i
•<-i
a
7. >.
Hui.lith ,
Nass . . ,
Bcllnconla
Chimsyau
Nootka ,
Hiii.l.ih
Kiiiganie
Nass
ScbllKSli
Iluiltza
Kodtka
(Jllai-Niill
Ciiwicliiii
I'liiiMjiiutoh
I'clillll
(^ilalii!
Ki)skiiiiio
(^ilatsiiio
Kvcui'iit
Aiti/zalit
Chicklrzalit
Ahazaht
]lsli(|ualit
Klai//.alit
Nitinaht
'J'lKlualit
Scsliaht
t'laVcKjuot
I'alchii'iiii
Niiuliisli
AVickiiiuiiiish
SiillL;lii(;
Saiictc'h
Ciiiiiux
\<ios(laliiin
Kwaiuliuu
T.(t
Naiiaiino
'i'aciilta
I'clcta
Ni'ciiltii
(^liirihaiiienltii
Nruitlcf
MaukauIiitiR'k
IMakali
Nfwclii mass
Sliiiiiialiiiiuo
Nixik^ak
Saiiiisli
Ska-it
Siiolnmiisli
Cliiniakmu
Clallaiii
Toiuihuo'jli
CLASSIFICATION OF LANGUAGES.
565
Siilisli
Siilisli propor or Fhithoud
Luiiiiiii
CliiUam
Kulltspclm or IV'uJ d'OrtillL's
Slmshwiip
Spokii
SnpronioiU'i
Siipiiilsclii
Svk't'szilui
Sdiiiatlpj
( )Uiiiia!^iin St lakam
SUiisiiish, or l.'tLiir d'Aleiie
I'isiHiiiust!
Ciiwiit/
NsiitslunV
(Cliphalis proptt
Cht'balis I (iuiiimitl
( (iucuiauitl
Nisciually
Kootenai
f Sahaptiu proper or NezPerctt
i Walla WuUa
I I'al.itiso
'^-'li'Tti'i "1 Yakima
1 Klikctat
[ Tairtlti
■\Yniilatpn.
iCavnso
MoUalo
Cliiuook .
Cliiiiodk
Wakiaknin
('atlilai)Rt
Clatsiip
j Miiltiiiiuuili
1 Skilldot
t A\'atlala
Yaiukally
Cala; (ii'Va
C'luuDok Jar''ou
Tototin
Yakiiu
Klnuiatli
(Lntnanii or Klamath
-'M(m1o(.
(Copah
Sliasta
{ Slinstd
- I'alaik
( >Vatsabewah
I I
r.nvoc
t'alu'ii'
()pp<',L;a<'1i
XCj
CLASSIFICATION OF LANGUAGES.
Piitiiwiiy or
Wcitspick
f Pntiiwiiy
I V... „nl
I NVishosk
f'rl
m
Ml
^^
^ J
R
Mi
Eliiick or Politsik
lltiwlctioh
N'iiliiltsii
I'atawat
Cliilliilah
Wlif.kMlttll
Kailtii
Chiiiialacxuiii
Yuka.
Porno .
Cushna
Kiiikla
Yuba
SdiKiiiia
Olc'lia
Vuloy or Y'olo
Xcmshous
Colusa
liasliouoc
Ycsliauack
!Mii(lot)
Nofshouam
Ynkft
'I'alitoo
\Vai)o or Ashochemio
rkiah
(talliiioiiHTO
llasallaiuayoou
(tiialala
-Matolc
Kiilaiiapo
SaiK'l
Yoiiios
Chowcshak
natciiidakaio
Cliociiyiiii
OlaiiK iitko
Kainaiiiarc
Cliwachamaju
1 1
Sacramouto
Vall..y
Lauyuugcs
F.aHfi'rn
Diiilufts
Qi'hocamne
Si'i'oiiHkimmo
t'liii|muiuo
Oiuocliiiinue
Si'ctiiiiui'
Walau'iuiiuo
CoSUllUK!
Sololuiiiiio
Tiirealiuniio
Saywaiiiiiio
Ncwiclinmue
llatclii'iiiiio
Suguynyuiune
CLASSIFICATION OF LANGUAGES.
667
Sftcrm.iciitd
Viill.y
Liiiii/iiiit^fS
r.iistcrn
L»i;ilLcts
Wistcrn
! Mnthclfmne
I Sinxitiitiiiuu©
1 Tiiliitiu
f riizhuiiuo
Viisiiimic
I'lijuiii
Sfkimiuo
Kisky
Y;ili'SUliillo
link
Ynkiil
'rsainak
[ Nt'iiisiiiiw
Napobatin
Napa ,
1 Napa
I Mvacnina
I ('ala,v<iiiiaue
Caymus
I'lnca
Suscol
^Mnstitul
Tulkay
Siiisiui
Kaniuinps
'rmiialcs
Lckatuit
rctalnnui
Guiluco
Tulare
Jlawliaw
('KCdllUOU
Yoi'ut
Slatalau
Salso
(^uiriito
Olhiiiio
Itniisiiu
Kslcno
Isiiuiracan
As]iianaiiuo
SakliDiK!
(lialdlii^
Katkiiilaruca
I'tiytonui
Mutsilll
'I'lialiiifll
Chowcliilla
JI<(\v<IC
Tatcli.'
Sail Mii,'nol
bauta Cruz
6
Sboshouo • .
r Shosboii<>
I ^Vihillasht
] Itauiiack
[ Shoshukeo
■■■II
r>iw
CLASSIFICATIDX OF L.VXGUAGES.
s -1
u.
Utah.
rdiiiiiiu'iio
l\i(ii|ui
Ki/.li
N.l.la
Kiclii
(111 nil lincvi
C'uliiiillu
i rtiili
riiitiiiitn
(iiishiitt;
I'iuto
I'aliuto
I'.iiiilio
A\ iisliuo
Siiiii|iitc'lii!
i^ llouu
Quo ITS.
T(;.;uii or Toziniuo
]'ic(iris
.TcliirZ
Ziini
k Kiwoiiii
[Ciifliitinii
Acoma
Yuuui
( 'ho vet
('ajuiiK'ho
Taiiiiijiib
Bfueme
Coviiji
Nocho
r Yuma
j Maricojni
Cncliau
I ^rojiiNc
l)iiL;crK>
I Vaiji]iais
I Yavijiais
I rajiioiu'ho
'( JaUiqutimui
( Tecuichr
] TeiiiiiUfcho
! 3
3
Cochiini
Guaicuri
rciicu
I Laymon
•jlka
Cora
MoiKini
] Diiliii
Li V 110
, Uc'hitio
CLASSIFICATION OF LANGUAGES
f
1
riiiia Alt
I'iiuii Fiajo
r'ipa','o
Siiliaiimris
En (lino
Tiuiiis
'rii^uiina
CoL^niiiai'hirt
(')p(ita
Itatiica
Salmariim
llinii li
( i\ui/alja
Jovii
Cahita
(Mayo
/ Vai|ni
(TchiK'CO
Zoo
( lua/avo
llitiica
AiMiii)
Ocnldlli
^^|(•a^l■.•,'ui
Zuac|iU!
Cciiiiiipoiis
a:
Aliuiiir
/.
^lociiiito
h
1 Italian
lliiitu
Ore
.Macciyahui
'1 auri>
(-
1 r< les
Ni)
/.
Caluiimcto
'!'( pavti
( Uuiii'o
( liic.irata
iiaMipii
iVaroi^'io
'rarahuinara....
'(luazaiiaro
( I'aihcia
Cnnvhn
Tnl,,,,,,
'liiliiiio
I'in.
SllMl.l
• liiiiarra
li liiilia
,
'I'l jiiii)
Tnliai-
Tipihuaua
5U9
m
I
570
CLASSIFICATION OF LANGUAGES.
hi
a
w
e
H
(i
O
ir.
y.
Acnx('e
I Tnpia
-/ S;iliail)0
( \iximo
/iLCiltl'O
Cii/c.inn
JTii/apilo
Knitinli'
(iiiachichilo
Cdliill.iii
'riaxnimiltL'O
'rccilcxd
Ti'pt-'Civno
Con
(Muntzicat
-| Ti akiiiilit/i^'ti
(Cuni, or Attiikiiri
AzUc, Mi'xipiin, or Xiiliuutl
Ot(jun
OtolIU
ilaziiLua
I'aiiic*
JIccip, or Serrano
\w ^
Ytino
Olivo
Xaiiambro
I'isdlU!
Taiiiaulipoc
Taraspo
Matlalt/ilica
Oc-uilti-U
u
I— I
c
Miztcc ,
' Tppnzcnlano
YaiiLjiiistlau
Mi/tec 1)aja
Mizlcc altii
Cuixlalmao
{ 'riaxia<'0
I'liilapa
Mictlaiitongo
Taaiazulapa
Xalti'iiio
Nofhiztlan
Choolio, or Cliuchoue
Aiiuis^'o
JIazatcd
Ciiicatcc
C'liatilio
Tlaiiailco
Chiiiaiiti'C
I'opohica
Znpotec.
Zaachilla
Ocotlau
Ktla
Xct/.it'Lo
CLASSIFICATION OF LANGUAGES.
[ Serrano do Itztci)C'c
I Serrano do Miahuntlan
C7I
■^- IlllilVO
Ilimsloc
ToUmiic
<'lii;iji:iiioo
Zot/il
/^< liial-.iufleu
VflicthitLca
Jlani
A,hi,.
<iii,it..inaltoe
Ciitttac
I'liiricliofii
I'liliiiiiclii
<'aic]iic,>lcl]i
1'lacaccl;astla
Apa.v
'i'aiilci)a
riiia
<'ak(lui|iiel
Zutu-il
<'lioiti
Ala^'iiiJao
<'airhi
(xil
X'ii|Uo
(■ox,,li
Cliauabal
Chul
At;uacatec
(,'ncclu
^iayu
Cnrih
^Iiisijuito
I'ova
'i'( iwka
Scco
Valii'iite
Kama
Cnokva
^Vci(]]\va
Touuylus
Totikilhati
Cliakiiliiiati
Ipapana
. Tatimolo, or Naolingo
fi7a
CLASSIFICATION OF LAKGUAQES.
Loiipft
Htiioo
All>iituiiia
Jarit
Toa
(inula
Motiii'a
FaiisiiHua
ISambu
Cf)ril)ici
('li(ir<»tei»a
C'lioiitnl
Orotifia
Blanco
Tiribi
Talainauca
Cliiripo
Guatuuu
Nicova
CtTfimro
('liiri(iu{
Kin-ica
Verugua
I'ltrirt
Escoria
IJirnqueta
Nata
Urraca
Chiru
Chaiiie
Cliieiipotra
Siiiih'niia
(luiirura
Cutiira
I'aimiua
Chuelmra
Cheno
Cui'ba
Qnarecua
Chiape
Ponca
I'ocora
Zmimunma
Coiba
Ponca
Chitarraga
Ada
(;arcta
Dill-ion
Abieiba
Abenauieehcy
Dabfiiba
Biri'i
CLASSIFICATION OF LANGUAGES.
Tnlo
Cli.-Io
I'liriK'ho
CiiiiiiiTuii
IJiiyiiiii)
('iiiian-f)ii
Man/iiiiillo, or San Bias
-M.llllllllgO
I'lllIU
Ciiiiucuna
Cliiico
<'ii<>iimno
rriil);i
Miha
I'nyii
Gdujiro
Mntilono
Giiiiiiiotii
Cociua
673
CHAPTER IT.
inTEIinOKKAN T.AXnrAGES.
Distinction betwern Eskimo and Amkiuoan — Eskimo PnoNrNcrATii-iv Asn
Dkci.knsion— DiALKcrs of tiik Koniahas and Ai.Ki"rs - LANiirA(.K or
TUkTiiMNKKKTS IlYrOTIlKTK'AI, Al'liNITlKS — TlIK TlNNKlI TaMII-Y anu
ITS DULKCTS— F^ASTKUN, WksTKUN, CkNIKAI., ANU SdCTIIKUN DlVISIONH -
ClIKl'KWYAN DKCI.KNsroN — OUAToniC'AL Dihl'I.AY IN' TlIK SpKKCIt OP TlIK
KCTCIIISS DlALKCTS OF TlIK AlNAlIH AM) UdAI.KNV.KS ( 'i >M I'A UKl) SlK-
CIMKN OF TlIK KoLTSIlANK ToNGL'K- Ta< TT.I.Y ( ;CTTfI!AI.H — Himl'M!
VoCAliri-AUY— APACIIK 1)IAI,K( is- -LiPAN LoUD's rUAYKK — NaVA.JO Wcil.1.1
— CoMl'AltATIVK VoiABUr.AUY OF TlIK TiNNKII FaSIII.Y.
I
Tlie national and tribal distinctions p;ivon in tlio fir-t
vohnno of this work will, lor the most part, sorvc ;is
divisions for lani;aaucs and dialocits ; 1 shall not tlKMvliiiv
repeat hero the names and boundaries before mentidiuil.
except so far as may be necessary in s[)eal\iiiu' of laii-
truages alor \ As a rule those physical and socinl dis-
tinctions y\ 'ich indicate severalness amoni:' [i('o[)l('s. arc
followed, it ideed they are not jioverned l>y the several-
ness of dial< ts, that is, the diversities t)f laniA'iiaiic oiki ate
as powerful as the as[)ects of nature or any other caii-rs.
in separatin mankind into tril)es and nations; licinr it
is that in the diilerent divisions of humanity are fniiid
dilVerent dialects, and between dialects physical and
gcogra|)hical divisions.^
As I have said in another i)lace the l^skimos aiv
the anomalous race of the Xew World; and tliis is no
1 Seo vol. i., p. 42 et suq. of this work.
LANGU.u;i::.s ox Tin: Aucric seauoaud.
676
less true in tlioir liui^niajio tliau in their plivsiciil , liaiiic-
tciistics. ()l)vi()usl^- they luv a i>olai' i)t'()[»lt' nitlu'r tliiin
iiii Ami'i'icaii or an Asiatit^ jm'(>|>1('.- Tiicy cliiiL:' to tlio
Miilioanl; and wiiilo the distiiiction hctwi-eii tiu'iii ami
the iiihuid Ainorican is ch'ai'ly drawn, as we d scj-nd th(*
strait and Noa of lieriiig, cross the Ahiskau peiiinsidii
mid follow the shores of the Pacific eastward aid south-
ward. ;:radually the Arctic; dialect uieriii'S iut(/ that of
the Auierican pro[»er. lii oui 'lyjierhorean^iroup. whose
Mtutheru hound is the fifty-fifth ])arallel, the northern
K'uhoard part is occupied wholly hy J'lskiuios. the southern
by a peoj)le <';ill(>d hy souie lOskiiiios and hs' others Koiii-
iii:as. while further on the "iraduation is so C(MiipIite and
the transition from one to the other so jiuperceptihle that
it is ol'teu dillicult to deteriuiue which are Indians and
which Mskiinos. In treatinu' of their maimers and
nistoms, I separateil the littoral Alaskans into two di-
visions. caUin<i; them Mskimos and Konia^as. hut in their
laii'iiiaLics and dialects 1 shall speak of them as one.
NO pliiloloi-ist familiar with the whole territory has
attciiijited to classify thes(! llyjierhorean touiiiies; dilVer-
fiit writers ivfer the lan^!j.ua)i('s of all to such particiihir
imrts as they happen to he familiar with. Thus the
ltu.>sian i)riest W'uiamiuoif divides the ilskimo lan,Liuaj:i^
iiit(j six dialects, all boloniiiu"; to the Kouia'ias. on the
2 ' rps (Icnx liuiLfiios. . . .sont nlwoluinont l.'i iiirmo quo rcllo dos Voj^'uK
liiliitiitits di' lit 'i'artiirii', ct In iiicmk' (|
uc eel
(li'rt Liipnns.' M 'ii'iliin, ill
. !"/»/.. l/.,r.. tiiiii. i,.<Uv. i., ]). (!•"). 'f.is i;s([iiiiii;inx (rAiiii'iii|iii' it li's'l'ilioiitdiiH
'1' 1 rMic'iiiiti' mini (If I'Asif oriiiitulc . . .il <st nisc' ilr i'ic(iiiiiiiili«j ([iiils
lartiiiiiiriit a mil' iiumi
fa
will
luiulc
NiiMiri
■til' si
IDfCO
f N'lirtli Aiiu lieu is
lAwVv/s, l-.'.fjihir., tiim. ii . ji. ICM.
Till
s ]t( mscsst
il l>v tlir]ls(Hiiiiiiinx jiiiil (in iti-
ilii) s|>cii,k ail (ii'i;,'iiiiil ti)ii;,'iit' calh il KuViiiit.' .l/<( '////,«•/, s l^i.i'iirluH
]>■ an. ' 'I'Ik .\i-( lie I'i'vjioii is mainly I'liMnilliy (liiilccts <if ii siii;,'!(i
l:m;,'iiii<^i'-~thc]';skiiiii).' l.iitlKtiii'sCiiinii. /Vn'/l^.vol. viii., I'l.asj. ' I)cr Aimii-
' iiiisclic S|iniclityiiUM, diti KskiiiKi-Sjiiiiclii', nidit liiniilur iiacli .Vsicii.'
^•■Iiiiiitiiii, ,s'/ii(/'c)i (/(>;• ,\jih: Spr., ji, 711. ' Allc EsUiiiiDS s]ir(M-li(ii iiu
sriiilii-hi'iuiicsi'nic S|irachi'.' ll't>i\Sliil.i(.KlliiM,.,]
■■f thr WfSt
Till' laii!,'iiai,'t!
'lulilts that iif tlic> tiiliis to till
cni J'.s(jiiiiiiaux Kf) lUMfly ns(
tistwiml.' I!icfliii/'s \'i'i/'iiii\ vol., ii., p. ail. Sititrr'^ /ji7/i/(;/s' A'.c., p. "Jl")
A//;. /..(I ',s Viiiiniji-, vol. iii., p. aU; Fr<ii(l.l'iii's .V/r., vol. i., p. ail; Ihn.iv ami
iijis'iii, in Lnnil. Gio,/, ,s',,
p. 'SSI.
Sl'DllllKll'.l I'"//. llU'lllI,
^'"i- ii.. p. tW. ]5ut Vater does not liclicvc that llm laiii!Ua),'e cxtt iids i
1^1 Asia. ' IJass sifli wold cin I'.intluss dcr Eskiino-S]iiM(lic. ulicr niclil
•lii* si'llist idler dir /wisclu'ii .\siiii and .\uitrikii liiL'tiuku lusiln cistrL-ekt.'
^lllhrhhl'-:, t
om. iii., pt iii., pp. lo'i, 120.
570
HYPEKIJOREAX LAXdUAdKS.
f f
n)
if
Iviiiliiik Tsliinds and the iidjiicciit tenitoiy. Tlic liict
is Vt'iiiiiininolV dwrlt in .soutlii'rii Alaska and in the
Alontiun Isles, and know notliini:' of the liicat inlnml
nations tothenoi'tii and west. To tlu' jK'oitlc of Kadink
lie "ives two dialects, a northern and a soutliern. ami
tl
earnos tiie same laniiiiauc onct
tot!
le niam
land
adjacent.
The Russian e\i)loi'er Saiioskin. to the ("linaLiuiiitc
dialect of \'eniannnoll' unites 11k> K\vichiia;iiiniti' iiiul
Ivnskoquiiiinnte under the colK'ctive name of Kan-julit.
ol" whichwith the Ivadiak he niakesaeoniparativc \()caliu-
lai'v estahlishinu' their identitw' In like niannci- W.^y
elassilies these northei'n lan.uaaiies. hut conlines hiinsiir
almost exclnsivelv to the coast ahoM> Kadiak Island.'
Kot/ehne says tjiat a dialect of this same lanuuaLi
e 1-
spoken hy the natives o
we ma\"
hel
leve
Ml
f f^t Lawrence Island." Vet
'emann. all these dialects a
tiallv dilVerent.
i':si
\mio
lau'-iu;
iLi'e
he W
re csx'll-
■itcs. •• is
so iiiiicli
divided into many ilialeets, which often \ar
that tlu)se who sjieak one are unahle to undei'st uid tlic
others. The nati\'es of Ivot/ehue Sound for iii>l;iiiii'
haw to use an inter|ireter in conN'ersiiiL:' with tlicir
countrymen in Xorton Sound: towards Point IJ.'irnuv
another dialect prevails, which howcNcr is not suiiiclmtlv
distinct to he unintellijiiljle to the Kot/.dtue |
Accordiu"' to \'ater ami Richardson tlie I!>kiiiin
ICOplC
lanuuau(
as s )(
okeii east of the .Mackenzie Rixcr iiiihriii'
to ha\'e a softer sound, as for instance, for the western
endiiiii' A7/ the eastern trihes mostly use s and xniu'-
times //. The (ierman sound c^. unttural. is fifi|U( iilly
heard amonii,' the western ]»eo[)le. Xouns ha\'e.-i.\ cn-cs.
the changes of which ar(
e expressed i)\' alu.xea s\ liable
' Wiii'iiiiiiiiif. l'i}fv dl: Sjirnclu'ii di.s russ. Aimr., in i'.nii m. Arrlii-.. l"iii.
ii.. No. 1. \i. 12(') ct >■(>(!.
■i Sii'jiisl.in, 'I'li'irlitirli, iu /i'ks.s. (nHtij. (I'lsilL, Jh ul.sflir., tnin. i.. ]'. '■''■<'■'
ct se(].
Vllf ilic'sr Viilkci-schnftcn vcilcii cini' Sjirnclir ainl j^'chriri n xii 'iiii iii nu
(iriiistll)i'ii SiainiiK
('. ill r sii'li iiiicli \vi
■ittr iKiiilliili liii
liT Kii-ti
III
isdihiit.' J{i(rr. .s/.(/. II. l-'Jhno., ]>. I2'J.
Knt:. hi
>!/";i'\ viil. ii., ]
p. 11
Ot the siniil.iritv bitwicn flic Kailiiik niid .MiisUii iMinm I.:iii'-'siliirll
In
siiliii' as tliiisc o
■at ill L,'ric till' clcitli
iri'' aiiil liui''iiaL;i' i
if tiiM .Vlals;iiiv
.f tl
It' pi
■If (if Kihli
I'd//. Jlimld, vol, ii., pp. U.S-til.),
li'//.. viil. ii.. p,
\:\i\
kxa:»U'J.i:.s of riir, lskimo (ikam.mau.
577
Tln'sc Juv in tlie siuiiiilar innt. ituk. hnf.iii'', and Zv//. aiul
in the plural mif. nil,', ii'it. nr. and ijnt. lid. ^/n. //c. (fit.
(I III
i/ii. era, otc, allixed U) tlio iioininativi', di-uote a \)o>
K'ssivc case. .Vs: — kinjuli, a servant; kirijui'i/'i, my
M'lvant ; /'Vy^///'', lii.s sci'vant ; etc. .Irs// and arsult are
diiiiinutivi,' endin.us and iionh-.smUil. anil s/k/.^i/,- anLiinent-
iiti\i'
.'V(ljei;tive.s ave also declinaMe. Nouns can he
traiis[
)( )se(
I iut
:o verlw l)v allixiiin' rro
•)k and oi.'ol', luid the
ailjci'tive is altered in the same niain)ei'.
The third jxM'son siniinlar of the indi('ati\e is taken
iis the root ol" the verh, and hy chanuinii' its termination
it may lie Wi^v^l as a noun. The infinitive is formed by
the i)()st[u)s!tion ii<:k. I'he verb has numerous intlections.
'To he" or • to have,' hoth pcjssessinu' a similar lijinifi-
cation. are expressed by (jl or c'l — as n'linii/in/. it is his
laml.
Jlichardson uive.s the foll(nvinj^' declension o<' a iionn,
transitively and intransitively (?) :
TUPEK, A TENT.
fiiyiiULAU
(rcn.
Diit. ti
tr. tui)tk (
iutr. tiiiKil) )
tnrkil)
till
rk
Ace.
iiitr. tiii)prnuut
ir.
tn
ipal
intr. tiiiiji' link
Abl. tr. tiiii[ir!iiiit
iutr. tniipi/riuiit
DUAL
tiipjiak
tuiiimk
tiiiijiak
tupiiauL;imt
tniijiak
lulll)all^'llit
tiililian^'iiit
tn]ii>aii^'imt
PT.rr.AL
tui-k<'t
turk.t
tnrkct
till
■niiit
(ill kiiiut
tiirkit
tn|i]irniiit
turkiumit **
S'lme claim that the lanauaiies of Ktidiak and the
Aleutian Islands are co,:^nate. others deny any relation-
.^iiil'. Stephen (JlottolV. one of the first to ^■isit Kadiak
Island, states ])ositively that the inhabitiints of I'nalaska
and particidarly a boy IVoni the we.stern Aleutian Isles
I'liiiM not nnderstand the people of Kadiak.'' Captain
'uuk thought there exi.sted a phonetic similiU'ity between
■ '•''■li'irilsoii's J(iin\. veil, ii., ]^. 'M'A ft scq : Vaun
tnm. iii., No. i., pp. 1 12 i;t; IIucIh i/'n royic/i-.vul. ii., ]
ihii'tT, in Kniiini. Archi
:ii;(T: I ■(((./■. M;ihr\<hii>
Jiiiii. iii., pt iii., p. •I'iS tt si'(i : iioti.s on tln> ClniLtatsh dialrct at I'riiicc
iSduiuI inCnok'sVoij. i> 1\u:., vol. ii., pp. ItTi-ii, iiiui I'urllnrl/s I'l'//.,
»\jc/lCu'/l/
la' kdiuitc tlio Spnu'lio dioscr lusulixiifr nicht. . . .vcrsttlieu.' ,Vii(e
!(».■
VuL. m.
578
IIYl'EHr.OlIEAN LANGUAGES.
the spc'ocli of tliu Fiiiiliiskas and tlio people of Xoitmi
Sound. wirK^li o[)iiii()ii ii])p(';ir.s to l)e corivct.'" Sd
disiirranired liiive the aboriiiiiial toiiiziu's in this vicinllv
])t'eonie since the advent of the llnssians that little de-
pendence can he placed on latter-day investiuatioiis.
Dall admits the s[)eech of the two ])eo[)le8 to hedissimijiir
vet their laimnane he helieves to he one.^^ A'ater, nioiv
cantious, thinks that there is perha[)s some I'lskimo iu-
n. .,...,.,. ,.,>«■;..,... 1. 1.. ^.vw...... 4-1. ,> K", X, »;.^. ...... 1'.! !>.>,>.. ,..;,..,
11
nence notau
Adi
mirai von
ahl
e amonii'
tl
le
.oniaiiiis
>aer iiivts
'11
ranLiell s onnuon. \\hn
h al
so mcl
towards snch a connection, hnt he himself expresses the
opposite helief. citinji' in sni)p()rt of tlii.s that the physical
appearance of the Kt)n>a,iias diiVers entirely I'rom that of
the Eskimo race.'' ]>uscinnaiui gives, as tii(> I'esuU of
(^arefid investigations and comparisons, the opinion that
the laimiiaueof I'nalaska is distinct from that of Kadiak.
un(
1 snp[)orts it hy the statements of traveler:
for instance that of the mate Saikolf, given in the .\"'r
\(>rilisi'I(i' />i''fr'/>/i'. torn, iii., p. 284, who says that tlic
two are totally dilferent.
'rhroughoiit the whole Aleutian Archipelago thei'c aic
hut two dialects, one of wliich is spoken on the peninsula.
on Tnalaska. and a few islands contigcous. while tlie
other — Ity W-niaminolV called the Atkha dialect -e.\-
tenils thencc' over all the other Aleutian Isles. In neither
dialect is there anv distinction of tiender; hut to make
n[) for this deficiency, hesides the plui'al, a du;
uhstantives have thi'ce cases: — <i(]<ih'h. the fall
ll h
US(
A.
I,.
i/llll/}\u\^
ICI!
father :r^r/''/;y/r///. to the lather:
f/adiii or (((/(t'/iiuif'/i
(ithd/ik or (iildk'ui. hoth fathers :r/f7r///, the lathers; nihin'l
to the fathers. W'rhs are conjugated h\ means of ter-
minals. Tluy ai'c divided into three classes. aeti\e,
medium, and })assi\-e. Xe'^ation is expressed hy the svlki-
hie i'lljiik added to the root of the verb; sometimes al-
1" >'<ioh'ti Vol/, to P'ti'., vol. ii., ji. .")'2'2.
'■^'D.iss sicli w.>lil (ill I'.iiitliiss (L'v Eskiino-S])raplu> iilxT iii lit il
() h\'
H ''h-it ill) •!• tlii^z.vis hi'ii .Vsicii mill AiiU'i'ikii
Miflin<latrs. |(
'luk'li Iiist.'lu I'l-stl'tc
t. T
III. III.. )it 111.
■|.">s.
" ' DiT IJi'Woliiifr veil riiiilasclika kiiiiii il(.'ii vou KiulJHck g:ir uicht vri-
Btolu'u.' Bur, Slut. t(. Ethno., {ip. 123-268-0.
ATKII.V AND UNALASKA DIALECTS.
571 >
I'jdhi, {jtifjff, or f/anii. Sjid'oiif/, I take; f^jiiniih-linni. T took
xj'i/j(t/,'(i/,v/iliH/. I tiiko not; fijiiiiii(/'(J/}/ifiiH/. I took not
ftl'K
III. take; sjii/jtK/ifdti, or xj'if/aiKic/ifc/tiiK take not.
The easteiMi Ak'uts emnieiate verv ra[)i(lly, Avitliout
dividin;,' their words distinctly, makin;^' it vrrv dillicult
for a stranger to understand tlieni. In I'nahiska their
^^;)eech is uioi'e (h'awlinti'. wiiiU^ on Atkha Ishmd the
iKitives \n'(
)nounce each woi'd ver\- distinctly. The
^v(
Ai'vn Aleuts and the
I'.ither slo\vl\- — drawli
l)eoi
lie on
I
unialv also sne;ik
ni
u
Dall states timt the chiel'
dilt'erence hetweeii the Atkha and I'nalaska dialects
consists in the formation ol" the plural of nouns. The
inner lor this pui'[)ose einjiloy the terminal k'tter;
s!i. or ■//
,7-
I'or diminuti\es the Atkhas use the endini
KilS I
hik
!.■>
hif.-<fiiif,' and the Tnala?
On the next ])aue 1 insert a vocahulary of Kskiuio.
Kuskoiiuigmute, ALalenuite. Aleut, and Kadiak tongues.
Turn now to the 1'hlinkeets, who extend along the
ciiast southward IVcjui Mount St I"]lias. as llohiilH'rg says,
t(i the Columhia lUver;'''' Chlel)nikolV. to the lorty-liVst
pirallel; N'ater, to (^ui'cn CTiarlotte Island:'" and \'enia-
iiiiiKiir. to the Stilvcen Uiver; the latter allirming. at the
■suiie time, that there is hut one dialect sjioken among
tlitni all."* The nations mentioned hy( 'a()tain Ih-ynntas
siR'aking this language are the Chilkats. Sitkas. lldod-
siiinos. Auks. Kakas. lilikinoos. Stikeens. and Tungass.''
IVum all accounts the Thlinlveets [lossess the most
11 ' Dii
(■4i
.sicli (las aliutisi'li(> Lli
mN 111! ( l''ilrl'. VI
.11 ,1
rl!l L'Vii'-siii
II ilsclu'ii g lU/. vcrst
IuimU.
'I ,\\:lrl..S
iicr SjiiMclityims ( i'
St.' /
lilsiillllKKil. Sliili
TOi ft si'H. Veiii.uiiiiii ill's cxauiplrs an' us follows: at't
li • t'l ik;iiii'iliuiil, he t<iok iiH': jiussivr, h
li It'll. Ill F.nmin, Arclii
I'., tolll.
iii.. \n. 1,
l'l>
l;ifl-s: I
i'liKliimt'
'•j'i'i. tolll. ii., |i]i
•2(;>-7].
•l/iisl.i o'l (Isti'ffi-.irh. OolKllnsL-UlsL'I'h'
hiT.
!/.(>■/, w. p
\:ilr,: M:i!,,i,l<ihs. t.
'■ \ oil St J'lliaslirfgc bis hiiiiintcf /um (
nil. iii., ]it iii.. p
olullllii.l-sllollll .'
.|.-,:i-H;(l.
' Sic o'stfrciicii sich von lakittat siiiUich liis zii ili it Cliaflotti ii-Iii
'iil'f. M'llliriildlis, tolll. iii.. lit iii
2 1 '.I.
in /'.'
h /;
Till, r
Noll I. tit liis Stailiiii, itml hat I'.isl nitr i iiicti Dialrct.' Wnvti
■If I
l/'.V .
toiii. vii
Ni
'iiii\
ill Am
„ p. I'.s.
7',
.■|(('^
:il.
illi'.,'ass lMti^,'iia|_;(' 'as JIf. Toliuic (',>ii|r('liit'i'il, is iiiaily I
]i. :lid.
tliut siiiiktu at SU
w saiiii' iis
;ii.
Scuakr, iu Load. U
AlJ. .^vc.
J
iHir.. vol. M.. 11.
n«.
ti. ill
580
nYrEiir.oiiEAX lanciuages.
COMPAKATIVE VOCABULARY.
KSKIMO.
KL'SikOl^CKl-
MUTK.
yuj^'ut
MAI.KMUTK.
ALKCT.
KAI.'IAK.
■M.m
tuak
iinik
tiiiocli
sewk
\\ Oinitn
a;^'uak
knik
okauok
iknik
aiyagar
kignak
riiv
\ iL,'iiik or
'( ij,'nuc'k
kuok
rnsh
' eniik
W'iiUv
f^alt
AVat.r
' turruoke
Watd'
niiiv
iiuniik
taau"ak
taan*'ak
Earth
uuiii
iiuiieh
tshckak
nooua
hluiic
an^'inak
i k( iiiiia or
( kooHiack
!),.-
anunkhukkta
kiyuknnik
uikuk
[icwalit
Kiiifo
scc|ii''tat
I baitlsiach
, lllai^^ak or
( ntiva
chivichuk
clidwik
onigazshiz-
shik
t:>han^ii Ik
Sun
akhtah
sliukecnyuk
akathak
niailzshak
I
\viiiiii'_;a
liwihkii
\vunL,'a
keen
chooi
TIk.u
Ipit
ilk^wit
iugaan
I'hlimt
Eat
\ ashacllipoik or
/ isliadlooweet
ueega
nugerunger
kiinugen
liittooaga
Ytrt
a
( na.L;a, uau,
■ tuuiii, iiao,
( auii,u!a
you
wah
iiaug
aang
No
chashituk
peeehuk
uiaselikau
pedok
Ono
) tci^ai'a or
/ ailaitsuk
atnnchik
atowsik
attakon
ah'heluk
'J' wo
) luilliit-
/ suuyutt
\ l)in,L,r(ttsat-
, sunjj;ii(t or
( iiin^'iyook
iiuilkhok
luahuk
alhik
inalogh
Three
paina'ivak
pinyusut
kankoon
pingaim
Four
^ tsituniinnt or
' Sl'llUlUt
t'chamik
sctouiat
shitshin
staiiU'U
\ ta,li,'l,'iiiat
■. a(htycrt or
( tali'iiiia
Five
talimik
tilemat
tshaug
aliiiiaii
[ arlilMuiua
Six
1 ai,'h\viiniak
^ akkaooin-
I el-,.f
( aitpa
akhvinok
aghwiuulect
attoon
iL;(Aiir.i.;ia
a<huinni<,'h-
Bcveu
■ ipa-ha
iMullavoonik
<<V Imlruli
niiiniikLvu-
ntim
iiiahlnditagh-
winuhet
ohing
malc'h('ii„'mi
Ei-ht
^ liriiavna
liruuivooik
' |)ci,'i-ssct
pinaiviak
liiuyusuiii"
la;4h\vinul('et
kamtshhig
iiiL;liilyin
Is'iuo
\ sci^tuimia
( tccidiiiiiiiik
chtumiak-
vanam
kooliuotyhik
sitehiug
kolleliii-'iiill
Ten
\ taillri'Mia or
/ ki'.lit
knllnuk
kooleet
hasnk
koll.ll
Eh'vei
\
attakatha-
niatkich
alclllc"-ll ;,i
1
[
IIAESIINESS OF THE TIILINKEET TOXdlE.
581
l),irl)nroiis spoocli fomid anywlicro in the I'iiciCio States.
A\'lu'tlK'r this iU'iscs iVoiii the hiiuo block of wood with
wliich the Thliiikeut iiiiitrons liraco tht'ii' iiiidcr lip,
which drives the sound from the throat throujih the
licth and nose before it reaches the ear of the listener. 1
not pretend to say; but that it is hard, uuttui'al.
('liu'l<inL;'. hissini:'. in shoil ex'erythinii' but labial, thei'e is
iiii doubt. All who ha\e visited theui. whether ( leriuau.
(ID
iMiLihsli. rrt'iieh.or ^panlsh. aizree ni this particular.
.\hn'cliand describes it as excessively rude ami wild.
Mo>t ol" their articulation^
are
aceoini)anie(
d I
»\'
>ti'ouLi' nasal aspiration, with stivnuous ellbrts of {ho.
throat; particularly in produciii;i' the soiuid ol' a double
/', which is heavy and hard. Many of their words coin-
iiieiice with a stroir^iy liiittural /• sound and this same
Miund is ireipicntly heard three times in one word. Dr
lliiblet who accompanied Marchand. says that, notwith-
staudini:' all this, the lan^;'ua,?(' is \vyy comi)lete. possess-
i:: a multitude ol won
Is, tl
le natives beiuii' at no loss to
'A\o a name to everythiivj,.'"^ La IN'rouse. who makes a
similar rep(U't. liives as an example of its harshness tlu>
word /•////•A'/rs, hair." In Veniaminoirs vocal)ulary are
t'nmid such W(.)r(ls as M//'/"//7//i'. healthy, and /'////////. ashes,
le lVe(|Uently occiirriuii:
lltelMl
Mlil
uni)roiiounceahle
bk
Wll
lid //has led several authoi's to sui)[)ose a relationshi[)
li the A/tec toniiue; as for e.\anij)K' \'ater. who iiiaile
;i >iiiall com[)arative tal)li> which I insert to show directly
the contrary to what he wished to pro\'e.
Settinii' aside the /«//. A', st
one, ol Willi
■h I
have made
lo'i'vioiis mention, ha
1 the words been selected to pioNe
u \\;mt of allinity between the two laniiuaLH-'s th(y could
lilt lia\e been more to tlu' point. I'lischmann asserts,
iiii)ivo\er, that several of the Mexican words are mis-
I
I I
'" Taki'ii froiii l',f< rlioif^ \'iii/ihii\ Vol. ii.; l!ii<r, Stal. ". Ethiio.; /A(,:"s Alushi;
1(11'/ >!(.'. /-'.s lliliiicis' /'.'.I'.
•I M'trclniiiil, I'll//";/'', torn, ii., jip. lu'l-lIH.
•'/.'( I'riniis' . \'t,i/.. tnm. ii.. J). 'JiiN. 'Tliiir lMiit,'iiiit;c is harsh iiml uii-
lil'a-iiit tl) tlu' till'.' I''iiilncl,'^ \'iii/..Y^. •J'.);{. ■ li ii|)|M'Mi-s liailiarmis, iini-outli,
iiii'l >lil1ic'ult to iiriiiioiiiici!.' Ii'ixnii's Veil.. [). 17'J. • Lii ilitirij |iiMii\iiii-iiii imi
ilr .,11s vii/is ...pnrs las furiiiaii ilc In '.jar^^iiiitii cum iiii Jnnv iiiiiriitip ilu la
1' 11.; 11 (.■outr.i (.1 palailai'.' Bdilnjii ij (^'luilrd, Sm:,, MS., pii. Iti-IT.
582
IliTERDORE.VN LANGUAGES.
AZ KC.
THI.INKEKT.
Motlior
iiiiiitli
nttli
Biotliir
ttiicliciinh
ncliaik or iichoiioil-
Faci^
xayiu'iitl
ka^'a
ForiliPiul
yx(|iiiitl
kakak
Strong'
vilitili/cotl
itl/iii
Depth
Vccutlyotl
kattljan
Stoiio
tctl
tc
E.irtli
tlalli
tlj.ikiiak or tkitka
Duck
oaiiaulitli
kanclri
Star
litlati
tlaa.h/tl ^:t
([uotod.-' A A'w instiuicos litivo boon discovorod In the
NiiiK' wfittT. wlu'iv tlu^ Tliliiikc'ot toiiuiie itppcars to Im;
M'fLiiiiu' towiifds tlic TiiiiU'li. Among otliors lie iiu'iitioiis
tlioTliliiiki'(4 Avords/r, stoiio. .^/////^ iniiskrat.ooiiipariiii;: the
latter uitli 'tlu^ Dogrih iz'ni: the 'J'ldinkcct (ic/isc/nif,
Avoiiian. will', uitli tlicl'iiiptina .srAV//; \\w ''Mdinkirt (jr,
tclk. i(j;ul, witli the TjieuUy A^t'."'' l^a Peroiise j)reteii(ls
thiit tlioy do nut use and oau liardly [)r()iiouii('e tlic
letters A. /'. /. d. p. and r. Most uords conniience uith
/•. /. II. X. or ///. tlie lirst named being the most l're(|ii('iitly
nsed : no word eommences uitii an /•.'-" \'eniaiiiiiinll'
iigain says tliiit it would tidve thirty-eight letters or cuiii-
binations to ui'ite the distinct sounds Avhieli ai-e exjirc-xd
in the Thlinki-et language*. The personal pronomis arc
/■/"//. or I'luitxli. I : hill-, he, ()!• hilcli, thou; h or //'7/. he: /"'//,
ov hdnfch, we; iIkiii or ihnnlcji. \{)\\\ d^ ov iif^fcli or ijnnhin
or ijoKtistch. they. The verl) 'to do' is conjugated as
follows :
I'liKSKNT 1M)ICATIVK
itakhaiii
IMI'KIil'Kf'T
itakliaiic''iu
Fii:sr Fr-TfiiK
ckbka/vaui
L'likli/.iiii
ekhbziui or Lklib/iiiiii_riii
Ji ]'il.,: .l/,7/,y■^^(^^■, toiu. iii., pt iii., pp. 212-]:1; IFnlnihrnj. K!hw>. Sl.h.,
]>. M.
-'I 'Vein (lev l;.iii/iii Listo lilcilit allciii Tlio, Stoiii aU alinliili.' /■''-'■';-
ni'iini. Piiii'i II. h'lil'isrlim Sjirnflf, ji. lts(i, 'Zwisclirii iliiifii iiiid lir nn \i-
ranisi'licu in Wiii-ltrii iiml (h'ammatik kciiiii Vcrwaiidtscliafl i'\i--tirt
«.iii/lii-li vdiii Mcx. vrscliii'iliii siiul.' JtK^rhiintnn, Orlsiiiiiniii. ]i. •'■'. '•'■'
ii'aitrcuvt' aiicniu' ri'ssiiublain'i' outre les mots ile cilto laiiyue it iillt duA
...Mexicaiiis.' I.ii I'l'VOHsf. To//., torn. ii.. p. 210.
'' liK.irliiiiiiii)), J'tiiiH II. Kiiliinflicii. Sjinii-lic, p. UKS.
^'i La /'('VoKsi', I ■()//.. toin. ii., ]f\K 2;iH-!^.
2" Vvniiiniiiiiitl'. .sW/n's/, i o'l (islrurach Odualashldnskarho OIJil'i, tniii. iii .lI'-
lii)-51. Nu translation is L'iveu.
TIILINKEET LOllD'S niAYEll.
583
Vator litis a Lord's prayer comnHinicati'd ])y l>araii()fl',
(lirt'(!tt)r of tlic late llussiaii possessions in America. It
ivads as follows:
A is waan, wet \vwetu tikeii: ikukastii itssaui
r.itii
wh
lilt
ill tlu' ( lull, Is; h
,Mi.
liae; faa atkwakiit ikustiiii ihee: atkwakut attiiitiiuati
Iliiiic:
tillllr
kt
kiu^iluiii thine,
(lollL
v.ill
ikaclitekiu linkitani zii tlekw. Ivatiiacliawat
ill luMVlU
mill 1)11 I'ui'th.
iiilaii /uikwiilkinlchat akecli iiilan itat: taniil iniaii
mil' luiilfill
tsclianiktscliak aa<:i z
us to-ilav; uIisdU
debts
OlllS US illSl)
II iiaan
Is
\V(!
akiit tiiuati ajat; ilil
L'ivu lUljtois uMis; not Irnd
iia
n zidkikauatii t;uit anacliiit uaii akalli'elcliwetach.
into tLiiqitaiiiiii
bill
dclivi
us
from the evil S|)irit.
Su.^«
Xext como the Tiniieli, a people \vliose dinnsion is
(inly e<i laled by that of the Aryan or N'lnitic nations
111" the old world. The dialects of the Tinneh lanj^iiauc
iirc by no means confined within the limits of the lly-
pi'rhorean division, t^tretchin;^' Irom the northern in-
tt'iior of Alaska down into Sonora and C'hihnahua. we
lia\t' here a linuiiistic line of more than fonr thousand
miles in lennth extendinu' diaj^onally oxer forty-two
ilt'iirees of latitude; like a pvat twv whose trunk is the
HiH'ky ^loinitain range, whose roots encompass the
dfsrrts of Arizona antl New Mexico, and whose branches
tuiu'h the borders of llndson Uay"' and of the Arctic
2- ]'<tir)\ .ViV/ic/'/'/^.s, tmn. iii., jit iii., p. 22.".
'' • nimeiisiiineii, in weldieii er eiii iiii.uehenros Goliiet ini Iiiiieni dis
iii'irllii-hrn ('(Hitiiniits eiiiiiiiiniit. iiiihe nil diis iMsiiieer reielit, uiid i|ue(r
ill- uordiuiici'ikaiiischo Festlaud dui'eh/iilit : iiideiu er imOsi.ii die ilnd-
Silisliii. iiii STidwestell ill iib'4estossi'nell StiilUllieli am I'lil]i(iua-riusse das
stille Mri>r bendirt.' BnsrhiiKnin, Sjihi'iii ili r .{:!• Ir. Sjir.. \).ii2.i. ' 'I'liis^rent
fi'iiily iiicbidi's a IarL,'e number of Xnrtli American trilies, exteiidiii'^. from
li' ir the mouth of tlie Maekell/ie, south to tlie borders of Mexieo.' thiir^t
A' liLi. p. \26. 'There iiie outlyers uf the stuck us far as the southern
#
381
IIYPERBOEEAN LANGUAGES.
and Pacific ocoaiis."' Ju the nortli immense compact
areas are covered by these dialects; tinvards the south
the Hne liolds its course steadily in one direction. ^vhiK'
at tiu! same tinieon either side are isolated s[K)ts, broken
lVa,!j,iiients as it were, of the 'riinieh tongue, at wide dis-
tances in some cases iVom the central line. A icTci-
ence to the chissification ^iven at the end of the pncid-
inii' cha[)ter. will show the separation of the Tiiiiitli
family into four divisions, — the eastern, western, central
and southern. The eastern division embraces the di-
alects spoken between Hudson Hay and the Maekenzjr
JJiver; the western, tluise of the Kutchins and Kenai nl'
intei'ioi" Alaska ami the l*a(;ilic Coast in the vicinity of
!Mount St Mlias and Cojjper Iliver; the central, tho>e ni"
the Tacullies of Xew Caledonia, the Tnipcpias of Oreiioii,
and the lloopahs of l^difornia; the southern, those ef
the A[)aches of Xew Mexico, Arizona, and Xorthern
^lexico.
Xear the sources of a l)ranch of the Saskatchewan
IJiver are the Sursees, who have l)een freipiently classed
with the I)iackleet, but .Mackeir/ie had before this stateil
that they s[)eak a dialect of the Tinneh.'^ linfreN ille
who visited these pi'0})le, compares their lanjiiuwe to the
cackling' of hens, and says that it is very dillicult for tlieir
nei,i:hbors to learn it.''^
(jthincc first at the dialects round Hudson Vyd\ . and
parts of OrcLjon. '^^l)l•o thnn this, tliovo are Athiibuscnns in Califuni
Ni'W J[i'xi('i> lunl SoiKira.' Liitlmm's Comp. J'hil., vol. viii.. i>. ■!'■
'Diiss cr ill sciiiciii H«m|)tL;iii'ti'l von di'r nrn'iUichcn HiiilsonsliiU aiis la-t (
},'anzi' Urcitu di's Contimnts (liu'i-lil;iiift: nnil dass cr in iil>u!;isiinclc id i:.
ilii> Fcnit* S''>^<'lili''i>l''i't''" (Hiidcrn, j^'cn Siiilcn nicht alliin initi-r (!•
•I'itcn (I'l itslianai nnd Ivwalliioijiia) iind tiltcn ( I'-adc niiiillirlur J'n iti- I'm
<ina) <las stilli' .Mcir lirviiln-t, sondi'Vii ancli ticf ini Innccn in d'U Na\;ij
den Jifiti'ii (ii'ad liitl't , . . . wiihrcnd cr iiu Xordfii nnd N' iilwislc u it
(!">ti'n (Jrad \iiid Ik inaJK! die (K'stiidc di'S INilanni'iTS i-rn iclit ' JJusclnn'ii'
AUiiii>ii.sl.\ Sjiydrh-iliDiuii, p. 31.'{. Set' also vol. i., pp. lit, ll.t-'J.
■I" (,'ihl,s. in Siiiilh.'Ohihtii /,V/.^, IHCC, p. ;(li;(.
•" ' 'L'hc Sarscis who arc but few in nnnd)cr, appear from their lan-ti;!!.
tc) conic on the contrary from the North-Westward, and arc of the same ]>< e|
as the Kocky-Monntain Indians ...who arc ii tribe of the ClieiH wvaiis
M(icl,'ii:h's \'iii/.iiiis. i>p. Ixxi.-lxxii.
•'- Vitk'r, .]filliriil(ili a, tom. iii., pt iii., p. 'i">2; dnlldt'ni.m A))iiv. Aiili'i- '~"''
Transiift., vol. ii., p. 1'.). The Saisi, Snssei's ' s])cak a dialect of the t hij
])ew\an i.Vthapascaii), allied to the Tahkali.' link's Elliiiini., in / . ■*"• i-
ii'.i'., vol. vi., II. 2rj.
la,
1,1
1)1 ALE; TS OF T.'iE TIXXKII FAMIIA'.
uS5
tluMioo towards tlio west. The uortlicrn dialcrts arc cx-
c'cdinuly diHiciilt to proiiounct', heiiii:' voin|ii>s('(l lai'Licly
of ii'iitlurals. liicluirdsoii ('()iii|)an's soiiif of tlu- sounds
ti) tlio llotteiit(jt cluck, and Ishistcr calls them "• harsh
id guttural, dillicult ol" onuiiciatiou and unpleasant to
II' car,
Tl
icv
diftl
'b'
cr niainlv iii uccH-ntuation an(
prninniciatioii, and it therefore docs not retjuire that
]iliiloloL:iral rescar(!h which is necessary with the farther
dutlyiim' hrauches oi' the family to ostahlish tlieii' con-
lurtion. Richardson says that the Hare and l)oL!-rih
dialects di Her scarcely at all even in their accents; and
iiiaiii that the ^heep dialect is well understood Uy the
Hare Indians. Latham allirnis that the •" I>cavt'r Ind-
ian is transitional to the k^lavc' and (Mie[)ewyan pi'oper."'
Of the Copperinino ])eople, Fraid\lin writes that their
;Ul:
niaue is '" ossentiallv the sai
n(; \vi
th tl
lose o
f th
liipewyans." Ross (,\)x stiys that the lan,-iiai:i' of tlu^
lowacuss and XasiMid "hears a close aHiuit\- to that
S[K)K'
'U hy the ('hepew\ans and Reaver Indian^
IVoui a ])ai)er in the collection of .M. l>u I'onceau,
(•it('(l by Mi'dallatin. there a[)pearsto he in the urannnar
of thesis northern dialects a dual as well as a plural.
Tl.
IIS dnnic, a person; (Ihiik' >/'»i, a man ; (
U
,1
nnic iiiiii
hh.
two men; d'unic ijon tldaixj, many men. Aiiain we lia\e
■k h'li. my foot; .s/c/' hih kx'li. my I'eet. The ( 'hepcwyan
(led
cnsion IS as
foil
ows:
Mv two hats, sit sdrhlidHo h-h: thv two hats, lu/;
fi'i<
\'lnillc /•('//.■ his two hats, hit siirklidhr 1,1 h. or
/'"//'
// hUl
U'lljiiilli: huh; their two hats, hdnf ^(ickhnllr /■.//,• two
pieces of wimd. ti'itclilii h'h ; nmcli. or many piece's of
Wood, ttifi'lihi, tJildiKj ; my son. .sc« (inr ; my two sou?
ii'.i
"■j
hh; thy tw
ro sons, ncc
iiXr hh : his t
wo son
s. I,.
hh; their two sons, ho') /,
ice azv
hh
ni\ cliildren.
:
^' 'Tlicy spoalja copinus Itinfruai^c, wliicli is vory ililTiciilt t" !"■ attaiinil.'
M i'-L'iiw\ \'ui/(iiiefi, p. 114. ' As 11 liiiij,'na.L!o it is txcii <liiiL;ly lu' a.;i'i' aiul
iuipirfcct.' liirliunlstnt's Junr., viil. ii., ]>]>. .'t, 'is.
" /.'/'■//aci/.so/t's ,/c)i(/'., vol. ii., ])|). It, 7; FrnnkVuCn Snr.. vul. ii., ji. T'!.
' Il.iii' luili.uis, who also speak a diali<'t nf thi' Cliipiwyali laii'_'n:i-;c.' /'/.,
1>. >>:!. luicky Jloiiiitain Iiuliaiis ditl'i r but little fi-niu tin- Mrnii.^'liuw,
iiavei', cti'. /('/.,)). H.!. Dlllnnii's C'ltiq,. I'lill., \o\. \m., pp. II'i'S, ;j',)l; Id.,
Vul. iii,, p, 3<J3; Cvx's Adctit., p. \i2'.i.
D8fi
IIYl'KlMiOHEAN LAN( ir.UiES.
SCI' (("(' hill tlilitmi, or sif</,-ii!iii'. Tims avc sco llinl llic
(liiiil ciidiiiu' is /v// (\vlii('li also iucmiis fool ). mikI tlml df
the pliiriil, //i/iiiii/. I'osscssivo iJi'oiioiiiis arc: liisf |hisiiii.
s!. sif or tin': socond ])i'rsoii. i/lf or int-; third jicixtii,
liis or tlicir. hll, hcc, iionf, or /mo.
CON.irdATION OF TIIH VKUl) I SPEAK, YAWS'TIIKE.
I'lil'SKNT. l.Ml'KIIl'KCT.
T spolic, va\va\ It'lii'o
I s]i(iik, yiiws'tlicc
'riidii s|nsiki'st, yawiu It'lii'o
111' s|mmUs, yawiriit'i'
Wti spiiilv, yiiuiiuiriii'o
Yini s]ic;ik, tayoiilt'lu'o
Tlii'y sjicak, tiiyallno
'I'lloU spilkcst, ya\(ill'li['i:
lie S|iiiUc, _\allli( r
A\'i' spoke, iavai'llliii'
N'liii s|i(iki', (a,\ all! llhi'i!
Tlii'y siMikc, layolili( (t :i
At the Olid of this chaptor iiiiiy hf Coimd ii ('oini>a!;i-
tivi' vocahulary, comprising words scli'clcd iVom th(>c
jind other dialects, ht'loiiiiiiij;' to this lamily,
('I'ossiiii;' over to the country di'aiiu'd by the Viikoii.
Ave (ind the i:ivat Iviitchiii nation and to their north-m^t
the Kenai. Tlu^ Kutehins. according to .loiics, aic
'■di\i(K'd into about twenty-two dilVei'ent tribes, each
speakiniA' a dialect el' the same la!i,i:uage." llardisty
allii'ms that " the Loucheux propi'r is spoken l»y tlie
Indians of I'eels l{i\er. thciu'e travei'sinu' the mountains,
westward down Hat lUver. tlu' Tuk-knth, and \'au-tiih-
koo-chin, which extend to the Ti'an-jik-koo-chiii, .\a-
tsik-koo-chin. and Koo-cha-koo-chin of the ^'oucou. '
The connection of the Kutchin lanunaiic with the Tiiuirli
has bei'U. by early travelers, denied, and this denial le
echoed by writei's followin,ii' them;''" l)nt later philolonicil
iuvestigation.s have estabhshed the relationship beyond a
35 Galhtth), ill A>iin\ Anliij. Soc. Trnns'!('t.,\o\. ii., ]>p. 21-")-]fi, 2(10.
3t) JV(^7l'(/•'/.^■o/^s Jour., pp. ;!77-J;13; J.((tli(iiit's \(il'u-e JlnC'S, [\[>.
JoHPH, in ^iiiiUisiiithiu lu/it.. 1S(;('), ]). 3'J(); Ihinlir^li/, in /(/., \>. ■'ill.
:i7 ' 'rin'V wiieak ii lanu'ua'^e distinct from tho t'liipcwyau.' FriiiiWui
vol. ii.. [). s;!. 'Tlie siiuilavity of lau;,'iiaj^(' aiiion;_(st all tlu' ti'ilus (,.\
c ins) that hav(» Iji'i'uciimiicrated niidfrtliis head ithu Loiichciix cxct'i
f iidy csttiblisliod. [t docs not uppcav to liavo any distinct atlinitii
liny otlur than th.it of the Kinai.' (riilldlin, in Aiiicr. Aid'ni. >'»•., 7Vi
vol. ii.,i).2(). ' Till' lan!_'nai,'e of tlu! latter (Louehenx') is eiitiiily
from tli.it of the other known trilies who jiossoss the vast rej,'ioii to tl
ward of a line drawn from Churehill. on HndstJii's l?ay, across tla
Jlountiins. to New Calidonia.' Simpson's Sur., yi. l;")?. 'The ]>c!
or r.oii. helix, called (^iiarrellers by tlio English, speak a ditlercut lau
.'jchookrii/t' n Aixh., vol. iii., p, Oi2.
•,s' \'ii:,
tll:llM-
itrii > is
s willi
W//>'('/.,
ItlVn i.t
imrlh-
. Kn.ky
l|la■|^
ua,U>.'
Tin; KnciiiN' dialects of tiik vrKox.
i|ii('sti(»ii. I'lii'tlici'iiiorc. to c()n'o])()riit(' lliis fiict there
;iii' |>('rs()MS. well aciniiiiuted with these peojile niMl their
hiii^iiiiLic. hii\iiij:' lived in their comiti'v mikI tr;itleil with
llieiii Inr veiirs. who iii'o positive thiit the Kutehiii is a
dialect <»|' the 'rimieh. Soiiu' of them e\('ii allinii that
the eastern Kiitchiii dialect heai's a closei- rtdatioiiship
tit that ol' their iieiLihhoi's. the Hares and Sla\i's.thau do
xniie of the dialects of the westeiai Kiitchiiis to each
iitlier. vet it is certain that all the Kiitchiii trihes of the
^'uknii and its trihutaries nnderstand one another, ac-
niituation heiiiu; the princijjal distinction hetween tlu'ni.
A greater diverLicnce from the stock lan^inaiie is
(il)ser\ahli! in thedialectof the Tntchone Kntchin. which.
with those of the llan Kntchin, the Slavi' of l-'rancis
Lake and Fort llalkott. the Sicannis, the Ahhato-tinneh
of the I'elly and Macmillan Kivers. and the Nehanni!
(if forts Liard and Simpson, iniiiht almost he called a
dialectic division of the Timieh laniiiiaiic'^
llichardson. followin;^' Murrav. cantionslv traces thest^
ivkitionships in the i()llowin^' Avords: '" More resem-
Maiices. he thinks, miiiht he traci'd throniih the Monntain
hidian si)eech (Xaha-'tdiinie or Dtche-ta-nt-tinne ) than
ilirectly l)etween the Kntchin and Dou-ril) toiiLines. The
llaii-Kntchi of the som'ces of the "^'nkon. speak a, dialect
I'l'the Kntcha-Kntchi lani:na,u'e, _\'et they nnderstand and
a!v rt-adih' nnderstood hv the Indians of I'rances Lakii
and the haid\s of the I'elly. Xow these converse freely
with the .\alia- or Dtcht'-ta-nt "timl^. and other Kocky
Mountain trihes. whose lan,i:iiaui' I'esendiles the l)o,ii-i'il)
tnii-iic. and who are. in fact, acknowleilp-d nieinhers of
the ( "hepewyan nation. A,uain. the I'Vances Lake In-
iliaiis nnderstand the Xctsilley, or Wild Nation. Avho
trade at I-'ort llalkett. on tlu; KiNcr of the Monntains;
these a;j,ain are understood hy the Sikanis; ami the ."^ik-
aiiis !)y the Heaver Indians, whose dialect varies little
iViiiii that of the Athal)ascaiis, the longest-known mem-
I'crof the 'Tinne nation."'''''
It'iriltsli/, in SiiiUhsniihin ll^jU., ISlir,. p. .'Ul.
■■i'^ nicU'inl.
son s Jour.
vol. i., pp. lOU-l; llniipiv's T'luhi p. 270.
>ss
IIVrEIir.OIll'.AN LANdUAGEH.
Till' Ktitcli'ms prido tlicinsclvcs on lliclr oratnrlcil
})()\v«'rs, niiiUiiiji' loiii:', windy, and iillcLiorical spcirln's iv.
iiiarkiililc idiki! loi" native wit and I'loiiiuncc. in
|)ul>rKr ,^|)('a,l\in,i:' tlicir d(Ti\i'i'v is inrninc and clVcctixc;
ronnncncint: in a low nionotonons tone the voice >li)\\l\
rises
to ii <'res('endo. then in<'reases to a- I'oi'te
nil
I
finally rolls forth in liraml fortissinio, at which |")ii.t.
ac.(;oni|tanied hy strikin.ii' iivstnivs, it continues nntil .-hct r
e\hanstion coinpels the orator to jiausc I'or hreath. The
.sjieech closes with a "most inl'eiMial screech, as Il;ir-
disty calls it. which is sn[)|)osed to he a clincher to tlic
most ahstrnse arunnient.
it wasanionii' these i)eo|)le, in the A'icinity of the jmic-
tion of the TanjinMli with the Vnkon River thai tlic
hefore-mentioned hi'oken Slave iaruon oriiiinati-d. IV-
lore the ari'i\al of forei^nei's, tlu; necessity of a ti'adc ^r
intertribal, laniinage was felt and met, the dialect >]Hik( ii
on the Liard Kiver forinin|i' the hasis. AN'ith the annul
of Knssians, l"'rench, and Mn^lish successixcly. each (mic
of these nationalities contrihnti'd of its words to form tin'
ij,'eneral jarLion. Dall says that it is in use iuuoiiL:
westei'n Ilskinios who have intercourse with theTiiii
:iii
1111.
The l']uroi)ean element in tlu'ir jai'^ion is wry sli-lir.
nnich less than in the Chinook iaruon. from the iact tinir
hut few l']ui'o[)eans have ever come in contact with tlic
inland trihes of Alaska even in an indiri'ct way.
l-'oUowinji' the Tinneh ton|z'U(.' southward from ('ciitinl
Alaska, we strike the l*Ui'i(ic seahoard at Cooks liilit
id Prince William Souin., where we find the l\iii;ii.
ai
iti
witn si.v or mort! (
liaU'c! ■« stretchimi' alom:' the shii!i< nj'
the Ocean as far as ('opper River. The word Keiini. or
as they are sometimes called the I'hnaina.'" nicaiiiii.:
men, in si^iuirication and sound is almost identical \\i!!i
the word Tinneh, Dinneh. Ti
nne
I)
ina\-
T
lima. Willi
man\- other variations ap[)lied to this i'amil}
n
A
i" ][olmhii-<i, Kllnin. SI.!:., ]ip. (V7; llitn\ Slut. u. FAhno., ji. 97; !'((/■/■. .VW-
r'uhiUn, tniii. iii., pt iii., p. "i'is; IIkU's Ahishi, \). I.'id; J.uIIkiiu'x yai. 7i''"'.<,
p. -ill-i.
11 liiisrlii
UH'I, p. xi.
AlhiipKsh-. Sjiruclistainiii, p. 223 ■,KrusiHUni,\]'virkr->
KEN'AI LIXdt'ISTIC AFFILIATIONS.
■.Sf»
I'ordiii'i" to Snpiskin the Iiipaliks. rn;ikiit!iii!i<. nud otlicrs
(if till' ^iikoii 1111(1 Xiiliito rivers ciill tlit'iiisflvcs Ttviiiii-
tliotMiiii.'" W'liiaiiiiiiolK ii liiiili iuitliority on matters
niiiiiii'^ uikUm- Ills iiiiiiu'diatc'ohst'i-vatioii. draws en'oiicoiis
(Miiciiisioiis iroiii Ills t!(Hiii)aris(»ns o
)l' K
ciiai (
lialcctf
k'ciiai laiiLiua'ic. lie sa\ s. is dixided into luiir diidect.-
the keiiai itropei'. the
Atiial
1 siH)Keil h\
tl
le 1\,(»
\U
liaiies
,tid the i)e(»[)le ol' ( '(»j)|ier IJiver. the Kiiskoiiniiii. and the
K\\ ichpak.'' liaroii von W'raiii^eil is ol' the ojjiuioii that
tlie Keiiai are ol'Thrmket't st(K'k. allinniiii: that althoiii:h
their idiom is dillereiit \('t it comes iVdiii the same root ;"
iMit hail helieves that it miuht h
mor«'
pro]
H'liV
L:roii[)e(l with the Tiimeh."'' The dialec^t of the r<:a-
liii/.es. Iliisehmaiin coiilidently .'isserts. lieloiiiis to the
Tiiiiieh family, althoimh its eoinieetioii with the Keiiai
lot strongly marked, while slight traces of the 'ridiii-
■t toiimie tire round in it, hut not tlii' lea:-t shadow of
i> I
K('(
the A/tec as \'ater imaiiiued.
lion
ii' won Is are ol Ire-
i;"."ii
I'nr
t occurrence in the s[)ee(!li of the rgak'n/A's; as
example. i'/HiJ,-/jfKc/itjii/!<i/ii, work; ft'l,-^s.i l,n,i<ich<ilil,-^
ciiciuN : ly'iil>iij((dkikuii(i. to divide; onhUscltdohnlh^ to
tiike awa\'.
The Atnali dialect has also lieen classed with the
Thliukeet hy IJaer, who inserts u small comparative
viicahiilary to show the similarity, hut in it few similar
Avuitls are found, while hetween the Atnah and the
'- ' Sci nciiiicii (lie Srrkiistriilicwolmi r TlnlciiLC Mjutcii Inkilikiii, ithil-
iliiM- 1. t/.trii iiciiucu sicli sclhst ciitwcdfi' iiii"li (liiii Uorfc, cfli r iiii ull|_;i'
lU' iiirii Ttvimi-Cliiifiiiiii.' Sn'insklii, Tn'iihivli, ill Hns.-i. (ii if/, lii. it i'., J)inLsi:ltr.,
'■ I > ninin'uitiiV, ill Kriii'iii. Ai'rhir, tniii. vii., Ni>. i., ]>. I'JS.
" ■ Hire Spr.K-li.' ist /w.ir von il. r (li T Kdlosflifii vci-seiiiLcKii, .st.imiiit iihcv
viii iliisilht'ii Wiirztl ill).' JJ'or, Slit. n. Klhin)., p. ".l7.
1' Dill's Ahisl.d, \>. VM.
'' • i''li l;!i.iilc (liln'i stcliu sio fiir cino iithiipuskische Spraclic zu or-
kiii-'ii. ll'H'liiii'tint, Sjinn'ii durAit'l,' Sjir., \t. i>^7. 'Two trili.-; arc found,
I'll ilii- racilir Oi'ciin, wliose kiuilrcil liini,'u:i^fs, tliouLtli cxIiiliitiiiL; sonir
iilUuiti.'S liotli witli tiiat of tlio Wistcrn Kskiniaiix anilwilli thai ipf lln' Atlia-
lus.'as. wi! shul, for the present, coiisjiler us fonniie^ ;i ijistinct faiiiily.
Til' y are the Kin li, in or near Cook's Inlet or Itiver, ami the I'ltal jaehimit/i
I'l 1 1 ihirhini'itdii/) of I'rince William's Sound.' 'jaWitin, iu -l.'/c;'. Anliq. Sue,
TrnnsHd., vol. ii., p. 11.
m
'OO
IIYPEllCO UEAX LA NGl'.\.< ! ES.
rtjalcMi/o tlio coiinoction is quite prominent, as for
instiuice;
ATNAH UOALEXZE
Ilcdvon
Ico
Stoue
Fox
Eii<,'lo
lUdod
Fnt
Como here
jaat
ttoii
ttzt'sch
iiftkiittzo
ttschkuli'ik
tell
ohcha
imy
tt.'tZ
ttzii
iiiikiitt/o
Ikotschkuliik
olu'lio
a)mts('lit'jt ■"
Tu like manner the Kenai dialect lias hi'rn cljisscd
■with the Thlinkeet-/** l)iit here the ])re[K)n(l('i'aii('i' n\'
evidence is AvitU the Tinneh, l)us('lnnann claims it
jis his discoverv that the Kenai hclong to the Tiiiiicli
fiunily." I'he Kenai dialect is verv dillicidt to pi'onoinicc.
so iniu;h so tluit even the neigh horinji' pe()[)le Avitli tlicii'
harsh, nasal, and guttural idioms, find great trouMc in
enunciating it clearly. Some of the coiid)inati()iis ot'
cons(jnants are really very curious,'"' — (iljtiijan, e;ii'tli;
Jy'iJ>>>^<Jiij, wouian; mljchinj, to driid<; hljbifj, tu eat:
Idaaltntlii), to shoot; /,'i/(/i//i'iifj(ixsiilxsj. 1 hear; fs^f/Kifsc/m-
iiitsfh!c/i/,'ii, do not l)e afraid; /,'((zl/i(if('jlfi/sxiii/, I know not.
IJaer makes the Jniialik coiiiiate ^vith Kenai. Aliiali.
and 'riilinkeet;''' an airmity is also detected hctwccu tlif
Inkaiit and the Kenai, Atnah, and In; laska dialc( ts : -
'•'■ 'Di('S(^s Vcillc i,'(luirt },'l(ac'h don r,L;iil(iiZ(n zn ciiKMii iiiid di'iiL-( Hi n
St,iiii:iif mil dell Ivoi.isc'luu . . . Aiicli iiidrr Spnichc s,'i<lit cs iii< liri in WUrti i',
die :uif cine L;i'iiitiiiscli:iftliclio Wiirzcl liiiidcuicii.' li'iir, St':!, n. Kllmn.. ji. W.
■'■* '(rcli.irt zu d nisilhcu Stiiimiic wic die (iidziilicli odcr Kdllsil.Miu ii.
Atiiiici' mid ]vi)liischiii. Diuscs bezi'Hj^t iiiclit iiur dio nocli vi'iiiaiulriii'
Acliiilii'likrit tiiiii^'cr Wiii'ttT in don S[)raclu'ii dii's<'r Viilkcr (fin' Ai linli'li-
];(it, wcj ho fvcilich in dcr Spracho dur Kdlosdn n kaniii lUi h nit ikliar iiijil
fast L,'an/.licli viiscliwiiiidt'n ist).' Hiwr, !<tat. ?'. Hlluni., p. UK).
'■' ' Dir i\iiiai, Kenai (idoi'K(.'nai/.on wurdcnliislur slum als ciii Fruiii'tvnlk
mid ilirc SjumcIic als cini! lianiitsiichliclK' dis rrssichcn Xnrdiiuii lika's
b-'trai'litut. Sii> ninzichi-n in ilivcn Wolinnn^'cn an jinur Kiistc dir Ltrisso
Kiuai-lliicht odd- den soL;i'iianntcn Cooks-Fluss. nir Idioiii ;,'aU liislirr als
fino s(';l)-^tst;iiidiL;i' nnd ui'spi-iin.L,'!i<'lu' Spracln', Traiifriiin niclircrci'aiuli i< i'.
Ts'ach 111' iiii'ii Eiitili'ckiin ;cii ist es cin tUicd dis ^'imssmi utliap;isKisclii-ii
SpraclistaiiKiics, uii 1 si-iue Vcrwaiidtcu iai nissiscln'ii Nord-wcstt'ii siiid aii-
den.' (H'l'di'T dcsscllicn.' linsclnininii, AtlidjiasL-. Siirnclisl'iiinii. ]). 'li').
^u 'l)ii' Ivrii li-SpracJio ist, wei^'un dcr M('iil;c ilircr ( iiiriji'llantc, '
ioiiicii lies riissiclien Aiucrika's am s<'li\vifi'it,'stcn iiusziispri'clicu
illwi
i\.v Nat'liliain dcr Kciiajcv, dt'ivn S]ivaclit'n sclion oin si'lir ^,'cscliiiii it
Oi'L^aii crln.'drrn, si".d nii'lit ini Standc, \\'(irt('r dcs Kcna.jisc Ik ii riiu
V ifdcTzuijclpcii.' \'(iii.iniiii(
,'.i /;,
62
■^1 it. II. FJIn.
Sif sj:
'ff, in Kniian, Airliir, toni. vii., No. i., p. 1-^
!.. IH).
n'l.'C'Ui'li c
iue Spriiche, die ganz verschii'dcn ist von d(r an ib r Sd
CENTKAL TINNEH DIVISION.
591
wliilo Siiiioskiii niinil)cr.s both the Tii,i::;ilik aiid tlio Inkii-
lit iiiiioim- the niL'inbers of the Tiiuieh lUiiiilv.'^' Like
those of their neijihbors these two dialects are harsh and
diilicult of pronunciation, as for instance in the InkaUt,
i^r/ii(f/fj/i'clnij(i. a fox.
From the earliest times it has been known tliat tlu^
Koltshanes could converse freely with the Atnidis and
Kcnai, and the relationship existing between these dia-
lects has long been recognized.'* As a s])ecimea of the
Koltshane tongue, I present the I'ollowing: fi^rhllj/rttjc,
eagle; mjiihihlt. earth; st^ijljiscliilaii. cold; ssfscfa'/js)<t/j,
warm; fsc/uije, man.
To the TacuUies of our central Tinneh division, whose
lauiiuage Hale separates into eleven dialects, I.athiim
adds the Sicaimis. and other writers the I'mpfiuas and
the Iloopahs."' The noi'thern dialects of this division are
represented as composed of words harsh and diilicult to
in'onounce. while the southern dialects are softer and
more sonorous, yet robust and emphatic. Mi' Hale ielt
the necessity of adopting a peculiar style of orthogi"aphy
to re[)resent the sounds of tiiese words. The (Ireek
(■hi he employed to reproduce the Tacully gutturals,
which he siiys are somewhat deejjcr than the Sjianish
jiihi, probably nearly akin to thi' (Jenuiui c/i in ("■/it imd
(vhtz'Kj. AVith t dd I ho aims to convey a sound w hich '"is
l;\i-iti' j,'(l!r:inplilichon Sprnoho 'lor Alonton von Kiidjiirk: dor Dialect dor Tn-
kiilitiii isl ('ill (Icii.isch uuk iliu SjumcIk !i drv Ktiiavif. Iniiliiscliiicii iiud
Aiiiair. . . .imch die Aiiwigiiiiiti u mid ^lla^^'iiiiiiteu isiu I Jukalitni.' U<iii\
>(■(/. n. KUiHo.. PI). \-M \.
'I ' i)cr '.wci .it;iiiiiii(' dcs S'olk(>s Ttyiiai, liau|its;i('h1:(di diT lukilikcu uiid
d"i' Iiika'iitfii-ju^'-idiiut." Sn'jdslAn, Tirirlmsli, in A''(,ss. './to;/, lioicll., !)■ nkschv.,
t nil. i.. [I. :t")'J; Wliiiiiijfr'-: Avx'hii. \i. 175.
'' ' Dio iialirr wiihiuiidcii <,'( Ldi'tii /ii dciii-. lln ii Stamnic wic dir Atna( r
mid i{eiiay<'i' mid k('iiiiiiii sich niit iliiu ii, dlii;!' iidi sii- cimu aiidtiiii |)ia-
In-t spnt'lu'ii, vcrstaiidifjicii.' /Ac/', SOd. )i. Kt'inD., ji. 101.
" hoiiirnei-h'.i />''>'»■/>.■, vcd. ii., ]). i'l'; Mdih ih'iks \'ci/<I(iik. p. 'JSt. 'Tip ir
lin'.,'uii,'(' is very Kiiiiilar to that of tlir ('lii|)c\vyaiis, and lias a tjrrat ailiiiity
t'l till' tiMiLtncs s[)(ikt>n iiy the l?tavir Indiaiw and the Sicamit s. Ilitwtin
iiU •' ll'i'i't'nt villa^^'CH (if the f'anicl's, then ini'Vailsa ditli niicc of dialc, t,
ti' 'iiUii an ('.'itcnt, that they cftcti t;!vc ditVcr' nl nanus In the nn'sf ccninKni
n^nsils.' Jl'innoti's .hiiiv.. \^^. '2»'>'i',,:i~'.>, VSa. I'.IIJ; /.»./. c'li/'.s , I '». /,'/(■;/., p.
17n. ' Li's Indicns dc li',( ('itc on do. la Xnnvi 11.' ('a]('(lciuii , Ics 'l.ikalis, h s
<'li:irt,'i'iii's (riH'/'i'i/'.s'), Icii SclKiiichoniipK, Ics .\tiia.;, api>articnnont tuns a la
11 iil'iiidis (^hipciiliaiaiis.' .)fii'r<is. A',c/i/o)'.. tdiii. ii., ji. ;t:!7; if'iHiiiiu. in Aimr.
.I/.'"/. .v.)c., Trans ii't., vul. ii., p. 'JO. 'A branch of tlu^ ','r('iit ('lii]ii>(\vyan
vAthapascau) stock.' Ilak')i Elkm^j., iu i'. S, Ex, x'x,, vol. Vi., \>. 202.
592
HYI'ERBOKEAN LANGUAGES.
a coml)inati()n nttoivd ])y for(!''\^ out tliu breatli ut tin:
.sido of tiio inoiitli ))ctwe(.'ii the toiijiue .'ind tlic jiulatt'."" "
Jn the iollowiuL;' words instead of the (Jreek r/ii, \ writi
/'A, and i'or ( (■fii !, sch. tSchliiif/, dog ; f^rjiluk, lisli ; Kiifsi'/iai
gcjod; I'li'iiii. (ire; hiikli^ house; schhtll, mountain; U
.stone; />it><chhil, run.
Hale is the only author -who gives any information of
the two tribes Tlatskanai and lvwaliiio(|ua. The ivwiii-
liio([uas dwell on the north hank of the (\)luui])ia. neiU'
its mouth; l)ut Ijetween them and the liver there runs a
wedge of (Jhinook territory. The former are to l)e found
south of the river, on a narrow stri[) exti'nding north
and south. ]?eing nearly related to the Tacully, th('.>"
languages also belong to the Tinneli family, '^^fhe only
vocabulary obtainalde is given Ijy Mr Hale. Hound tho
headwaters of the river Ump(|ua live the i)eople of tiiat
name, spenking a language related to the two last nieii-
tioned. but which, if we maj- Ijelieve Mr Hale, is "murli
softer tlian the others."
Scouler, who has made a curious classification of the
languages of north-western America, places the rmp((Uii in
the same family with the (Jalapooya and Yand\ally under
the genervl name of Cathlascon.''*' The southenn;u)st
dialect of t./is division is that of the lloopahs. on Trinity
River. I'pon the authorit}- of Mr Powers, "the Ihuipa
language is worthy of the people v.iio speak it — copious
in its vocabidary; robust, sonorous, and strong in nttn-
ance; of a martial simplicity and rudeness in (nju-
struction."' Again he writes, "as the Iloopas remiiid
one of the llomans among savaues. so is their lani^iuiLic
something akin to the Latin in its i)honetic characteris-
tics: the idiom of camps — -rude, strong, laconic. Let a
grave and decorous Indian speak it delil)erately. ami
every word comes out like the thud of a battering-nnu
against a wall. For instance let the reader take the
words for 'devil' and 'death' — leetoniiclifnt nmX dnviirit
— and note the robust strength with which they can k'
56 IMc'a Elhno,!., in T. ,9. Ex. Ex., vol. vi.. p. 533.
" ScoiUer, iu Lvnd. Gvuij. Hue, Jour., vol. xi., p. 225; Ilmn' ]'o!/., r- H"'
VOCABULAEY OF HOOrAII DIALECTS.
593
uttered. What a grand roll of drums there is in that
lung, strong word, conchivUchwil.'^ Mr Powers gives
tlie following declension: I, hice; fatlier, hoota; my
lather, hivehoota; you, nine; your fiither, nineta; mother,
mcho; death, c/ieechwit; your mother's death, n'lncho cheech-
On the western slope of Mount Shasta, there is the
Wi-Lackee language, which bears a close likeness to the
lloopah; on Mad River is the Lassie and on Eel River
the Siah, both probably lloopah dialects, and on Smith
River in Del Xorte County, the Ilaynaggi, Tolewah and
Tahahteen, also presumably lloopah and Wi-Lackee dia-
lects. The following comparative table of the numerals
ill the Tolewah, lloopah, and Wi-Lackee dialects, will
terve to illustrate their relationship.
TOLKWAH.
HOOPAH.
WI-LACKEE.
One
chla
chla
clyhy
Two
nncheh
uiich
nocka
Three
tacht'h
tach
took
Four
tencheh
tiuckh
tenokha
Five
Bwoila
cliwola
tuscnlla
Six
ostaneh
hostaa
cooslao
Seven
tsayteh
ochkit
coosnao
Eif-ht
liim'sh tnata
cahnera
COOStllC
Nine
chla ntnch
nocosta
foostt'nckha
Ten
ueli Buu
miuchla
kwaug euta
In )' h( southern and last division of the Tinneh family
f^iiu {V)i>nd the great Apache and Navajo nations, with
tii'ir many dialects. The Apaches- may be said to in-
huhit or rather to roam over the country, commencing
:iL *}i' C'i";orado desert and extending east to the Rio
Pocos, or from about 10!V' to ILl^ west long., and from
Utah Territory into the states of Sonora, Chihuahua,
Ooahuila, Nuevo Leon, and Texas, or from about 38" to
30 north lat. Hardly two authors agree in stating the
iminber and names of the different tribes belonging to
this nation.'^'* The names by which they are known
'"' Powers, in Overland Movlhhj, vol. ix., pp. 157-8; Gihbs, in Schnol-
:>:'Tt Arch., vol. iii., p. 422; Tamer, in P<ir. U. R. Ri'pl., vol. iii., pp. 87-5.
' Sill iiaho fpater die Himpih Spraehe wirklich fiir cine uthapaskitiche augo-
uo;;m!Pn.' liuMihrnuiin, Spureu dt-r Aitek. Upr., p. 57ti.
w lldrtktt's J'crs. \ar., vol. i., p. 325. ' Desde el Real de CLiguagua,
cruzaudu al Ponitnto, haata el rioGila, y eabieudu al Nurto, Laata el Moqui,
Vol. IU. 38
i|
594
HYPERBOREAN LANGUAGES,
among themselves are, according to Orozco y Bona:
J^inm ettltien-ne, Segatajen-ue, Tjaiccujen-ne, Iccuj^u-nc.
Yi(fMJe)i-ne, Sejen-ne, Caelcajeu-ne^ LijMJen-ne, for wliirli
the Mexicans have substituted, such words as Apaclus.
Tontos, Chiricaguis, Gilefios, Mimbrenos, Fai-aoius.
Mescaleros, Llaneros, Lipanes, and Xavajos.** The na-
tions that make up this great people are the Chiricaguis
in north-eastern Sonora; Coyoteros in the Gila cuuntiv:
Faraouos, west of Xew Mexico in tlie Sierras del Diablo.
Chaniii '.. and Piiares; Gilefios at the eastern base of the
Sierra ^ Minibres south of the Rio Gila; the peopk'
of the co^.i mines on both banks of the Rio GiaiuK'.
ranging west to the Coyoteros and Pinalefios, and also
into Chihualuia and Sonora, and at Lake (iuzman ^v^■st
of Paso del Xorte; the Lipanes, or Ipandes, in Texas;
y Nuevo Mexico, y Provinoias de Toxas y Qnalinila; y rpvolvicndo nl Snr
rematii <>n el sobrodicbo Real.' Arricirilit, Cronica Scrdji'-'i, p. D.'iS; \''iln\
MitliridnicK, torn, iii., pt iii., p. 177; Miilik'npfonlt, Mejiro, Una. i., jip.iil'J-ii;
' Extend from the black mountains in New Mexico to the frontiers of ('<ii,'-
quilla.' Pike's Explor. Trao., (Phil. 1810,) appendix, p. 10; Turnir,\\\ I'm'.
11. R. Rei>t., vol. iii., p. 81); Mulk-linm, Previa ik la Ocaii., toiii. vi.. p.
4-l(); Pope, in P'tc. li. It. liept., vol. ii., p. i:J; liiischiiKiini, SjntirK </t/' .!;/•/..
tipr., p. 2'J8; TAukwlj'.'i Ah. Lawj., p. 8. ' Ke extieudeii en el vasto isiniciu
(le dicho continente. (pio comprendeu los grados itO ;i ;)8 de latitiid Nnitc,
y '2'U a 277 du longitud de Tenerife.' Conlero, in Orozm y Utrra, ikiKrm'in,
p. 3()!); Villa-Senor y Sanchez, Tlimtro, tom. ii., pp. 393, et Me(j. ' Tota liai'
n^gio, (plain Novam Mexieanam vooant, ab omnibus jjene lateribus amliitiir
ab Ai}arhibn.<i.' Lid, Aonts Orhia, p, 31G; Veniycui, Noticia itc la t'nl., Unn.
ii., 553; Orozco y Herrn, Geoiyrafia, p. 40.
•io Orozco y lierra, (looijrdfla, \^. 3fl0. ' La nneion apache es nnn iiii'^iiia
aunqne con las denominaeionos de Gileiios, Carlanes, t'hilpaines. Xicmilliis.
Faraones, Mescaleros, Natak.s, Lipanes, etc. varia poco en su idi(jniii.' li'<.
IPtst. .Uex., serie iv., tom. iii., p. 10. 'Los Apaches se dividen en cincn
j)arcialidades como sou: Tontos 6 Coyoteros, Chiricahues, Gili fuis. Kara-
ones, Mescaleros, Llaneros, Lipanes, Xioarillas y otras.' Barreini, Oj.uili.
app(!ndix, p. 7. Brownt^ mentions the (iila Apaches, and as belon^iii^ tn
them Mindirenas, C'hiricahuas, Sierra Blancas, Pinal llanos, CoyiHiids,
Cominos, Tontos, and MogiUIones.' Apnrke Country, p. 2!)(); Vadr, Mithri-
(lati's, tom. iii., jit iii., pp. 177-8; .Miihlenp/ortU, ^h'jii•o, tom. i., p. 211. ' The
Apache; from which branch the Navajos, Apaches, Coyoteros, Mcscali rns.
Mcxpiis, Yabipias, Maricopas, Chirieacjuis, Chemeguabas, YiunavM-s ilu'
last two tribes of th(! Moqui), and the Nijoras, a Buiall tube on tliodila '
J{axlon\s Advcn. Mex., p. lO-l; Ind. Af. liept., 1857, p. 21»S; 18:)S, pp. ■JO.V-d;
1854, p. 180; 18()1, p. 122; 18G2, p. 238; 1803, p. 108; 18(;-l, p. 15(;; \>^<>'h p.
5U6; 18(V,>, p. 234; llumholdl. Esmi Pol. tom. i., p. 28!». 'Los apadits
He dividen en nueve parcialidades (5 tribus.* riinentel, Citadro, torn. ii.. l'-
251. 'Since acquiring the Apache language, I have diseovereil that tlnv
(Lipans) are a branch of that great tribe, speaking identically the saiiu lan-
guage, with the exception of a few terms and names of things exi'-titiL; in
their region and not generally known to those branches which inhabit .\ii-
jsonu and New Mexico.' Crtmony's Apaches, p. 21.
SrEECH OF THE APACHE TRIRES. C&5
the Llanoros, north-east of Santa F(', and northerly of
the Rio Ilojo de Natchitoches or Rio Pecos; AFescaleros,
ill the Sierras del Diablo, Chanate, Pilares, and on
both banks of the Rio Tuerco, above its continence with
the Rio (Jrande; the Xatages, or Natajes. in Texas near
the Lipanes; the Pelones. in Coahuila; the Pinalefios,
ill the Sierras del Pinal and Blanca; the Tejuas, east
of the Rio Grande, in the (iila country; the Tontos, in
north-eastern Sonora, in the north-east near the Seris in
the Pinieria Alta, and south of the Maricopas and
tlie Rio (rila; the ^'aqueros in the eastern part of New
Mexico; the Mimbrenos, in the Sierra de los Mimbres,
Avost of Paso del Norte, and in the south-western end of
New Mexico, on the northern boundary of Chihuahua.''
The Xicarillas, whose dialect forms the i)rincipal con-
necting link between the Apache language and the
Tiiuieh family, live on the Rio de los Osos, west of the
llio (rrande; also in tiie Moro Mountains and along the
Cimarron."' All the Apache tribes speak dialects but
.slightly varying from one another, and all can converse
oiisily together. Difterent accentuations and some pecul-
iar vocal appellations are, for the most part, all that
constitute severalness in these dialects. Don Jose ( V)rtez
states that "the utterance of the language is very violent,
but it is not so diflicult to speak as the first impression
<■' ZiKsi/d/KOiii, Spnren dr Aztek. Spr., p. 30,3, ot si'q. 'El iutcrrrifdio
(li 1 CiiloiMdu y Gilii, oc'Upiin los yiivipiiistt'juii, y otros yivviimis; iil snr dil
MiKiui sou toilos yiivipiiis, (jue es lo .iiisiuo (luc upacliis, (loudo sc coikk'c
tl ;.;r.iii tcrrcno (jm^ oou[)ii cstii iKiriou.' h'(ircf's, hhtno. in /'<«■. Il'ist. Mi.r.
s'lii' ii., torn. i.. )>. It.'i'J; San Friinrisrn En'niiiij llnllrtin., Feb. \H, IHVA. I'lidillit
iinnlioiis tho followinj^' iiiitious with tha A|iiichi's; ' Aiiiclus, I'liiiinoiics,
Niitii^'ii's, (liliis, McscidtTos, Cosninas, Qiiartcltjos, Paloiiias, Xicavillas,
Yutas, Moiiuiuos.' Cimq. jV. Grtlirid, MS,, )>. TSo; t'urkz. Hint. Aiiarln' i\'ti-
/i'm«s, in /'(((•. H. 11. llipt., vol. iii., i>i). ll«-'i(». 'Thu Ai)a<'hts, the Na va-
line, and the Lilians, of 'I'cxas, speak dialects of the same lanfiuat'c.
The .licarillas, (Hic-ah-ree-idis) Mcsealeros, Tontos, and Coyotens, are all
liiiuls of Apaohes; and I am induced to think the (iavoteros are also an otl-
shdnt from the Apacho trihe.' Jjiine, in : rhinlcniiVs Arrh., vol. v., \). (i^'J.
'' "A distaneiii de ciiic'o leguas, al niesnio ruiubo (north of Taos), est.i iinn
X;uiou de Indios, (jue Ihinian Xicarillas.' VUld-S' nor i/ .Sioe/f/i, 'Dnntro. toni.
ii., p, 4'J(); y)((i'i.s in Ind. Aff. Itept., IHO'.t, j). 2")"), Xicarillas, .Ajiache
luiliaus of northern New Mexico, Their latif^nagc shows afttnity witli the
f!i'i';it .Vthabasciin stock of liini,'ua|.jos. JiHuchiiKtnii, .Spr. X. .1/i'j', u. der
W'Msnte d'H li. Nurdnmer., p. 274; Id., Sparen dtr Aztek. l^jr., i>ik 'dlH-'ii;
■^rli'iulcraj't's Arch., vol. v., p. 203.
53 G
HITEEBOEEAN LANGUAGES,
of it would lead one to suppose; for the car, bocominjr
accustomed to the sound, discovers a cadence in the
words." " It has great poverty, both of expression and
words." It appears as well that the harsh gutturals so
constantly heard among the northern members of tlu>
Tinneli family, frequently occur in the Apache dialects.''^
Bartlett writes, "it sounds like a combination of I'olisli,
(Chinese, Choctaw, and Dutch, (xrunts and gutturals
abound, and there is a strong resemblance to the Hot-
tentot click. Now blend these together, and as you
utter the word, swallow it, and the sound will be a fair
specimen of an Apache word."*^* Apache alFdiatioiis
hav'^ been surmised by difterent writers, with nearly all
their neighbors, and even with more distant nations.
Arricivita hints at a possible relationship with the Otonif,
because an Otomi muleteer told him that he could con-
verse with the Apaches.'''^ The Shoshone and Coniaiudie
dialects have also been referred to the Tinneh trunk, but
in reality they belong to the Sonora vernacular, a dis-
covery first made by Turner, and proved by Buschmann.
Col. Cremony, Avho was interpreter for the rnited
States Me.vican boundary commission, and hence convers-
ant with the Apache language, gives some valuiible
grammatical notes. "Their verbs" he says "express the
])ast, present and future with much regularity, and have
the infinitive, indicative, subjunctive and iini)eiative
moods, together with the first, second and third persons,
and the singular, dual and plural numbers. Many of
6^ Cortez. Wst. Apache Xatiom, in Pac. B. R. Kept., vol. iii., p. 120. ' Ilali-
liiu un misino idioma, y aunque viiria el aoonto y till cual voz jji-oviiicial, no
iiirtuyo estii diferoucia que dejcu de enteuderse reci'prooameute.' Umzoi y
/ierni, (ri-o irafia, p. 3(19.
'•i liirlMl'ii' L-tter, in Liternry World, April 24, 185-2, pp. 29S 9. 'It
al)ouiids equally with guttural, hissing nnd indiatinetly uttcrod luixnl iii-
tou.itions. ... It abounds in the sound of tz, so common'in the Slicinilic Imi-
(J!aa,<:;es, of zl of d and the rough rr. . . .It may be suggested that its projHT
uftiiiities are to be found in the Athpasca.' Schoolcmj't's Arch., vol. v., il'.
202-;j.
•'i ' Le pregunto que si acaso entendia la lengua de los Apaches, y satis-
fizo con que era la uiisma Otomite que t'l hablaba, y solo con la dif'icmift
lie quo olios variaban la signiticacion de muchos vocablos que en In snyn
qiierian decir otras cosas: pero j)or el contexto de las otrus palabras, fucil-
mente se entendiun.' Arricivita, Cronica ISerdjica, p. 33i).
APACHE GllAMMAR.
597
them are very irregular, and depend upon auxiliaries
which are few. In all that relates to sixicial individuality
the language is exacting; thus, sliee means I, or me;
but shee-dah means I myself, or me myself ; dee means
thee or thou ; but dee-dah means you yourself especially
and personally, without reference to any other being.
AVhen an Apache is relating his own personal adventures
lie never says slice for I, because that word, in some
(sense, includes all who were present and took any part
ill the affair but he uses the word sliee-didi, to show that the
act was wholly his own. The pronouns are: sltee — 1;
slii'i'-dah — I myself; dee — thee or thou; dee-dah, thee
thyself; aghm. — it, he, her, or they. The word to-d((h
moans no, and all their affirmatives are negatived by
dividing this word so as to place the 'first syllable in
IVont and the second in the rear of the verb to be nega-
tived. For example, iiik-tah means, sit down, but to
fiay, do ^wt sit down, we must express it to-inl-tah-didi ;
■mmt-chee-sliee, come here; to-nnest-chee-shee-dah, do not
come here; anah-zont-tee, begone; to-anah-zont-tee-dah, do
not begone." ""^
CONJUGATION OF THE VERB TO BE. AH GHONTAY.
I dm, takshe
Tliiiii art, tan-(lc(!-ali-abt-tee
He is, tah-auuuh
PRESENT INDICATIVE.
Wi) are, tan-ah-lioo-ah-aht-tee
You are, nah-lu'c-ah-aht-teo
Thuy are, uyhuu-duy-uht-toe
IMPERFECT.
I was, tash-ee-ah-asb-ee
Thoii wast, (loe-ah-alt-ft'ii
He was, tali itiniah-kah-nn-yah,
AVo Were, akiimiah siii-kah
You were, nah-hi'<>-(lah-a-kaii nah-dash-shosh
They were, agbau-do-doh-ah-kah-gali-kuh
FIRST FnTCRE.
I shall lip, slip-ah-dosb-'n-dabl
Tlidu wilt be, dce-ay-goh-ay-dabl
He will be, ando-ay-yab-ee-dabl
Wo sb:dl be, nalibe-do-Rnnt-ee dab!
You will ))e, nab-bt'-nab-bat-liau-dahl
Tbey will be, nab-baytban-dabl
CONJUGATION OF THE VERB TO DO, All GOSH LAH.
I'll), sbe-ash-lah
Tlmu dost, tan-dec -agbnn-lah
He does tah-pee-ay-il-lab
PRESENT IXniCATIVE.
We do, tab-iiab-bee-idi-r;bont-lah
Yoti do, iiiib-bee-ab-gbast-liib
They do, tab-gob-iiee-ab-gob-lah
'"'' ''remony's Apachen, p. 239; Id., in Overland Monthly, Sept. 18G8, pp.
598
HYrERBOREAN LANGUAGES.
I did, tfth-shc-ash-lah
Thou didst, dee-ftiid-luh
He did, pee-iud-luh
I shall do,
Thou wilt do,
Ho will do,
W'ti HhiiU do,
You will do,
IMPERFECT.
We did, tfth-nah-kee-and-lah
Yuu did, imh-lieij-alt-luh
Thuy did, yoli-pee-ah-yoh-niiid-lah
FIRST FUTUnW.
taKh-et'-ah-d(»sli-l('ol
dee-ah-j,'oh-di)iit-k'»!l
tah-pee-uye-dahl-teel
tah-nali-lu'-ah-fio-dout-leel
nah-ho-ali-dasli-leel
They will do, go-pee-uh-guill-duh-leel
PRESENT SCnJTJSCTIVE.
If I do.
If thou do,
If he do,
If we do,
If you do.
If they do.
tah-nah-hfo-ant-lah
nah-heo-alt-lnli
go-pee-ah-wilt-eo
she-ash-lah-nah-ah
dee-alt-in-diilil
tah-pee-ayilt-iu-dahl
IMPERATIVE.
Do thou, eah-and-lah
PRESENT PARTICIPLE,
Doing, ah-whee-lah
CONJUGATION OF THE VERB TO EAT, ISH SHAN.
I eat, she-ish-shan
Thou entest, deah-iu-nah
He eats, aghun-iz-yan
PRESENT INDICATIVE.
We eat.
tah-nah-de-hit-tahn
uah-ho-ualoh-in-daj
goh-pec-goo-iz-yuu
Eat thou, tau-dee-in-nah
You eat.
They eut,
PERFECT.
she-ohz-yan
dee-schlee-ohn-nah
aghuu-uhnz-yan
tah-iiah-hee-al-kc-dah-ohn-tan
nah-he-ahz-yan
They have eaten, goh-pee-go-yohuz-yan
FIRST FUTURE.
she-go-ish-shan
dee-doh-iu-mah dahl
aghandoh-iz-yaii
tah-nah-hee-hin-tahn-dahl
iiah-he-goh an-shan
goh-pee-goh-iz-yan-dahl
IMPERATIVE.
I Let them eat, tah-goh-iiee-niz-yau
I have eaten,
Thou hast eaten.
He has eaten,
Wti have eaton,
Y'ou liave eaten,
I shall eat.
Thou wilt eat.
He will eat,
Wo shall eat,
You will eat.
They will eat.
CONJUG.\TION OF THE VERB TO SLEEP, IL HGOSII.
PRESENT INDICATIVE.
I sleep.
Thou sleepest,
He sleeps,
she-ish-hoosh
det'-ilt-hiiosh
a''han-it-hoosh
Wo sleep,
You sleep,
They sleep.
tah-nalilii^-il-lioosh
nah-hi'-il liii"-li
go-peo-will-huosh
I have slept.
Thou hast slept.
He has sUpt,
We have slept.
You have slept,
PERFECT.
she-ftl-kee-dah-ish-hash
dee-al-kee-dah-ish-hash
afjhando-ish-hash
tah-nah-he-al-kee-dah-il-
"ash
nah-he-al-kee-dnh-nl-hoosh
They have slept, go-pee-al-kee-dah-go-il-gash
GRAMMAR OF THE APACHE MESCALERO.
590
FIBST FCTCHK.
I shall sleep,
Thou wilt sloop,
He will sleep,
AVc shall sleep,
You will sleep.
They will sleep.
Sleep thoii,
Sleej) you,
Sleep they.
she-do-ish-hoosht-tahl
dee-ilo-dohl-goosh
af,'hftnd()-il-ho()sht-<liilil
tah-nah-he-(l(»-il-f,'o()sh-tahl
nah-he-doh-al-hooHh-tahl
go-pee-go-will-hoosh-tuhl
IMPERATIVE.
dee-ilh-hoosh
nah-hee-doh-al-hoosh
go-pee-go-il-hoosh
CONJUGATION OF THE VERB TO LOVE, IN KAY GO ISHT T EE.
PRKSEST INDICATIVE.
I love,
Thipu lovest
lie loves,
Olio
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Ei^'ht
Nino
Ten
Eleven
Twelve
Thirteen
F'llirteen
Fifteen
shoah-in-kay-go-isht- lee
, deuh-viek-kay-go-int-lee
aghau-ee-kay-go-it-lee
I loved.
Thou lovedst,
He loved,
We loved,
You loved,
They loved,
Thou wilt love,
He will love,
I shall love.
We shall love.
You will l(jve,
They wi'l love,
We love, tan-ah-hoe-in-kay-go-it-lee
You love, Jiah-he-viek-kay-at-lee
They love, goh-pee-viek-kay-go-it-leo
IMPERFECT.
she-in-kay-go-isht-loeth-lay
dee-viek-kay-go-ilit-leet li-leo
aghan-vick-kuy-go-it-leelth-leo
tuu-ah-hee-vick-kay-iiit-leelth-lce
nah-he-viek-kay-at-leelth-leo
go-pee-viek-kay-go-leelth-leo
FIRST FUTURE.
dee-viek-kay-go-isht-loo-dal 1
aghau-viek-kay-go-it-lee-diihl
siie-in-kay-go-islit-lee-dalil
tah-nah-he-viek-kay-go-it-tlee-dahl
uah-; . -vick-kay-at-tlet'-dahl
goh-pee-vick-kay-go-it-tlee-d.ihl
IMPERFECT POTENTIAL.
I should love, she 'du-viek-kay-go-isht-leol-dahl
Thou shouklst love, dee 'du-viek-kay-go-isht-leel-dahl
Ho should love, aghan-vick-kuy-ieh-klee-dahl
We should love, tah-nah-he-viek-kay-go-in-kloe-dahl
You should love, iiah-he-vick-kay-go-iii-kh'e-dahl
They should love, goh-pee-vick-kuy-go-iu-klee-dahl
IMPERATIVE. I
Love thou, viek-kay-go-it-lee
Love you, iiah-he-vick-kay-at-lee
Let them love, goh-pee-vick-kay-go-it-lee
NUMKRALS.
Sixteen host-kon-sah-tah-hay
Seventeen host-ocj-sali-tah-hay
Eighteen tau-pee-sah-ti. li-ha"y
Nineteen 'n ghost-ah-sah-tuh-hay
Twenty natin-yay
Thirty kali-tiii-yay
Forty tinsh-'tiii-yay
Fifty asht-lah-tiii-yay
Sixty host-kon-tiii-yay
Seventy host-ee-tin-yay
Eighty san-vee-tiii-yay
Ninety 'n-ghost-ah-tiii-yay
One hundred tah-leii-too-ooh
One thousand go-nay-nan-too-ooh
Two thousand nah-tiu-ee-too-ooh
tash-ay-ay
nah-kee
kah-yay
in-yeh
f.sht-lay
host-kon-nay
host-ee-day
hall-pee
'n-ghost-ay
go-uay-nan-nay
klats-ah-tah
nah-kee sah-tah
kah-yay-sah-tah
tin-sah-tah-hay
asht-lay-sah-tah-hay
Hill
coo
HYPERBOREAN LANGUAGES.
Tlio following sentences will serve as specimens to show
the construction of this language.
Wlience come you? Imsh-ee-ohi-diOd?
I come from afar, an-dah-she-oh-thal.
I am a friend, (ah-hi-joon-ay-ish-ke.
What do you want? ee-ya-althe-ee 'n?
There are wood, water, and grass, tooh-tlo-chee-gon-lee.
Go and watch the enemy, nlil-ckth-b'm-naht-hnh-aden-he.
Take notice of them, (/on-joon-ay-fp-hah-den-ee.
Of what nation are they? yah-indah-aht-ee?
Where is their camp? hah-ny-vee-f/oat-hah?
Note well their position, gon-joou-ay-go-nel-he-hayago-
ah-tay-na-lee.
They are near by, goh-pee-ach-hati-nay-she-go.
I do not believe it, too-vah-oslit-kih-dah.
Show me the road, in-thi-dee-she-chee-toh-golt-chee.
Mine, ahee.
It is mine, es-shee.
Thine, dee.
It is his or hers, ah-koon-pee.
It is not mine, too-she-dah.
It is not thine, too-hi-dee-dah.
It is not liis or hers, too-pee-dah.
These, iee-hay-ah.
Those, ah-ivayh-hay-yah.
As a further illustration, I give a speech made by
General Carleton during an interview with the .\[e.sea-
leros, which was translated and written down at the
time by Col. Cremonj'.
Nah-heedn day nah goodnltay; toogo take licadali:
Your people are bad; they have not kept faiili;
bayay geali gontay; schlee nahhah goh inay ecu;
they are treacherous; they have stolen our horses;
nahgah godilt say; nahhannah gwinheay endali ah tay;
they have murdered our people; they must make aineuds;
too nahhan neet ee dah: tah nakee ahendah adoiih doo;
they miist cease troubliui,' us;
they must obey our orders
SPEECH IN THE MESCALERO DIALECT.
COl
nail scliU'oii iiahliannjili weodali ayl; han eicaiiday
thi'V must riistoru our aiiituiils; tlu^y must
iialihannah goco dalt yeal; endav nahhah liitjash
give np the murderers; they must yivu us
toohayago andadah; alkeedah llaynah ildoe; esclilanay
bustuges; let tUem reuieiuber past times; they went
vaygo dalit eel; sayltli lee goh-pee; taat liooay takee
numerous iiud powerful; tliey Lelil uU the sierrus; they oeeupied nil
anah goh kali; tali golkaliay takay ikay goon lee;
the water-holes; they were musters of the plains;
ta,sh laiuali too nelchedali. Ako aim day liahdah?
none made them afraid. AVhero are they now?
Iloyali veeahkah tsay nogoslice 'ii iiilt ee? Xakay eeah
Wliy do they hide btihiud rocks? AVliere is their
haddali? Pahyay kav 'n iiilt ee? She aghaii ilti.sch
possession? W.iy do they hide like coyotes? 1 will tell
ill dee. taykay iiidali na,sli lee; taykay ay
tlitm why; they have beeu euemies to all other people; they have made
veoakali iiali hindali; tahnalihe elchiiidali nali liee;
iill other people their euemies; they have made euemies of each other;
tunnahee eedaltsay ayveealikali liee iiahiiidali; tcx) nali
they have lived by robbery uud murder; tliey have
yah seedali; tali iialkoiieeay vickaygo tee en nahseego;
nut worked; idleness breeds want;
tee en nahseego chin nah hilt yeeay; chevilheeaygo
want breeds hunger; hunj,'er
vilkonyeago takhoogo ont yeal; yont hooaygo anaht eel;
and idleness breed crime; they have committed crimes;
takhoogo ninis yah; aghon aliltay kcM^haygo njiht lee;
the punislimeut has fallen on them; their thousands have laecome hundreds;
elchiiialcheego vickeali golt seel; nahee vah ahtee
we speak harsh truths; we speak so only for
ek'Mnahtee; naschayhay too ahnah laiidah ;
their good ; we have no vengeance in our hearts ;
Elchiiialcheego inklecs aiidali "n June; nah kashee
Our talk is hard but good; let them
vaiian an kecays; anahtay kahdayah too wakhahdah ;
reflect upon it; let them change their ways;
iuiioe nahl ash lah; ilk jeel eego andali 'n June."
let tliem cultivate the earth; let them bo a strong but a good people.
'" Prepared at Fort Sumner, Bosqwe Redondo, on the Pecos River, New
Mexico, in 1803, as eertitied by Brig. Gen. James H. Carleton, U. S. A., and
-Mil
002
inTEKBOREAN LANGUAGES.
\rr Dorr, writing in the Om-hind MonthJij, makes an
erroneoiiH assertion that tiie Apache and Ziini langiiajics
are the same, "diiVering only in accent, intonation, and
cadence, they nnderstand each other Avithont diilicidty.
The Znfii, or Apache hnignage is very ilexihle and
siKWc, and may at some time have lieen tlie (\)int laii-
gnage of the ancient races. It is often as exjiiessive of
fine sliades of distinction as even the (ireek itself. It
preserves — in the inlijtii of its wonderfnl radi(!als — tlic
traditional duality of the human race: its dual, as mcII
as singular and plural, forms of speech."'^
Vater intimates a relationship hetween the Apaches
and the Pawnees, and that chielly on the ground of a
similarity in the names Pawnees and Lipanes,*'-'
Pimentel gives a Jjord's Prayer in the Lipan dialect,
which will serve as a specimen of the language :
'Cutall ne/.Uu ezlla anel ti rpii Llata; setezdanela not
aga nautela; nosesene nda tendaju He aga ta' ^''•.
tanzanenda aga atanclaju, senegui ti ezllza glezi, ji \
ti lie lata; Lie tidatan nezlle ja lage tatichi a.... .•
tatichi en gucecen de joulle vandaezhu lenegui ajuUi'i
da ye nachezonlle tenage vandaezhec en ne zto agtitenj.i
tenda tlez ti tezchupanen da glicoa genechi te najacengli
Gaache lye net.'™
The Njivajos, or Apache Navajos, of New Mexico.
like the northern Tinneh, call themselves Tennai, men.
Their dialect approaches the Xicarilla Apache, and ^h•
Eaton even asserts that it is ahout the same." Pike
mentions the >. anahaws, which name is probably intendcil
for Navajos, as no other account can be found of such
a people.
the only Apacbo grammar known to exist nt this date. Cremony's ViKnhn-
lary ami (ivaiiinKir of the Mcsralero Aprtche Laniimi'ie, MS.
•'■' Dorr's liiilc iritli (he .l/iacAcs, in Ot'erlaml Monthly, vol. vi., j). 3I'}-
89 Vider, Mithr'nMcs, torn, iii., pt. iii., p. 17!).
70 rhnentel, (Juadrn, toni. ii., p. 251, anil in Colercion rnVuVu'imun M,rh'<ini
gne contlene La Orac'um Doinbdval; j)or la Socicdad Mex. Ueo(j. y Ei-tnd.,
Mexico 18G0.
71 'The Apaches call the Navnjoes Yu-tah-kah. The Navajccs call
themselves, as a tribe, Tenuai (man.) The appellation Navajo, was uiiqiU'S-
tiouahly Riven theiu by the Spaniards.' Eutow, h\ Schoolernl't's Ar''li., \<^^'
iv., ])p. 217-8; MoUhnusen, 7V(.7'M(''i. p- 22!). 'Gehort ebeufa'Us zur Faiiiilie
di3r Apaches.' it/., iitiseu, toni. ii., p. 23G.
I<
1
*f;
pM
h^
5
! »'
/.
%
>5
M
H
H
h-
^
1-1
h
M
K«
(i
^
.
y<
M 1
t>
&!
■ji
m;
■<
^ -
>
K
1
y^ '
^
<
«
<! '
tk
TINN'EII VOCABULARY.
■3 ^ h M M
'-a z.-"
SrJ't^ i
■2 ^3^i-J-5
A 3
9 i5 « :?. 5
-^ia -Sj-^-^-t
«- s
a i
^-^
^ ± ± ^-^-^
;i - t: - s a
a^ ,«•
ic^
=^1
^ z
i B
u: jl;
■^— :i ■i-r^-a
J J
tiJ
ce a
r-.i.i 5-^
.M.:<
.3 -2 a
. -= 2 ?. S. :l i?
fl S' jf 3
ij -5 « a a c c
<•• "^ - i, 3 a s
c a
••2 s J
5
/:
w
._ 2 a D o >, >^
33 a
-_.■? >.r? S
^•a J
2 2 ^ S 5 .2. -S ^ j: i j^ S fi ^
a s.'S -? -r 's ►- ii - ~ - i:' a -5
'2t
1^ o ■*-•
-M s a
H t3
■3
o 2
.Lta
j3 C ;;
'Tjcsx'r'oa:^^
•^ X Ti S :^ 3 /. _^
tc a 2
o a
5 3 '^•
_ ® '■I J a
!^.M sS
•Sri ? .a 3 s J ^
01 .a
to
C^ 2
-3 i
:j ^*^i)'T22y -^
-- I=i:2:3-a
.a!^ -J
0; a
a X
ii u
i-^3
a o fl
1 ^gg5o2a.£2J 5a| o g
s-^ '
a
^a 3
c J
«^ -i
-■ - Cj *3
3^ l-^a o
k. s
a j.^^ a;5.^.-
Qj ^ r—l Jl -_ ITT*** *^
^ ? - ^ a
-1 ■'- ^ > ^
S -• o a
C2 • M
-.■-aiH J
- i) -;• a 53 (3
a n N 5i:^
j^.s,%3 j^ S^ 3-a
-a J s ^ (L i; ::: s ^ ;3 -3 -^ ~ =i -r •s'-a -a ^ ;
as. 5*5 s^ o'i-S-H 5? a i' g § g 12 £
s s a iH tr a 3 .i £. n
CHAPTER III.
COLUMBIAN LANGUAGES.
The Haidah, its Construction and Conjugation — The Nass Language anu
ITS Dialects — Ukllacoola and Chimsyan Compakisons — The Nootka
Lanodaoks of Vancouvek Island — Nanaimo Ten Commandmknts and
Lord's Puaykr — Aztec Analogies — Fraseu and Thompson Kiveu Las-
GUAOEs — The Neetlakapamcck Grammar and Lord's Prayer — Sound
Languages -The Salish Family— Flathead Guammar and Loun'n
Prayer — The Kootenai— The Sahaptin Family — Nez Perce Giumma:;
^Yakima Lord's Prayer — Sahaptin State and Slave Languages—
Thk Cuinook Family — Grammar of the Chinook Language- -Aztec
Afi nities — The Chinook Jargon.
Returned /lom the south, whither we were led bv the
Apache branch of the Tinneh family, let us exumiiic
the languages of our Columbian group. Kext along
the sea-board, south of the Thlinkeets, are the llaidalis
and Kaiganies, whose language is spoken on the soutliei ii
part of the Prince of Wales Archipelago, and on <,)ikvii
Charlotte Island. This language is sometimes CiilK'd
Haidah, anil sometimes Kaiganie,' and although nianv
tribes belong to these nations, I fnid among them no
dialectic dill'erence, except that between the llaichilis ol'
i^ueen Charlotte Island and the Kaiganies of the
I*rince of AN'ales Archipelago.
March and claims that this language is understood by
1 'Dio KiiiKan-Spradio winl anf der Insel Kiiif,'iin niul don riu-vlntti n
Inscln tj;L'si)rochen.' Vi^niamiHoff', iu Erman, Arcliiv, torn, vii., ^.•'. '•
p. 12S.
(004)
THE HAIDAII AND KAIGAXIE.
005
the Thlinkeets and other eastern tribes i'^ Capt. Dixon
thinks it is a distinct and separate tongue;^ Scolder
makes one large northern family, Avhieh he says spreads
•from the Arctic Circle to the northern extremity of
(Quadra and Vancouver's Island ; '" * Radlolf 's comparative
researches incline him to the opinion* that, althougli
tliere may be a few similarities in words between this
II nd other idioms, as, for exjmiple, the Thlinkeet, they
are 3-et insufficient to ])rove identity.*^
Some of those who have heard the TTaidahs speak, say
that their languiige is uncouth and difficult to articulate,
abounding in consonants, and with a labial and dental
pronunciation;" others alfu-m that it does not possess the
hard aspirated consonants so frerpiently foimd in the
Thlinkeet language, that it is richer in vowels and
softer, though, like the Thlinkeet, it is wanting in labials,
in the dental ?•, and in the guttural /, while the Ilaidah
has the clear I? Tiio Ilaidah language lacks the letters
/'./),/, and the dental r; neither its substantives nor
adjectives have any gender, and to express the feminine
2 'En parlant <lu lansfige de "'-.lunkilAhv', j'lti rappnrti' d'avniiee Ira
toi'iuf'!', imiiK'riques eiiiployi'S '•aix ih'S ili^ Qiii-rn-('hitrlnlti\ tcls (jno In
(•;i|iituine VIkiimI a pu lus veci'.fillir <t i'loaL-Iliij/; il cilisi rvc (pic (pichpics-
iiiw do ces tcrnu's >ont coiiiinuiis aux antrts jiavtii's dc cis isk-s (pril a
visiti'is, ninsi que qiioicpics antrcs tcvmcs qii'il a ]ni siiisir, it p.ir ksipiols
io-- Natiirels expriiiicnt Ics objets suivHiies C'lttc siiiiilitudr dcs t( rnies
tiuiiK'ii'juos ot d'autrcs tcrmos, t'lnployi's ('f,'ali'int iit pai' 1< s divcrsi's Tribus,
s'[)iu'i'(s ]fs nuos dcs aiitrt's, qui dcouppiit la partio d<; cutis dcs lies do
(}<! ,n-('h(irhit'.p (pio ]<> Caintitinc ('hnual a vihiti'e, iiic send do dt'montrcr,
I'oiiti'c ropinion liasardi'o dn llcdactcnr du Jom-nal dc Pi.ron, <|ue ccs
Trilms CDiiiuiuiiiqneiit liidiituclUinciit iiitro cllcs: ccttc iddititi' du lan^'aj,'e
pouri'Dit encore prouvcr quo Ics I'cupladcs <pii hal)it(iit ccs ilcs ont nno
orij^'inc cdnmiunc' M>nrli(tii<l, Viti/iti/i', Unn. ii., ]). 21fi.
' 'There are n\ least two or three diffeient laiiLtua'^es siuilscu on the coast,
mill yot prol) d)ly they are all i>retty (,'enerally understood; thoUL,'h if v/e may
CIV lit the old Chief at (iueeii < 'hiirlotte's Islands, his pcoph^ were tota'ly
iLlUdnint of that spukcii by the inJLiaiiitants to the Eastward.' Dicun's \ oy.,
p. -m.
■• Scnulcr, in Lond. Genfj. Soc, Jonr., •<-ol ii , pp. 2IS, 220.
^ liuU'iff', Spvarhf ikr Ivihidnen, in .lA'V. Huss'S. toni. iii., liv. v., p. 57.5;
(hvyn, in Ainer. Antiq. Son., Transact., vol. iii., ]). 302.
'' Difon's !'';/•> !'• ^■l"-
" 'Es fehlen dcm KaiL;;ini (Haidali) jeno harten nnpirirten Conaonantc!!,
ilie ilein Thliukit so geljintii;; sind, cs ist vocalreicher nnd weicher. D.;,'ej,'cn
theilt est mit dein Thlinki't den Mans^el der Labialen, des dmtalen r, win
iUK'h der Verbindnnt» des 1 mit Dentalen, (lUttnralen und Sibilanten,
wiibrend jenem, dagegcn d.iH rc-ine 1 des Kaigani gaiiz fre:;.,i st.' liitUlcjIf',
ffpr'tchc ikr Ivtigumn, in MH. Uuases, torn iii., liv. v., i)p. 575- (J.
I 11
600
COLUMBIAN LANGUAGES.
the word (hhelta, woman, is added. Itlk dshctta, wile
of the chief; ha, dog; hd dshetfa, shit. Neither is
there uny particular expression for the phu'al. Jyt'tpmei,
my house; /ijcfjanei t/Joiul Idgiin, my three liouses are
good; tin ds/iK, thy wife; ton dsha stonr/ hdna, thy two
wives are hoth 'pretty. Two exceptions have been men-
tioned; — f/ji'j/j mast; (jljearig JdiJ/ui/d, three masts; //////,
man (homo) ; h'lki, men. Substantives are not decline I,
hut remain unchanged in all cases. ILintl, water; ImH
hantl, Ijring water; thi^ boat; tin ton (jisf<is<i, I give tliee
a boat; httt, deer; htft hntsii zif/fji)i, 1 have a small deer;
s/c't, hand; /udl t'Jii .sA/, give thy hand. Pronouns are
either distinct words, or are prefix<'s to substantives
and verbs. Prefixes idso d mote the possessive case.
To the former class bel<mg htlii, I; and ton(/<i, tliDii.
To the latter belong te, ti, de, di, zi, Ije, teea, tl, t, mine,
all of which are used in the first person singular. Seo-
ond person singular, tomj^ ton, ten, thine; second person
plural, toUihig, yours.
Of the coniuii'ation of the verb, the followiuL!; inav
serve as example: Present indicative — I am hungry.
tekiitl'c; thou art hungry, ti'nnj khiittvs; he is hnngrv.
law kJiiittiUKj; we are hungry, itl kh/ittung; you are
hungry, tollijnrj I'h'iffas; they are hungry, t'lnwts lih'/tfuiiij.
Koot words ai'e not of great length. The larger })art ai'e
words of one or two svllables; some are of three or four.
but these are rare; nevertheless, words may be agglutin-
ated to any length.**
The Xass language is spoken with very sligiit diller-
enccs b}' the Xass, Ilailtzas. and Sebassas, who dwell
around 01)servatory Inlet, ^lillbank Sound, and the
islands of Pitt Archipelago, respectively. Ilarsli sounds
and gutturals predominate.''' The personal pronouns are,
— iHiokiraA; c//s/io, thou; nesho, mine; ci't^''- thine; //""/-
icinto/,\\\i}; hjciisko,yo; cai(jhqtia,\ni] el"e caifjh (jndjihi.'}'-^"
» hi. pp. .WO-fiO?.
9 (iritii, ill Anttr. Antlq. Soc, Transrtrt., \r)\. ii.. p. 302. 'Nass..._in
ni-itom jiiid liiiipi;ij.'e, ri'Simble tlie Sa1)iissu.' Diuiu's Oreium, \\. '.iV'.'.
Jiiisii'liiii III,!., Sjir. .V. Mi:.v., u. der Wcstsi'ite (ks h. Xin\litiiivr., p. 39S, tt sP'|.
1" iScuaUr, ill Loud. Uvuij. Hoc, Jour,, vol ix., p. '234.
BELLACOOLA AND CHIMSYAN.
G07
Vrr-
Ivrll
Ian',
in
•'7', I.
Dunn p;lvo.s a few pcntcnces, which I insert as speci-
mens: v'/it'dle)/ lo}i:els knssf'f, where are you going?
((')iO)iuthki)i p<)o<itU(ilhi iltsouk, do you understand our
language? loiceh, cah ci'niter cah milhth, go shoot deer."
In tlie immediate vicinity of the Xass arc two other
languages, tlie Jiellacoola and Chims3'an, of which hardly
an\thing is known. Tolmie supposes the Chimsyan to
1)0 I'olatod to the Tacully language, but Buschmann, on
comparing the vocabularies, could not find the aflinity.
The Rev. ^fr Good informs me that the Chimsyan
tongue extends inland as far as Fraser and Stuart
Lake.'^ Compare the following words:
^1
BELLACOOLA.
CHIMSYAN.
H
untsh
newyo
^1 Thou
eno
noone
^M Miue
uutshil
uawhawae
^1 We
unshto
neuhami
^1 Ye
enodh
ncumi
^1 Hfl
teei'htil taigh
qua
H They
ti'tch til tin no mo taight
•lueet
^1 Man
tlinisiliih
tzib
^M \V()nian
cbiniish
nuiiaeh
^M Knifo
teet'h tiih
iltli-a-pcosh
■ Water
knll ah
use
^M stone
(juils tolomick
loap
■^^ Sun
Hkin nnch
kium uk
|H Moon
thioki
kiuui uguni aat uk
^1 (lood
toeah
aani
^1 Bad
ushee
utUL'hk
The ITailtzas and the Bellacoolas have tho following
words in ccnnmon; — watz, dog; jwe, halibut; tlah, black
bear; 7;^//?, gi'izzly bear.*^
On A''incoiiver Island a multitude of dialects arc s[K»k-
en. anu various nnd contradictoiy classifications have
lict'u made, none of which, in my opinion, are correct.
From the evidence, dialetic diversity prevails to such an
extent that almost every petty tribe has its idiom: so
tbal, even if affinities do exist, sufficient to justify
a classific' tion into languages and ditdects, so meagrt'
is our knowledge that it is impossible in many instances
to say which arc languages and which dialects. Hence
'I Dnnn's Orcrinn, p. HRS.
''2 s,'.i,iilcr, in Lund. Geo(j. Soc, Jour., vol. ix., p. 221.
" /(/., p. 230, ct Butj.
608
COLUMBIAN LANGUAGES.
in my clasHification I cannot do better than to make of
the Xootka one language, and give a list of the dialects
on the island, with all the information concerning tliem
at my command. Four languages of the island, — the
Quackoll in the north, the Cowichin on the east, the
Clallam at the south, and the Makali on the west, are
said to be " totally distinct from each other, botli in
^<Olmd, formation, and modes of expression." The one
last mentioned is said to bear some affinity to the lan-
guage spoken at the mouth of the Columl^ia River," and
is called by Sproat tlie Aht language, for wliich he
claims in like manner that it "can be traced through
all the tribes on the ocean coast, as far south as the
mouth of the Columbia." The Comux, which people lie
locates on the east coast between the Cowichins and
Quackoll s, migrated thither, he saj's, from the main
land, and the tribes " do not readily understand one
another's language" from all of which we may infer
that in reality there is only one language, of which
these four are the chief dialects. ^'' Yet this is partially
contradicted by Grant, who affirms that the Cowichins
and Clallams can communicate with each other, though
not very easily, but that the Makahs and Quackolls can-
not converse with each other or with any of the other
nations.'" Another authority, who certainly ought to be
entitled to an opinion, having been a captiv(i among
these nations for some years, also intimates that iji re-
ality there was only one language dominant on the
island. After enumerating the different tribes he con-
cludes; "all of whom speak the same language. But
the Newchemass who come from a great way Xorthward,
and from some distance inland, speak quite a different
language, although it is well understood by those of
Xootka."'^
>< Grant's Vane. IsL, in Lond. Oeog. Soc, Jour., veJ. xxvii., pp. 295-6.
li Sproal's Scenes, p. 311.
18 Grant's V'anc. Isl., in Lond. Geog. Soc, Jour., vol. xxvii., )>. 295.
"■ ' The inhiibitants of Nootka Sounil ami the TlftO(iuiitcli, who occnpy the
Bouth-western points of the isUmd, speak the same hiut;!iia},'(!.' Smuler. in
Lond. Geog, Soc, Jour,, vol. xi., p. 224; Jewill's Nar., pp. 11-11; Ihh'n
LANGUAGES OF VANCOUVER ISLAND.
GOO
lull
Ul-
long
IV-
■ard,
rent
of
IV the
;-')•. in
Uah'i
\ational diftercnces appear to consist more in pro-
nunciation than in grammatical construction. 'riiiiH
the articulation of the Klai/zahts is hoarser and more
guttural than that of the people of Xootka Stjund."*
Dialectic dilferences sometimes go so far that the several
hands of the same trihe find dilTicultv in niakin<i;
themselves nnderstood ; as for instance the Nitinaht
trihes ^vhen conversing with one another, have ire-
([uently to repeat their sentences difl'erently accented to
make them intelligible. The chief peculiarity of tlie
Xitiiiaht dialect is the transmntation of the letters ;/*
and u, which arc in universal use throughout the island,
for which it substitutes h and d. Thus lor mmiiooh^ to
work, the Xitinahts sav bohoik; immali, country, they
pronounce dissibdch, and so on.^'-*
As compared with that of the Thlinkcets, the Xootka
language is neither harsh nor disagreeable. Its most
curious feature is the predominance of labials and dentals
ever gutturals. The Xootkas possess fine oratorical
jiDwers, lending assistance to their words by shaking
their head, gesticulating forcibly, and even jumping at
each other. A singular sound, and one whicli it is
liardly possible to express by any combination of letters,
hap[)ens in many of their words. Spreading the corners
of the mouth to their widest extent, and raising the
point of the tongue against the palate, they expel the
iiir from the sides of the mouth, at the same time bring-
Kihnw,., in r. S. Ex. Ex., vol. vi., p. 220; ^frares' Voy., pp. 2i!)-32: Dowih.s'
Uijiorl i:( I.imil. 'r'eo7. Son., Johi'., vol. xxiv., p. 2-lt'i. .\t I'oiiit I)iscovtrv,
\'aii,'iaiv(r met ])('ip])ie soiiio of whom 'niulcrstooil ii few wolds of tlif Noot-
l^a l;iii|.;n;i«.;t'.' I'liifiiif, v()l.i.,p. 22H. ' The distiiu't liiugna^'cs spoluii liy tli«
liiili,u)~ iiro few ill uumlier. but tlu> dialects ciuploytd h\ the viiiions tiilxs iirc?
^'1 many, tlmt, iilthougb tlio inliabitiiuts of any particular district have no
Ki'iat difliculty in conniiunicMtiiii,' with each otlur, . . . . ' .MdJ/ni's H.i '., ji. 244 ;
>/ii'"(/'.s- >'WHM, p. ;ni. The liiv. Mr Good divides and locates the laiij^jna!,'! s
tif Vancouver Island and the opposite shore on the mainland, as follows. 'J'lio
tii'-t lan^'iiai,'e, he says, runs along the const from Xitinalit tn Nooika Sound;
l!ic second ])revails from Sooke to Nanaimo, nnd across tlu' Sound up to
l>inl Inlet on the main land, thence following np the Fraser Itiver as far as
Vale; this he names tlie Cowiehiu. On the island north of Cowichin he
1 icates the Comiix and adjoining it the Ucletn; finally starting at Fort
lluiiert and following the north coast of the islaud and also on the opposito
sli'Hc of the main land is the Quackoii.
'■* Jiintt's Xiir., p. 75.
19 .'<l)Wlirs Srl-HCS. p. 132.
Vol. ni. ay i
610
COLUMBIAN LANGUAGES.
ing the tongue down strongly, which obviously produces
a sound altogether foreign to the English vocabulary.
Captain Cook says of this sound, " it is formed, in a
particular manner, by clashing' the tongue partly against
the roof of the mouth, with considerable ft)rce; and innv
be comjjared to a very coarse or harsh method of lisp-
ing," and he attempts to give the sound by the letters
Uzthl. Many words end with this sound, and also with
i\,tl. z, or ,s-.s; — as opulszt/d, sun; onuhztld, moon; Ii'dJisJicdl,
dead; teeshcheetl, to throw a stone; hiooDiifz, a humnu
skull ; qiiahmiss, (ish-roe. Captain Cook I'urther reuKiiks
n|X)n their language that it "can only be inferred, from
their method of speaking, Avhich is very slow and dis-
tinct, that it has few prepositions or conjunctions; and. as
far as we could discover, is destitute of cAen a single in-
terjection, to express admiration or surprize.'"^"
Furthermore, 1 may add, there is no case, nor gender,
nor tense, and number is expressed only in the personal
pronoun and in the inflection of verbs. In the lirst
persons singular and plural, verbs end in a or indh ; in
the second persons, htik or (lyfs; and in the third
j)ersons, in inah, rein, or vthna. Sometimes these
endings go over to the adverb which accompanies
the verb, and they are subject to phonetic rules,
according to which syllables are sometimes changed or
left out altogether. We have wik, not ; and himotDp. to
understand; wihilihumotop or wimnuttoimih, 1 do
not understand; the latter mode being a change for
the sake of euphony. Plurals, and particularly fre-
quentative plurals, are cxpi'essed by dupli(;ation: as
))iahte or iiuihs, house; vinlttuKths, a\\ the ho"ses. Dif-
ferent cl.asses of words appear to have difterent terminals:
I'or example, instruments end with ik, — hid'hiil\ a
knife; Ai'asiX', a saw. Colors end in w^' or ook^ — f,'/.'/"/'-
?" ' El idioma de estos rmtnrnles fis tnl vez el mns aspero y dnro de Ins vinw-
cidos. Abuudiin mueho en el Ins fousoiirtiites, y las terininiicinncs en /' y ';.
eonstando el iutenuedio y el priucipio de los vocablos de iisiiiracionc s muy
fiiertet;.' Sul'd y Mexicana, Vkuic, p. 147. 'Their laiigua.i,'o is very !,'uttmal.
and if it were possible to reduce it to our orthography, it would very nmcli
abound with consonants.' Sparku' Life of Ledyard, p. 72; Cook's Voy. I»
Fac, vol. ii., pp. 334-6.
NANAI.MO COMMANDMENTS.
Cll
(liil\ groon; hhtoll'uh^ blue; lla>/hooJ,\ piirplo; l^'C)<nol\
wliito; toopkook^ black. Ilissit, red, IbriuH an cxceptkm.
Trot'.s and plants end mptj — kotnchipt^ imevJnpt^ ootsnttijit,
Udkkupt^ etc. A'erbs end in nlntl, shef/, and chitf. altlioiijili
.^onic exceptions occur. Another distinctive ending is
vj), — ch(U)ii/nj), to cut oft' with a knife; l-aiisn]), to
linrt or wound; Ji>j>/HS((fuvp, to diminish; <is/isiij), to break
a string or cord; qxo^tq), to break a stick, etc."^ As a
specinien of the language, I give the first three of tlie
Ten Connnandnients, and the Lord's Prayer, in the
dialect of the Xanainios.-^
NUTSA. .
Owa tonowa quinct ta eesaila tseetsel sceam, ohi tanca
tseetsel seeain.
EESAILA.
Owa tanowa seeisc ta seeathl sta ta stem nay quo
tset'tsel, sta ta stem aitna tomuck, e sta ta stem na^' ta
kii. kokoo taswa tseetsel seeam owa tanowa cap})ausom e
stayweeil ta sta, ohi tanca tseetsel seeam. I'owhat oyas
kiillstuck, tanca ouseete tanca quaquat e towhat ighstuck
tanca e oyas shatlni tanswan squell oseete tanca igh
liilamat.
TLEEUGII.
Owa tanowa hecAvaulim ta squish ((uo tseetsel seeam
ost'ete tseetsel seeam (puKpiasaum towhat oyas sta.
TA KALIIEM TA JESl'lvIT.
Saulth man nay cpio tseetsel igh telneemelth o_\as
stlay stuck ta statsn s([iiish. Tel-ncemelth ohi stlay
tanowa sthee seeam nay toumuck touuick. luh taswa
ini'stiu shatlm ta squell aitna t'>i -iick sta ta tseetsel
inestiu. Tana quial e muck squial mistook ta saulth
wiulthan. Igh tanowa nahi tataeuk whawa telneemelth
c ta saulth kull squiaxits sta telneemelth nahi tataeuk
" Spront'x Scenes, p. 124, et scq.
-^ Fi)r a copy of which I am indebted to the late propriutor of tlie Overland
ilontlilij of Saa Francisco.
G12
COLUMIllAN LANGUAGES.
wlumom tonmuck mcstin kull sqniaxits wli.'nva tolnoc-
iru'ltli. Itih telnoemelth owiinuiii otlilkulth ta kull. iuli
tiinowii iuvistiick etha i«:,li. Ohi taiiowa oonans stlicK
sooaiii, tauowa ohi stlieo (iiiani(|uin toliioemolth ohi ca[)-
[)aiisoin high quo tanowa ovas oja.s. Anion.
From certain interpretations placed u})on the ancient
Aztec nianu.scriptif!, it was hy some inferred that the origin
of tiiat })eople must he sought in the north; hence
speculative piiilologists have, i'rom time to time, discox-
ered many iimcied resemhlances hetween the languiige of
the ahoriginal Mexicans and those of various nortlieni
nations. Thus, in the s[)eech of the Nootkas, a dis-
tinct [)honetic resemblance, and the frecpient occurrenci!
ol' the ending tl were suflicient evidence to Vater and
others that a relationship exists between the Aztecs and
the Nootkas. Prescott, following his ])redecessors, lell
into the same error. Humboldt, although struck with tli(3
similarities mentioned, yet pronounced them dillercnt
tongues,-' while IJuschniann, who has examined the sub-
ject more than all others combined, denies all such
relationship.'-*
Coming over to the main land we find, for the most
part, in each of the many inlets and canals a separati^
language. Between these languages, I'rom perpetual inter-
tribal intercourse, it ishnpossible to determine, in some
23 'En examinant avoc soin des vopaliulairos fornu's a NDiitka et a >rini-
terey, j'ai t'tt; fnipin'; do rhoiiiotonii' ct des di'siiiiiu'ts incxicuiuts dc jilii-
sicmsinots, c-(iinmp,]>ai'oxenij)le,dauslaliiiij,Mi(Ml('s Xoiitkiens. . . .('iiiciidiiit,
vn f,'i'iii'val, li'S lanjjues do la Noiivollo-Californio et do I'llo do (^n.nir.i,
difforoiit ('SHUiitielloineiit de I'aztoque.' Uumholdl, Exxdi. I'ul., ttiiii. i., ]>.
;!21. ' SiHMi-liiilinliohkeitoii. . . .hat man, wie auch uaohher !)(>}• dvv ]!( trmh-
t'.nif^ dor Jlfxikaiiischon Sprache aus oiuaudor gos('tzt vordon soil, ainlii x r
Nordwost-Kiisto am Nutka-Sunde nnd boy don Viilkta'n in dor Xiilio i] i'
Kussisohon Ciilonion :{ot'unden.' Vatcr, MilhrUhilix, Uim. iii., i)t iii., p. I'i-
' In the noi,L;lil)(>rh()0(l o( Nootkiv, tribos still oxist whoso dialoots, both in llm
toi'niiualioii and ginoral sonnd of the words, boar considorablo rosonihlunio
to tho Moxican.' J'nscoH's .)fex., vol. iii., p. 3'.il).
i" ' So ^'owinnt dio Nutka-Spracho, durch oino roieho Zahl von Wilrtivii
nnd d iroh (.jrosso Ziin;e ihres Lautwosens, oinzig vor allon andoron froiu'li n
. . . .ill oinoni bedeutonden Theile oine tiinschondo Ahnlichkoit nut drr .i/t' •
kisohon odor niexioanischen; nnd so wird die ihr sohon friihor t;( wiiliiirl'i
Aufinorksamkoit vollstandig pproohtfortifi;t. Ihror nioxicanishon Ersohtiii'i'i.,'
fehlt abcr, wie ich von meiner Seite hier ansspreche, jedo Wirkliclikeit.'
Buachmann, Spr. N. Mex. u, der Weatkuate dea b. Nordamer., p. 371.
LANGUAGES OF BRITISH COLUMIUA.
613
instances, wliat relationship, if any. exists. Several of
the laiiiiuagesof the island we liiiil also (tn tjie main land
adjacent. The Clallanis are foiuid on hoth sides of .luan
lie Fuca Straits; anil nearly related to the Cowieliins,
who are fonnd as well on the mainland noar the month
of I'raser River a.s on the island, are the Xoosdahims of
Jiood (.'anal, one language being but a dialect of the
other.
Respecting the languages spoken in the interior of
British (\)lnmbia, the Rev. Mr Good, wiio has spent
lil'tcen years among the iidand nations, and who is fully
conversant with their languages, gives nic tbe fol-
lowing information: From Yale to Jjilloct, on the
Frascr River, thence from ]?onaparte to Xicola liiver,
the Xeetlakapamuch, or Thompson River, language
is spoken. F'rom Douglas, along the Harrison River
and lake, to its conlluence with the Fraser. as far
as (Miilicothe. and again from Lillooet northward to
<'linton, the Stlatelemuck. or Lillooet. huiguage [jrevails.
Next, Irom Ronaparte River northward to William liake,
to Shushwap Lake, around Lake Kamloops. and for some
ilistan(!e on the Thom[)son River, the Suwapiunnck, or
Shushwaj). tongue [)revails; and fnially. from .\ic()lii Lal<e
to Ivandoops. and southward as far as Columbia Uiwr, the
Fhitwout, or Similkamcen, language i.s usetl. Mi- (lood
1'urther asserts that, although there arc loui- distinct
kniiuaues, thevare nevertheless in some de^iit'c adiiiated.
J'l'om the same gentleman, I also obtained tbe following
gnunmatical notes and specimens of tbe \eethikii[)amuch
tt)ngue. I'ersonal pronouns are. — 1, ctis; thou, (/irrr;
lie. choieelt ; we, /u'lna'tiKilt; you, fiiceej^ctdps; they,
i'hliil'oast.
CONJUGATION OF THE VEUB TO GIVE.
rUKHENT INDICATIVK.
I iiivo. ens nalilitinna
Thou ^ivost, iiwci! iialikt.ittii
Hf gives, chc'uoflt luihktivss
We ^\yo, iK'mr oniult iKiii\tani
You ^'ive, awccpiMMjis ijaliLtaUoso
TLoy b'ivf, cLiukvast uahkluuiks
IMPKRFKur.
I gave, huinahktlaiu
eu
COLUMIJIAN LANGUAGES.
riRHT FUTtTRE.
I kIiuII give, buiuuhkcliiu
IMPEIIATIVK.
Give me, iialilicUums | Give us, nubktooa
jlfamnitfi iiisorted in a word. .si<i:nifios a desire to do ii
tiling; thus, w'///^?8/..7"/i means to go; and irui(i><in(i))i(iii/>'iii,
[ am wishing to go. Tlie syUahle vr/tiit, allixcil t(t a
word, expresses tliat a thing lias heen done elVeetively ; —
tlokhtluiiniiu'lthi, 1 have lastened it well, or thoroughly.
Tata is a negative preposition.
THE lord's prayer.
Takamote nemeerault skatzazact whohakn nil
Our Father who art in
kakhtomew. Axsoeas chutam clas squest awee. Eynli
heiivcu. Good to be douo tbo uuiik! tbiuu. (nm.l
linntohs stakums asait cunamah axelahaks swonakmu
luiike biisto all men como truly
call tuksmite Josu Cree huntoscamal. Awee kaseah
good diildreu of Jesus Christ make baste. Thy will
eali ah chuwo naaiiatomew, clali seeatahah Ij' angels
good doue on earth, as the anyels
archkhwamo incheah iiilkahtomew. Takamose niik
do there lieaveu. All ainl
stakum a tscetlekut nahkteea nemcemiilt stakums as
every day give us all niu-
skhlayans. Altla quontiuonstjea nemeonult takuiiidte
food. Aud forgive us nil
nemeemult outkest, tseeali nemeemult quoin (iionstiuna
our evil, US we forgive
takamote tooal saitcunama aks weetsikteose tekest wlioii
all of lueu who aucomiilisb auy evil tn
nemeemult. Atahmose tah hoshainan as mustrfl
us. Never let tbe evil olio lead
nemeemult axkhokestumtum a quonteese akest. Kainiilt
us to wish to lay bold of any evil. Uiit
akklokpistyip nemeemult takamote too a kest wilkiil^ow.
deliver us all that is evil far fr.iiu iis.
Shutenmeenwawee takamose atomew. Shutenniecinva-
Thiuo all tbe world. Thine
rUGET SOUND DIALECTS.
616
woe takiimose ir/.ozolit, Slmtt'iiiuocnwaweo takamo.se
till Ktriiij^'th. Thiuo all
asyatneet. Taeah usklakaiiieeiiuiM astinaiisouso,
worsliiji. (iooil ovcrmoi'o tu cuiuc,
asklakaiiu'omiis astinansou.se. Ax.sealis.
evLruiDi'D to cuiiii;. Aluuu.
Procoedinu; soutliwanl to Pnget Sound, we liavo
the Shnniahnioo, Xooksak, liUnnni. l^ainisli. Snolioinisli,
iuid others; and around Cape Flattei-y. tlie ( 'his,«et.
The Makah. Classot, or Khiizzalit. I have sjiokcn of
jihvady, in conneetion witli the hin;:ua<ie of \ aneou\i'i'
Ishuid, and it alst) ai)[)ears that the (Malhun. S'khduni,
or as tUcy call themselves. Xusklai_\um. is al.«<o connected
with the Vancouver i.sland langnajic.-' It is prohably
the same which Dr ^^couler has called the Noosdalum.
The Lunnni. or Xukhlumi, and the Shimiahmoo have
also .xome adinity with the t^anetch dialect ol" \'ancouver
Island, and the lanunages of the Skajiits and Samish
api)roach that of the Niscjuallies. Yet while the (Mallani
iiud Lunnni show certain aflinities to the Xootka dialect,
they nevertheless clearly belong to the iSalish, or Flat-
head family.-"
We now come to the great interior Salish family,
although 1 .shall have occasion again to refer to the coast
liiiiguage in this vicinity. The iiorthermnost i^alish
language is the Shushwap, or Atnah, which approaches
near to its neighbor the Salish ])ro[)er;'"' then tlu-re art;
the KuUe.spelm, or Tend d' Oreille, the Spokane, the
2j Thoy spoke the siimc laugunge as the Nootkas. Vancouver's Vol/.,
vol. i., ]). 218.
^'' ■ Tlu! ailinitics of the riullam and Lnuinii are too ohvious to i-(>(|uin»
(li iiKiiistiation.' tiihlm' I'biUnin (iml Luiiniii Wirah.. p. vii. ' Tlif 'I'sihaili-
Silisli liiii^'iia^'cs roacli tliu sea in the part opposite Vancouver's Island. I'er-
liaps tliey touch it to the north also.' Ldlluun's rmiip. I'h'd., vol. viii., p.
4it|; (liiiritner, in Limtl. (n'oij. Son., Jour., vol. xi., p. 'Jo").
'^~ ' r^'s Indiens do la cote on de hi Nouvelle Cali'donie, les Tokalis, les*
riiiu\'(urs (Carriers), les Hchouchouaps, les Atiuis apiiartieuiieiit tons a lii
iiiitiiiu (les diipeonaTans.' .l/o/'m.s, Kvjilor., toni. ii., p. '.VM. ''J"he Atnah
liii'-,'U;i^e has no athnity to any with which I am ucunaiuted.' Mackenzie's
l''y'/</is, p. 258.
616
COLUMBIAN LANOUACiES.
Souiatlpi, and tlio Okiuiiigaii. wli'w^li with otlioi'H .spoken uii
the Cohiinhia show close allinities.
Tlio Salish proper, or Flutliead, l.s liarsh and friittunil.
The letters It, d, /', r, /', do not exist in this lanjiiuiiie. Tlif
jtlnral of snbstantiveH is foruied in dilVei-ent wavs: liisl.
hy duplicating the I'oot — sfiol, mother; aho'ikoi, niotlu-rs:
Hccond hy duplicating and drop[»ing a vowel IVoni the
root — da/titufjn, \uiin;d//i(t/fiii.!(/>i, men ;f',s;ytrV/',nionntaiii :
eff)iii)Ii)iic/,\ mountains: thiril, hy «lnplicating a consonant
in the middle of the word — .s/'Vr/uv///).s. eyelid; .d'lilr/nnn-
y/i/V.s, eyelids: fourth, l)y prefixing the sy Hal ile /'/ — michoi-
men, thief; NliHi/ivhiicn, thieves: and lastly there iiiv
divers formations, as <'ssc/i('te, tree; t^ifzl'l, trees, forest:
i<')iiem, woman (mnlier) ; pifiiii/nt, women. Dimimitivcs
are ex|)ressed ]ty placing / before the root, iis, x'lii'hu.
woman; ><liii(iii, small woman; ////', wood; lliil'lk, a small
piece of wood. Augmentativcs tire formed hy })relixiiiL;
the syllable //'///, or /v///, wlien the word conMneiiccs
with an s or /. thus, shtijUi', hovse ; kiiti-!<h(tjiu\ a great horse :
}<iii<)t. siuoke; Ir'tfl-siiiot, a great smoke. There are pro-
nouns, personal, possessivi', demonstrative, ivlative. in-
ter I'ogative, and indefinite. According to Mengarini tin'
l)ersonal pronoun has two forms, absolute and co[)ulati\c.
the exact meaning attached to these terms not being ex-
plained.
I
Thon
llo
We
Yon
They
ABSOLUTE.
koio
aui'ii
zuilz
k(it'nij)ilo
inpili''i)stoinp
zui'ilz
COrrLATlVE.
ko
ka
kao
\), or lup
As examples of the others there arc jin-
i)i ; thine, an ; his, — s; ours. /,n(); your
demonstratives, — this, <V;; that, zi : iii
suet: and indefinite, — some one, chud/i-^:
-<t -s, — ininr.
. theirs. — >:
)^ative. — wIk .
CONJUGATION OF THE VERB TO BE ANGUi'.
PllESENT INDICATIVE.
We are ans'T' '^'^'^''^ ainit-i
pes iiiiiit-i
I am angry, tnes aiiut-i
Thou art angry, kues aiiiit-i
He is augry, es uimt-i
YdU arc angrj'.
They are auyry,
es aiiiul I
BALISII IJIALECIS.
ei7
l'KItl'l'<T.
I liavo been iiu^ry, tii-iiiiiit or tuus uimt
KIIIST KDirilK.
I hIiiiII lie Hilary, iicin tii iiiiiit
tMI'KKATIVK.
lit' angry, nimt sch
I-nKSKNT sriUI'NCTIVK.
i. i bo niiKTV, tikH iiiiiit-i
l( fliou lir aiiLiry, l{ul<s iiiiiit-i
ll' ho bo iiii'Ty, ks iiiint i
If \vr be iiiiKry, kiukrt uiiiit-i
If villi be iiii'4ry,
If thi'y bu imyry, ks uiiiiit-i
iS lll)llt-l
IMl'KHKKC r HCII.tl'NC ri VK.
If I swrv Hillary, k inii lu uimt
(iI'IaTIVK.
Tf I ini^'ht be im^try, k'Hiii tii uimt
Follow ill." in ji Lord's I'niver, the iiiitioiiulitv not
"iw'ii:
Kiio Veil rs('lii(^lim;iskat ii kii I'/ii. askii ^st knl
\S
Oui- fatli. r
ill lu'Uvi'U
ilid livitli, tliv iiainc iif th
Liifliltiu; kii kl cliMtiv'h s os'ui sjuis; iisy.iitMs k
:uii
be loved;
tlidil b(^ Ldlil
if III! hcurts;
thv Mill
kulU ic 1 stuliii'ii, ozjiiiil rsi'liichiiiiiskut. Kac j:Mi/lilt
b(i iloue this <iii laiih,
111 Juaviii.
Is 'Aw to-ilav
it' tlgoa lu kiU'siii])/iiun. Kiiolkolj^oMlilt lu kac ^ulLiuilt
what
lie (mI.
Us foi'L'iv
K'lvo
our (iti)ts
('//iiiil lu tkacmpilL' kacs kolji'ot'lltni, lu o ('|il .iiiiliiUiU 1
us wii fciru;ivt' (those) who have ililits wilii
kiu'iuijilc. Kao olkscjii'lilt ta ka koskiu'stiu hi tMc; u kai
us.
Ts assist not lit any time receive evil: but ii»i
giiliiuillilt lu t('l tei('. Komi t'/jzaik
liiLServe iiuiiijiircil from evil. Be it so.-''
Tlio ahove is taken IVoiii the grammar ol'^Fcngariiii.
written in Latin; toilowing is a Lord's I'ravcr ot" the
IV'iid d'Oroillcs, from Father L)e rfmet, who wrote in
French :
lv\leevou. Itehitcheinask, a.^^kwees kcjwaaskshaiiieii-
Oiir father
of hi'uveii, that vour nauio
he respei
■t.d
.slieiu ailet/emilkou yeelsk\loog; ntziezio tellet/ia sj)oo
by 111! the
earth;
III ui
»)C
z. Assintecls astskole, yelstoloeg etzaue«d
litiirts. That your will bo done ou earth
uls
^^ ^[ell'Jar^ni, Sdiah Uram,
C18
COLUMBIAN LANGUAGES.
I
Itchiclu'initsk. Iloogwitzilt ycttilgwa lokaitssia iK'tzini.
iu Lt'iivtu. Give us uow nil our iic'cossaiic s.
Knwjiasksnieemiltem klotayie kloitskeyon etziigccl
l-'<jij,'ivc' lis the evil which vu liavt; doiio, as
kaitsskoluwc'leiii klotoiyo kloitskwcii klielskylooi!-.
we forgive (the evil) to those ■who us have uttYiuli il.
Koaxalock Hhitoin takaakskwoutoiu klotaiyc;
Accord to us assistiuico to cvndo evil;
kowaaksiiwooltoin lvlotai}0- Ivoiniootzi'gccl.
but deliver U'i from evil. 80 be it."^''
Also l)ok)ngiiig to this family are the laiigiiagos spoken
by the Skit.suish. Pisquouse, Xsietshaws, Nis([iiallies, and
Chehalis. The Xsietshaw dillers more than the others
from the Salish ])roper, ^vhich is the stock langnage of
this family, and particnlarly in not jjossessiiig any
labials; the letters wi and h being changed to //'. andy*
to h. Thns. iu the Chehalis and Xiscinally langnagcs,
we have, uHnmn. son; toiiolh, earth; jidi/safoff^l, winter;
which, in the Xsietshaw, are prononnced respcctiNflv,
nni(:()u. fmirk/i and /i(iii>i<)(otsi The Chehalis is s^ioken in
three dialects, the Chehalis proper, the Qiiaiaiitl, and tlio
Quenianitl.™
The langnaues of the Salish Family, particnlarly that
of the Chehalis, are rich in words, by means of wliicli
2!" 'Nationes quo rndicalitor liiiptuam Selicam loquuntnr sniit saltiin
deceni: ('alis|itliu, (^vul;_;i)) J'eiids d'uri illin iln J.nr lnji-rii ur. Sll^al!\c>lill^■lli,
J'fiiilti ir<ir(illis <ln Lite ,'^ii])<rii'ni\ Sclisli, Titi's J'Uitlvs. Suj^'iniiciii i,
Hii|ioils(lii, S/k'eszihii, Sjiohnivs, S'ehi/.ni, Ciriirs il'nlhio. Suoicii i,
ClKiidlhri !<. OkiiiaUfiii, StlaUaiu 'Vifo </(/(//(.' Afin<j(tr'uii, SiTi.'ili iir<iiii.,]i. I'liK
'Their laiii,'iiai,'e is the same as the Simkeiiis' and 1 latin ads'.' I'lirln's
Exphr. Tiiiir, \\. ;t(l7. 'The S|io",alies sjieak the same diah it as tin- I'lat-
hi'ads and ''end d Oreilles.' i'Ikiihiiiiii, in Iml. Af. L'^jil., IsCi;, ).. -.iiil : Ik
Sniil. \'i'!/.< ]'■ -•'"• ' I hi' Flatheads are divided into iiiiini runs trilns. 1 arli
haviiij^' its iiwM jieculiar locality, and ditt'iii)!;,' more ur liss from the iitlniH
in lan.^iiau", customs, and manners.' 'The SpoUan Indians arr a small
tribe, dilt'iriiiL; very little from the ]Tidi..us at Colviile ( illn r in llnir a]'-
jiearaiicr. haliits, or lanLjiiaj^'e.' /uoc 's Wmtil., \>\k \~',\.'.\U~. • I In I'l i d'
(''Oreilles are i^neraljy calliil the Flatheads, the two clans, iu fact, be ilii,*
united . . , .Still, till' two races are entirely distinct, their laiij,'UaL;i s bi in^' fiiii-
daiinntally ditbient. The variety of toiigu son the wi st side of tin' t lenkyi
mountains is almost intiniti', so that scarcily any two trib. s iindei stand 1 acli
other pi rftclly. 'I'lny have all, howevi ■•, the common idiaract r of biiti\'
very K'uttiiral ; and, in fact, the sentences often a|i]iear to br mere iilii blrs
of L;runts and croaks, siiidi as no alphubef, eould express iu wiiting.' >i'i"/i-
son's On fliinil J'liir., vol. i.. \). 1 111.
3" Ihtl'-'a Ethniij., iu U. S. Ex. Ex., vol. vi., y\\. ."),!.'") 7.
SALISH LANGUAGES.
C19
cvorvtliing coming within their knowk^dgo may find
(•.\[)iv.s,si()n; tlicy are not easily acquired l>y ,sti"inger.<;
it is dillicult ^^ov the dillerent nations and tribes to make;
themselves understood to one anolher. This is owing
|iiinci[)ally to the many localisms in vogue among them,
ol'wliicli there is a good specimen in the Cliehalis lan-
guage. Thus, tolncnch means west-wind, oiV shore, to-
ward the sea, or to the west. Xow. if the Chehalis are
li^aving tiie shore in a canoe, and one of them wants to
tell his mate to put her head oil' shore, he will say
f'li'in'Kch, hut if in a hurry, vchc/i hchc/i. C'datJihim sig-
nifies east-wind, also ashore; this they transjiose into
rhitJi ck(th.^^ The Clallnm and Lunnni language:; ha\e
another ])eculiarity, which is a certain nasal sound at
the connnencement and ending of words like a stro;ig
nasal iis; also a hroad a sound as in I'ar. path. The
sounds of the letters r^ /•, z, are wanting." The fie-
([uently occurring ending tl has also led to speculation,
and to a search lor Aztec aHiiiitics among these lan-
guages, l)ut notiiing except this ])honetic similarity has
h(.rn discovered. This ^/ ending is very connnon. Swan
says that, "sometimes they will, as il' ii)r anuisement,
end all their \\ords with tl; and the effect is ludicrous
ti» hear three or four talking at the siune time, with this
singular sound, like so many sitting hens.'" Ilast of
the Salish, the Kitunaha. Kootenai, or ( 'outanie language
is s|)oken. Authorities differ widely in descrihiug this
language. I'arker calls it "open and sonorous, and I'ree
iVoiu gutturals, which areconnnon in tin' huiguagv of the
surrounding tribes;" while Capt. TaUiscr alliruis that it
is •■ most guttural and unprcMiounceahle ')\ u I'uropean,
every word appearing to be bi'ouglit from their lowest
G20
C OLU JIBIAN LANGUAGES.
oxtroniitics with diniuiilty. "^' The following Lord's
rrayor, taken by a I'Venchnian will give a better idep of
the langnage than any description:
Katitoe naitle naite, akiklcnais zcdalntskinne
Our fiiflR-r, who art in huiuiii, uiiiy !iy uiimu Lo {.;r(.'at
wilkane. Xinshalinne oshomake kapaik akaitlainaui.
and honored. Bo thou flu^ miisttr of all hearts.
yekakackinaittc
as it is in heaven.
In.slia/etlnite yoiinoaniake
Jl.iy tliy will 1)0 done on earth
Komnakaike logenie niggenawaisline naiosaeni niiaituke.
(irant ns this day all oiir wants.
Kek('|)aiine nekoetjckoctlcaitle ixzeai, iyakaikakaaikc
For^'ive us all the evil we have done, as we forLjivt!
iya/eaikinawa.sh kokakipainicnaitle. Amatikezawts
all the evil done iiuto us. Stron^jtlnn us
itchkest.<!iinnnekakkowr'lle akatakzen
against all evil, and deliver ns from it.
kakaaike.
be so. 3'
Sliae\ki;i-
.Ma"v it
^riie languMgos of llio Sahaptin family are spoken
along the Ia'wI.s and Snake IJivers and tlieir trihiilarics.
as I'nr as the foot of the Rocky Moinirain.s. The AVallii
AVidia. Paloii.se. Vakima. Kliketat, and Sahaptiii
j)ro[)er. some of them widely dixergent from the mothci'
tongue, ai'e of this famil}-."^ The Walla AValla dill'ci'^
3* ' Der Prinz hezcufjt (l>d. ii, jII) dass dor behauptote XIant,'il i^n <!ni-
f,'i'llauten tin Irrihuniist; er henierlit ; dass die Spraehe durch din ilireij^'inu
" /un.L,'cn-si'linal/. '' fiii' das Auss[)reelieu sehwieriL,' wrrdi.', unil dass sie eiin'
Men^e von (iuttnralliineu hahe. ilan siircehi^ diii Wcirter h isc mul
undeullieh aus; dalni <,'(l)e (s darin viclo sehnalzendi! Tilne. indein niaii
iiiit d<'r Zun:.,'ens;itze ansdisst; aueh i,'e))e es darin viele dunipf" Keldlauti-.'
I'nm'i' M'l.t ill W'li' I, in lln^'-liiintiiii, Spnrm ihr .l:^/^. Sjir., ]>. <i(d. ■ 'I'liiir
laiiLiuai.,'!' hears nci alhnity whatever to that of any of tlie weslern natimis.
It is inliniiely softer and inori' free from those nniu-oiinuneialile Ljutlaiiils
so eonmiou anmn'^the lower tiilies.' ('n.r's ^\(lri n., p. 21!.'!; JJkt/ii-<liiii's liij't.,
jn /'<f//(s /''.s Exjil :i\, p. 7li; Parhr's A,V/i/uc. TaKV, p. ;i(l7.
'■'• /;■ Siliit's (h-iifni. Miss., p. Ili'.l,
">> Trill 'S speal;ii,i; tlie Kliketat lanL;uaL;e: Whulwhypnin, '{"ait-inaiuiii.
Yaliinia, V.illa \\'ulla|Miiii. Kyoose, Unnitilla, Pelnose, XNyampaiii; tlie VaKi-
nias and Kli.;etats or W'hnhvhypuin. . . speidiint,' the Walla-X\ alia lani'Uii'.'e,
otlierwi^e known as the KliUetat. I.i'nl's Ad/., vol. ii., ]i]i. 211, 2li2. ''i'ln'
Ivyeuse resetiihle llie \Valla-\V.d!as vi ry nmeli . . .'J'heir ian^;nageand cuslnins
are almost identical.' Kmn's M'ltnd.. \>. '2si). The i'end d'On illes 's|c.ik
the same lan.L;ii;e,'e' (Xez I'eree. ) Ihilcliiiis, \n Iml. .UJ. I<''j'l., JSi;:!. ]i. l.'ii'i.
The I'alouse Indians 'speak the same hiiijjuage .' Cain, in LI., UisOU, p. 21ii.
SAHArTIN LANGUAGES.
C-ll
:>]tliii
otluT
lilUTS
ui <;ur-
rl-lM !1
^ic rii:''
,1' hUi\
III III. ill
lla.iti.-
•■llHil
LltlHll-.
itlinaU
i;il' nil.
■ Vi.Ki-
'Till'
' SI '■■'K
p. '.illl.
IVdiu the Sahaptiu proper not moi»c than the rortuirncso
iVoiii the S[)anish. Fiither Paudosy made ii <:raininar
ol'the Yakima lamiiia<;e. mider whieh he raiiues tlie
whole k^ahaptin family, (lividiii;:; it into dialeets. as the
W'idla AValla, the Tairtla, the Uoilroilpam, or Kliketat,
and the Palouse.'"
In the Xez IVrce lan<i;uau:e, the folhnvinii' letters only
lire
foinid: //, Ji\ L
711. II
P, s, t,
V.'
a. 0, i. 0. V. hnt the
missionaries luiving introduced some new words, it Avas
loimd necessary to add h^d, /, g, r, z. A jjdiiti nation is
cirried to a great length, and long uords are very Ire-
i|ii('iit. In fact, wherever a sentence can he e\|)ressed
li\ joining one word to another, it is done, leavinir out
letters in places, for the sake of euphony. The following
is a fair illustration: Idtdniiiiiltii'ilniaidwnm, he traveled
]iast in a rainy ni
iht. Analysed, hi expres.ses the third
piTson singular; tnn^ a thing done at night; tualu, some-
tliiiig done in the rain; viJuKiii, to travel on foot;
l-ini is derived from the verh I'ohnnni. to pass hy;
/"/ expresses the indicative motid, aorist tense, direc-
tion from the speaker. The plural of suhstantivi's is
lorined hy duplicating the first syllahle: ])it'ni. gii'l;
■/''/lifiit^ girls. Or when the word connnences witli a
vowel, the vowel is sometimes rej)ealed: (ifmi'i^ old
WMinan; (Kitirni, old women, l']xceptioiis to this ride
;ir(
made in words exi)i'essiiig familx' relations, the prelix
/"' heing employed in such cases, as plhi, mother;
ji'l-iniKi. mothers. W p terminates the word, it is
"iiiitted, as aship, plural tiddi/xi. To express gemh r,
the words Jianix, male, and aiat, female, are employed,
Wallnli-Wallahs, wli
Hk' Walliih-Wullalis and X.z r.rc
lanuiifiKf I'f'loiu.'s to the Kami' faiiiilv.
f;ua.;i', ami tlic Caviiscs liavi
spc
ilialcrts (if 11 ciniiliiiii
Ian-
(,;,/,.
I\is SdUii
Ik
111 witli th
lUHildiiid tlii'ir ciwii fill' tliat of thf lattii'.'
r. N. hx.
rail tlicin-
lo icsido
ill I'lir. /,'. R. /i'r///., vdl. i.. \>\t. in;, li."i; //-(/c's F.iln,,,,,., in
Vdl. vi,, \\\), 'Ji:!, 51.!, 'Till' natiiui iiiikuil; wliicli we imw ai
ic niiitrd a few iif am it 111 r iiatimi, \\\
I'll a wrstciii iH'ancli, ciiqityiiiL,' Is If into till' ('nliuiiliia a fr\v milt s alxivi' tli
iii'iiiih of till' laltir rivi'i', ami wliosi' iiaiiu' is ('liiiiiiia]iiiiii. 'I'lir laii;.;naL;
lit littli- fiiiiii lai'h otlirr, or from that nf tli
"f l"iili llii'si' iiatiiiiis iliH'i
• lio|miiiiisli who iulialiit tlio Kooskooskoi' iiml Liwis's livrr
' .'•1/7. (•
h
• I
'I'nir., )). 12. ''J'hi' laii^'Uagi; of the Wullii-Wallas diHiTH Iroiii tli
Ntzl't'ivi's'. Purkcr'ti /•7.171/or. Taur, p, 1^7.
''' J'uHilusy's yaLuina Lamj., p. 'J,
G22
COLUMBIAN LANGUAGES.
but the snl).'<tantivo rorricains uncliaiiged. Xouns are
doclinod either by changing their terminals, or l)y
affixes :
Nom.
Gou.
Ace.
1st Dat.
'2(1 J hit.
1st \h\.
2i\ Abl.
3(1 Abl.
a lionso init
of II liouso iniiim
house iiiina
to or for a honae initj)!!
in (in, or upon a house initpa
witli a house initki
from a house initpkinih
for the purpose of a house initain
Comparison. — tahs, good; tahs hjiimnhinm^ better:
tahsid, hest. rer.sonal prounoun.s, — in, 1; im, thoii;
'//>/, he, or she; nxn, Ave; mzc/, je; bnma, they. Of the
verb numerous variations are made. They are divided
into three chisses, neuter, active transitive, and aetive
intransitive. Tlie two neuter ver])s areirash, to be; and
^rlts'i^ha, to ])ecome. Active intransitive verbs camiut
be followed by any accusative.
CONJUGATION OF THE VERB TO BE.
I am.
Thou art.
Ho is, it is his,
AVe are,
You are,
They are, it is tlicirs,
rilESKNT INDICATIVK.
UIRKOTIoN FliOM.
ill wash
ill! a wash
ipi hiwash, ipniin ush
nun wasiiih
iina ath wnshih
imina hiushih, iniman nushih
ju^t been.
RKCENT PAST TENSE.
waka
a wakft
I hav
Thou hast just been,
II(' has just been.
it lias just b;tu liis, hiwaka, awaka
AVc have just been, washeka
Yiiu have just been, ath washeka
They have just been,
it has just been theirs, kinsheka, aushcka hiushinmka ^'^
The following gramatical notes will serve to illustrate
the Yakima and some of the other languages of the Sa-
DIHECTION TOWAlilW.
im a warn
ipi hiwam
ima ath wasliiiMii
imma hiushiuiu
■wamka
a vuiuka
hiwninka
Washiiimka
ath wasLinnika
haptin family.
sixGui.An .
Nom.
the horse
kussi-nan
dcii.
of the horse
kussi-iimi
Dat.
to the horse
kussi-ow
Aco.
the horse
knssi-nau
Voo.
O horse
na-kussi
Abl.
for the horse
kussi-ei
38 IMv's Ethnog., in U. S. Ex. Ex., vol. vi., p. 512, et seq.
Y.UvOIA, WALLA WALLA, AND PALOUSE.
G23
nXRAL.
Norn.
the liorses
kiwsi-mii
f rcn.
t)f the hdVHOS
k>issi-ina mi
Dat.
to the horses
kussi-niaiuiow
AC'C.
th(^ horses
kussi iim-iiiiiu
V<.<;.
() hoi-ses
iiii kiissi-rim
Al.l.
for the horses
kussi-iuu-uiiei
Tn tlie Palouso and Walla Walla languages the aflfix
iKia is olinngc'tl into iia. rorsonal pro'iouns, — I, liil,'. iicx,
iicsh. ovx/i ; of nio. eiual; tome, eiimioir; me, iiKtl--^ for me,
cinniel; "we, ikdikiI'. iidtcs, ivinain^ aates, or motttJ,'; t)f us,
iireiiu; ions Dc'ciiiioii'; ufi.ncnunnik; i\)rns, iu'e)nii:i The
A\ alia Wallas leaves olf the k from the aflix (ik; thus,
instead of InaJi, me, they say iiia, and instead of namah,
we, uama.
TAEIMA.
WALLA WALLA AND PALOCSE,
He
Jieiik
jieiik
Of him
l)iii-iuink
liinmin
'I'll I:' (11
liiii-miwk
Iiiiiiiiiow
Him
liiu-nim
l>inmiiiuuu
]nr him
pin-iiiikiiiei
liiiiniiei
Th.v
jiiiuik
pmii
Of them
pe-iuiiik
liiiiuiii
'I'll tlicm
pe-miwk
pamiwk
Tlicm
pe-iiiiniik
jiiiniiiiiak
lor th( 111
pe-mikiiiei
jiamikaiei
In one dialect the terminal ah is changed into ei.
CONJUGATION OF THE VERB TO HAVE.
PEESENT INDICATIVE.
I have, iiesh wii, or wash ii(>k]i
Tlioii hast, mesh \va, or wash mesh
He has, jieuk awa, or iiiiimink awa
We have, iiafesh wa, or wash iiatesh
You has(>, iiiatesh wa. or wasli imitesh
They have, pa wa, or iieiuiuk uwu
rKllFECT AND n.rrERFFCT.
I had, or have had, iiesh waeha
I shall have.
FIRST FFTCltE.
iiesh wata
As a !?peeimen of agglutination there is the word
yinKiK/idpfit'tirfrd/i/l/ddhKitnirH/ir/. he himself makes night
ilis;igreeiil)ly tiresome long wait; that is, he keeps one
lung waiting for him at night.
Xeemi
Our Father
YAKntA LORDS FRAYER.
IMit, iuik nam wamsh Roiemich-nik;
thou who
art high on the side i^heaveu);
€yU
COLUMBIAN LAXrU'AGES.
II
.sliir nam 'innnuk })'a t-miikiiuni tnnici waniclit: sliir
well thou tlicy (iiidof. ) shuulil rcsixct llic imiiif; well
cwianawitaniei emiiik miawarwit; i^liir iiamiiiaiiak pa
sLoulil iirrivo thy thicftiiiiishii); well thee tiny
twaiicnitanu'i, ichiiiak tecliainpa. tciiiiia. j)r\\,
should fulluw hero eiirtli (on) iiihiibitaiits (thv) will
ainakwsriinnianak pa twaiioni^lianisli roicmipaina
tlum us thyself tiny fcjllow hii^h of tlu' i,htMVtii)
tonma. Xoiniuiak iiim t-k\vatak kwalissiiu iiiiiisi-
iiilmbitiiuts (the). Uui'tus) yivu us food ulwiiys to-uionow
inaisr. XoniauMk laknanim clu'lwitit: aate^sk^vs^i
to-nioi'idw. Our (,us) forget sins: us us
iiainak t'lionnamaii lakiiiini.slia clu'lwitit anak\vnl\iiik
wo others forget sins have l)y win. li
noomiow })a clielwitia. Tl-t-to anianiiii iicinanak
us have ott'euded. Strong niaki! our (ns)
tomna; t-kia\v krial, Xeinaiiak eikiviikoin clielwit-
heiirt; that it fall not. Us BUutcU bud fruui
knik. Kkws iwa iioomi tcmiia.
tlie side. So it is our heurt."*
Tho Xoz Perct's make use of two laiitiuaQos. one tlio
native lan.iiiiaue proper, or, as a European miiiht sav,
the court lauLiuaue, and the other a slave lauiiuoiiv. ov
jiirii'on. 'rhey dilt'er so luuch, that a stranger iiilly coii-
versaut with one ctuniot understand the other. This
jargon originated, prohahly, iroui intermixing [ji-isoiicis
of war of dill'erent nationalities who were enslaved, and
their languages mingled with each other, and with that
that of their conquerors. The pure-hlooded Xez l*ero's
all understand the jargon, learning it when chihbcn,
together with their own proper language. Xor is this
all. The iai'uon is more or less modified by each of tln^
several languages, or dialects, in which it is spoken. The
employt's of the fur companies, who first came in (mui-
tact with the ^^ahaptins, were greatly annoyed hy this
multiformity; as, for example, one Xez Perce coming"
to sell a beaver skin woidd say, ta))uner('M ta.vpooK I wisli
lo acll ^ beaver j another would say, towbjon iceet^ixjosir . I
53 Pamlosy's Yakama Lang.
COUllT LANca'AGE OF THE SAHArXINS.
C>'lo
Avisli to trade a lu'iivor; and a tliiinl would sav. I'toirj^m
( 'fit
•/ill . 1 \\\Ai to trade a heaver.
.ti
The Ibllowinu' short vocahulary will .^how some of the
Hereiices hetweeii the Xez Perce laiiiniaire and the
;ui:uu:
Mim
AVouiai
1)1 IV
(iiil
No
Knife
lidlSC
Hiiir
Eyes
XKZ PKncK
t Viltt
tilclllUltSflll
laliii
t..rl
WililtllWII,
waltz
she ciniio
tiiiiiaiiii'k
slicluw
^\ilu•ll
Italacky
tucliuuot
liftiii
tsya
wliapallmc b,
kddsv
Ati
40
Professor l\afines(|iie. out of twenty-four Sahaptin
words, elainis to have found six Ijearin^i' elose allhiities
to the i'iniilish. hut Puschniann says that of these
twenty-four, many are not ^^ahaptin at all.*' The
A\';iiilatpu lan<iua,ue. conterminouK wi
th tl
le >ahaptni. i.-
-poken in two dialects, the Cayuse and Mollale. 'I'he
Cayuses minule fii-juently with the Sahaptins. and tlu-re-
inre many words of the latter have been adopted into
tlieii' toniiue. '^^fhoy mostly iniderstand and s[)eak the
Saha[)tin. and fre([uently the Walla Walla, and tiiis not
tVoiu any relationship in the several lan<:uai:es. hut
tVoiii intercourse.''"
iiike their neighbors, the Cuynses employ two lan-
,i:iiages; one in the transaction of the conmion affairs of
life, and the other on hiuh state occasions, such as when
iiiakiiiii' speeches round the council fire, to detei'iuine
<|ii('stions of war and peace, as well as all other inter-
tiil)al alfairs. That is to say, the Saha[)tins use their
iitiut languajie on all ordinary, as well as extraordinary
while
(il'C
asions, keepinn' the jargon for their servant^
the ( "ayuses em})loy the l)aser tongue for conuuon, and
the hiuher for state occasions.
'" 77'is.s' Fur Hunlev.'^, vol. i., p. 313. ct soq.
" H'ljudsiine, AUaiitiii .lour., \). 133. iiuotod in Bnai'hmann, .^puren ihr
A:l'h- >/!/•., p. (!15. 'iuh hahe ilicsc Wcirtcr llatinisnuu's zu tiuLUi Tlieil
t;iiiz VI rsi'liicilcn von iliii Siiluijifnn ^'i'funiU?n.' Jl>.
*• Il'ilr's I'Mninii., in C S. L'.c. Ex., vol vi., p. 5<il:
Vol. lU. 40
i
im
y
0:3
COLUMHIAN LANGUAGES.
Tlio Ciiviisos woro cloriiii'iit sneakers: their liiniiiiiij
pel
lew
abounded in elegant exi)ressi(>ns. and tiiey well ki
li(»\v to make the most of it. When lirst known ti)
l]ur()j)e:nis. it was fast fadintr away, and snhseiinently
miM^ed into the Sahaptin; so fleeting are these native
idioms.'''
The (Miinook lanunaLie is snoken hv the diflereiit
tril)es inhaljitinii' thi.': hanks of the i^ower Columhia am!
a IJMeent comitrv
This I'amih- is divided into man\-
dialects, which diverge from the mother tongue as we
ascend the river; in iiu^t. tiie upj)er trihes have n:o.<tly
to employ an interpreter, when they oonununieate with
those on the lower part of the river. The chief di\<'isi-
ties of this language are the Chinook [)roi)er. the \\ nkiu-
kiun. Cathlamet, and Clatsop, and the \arious diidtcts
mentioned hy Lewis and Clarke as belonging to those in-
habiting this region at the time of their expedition. Imt
which camiot now be positively identifu'd with iuiy of
tl
le lauLiUiiu'es known to us
Two of the last-menti
oiinl
(ire
dialects, the .Multnomah and the Slcilloot. the expl
describe as j)elonging to the Chinook,^* Among idl tlir
languages of north-western America, except perhaps that
^'' 'The Skyuso have two dislinct liiii;^nii^'('s: tlif nno nsed in oiiliiiarv
intcrpoursc, tlu^ otlirr on cxtraDrilinmy uccusions; as in war ciiuiimN.
»V:i.'.' Fiirnli'iiii's VVi/rc/s, J). l'>'.\. • Thu C'avuscs liavc abiindoncd tin ir nwu
for that of tilt' Ncz roves.' (iihhs, iu Par. ]{. /.'. /,'-•///.. vol. i., pp. IH;,
42o. 'Tliiir lanL;na;,'L' hears sonu' attinity to tht^ Saliaptin or Ni/-l'i ni-
1 inj,MiaL;c.' I.iiili''li'^ .Vi. Lnii'i., yi. I'M; (Hki's llufhii Mis., ]> 'l',l^>: K'lm'-i
ll'(/i(^, J). 271*. 'Thi'iv ori^'inal LinL,'na,t,'e, now ahnost t'Stiurt.. liaviiii,'
athuity to that of the farriers, of Nortli Caledonia, and thu Uminjua Inihiiii-i
of Southern OreL;on.' Av/v/'.s .V.//.. voL ii., pp. •21!(— "di.
" ' The laiit,'naj,'e of tlio hands fartlier np the river departi d nmr'' iiul
nioro widily from the Chinook projier, so that tlio lower ones coulil in't
have und'rstooil the others without an interpreter.' '/i'l/LS-' CAi/wo/.- I'. ''e'...
p. 1. • The voealjiilary given liy ])r. Seouh'v as " (Jhenook" is alnicst a'.te-
getht'r Chihalis. His "Cathlaseon' , . . is Chinook.' /'/..p.,'). ' l>i s /'• .'m-
ikidIcs, d'oii est sortie hi lanj,'ne'-niere do ces sanva.t,'es." Suiiil-Annii'l. 1'".'/-
</;/',s'. p. ;tSl. ' Cathlanialis speak tho same langURL,'!' as the Cliinnook-^ iiinl
Clatsops.' h'ids (lull I'htrh's V/vm-i/.s, ]>. •12-1. Chinooks 'in l,in,L;nii'-' ..
resend)h' the ('latso]is, Cathhimahs, and indeed all the peojile in ii tip'
month of the Columhia.' 7'/.. j). 42(1. 'The Chinooks, Clatsops, Wahl.i.n uiin
and Cathlamihs. . . .rosemhled each other in ])erson. dress, laii'^u:;-!.'
Iri'iiifi's Astnrl't. ]ip. S."). ;i:t(i. Chinooks, Clatsojis. <'athlaiuiix. Waki'- i!n>.
Waoalamiis, Cattlei)ntles, Clatsoanias, Killiiimx, .Moltnomas, <'hieki li-.
resemhle one anotlnr in lani,'ua;_;i'. lines' .h/i-wi., ]ip. ST-'-s. 'Tin ' lij-
»i'»>A' lanj,'uage is spoken hy all the nations from tlie mouth of the Cohniiliiii
to the falls.' Franchin's Sur., p. 2(!2.
DIl-FIcrLTIES OF THE (IIINOOK.
knew
)\vn to
ui'iitly
iiativi.'
iftV'iviit
)iii and
many
• as \vt'
n'.'.t>tly
ti' with
livo'si-
Wakia-
diaU'cts
lose in-
ion. liut
I any of
•ntidnnl
11 thr
IS that
iiiliii;ivy
Ill ir liuu
i. Ili;,
i: l\i'i'i'<
liavilli,'
. liuli;uis
IlldlV llliil
CIlUlll lliit
,/■■ 1- '■..
llln>t ll'.tti-
i),s v..'.;-
.,,./, 1 •••,'/-
4U:i;-;'-. • ■
11, a- til''
iliki.icuui'l
all'-;"--'''''
VilkirUlllS,
•krli-
Ciihisr.bia
of tho Thliiikccts, tho Chinook is considered in its con-
strnction the most intricate; and in its pronnnciation the
most dillicult. Xo words ai'e to he Danid in the I'Ji!^lish
vocahulary which can accnrately desciihe it. To sa\
that it is liiittin'al. chickinu'. s[)lntteiinu'. and the like
conveys hut a, faint conce[)tion of tin* sound produced
hy a Chinook in his IVantic elloi't to nnhnrden his mind
of an idea, lie does not appear to ha\c \vt diseo\(.>i'ed
the use of the lips and toniiiie in speakin,^'. hut sti'u,i:ules
with the lower part of the throat to produce souiitl-
lor
tl
le e\
tl
pr
(,'SS
ion of his thonuht.^
N)me dechn'e that
le
<p.
■e(di of the Thlinkeet."-
wn(jse
anizuain'
111
<('
that of the Chinook contains no lah'ials. is melody in
comparison t(! the croakin,i:s of the Chinooks. lloss say s
that " to speak the Chinook diidect. you nuist l)e a Chi-
nook."*' Indeed, they a[)pear to lia\i' heconie tiri'd of
their own laiiLiuage and to have voluntarily al)andonetl
it. lor, to-day. the youthful Chinook sjH-aks almost
wholly (Miehalis and the jarLion. The emjiloy es of the
fur com[)anies. vo\a,i.ienrs, ti'appers and traders, who
wi'i'e accustomed to master with little dillieulty the aho-
rliiinal toniiues which they encountered, wi'w completely
non[)lussed hy the (Miinook. A Cimadian of Astors
d
company is the only person known to lia\<' aciiuu'ei
it so as to speak it lluenth". Dui'im:' a loiit:' illiies he
was nur.sed h\- the Cliinooks. and durini-' his convales-
'' ' Tlio liin;:;nac;r> s)iolicn l)y tlicKf jn'ojilc i-: i^'uttnval. very cliilinilt f'lr ;t
fni-i i._;ii(.i- to li'iirii, ami ciiiially lianl to iPi'iiiiniiMr. .' /,'f/.«' ,li/rr/i., p. ii !.
' I ii ' iclcilly till' iiKist iiiiiiroiiiniiictalili' (•ipiiij.oiiiil of ^,'iiltuiiils ivtr I'miiK I
tnr ihc (■iiiiiiimiiicatioii of humiiii tlioiiL,'lits. or lln' ixinosioii of liiuna;i
Wilts.' I'lix's Ailri II., vol. ii.. p. l:i:{. 'I wmilil wil iii^ly !^i>t' ii sjn I'inicii nt
till- liarliai'ous liiiii;ila','c of this pro]ilc. were it possilili' to rciircsi lit liy any
iii)iiliiiiatio!i of oiu' alpliabct tin' liorriMi-, liar^li. s|.liittiriii;,' souiiils wliirli
jMoi-rc'il from tlirir throats a|ipar(iitly iiiijiiiiliil titlitr iiy the toiitjiic or lip.'
h''iii''s W'liid.. p. lS'2. • It is hard ami ililliciill to iiroiionncc. for straii!_'tr^ :
111 iiiu; full of ;.^uitiirals. liki' thf (ladic. Thf coiiilpin.itioiis llil. or//, ami '.
iiri' as fr('([iiint in tln' ('liiuook as in th<' Mexican.' F,ii..rlnrt'.-< \iir.. ]>. •J»l.'.
'Al'trr till' soft laii'.!uai,'('s and riipiil ciinnriatioii of the islatiilfis. tlif ( hi-
111 iks prcsi'iitcil ;i siii.;iiliir contract in thf slow, il'lilicr.iti' iiiaiiiicr in \vM' h
tiii-y si'i'iui'il to choki' out thi'ir words; Ltiviii'^' ntt'i-auci' to sounds, suiiif of
whiih could scarci'ly lie represented liy coiuliiiiations of known littcis,'
I'i-l.n-iiffs Irtr's. ill'/'. >'. A'.r. Kx.. vol. "ix., ]i. "Jl. • It alioiuids with 1,'nt-.
tiirils iiiiil " el 11, 'kill'.,'" sounds, almost us dillicult to tinalysc as to utter."
(ji'ihs' Chuujvk \'ucah., p. u.
r,-28
COLUMBIAN LAXOUAGES.
cciisc (lovotctl Ills cntiro time to porfoctiiig' himsol*' in
tlit'ir toii^iH'."'
llc'i'c the sounds of the letters /'. /■, r, and z do nol
exist, the i)ronnneiiitioii is p,enerally very indistinct, and
/•and .s, /■ and 7. (/ and /, are almost always eonConndeil.
In tile first pei'son of the dnal and plnrjil of pi'onoims.
the person ])i-esent and addressed is either inclnded or
exchided a('('oi'din<i' to the foi'm nsed.
Personal pronouns in the Watlala dialect are:
SINQULAH. nrAii.
1 imikii i Wo (two) (oxc.) ndaikix
I Wt.' (two) (.iiicl.) tkliiiikti
Tliou iimika Ymi (two) imliiika
Jk' ialihkii ■ Tlu'y (two) ii^liikhku
PLUEAL.
Vt'v (ex.) n(,'tail;:i
■NVf (iiicl.) olkliiiika
You Ill(^■aika
Tliuy tklilait(,ka
Of the possessive pronouns the following; will serve as
examples. Tiiey are joined to the noun Itukiit/ihle, or if.'i-
knnitkhlc, house.
SINGUI,An.
My linnso
'I'liy liouso
IIi>> liou^io
knkwutklil
iiifokwitklil
iakwitklil
Our hnusi^ (('XI'.)
Om- hoiisi' I iiul.)
\o\\v house
Tlii'ir liousu
nrAT..
ndakwitkhl
tkliakwitklil
iiitlakwitkhl
i(;takwitkLil
I'l.ritAL.
iiti;ak\vitkhl {o\p.>
olkhakwitlihl (Jud.)
lii(;akwitklil
tkhlakwitklil
CON.ir(iATI0X OF THE VERB TO BE COLD.
I'ltKSKNT INUICATIVK, SINOf'.Al!.
I am cold. iiaika ti^iiiokhkcakh
Tlioii art I'old, iiiaika t(;ii,iniikiakh
III' is (.'okl, iakhka t(,ikeakh
DCAL.
AVc (two) nro cold (oxc),
AVe (two) ai'i' cold (_iuel.),
You (two) arc cdd.
They (two) are cold,
Wo arc cold (cxc),
AVo are cold (iucl.),
You arc cold,
Tlicy arc cold,
PLURAL.
iidaika t(;i(;ontkcakh
tkliaika tvi(;tktakh
ludaika t(;iiiiokcaldi
ictiiklika tci(;tkcakh
nt<;aika t(;ipont(;kcakli
olkhaiKa t(;ilokcakli
lucaika t('i(;oiii(;kcakh
tkhlait(;kii t(,'i(,'otkhlk('nkh
^f"' ' Tlio ancient Chenook is such n gnttTiral, difflcnlt tonRne, that niaiiv
of the younj:; Chinook Indians cannot sjieak it, but have licen taiiuli' I'V
thi ir parents the I'lit halis Lmyunge and tlie .Jari,'on.' Sicun's X. 11'. Ci"i-.t, ]'.
:{i)G; H'llf's KIlDimi., in [', .S.Kw Ex., vol. vi., p. TiC-i. 'The veiy ditUult
))ronn.'.ciation and excessively complicated form of the Cliinnok has etl' cn;-
iiily prevented its actjuisition, eveu by missiouuries and fui traders.' <jWii
(Uinook Vocab., p. 5.
C'ALAI'OOYA niONDUNS.
020
Yesterdiiv I wus cold,
niPKI'.FKf'T.
tuKcilkhl imikii tciunik. iildi
FIltST FnCKK.
By ftlid liy I shiill bu cold, utlildki' iiaiU;i t(,li;i'iikliatka
I Khali 1 1
la.
jiaik.i (iiK;ikliutka t<;ii,
THE VEllii TO KILL.
I kill tlie.>,
I kill hini,
1 kill y.iu (duan.
r kill 'ihnu (dual),
I kill voii (i>\.),
I kill tliciii,
Villi kill him,
Yi)U kill tlniii,
niiminwuuna
t(;ino\vii|4ua
(iiiitkiiiiiua^'iiiv
(|(^•lkillll\vaL;llil
oiiK^kiuiiwau'na
<itkhlkiiMi\\ii''ua
(iiiK.kiw
itkhlk
iu:iia
iuiiLriia
Dialectic difTcronr
CS ])i\\
rticiiliirb
Ml not
I- tl
IC llpl"'!'
diiiiooks. or Wiitl.-ilas. arc iouiiil })riiici[iallv in woi'd?
i!iainiiiatica.l Ibriiis liciim' alii<c in both/
l\auo ri'iiiarks
as a peculiarity that this laiiLiiiajic contains •" no oaths,
or any words convcyini:' gratitude or thanks. " "*
^loviiiii' auain .■southward to the ^\'illalncttc \'all('y. I
find the Calapooya lanj^uage, and lor the lirst time a
soft and liannonious idiom. Althoii<:h tlie ii'iittnral ///
sometimes occurs, it i.s more tre(|uentl\" solteiied to />.
lie consonants are c. or .s.
/•,./. /■, A
///. //. /"/. />. or
h.f.
or */
'/, and ii\ Tnlike the Salia[)tin and Chinook there aro
lu'ither dual nor plural lbrm.s in the t'alapooya lan-
uuaue,
The personal })ronouns arc:
Thou
Ho
Wo
You
Tluy
JIv fathor
Thv fath.r
His fath.r
Oiii' fathci-
Y'oiir father
Thiir father
SIv mother
'J'hy mother
Ills mother
( Mu- mother
Your mother
Tlifir mother
tsi, or tsii
maha, or man
kokii, or kak
Soto
iiiiti
kiiuik
tsi simmi
maha kaham
kok
llillalii
Koto tufaiii
lliiti tif 111!
kiiiiik iuifam
tsi Kiinii
maha kaniii
kok iiiiiiniiii
soto tiiiiuiiii
iiiiti tiniiiiii
kiuuk iuiiiuiiii
*' Hale's Elh
'moil.
in r. S. Ei
vol.
's ]\\oal., p. ls;j.
VI., p
A seq.
680
rOIJ'MlUAN L.\N'(H'.\(JKS.
CONJr(iATION OP THE VEKH TO liE KICK, ILrATIN.
1 am sick
'I'li'iu art sick,
He is sick.
We lire sick,
Ymi lire sick.
Tl
I'llKMKNT NKUTKIl.
tsi ilfiitin
iiit>i ilfiitiii
ilfaliii
tsiti ilfaf
ilfaf
llllsli
lev arc sicl
NK(t.\TIVK.
I am not sick
T was si<-k vi sicrdav.
IMI'KIlFKcr.
Tl
lull wa-'t sick VIS
stcrda
kiunU ill ilf.if
waiiL'k tsik ilfutit
ilfatiii tsi kiivi
IIIIKIl I
He was sick Ncsteidav,
ll'ati
liii ilfutiu
[■II'ST FrTL'UK.
piiiiv. 1 shall bu hick
liiidji tiiilfit tsii
Tlie followinir ('\!inii)lo uill sovvo to illiistnitc tlu«
fiiviit cliaiiiics \('i'I»s uiidci'uo in their ('(Hijiiiiiitioiis: —
/r<!fitpiifsiftiit jiii'/i'f.\ lovf tlit'c; fsiftipliifsiio /,fi/,\ I love liini;
/ifiii((i/)>iifsiir(i/</ /sil hik, ho love.s me; hliifsidt^njilsiavUi As/'/,
(lost thoii love iiu'?^'"'
The ^'iuni\.illy is spoken at the sources of the AVilln-
nu'tte 1
CmI:
ii\er
\ eonipiU'ison of the ViiiiikiilK' iiiul
i|)()(>\a vo(
iiliiii,
ines shows a certain ri'hitioii.sliiit
I
1 •('tween them.""
I have said tiiat certain affinities are discoNcred lir-
tween the W'aiilatpii and .\h»ilale. and also hetweeii tin-
AVatlala and Chinook: in these. ;is well as in the (';il;i-
>oo\a and Vaiiikallv. I'lischiuann discovi'is I'aint tr
ICC
ot" the A/te(^ lan'^'iiaiiv
0th
1
lers nave tiiscoveici
fancied I'elationship hetween the lanjiiiaii'e of tin
Mexicans and those of nioi'e northern nations, hut Mi
Ihischiiiann helievos that, descendinu' I'roiii the ii
(trill.
the peopU's mentioned, uhose
laiKh
[\v iiraiiHMi
the Colmnhia. are the lirst in which the A/.t
cc
III
in
iiadows. makes its ap[)carance. These siinilaritic
lie ili.scovered not alone hy direct com|)arisons with the
Aztec, hut also l»y detecting' resemhlances hetween these
( 'olumhiaii dialectts and those of certain nations wliicli
J'J Hth's FJhiK,,,.. in r. S. F..f. Ex.. vol. vi., p. rM\. ct sc(].
^" 'Yalilkaliic, Ivallaimiah. Oi'e;4im Indians of the plaius of the W
iiiettc, speaking a laiiL;nat,'i' related to that of the ('
I.inJ,
iri'l s
.v.. I.
dis Vaiukalli
DI'l., p. Jii-J
il'
' (iross die Vi
lis and llaeelt/.iiK.'
illsrhaft <ler Kalainiva mi'l
le; aina" an vers<
■hiedc
Wiirteru fchlt es uicht.' 7v'ii>c/i'
Sjmrvn i.Ur Aikk. >'^'/'., p. li2M.
rOLl'MllIW A\I) MEXICAN roMPAlUSOXS.
iV.]\
lit' culls his Soiioni ;:n>ii|)iinil itsiilliliiitioiis. all of which
ntiitiiin t'li'iiu'uts of the A/tcc toiijiiic. ^'ct Mr I>ii>('h-
iiiiiiiii (Iocs not thcrclVoni cliiini Jiiiv I'chitioiishii) l>cf\vccii
the A/tccs iiiiil ( ohmihiuii.s, hut onl\ notices these lew
."■liLiht assiiniliitioiis.'''
Herewith is a coin[)arative tal)lc. containing a lew
MiMilar words
( ..Ml'AKAIlVK 'I'Aill.K, SIKIWIM, SlMILAIIITIKs HETWKKN IIIK CuI.rMlilAN ANK
MkxICAX T()N(iL'KS.
n'AIt- MOT.- WATI.AI.A. ClIlNiiliK. CAI.A-
l.lsll. I.AIl'l;. l.AI.K
A/.IKC
siiNoli V
IMKIVA.
Vi ^ i ill
T li l.iiif
Win.l
lil.M'k
Uat.r
I
( hi- f iiitoinnt; iuliiint
111', ilW
taiiti tialitl
tklllliul tklllllollK.l
ikkliala itskliakli ikhala
tl,l|Kllli
Itl h
tkhl.
tl
;h
tlilli
Wfiiiutkbl wiliaiklil
uaika
Uuo
ne
imit, ianta
\\\r
t Mr
(iftli.
1 liV
'. ill
ritie.
1 the
tlicse
;!ru:li
Wallii;
U/.ak.'
y;i niul
i/»'(i'i'(
The (Miinook jaiyon is eniploved h_v th«' white
]HM)|(le in their intercourse uith the natises. as well as
\>\ the naf.ves auionu' themselves. It is spoken throuuh-
niit ( )ri',ii()n. A\'ashin,i:ton Territorv. on \'ancouver Island.
mill extends inland into Idaho and some |)arts of .Mon-
tana. It is more than prohahle that, like other lannuauvs
(/. riniriiiiiiicc. it l()rmed itself uraduallv. lirst among the
natives themselves, and that in the course of time, in
(inler to faciliiat" their intercourse with the ahorigines.
trappers and traders adopted and improved it. until it
linallv hrou^ht int(» its [iresent state. Indeed, so
t was the diversity of languages in this vicinitx. and
itricate were the\-. that without something of this
I there could have heen hut little intercotu'se hetween
tlir jieople.
A somewhat similar mixture I have already meii-
timied as existing in Alaska. Father Paul Le .h'une
i;i\es a short account of a jiu-g(m in use hetween the
■'1 ' ll("iehstinfvk\vi'n'(lii,'sin(l fiuzelno nnlaimlinroaztckisclu' nml zwritons
Wnitrr. wulclic ii'li ill (lits.ii Spniclitu uuf^'rlinuUii
\\a^
uiva
Ml ii
kiiii
Olll/.llllf SiilKlI'lScllc
llttscli
chiniiiiii, >iiiiri II t
l,r Aihk. >>(■., p. (;-2'J.
032
COLU.MBIAN LANGUAGES.
M ' -A
m,::yH
iVoiicl, and the hidiaus. in the ii()rth-east(>ni mvt uf
A
inci'ua, as eai
1
lyastl
le \ear
K
).).).
In l'iUrt)|)e a smii
ir niixturo, or patuis, pi
evails to tliis (la\'. tlic liiii:ii;i
franc.'i. nscd hy the many nationalities that coii-
uiVi:a,te npon the shores of the Meditei'ranean. In
(Miiiia, and in tlie Ivist Indies, the so-called jiincou
dish
tl
1 oceuoies tlie same piact
ih
ni(l m variolic
)ai
t'S
ol" (V'ntral and Southern America, neutral lan,<:iia,i!
may he I'ound. To show how lanj^uaiics si»rin,u' up and
visitinjz' the coast in I "'••li,
alonii' the shores of Oi
urow
y
uicouver. uiien
ii)i
uk; hi \arious ])iac(
\\ ashiuLiton. and \ ancouver Island, nat
ions
that
VLl'Oll.
now
and then understood words and sentences of the Xootka
and other ton^iiues, some of which had been adopted
into tiieir own lan^uaue.
When Lewis and CMarke. in ISOO. reacheil the coast,
the jargon seems to have already assumed a li.ved shape,
as'may he seen Irom thesentenci'S(pioted hy tlu' exploins.
I)ut not until the arrival of the expedition sent out li,
.^ohn dacoh Astor does it apj)ear that i'ither I'liii^lish di'
l"'rench words, of which it contains a lariiv [)ercentaL:f
were incorporated. Ver\" few, if any, of the words d
which the jargon iscomptrsed, ivtaiii their oriLiinal sliapr
The harsh, guttural, and un[)ronouncealde nati\c cacivliiL
as softeiietl or omitted, thus formiiii:' a spee(d
\v
I sllitn
to al
In the same manner, some of the Miiiiiish soiii
lik(> /" and /•. uiu)ronou.;ceahle h\- the native, weiv
drop|)ed. or *^ransierred intoy^ and /. "ivhiie all iiraiiiinati
eal i"orms were ri'diiced to die fewest and plainot i'
nil"
1
lOSSl
bk
lit even iii
th
in'i!'on.
tl
lere
ire what
5- ' 'i'liis system iif jiU'L,'<ins lii>i_;an very
.1 li
ll.Mlll
iimiiv (I'll
A^•
vl\
l(i:i:t, tlic J.suit 'alhi r I'liul J.i'.l'm
hiivc reiiiarUcd. in tlir stii'lv of fluir Iiiii'm
If Wldt.
that tlitii' is 11 (■• rt:iil
lictv
wi'cu llif l''i'(U<'h ami luilians, wliii'h is n tlici' ["niu'li imr Ii
liiii: auii vi t,
wlit'ii the l''ri iicli us(^ it, thiy tliiiik tliey arcsiivakiliL,' Indian, ami llit linliai
IS
tiHin^' it, think they siieak
M •rihhti' Chii
1"), ISCd. <Cliin
il Freiicii.
'/.; l)ic., J), ti; S'lii I'
Hist. Mit'i., vol. v., p. .11"
lUliirtHfi)
<l liHlllti
.linii
is II j:ir^'oii wliii'li was invented liy tlie Jli,d-
J!ay Company fur the jim'iinse of faeilitatiiiL; cnmninniiatiipn \\\
th tl
1 li-
ferent Indi
tiil.
Ilese Wi'Ve SI) lUiniirdlls
and their lanu'n:i
variiiiis, that the traders lunnd it inipossil.'e tn learn them iill, and ad. I'l-
the devie
.f
I jmlieimis miMure
if Ije.'lish, !■'
llu-
'tail, a
lid
Indiiiu tongues, whicii has a very limited voeabuhiry; but wLifli, hy tl.i
■I'^^IH'M'
ANALYSIS OF THE CLIINOOK JAltGOX.
(U.J
iiuu" bo called (liiilcctic (lifToroiices: fur instaiuw many
Mords used at the Dalles, are ([iiite un'mtelliLillde at the
mouth i)i' the Cohimhia and at l'ui:et f^omid. it has
often heeii asserted that the jarn'on was iii\cnti'(l or
originated 1)\- the Ilndsons l)av Conipanv. luit a'ithoui:h
the fur ('t)ni[)any undoubtedly greatly aidi'd its de\(l;.|)-
ment. and assisted in perleetini:' it. it is well known,
first, that this jarji'on existed before th(> ad\ent of
1 secundh', tliat lau-uajies are not made
ui'oneans. am
tl
c""c^
ni tins \\a\'
Mr (
ilhhs S
tates the numl
.f
oi won
Is t
o lie ne;
irl '
live hundred, mid after a careful analysis of the laii:.:uage.
has arrived at the following;' conclusion as to the munber
contributed b\- the several nationalities:
riiii 1; Mini n-it-op
•2(111 wunln
•21
Jiitirjcctioiis I 111
lllllllll tl SUM lil
icluilili'' iliali c-ts
l.lllN. .jJ.
;it;ct
.! \i
.1 Yi
'1'
Nootk.i
rii.i
Kli
<'lii|)iic\v:)y ( O jiliwiiy;
lUv, 7
;j;i
W ,-
l-cO ( iJl'd
lilllVU
fv (linci lllllllll itii]i'i'iii
i-ivatiiiii iiiiUtiiiwii. iir nil
C.iiai
" <l
Fl'llH'll
Ki.glish
;V> belol'e
(liulilx
ll'
■oiiaii:
ly)
.l.'ti
riiiincd
!•, Caliuriiaii, 4
is
(17
nv
;)ne(
1, f
orci'^n A\tn'(
t-
idonted into tin
larLi'on vocabuiarx u'e chaiiiied to suit tiie taste ol fi
^ll
I
i
Innllitiii. .'niii^
Ithi' Hr.a-'i;'*
|i with till 'lif-
lall'^'Uai;. ^ -"
|l, ami n.lii'l"!
Ii, anil SI y I'll
Iwliicli, i>y '''"
simis
llll|l of
iHiiii laii^iuaj^c
is roaililv nii(lirsti)fi(n>v all tlu' liativos, ami scimh as a ruin
.1/;
ilml < lllllllll
v. ir. /
ass'ir'e. 11
;wt.
ij iii.ti,
Ti.
J"
u lilti rt a
S'p iiiivi'li ill use all uvcr tint Nrntli I'ai'ili'- <'ii;^t
Jiiili lUs, as 11 vi'fli.il imilimn ni (•llIlllmlliil•atiIl^' wiiii tai'li utli' i-, was .i'Il;!
i,IU
iwl
ivfiitiil liy ;lir Huilsiin's I'ny Coiiiiiuny, in onln- t<i faciliifati' ihf pro-
.ftli-i
ri'oiiimi-iTi' with Iliili.nis. ' ^^"';'^.^■ liirlh»iiiri/ nf <l iii'.nl, Jn
I'll.
'Chiiiiiok i>
iai''_'"n. ciiiisistiii'.^ of lint liiDic than I
If f'l.li'
lllllllll WMiil-.. ilrawii I'iiiin tin' Fri lii'li, Kn^lish. Siiunisli. Jlnliati. mh\ tl
f.iiii-v lit' thr invcutiir. It
iiitriviil liy the HuiImiu's Jti'y ( 'iiiniiiuiy I'uv
t;i' t'liiiviiiiriii'i' (if frailc' lirnnni, in Iml. A'J. /I'l/i'., inTi, p. J"24. Siirnat
iii^putis thi'iiivriitiimiif the jarL<iin, and says; ' Sui-li an ju-hii vi!ii< lit as tlii
iuvi iitimi (if a laii.!Uai,'r, is licyiilnl tin' Ciipiiliilitiis of cviii a cl.ii f ftict"!".'
tlif Ciiasf Jiidiaiis in pa)iii':ilav, tlii'
p. I. Ill
1 think that, am
lit dt" the laiit^iiaj,'!' has hi til in Use fur ytiirs.' Siriiii\ .V, M'. '
liiih
p ;i('7. //i(/i'>- k'llniii'i, in r.S. AV. K.f.. vol. vi,, ]i
I'i'.i'), ct Mil
■'' mill,.'
I -In
t.
tl
irv aiii; i'(iii!hiiitM
I'l
I. Vll. Mil.
All till' wiirds ihns liniimdit
liniidiid and lil'tv in nuiii
I in this singularly ouiistniitiil spi ccii arc almiit tv
//.(/. •>• AV/i
iiiii'i.. Ill
r
/■;,.•. /•;,
Wolds nndoiililidly iif .lapalRsc- oriuin
still
tl
11 uii tlu' coait i-allid Chuii.
■./•.s \ilt.
I'-
icjvr-oii
[y V
^-
t'
i- ^'
.1 '■'
1
i • 'i \
i J:
l-.J
t ■■ •
f
1, ■*
: 1
r''
■i
1
634
COLrMr.IAN LANGUAGES.
Kpoakcr. iis ill the word FraiK.'iiis. bi'iiiir unable to pro-
iioiiiici' the /". /•. and //. for I'Yeiiclnnaii tlu'v .<uv /jmoiln/is.
and for I''r<'ncli. jKisni. The iow woi'ds forniod bv
ononiatuiKi'ia. arc after tliis fasliion: — fnni/"/!/. heart, an
imitation of its heatint.'': iliitin. ])v\\: fi/,ii/,\ \\i\\r\i: lijilij).
to hoih iVoni the sound of hoilinii' water, and so on.
Xeither article nor inflections are eni])loyed. 0/,n/,\
this, at times takes the place of the En,u'lish th(\ As a
rule. ]ilurals are not distiuLiuished, but sometimes the
■word /"/'''. many, is iist'd. Adjectives ])reccde nouns, as
in I'hi;ilisli. —/'/■:</"// ]uikiit!>]aini. silk handkerchier; iiiii!<ntsi
fi/i/,-<i/it. IkuI ])e()ple. The com})arative is expressed, ibr
example, in the sentence. I am stronjicr than thou, by /'(/,
iiKiihi sluliini hiktni aulhi. thou not stron,i; as I.
Suiu-rlatiw. — liKia^i, oliinKiri okok kiunin. ^•e)•\■ old that
canoe. There are />nly two conjunctiijns. y//'. derived
from the French y>"'s. which denotes lUKJ. or then; ami
y/os. from i<)ipij(i><i. meaninjd" if. in case that, jiroxided
t)»a(t. 'i'he particle //'/ is at times used as an inter)'o,ua-
tive."'
The Lord's ri-a_\er in the <^'hin(X)k jaiyon is as
follows :
Xesika papa klaksta mitlite kopa sadialie, kloslie
Our i:\y:.<i- will) stiiyuUi in ili. ;t'ivr, j.ii)(l
kopa lU'sika tiinituiM mika nem : kloshe niika t'yec
ill i-v<\- \v 'Its ill. thy iiiiiiif: /".nl timu chi. t
kopa kfMiowrty tili'ikuin: kloshe nuka. iwt^nni kopa
ii»ron;< Jill ^"plf; j^>i,.i.l Uiy stri^' ii|)'..i
i'lialiie. kahkwe koj/fi (Ka/hali*-. I'otlatch konaway .-uii
<;ul!i .1-; ill rj.r !il»iiy<;, (rive ( '. . jy iliv
nesika imy'Vmh^M'V.. /jJOse nosika jnaiivx/k masaf/z^jtrie.
wake m'i'i^a Jjya* >M/llek.>-. {K* ?=|/>se kkks^ta masahdiie
iliiiliut fi.'.l V. (■/ lili^f/ (ijmI if ,11, ///Tm' '\il
ko'|i>M ii^'cika, wiiki- iv/iku w;W^ks h>]y,\ klii!<kM. Mali-!i
tiiwards IH, ti'A v.f i"i;-:i. tli( in. S^ii'l
siah k<r]>ii iie,«iaika kof»«way nv,\> jiHuAie kah'kvva.
fur
>
it
Ii.'ilio. kloslic
CIIArTEll IV.
CALIFOKNIAX I.AXGIAGES.
MLXTirLirirt of T'lN^iCEs Yucns, Kr.AM\TH. and Pat.uk r(i:\rrAi!isii\s —
Pitt IvivKi: and Wintoon VcxAnri.xKiK.s — AVkkvot, Wrsiii'Mj, Wkitsikk,
AM) EllNKK CoMPAltl.SONS liAXdUAdKS uF HlMlil >1.1) f 1>AV PoTTKU
\' AI.I.KV, Pir.-<SI\N' AND EkL lllVKli LaX«UA(1Ks- I'oMo La\c lUAUKS —
(rAIJ.INiilMKI.o (Jl^nrjIAU — TltANS- PACIFIC ( 'oM I'AUISi AS — ( 'llnc|-VKM
LdUD's PliA\KU — l.ANlifAUKS OF TIIK SacUAM 1- N l(), SaN ■ToA'jriN, Na1>A
AMI Sonoma Vam.kys — TiiK Olhonk and othkk T^anoi A<iKs oi- San
FliANCI^c O P>AY— l\i:SSIKN AND EsLKNK OF ^loNTKUKV — SvNTA t'l.AUA
LoliD's pKAYKli- ill'TsrN GUAMMAl! — LAN<iL"AclKS OF TIIK !^Il^SIoNS SaNTA
Curz, San Antonio i»k Padi-a, Solkdad, and San iluiCKi. -TAuuh
(ri;A:MM\i; — TnK ]>iAi.i.ris OF Santa Ciav. and othkk Isi.xniij^.
Nittwitlistiiiidiiio' tlio o'rrat divt'i'sitv oi" tniiLiiit's cii-
'oiiiitrivd ill tlic I'ciiioiis of tlic north, the coiiriisiou
iiicrciscs t( ii-tiiM oil ('iitt'i"in,Lr ( 'iililorniii. l*roliiil)ly
ii'ivsin'i'c ill Anicricii is tluTc h ;^i'(';itrr inultironnitv of
l.i:i;^ii;i,Li('s and (lial<'(;ts tliaii iicrc. I'litil (|ultt' rcccntlv.
lU) attcmiit lias hccu made to hriii^' order out, ol' this
Hii'iuistic chaos, ouiii'.:' maiiilv to a lack <it' oramiiiars
;inl \'ocahiilarics. \\ ithiii the last lew voars this want
lia.'i. in a iiu'asuiw hocii siipiilicil. and I lio|i(' to lie ahlo
til present sonio l)r<iad< r cl.assificatioiis than li;(\e hithei'to
'"■(Ml atteiiipted. Tliroi li the researches ol' Mr I'owers.
w!ii> has kindly ])lactMl jiis niatcrials at my di-po^al. ami
iliiaMe iiilormation c(»miiiiinicatcd hy .liidp' Uose-
i'lii'oiiLih. the dialect^ of northern ( 'alii'ornia lia\-e heen
rcij) iced to .some sort ol' s\>tem. \c't there remains the
(Wo)
.11
m
1:|l
•Ill
I
i
C3G
CALIFOEXIAN LANGUAGES.
fact thiit. in coiitral ami .southern CiilUbrniii, Imndrnls
oriliak'cts have Ijeen perniitteil to die out, witliout,
1
eaxni'j,' us so nuicli as tlair nauie
In atteini)tin,i:the chissification of ralifoniian touiities.
no little dillieulty arises I'roni the ambiguity of trihal
names. J>o far as aj)pearances .uo. souie peoples have i
tlistinctive name; others are known hy tlie name of tlicii-
chief aloni'. or their raucheria ; the alliliation of ehiel'.
rancheria. and trihe lieing identical or distinct, as tlic
case may be. Souie writers have a conunon name ibi-
all ti'ibes speakiuii the sauie. or dialects of the sauie. lan-
fiuajie; others name a people from each dialect. \a\>\
of all, there are nation.s and tribes that call themselvt s
))V one naiui'. while their neiuhl)ors call them bv aniitbei-.
so that the classifier. ethnoU),!.:'ic or iihiloloiiic. is ajit to
emunerate one people under two names, while omittiii--
many."
We have seen in the Columbian lantruanes, as we
appi'oach the south, that they become softer and less
tiuttural : this is yet more observable anioim' ( 'aliforniai^',
whose speech, for the most part, is hanuonious. [tni-
nounceable. and rich in vowels: and this feature beeoiurs
more aud more marked as we proceetl Irom northern to
southern California. On this point, ^Ir Powers a\ rito;
"Xot oid\- are the Calilbrnia laniiuau'es distiiiLiuished li)r
that alUuence of vowel sounds, which is more or k-s
characteristic of all tonsruea S!X)ken in warm climates;
1 no.^.hvnu'tir.-^ L< n<r to iho Anlhnr, MS.; The Shr,'il,(^(in'l thfir y.hihhi.,-".
^IS. • 'riicilivirsity of laiiLTuauf i-< soi^'Vt'iit, ill Call tiuiiia. tliat at aliiiip~t r\ivy
1.') or 'iO Ic.iLjiK's. you liihl a disiiiic't ilialcct.' H'sriiini, in l!,l,i>i.-<''ii's /.■ '•
i't (''(/., p. lilit. ' II n'l'st if.'ut-ftiv auciU! Mays oil lis ditl'i'i't'iis iilioiius shIi :it
aiissi multiiilivs vnn' dan:-; hi ealifoniii' sc|'tiii.li ionalo.' Li /'•/•.)»>■., \'' ,'/..
toiu. ii., p. 'JS,l. ' vhu' might spiinl yi'ars with (lili-iiici' in iii'cpiiriii^ an In-
dian tiuiL^ii''. tiioii joiii-iit'ya tlii'i'<'-liours" space, and lind liinisill' adrift a'.aiii.
so nndtitudiiioiis arc the hui|,'uaL;cs and diahcts of California.' /'.."-.,>'
.Vn/-//(. C'll. I,,, I., in Orirl'itid M^'mthlji, vol. viii., y. D'JS, -The divcisity i,-.
siir-h as to preclude almost entirely all verbal eonnnnnieation." Ilnlt'l.'ii s'
i'lil. Mii'i.. Vol. iii.. |). |."i',>. ' Lan,u'Uayes vary from tribe to tribe' /'('-'-
(Hini's /e/cv, in r. >. A'.i'. A'.i'., vol.ix., p. l(Mi. ' In California, there u]iik ai-s
to be s))olven two or more distinct lan^'uau;('s.' Mri iillnh's UexKircli'S id
Aiiur., p, l!7; K^Lilmc'ri ro//";;-, vol. iii., j), |S; hi.. Xm- I'm)/., vol. ii.. p.
118; Tiii/'fr. in H<ufr"i't's j/nntUiooh Alimiiaii'. ISC. I, p. iJ',!
i See \ol i., ]). ;!.'.-,: I!,,s,hnr..ii'iirs L'lt<rh> llv .l"//,..c, MS.; Thr .^/c(.-'-.>
nmllli'lr .\' i'jliimrs, ilS,; Jlidchiiii/s' i_al. .'/";/., \ol. iii., p. l."i;t.
without,
toiviucs.
of trilial
I Imvo 11!)
of their
of ehii'f.
•t. il^■ the
niunc I'or
auw. laii-
ct. L:i>t
leiusi'lvts
; anotiicr.
is apt ti)
omitting
[?s, as AVf
r iiiid less
lifoniian-.
ions, pi'ti-
hLTOnifS
tluTll til
s -\vvitc>:
shctl fur
<> or U'--
cliniatr-:
lUl,,^t i\. TV
liolllL'S soil lit
nuriiiu iiti lii-
Irift a-iiii;.
• r...r.,,-
I,. ,liv( i>it.v i->
,„,...• /■;■■/.-
tliiv<' ii]'!" iii'^
/.. v.'l. ii.. !'■
77,.- >/.'(>'"■•*
Ulf
ItULES OF El'PHONY IX C.VLTFOIIXIA.
037
hilt most of thorn ;iro also rcinarkahlo for tlu'ir special
.-trixiii;:' after liarinony. Thore are a few lan.iiiiaiics found
ill the iiortlieru inoiiutains which are harsli and ses(ini-
jK'dalian. and some on the coast that are jiuttnral hevond
the eoin[>ass of our American orgiins of s[)eeeh ; hut with
these few exceptions, the niunerous lan^r.ajies of the
state are heautiful ahove all their neiulihors for their
siini)lieitv. the l)re\itv of their words, their melodv. and
their harmonious seipiences.""^
Throudiout (\dil()rnia. much attention is ])aid to the
cinihony of words; and if. in theinevitahUMnanufactl^•in^•
process, a syllahle does not sound well, or does not ex-
actly harmoni/e according to the native ear. it is rnth-
I'ssly sacrificed. In many laniitiaiii's these elisions are
made in accordance with (ixed I'ldes, while others, again,
nhev no other mandate hut haj'mony.
Concerning the languages of northern r'alifornia,
iew.
.'iidiie Uosehoroiiiih writer
In an ethnological v
tlie language of these various tri!)es is a suhjeet of great
interest. Tliev seein to he iioverned hv the'ieotiiaithical
iiitiire of the country, which has had much iiilhi<'nce
ill directinu' the miii'rations and settlement ol' th" ^•ai•ious
trihes in this state, where they have lu'eii loiiiid hy the
whites: and there have l>een in remote times at least three
••iirrents. or lines ot'miiiration. nameh". — first, one along
ti
U' CO
1st
Itl
southwan
I. di.>
[lersing more or less iowar(;S tiie
iiitti'ior as the nature' of the country and hostile trihes per-
inittt'd. In so liroken and rough, a country th.' migrations
iiiiist have heeii slow, and the edilir< numerous. lea\-
uvj: manv frtiiinents i>f ahoriiiinal trihes here and there
with laniiuauc and customs wholi\- dissimihn
'COIU
that along tlu' \\'illamette A'alley. over the jiasses of
tlu' ( 'ala[u>oya. across the o]K'n lands of the I'mpipia.
Miiithward throu'^h Uouiie l\i\'er \'alle\ into Shasta and
•ott valK'x:
A^
an ev
idenc
tl
lis trace
max
lih
nti-twithat all the tril)e::on this line, from the( 'alapooya
iiieinstains southward to the head of Shasta and Scott
valii'ys. sjieak the <ame language, and were confederate
m
G3S
CALIFOllNIAX LANGUAGES.
ill tlu'ii' wars witli tlit.' tribes on I'itt lliver, ulio scnu
to!
iii\e ;in'('stt'(
I th
icir nrdiirrsssouiliward
In
tl
lis COll-
lU'ctiou I limy iiiciitiou two I'acts worthy of n-iiiaik.
namely, lirst. in this eataclysin of tribes, there liave hctn
some siiiiiular <lisphieements; for instaiuM', tiie similarity
of laiiLiua.iie and customs of tlie Ciimhatwas ami other
connate tribes on I'itt l{i\er denotes a common oriLiiii
with a small tribe found on Smith IJivi'r. on the noi'tli-
we
4 coast: and secondh'. tlu' traditions of the Sli:
l>t;i-
settled in Slrista and Scott valleys, the advance of ti
line of ini'jratioiis. show that a former tribe had
louiKi ni i)ossess
had I
llau't
)t:
'cn driven out.
■;ioii of those valU'\ s and mountain,-
heeli
ainl
he reimnns o
f tl
leir ancieii'
VI
aiK
I tl
le arrangements still Nisible m then
oxcavaTions c(
mfirm the fact, and also the further fact
that tlie exjicUed tribes were the same, or cojiiiate to
those which the whites found in oc(ai[)aiion of the
raiiK'ii
to \
llle\-
I'or instance, in all of these ancieii
villaLi'es. tliere was oiu^ house of ver\' lar'i(.' dimeiisi
nsei
1 I
or
tt-ast.-
ceremonious danct
et(^. just a
oii>.
s we
found on the settlement of ('alitbrirni, in the valle\'
Sacramento.
Tl
le existing' tribes in those moniitaiiis
lave no sucn (lomici
1 and
no |ui
iblic 1
lOllX'S.
Tl
ie\-
av,
when a-;l<ed. that the \illai:('s were built and inhabited
b\- a tr
tl
tiiiit li\('i
Ik
1 tl
lere he I ore
tl
ie\' came. aiK
I that
)rsh.ined the 'ireat
snowx
M.
Hint
llVlll
lose ancient dwellers worsliq
Shasta, and always built their villaiii-s in p'ace
which they could behold that mountain. ThiiM!\.
another wa\e of mij:ration evidently came soiitlnvi'id
aloim the \h'^ Chutes Iviver. ii|ioii the j^reat plat
th
e;iu e
o
K' lakes, which C(^nclusion is home out l>\ a snnilanlx
f h
im:ua'j.'esand customs, as well asb\- tradition>
In support of this theory .liidiie l{oseb()rouj:h stt
that the laiiLiuai:es spoken on Smith lJi\'er. and exten
(hi)'-
are radicalh .mihI
thenc(! forty miles alonti' the coast,
wholly diilereiit from those ol' the neijilib.)riii4t trib<'*.
The former are harsh, guttural, irn-uular. and apparently
moii(js\ilabic. while on the other hand, the neiuhborin^i
^ li
fjh's Utlir to thi: Atdhor, JI8.
Mi
In this Con-
or vi'iuink.
•e liiivi' lic*ii
10 similiivity
s luul otlirr
mnou ov'iLim
11 llic nori'ii-
■ the Shii.-t;i.
,inu\' of this
ho hllil \>rv\[
)unt;iius. aiul
hoii' ancifiit
ihlo in their
t'lU'ther lift
)V couiiatc til
11 of tlie >;'.'•-
these ancient
;.' dimensions.
. just as wo
the valley et'
se mountains
.. They <!U-.
11(1 iuhahitnl
nue. and that
siiowy Nh'Uiit
t plaoes tV''ni
In. Thinilv.
no s(Mith\\'''d
at \>latcaii "l"
\ a. siuiilai ity
itions. *
,n.Ui:h statrs.
111.1 oxtenihii'i
vadieally :i"il
]).)vin^ "trii-"-'
ivl apt'aiviith
ueighlwiiivi
LANCiU.UiES OF NORTIIKIIN C.VLIFOllNIA.
(;:;'j
ti'ihcs iiihahilinir the coast southward to IhuuhoMt I'ay.
iuxd iiUnvj: tlie Klamath us far u[) as tlio mouth ol' the
Trinity, sps'idv a laniiiiago very rej.adai- in its sti-uctuii':
<'(i|)it)us iu its ca[)acity for expressing ideas and shades of
thoiiLiiit. and not niqiloasing to the oai'. heinii' free iVoni
harsh and uuttural sounds. Of all tho lansiuaues sjtoken
iu this part, that Avhich prevails alonii' tho Klamath
l\i\'er, as far n[) as Happy t'amp. and aloni:' tho Salmon
to its sources, is hy i'ar tho most rojiu'ai' and musical.
In fact, for its roLiular and musical accents it oc(aij)ios
anions' tho Indian touLiiios of tho continent the samt'
l>reJminonco that tho S[)anish does among tho Cauca-
sian lauguaLios. I'\)r instance, their proj)or nouns for
lu'i'.son-: aiit
1 pi
aces ai'e Aer\' ouiitmiieou
ih
' II liln niiil
tissi/:<i)n. names of persons, and (u/nisniit'i-ii. clicculrh. jm-
tiinijook^ t^tirori'in^ names of noted lo-
iiillllllii. cliimii'iliiri
calities along the ri\or
As an e\am[)le of tho coition
sness aiK
1 rid
iness ol
tho coast hnmnaLios ahovo llundxildt l>a\', duiluc Kose-
horomih cites tho followiuL:'. for one. two, three. l"oui\
tl
ie\' sa\'
/
"/•, ///
/'///, iiif.ri/. chohiiiili-, H) i'or to-morrow the\'
s;i\'. l,-(>lirli<!m(il: for tho da_\' after to-morrow, inilitiniolil^
tliriT- days hence, imrinnoll; four days hence. clinlnKiJi-
•I. Xor do tliey stop hero: nmn'. heing li\o. and
//.''. liftoen: tho fifteenth dav from tho luvsent
I'lllO'
iiiiiiuiiinnii
i>. iitiii'i'in
llll(']l(tli(ltl)0lll.
\m
Mr (
t'ol'Lie
P.ancroft iu his IndianolouA' (MToneouslv
ass*
rts ihal till' sound of our letter /• does not occur
any of the ahoriginal languages of America. A similai-
assertion has hi>oii made with regard to Asiatic tongues,
that tho»>> is not a ]teople from the peninsula of llindos-
tan to Kamchatka who make use ol'this sound. Although
tins idea is now e\[ilo(le(l, o\idence goes to show the
■111
t\' of tho nso of tho letter /■ in these reu
icai-
\et,
.ludgo l{()si'lH)rongh assures mo that in these northern
I'alilornian dialects tho sound of this lottei- is not only
fivi|Ui'iit, hut is uttered with its Uiost rollini;'. whirring
tiiiiMiasis :
that
siicli words as (irnnrif. Indian: riirnml,-
01 Cll
hroc
lip: inroiih'. or i:iir()<\ down; f>rnirivi>,
aero.»H
,1
!l
m
n
-fl
1
vm
1
m
-'w'
m
r'M
■Sti
t^' ')«■
•1 ':i1H
vN
91
p9
HH
pa
M|
«11)
fALirOliXIAN LANGUAGES.
und up; iinccri'i/, tlio iiaino of ii villii<^'('; fi/J/if.^(ii>l'-i/rr"/i.
tliiit is to ,si_v tilt' villiiLi'e of iii)[)('r Taliasool'ca, iirc
hroii^iiit I'oi'tli with an intciisitv tliat a I'lvneiiiuau could
not t'xci'c'd.
On l)otli sidt's of tlic Ort'ii'on and f *alifornian lioundarv
lino is spoken tlic Klamath lan,uua,ue; adjoining it on
the north is the Yakon, and on the south the Shasta and
the I'nlaik. A dialect of the Klamath is also s|)oken hy
the Modt)cs. Herewith. 1 liive a shoi't (tom[)a rati \'e table,
and althouuh no relationship between theui is claimed.
\'et man\' of the word.s which 1 have selected are not
thout
wi
Afnu
AVuniau
Wat.r
lilciml
Kalth
Stolll!
Wood
l)('iivor
Hinl
Siilmoii
GlTitt
[I sum
larity
V1.K()N.
kalt
tkliliiks
•lai
siii
kilo
)l(lllts
ouitstoh
kclih
kiikli
kaatsilawa
tsk.'kli
kol.
KI.AM.VTH.
liisiiatMiiS
siiawats
KUIIl
tsoks
aijipo
jioits
ka.la
kotai
aiiko
JilUll
snAST.v.
awatikoa
taritsi
im, (iv aof,
liala\
atsa
av, or luiti?i
\va
Isak
o.-iia
Isutais
liailiaiat
lalak
thialns
♦ arak
itsa
awa
ta\vai
liaiiso
ill. Ill
PAI.AIK.
yalin
(iiutuwitsfU
ap
atitt'wa,
ns
nliati
a
k.l
olisti
liail
Walsaqil
laliitf-a
<si:ililS
wawii
Alona Pitt Iviver and its tributai'ies are the l^itt l\i\(r
Indians and the \\'int(jons, of which lam-uaues short
vocabularies are <:iven.
riTT EIVEK.
Man
AV
Ho
Tr.
oiiian
U"
Wat.r
StolK
Suu
t'clyou
ClIllllctoWT
tcooiiU'hL'U
allistc
tsuul
ban
Hair
Mouth
L..-S
Fire
toee
yaiiie
yaiii'iia
eti'sii
Siivii
uuillis
^ ' Tho Liitnaini, Rhasti auil Palaik ave tlirown 1iy Gallatin into throe sf]y,\-
ito cla
Th
arc without doubt mitiially >iiiiijt(lli;^'il
Ncvtrtii
it be Very widely separated.' fAlllitiiii'ii (.'iiinji. I'liil., vol. Aiii., \>.
they c
407. The T-ka, Id-df
Ho-te-dav, ^y
■1r
iShasta ludia'-is, si
tho same laiij^'uaife. Sink, in hnl. .U}'. Ivjh., A^fJl, p. 120. Tin.' Modoes si" ak
the saine laiiuiiai^'o as thu Klaniaths. 7''^/)/i''), in /(/., 1H,")1, ].. 2('p'2; //"/■'■<
Etlniiiij., in I'. S. Ex.. K.(., vol. vi., p. 21K; Jiinjluui.:, <.!i'oijni}iliisfl(is Jiilir'"'-!',
torn, iii., \i. IS; T<ii/l"i\ in Cal. l-'annir, .luiie 8, Iho:* 'A liraueh of il^'
latter t^Shoshoue) is the tribe of Tlaiuath Indians.' liU.vU>i,\ A'ln^n. M>.(., ]>.
244.
Tin: wiXiowN, nuuc, and cahkuc,
Gil
')fc(irr"l'.
tl'ca, iUT
an could
joundary
ULi' it oil
lasta and
j)okon by
ivo tal)lf,
(•lainu'tl.
I ai'i; not
VI.AIK.
iiliu
iiitcwitst.u
1>
titewa
is
hati
ilisti
lull
Milsiiqil
aililsii
si il:is
,va\Vil
'itt IVivci-
ll'^'OS slioi't
|s^a
iiiiii'
aliriia
Itisii
li'ivii
ui'iUis
IltdtllVfPSCp!!-
NcVi itlltlrSJi
, vol. viii., p.
jiiiliaus, sjMiik
LMudiiis SI" ak
J,. '2(V2; //■''■'■*
!,■;,,. s ,hthi-' <"■>'<
livallrli of tin'
I, /ceil. J/'-.i'.. !'•
]\T(>on
ClMW
D.cr
Yes
W
oiiian
House
I, Of 1110
Water
Ivaili
Sun
M.inll
\ii,'lit
(eli.H,l
o\\ « ii lin
clialiiioiu
(loslisliu
loehtii
nmmina
net
Lit I If
De.ul
Tisl
iiiitaiii
1
WINTOON.
liiliay
sash
cliaiiiittu
l<ei
])e
x-ar
la villa, or jiciio
SUCH
llopi'
cluicli, or wreiner,
^V,■
Nose
Mouth
Teeth
Talk
Tn Kill
I,a:-<-
To tiu'ht
Dead
North
Siiutli
\v ilswn
cliiiwkootchu
(leooluu
pela
tnolllh
feellO
1;
ilIIKl
eluekaixiodil
nieiiil
iiora
On the loNvor IClaniatli. tlio l-inroc lani:'un;io ])rovails.
As coiii[)aivd Avith tin; dialects ol' .^^outlici'ii < 'aliloiana.
it is iiuttural; tlici'c ))cin,Li' appiiri-ntly in sonic ol" its
nls. or ratliiM' "runts, a total absence ol' vowels. —
wo
hii'in'li
>!'
■L
nose
•/////
/, eartn
th
.'/'
I n.i'.
clu
Id.
Ainon'i otliiT
')i
nids })eculiar to it. there is that of the //. so rre(iueiit
II the \\ cd><h laniiuaiic. Mr Powers ,sa\s that, ""in
citincrsation tiiey ternnnate many woi'ds with an aspi-
ration which is inipei'lcctly indicated hy the lettei- /i. a
> )rt ol'catchintz; of the sound, innnediately followed In'
the k'ttinii' out of the residue of breath. Avitli a ([uick
little urunt. This maki's their .speech har.^h tind haltini:;
the A'oice often comes to a dead sto[» in the middle of a
M'litence."' He I'urther adds that " the lan^iia,L:c seems
to have had a monosyllabic oriuin. and. in fact, they
pronounce many diss\llables as if the\- were two mono-
.-.Uable.s."
Aloiiu' the upper Klamath, the Cahroc lam:ua,i:e is
>iioj\en. which is entirel\- distinct from that of the
.11 rocs.
It
IS sonorous, i
md its intonation ha-; excn
»-rn compared with that of the Spanish, beino not
It all guttural like the Muroc. The r. when it oc-
I'lirs in such words as i-hiirnjii. and rnhroi'. is straiiLicly
I'ltlled. The lanuuai:'e is co[)ious: the peojile speaking:' it
lia\ inti' a name for ever\ thini:'. and on seeini;' an\' article
^ The Shaskis and their Xiliihhov.-i. 5IS.
" JacLftiiii'n Vir'th. (^t'Uw W'iidoon Li)iij<i<vj<:, MS, ; I'oirrrs' Voa.d'uhrks, MS.
Vol. III. H'
I a
■Sjl
r
i;ij
CALirOKXIAX I.AN'dlAdES.
new to tlicin. il'u proju-i" (Icsiu'iiMtlon is not imuicdiiitcly
ill liiiiid. tlicy lortliwitli procccil t<) iimiuitiH'tiii'c one
AnolluT uiittiiral lun;^'iiii^e is tiic i'Mtnuiiy. spoken cii
Trinity Kivcr, Its [)roniin('i!ition is like the llnroc. ;\\u\
it liiis tlu' Siniic cin'ioiis. iilji'iipt stoj)|»int:' ol" tlic voice ;it
tlio end of syiliihU's tenninatini:' ^vitil a Noucl. as Mr
I'owt'rs (U'scrilK's it, Ivclatcij to it is tlic N'ccaiil nl'
lower llnnilnildt I'ay. The luinienils in the latter laii-
.!i'iia,i:(' are: /vV/-/sr//. one; (Icf-fch. two; (hc-hih. tiii'ec:
(li'('h-()li, I'oui'; ii'i'li-xdli. live; c/ii/ii/.'c/i. .six; itiiihh^ se\eii;
oti'it. eiulit; Ktni/i'i/i. ^\\nv: /o/y7 ten.'^
The laiiiiiiaiic known as the \\ eitsjiok. spoken at tiic
jiniotiou of the Trinit_\ and Klamath rivers, is pioKalily
the same which Mr Powers has named thi' Tatawa;.
It is also said to have the IVe(piently occiirriiiL: roHin- /.
The /'. as in the Oreji'on laniiuajj^i's, is waiitim;'. l)i;i-
lects ol" the \Veitsj)ok are the Weeyot and \\ ishosk. eii
Mel and Mad rivers. This humua;.!!' is iiiaU-rstood iVoni
the I'oast ran^e down to the coast hetween ('ape Mendn-
cino and Mad lliver." The llhnek. or I'ehtsik. lani.:iini:c
is spoken on Salmon Ili\-er; thence in the I'ejiion ot'tln'
Klamath, are the ^^'atsahewah, llowteteoh, and Xahiltsc
langiiaiios,''^
rn:\iPAHisoNs.
MKKYOT.
WISIIiisK.
WKIISI'KK.
KIINKK.
Man
ko ('h
ko-rll
lia'4fhlc
nh wiiiili
Arrow
sail) If
tsalqx'
iiiiii ([Ut
kha-wi^h
AVntcr
lucrah ((the
iiur ah C'hu
pii hii
iss shall
Earth
let knk
ht kuk
i-liahk
stci'p
Doi,.
wycts
wv'ts
chishi'
fhisii to
Fiio
mass
llll'SS
nuts
nh
Sun
taniM
tahiii
w-'i nonsh leh
kcish rail
Olio
koh tso
knhtsa
siiiii(>k()li
issah
Two
er ee ta
rittii
nuh ehr
ach link
Three
er t'i> kii
rihk
iiak sa
kiii rahk
Four
re aw wii
ri yah
tiih him no
jitths
Five
wussa
wrhsah
uiahr () tuiu
ti rah o
s Poicfra' T'miio. MS.
'■> (iihbs, ill Scliiiiilcrii/t'n Arch., vol. iii.. p. 4'2'J. ' The jnnotioii of tho riv( is
Khiniath, or Trinity, K'^''^ '•'^ *'"' locality of the Wcitspck. Its dialict^. tli ■
Wcyot and Wisliosk. <xt( ml far into Humboldt county, when' tiny an: ] lol-
ahly tli<! prc'vailiiiL,' form of spicch, l>fin;4 used on the Mad Itivi-r, and tin'
])arts about Capo Jlondociuo. From the Wcitsindi they ditl'cr iiiuili nn'if
than tluy do from each othor.' L'ltlMin's Coiiip. J'liii, vol. viii., p. !"•
' Wcoyot und Wish-usk, nnttr oiniindor verwaiidt.' JiusclDumui, Spunn •/"'
-l;/<7.'. Sjir., p. .')7").
'" Uilihs, iu Schoolcmfi's Arch., vol. iii., pp. ■l'22-3.
Tin: I'OMO FAMILY .VXD IIS UI Al.r.CTS.
Gi;j
TIk' ( 'lilllulali. W'lu'c'li'uttii. mill I\;iilt;i wrrc spoken
r»il lledwoDil ('i-ci'k. I)iit Ijt'l'oro tlic cxtiiictioii ol' tlirse
j>!'()|)U'. tlu'ii" hmiiUMLics Wert' iiicrLicil into that ol" the
ll(HH)iihs h_v uhoiii they were .<iihjii,i:at(vl. The laiii^iiiiLii'
of the ( Mrniiali|iia\ s ol' New liivi'i" has also hrcii ah-
sDrhi'il hy tilt' lloopah. Ol' ilk' ( 'hiiiialiiiiays Towers
liy[KM'l);)lically I'ciiiarks "•their laiiLiiiaue was like the
iiioiintaiu citN' ol" Calironiia. heautifiil ia its sim|>ru'it\'.
hut frail." " ■
At ilimiI)ol(U Vr,\y a laiii:'ua.!ie called Patiiwat is iiieii-
tioiie(l. and in lloiiiid \'alley the ^'uka. '\'\\v luiiiierals
ill the liitter toii^^'iie are — jxun/ir, . {uw, ojhIi. two; nKilnnh,
three; and omchi-l. four. In I'otter \ alle\ is theTahloo
1;
iiiuiiai:!' w
liicli Mr I'owers thinks nia\' lieloiiLi' to th
Toiiio or tin' ^'uka.'" In the Mel Uixcr and lliissian
lliver valleys as far as the month of K'.issian Uixer and
in Totter N'alley. the dilVerent trihi's known hy the
names of I'kiahs or ^'()kias, Sanels. (Jallinomeros. Ma-
sallamaLiooiis. (Jnalalas. and Matoles. s[)eak various dia-
lects of the Tomo lanLtiiajio, which olttains in Totter
A'alley anil thediale(^ts of which hccome more and more
estranu'ed accordinLi' to the distance from the ahorit:inal
C(
litre,
The V
OHIO men are uood liiiLiiiis
ts: tl
ie\- rea(
lib
a('(iiiire all the dilVerent dialects of their lanunaiic. w hich
in [)laces dill'er to such an extent, tinit uniess they iire
in'cviously learned they cannot he understood. Tomo
women arc not allowed to learn an\- dialect hut their
ntioii of thi^ viv. is
Its (li;ilr.t~. til''
kc thi'V an: \ i"i-
nwil.
The foUowiiiLi' coiiijiarative tahle of numerals w
lliistrate the relationship) of the.se tri
oes. anionii wliieh
1 'uclude the Knlanapo s[)oken near Clear Lake, and
which Mr (iihhs has also noticed an allinitv to the Ti
an Kiver am
I !•;
viver lami'uaLii's: also, tiie lanuuiaLii
th
('ount\-
11 l)\- the nati\(.'s of the Yonios llancheria in Marin
l:l
\m(inn, >p"i''
11 /.
llt'iTS I '^IIIO
MS.
1^ Uo.-ifhiii-iiit ill's I,o;i.r I') Ihr Anthiv, MS.; rowr't' Pnuin. ^MS.
" ilVili
Tiiih
s. ill ,s' ■/('•)/'•/■'( 'V'.s' ,!;•.■/(.. vnl. iii., J)]). 421-2; 1
Dirt-rs I (Hill),
MS.;
i""'-, 111
'■'(/. /•;
\L<
■.iO, INOU.
IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-S)
1.0
I.I
1.25
^" m
1.4
IIIIM
iiiiii
IM
1.6
<^
'#
/2
/a
^\ ^'-^
y
/A
Photographic
Sciences
Corporation
23 WEST MAIN STREET
WEBSTER, NY. 14580
(716) 872-4$03
A
L17
V
.^'
.^
\\
r
c^
^fc
%^
#
r.
fc
■^.^^
^
U.x
A.«'
G44
C'ALIFORNIAN LANOUAGES.
roMO l.'KIAH.
tiiro
fan
sil)l)o
<1ii)iai'.
imlivo
tsiulih
liiiyncit
<)ll.>
elm
Two
CO
Tlino
Kllllx)
F..iir
tack
I'-iv.;
nhal
Six
])tt(lth
K(>vpn
ropah
Ei«ht
cowal
NiiH'
slialsli
T<u
Hala
HANKL.
tate
:'o
Hibboo
(luclio
inato
tsad.h
eoi'iiiiir
co'todol
- n - - - - r» -
111 iii'iii^^'iisliuin nuiiioMlinin
iii'ui])()tcc navai'oti'C
rlAI.lNO- KCI.ANAro. YOMl).
MKKO.
chii Iv'liah lib kalll
lUM) kots but/
iiti'siblu) boniekii biiiiiha
inita (lol oacldi)!
tdoslmb lib mil biiia
laiK-lia tsa ili Kav
latco ku la bots kojaiis
ko ka iliilil kadol
coini'ta
• baco
cbasuto
ball da Vol sbnin i^iii
ball da rnl tidi bidiOcma
On tlu' GiiUinonu'i'o diak'ct I niakc a few graimiuitical
rcinaiks. lii t'onversatiou the (JallinoiiK'ius are ratlicr
.slovt'iily and make use of IVo([U('iit contractions and ahhrc-
viations like the J*]njilish can't and shan t. >vhich inako
it dillienlt i'or a strani:ci' to nndcrstand thcni. Anothir
tiilliculty lor the stndcnt is the convertibility of a mnnhcr
of k'ttiTs. such as t into rji, s/i into cIi. i into fiJi, etc.
Nouns have neitiier munher. case, nor p:ender; the lirst
heinsi oni\' occasionally indicated l»v a sei)arat<^ word. —
elm (ifdlinninjii. one man : nco (ifdltoi'mja, tw») men. The
jivnitivei'^ formed hy])lacin<i' the words in ju.\ta|»osition. —
of.npft' tnc '/(('(/(!, the chief's brother; the <:<)verned woid
bi'inii" always ])rei)ositive. Xone of the remaining cases
are distinguished ; for exam|ile. — chtnli'iiKi lii(l(i<-li(i. \ scr
the river; hhlth-hn liodhjc I go to the rivi'i". or. into the
I'iver; bhl'irlni hiinihhiii. 1 come (Hit (tf the river : i/ii/ilchu
loJiolatiiii. 1 'JO awa\- I'rom tlie river; the accusatisc
may ])e recognized as being placed immediately aftei" tiic
verb, but there ari' many exceptions to this rule. Some-
times the accusative is also marked bv the endinn v"
--('/( I c/i
or (/<!),
seldoui usi'i
'lOlDlODflKH'll,
I strike the bo\-; but this i>
1. A'erb
»s are ahva\s regular
'V\
lere
aiv
])reseiit. imperfect, and future tenses, and thi'ce ibiuis n
the imperative, all distinctlv marked bv tense endiiiu>
Do.
<io,
Ib-cak,
Kill.
I'liKSKNT iNUrcATlVK.
. tsirlia
iiial
1
iiiatsana
niatcinanii
cbadrnia
iiu'bailiiio
iMrKitFKcr.
tsccti't'iia
boalcfct'na
iiiatsaiitt'i'na
tiiati'iiiaiitt'i'iia
cbadiitcriia
FutsT rtMt.KK.
tsoccuwii
boalcd'iwa
luatsaiicriwa
inatiinalici'iwa
c'iiad
iK'iiwa
luebaibnootcriia incbailiiioncriwa
Tn some instances these endings are chanued for the
GALLrXOMEllO GUAMMAU.
845
sake of oiipliony. c«'rtjiiii letters Immii!^ ('liili'tl. Tlio ciul-
iiius uiiiv really he (tailed auxiliarv verbs, attached to
the |)i'iiieii)al verh. Thus the imperl'eet iiads. liteiallv,
'would he I uo do," the eudiiij^ twiui lu'inti' nothing hut
the woi-d fscfiiif, with the s oinittevl. In like niaiuier the
future is I'ornied, as in tuddica, to want, which is changed
into cihrn.
'{'here is nothing to denote number in the verb, as can
be seen in the
CONJUGATION OF THE VEIID TO BE.
I :iin.
Thou art,
Ho is,
iiliwa
ani:i\vii
hiiiuowa
W.. aiv,
Yiiii arc,
Tliiy are,
ayawd
aiiiawa
liaiuiiwii
Of the imperative, tlio following may sei've as an
e\am[>le: ho'ilchih, let me go; hoalin. go thou ; /lut'i/ct/ini.
let him go. 'i"he verb <'/u«hiiiH, to see. may signifv
either 1 see. or seeing, or to see. or it may be construed
as a substantive — sight; or as an adjirtive in agglutin-
ation, as (•/itii/jin'(f.n')i)>in/<i, a watchful man. Cli<uilii'i<lni
is an auxiliary verb and is always [)reiiositive. The
jironouns are. itlt, a/ifo. or aland, I; (Dim. thou: and
lo. ii'iii/ini). htiiiKK or dmtitx, lie. The first [)ei'son ol'
loun is alwavs omitted, excejjt with the verb to
ii'i II
tl
le
l)roi
be. and the second and third [tersons fre(|in'ntly. I'ro-
nominal adjectives are <|uite irregular, as o//-/cy. from
"// : iii'ii//oi/, from itiinf: u-r/itihi/. IVom in'mo; aiid tiny
are also used irregularly with nouns. Thus \n incilih .
father; iiliiifn. or nir/ni/iHicn. or (i/nniiJi/c. being e(|ui\a-
Kut t(> 1 father, my lather. Here. also, t'uphony steps
ill and makes woi'ds sometimes wholly uurerognizable. as
tihti'it'iiiii. i'i[ui\alent to mrhdml. and still more dilVerent.
as iifiiir'nr/ri/. this is for me. Your father is iii'}i//,i nui;/;
Ills fiitliei'. ii'rhililK'ii. Thus it vill lie seen that liinlilc is
iliaiiLie I. Ol' abbreviatt'(l, into
)n(ii.
and
imi
'J-
"^OUlt'tllUC
the ju'i'sonal pronoun is agglutinated to the \erb. and
i»liH'tiiiies it is not; — cJn'rlioiiiiomib) [c/iic/kkIiiiI imto].
1 strike nou; unto fm/dirn, j love \(
>u.
As in man\
i)ther I'acific States lanuuau'i's. wo have here a I'evei'cn-
Gif]
C.VLIFOENIAN LANGUAGES.
t.'S
tial sylluldo, \vliic;h in this liinguago is always profixod.
wliereas in others, for instance the Azt<>c, it is an allix
Sid'aking of iutsoiis rehited, or of things belonging, td
the chief, tiie reverential vie ov jlii, is always |)reli.\tMl;
— oiv/tvijfxu, my wife; JiKnjkeDhnl, your wife; (t/ii/if,'.
?M3:'^,7<.e/i, the chief H wife; s/dnnd, head; im'tof^/iui, youv
head; irchdxhJa, hi« head; aU'tpte jhislunnd. the chief's
liead. All adjectives are really substantives, and arc
used for both pnr[)oses. Thus, ootn, hoy, also signili
little, or young. Adjectives are generally placed alter
nouns. — iii'iji'ij rinl'ij. good day; but there are also many
e.vcei)tions to this rule. Comparatives are exj)ressr(l l»y
tiie particle y> ^A?, more; — paliifilMita irnijnio ohinct. he is
greater than I. jvihi becoming pi/f'ijd. in conn)osition.
This is oidy used ])y the more intelligent class. A
(jrallinomero of the lower order would miVj hatu tiun/mi)
fi/inK'f. great he 1. The princi])al characteristics of tlu^
language are euphony and brevity, to which all things
else ar*! subsei'vicnt, but nevertheless, as 1 have ^liowii
ali'(adv. aiinlutination is carried to the farthest extent."
As will be seen by the Ibllowing coniparatiNC t;
|l»le
the I'omo language, or rather one of its dialects, tiie
Kidanapo. shows somi> atlinity to the Malay family of
languages. Of one hundred and seventy words wliicli I
ha\e compared. I find lifteen per cent, showing .MmIiiv
similarities, and more could |ierha])s have been l()inid if
the several vocabularies had been made ui)on some one
.1'
system. As it is. 1 have been obliged to use a Maliiy
ToULra. and other Polynesian vocabularies, taken b\ d
;i
li-
ferent ])ersons, at tliiferent times. AVithout attemptim; to
t'stablish any relationship between the Polynesians lui 1
( 'aliforniaiis, I present these similarities merely ii^ .i
lact; these analogies 1 lind existing nowhere else in dd-
ifornia. and between them and no other Trans racilic
peo[»les."'
11 Pivrfrit' Xohs on Cnl. Lavrjvafies. 'MH.
•i dililix, ill SrlKiolrm/t's Arrli., vol. iii., p. 428, rt spq.: Tfulr's Klhri''i.,
in U.S. Ex. Ex., vol. vi., p. \\{l, ct scij ; K'jijit^l'.s ExpuL, vol. i., nppiiulix,
p. 11, ft st-'<|. ; Martin's Toitja Jsl., vol. li.
TllANS-PACIFIC COilPAKISOXS.
(H'i
DIAU:rT OF THE
MAI.AV.
Kayaii
Sakarraii
Klalay
Malay
Malay
Ton^a
MillaV
Tonsil
Tnuf^a
I^IillaliriW
Toii.i^a
Siuitah
I'olviicsiaii
ai.ilay
I'olviii'siaii
Malay
I'olyiK'siaii
I'lilviifsiau
Malay
I'lilviirsiaii
Malay
I'olyiicsian
'VoUiiii
T'lima
Malay
Mal.Vv
teuutah
Tlio similiiritios oxistinji iK'tweoii tlie .TM[);inos(> jiinl
riiinosi', and the (^Jililbrnian laiiiiiuiiios. appcai-iiii; fVoin
a oaivfiil (loiiiparison of tlio sime oiio ImiKlrcfl and
M'Vi'iity words, are insiiflicicnt to «'stal)Iisli any rt-latioii-
^ln[); the lew rescinhlaiices may he )"i\iiarde(l as purely
iiceideiital. Of these words I insert the iollowiiiji,
which are all Ijetweeii which 1 have been ahle to discover
aiiv likeness:
KULANAPO.
MALAY
Woman
(lah
llo
Mother
nihk
i;i<1i, ini
HiiHlmiiil
•lah'k
laki, lake
Wile
l.ai h)
liini
Il'tul
kai yah
kapala
Hair
niDO sooh
foolou
Neck
mi yah
nia
Foot
kali iiiah
kiiki
House
kuh (fulli, Aztec)
fallo
Sun
lah
laa ^
Fir«
])oh (Copeh)
upoe
Water
k'hah
vy, cawnii
JIuuutaiu
ilali no
(lanul
lllack
kt (la kecliclc
kile
Jt.Ml
k( li ilali I'-'h iluk
(lailarii
(iri't'U
(loll tor
Ota
iJuiul
iiiu (lal
mati
I
hah
ail
One
k'hah lih
tasi
(t
tchah (Vukiii)
satu
Four
ilol
tau
Fiv.i
leli nia
lima
Eiit
kn liu
kai
Drink
mill
mea inoo
To SCO
«1 nil (rbocuyLm)
ilaw
To t,'o
Ic loom
aloo
]?OW
pah I'heo
)anii
Toll^'uo
lilin tiep (Chocuyeni')
ida
L..y
CO yok (.Choeuyeiu)
kn jak
llnshaiul
Japanese
mnko
T.fth
Ciiint'so
(hi
Knito
Japan(!se
(h'lia
l-iiv
Cliiui'se
ho
W;iter
Ja|iaii(so
sui
l>'"i
Jai)aneso
chin
Di'iT
Japanese
sh'ka
rostanos
iniikhu
('o|p(h
Hie ih
('(istaiios
ti pall
('liov\( shak
ho
Co^tanos
«(■(' ee
Wiits|iik and
chislm
Kliii.k
Copch
siah
The C'lioweshak and Batcmdakaieo arc mentioned as
hcino; spoken at the head of Eel Uiver, and the Cho-
cuvem in Marin County, near tlie Mission of San
Jvafael. On llussian Uiver, there jet remain to bo
018
CALIFOBN'IAN LANGUAGES.
mentioned the Olamentke, and the Chwachamajii. All
tliese may be properly clashed as dialects nejirly related
to the I'omo family, and some of them may even be the
same dialects nnder different names/"
Of the Chocnyem 1 give the following Lord's Prayer:
A[)i maeo su lilecoe, ma nenas mi aues omai niaeono
mi taucuchs oyupa mi tauco chaquenit opu neyatto
chacpienit opu liletto. Tii maco muye gemnn ji naya
macono sucuji sulia mj'icono masucte, chague mat opii
ma suli mayaco. Macoi ^angia nme onnitto, ulenii
macono omu incapo. Nette esa Jesus."
In Round A'alley, northern California, there is the
before-mentioned Yuka language, which is comiected
with the Wapo, or Ashochemie, spoken near Calistoga,
and in thy mountains leading thence to the (jieysers."*
On Yuba and Feather rivers are the Meidoos and
Xeeshenams of whose language Towers says that " the
Meidoo shades away so gradually into the Neeshenani
that it is extremely dilhcult to draw a line anywhere.
Hut it must be drawn somewhere, because a vocalndary
taken down on Feather River will lose three fourths of
its wonls before it reaches the Cosunuies. Even a vocal)-
ulary taken on Bear Ri^'er will lose half or more of its
words in going to the Cosumnes, which denotes, as is
•6 ' Oio Iiiiliiuier in Bo(l(','ii vorstohon nnr mit Jliiho dio Spr.ipho diTJi-
nicfen wek'ho in dcu libeneii iiiu Sliiwaiikii-Fliiwse IcIkmi; dii- Simiflu' ilrr
iKirdlich voii Iloss luhuiidtni Stitiuiiie ist ihni'U viillij^ uiivi rstandlicli.' /)'(•/',
Slut. n. Ktlmo., p. 7"). 'Die IJodej^isulioii lu.liiiner Vfrstclu'ii di(' ii(irdli<li(i»
nit'ht, sowolil diii Sprache ids dio Art der Aiisspraclit' ist viTschii'dcn. J)i(i
liutfernttni uiid die Stt'ppon-Indium>r sprt-i^uu eiiie Mt'iifJif DiiiU'ctf dili r
Sprucheii, dorcii Eij^euthiiuilichkt'it und Vcrwundtschiift iiocli nicht bckiiiint
siiid.' KititroniUihiDic, in Id., p. 80; (ribhs, m Srlmolrrit/t's Arch., vol. iii.. p.
'121. ' Kiiliiiiapi) nnd Ynkui, vcrwandt: d. h. in doni iM'sohhiukten Grml .
dass viclt' Wiirlcr, zwisclu'n iluieii iibereinstinimon, vide andovf, /. 15. i iit
^utor Thi'il diT ZuhlwortiT, vorschii'diii siiid. . . .('howcshak luid liiitciii-
dakaiiM' 8 'hr t,'i'naii und ini vollkonimnen Maasso nntcr rinandcr, und \\\>-
deruni licide j,'an/. gonaumit Yukni, undanch Knlanapo vcrwandt . . . .Wichti ;
ist <'S abcr zu saLtcn, dass dio Sprache IVhokoj-fUi niit dcni Olamentke ih t
liodega liai und niit der Missiuu S. Itaphael nahu gleicli ist.' Hnsrliiiiiiiin,
Spiireii di'i- Ast' li-. .Sy)c., p. i)75. 'The Kaniniares speak a different (li;il< it
from the Tivmalos. The Sonoma Indians also speak different from Tamulns.
The SononioH si)eak a similar diuleet as the Suisuns. The San IJafiiel Indi-
ans speak tho same as the Tamalos.' Taylor, iu Val. Farmer, March 30th,
1800.
" ^fofra.'i, E,rp'.or., torn, ii., p. 391.
'8 I'oxcers' romo, MS.
LASGUAGKS OF THE SACRAMENTO VALLEY.
G49
the fact, thiit tlio Xt'oslien iiii languajzo varies greatly
within itself", Indoed, it is probal>ly less hoinojieneoiis
and more thronj^ed with dialects than any other ton^xue
in California. J^et an Indian go even from (ieorgetown
to American Flat, or from JJear River to Auljurn, and,
with the exception of the nnmerals he will not at first
understand a))ovc one word in four, or five, or six. IJnt.
with this small st(X)k in common, and the same laws of
jzrannnar to gnide them, they pick up each others dialects
Avith amazing ra])idity. It is these wide variations
which have caused some pioneers to believe that there
is one tongue spo!:en on the plains jiround Sacramento,
and another in the mountains; whereas they arc as
nearly identical as the mountain dialects are. So long
as the numerals remain the same, 1 coinit it one lan-
guage; and so long as this is the case, the Indians gen-
erally learn each others dialects; hut when the muiierals
change utterly, they often find it easier to speak the
FiUglish together than to acquire another tongue. As
to the southern boundary of the Xeeshenam there is no
doubt, for at the Cosumnes the language changes al^ruptly
and totally."
Along the banks of the Siicramento, two distinct lin-
guistic systems are said to prevail. Ihit to what extent
ill! the languiiges mentioned in that vicinity j'.re related,
or can l)e classified, it is difficult to say; for not onlv is
there great confusion in names, but what is more essen-
tial, vocabularies of most of them are wanting. On the
eastern bank of the Sacramento and extending along
Feather River, the Cosunnies, and other tributaries of
the Sacramento, the following languages are mentioned :
Ochecannie, Serouskunnie, Chu[)unnie, Oniochunnie, Sie-
cMinne, Walagumne, C\)sunnie. Sololunnie, Tureahunne,
Saywamine, Xewichumne, Mati^hennie, Sagayayuinne,
Muthelemne, Sopotatumne, and Talatiu. in all these
dialects the word for water is k'lk,^ but in the tlialects
upoken on the west bank it is nmnii. On the western
hank are mentioned the dialects of the Tujuni. I'uzlum-
ne, Secunnie, Tsamak, Yasumne, Xemshaw, Kisky, Ya-
060
C.iLIFORXIAN LANGUAGES.
Icsiiiiino, link, and others." Uiuloiibtodlyall tlioso Siic-
raiueiito A'jiUoy dijilccts are rnon; or less n^l.'ited. I»ut dt"
thom wo have no positive kno\vled<xe ex(H'[)t that tlic
Secumne and Tsamak are closely related, while tin;
ruzhuinie 'Mid Talatiu also show many words in eoin-
mon, hilt cannot he said to afliliate.*^ Jn the nioinitaiiis
south of the Viiha, and also on some parts of the Sacra-
mento the Ciishna langiiajj,e obtains. On the latttr
river Wilkes mentions the Kiidvla, of which he says
that in coni[)arison with the languajre of the noithein
nations it may he called soft, " as nuich so as that of the
Polynesians." Repetitions of syllables appear to be frc-
<inent as ictil-icai, and /Ki/i-hmi-/ittu.'^ In Xapa Valley
six dialects were spoken, the Myacoma. CalaNoniaiic,
('aynms, Xapa, riiika. and Siiscol." Jn Solano Coimty
the (jiiihico language was spoken, of which the follow-
ing Jjord's Prayer may serve as a s[)ecimen:
All;i igaine mutry(X!US(' mi zahiia om mi yah iia tail
cha UMjui etra shon nnu' t/ecali ziam pac onjiiita, niiil
zhaiiiic nasovate chelenuannd znatzoitze t/ccaliziciiiataii
/.chiitiilaa chalehua mescpii pihuatzite } teima omahiia.
Knupii Jesus. ■•^•^
Near the straits of Karqiiines. and also in the San
Joa(|iiin and Tulare valleys, tlie Tulare tongue p'-i-vailcfl.
Jn this language, if we may )elieve M. Dutlet de MolVas.
the letters A. (/, /', (/. and r do not exist, the r hi-iiiu
changed into /, as mavht. iwilhi. Many guttural souiuls
like /'/<, tsli, /ill, tj)j tsp, th, etc., are found, }et softer than
19 Ihik'x Flhno,,., in U. S. Ex. Ex., vol. vi., pp. 222, C30; Wilkes' X-tr.,
ill f'l., vol. v., p. 'iiil.
"■?" ' I'li/liunc, Scliiiiimo, Tsiiuiiik inid Tiilatni . . . Sfkniiuu' inid Tsiiirink
siiid iinlic vci'uaiiilt, ilio iil>ri:^<'U /.tij^cn ^'riiiciiisiiiiics luul fniuili s.' /i'">/'-
11111111, Siinriii (Icr .l:/(7,'. Sjir., p. 571. ' Hale's vorahiilary "f the Talatiu I'r-
l<iiij,'s to ♦'u; •,'V(nii) for wliicli the' nauK.' o' MiKpiclniiiiio is indposid, a Mc'iu.
Imiiiii' Hill and a Moipicliiiiint) Kivc • 1 ciiii; foiiiul wiihiii llii! ana cvir
wliii-h tlio laii'„'uan(s lii'loiiL;iM},' to it ire spoken. A;_;aiii, tlie names of the
tril)es that speak tlieni iiul largely i'l nine, Chnpiinuie, etc. As far smiil] . s
Tiiohinmo County the lauj^'iiai^u l)o'.oni,'s to this (livisit)n, vi/., 1, the Muniiil-
taelii; 2, Miillateeo; 3, Ai)ati},'aKi; 4, Lapaijpii; 5, Siyaiite, or Typoxi bainl,
Kpeilc this lan'4nu),'e.' Lnllium'n < ntiip. I'liil., vol. viii., i). '114.
ii ir';//.rs' .\'tr., in T. N. K.t. Ex., vol. v., p. 'JH.
^- Miiiiliiiiiiii'ri/'a India IK lilt 11/ nf Xupa Vountij, JIS.
'^^ MuJ'ius, E.qilor., toui. ii., p. 3'Jl.
SrECIMENS OF SOUTHERN LAXOUAGE^^.
Col
tlio jruttiiriils of the iiortli. Xotwithstjuidiiiir the alxn'o-
•itiiteiiient M. de Mofnis jriveH a.-
s u .»*iH'('mu'n
of tl
le
Tiihire huijiiui<ie the following Lonln rrtiver, in which
the ;• fre(|ueiitly t)eciirs:
Al)|)ii in;i('(jiieii erinigmo tasuniiniic emraoiit, jiimiii
I'cccv iiiiU'iiiien iiinisiiiinac iusiot|uen <|uitti i'ik' .soteviiuv
eiiiiigino: simiinuic iiiac(|iieii hainjamM jiimaji uiiara
ayei: .siuiiin iiiaccjuen quit ti em'siinuiiiiic avacniia:
!i(|ii('«'tseru unisiintac iiiiiinti eijiietiiiini: jiirina niac«iuen
t'i[iietinini em men.
Of the languages s}K)ken at the mission of Santa Tnez
tlie following Lords Trayer is given by M. de MolVas;
iiid this is very likely in the true Tulare language in
place of the ont' above.
Dios ea(jui(M)('o upalequen alapa, quiaenicho opte: pa-
Hiiininigug (iui(|ue eecuet u})alacs huatahuo itimisshu[)
taneehe alaj)a. I'laundiu ilahulalisahue. I'iesiyug
r(iue[)e ginsueiitanijug u(iuiyagmagin. eane('hequi(iuo
quisagin sneutanagun ntiyagmayiyug penx hoyug (juio
utic le.v uleehop sante(|uiyug ilauteehop. Amen Jesus.-*
The Tulare huiguage is probably the same which was
known under the name of Kahweyah in central Califor-
nia and may have some (Mnnu'ction with the Cahnilloin
the southern [)art of the state.''
Languages in the interior, of which but little more
tli;ui the name and the region wh«'re they were spoken
is known, are, on the Tuohnnne Kiverthe llawhaw and
luiother which has no [)articular name; on the Merced
Itivcr the C'o(!onoon with a dialect extending to King
Ki\er and to Tulare Lake.'-"^ Mr Powers makes of the
ti'ibes inhabiting Ivern and Tulare valleys the Yocnt na-
tion, ijocid signifying an aggregation of people, while
-' Arrni/o, dram. <li' In lon<iii/i Tnhmfin. ^IS., (jnntofl In ^f''/ran, Exjilnr.,
t "u. ii , J)'. ;j,SS, sfL' iilsci jij), ;t',»2-.'t. 'Mal^'iv !•■ t^'iaiid iioinlni' de dialtctis
Missions do In Ciilifoniic, Ics Friuu-isciiins esiiii^^iicils s't'laicnt .ittiiclit's
i|ii'iiidi'o 111 laii:,'uc ^'I'ni'ralt' di' la graudi' valit'c df los 'riiLuis, dont i;ris-
||"' tniitos k's trilius sDUt oriLjinaiivs, ct ilsont rc'di'^'t's lo vocalmlaire «'t uuo
soi'ti' dc Ltrauiniaiiv di' ci'tto laiiL.'
lit' noniiiii'o e
/ Tiih
" '/''((//,))•, in Cnl. ! '■inner, ^liiy 25, ISOO.
^''' Jiilin^liin, in Si'litmlcriuVn Arrli., vol. iv.
i.treiiii.' III., i>. ;(S7.
•107
Dio
<linu'hc'i
ions nnd die voni Kiny'sliiver siud uubu verwuudt.' ItaschiiKmn, .Spiofn
(/•-;■ AikL: ,s'^(C., i>. itdi.
66a
C.VLIFORNIAN LANGUAGES.
'myee, or mmo, means mun. ''It is a sinjiular fact" oli-
Borves this writer, " that in several of the northei ii lan-
giiages k'ii/it denotes dog, ■while in the Yocut, kli/d is
coyote. "
From Afr Powers I have also the following vocabu-
laries, which have never before been published.
Man
WouMin
Hun
Eiirth
!><'«
Water
Stoue
Firo
Hetiil
Mo-.ith
Hitiul
Bi«
Little
To put
To give
To work
Man
AVoiimn
Sun
Earth
Do-
Wat.r
Ktono
Eire
Hiail
Month
Hanil
Hi-
Little
To eat
To give
To work
OAHUOC.
MKIDOO.
nwans
inidoo
usicitawa
catce
coosooiliv
pocnm
Hoosaney
cnwt'h
ihtshttt
Bi'yxi
nhs
niomeh
ass
ohm
ulih
8um
huchwa
onum
aimiuu
cnnibo
t.cik
nin niah
nm-kishnnck
hayhn
ueinuum
weduka
ohtinit
])in
taiinieh
niecy
itkt'eabt
tnwtile
MEKWOC.
yocPT.
Mt'cwtt
nono
(Jsuh
mokella
Watoo
ojie
Tol.'h
Loocheh
Chookoo
chehea
Kikuh
ilic
Sawi}
sileh
Wookeh
osit
Ilaiina
oochiih
Awoh
saniah
Tissnh
poonose
Oyaiuh
koteh
T()()nchickche
colich
Sowuh
hateh
Mahueh
tawhalth
PALKOAWONAP.
nnghanil
coyuem
tahl
serwahl
poongoul
i)a}il
tuhnt
qnoat
kix'inte
tuwkuute
NEESHENAM.
ni'i-slicnum or maidce
ciillt'h
ophy
cow
sooh
moh
oani
sah
tHoll
Him
inah
ncni
hnnum
pap
nioh
towhau
Information regarding the languages spoken wluif
the city of San Francisco now stands, and throiiiiln'iit
the adjacent country, is meagre, and of a very indeliuiti'
character. On the shores of San Francisco Uay.
there are the languages spoken by the ^fatalans, SuIms.
and Quirotes, which are dialects of one mother languiigi. '
27 'Dans hi baie de San Francisco on distingue les tribus des Matalmis.
Salsen ct Qiiirotrs, dont les hmgues di'rivent d'une souche coiiiiiiinn.
IInmhohH, EsMi Vol., torn, i., pp. 321-2; MulilenpJ'onlt, JJiJico, toiu. ii, I'l
ii., p. 454.
DIALE( TS OF THE RUNSIEN AND ESLENE
C53
TliiM lanjruajro luis by soino l»oon called the OUioiio, ami
altlioiigh otiiordialoi'ts arc moiitioiu'd a.s hcloii^iiiir t<) it,
it is }:('iu'rally ntatcd that but(»iu' general lanjiuaire was
^'lK)keu by all of them.'^'^ Soutiiward. near M«)iiterey,
there are niori; [M)sitive data. Here we find as the prin-
cipal laniinages, the two s[)oken by the Hunsiens aril
llslenes; besides which, the Isinnracan and Aspiana<iiio
are mentioned.'"''
lint althoiij:h they are called distinct lanfrnajres,
Taylor allirins that the l']slenes. Sakhones, Chalones.
Katlendarnkns, Poytocjnis, Mntsnnes. Thamiens, and
many others, sjKjkc dilVerent dialects of the Knnsien lan-
^iiajie, and that over a Htreteh of conntry one hnndred and
M'venty miles in length, the natives were all al)le to eon-
verse with jxreiiter or less facilit}' w ith each other, and that
ii!though "their dialects were infinitesimal and pir/,zlin<r,
their vocal commnnications were intelligible enough
when brought together at the dift'erent missions." La
I't'rouses Achastliens and Kcclemachs are probably
nothing more than other names for some of the above-
mentioned dialects.**
2' ' The tiilw of Tiidinns which roaniod over tliis pvriit vallry, from Sun
Fiiiiiciscd to iifiir Sail .) null IJautistii Mission .. . were tlie Uiiioins. Thtir
l.iii','uai;c slightly n'Sfiiiblud that spoken by tlie Mutsuiis, at the Mission of
S;iii iluaii ISantista, ahhon^'h it was by no means the same.' Hull's Sun
./'IS.', p. 10. ' In the Hini,de mission, Santa Chira more tiiaii twenty lan-
^;M;ij,'es lire si>oken.' Ivitzeliiie's Xvw \'oy., \o\. ii., \k W; h'olnliiu's Vnyniiv,
\'<\. iii., j>. 51; liifrlni/'n \'i,j/iiiie, vol. ii., p. 78; Choiin, W'l/. J'ltt., pt iii., pp.
Ti 11; Conik'r's Me.r. iln'it., vol. ii., pp. 1*4-5.
'■''' ' La iiiisnia ilifereiicia ipie se advierte en los nsos y costunibres de initi
y ii'ra mieion liay en sns idioiiias.' Snlil if Mvx'intint, Vhnif. \i. 17'J.
^" ' Kaeh tribe has a difterent diidect; and tiionj,'li their distrietsaro small,
tlii- hinf^iianes are sometinn s so difl'ereiit that the iKiKhbonrin^'tiilies eaiiiiot
iiii'lerstand each other. I liiive before observe<T that in the Mission of Sun
t'iiilos there are eleven ditt'erent dialeets.' lircrliei/'s \'<)i/<i<ie, vol. ii., ji. Hi.
'l.ii lalij^iie do ces habitans ( Eceleniachsi ditl'ere absoliliiieiit de toiltes
ci lies de lenrs voisins; elle a meiiie plusde ra]iport avee nos laii.u'Hes Enrope-
( lilies (ju'iivee (leiles de I'Ameriipie. . . . L'idioiuc de eette nation est d'aillelirs
I'his ri<'he (pie eeliii des antres penples de la t'alifornie.' /-'( I'lniKS', \'i'i/.,
tniii. ii., pp. 324-;t2ti. 'Liipartie septentrionale de la Nonvellf-(.'aliforiiie est
liiihitee jmr les deiix nations de Kuiusen et Escelen. Elles parleiit des laii-
Miies eiitierementditfi'rentes.' Ifiimboklt, Kisai. i'o/.. tom. i., )>. IJ'21. 'lieydi;
Diiistellnn;.,'! n derselben sind, wie man nns der so bestiinmten Erklariin^
heiiler Si-hriftsteller, dass diese zwey Volker die neviilkerun;,' jeiier (lefjeiul
iiiisiimehen, sehliessen muss, ohne Zweifel unter versehiedenen .Vl)tlieilnnt,'en
Kiiies Volkos auft,'efasst, unter dessen Zweij^en die l)ialekte, iinLjere^'elt, wits
sie sind leieht gi'osse Abweiclunifjen von einander zeit,'en werdin.' i'aler,
MUlirhldUs, torn, iii., pt. iii., p. 202; Taylor, in C'al. Farmer, Feb. 22, Apr.
•20, 18U0.
f.r>t
CALIFOnNI.VN LAXOUAGES.
Xot only do all tliOHC Ijcforo-Tncntionod laii^mijioM sliow
a ivlutioMship one witli unotlior, but tliero an? fnlnt
ri'si'inhliimvs di'tcett'd iM'twi'cn tliom and the Oliidiu'
liin,irnjiji(M)l' San Francis**)* liay. Fin'tJR'nnoiv, between
the latter and the lan;rnaiivsiK)k('n at La Soled ad Mission.
as well as that ol'tiie ( )lauientkeHof Russian Kiver, vhicli
1 have alreadv classed with tho I'onio iamllv, there aiv
faint traces ot* relationship.
Murst'v.
LA KOLEDAD.
nrNsiEV.
ACnASTLIKN.
Onn
Ik'iiu (hschft
liiiiiftsii
(iijalji
inoukiilii
Two
iiMllirKiii
tlfnlic
iiltis
(iiitiH
Thrio
<';i]>iiiu
liaiikhii
kiip|)('i
(•ll]>i s
Vdur
iilliiit
Utjlt
nlti/iiii
iiiitiii
Fivo
luiriii'S
imnmsh
Imli izu
\H
FmIIi.t
appi'i
iiikM)iii
ii^>I>tin
Jri.tlicr
niDiu
iiik.'iiiii
nan
l):ill;,'lltcr
CIt
iiik;i
kiiiiua
NoHO
WH
Urt
Ears
oc'ho
otsho
iM.mth
j.ii
hiii
11
A further confirmation of this relationship is found in
the statement of the first mi>?'ionary Fathers, wlm
traveliMl overland from Monterey t«> San Francisco, iiiid
who, although at that time t(jtally unac(piainted witli
these languages, recogi'i/ed resemblances in certiiiii
Avords.'' The dialect sjjoken at the Mission of Santa
Clara has been preservetl to us oiAy in the .shape oltlic
Lord's Flayer which follows:
Appa macrene me saura saraahtiga elecpnhmeii ini-
ragat. sacan macrene mensaraah assueiy nouman ouinn
macaj'i pireca numa ban saraathtiga jxjluma niacr'nc
souhaii naltis anat macrene neena, ia annanit maci ■ nc
nieena, ia annanit macrene macrcc equetr nmccari nou-
mabau mare annan, nou marote, jassemi)er macn'uc in
eckoui' tamouniri innam tattahne icatrarca oniet macriiif
etpiets naccaritkoun oun och si Jesus.'"
3' ' Es oihclU ft1>er fins flen Zalilwortern nnd (indcren Wdrtern, dfiss ilii'
fipi'ucho vdii la Solfilad, (Ut clcr Kunsien nahf Klfi«'' 'mil ilt-r dtr Ai'liiistH'i'
iilinlii'h ist.' Hitsrhmunn, Sjmrcn der Atlk. Sjir., p. 5(51; Tarmi', in //'>'.
Mw/., vol. i., p. '2li(>.
^2 'En estos indios rt'pan' que cntondinn nins que otros los ti'riniiin'* 'li'
Monterey y enteudi innchos turniinos de lo que hiii)la1)an . . El (licii'-nili'iiif
iiieoiKim tu CITS uii jiadre, quu es la nnsiiiii palabru que usan ios il"
Monterey.' I'aUm, Nolk'ias, in Doc. Hist Mex., Hurie iv., torn, vii., I'l'-
62-3, S'J." 05, 07. «».
^^ Mofras, Explor., torn, ii., p. 392.
Ml'TSrS (HIAMMAR.
f.r.r.
or till' Nriitsim iliiiloct r ^ivo tlio follo\vln<: trraninmti-
Oiil iiotfs. Words of this iujsiiimjio do iu»t coiittiin tlif
letters A, (/. /•,/', v. w, an«; ':■
.iliJig /•,
N'oni.
Diit.
Ace.
Voc.
At.l.
DIX'LKXSION OP THE WORD APPA. FATIIKU
MiNori.Mi. ri.iiiAi..
iip|iit aiipii^'inik
a|i)iii aii|iii)4iiiii
ii|i|>aliiiiiH n]i]iiiK>>mhiina
tl|>|lllH() n|)U^MIIIIlSO
ni>\»\ aitpit^'iuii
llll])lltSll
' ' " I or ujiimgiuiiiu'
1 «1V(>,
'I'lliHl K'Vt'Ht,
111' i^ivos,
j or appatcft
( ur iippuiut*
CONIUCrATIOy OF THE VERB ARA, TO GIVE.
rUKSKNT INDICVTIVK.
can mil We ^'ivl', niiicsf arA
lilt M II';' Yiiii iiiyi', iiiiicilii ai-;4
11 . ■ I uiii Thiy gi\i', mipciiu uri
iAHT.
i ,,4V(' (a very short lini«> ago),
1 guvi- (a loiii,' wliilf agoj,
I giivf (very loll),' a^'o),
I gavo ^fi'oiii tiiiK^ iiiimi'iiiorial),
I K'avt! (vvitlioiit iiiciitioiiing tiiiii'), can aran
can it/s ni'itii
can ciiH iiras
can Ikk's alii
can niunna ants
<'an ai'iiH
can aniiciiu
can aruijtu
can ot (or iete) nri
can iti ani
can nn'Mina ani
can pi a aiau
lol
I gave iwho knows whi.'ii),
I gave (soiui'tinic ngit),
I gave (ahciuly),
FrxrRE.
I slmll give (soon),
1 slmll >/i\v (lifter ninny days).
I slmll ;,'ivc (iifttr many years),
I shall liavo yivcu ^perhaps),
IMPERATtVR.
Give 1110, anit, or aratit
Give thyself, aiiiiii
• live him, ami, or arati
Give them, arais
srHJUNCTIVE,
That T pjve, cat nni
l( I yave, imatenin can ani, or cochop tncnc can ara
The languiige abounds in adverbs, of which I give the
l»)wing.
This (lay
Now
iiiinietliately
Nivir
Never luoro
(iimmI
]!.>il
(ielitly
Certainly
No '
Ti)-(lay
nejipc tengis
naha
iaaka
ecne ct
ecne imi
niistc, utin
C<]UitHeHtti
chcqneu
aniaue
ecne
uahu
To-morrow
Since
Always
Before
Much
Very much
Little
Very little
Yes
Truly
Look
arnta
yeto
nil)
am
tolon
toiiipo
cutis
cnti
gehc
asaha, eres
gire
G50
CALIFORNIAN LANGUAGES.
Adjectives are declined tlie same as substantives ^vlu'll
they are declined alone; but they dilVer in their de-
cleusion from substantives when they are declined in
connection with them, because then they do not chanuo
tlieir terminations, but remain the same in all the casts.
The rules of syntax are intricate and ver^' diflicult.
Father Cornelias s[)eaks of a language at the Missinn
of ;:>anta Cru/, with numerous dialects, in fact so many,
that the language changed nearlj' every two leagues, and
being at times so divergent, that it was with diflicnlty
neighboring people could understand one another.''^ In
the vicinity of the Mission San Antonio de I'adua, tla rt;
is a language which has been variously named, TatclK',
Telame, and Sextapay. It a})pears to be a distinct
language, and Taylor affirms that the people speaking
it could not understand tliose of LaSoledad Mission, tliirty
miles north.''" In this language the letters b, d /'. do
not ap[)ear; na expresses the article the, and also this.
I'here are many different ways of expressing the jtlural
of nouns. Some add the SAllable il, el, /, or It. otliors
insert tu or ^, while others again add kg, (den, ten, or
teno,aii may be seen in the following examples.^^
Counsellor
Fliinie
Work
Mj- i-iu'iny
lirother
Grass
Ishm
Mouse
Oven
I'risou
Fat
Woman
Bono
SINGPLAR.
tiiyito
niL"'che''liya
tacato
zitclio'n
citol
ca*tz
taina
e"z/;(iui*lniog
aloconfya,
qnc'' lupzi'igne
cu*i)iuit
lixii
ejuco
PLURAL.
tayilito
nKv'cliL'"liliya
ta(iU('k'''to
zitclio^ne"!
citolaui'l
(•!i*tza"U('l
taiiiatin
e " zz(iui "Inioco'ten
aloootini'ya
qu(r'lu('zuj,'tiue
cupinitU'f^
litz/in
t'jut'li'to
31 'Quoil quanqunm lino iilionia ineloqnpus videatur ot int'leKiius, in iri
veritate non est ita; t'st valilfi copiosuni, oblonguui, (ibundans et t'loqui ni.'
Arroyo tie Ir. Ciwuttt, Alphah.i Jliruliiii Ohfuxitus, prefaue, also, Avrnijn ih In
<'aest<i, M'itsun Griiiiiintw. On the cover of the nianuseript is the fuiliiwiiiL;
important note. ' C'opia ih' la lengua Mutsun en estilo Catalan a (•au^il la
escribio nn Catalan. La Castellana usa tie la (uerza de la pronuiiciaiinii 'I'-
letras de otro niodo en su alfubeto.' The Catalaus prououuco t/t hard, ihhI;
like the German-s.
'■^^ Cornelias, in Cal. farmer, April 5, 18C0.
3« Taylor, in Id., April 27, 1«G0.
TATCHK GRAMMAll.
657
Cases do not apjicar to exist, the relations of the nouns
heing expivssed by partieles. Adjeetixcs do not vary to
show irenUei' or (
deu'
rei'
P
ersonal [)ront)nns are usnidly
co[)ulati\i' and inchided in the verl>. whether suhjt'ct-
ive or ohjeetive,
Of ti
le use
of tl
le possessive ]>i"o-
noun the following eNain[)les will give the clearest ideii
Ih'other, cifoln; my hrother, c.'fol; thy brother. <'7s;y///o/;
brothers. rtloldDt'lo; m\ brothers, citolain'l: thv brothci's.
('"/i<)nif<i/i(iii'/; mother, i'j'>j<>: thy mother. /)r(.'<iiiij>(f/: house.
'•h
('It iCOllOI
i\ mv house, diicono'-, \\\\ liousf. niinrJio-t
nio;
blood, ahitii-. mv blood, chit(i.\ thv blood. riiiii'hit<i\ lather.
"VY>; my lather. ^///; thy father, ninn'; our father. tdt'iU'i;
work, fdciito; my work, t'tcaf; thy work. rimfii'Vl; our
work, zdfticaf; yom* work, zmjtdoU] mine, at'; thine,
i'"ftiiui;'')ii('i'\ this, iitc, that. j>t".
N'erbs have also a plural form. Cnloiii, to teach;
'■ii*"/i/i)in. to teach nnich, or, to teach manv.
'I'll (Irsiro
'I'll iliinlv
I) siiy
11 walk
SINTiCI.AU.
rLfiiAi-.
(iui,i"lcp
c'lcilflUO
(JIU lioiti
liialaro
(lUl
•lilip
•llltllU
(|llilliiltl'0
mail iltai'o
I trai'h,
III- liaclics me
-prai
ti
iim to 1110,
^|iial; ymi to liii',
I) I'lVi.'
•VKKB AND rnoxorx.
T li
ill
'(■(•Jl"*!!)!]!
(jucpii" lilac
jissia"o
jissitai;
|ityuco, jiu ":'('(
(live ii; ^
(iivf lis.
H
Ik
(■ KIVIS US,
jiVfS us.
i>lio"])ii"inai|iiiM'a
iiip"ya"c
iiiai'tiltac
l)i"ya"c
iiaitiltae
TI
le
Thou lovfst tliysilf, uiimu e" tsiui;'jia"iuapiiiit.*ot
)11
oUownig are preiiosiiions: hy
in lie re.
ill I III I
■1'^
li'om.
-'-' /''
on. -.in : witiiin. ■.'//(
th
jjii
lo
A
lew cxMiujiles of adverbs are — here, zojui,.; there. )i("ji
tu-day. f'lh'C, to-niorro\v. tlfjaij: yesterday, nu/civiji).
I.OI.Ii S I'KAVi;
Za till, mo quixco ne"[)e" limaatnil. An zuciK'teyc
m
Our I'athi r, thou
irt
Hall
iia etsuiat/, : antsiejtsitia na ejtmilina. An citaha
come
till' thv kiiiLrdoii
lit lit
n itsinalog /ui l.,('"' (piiclui ne"[)"e lima. Ma'tiltac talia
Ihv will
on laltll
m
iR'avcli.
Vol. ui. ii
CJivt.' us lu-ilay
(m
CALIFORNIAN LANGUAGES.
zizalainagct zi/.ucanatol ziczia. Za inaiiiintiltac iia
our food our daily. FDi'give us the
zanajl, quiclia na kac apaniniti'lico na zanaiiaol. '/A
Debts, as thu wo foryivo theiii tlio our debt.
<iuetza coumianatatolnoc za aliineta zo na ziuxiiia.
Let not us fall into the teuiptatiuii.
Za no qnissili jom zig znnitaylitee. Amen.^^
Us from evil defend.
Another distiiK^t language is found at and near the
Mission of i^an Miguel, but of it nothing hut a short
vocabulary taken by Mr Hale is known. The langujigo
spoken at San (iabriel and at San Fernando l{ey, called
Kizh, and the Xetela used at San Juan Capistrano, 1
shall not describe here, but include them with the Sho-
shone faniilv, to which thev are related. The (^heiiie-
huevi and (_\ihuillo I also place among the Shoshone dia-
lects, while the Diegeuo and Couie\a will be included in
the Yuma family. It therefore only remains for nie to
speak of the languages of the islands near the coast of
California. Of these, the principal, or mother language,
was spoken on the island of Santa Cruz. The dilleiciit
tribes inhabiting the various islands all spoke dialects oi'
one laniiuau;e, which was somewhat uuttui'al. I insert
a short vocabulary of the Santa Cvuz Island language
A\ ith that of the Mission of San Miguel.
SAN MIGCEL.
SANTA CRCZ ISLAND
loaf, or loyuai
nlaniiiiin
tleue
bciiiutch
tata
ecski)
ttjiui
osloo
tobuko
liisjiiilaoali
teasaklio
tottooU
telltldlitO
l)astlioo
frii^,'('iito
fisplfsooso
(rcliko
jiasaoteh
tnhi
isnial.'i
k( >L,'sn
ischniu
tlobahi
niase^bo
kesa
KCUU'UO
Mm
Wiiuian
Fatlicr
Mmlier
Head
Hair
Ears
Eyes
Alouth
On.)
Two
Three
Four
^"i Sltjnr, llicahularin ijr la M. ije San Ant<yn'io. The ortli()ij;rii|iliy > ni-
jiloyed by Father Sitjar is very curious; accents, stars, small letters almvi nt
beiow the line, ami various other marks are constantly used: but no e\|il.i-
nation of these hav<' been found in tlie MS. I have llierefore, as far as im-i-
bli', presented the original style of writing. See al->o M'lt'rus, ij^i/c/'., tuiu.
ii., pp. 3'J2-3.
SAN MIGUEL AND SANTA CRUZ VOCABULARY.
G.7J
rivo
Six
Seven
Ei<{bt
Nine
Ttu
SAN MIGCEL.
SANTA cnrz IS
oldmto
sii-tisiiiii
paiiite
sittisfliuni
ti^pa
sittumsshugli
Hrutol
iiiiilawuh
ti'ditrup
Kpah
tnipa
kiiscum ^*
3« link's EtJi»n<i., iu
Farmer, May 4, 18G0.
U. S. Ex. Ex., vol. vi., pp. G33-4; Taylor, iu CaL
i
CHArTER Y.
SHOSHONE LANGUAGES.
AZTEC-SOKORA CoNNKCTIONS WITH THE ShoSHONK FaMILY— ThR UtAII, Cn.
SIANCIIK, Moi^UI, KlZH, NktKLA, KeCHI, CaIIUII^LO, ANn ClIKMKlirKVI —
Eastkun AM) Wkstkkn Sikisuone, or WmixAsiiT— The Banxai k and
Dkhikr, on SnosHOKEE — Thk Utah and its Dialects The tinsiiCTK,
Washok, I aui.EE, Piute, Sami'Itche, and Mono — Poi'L'laii Belikf as to
THE AziEc Elemknt IN THE NouTH — Grimm's Law— Suoshone, Coman-
CHK, AM) ^loyci CoMi'AUArivE Table — Netela Stanza— Ki/h Gkamm.m;
The Lord's Prayer in two Dialects of the Eizii — Chemehuevi axu
Cahcillo Geajisiar— Comparative Vocabclary.
In this cliaptcr I inoludc all the hmgiiagcs of tlio
Shoslione family, the Wiliiiiasht or we.steni ^^hoslione
of Idaho ami Oivuoii, the Utah with it.s many dialects,
the Comanche or Yetan of Texas and Xew Mexico, thf
Mo([ni of Arizona, the Kizh, Xetela, and Kechi of the
San Fernando Mission, and their dialects, and the Ca-
hnillo and Chenielmevi of sonth-eastern California. The
six last mentioned do not properly belong to the Sho-
shone family, hut on account of certain faint traces of
Aztec, ibund alii<e in them and in all Shoshone idioms,
1 cannot (h) hi'tter than to speak of them in this connec-
tion. As regards this Aztec element, 1 do not mean to
say that tiiese languages are related to the Aztec language,
in the same sense that other languages are sjioken of as
being related to eacli other, for this might lead those
>vho are seareliing for the former habitation or fatheilaml
SHOSHONE AND UTAH DIALECTS.
661
of the Aztecs, to suppose tliat it luis been fouml. This
t'lcnicnt consists simply in a lunnbcr of words, idcnticiil
or reasonably- ii[)pi'oxiniato to the like A/tec woi'ds. and
in the similarity, perhaj>s. of a lew <irannuatical rules.
How this Aztec, word-material crept into the laiiLiuajjes
of the Shoshones. whether by inU'rconnnnnication. or
Aztec colonization, we do not know. Nor do 1 wish to be
understood as attemptinji' to sustain the pojiular theory
of an Aztec migration from the noith ; on the c(»idrary
the evidence of l!inj:uaL:e is all on the other side.
AVhether or not the (Jreat iJasin, or any jjart of the
Northwest, was once occupied by the ancient Mexicans.
it is ci'i'tain that the Aztec lanjiuaue. as a base, is Ibund
ut)where north of central Mexico, so that these incidental
(»r accidental word-analogies if they })ro\e anything,
indicate only a scattei'ing from s(jme j)i'imeval centre,
other than the place where they are foinid. and tend to
show that the language whose words are thus thiid\'
sprinkled ovi'r so broad an area, cotdd not have been
the al)original sto(!k language of the country.
1'he Shoslu^ne and the Ttah ai-e the })rincip!d lan-
guages of the gr^'at interior l)asin: and these may be re-
garded as sisters of a connnon mother language, the
t'^hoshone preponderating. Each has many dialects.
The Shoshone laniiuage mav be divided into eastern, or
Shoshone propel-, and western Shoshone, or \\ ihinasht.
( )f the former the ]>annack. and the Diguer, or Sh(*shokee.
iU'e the chief variation>
The I'tah dialects mon
numei'ou>. .,' the (jloshute. A\ ashoe. l*aiide(>." I'iute.
un[)itche, Mono, and a lew others, which latter \ary so
f the others, that it is mmecessary
ono
ittle from some one
o
to ti'ace them as separate dialects. The Comanche dia-
lects I shall not attempt to classify.' No granuuar has
1 ' Tho Shosh'ni find Pduashl (Boiiniiks) <i( the Colniubiii, tlic YvUs niul
^■iiiipilrla's ...tlu' <'niiini<inclii's of Ttxils, iiud soiiil' otlicr tribes aloli^,'
tiHf iu)i'thcm froiitici' of Mexico, iirc said to spciik iliiilicts of ii coniiiion
l:in.,'\iii!^'o.' Jl'ili's KlliHii'i., in L'. S. A'.e. K,v., vol. vi., \)\). '21S-'.). 'Tlif unat
Slioslionco, or Sn.'ikf, fiitnily: which coniiirobcnds the Shoshoncs |irojiir
. .llic Utiilis... rith-rtalis... the Ki/.b....thi' Net. la. . the Kchi. . . .
tint Ciinianchcs.' Turwr, in Pnv. R. It. Itijit., vol. iii., \k 7<). ' Sli<isUi'iti'ii<!
I', I S'-r2>ints ft do Sushuru^ ou l>{itirn''i.rs i.k ntffuifs jiarlent hi uii'Uio
GG2
SnOSIIONE LANGUAGES.
over boon writton of any of thoso lanfinngos. In all of
tlioni words are ^onorally accontod on the first svUahU-.
oxco[)t Avlion a possossivo pronoiui is prefixed. Words
of more than four s\llal»U's, u'enerally have a secondarv
accent on the fifth, as in U'-'dh-tis-chl-ho-^K)^ vallev." A
few woi'ds in these lanjiuages are found almost identi-
cal with like Avords of tl)e Tinneh family, which have
prol>ahly found their way into them by interconnnuni-
lan'^r.f.' I)c Snul, Vni/., p. I'^fi. 'Thn Shoshone lauKunrfo is spnl;! n
mostly 1>.v all thu ImikIs of Indians in sontlH'astcrn Novailii.' V'k/V. •<•.
in //('/. .Uy. Jlijit., IHOfJ, p. 111. ' Tlifir lanj^'ua^'c (SlioslKjnt's) is very
ilitl'iirt'nt from tiiiit of cither fhi^ liannocks, or ri-I'tfs.' I'liiiijihill, in
/'/., J), l-ll. (losluuitcs S|)('ali thi' same lan^jna^o as Shoshoncs. F<iri"i/.
in JiL, IS.")',), p. ;iii;{. 'The lan^/na^'e is spoken hy bands in the Lr'^itl
niino rej,'ion of the Sacramento.' .S(7*<»i/(vv/,'7's Airh., vol. i., p. lilS. • r,ii-
nc'lies speak tlit^ same lani^naLje as the Yntas.' Fiirnli(i)ii's Lift in I'uL.
jip. .'i71. ;i7.'). ' I'i-h'iliK, allied in laiij,'aa^'e to the I'tahs.' ('(niky, in ImJ. AjJ.
Ilipt., lM(i."), p. IS. (loships, or (josha I'tes 'talk very nearly the Slioshoiu.'
laiiL;uai,'e.' Irish, in /./., ji. Itl. Slioshones and ("oinanehes 'both s]ie ik tli'-
same lanf^niage.' Sanipielies. ' Their laiit^'iiaj^'e is said to lu^ allied to that ef
the Snakes.' Youtas. ' Their lanjiiiage is by some tlionj,'ht to bi^ ])eeiili:!i'.'
UllLis' Xnr., in U. S. K.f. E.f., vol. iv., p. r)iiL ' I'neblan todas las I'avt' s .].•
esta sierra por el sneste, sur sndoeste y oeste, },'ran m'lmero de Rentes dc l.i
nnsma naeion, idionia ete., ' which tiny call Timpanoj^otzis. Ihuii'mijni'i iiml />-
rid<uti\ in />"('. Wist. MiA\, si'rie ii., toni. i., ]). KIT. ' The lanj,'na<.,'e sjiokc n hy
the (,'oiiianehes is of Ljreat antiquity, and ditt'evs but liitle from that of the li.-
oas of I'ei'u.' MuUnriVs Hist. V'l.i'., p. 'il'J; IliinrlinnitiH, Sjnorii. <li'r A:l' L . Sj'/ ..
])]). .'Mil, IMI. ' Yam-jiah. 'This is what the Snakes CiiU tlu; ComanelK s. if
which they are either the parents or descendants, fi,r the two lan^'UiiL;cs .n •
ni'arly tin- same, and they readily nnderstand eaeli other, and say that tin y
Were once one people.' ' The Snake lan^ua;^'!' is talked and nnderstinMl by ail
the tribes from the llocky mountains to California, and from the ('cili)radii t>>
the ('(jlumbia, and by a few in many tribes outside of these limits.' SI'iiir('-<
.M'intiiiiK, j)p. "jS, IS2. ' The dift'erent bands of the t'omauches and Shoslioiii- s
or Snakes, constitute another extensive stock, speaking one languai^e.' ','/(;i/'v
C'liii. rriiiriis. Vol. ii., )). "iol. 'The vernacular languatje of the Vutas is
said to be distantly allied to that of the N'avajoes, but it has »])pe ivi il to nic
much more j,'uttural, having a deep s(,'i)ulchral sound resemblini,' vi ntrile-
ipiism.' /'/., vol. i., p. ItOO. 'The Utahs, who speak the sanu> l;nii,'ii;i'.:c
as the Kyaways.' ('omli^r's Mi.e. <initt., vol. ii., p. 74; NcAow/c/vn/ s .\irii.,
vol. v., p. 1!)7. The Goshutes are of ditl'ereiit lant;uaf^e from the SIiosIkhics,
Ihi, fills, in hid. Atf'. I!<pt., 1«70, p. iMl. J)ii,'L;ers, 'differ from the otli.r
Snakes somewhat in lan;.,'uat,'e.' Wjinth, in HrhonlrrdtTs Arch., vol. i.. ]>■ -''•';
lii'r'ihnns. in IliisrJiiniiiin, Siinrrn tier Attek. Sjir., p. Ii71. The Kusi-riali--,
'in sj)eakini,' they clipped their words... we rcco(,'nized tho sounds of tin-
1 in!:^ua:.,'e of the Shoshoncs.' /iV/ii// and Broichli'i/'s Jounvy, vol. ii., ]>. 11-';
Thumiiul, .l/i.ri'iv), p. U5',); Cdllin's X. Annr. Jnd., vol. ii.. p. ll'i. "TIhu"
native lanf,'uaL,'e (Conianches), in sound ditl'ers from the lanf,'uai,'e of any
other nation, and no one can easily learn to speak it. They have also a
lanjiuage of sij,'iis, by which they convers(> anions thoniS(<lvcs.' Fn iich s
Jlist. L'l., (N. Y. IWJ), p. l.jC). 'T)ie primitive terms of the Coniancliis
are short, and several are combined for the ex])ressi()n of complex idric^.
Tho lanf,'ua;,'e is very barren t)f verb-*, the functions of which are fre(|ui ally
jifrformed by the aid of gt.'stures anil grimaces.' Kennedy's 'I'uxas, vol. i., p-
348.
» Turner, iu Pac. Ii. R. Eq)l., vol. iii., p. 77.
SHOSHONE AND TINNEH SIMILARITIES.
cc:
cation. Of those the folUnviiifi; are the prin(''4)al ones.
M) I'ar as designated hy existing voealndaiies.
Fire: Coinanehe, /v/-o/u(; Siioshone. /v'//'/; (Miepewy-
•,\\\. con iin, hill, hone. \ Vi\\\\, coon. JUnv: Cuinanehe. »/// ;
Shoshone, iif!<f/i(j\ Wiliinaslit. cfi: Chepewvan. ntlu'lke.
Cold: Comanche, f'Asc/io; Shoshone. o/.srAo/// ; Wihinaslit.
("i/V.s; Che[)ewvan, e(fe;/i. J'^ye: Comanche. iKirJiirh) Che-
[ie\\\van. ii(i('/,/i(iij.^
\n the \\ ihinasht, words occnr sometimes in which
;ni nnnsiial luiinher of vowels are combined. — puiidin,
great; long words are also not inlre(|iient. like p'uiin-
fii/inunniikiii, salt.* A short comparative vocahnlary tf»
show the connection hetwcen tiiese langnages, is given
further on.
Tjct ns now consider the often discussed but ill under-
stood question of the Aztec language in the north.
Torciuemada and W'tancmt narrate the eN[iedition of
.luan de Ofiate, who invaded New Mexico during the
last years of the sixteenth century. lather I\o(|ue de
Figueredo, who acc.om[)anied the expedition, says that
while searching for a lost mule, at the Rio del Tizon,
the Afexican nudeteers met certain natives who ad-
dressee
1 th
tl
leni in tiieir own
1;
niiiuaiie
an(
I wl
lo. on
being asked whence they came, answered that they
came tVom the north, where that language was s[)oken.
Clavigero, who repeats the above, also asserts, that
dui-ing the expedition made by Ihe Spaniards, in
ItJOG, to New Me.\ico. when north of the Uio del Tizon,
they saw son)e largi' houses, and near them certain na-
tives who s[)oke the Mexican lauguage. Then we havi^
the statement of Father (Jeruniuio de Ziirate, that while
searching for the Laguna de Copala. he was ini'ormi'd,
among other things, that the country in its vicinity was
densely peopled by men who spoke a language similaito
that of his Aztec servants. Ziirate was at this time at
tlie Rio del Tizon. and the natives, who are close observ-
ers in such matters, assured the Spaniards that they
3 linsfhinnnn. Sjitiren ikr Azkk. Siir., pp. 402-3.
* Id., p. Clu, ft .stii.
(UU
SIIOSIIOXE LANV.UAGES.
dotcrtcd ill the speech of tlio wrvaiit certain words
•■oiiimoii to both his own mid the laiiniiniie of the ](f(»|ili'
of the Laniina dc Copala. And aiiain. in the I'e^jnu
toward tht; east. Acosta savs that "of hite they iiave
discovered a new hind, uhich the\' call New Me.\
CO.
wln'1-e they wiv is much people that speake the Mexican
toiiuiRv
Vater. in his ^fitliridates. intimates that the ^h'^ican
lanti'iiaue spread far northward, throiiuh the roaniin,L:s of
wild trihes. ])articnlarly tiie (/hicliimecs; hnt when wc
reniemher that the term Cliichimec was ap[)lied hy the
early S[)aniards to all the immense unknown uoniailic
hordes north and west, this mention carries with it hut
little weii:ht. Mr Anderson, who accompanied Cajitain
('Ook to the north-west coast, in 177S, lancied he de-
tected a resi'inhlance l)etween the Aztec and the lan'^iiiaut'
of the ^'o()tka^
From the few Mexican words, " h
says, "1 have been able to procure, there is the most ob-
vious aureeinent, in the very fre(|nent terminations of
the vowels in /. //. or ;:. throuuhout the lanuna;
And
remarks the editor, "■may we not, in confirmation of .Mr.
^Vndersons remark, observe, tliat Opulszthl. the Xootka
name t>f the »Snn; and A'itzijtnt/li, the name of the ^h■\i-
can Divinity, have no very distant ailinity in soiukL"
Xow the al)surdity of all idle speculations is apparent
when we encounter such I'ar-fetched comparisons as
this. In the tlrst place, there is no ailinity in the somuls
of the two words, and in the next place there is no
such Aztec irod, — TTuitzilopochtli probably l)einj;' the ii:od
meant. Xeither has this last word any reseml dance ti>
the sun; it is composed of the two words, /n'if-j/iii. an
abbreviation of the .^[exican hiutzitzil'ui, which signifies
' liuinmin<'-bird.' and oi'ojxir/ifli that is to say ' left.' \'atci"
also draws analogies between the Aztec and the Xootka,
and Ugalenze, which on close comparison do not hold
:oo(
1.
Jlegarding the afTinity of the Aztec language with
tiiose of the Pueblos, ^hxpiis. Apaches, Yumas. and
others of New Mexico and Arizona, lluxton veiituivs
AZTEr TRACES XORTII OF MEXICO.
CC3
the assortloii. "all tlioso spouk dialorts of tlio snnio lan-
uiiaiKv . . /riicj likowiso all imdorstanJ each othor.s
toiiLiiic. What ivlatioii this laiiLLiiano Ikmivs to the
.\f('xicaii is miknowii; hut iiiy iiii[)ivssioii is. that it
will ho found to assimilate' ••roatly, if not to he iilent-
i!';d."" — in all of which assertions Mv Ru.vtou is "reatlv
in error.
All this, as evidence, does not aniotnit to nuu^h; if.
only indicates the orii-in of a |)oi)ular helief which placed
a .Mexican lanji'ua^e in various parts of the noi'th. while
at the same time it shows u[)on iiow slendei* a thread
lianns this helief, and how the vauuest traditionary ru-
mors come, hy repetition, to he accrediteil as fixed
facts.
liuschmann asks himself the question whether the
Aztec words, in any considerahle numher, are not found
in an N' other lan,ii'uages of the ureat Mexican empire, — in
the Zai)(>tec, Mi/tec, Tarasco-Otomi, or JIuastec, — and the
answer is no; he iias discovered a few accidental word-
.•^imilarities. such as may he found hetween the Aztec
and other American laniiuages. or hetween any two lan-
iiuaii'es of the world, hut nothin"j; which, l)\' anv i)ossi-
hlHty, could denote relationship.
From another chiss of evidence we ajiproach a little
nearer the truth. Andres Perez de JTihas. missionary
to Sinaloa wj'iting ahout llj 10. says, tliat wliile studyin;^
the laiiuuaiie of his people, he noticed many ^k'xican
words pai'ticularly radicals, and also words which ap-
peared to have heen oriiziually Mexican, hut which had
hoen so altered that only one or two syllables in them
could he recoiiiiized as Aztec.
Fatlier Ortega, in lTo2. wrote a vocal)ularv of the
r()ra language, in which he says, the i)eople had incor-
porated in their lansiuatre many words of the Nh'xican
and some few of the S[)anish languages, and this at a
jteriod so early that at the time of his wiiting they
were regarded as belonging to the original languajLie.
llervas, whose work a})pearcd in 1787. sa\s that the
Tarahumara language is full of Mexican words. Vater,
CGO
SHOSHONE L.VXtirA(;KS.
>vrltinfr early in the nineteenth centnrv, adirnis that tli.'
Cora is reiiiarkahlo ibr its relation to the Me.\i(!an. and
that the Tarahmnara, Avhieh is a niori' polished lan,i:ii!iue
than its neij^hhors. contains some words similar to the
Aztec, in his Mithridates, N'ater notices a relation.xliip
hi'tween the ( V)ra and the A/tec. furthermore asscitiim'
that the conj liquations of the two are so alike as plainly
to prove the connection.
Wilhelm von ilnmholdt left ns a short mnTiiiscriiit
grammar of the Cora and Tio-ahtimara. in which he ic-
marks that lor lanjiuages which are related, the Corn
and the Mexican have gi'eat diiferences in their soiiiid-
svstems, and althoimh these two laimiiaiies certainlv aii-
pear to ho related, yet ho is nnwilling to asseit that
either is derived from tho other. " There an; nioiv
Mays than one," says the great philologist Wilhelm \oii
Hiimholdt, " hy which languages are connected. The
im[)ression left upon me by tho Cora, is that it is a mix-
ture of two dilVerent languages: one the Mexican, and
the other some older and richer language, but I'oiighci'.
In the grammar t)f the (\)ra there are found very iiuiuy
ibrms which strikingly call to mind tho ^fexican. yet at
the same time there are many forms wholly dilVerciit.
made by rules directly opposite, among which are the
])i-onouns." He further remarks two other important
diil'erences ])etween tho C\)ra and the ^fexican wiiii li
are tho absence of tho reduplication of syllables and ot'
tho reverential Ibrms.
Such was tho attitude of tho snl)joct when Mr l)iis( li-
mann took it n\). From the prevailing imi)ressioiu)l an
A/tec origin in tho north, but more particularl}' lV(»ni
certain remarks of Alexander von Humbt)ldt conceiniiig
tho probable ])assing of tho ancient Mexicans throii,:.;h
tho regions of tho north, ho set himself to Avork to (ind
this line of migration, and tho exact relations of tlicii'
their language in various parts. (Amnnencing at the
Valley of Mexico ho made a careful analysis of every
western language north of that place of wdiich he could
obtain any material. The result of Mr Buschmann s
^a rosea 1'
H parts.
base.
Moi
analog:
wester
trict o
the CO
tendiii;
ularly
Tepehi
southei
Oro/co
parallel
the (ill
.-haix'd
the Tar
huana
centre <
spoken
Culfof
and oxt
ibi'ty k'a
mara. th
i.^ applie
not to tl
to tho J.
Cc/tifii k
th' In ( 'oil
i-alled th
y, inceofS
1^; latter ex
ulary of
'.(, Soiirelk's
'^m words.
9 others, y<
H material.
H tho Cora
H huana in
AZTEC TRUES IX SOUTH KKX MKXHO.
IWi'i
roscni'clics WHS tlio (lis(^)V(.M'V of Aztec traci's in certain
ft-
j)iirts. hut nouliero did he lind the A/tec laiijiiiiiiie jis a
base,
.\h)ro ])articularly were these A/.tee words and word-
analogies pei-eeptihle in lour certain lanjinaues ol' north-
western Mi'xico; in tlieCora. s[M)i<en in the Navarit dis-
trict of Jahsco, conimencinij ahont fil'teen h-aiiiu's from
the coast at the month of the Uio 'I'ololothm. and ex-
tendinji' hetween tlie parallels 2 1 oO' and 20 hack irrei:-
nlai'lv into the; interior ahont twenty leagnes; in the
Tei)ehnana. of northern »>inaloa, noi'thern Dnrani^o. and
southern Chihuahua, or as laid down on the map of
Orozco y IJerra. connnencinji' near tlu; twenty-third
l)arallel ahont twenty leagues fi'om tiie eastei'ii shoiv of
the (Jnlf of California, and extending over a horse-shoe
shaix'd territory to ahont the twenty-seventh paiallel ; in
the Tarahumara spoken immediateU' north of the 'IVpe-
luuina in the states of Chihuahua and Sonora. in the
centre of the k^ierra Maiire; and lastly in the Cahita
spoken hy tlie people inhahiting the eastern shore of tlu'
(lulfof California, hetween latitude 2(j ' and 28 north,
and extending hack from the; coast irre-iularlx" ahont
.f the Tarah
forty leagues, henig almost directly west ol the lai-ahn-
mara. though not exactly contiguous. The name Cahita
nnlied hv the missionarie.*'
H'P
iiy
not to the peo[)le speaking it. hi the license ])relixed
to the MdiiiKil fxmi (uhnuuxtmr a hs Jndlos (Id hlioiu'i
Ciihltii Ids S(tiifi)x i^i ((')•( nnciito!^ cDin/iticsfo por ini. Stici'rdol';.
(h' In ('()iiij)Oi:i(((le rfasHs, printed in Mexico in I 7 !•). it is
called the connnon language of the missions of the prov-
ince of Sinaloa, sjMjken hy the Ya([uis and the Mayos, the
latter extending far into southern f^onora. In a V()<'alj-
ularv of the Cahita given hy Ternaux-( V^mjians. in the
.\'(H(i:ellt's AiuKiks, there are likewise found many A /.tec
words. Neither of these languages are relate(l to the
others, yet in all of them is a sprinkling of Aztec word-
material. The Aztec suhstantive ending tl and tii, in
the (\)ra are found changed in tl, te, and /; in the Tepe-
huana into de. re. and set: in the Tarahumara into ki he.
t'
f)(58
SHOSHONE L.VNfiUAOKH.
<'ti, nuA /ti\ jind ill tlic ('aliitii. into //'. In iill lour of
the lim^ii;i.!i'('s Milist;intivo cinrnijis nw «Iro|)|ic(l. Iii>t.
ill coiiiiiositioii wlu'ii tlio sMltstiinti\(' is iiiiitcil with the
|M)sst',-i.siv«.' iiroiioiiii; s('0(
)ii(l
l\-. hcUn'c an iillix ; thinllv. in
liic Cor.i, iiloMc, hcforu tlu' t'lidiiiii' of the plmiil: ainl
h«'lor»' atlixcs in the I'orinatioii of Avords. Tlu'_\' arc not
drop[K'(| in vi'rhs derived IVoin snhstantiN'es; ard \vh( ii
two suhslanlives are eoinhiiicd to form a anoin! the
A/tec terminal is dropped in tiie first, and also in the
eomhination of a snhstantive and verh.
Ill .lie Cora, the endiii.:^' h/a/ihi has the same meaniiii:
as the A /tec local ending fi'i, or/A//^ which siLinifics the
locality of a thiiij;'; a:^. urotn^ a fir-tree; (A/fee. ontf/)
ocofijdlilii, a (ir-forest; (Aztec, ornllmi). Another striking
similarity hctwecii these i'onr languages and the A/.ltc.
consists in llu! use of a postllx in the formation of miIi-
stantives (»f locality and names of places. Then <'onic
the nninerals, in which are fonnd similarities in -all their
lormations. The A/tec verh rn. to he, and e\en its
irregular hranch, (yi/ijiil^ is fonnd dissemiiiiitcd throu,i:li-
ont all these langnages. In the Tarahnmara dictionin-y
of StelVcl. and in the (*ora dictionary of Ortega. Ihiscli-
maiin fonnd the .V/.tec element even stronger th;m lie
had sni)poscd. and he wondered how (Jallatin, who had
Tellechea s grammar, conld have allowetl these similari-
ties to escape his ohserxations.
Of these four languages liiischinann makes what he
calls his Sonora fanely; which term i.s somewhat a mis-
nomer as ap[)lied to langnages not related, and spoken
more withont than \ diiii the province of Sonora. Their
only lujiid of union ! this Aztec elenu'iit, which inny
have found its way nto them at dillerent times and
under dilVerent circni stances. The most pecnliar I'ea-
tiire of it all. is the lepartnro which is made hy these
Azte(
v)nora
lant:
iiaues, as
fr
om an
original centre,
and their several appearance, each stam[)e(l alike with
Aztec marks while at the same time siistainiim' its own
individnalitv, in different parts of the great northern
regions. It is as though a handful of Aztec words had
A/THC MATKUIAl. IN TIIL A/TEr-SONOliA TAMIIA'. dW)
Ik'cii tliicfwii. !it inti'iviils, into tlio limiriuiLrt's of riicli of
[\n'H' I'oiir iK'opli's. Jiiul. alU'i" jtiirtiitl amiiljiiiiiMtioiis
o
r tlicsc Hd'i'iun AV<H'(ls uitii tliosr of tlic !iltorii:iii;il
ton,<:iirs. h}°M)iiK> nicuns tlicAvonls so iiioililicil had loiiiul
tln'ir way in j^ivuIit or less (juaiititu's into the lan-
liuaiics of otiicranil ivniote trihcs. It is at ^«n(•h tinu's,
uhcn wo obtain a Lihincf IVoni a distanct' at tiicir
shadowy liistory, that there arise in the mind visions ol"
their iiliniitahli! nnwritlen past, and of tiie niiiihty tur-
moils and i'e\«)lntions vhich nnist forever remain as
they are, shronded in the deepest mystery.
In thes(» four A/tec-Sonora lan,i:iia;j,('s there are nearly
two lmndre(l A/tec words, and the words deriM'd from
them hy the resiieetive nati\e idioms into which they
were proj('cte(l. swell the list to four times that luimlier;
and these, with other pure A/tec words in escry siaj^e
of nuitilation and transformation arc; found re-seatt<'red
thronjihont the hefore-nu'ntioned I'uelilo. Shoshone, and
other lanuiumcs of the north, lint a^ain. let nu' .-aN',
nowiiere does the Aztee, or any of its ulliliations ai)i)eai'
as a base north uf central Mexico.
' 'Quo oil cii-ii tiidiiH rll:is ((pio mm imiclias y variiis") so lianaii vooiiMns,
j'liiuiii.iliiiciito Ins (jiif lluiiiaii I'ailicalos, (ino n scui dc la li ii^'iia .Mi xicaiia,
n ^o (1. 1111,111 ill IIm, y rolitiicli liiiiclias (Ic MIS "silalias, dr ijno iiiiiliila lia/rr
u'lai VII iiiny lart,'i) catalaiin. J)i! tmlo lo qiiai sr inruitii ilos onsas. La ]iri-
110 r I quo casi toilas oslas Xaoiuius oiniiiiiiioaii'ii on pui stnsy loii^;iias odiila
Ml NJiMiia: y aniujiio Ins Artos y (iraiuatioas ih lias son (lil'oioiiti s; jioin on
lilllohos do SUS Jil'oi'0[)tiiS OOUfUol'ilall.' HilnlS, JH^I. ih: Ins Tfii ilijihi'ii, y. -Jii.
• I'intaiim osti lamina on tii ria y iiiuy imlilada do kojiIoh, y oyt iidi»
lialilav i'l 1111 iiidio, oriado do uii snldado, on ol idiciiia iiioxioaiKP. ] vo-
f^iiiitaroii si ora do Cniiala, lauijiio usi lialiiabaii Ins do alia., ijiio dis-
I dm do alii dioz jniiiad.i.s imMidas.' /nriili', in Ihir. IlisI, Mi.v.. soiio
iii., tnin. iv., p. H:t. 'El I'adio I'r. llniino d Fii^iKV dn hazo del viaj,'i>
i|Uo hi/.o onii 1). Illall do Oi'iato ")(l() li LJiias al Nnrto liallan luns ijiio dioo,
ipio aviriidnsolos jionlidu VII, IS liostias, Inisoalidolasi 1 lin do '1 i/mi aiiilia oii-
(iiiitravnii Ins iiiDsns vu liidio (|iio Its lialiln on 1oiil;iiii inoxioaiia ijin' lai !,'ini-
1 idn do diilido i vu, ilixn sor dil Jloviio adoiitin, . . (|iio ostji on las I'liivilioia^
ill I N'nito d.iiido sf lialilaoii osta 1< ii^'iia Moxicniia oiiynos vni idJu.' Vil'imirl,
Ti'ilri) .I/i,r., jit ii.. ]i. II. 'Iiiuii via^.'^'il', oho foorm ^di S|ia;4niinli ranni>
J 'I II. dal Niinvo ^iossioi) fini. al liiliiio, olio i).,'liiin aii|iollai.ain i/<7 T'nmi,
M iri'iitn iiiiLilia da (|iulla I'rnviiioia voisn Maostrn, vi trn\,iiiinn aloiini '.^rindi
I lilii-j, o s',dili,ittoviiiin in aloiini Iiidlaiii, oho iiailavann la iiiitjiia iiiossii ana.'
i'ltr'i'jr'ro, Slnr'tn Anl. (hi Mvssico. tniii., iv., p. "JII. Taralmniaia 'la oiii liii-
t-ua alilionilii di pamlo .Mossioaiio.' Ilerras. Sii'iqhi I'nifim ihllr fAn'iiic, ]}.
71. 'J)io S|aaolii' (Cnral ist aiioli woi,'!'!! ihros Voiliallnissi s znr .Moxioii-
liisolioii iiiorkwiirdi;,'.' "Dio Spradio ('raralmiiiaia i \vi lolio oini' p'wisso
Au.'ibilduiig isoii,'!, liut uuiucLo do;a Mcxicuuit^cliou iihuUchc WOrtor,' Wtkr,
G70
SHOSHONE LANGUAGES.
Taking into consideration that some Aztec and Slio-
i^hono \vord,s are almost identical, and that the endinjzs
of others are almost exactly alike, it is not surpris-
ing if the acute ear of the natives detected phonetic
resemhlances. The connection between these laimuiiiit s
ma}- not be in one respect as j)ositive as that between
the languages which compose the great Aryan faniil\
on the Asiatic and European continents, but, on tin;
other hand, it presents a somewhat analogous system, by
means of which it becomes ix)3sible to establish a con-
nection. I allude to Mr (jrimm's discovery of what has
Ijeen termed ^ Lautver'schiehung,^ or '' LautveranderaiKj!
anglice ' Sound-shunting.'"
This phenomenon consists of the changing, or shunting,
of certain vowels or consonants in the words of one lan-
guage, into certain other \ iwels and consonants in the
same wordsof another language ; and this not accidentally,
but in accordance with fixed rules. Sound-shunt-
ing, originally discovered by ^[r Grinnn in the Aryan
tongues, has also been found by Mr IJuschmann in the
languages of his Sonora family, where it is more par-
ticularly prominent in the word-endings. In a suIjsi-
(pient place I shall have occasion to refer again to this
l)oint, and particularly when speaking of the Noiih
Mexican languages, the Tarahumara, Tepehuana, Corn.
and Cahita, whore it can be clearly shown by compaii-
son w ith the Aztec, that such shunting, or changing, has
taken place. In the languages at present inider consid-
eration, the Shoshone, Utah, and Comanche, we have
this shunting system illustrated in the sid)stantives and
adjective endings^), pn^pc^ ^x", he, va, ph, peo, rp. and ///' :
and more particulaily in the Utah and Shoshone fx. /s- .
fsl, all of which may be referred to the Aztec endings //'.
til, and others. In the last-mentioned case the endiniis
have been preserved in a purer form, while in the fornioi'
T/iU'rolnr dcr Grnmmat'drn, Lrxlca uml WoHer-Snmmlnnitm alkr Sprtirhi n ihr
Knk, >i[i. .VJ, lilJl; Ciiok's Voy. to Pac, vol. ii., p. 3^0; liiuvlon's A'lrm.
Mt\r.. ].. nil.
'i Mux Miillcv siniiily mimes it 'Grimm's Law.' (Science of Iaihju'I'J';
eeiies ii., p. 213, ft bLi^.
THE MOQUI LANGUAGE.
C71
the shunting or changnig law is o]).scrvc(l. As illustrat-
ing the connection between the languages under eon-
sitleration and those before mentioned of Ponora and
through them with the Aztec, 1 append on the next })age
a sh(jrt vocabulary in which the similarities can be easily
observed.'
The Moqui, as l)efore observed, does not properly 1)e-
long to the t^hoshone family, Imt shows a connection
with the Aztec. It is strange that two permanently lo-
cated peo})les, the Moquis and the I'ueblos, botii living
in well-built towns not far apart, and botii showing signs
of a budding civilization, should si)eak languages totally
ifferent from each other; that one of these languages
should show a coimection with the Aztec and the other
not; that neither is related to the tongue of the t>ho-
sliones, who nearly surround them; and, furthermore,
that in six of the seven ^Tofpii towns oidy, the Me pii
language is spoken, while in the seventii, llarno. the
Tegua, a language of one of the Xew Mexican l*ueblos is
s[)oken. The people of llarno can converse with the
Mo(piis of the six other towns, but among themselves
they never make use of the Moqui, always speaking the
1 egua.
' ' Indem ioh dio T'l-thcilo wos;cn dor romnnoliisfhon nnd soliosolionisohpn
V<r\viiii(lschaft btst;itiu;i', frkliire it-li die Yutali-S[irachc fiir ciii <il:id dis
siiiioriscLii'uSpnichstiiiiiUK's.' ' N'ucli vlw ioli /iir \Vf)rtviTf,'l<it'liuii^ iilitrLTclit",
k.iiin ich die stmoiiselie Niitiir dt'V S])ViU'lio iiiich diu Ixiilcn Eliiiuiitt ii (Ur
a/tfkischfii iiKil soiiovisclicii (Tiiiiciusfliaft, uial s()},'ar ihic licsoiultrc Sttl-
l;iii;^' /wisi'licu dcr oi)iiiaiicli('-si'li(is<'li(inisi'luii J,i;.;U(', ilinrli blussc zwci. in
iiii' sich ht'i'voi'tliiiciidt' Sul)staiitiv-l'.ialiui^,'rn (Is niid ]i) darlc^'cii." 'J)io
/.'.viifacliu ScliosclidiU'ii Siuaclii' mid das Vulk iliT Scliiiscliniicu sind das
Hiissirstt! (ilii'd iiuiimr Eiitdt(kniij,'i'ii : dis ninsstii liiiiidcs, diirdi ciii iiiacli-
tiLtis I i^'iies Elfiiiciit /tisainiiniii,'iliaUfii<'r S|iia('h(ii, von fiiiciii kit iiicu
l.il)tht'il a/tfkisclu'ii Woi'stdti'tH dmvlidnui^,'<ii; wrldics ich, von (Jiiadala-
xara ans nordwarts sucluiid uacli d<!i Simren drs A/.tckrii-ldidiiis uiid
>. iiics Vdlkcs, aiim'ti'dtVcii lialic; sii' bildcii den Scldiisstiiii iniims soiio-
lischiu Baiics.' liii^hti.iiini. Sjnirtti ilsr Azl'L. t<ijr., pp. lil'J, iiol, (Ills, ;!',il, i'.'d,
ftst'tj.; Sifirs, MiHi:lniiii lihi. pp. lllll-'i.
** ' They all speak till' same lain,'naj:;(> cxccjit Harnn, the must iHnthci'u
town of the three, wliirh has n liiiii,'uaL!e and some eiistdni piciiliar
t'l itself.' Miirrifs Ariiiij l.'i/i', \i. W) . ' In six of tlu^ seven McMpii piiehlds,
the same hin;4Uai,'(( is said to lie sp(<k( n ... .Those of Sau .liian . . . and
iiiie McKpii pnelili) all speak the sa.ia' lanj^'iiaHe. .. .Tay-waii^di.' /."(c, in
^i-hiinliu-it/is Av'h., vol., v., p. (US',); YV'/i Jlriii I'l,-, in SiliDiilcni/r.i .In/i., voi.
iv., )>. 87. 'Tilt,' lldipiis. . . .do not all speak thi> same lani^'ua^'e. \t
<hayln' some of the Indians aetiiallv prot'essiil to he niiahle to nmlerstanil
\\liat was said by the Moosu.diueh chief, iiud the hitter tuld me that tho lau-
672
SHOSHONE LANGUAGES.
C t - -,
Sj IS ;; = i
■ ® c-p ^
^E*5 3 ET
5 S~ a
■J. ■ . ■
a. • . ■
o
p
■J.
p-
Hand . . .
Teeth. . .
>
^ :r p
P's P
i i
?5
SS^^'l-l'Bpp
1
C
Is
i3
5 " -^ 5==
a
a
;:
O
•y.
&
n
I.J 1 "^"
p
.I"
S'
11
s
5
£ 05 B P 3 p"
E.
e = B
Si ^.
o P
re X -
."*■ P^
» 5
•ilitots
ts
ahveta
g-
a
sr
(B
S "^ w C?"
?rr^ 3- 3
V.
?B
fi
B
^.g-SI-?:
3 p' 2 ^
s
B
B
p
p'
1
B
o
o
<r+-
o
K
P-
is-
^•1
B
o
o
r
B
n' = p X s
s
2
!^
o c 3
o
11
1
p
l-t.
p"
£ ? P" C.X
£.=•=• £-
o
3
^'
CTj
*-*•
N
3
§
3"
I-"
H
b
'"
t— 1. M
c
^7
^
3 3"D
1 S
ra P-
p*
a
5
B
"■ •'1 2.
r— 1 3. ?r
£, »
»-••
89
!•
£. p
1" "^
1
^
n
massad
daca
**
p^
B
B
I
o
B
P
M
P
B
P
O
=2 g-
a
«§•
z
s- s
o r*- 1:^
■ji
ETB
B
P
P" =--3
-
Si r.
c-
■i J^ P
5. 3
B
c^-
r-
H" 3
B
p
O
P
s
5;
:^-3
p
p
?
MOQUI AFFILIATIONS.
G73
Xo grammar has been written of the Moqui language,
and a few voca])uhirie8 are all we possess of it. (iov.
Lane, speaking of the Pueblo languages collectively, writes:
"All these languages are extremely guttural, and, to ni}-
ear, seemed so nuich alike, that 1 imagine tiiey ha\e
sprung froui the same parent stock.""
Souie claiui a relationship between the Moquis and
the Apaciies and others, but no such coiniection has ever
]>een established.^" The only positive staienient in this
regard is made by Buschmann. who, by actual compari-
son of vocabularies, has determined its status." Among
piificfp of the t\vn towns Wdf? different. At Tojoifi tlioy say that ix third distinct
toiit,'Ui' is sp(dicii
Tlio
\)vu[)l
.h
ul>aii(l(iiii-d tlif liiil)it <if visitiuj'
Mch other till till' laii;:;uatJos, which, with all Indian tribes, are subject to ^'roat
iimtitioiis, have gradually become dissimilar.' Jri's' ('iildvndo l^ir., j). 1:^7.
' Wie ieli ertulir, soUeu die M()(iuis 'licht alio eine nud dieselbe Sjiracho
liabeii, und die Uewohner eiiiis'er Stake nidit nnr frenide Dialckto, sonderu
KOL;ar frenide Spraclien rede
MiUlh'
toni. ii,, J). 'I'M. Davis,
rcferrin.; to a MS. by (3iu/atc, n former Governor of New Mexico, maintains
that the Moijiii speak the Queres lanf^naye, but at th<^ samt! time ho says ' it
is maintained by some that ...four of the Moqni viUages speak a (lialoct
Very near'
San .luan
ly the same as that of the Navajos, while a fifth s)ieaks that of
rliich is Teifua, . . .The distance from I'icoris to the Mixpii vil-
lages is about four hundred miles ...yet these widely sej)aratcd pueblos
speak... the same lanHuat^'o.' Kl ilvmi'i, pj). ll()-7, Jo;"). l'oiM]iavisoiis of
vocaliularies m
Simpson, Davis, and Meline prove the Moqui to be
distini't lan','ua,L;e. Ward, in Ind. Aff. Jl'pt., WA; p. lUl.
'* L'tin', in Si'lioiilirdft'H Arch., vol. v., p. i'M).
•"''I'he lMn;.^'uaue of the Moijnis, or tin; Mocjuinos, is said to ditTor but
little from that of the Navajos.' .IfK'ilit::^' Ihi)iijiliitii's K.v.. p. I'.l7. Sjieaking
(if all the Pueblo lani.,'ua'.,'es, includinj^' the Moijui: 'AH these speak dialects
of the same lan^,'na^ie, more or less approximating' to the Ajiache. and of all of
which the idiomatic structun^ is the same. They likewise all understand each
other s toULTue.
What relation this lam
uai'e near
s to the Mexican is ui
known, but my imiiression is that it will be fuund to assimilat(; greatly, if
not to be identical.' Jlnxtn
vol. i., p. -IKK
Adr
M,
1». r.)4; (jnijii's Com. rrairh
" 'No analogy has yet been traced bi'tween the language of the old Mexi
us and anv tribe at the north in the district fr
to h
conll^' Hiirthtl's /'i
.v.//
vol. ii.
1'
2s:}.
ihich they are suppcised
Iteste der Mexika-
iiischen Spraclu^ fandi^n da-'egen in dm Spraclnn diesc r Vcilker die ini Mexi-
l.inischen sehr geiibten .Missionare nicht, sondcrn die Sprache von Mo(|ui,
niid die der Vnhiihiis, weli.'lie langf liarte tragen, wesentlich untirschieden
Mill dem Jlixikanischen.' Vulir, .lAiV/ri'/'i/s, tom. iii., pt iii., p. ls'2. 'Ce-
piiid.int la laiigue ipie parlent les Indieiis du Mo(]ui, les Yabipais, ([ui i or-
tiiit di' loiigue liarbes, et I'oiix i[ni hal)itent les jilaines vnisiiies du liio ('
ilo. dirt'i'i-e esseiiticUemeiit de la langue niexii'aiii
ll>iwti<ildt, Kssni I'nl
toai. i., ]i. ;)!)."). • Docli redeii die iToipiis .. Sprai'lien gaiiz verschieden voiu
.\/.tekisclicn.' Mi'ihhtiiifonU. Mijifn, fom. ii.,ptii., p. oltK. ' J)ie Mocpd-Sprac he
i^t doeli der mexikanischeii befreundetl sin ist — dies ist
Krli
iKlung
I in Zweig des Idioms, welches dem Suchendon als t'iii I'hantoin statt des
Itibhaften niihiKill als seiii Scliatteiibild, in dem alien Ncu'den (iIm rail eiitg,'-
gciitritt: eiii (rebilde der soiiorisclieii Zunge, bei welchem Naiiien oil', kitines
u/.tLkisches Erbtluil sich vou selbst veratelit. , . .IcL erkliire die Moi^ui-
VOL. 111. 13
HI: !
671
SHOSHONE LANGUAGES.
other connecting links he particularly mentions the sub-
stantive endings ^e, he, and others, by means of which, he
says, the Moqui .attaches itself to the Shoshone-Comanche
branch of the Sonora idioms. The comparative vocabu-
lary before given will further illustrate their affiliation. ^-
Returning to southern California, let us examine
the three languages, Kizh, Netela, and Kechi, spoken
near the missions of San Gabriel, San Juan Capistrano,
and San Luis Hey, respectively, which are not only
distantly related to each other, but show traces of the
Sonora- Aztec idioms. Father Boscana, who has loft us
an accurate description of the natives at San Juan Ca-
pistrano, unfortunately devoted little attention to their
language, and only gives us a few scattered words and
stanzas. One of the latter reads as follows:
Quic noit noivam
Qiiic secat poleblieh
Ybic'iinm mnjaar vesagnec
Ibi panal, ibi uriisar,
ibi ecbul, ibi seja, ibi calcel.
Which may be rendered thus:
I go to my Lome
That is shaded with willows.
These live they have placed,
This agave, this stone pot,
This sand, this honey, etc."
But very little is known of the grammatical structino
of these languages. In the Kizh, the plural is fornKil
in various ways, as may be seen in the following ex-
amples :
BINOULAR. PLIIRAI..
^lan woroit wororoit
House kitsh kikitsh
Mountain
baikh
bahaikh
Sprache fiir ein Gliecl meines Sonorischen Sprachstammes. Schon die unf-
falleud vielcn, manchtnal in vorziiglich reiuer Form erscheineuden, a/.tclu-
Hchen Wiirter bezeichnen die Simicho als eiuo sonorisehe; es koinint Aw^
zweite Kennzoichen hinzu: der Besiiz gewisser iicht sonorischer AViirtir.
In eineni grosseu Thoilo erscheint die Sprache aber uberaus fromdartii^ : inn
80 niehr als sie aueh vtm den 5 I'ueblo-Sprachen, wie schon Sini]isiin tn-
merkt hat, giinzlich verscliieden ist Die Sptiren der Subst. Eiuluiit! y-',
he n.H. wei'ien der Mo(pii-Si)ri<'he ihreu Tlatz unter der conianche-slioshoni-
schon Familio des Sonora Idioms an. Dieses nllgenieine Urlheil iibL-r diu
Sprache ist sicher.' Bmchmnnn, Spuren tier Aziek. Spr., pp. 28y-yO.
'« Shnpaon's Jinir. Mil. liecon., pp. 128-30; 2>ai)w' £1 Grmjo, pp. 107-0.
13 Boscana, in Robinson's Life in i'al., p. 282.
Wolf
Good
Small
Black
Wt)mau
Bow
Bad
White
lied
My fftthc
Thy fath^
His fathe
My houst
Thy hous
His hous(
Oftl
mens oj
wn, sta
tmlom, ]
knees.
My house
Thy house
His house
My bout
Thy boat
His boat
The I
'Slightly (
nando, a;
two versi
guage of
at San G
Y yor
majarmi
Pan yyor
.^ io mama
<^oijarmea
Yyonac
masarmi i
'< Ihile's E
«'it/ Nekla, pp
KIZH AND NETELA SPECIMENS.
675
SINatTLAR.
pi.crnAL.
Wolf
ishot
ishishot
Good
tihorwait
tiiiwait
Small
tshinui
tshitshi'nui
Black
yupikha
yupiuot
Woman
tokor
totokor
lio'.v
pai'tkhuar
piipaitkhuar
15(1(1
mohai
moiuohai
White
arawatai
ruwanot
lied
kwauokha
kwaukhouot
DECLENSION WITH PRONOUN.
My father
niunk
Our father
ayoinak
Thy fiithor
luouak
Your father
asoiuak
His father
anak
My house
uikin
Our house
eyoknga
Thy house
luukin
Your house
asokiif^a
His house
akiujjti
Their house
2Jomokuga
Of the Xetela there are also the following few speci-
mens of plural formation and pronoims; — suol, star; sid-
mn, stars; nopultim, my eyes; motdlvni, my ears; niki-
waloni, my cheeks ; natakahm, my hand ; iieteniehon, my
knees.
DECLENSION WITH PRONOUN.
My house
niki
Our house
tshomki
Thy house
om aki
Your house
ouiomomki
His house
poki
Their house
oMip oniki
My boat
nokh
Our boat
tshouiikh
Thy boat
om omikh
Y'our boat
omoiii oinikh
His boat
ompomikh
Theii- boat
ompoiuikh "
The Kizh appears also to have been spolvcn, in a
slightly divergent dialect, at the Mis^^ion of San JVr-
nando, as may be easily seen by C(3inparing the following
two versions of the Lord's Prayer; tiie first in the lan-
guage of San Fernando, and the latter in that spoken
at San (xabriel.
Y yorac yona taray tucupuma sagouccS niotoanian
majarmi moin main mono muismi miojor yiactucupar.
Pan yyogin giiniamorin majarmi mifema coyo ogorna
yio mamainay mii, yiarm:! ogonug y youii. y yo ocaynen
coijarmea main ytomo mojay coiyama huormi, Parima.
Yyonac y yogin tucupugnaisa sujucoy motuanian
niasarnii magin tucupra maimanu mui'sme milleosar y
n utile's Elhnrxi.. in U, S, Ex. Ex., vol, vi., pp. 5GG-7; Buschinann, KUh
md Neleta, jJii. 512-13.
676
SHOSHONE LANGUAGES.
ya tucupar jimaii bxi y yoni masaxnii mitema coy abox-
ini y yo inaniai'iiatar momojafcli milli y yaxma abonao
y yo 110 y yo ocaihiic coy jaxniea main itan moiiiosai(!li
coy jama jiiexme liuememe.saich.
In like inannor do tlio Xotelaand Kechi show a close
affinity. The Xetela Lords Prayer reads :
Ghana ecli tupana ave onench, otune a ciiachiii,
rhame om I'eino, libi yb chosonec esna tnpiina chain
iicchetepe, niicate torn cha chaoin, pepsiim yg cai cay-
chame, y i jiilugcalme cai ecli. Depupnn opco chaine
eliiun oyote. Anion Jesus.
^J'he Kechi is as follows:
Cham na chain inig tu panga anc onan moquiz chain
to gai ha ciia che nag omreina li vi hiche ca iioc ybii,
heg gii y vi an qui ga topanga. Cham na cholihu- mini
M:lia pan pituo mag ma jan pohi cala cai gui cha me hol-
loto gai toni chaine o gui chag cay ne che cai me tus so
Hi olo calnie alia linoc chaine cham cho sivo." ^^'
Althoudi Mr Turner classed these languasies with the
Shoshone I'amily, in reality they only form such a tie
through their Sonora and Aztec connection. ''^ This is
illustrated by ^Ir Buschmann in an extensive coiniiaia-
tive vocabulary of the three languages, of which 1 shall
give a brief extract on a subsequent page."
I' Mofrna, Exphir ., torn, ii., pp. 393-4.
"> ' IJcloii;,' to tho grt'iit Slioshoiioc, or Snake family.' Tiirnrr, in Pur.. 77. 7?.
Iti'pt., vol. ii!., ]). 7(>. 'The similarity wliieh exists bi'twicu many words in
tlu'so Uvo lan;4iia:4<'S, and in tlui Slioshoni, is evident enon.L;h from a coiii-
j)arisoii of tlic vocabnlaries. The reseniMance is too great, to Ik; attrilmtcd
to mere easnal intercourse, l)nt it is doiihlful whether th<' evidence whieli it
nfl'ords wiil jiistifv us in classing them together as branches of the same
family.' Il'ilv's Hllnin,!., in /'. .S. A'.r. A'.r, vol. vi., p. 5(;7. ' Tlie natives of
St. IMeu'o cannot understand a word of tlie language? used in this mission,
and in iike m.inner, those in the neighborhood of St. Barbara, and farther
iiortli.' IJosriiHii, in Jliih'inson's Life in Cai., j). 210; ilkesoit'ti Jlist. Culli.
I hnrrh, ]).',)! .
17 ' ich habe in dem Kizh . . .und in der Netela. . . .zwei Glieder meines
scuiorischen Sprachstammes, ausgestnttet niit ,\ztekiseheni Sprachstoff. ( nt-
dii'kt.' BHsrhiiiioin, S/iiin-n ilir .\3t<h-. Spr., p. .")!(). ' B<'i der. genugsam vnn
mir aufge/eigten (lenieinschaft der zwei californisohen Idiome. so lautet
vifiii i'iilii:il, hott't man anch hier vrriieheim auf eiu genaues, glucl<li<'his /<:-
iirtf'cii eigeiithiindicher Formen dieser Sprachen mit dem Comanclie uial
Schosehonischeu oder mit den siidlicheren soiiorisclien Hau)itspra<'hen. tin
Zus;inimentr(tt"en mit etwas recht Besonderem Einer Si)raclie mit eimr
underen: so nahe liegen die S]uacheu si^h nie, sie siud alio fremd geinig
gegeu eiuauder.' .LSuaijIumom, Khh und Sdda, p. 51b.
CHEMEHUEVI AND CAHUILLO PEONOUNS.
677
11
The Clicmehucvi and Cahuillo, tlie last two of this
division, have also been chissed as l)elonjiiMu' to tlie Sho-
shone familv, and some have even called them bands of
Pah-Utes, but what has been said concerning the allilia-
tion of the three last mentioned will ai)plyto these with
equal force. That they are distinct languages has al-
ready been stated Ijv Padre Garces, who describes tliem
nnder the name of Chemegue cajuala, Chemegue seljita,
Chemeguaba, and Cheniegne, ascribing the same lan-
guage to all of them in distinction fronr their neighljors.
lie includes with the Chemehuevi the Yavipai muca
oraive or Mo(|ui, who, although not speaking the same
language, are still somewhat connected with them,
through their Sonora and Aztec relations, which conjec-
tures are singularly signihcant.^** Grammatical remar]<s
on these languages there are bnt few to olVer. Tbe
accentuation is in neither very regular; in the (Mieme-
huevi. it is generally on the second syllable, while in the
Cahuillo it is mostly on the iirst.^'-* 1 give here the
personal pronouns of the two languages.
I
'I'hou
lie.
AVo
\nn
They
To illustrate the Sonora and Aztec connection, I ofler
the following short comparati\e vocabulary.
n Giu'r.';^, Dhirh, ill Dnr, Jli.-il. .1/i.i'., srii(> ii., toin. i.. ]>. '■)■>]. Orozco y
lifi'i'ii incluik'S thciu us well as the I'tahs luul Mtii|iiis with the Apiichc fiiin-
i\\ lit' liinmi iLfi'S, ill support df wiiich he cites lialhi, tuMiiiii \\.\ii. ' |)i •
CliiiiU'hwhiielies, Coiiiaiieln s niul Cahnillcis, also Stiinmie, die zwiseheii d. ii
luisteli del' Si'idsee mid 'i'exas velhleilt t silid, als Nelielislaiiiliie der Nalidii
del- Sehiisehoiio ochr Sehlaii^eii-IiidiaiU'r hitraelitet werdcii kiiiiiit ii.' .)/o"-
liiKiatii, Jitisen ill die lulsiiiiji'h., toin. i., pp. 11 !")•). 'The (hiiin Inn lis are a
hand of I'lili-l'tdha . . .\\\\u<.(' lanf,'iiaye . .a.m'ees iimst mailv with Siiep-mi's
I'tali, and Itah-'sKast Shushiniee.' The Cahililh) ' exhihits the ehisc st alliii-
iiy to tlie Keeld and Netela, espeeially tlie fiuiuer. Its attinity to tln' Ki/h is
e([ually evi(h'nt.' Tm-uir, in /'"c. Ii. 1!. Ili'j'l., vol. iii., p. TO. 'I'ie (heiiie-
Inievi- und t 'ahnillo-Spi'aelie sind einander so fniiid. dass sie beinahe t'iir
alle ]!e;.4iitl'e ^'all/ aiidero WiiVter hesitzeli; ilin^ Verscdiii ih lilu i* ist so j^ldss,
dass man ans iiiiieii alleiii iiieht ahiulen sollte, sie seien In ide yh iehniiissi;,'
soiuu'isehe (riii'der.' liKsrliiiKniii, Spun 11 ilvr A J lie. Hpi., p. iJ'jL
I'J Tuiiur, iu I'nc. 11. It. lUpt., vul. iii., i). 77.
CHKMKHCEVI.
CAHUILLO
mm
Ueli
haiico
ell
eiupa
lull
c'iiemim
eliniim
I'wiiu
678
SHOSHONE LANGUAGES.
S f a'
^ ;: D
N < ^
P »
05
»
"I
CD
P 5 2 B E
P K o K 5
S 2 P SO
P " E 2.
r 3-^
S s p -
p a s
"= s.
S 3
s c
p
2 B S 5 c
■-* 5 r^ I^ 't' .^
K ^
2 i
'h5
p S 's 2. "^
o B c B p
-I 'D W g
»
p
a.
B
p
o
•O B
n o
5 '' p
O "
■ (0
B
P
A
El-
p
B- B
P B
cr B
P B
B B
P P
^1-
r
B
&
CTB BT3
11
& p p
B 5 d 2.
B
B
P
B
P
B
p
w-B*a P o S" c
er
o
B
»: B
B-S
B
o
B
p
o
^'b
p
B
n
»
p: ^ g 2 d
P S -^ E3
P P
o
P 3
e p
p3
B
P P 3 £ P
3. Pen s' P
Cr' 0)
B =^
B
P
H
P
o
o
B
5B
B ti
VP
S S ? p
2 » B S
p,
p
p
o
u
M
2
3
H
O
H
q
P
o
w
n
o
n
H
H
a
$
B
ft
p
o
o
w
AZTEC TRACES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
C79
As regards the Sonora and Aztec relationship, we have
lu'ie again the substantive endings ^j, 6, t, in various forms,
which, as before stated, may be compared with Aztec
endings, clianged according to certain linguistic laws.
In the Cahuillo, as in the Kechi, prefixed |)ossessive
pronouns, before substantives representing parts of the
human body, i)articularly that in the first i)erson sin-
gular, ri, are proof of the Sonora affiliation. In the
same words, the Chemehuevi has the two pronouns tn
and wi, which always carry with them the ending, m.^^
•1 Buschmann, Spuren der Aitek, Spr,, pp. 553-4.
CHAPTER VI.
THE rUEBLO, COLORADO RIVER, AND LOWER CALIFORNIA
LANGUAGES.
Thacks op the Aztec not found among the Puedlos of New Mkxico and
AutzoNA — The Five L\N<iUA(iEs of thk Pltkulos, the (2i'Ki:ks, tiik
Tkocta, the Pkjouis, Jkmkz, and Zl'ni — 1'cehlo Compauative Vocabl-
i.AUY — The Yl'ma and its Diai.ec is, the Makicjopa, Ccchan, Mo.iavi:,
DiKcJENo, Yami'ais, and Yavu'ais— The CochimI, Gl'aicukI, and Peiik i\
AVITH THKlIt DiAI,K(;T.S OF LOWEK CalIPOUNIA— GUAICrlll GUAMMAK- Pa-
TKH NOSTEU IN ThBKE CoCHIMl DiALECTS- TlIE LaSGUAOKS OF Low FU
Califounia wholly Isolated.
Having already mentioned some of the principiil
idiom.s spoken in tlie southern part of the Great IJasiii.
as parts of the trunks to which they belong, or with
which they alhliate, 1 shall devote the present chajjter
to such languages of Xew ^[exico and Arizona as can-
not be brought into the Tinneh or h^onora stocks, and
to those of Lower California. Beginning with the
several tongues of the Pueblos, thence proceeding west-
ward to the Colorado River, and following its course
southward to the (julf of California, I shall inclu(l(!
the languages of the southern extremity of Califorui;i.
and finally those of the peninsula. These languages
are none of them cognate with any spoken in Mexico.
Respecting those of the Pueblos which have long Ik'cu
popularly regju-ded as allied to southern tongues, it is
now very certain that thev are in no wise related to
them, if we except the Aztec word-material found iu
(C80)
Tlii: FxVE PUEBLO LANGUAGES.
G81
the ^[oqni. From analogous inanuors and customs,
iVom ancient traditions and time-honore<l beliefs, many
liave elaiuied tiiat these New Mexican lo\vns-})eople are
the remains of ahorijiinal A/tec civilization, attempting
meanwhile to explain away the adverse testimony of
language, hy amalgamation of the ancient tongue with
tiiose of other nations, or by ahsor[)tion or annihila-
tion; all of which, so far as arriving at definite con-
I'lusions is concerned, amounts to nothing. Analogies
may be drawn between any nations of the earth;
huuian beings are not so unlike but that in every
counnunity nuich may be found that is common
lo other counuunities, irrespective of distance and
race, espec^ially when the comparison is tlrawn
between tw(j peoples both just emerging iVom sav-
iigism. The facts before ns concerning the l'uel)lo
languages are these: although all alike are well ad-
vanced IVom primeval savagism, live in similar sub-
stantial houses, and have many common customs, ^et
their languages, though distinct as a whole froui those
of the more savage surrounding tribes, do not agree
with each other. It is diflicult to prove that the Azte<%
although now i)erhaps extinguished, never was the
tongue of New Mexico; on the other hand, it is iui-
l)()ssible to prove that it was, and surely theorists go
far out of their way in attem[)ti)ig to establish a people
in a land where no trace of their lanutiaLie exists, or
exists only in such a phase as proves conclusively that
it could not possibly luive ever been the basis of the
language now spoken.
Five distinct humuaires, with nmnerous dialects, more
or less deviating, are spoken by the Fueblos. l\y the
inhabitants of iSanto D'auingo, San l*\'lipe, Santa Ana,
Silla, Laguna, Fojuate, Acoma, and Codiiti, tlu; (^>nert'S
language is spoken; in San Juan, Santa Clara. San
Ildefonso, Pojuaciue, Xam])e, Tezuque. and also in Ilai-no,
one of the ^focpii towns, the Tegua language pivvails;
in Taos, Ficoris, Zandia. and Isleta. there is the Ticoi-is
lanuua'j,e ; in Jemez and Old Fecos. the Jemez; in Zuui,
IM'EnLO L.VXGUAGES.
the ZiiMi liiiifjimgo.* The tliroo principiil dialects of
Queics are the Kiwomi, (^xihitonii, and Acoma. ()['
theHe the Hrst two are very .similar, in some cases al-
most ideiitieal, while tiie Acoma is more distinct.^ In
the (^iieies the accent is almost invaiiahly on the first
«yllal)le, and the words are in general rather short,
although a i';'w long words occur. Possessive pronouns
ai)})ear to he ailixed; thev are iiii, ni, no, in, and i.
Ill the Tegua and Znhi the personal pronouns are:
TKOUA.
ZUNI.
I
iinh
lii'ii)
Thou
iih
tl'lO
Ho
ihih
Idoko
Kho
iliih
Wo (incl.)
tiihuuirch
kuouo
Wc (fxc.)
uihyeuboh
You
unhih
ahohi'o
Thuy
ihnah
luoko
In the Tegua, although many monosylla])ics appear,
there are also a luimher of long words, .such as ]i(]i<jii(ih-
vi,c((/i)iil>(n'i/i, .shruh; haihlottihoUdivtl, for ever; lui/nH/miKi-
(i/iiij)l/i, to he; ludhaltfjnulan^ great; hcui'/iniihtiiiilifii/o/i,
nothing. In the Zuhi, long words appear to predomi-
' ' No one showitifi anytliinp; more than the fn'inti'sl, if any, imlicntioiM
of 11 C()^,'n;ito ori^^'iii witli the other.' Shii]>.s<in'.i Junr. Mil. Itiron.. ]>[>. 5, TJH-'J.
' Chissi'd by (liiile(.'ts, the I'ueblos of New Mexieo at the perioil of the ar-
rival of tht> S|ianiar(ls spoke four separate and distinet lanj,'iia<,'<'s, eallid th(i
Tef,'ua, the I'iro, the (ineres, and the Tagnos.' 'There are now tive ilittrr-
ent dialects spoken hy the Puel)h)s.' No I'uchlo ean ' unih-istaml another
ot a dill'iielit dialect.' 'It does not follow that the grou])s by dialect concs-
pond with their geoi,'vaiihical grouping; for, freijuently. thost^ turtliest uiiiirt
Hueak tlie same, and those nearest speak d.ifferent languages.' Mi Urn's Tiro
ThiiHsniid .)fili's, pp. '203—1:; Lane, in ."■(•/. .'/(.'('(//r.s Airh., vol. v.. ji. (iM».
•The I'lieblo Indians of Taos, Peenris and Aonia s])eak a langUiige of
vvhicji a dialect is used by those of the IJio y'.bnjo, including the I'ueblos of
Han Feliix', Sandia, Yslela, and Xenv',:, .I!iu-k»rs Ailmi. Mc.v., p. IDl.
'There are but three or four diftereiu ia.iguages spoken among thcni, aiul
these, indeed, may be distantly allied to each other.' ' Those further to tlie
Westward are )ierhaps allied to tho Navajoes.' (I'/ri/'/'.s Cmii. I'ntirhs, vul. i.,
p. 2tl'.t. 'In ancient times the several j)Ueblos f(n-nied four distinet natinus,
called the I'tm, 'L\<inii, Qui'ivn, and Tiiipms or Tatms, s[>eaking as many dif-
ferent dialects or languages.' Daviti' Kl OruKjo, p. ll(j; see also ])]>. l.")")-!!, on
classification aecordin'g to ("ruzate. 'The Jeniez. . . .speak precisely tlu' same
language as tlu' Tecos.' honimech's Deserts, vol. i., \>. lUS; 'J'unn r, in l'in\
li. li.. Ill pt., vol. iii., ])p. '.)(), et seep 'There are five different dialects spoken
by the nineteen jiueblos.' These are so distinet that the S]ianish language
'has to be resorted to as a common medium of conimunicntion.' ll'(//i/, in
/»'/. Af. lli]it., IHlit, p. I'Jl; Jiuschmann, i^j^r. X. M>'.". n. tkr ]\'cs(tic'ite dis b,
Nonldimr., p. 'J.SO, et seq.
2 TiiniiT, in /Vic. II. 7i. Fept., vol. iii., p. 90; JSuschmann, Spr. N. J/tX.
«. der U'titeii/e dis b. Son wr., p. ao'2.
rUEBLO COMPARATIVE VOCAnTILAUY.
nato, — I'llinwdHJuweh'iUth, autumn; (iJisn'itiht]ip(tlhfo}inal,
fiu^'cr; /ti/itiii/oopiifsfiiiinh, gold; U'h/iXiuihii'iHcc/iVjii/i, mi«l-
nijiht; t t/tnifhd/i/Mi/iii'i/uniiw, war-club, and oth(.'r.s;' Am
Avill more clearly appear by the Ibllowin;? com[)arative
voeabularv, none of these languages are cognate; they
have no allinity among themselves, nor with any other
lUmily or group.*
QL'KllES.
TKOL'A.
ptronis.
JKMKZ.
zrsi.
Sun
pah
hooh'nnah
pav
j-attoekknh
Moon
])oyyo
jiaiiiiah
hahlie^'hiinmh
]>anah
St.ir
Bhocnt,'
a«l( lyoah
\V(ii>nhali
inoyatchtiwuy
i:iiith
lialiiits
nah
])ahhaiiiiah
doekah
(iiiliickiiannay
Miiii
hiitssco
Haven
tahhahiienah
Hhiidtish
oatso
Woiniin
jiiiiatsay
k.'r
elayannuh
HtcilHh
(icare
Ilcitd
liaslicallUO
liniiibah
])iu<'iiiah
cliitchous
oshnckiininnay
Eyo
kaniiah
(•hay
chtiiay
Haech
toiiiialiway
Ndso
kiirwishsho
Hhay
liiioaeiiah
fol'Haech
iii)liniiay
Mouth
tsfcikali
Bho
clahnioenah
ea(;([nah
aewahlinnay
Eur
kaliupali
oveo
taylayouuy
washchish
lahschiicktinuny
Hand
kaliiiKjshtiiy
niah
niahtish
Klidiichoway
Do-
tish
clier
Kodornah
niniin
watsctali
Fire
liahkunyo
fah
I)ahaiiiiah
fwaah
niackko
■\Vutur
tsuats
o^h
pohahoou
puh
keaowuy
In the region through which flows the Colorado, and
between that river and the (xila, many difl'erent lan-
i:ua,'j;es are mentioned by the early missionaries l)ut at
this time it is dillicult to ascertain how I'ur dilVerent
names are a[)i)lied to any one nation.
The missionaries themselves fre({uently did not know
^ Tustiqun words 'are mnuosynabic, and ang^'ost a conneetion with Asi-
atic; stoi'ks, iu which this feature is iirouiiiient.' Si'lKinlrriifl's Airh., vol. iii.,
p. 4111). 'All these laUL(uat!es are extremely ^^uttural and to my ear seemed
so much aliko that I iuiaitine they have sprung' from the same parent stoek.'
l.'iiH', in 111., vol. v., )). (i.s'.t; 'I'm-mr, in /'</';. li. I!. Hijit., vol. ill., p. UJ et
seq.; lin^rliiitiinn, Xi'io .lA",r. iiihl lint. .V. Ainir., ]i. "J^O et seep
' ' Die (^ueres-Siirach' ist trotz einii,'er Ankliiiii,'e an andere eine ganz
li(>si)nilere Sprac'he, von del' keine Verwaiidtseliat't autzulindrii.' lUir^rliti.imn,
Sjir. X. .][,(. II. tUr Wi'ntsiilc lies b. Xnrtliiiinr., j). ;)()lf. 'l)ie Fremdheit der
Tezucpie-Spraeho gegen alles liekannto is dureh das Wortver/.riiliniss f^'e-
nui,'sam erwiesen.' ' Ich nnterlasse es spieh^ndo azteKiscljo oder Sonoriseho
Ahuliehkeilen zu bozeiehneii, da aueh die Zuui-Sjirache dii sen ididuieu
^,'anz fremd ist.' /<'., p|>. '2'J(i-7. Tanos, 'one; of the .Mmpd villa^'es, at jires-
eut sjjeak tlu! Tej,'ua lanijaaLte, which is also spoken by siveral of the Now
Jlcxican I'ueblo Indims, which loaves but little doubt as to the eommou
ori'^in of all the villa^,'i) Indians of this country and Old Mexico.' A/'ki/, in
Jiiil. .\if. Hi'jil., isri, J). ;{Sl. 'These Indians claim, and are j^rnerally sufi-
jiosi'd, to have descended from the ancient Aztec race, but tlie fact of tluir
speakin.; three or four dih'ercnt languages would tend to cast a doubt ui)on
tliis jxiint.' Mirrhfi'tlicr, in /</., IH.ji, j). 171. 'Tho words in the Zuni lan-
gua.;e vi'ry much resemble the English.' Ilatch'uujs' Vul, Mioj., vol. ii., p. 348;
(jivijj's Cum. I'ruiries, vul. i., p. 2b5.
CM
COLORADO EIVEll LANGUAGES.
how to name the people; often they gave several nnincs
to one language, and .several languages one name; mam-
of the then existing dialect.s are known to have .since
heconie extinct, and many more have rnysteriously dis-
appeared, along with tlio.se who spoke tiiem, .so that in
many instances, a century after their fir.st mention no
such language could he found. It .seems .seldom to have
occurred to the missionaries and conquerors that the
])arbarous tongues of the.se heathen could ever be of in-
terest or value to Christendom, .still le.ss li.sts of thi'ir
"words; so that vocabularies, almo.st the only valuablo
speech-material of the philologist, are exceedingly i-ai'c
among the v/ritings of the early mLssionary Fathers.
If one half of their profitle.ss homilies on savage sal-
vation had Ijeen dcvcted to the simple gleaning of
facts, .science would have l)een tlie gainer, and tlie souls
of the natives no whit less at peace. Of late, however,
vocabularies of the dinlects of this region have become
numerous, and relation.ships are at length becoming
pei'manently establi.shed.
The languages under considenition, on comjiarisoii.
may nearly all be comprised in what may be caUed the
Yuma family. The principal dialects which constitiitf
the Yuma family are the Yuma, Marico[)a, ('uclinii.
]\rojave, au'^ !*i"gueno, which last is spoken in southern
(\difornia, and more particularly ai'ound the biv nf
San Diego. Among others mentioned are the Yavipiiis
.and Yam[)ais.'"' Compared with that of their neighlioi'.>
■'' roooniaviciip.'i, Yiima, Jixlclipduu anil .Tiitni\jal), siiciik tho snnu- Ini-
fjuiiL,'!'. '/'(((■'■''s, hhirlo. ill Doc. Hist. J/i.i'., si'iic ii., tniii. i., j). lioii; l\l,'^<,
lUhii'um, ill /(/., si'rio iv., turn, i., jip. 2'.»2-;!. 'Opas, (jiic liuliliiii In Irii^iiw
<!;• li>s Vu.uiis y ('(iri)iiiai'ic'(i])iis . . .('nrrc la j^cntiliil.id dc I'stos y ilc su nii^ina
li'iiL;ua piir los rius A/.iil, Vcrdcs SalaiLi y otnis i\\\o I'litiaii el ( 'ni.n'ailo.' .Ic-
ricir'it'i, Crniiird S' r.ljicii, ji. Illl. ' La IciiLjiiadi' todas cstas iiacinius cs mil,
('()C()iiiai"ii'o]ias. Vuiiia, Xijova. (Jiiiraiiiopa.' Snl' hindr, lliliirhni. in l>'>r. //>>/.
Mix., Hi'i'ic iii.. Un\\. iv., ]). ^'vl. Cucliaiis, <ir Vuiuas, 'speak tlii> same dia-
lect' iiH tiiii ^Mariciipas. h'iii<iri/'<i Itipt. l'. S. ami Mi\r. Ilninulir)/ >"Cii'/. )'•
]()7; Tnnur, in I'lic. It. U. 7.Vyi'., V(j|. iii., jip. 101 ;t: MiUHvi'isin. lliisni in
ilir J-Msiii'irli.. toiii. i., 1). 4:13. Y.inias 'no sir Xacinu disliiitu dc la<''i((i-
Tiiai'icopa, piles usan td liii'Siuo Tdioiiia.' \lllii-.'>i /'kiv // Sunrlicz, 'ri'iiitrn, tnui.
ii., p. -litS; (iiillii/iii, in Kiiiiiri/'fi l!icniiirii.i.'<iiiici . ]>. 1211; ('ri'iii<uii/'s .l/Mfc/es,
p. IMI. 'The I'iiiKis iind CocouiaricMipas spcakiiiL; diliiV' lit laiiLinau'' s,
i'lilW Cin\(i. itfCid., ]). IH'.). Cosiiiiiiis and Toiilos, ■ Iciir laiinno aiirait pl^is
d'utliuitw aviu ciUl' duti Moluar.i tt dus Ciichdns dii C'oloi'.ulo.' ' Les 1 'uiiiis,
DIEGUENO LORD'S PRAYER.
685
the langunp;c of the Piojiuenos is soft and harmonious,
and as it contains all the sounds of tlie letters in the
Ihiiilish ali)hal)et, the })eople speaking it readily learn
to [)n)iiounce the English and J^panish languages cor-
rectly." The following Lord's Prayer is a specimen of
the dialect of the Dieguehos.
Xauua nnall amai tacaauach naunanetunxii mamannd-
po cayuca amaibo mamatam meyayam cauaao amat
amaibo (luexuic echasau naguagui nana clionnaquin
rii'[)il merie(iue pachi's echeyuchapo fiagua quexui'c nagu-
ai'ch naoaguaihpo fiamechamel ani])uch uch-gueli'ch-cui'-
iipo. Xacuiuch-pambo-cuchlich-cuiatpo-namat. Xapui-
Of the other dialects the short vocabulary on the
following page will give an illustration:
iinxiiuols se JDiiineiit los I'neopas, los Molun-rfi, Irs Thiirfdro/'n, d 1( s Dh^fptf-
Cliai'iniu lie t'L's tiibus a line liniL;iU' jiaiticulii'Tc, iiiais (|ui, jusciii' ii
. cci'tMiii point, sr vapproi'ho dc otlli-s tics trilms dii nu'iiii' i^Vdupc
<h' I
tuiirhuiir'i.
(S, pp. 'i^-'.l. 'diwiss ist, (liiss ilic (ciciiiiiuriciipas
iiiid Vumas iiur Dialcctu finer luul dersellieii Spriiehe rede n
Miihiv
,1/.
'I'.l'
tiiin. i., p. 211. ' Tho Miiiie(j|ias si)ealv....ii dialect of theCotapa
lii, Moliavi
id T)U
raiia tuiiLriu
Moirri/, ill Jiiil. At/. Hi ft., LS"i!l, p.
lltll; /'/., iH'u, ]). 'M'l. l'apai,'i)S. riinoH, ami ^lariiopas. ''I'lusn tiilx s
.spi'aU II ciiiiiiiion lauL,'!
liich is cciliiedid to lie the aiu'i< lit Aztec
tiiiiLtuc' lliiiiilsdii, ill /(/.. ISt',."), p. 131. J'iiiia and Mariinpa. •''.'iieir esn-
L^uaL-'es iii'o totally ditt'eniit, so nnu'li so tiiat I was enabled to distiiieilish
tiieiu wlien siioken.' liarlldl'.'i !'<
A.
ol.
juai-ieopas, Imleciadan, yniiias, riilini!
u., 1
1. '21 ;
•J.
.pi
(■niciuiiMas. y otros inas alia d'l
St»ii>rii.
I).
lie) Colorado, se pueih u taiiiliieii liaiiiar ; iiiias y eontar jior otiiis tant;..s tri-
1ms de I'sta naciou; piles hi lenirna de (jiio iisaii fs una iiiisiiia con sola lii
iji 'iii'ij., in />'"•. ll'isi. .l/i.c, si'rie iii.,
' Vuiua. Dialeeto del J'ililil. lo tieiien
()|ias, eocopas, eoeoiiiaricopas,
iiier I'l cosiiinas c'l ciilisnisnas o
diferelicia del di dect,
)i. .-)"il; Si)iinni, Huh) Eiifi(ii/ii, p. lliti.
1 IS Yuiiias, (') cliirunias, f^'ileuos I'l x'li
idaiK
aniajalis ii ciiesiiinas.
tulisiiiirs y los ipiicaiiiopas. lajueiiehe. ])iale((i) del rinia, p' rti iieei n ;i
estii si'i'cion los cuciipii u oiilianas, jalli.naniai, lajnein-hes, (pii(iniiiias I'l (pii-
Iniiiias, ynaiies, ctitnimes, aleludoiuas, liaeiojias, eun.ii y (pieiueva.' "/-ere*
/)'
i-,-il, (irnirilt'l'd
et
pp. ;ir>:{, ;i7; A
'Siiscliiiiintii. .^imn n
hr Azl>
V' .SL-liicdeli
solldere Sp
Die i'oiKW, derm Spraplie von der d -r '
' {'oennieiicoopas, Yiinias. I'inias
>/"• . V
2lil,
trituil't'll'n
'IX. . . . weni'.
.Mike ill iitlicr respects thi> I'ii
J'i'i n'i'rl,fini, in \'iil'r, Milliriilntfs, vol. iii., )it
idell j'd" iliVe 1)
id Ci
V
I.V.I.
larie'opii Indians ditl'er in !aii-
f,'iia}.Ce.' Ldlhanix Coiiiji. I'Idl., \o\, viii., p. -I'.ll.
*> ' Suave ill ]iarei'er, y iiius fii.il ([iii' no la piina, pncs tieno la snave vocal
(1 111 que falta ;'i los jiiinas, repitieiido ellos la u hahlaii sn 'diiiiia eatiland.i..'
.^■..Wr//,
ltd
'ilrhiil. 111
Hist. M
lie iii., tiiu. IV., )
ift and
iiielodioiis.' HdrlliU's J'lrs, \itr., vc.\ ii., p. 202; Ttirni r, in I 'if. i. II ll'lil
vol iii.
1>. 1(11,
' MiiJ'ra.i, E.rplor., tuiu. ii., p. 3'J.j
686
LO\VER CALIFORNIAN LANGUAGES.
crcHA.'.'.
MARICOPA.
..iJJAVE.
DIEOUFNO.
Man
('patch
ecpache
ipah
aycootuhet
AVoinan
■'.'(■nyack
siucbayaixbutcb
sinyax
seiu
Hduso
fcnouwa
ahba
awali
Sun
n'yatch
n'yatz
n'yatz
Moon
hnllyur
hnllash
hullya
i'iro
nawo
Ahooch
awa
^V,•lter
nhi'i
nhha
ahk
Miiize
tcnlitch
tcrditz
terdicha
Good
aliotk
ahotk
alihotk
ban
I
n'yat
iiiyatz
n'yatz
n'yat 8
Go
u'yecmoom
n'yimoom
Sloep
asuemah
esoma'om
Then there are the Yampai and Yavipai, said to
approach the Cudian and ^[ojavcf the Chevct reported
as a distinct tongue f^*^ the Cajuenche said to be another
hinguage, and the Jalhquamai, a dialect of tlie (\'i-
iuenche." The Tamajab is a strange hmgiiage, described
by Don Jose Cortez as '"spoken witli violent utterance
and lofty arrogance of manner ; and in making speeches,
the thighs arc violently struck with the palms of the
hands. '"^'^
There are further mentioned the Bcnemu with the
dialects Tecuiche and Teniqucche, and lastly the Covaji
and Xoche, each a distinct tongue.''* The people s})eak-
ing the Xoche probably were the northern and eastern
neighbors of ti 3 Diegueilos, and may have been men-
tioned ))y some writers under other names. I liaAc
preferred to enumerate them here, because the nauies
frequently occur in the reix)rts of the earlier expeditions
to the Yuma nations.
pear s
sionai
.and a
sula 1
otiiers
three
its pri
curi, V
Uchiti
there \
missioi
minor
On the peninsula of Lower California, there are
three distinct languages with many dialects, more or
less related to each other. Some of these dialects ap-
» Turnpr, in Pan. R. R. Rejjt., vol. iii., p. 95, ettieci.; Schoolcraft'^ Airh.,
vol. ii., p. lis, it M'n.
i" ]i'l(iji)<le, Eii-hiiiih; ami Turner, in Par. R. TL Rept,, vol. iii., p. 11.
It ' liii Xaciou Clicvct, . . .du niny distiiito idioiiia du los quo tiiMuu l;is
deiniis NacioiR'S.' Arririvita, Cronlca Si'riiftc'i, p. 172.
11 ' La l('nj,'iia do los cajnt'ndK'S es muy distiiita de la ynnia.' Jalli<pi.i-
niais 'auiKiuo parcce el niismo idioina <pie fl do los cajuonehos, so dil'i rcucKi
mucho.' '/'(rcc's, J>i<mo, in Itoc. Hid. Mc.r., si'rio ii., totii. i.. j>]). '247, 'Jol.
l« 'Tlio Ciii'ap;is, Tallif,'iianiays, and t'ajuciu'lios sjjoak one tongue; tlie
Yuinas, Talohodiiiiis, andTaniajabs have adistiuutouo.' Vorlti, Jlisl. Ajii.h'h
A'a^i'iDis, in Ptic. R. R. Rvpt., vol. iii., p. 121.
13 Id., p, 125.
THREE STOCK LANGUAGES IN LOWER CALIFORNIA. G87
pear so remote from the parent stock that the eiirl y niis-
.sionaries believed them to be independent languages,
jind accordingly the number of tongues on the i)enin-
sula has been variously estimated, some saying four,
others six; but careful comparisons refer them all to
three stock languages. These are the Cochinn', with
its principal dialects, the Laymon and Ika; the (iuai-
curi, with the Cora, Monqui, Didiii, Liyue, Edu, and
Uchiti diale(;ts ; and lastly the Pericii. Besides the above,
there were also other dialectic difterences in almost every
mission, such as the variations of word-endings, and other
minor points.'* In general these languages have been de-
•» ' Nun (Idiin f i'lnf nndere ganz vcrsrhicckne, nm\ in clem bislier ontileck-
ten Cii'ifoniitu iiljliclu! Spniclien (wclchu sejud (liu LiiynnJiia, in der (i('jj;en(l
tier M ssion von Lcircto, dio CotHcliim'i, iu dir Mission dos liiil Xiivt'rii
nnd iin Icien ujc-jon Nordi'n, die Utschi i, und dio Pcnei'ia iu Sudtii, and dio
nnnocli \inl)oliiuuito wcldio dio Viilker redeu, so P. Linck auf stinor Itcis lint
augctrotliu) utbst cinci- Mtnfj;o Absprossen odor Dialoktcn, auf Scit j^csotzt,
iind V )n dcr Wuicuiiscbon alleiu otwas anzuniorkon.' Uarijirl, Sdchr. von
i'al., \)\). 170-7. ' Tios sou (dice el Padre Turaviil) bis Lcnyuas: Iu Co-
tbiuii, la Poric'ii y la do Loieto. Do esta ultima salon dos ranios, y sou: la
Guayciira, y la Uoliiti: verdud ea, quo os la variaoion tanta, (juo. . . .juzgarH,
no solo (juo bay (juatro Loni,'nas, siuj que liny cinco.' I'mi'iias, Xntirbi de Id
I'dl., Una. i., jip. (;;5-7. I'ciicui, Guaiouri, Coebinii. 'Ognuua di (juoste tro
Nazioui avcva il suo lingua^^'gio proprio.' Clavi'icro. Slurin drlla Cat., toni. i.,
p. 1()',). 'Vohiils, ('oras, Poricos, Guaicnras, Cantils, Caviyus, y otros inu-
cbos.' ' Los lio la baja pcuinznla. ..hal)lau distintos idionias poro tt)dos
so ontii nilou.' Ui'riUmihiciU}, Carta, MS., p. 7. Eibu s, Cocbiniios, ot
I'oriuobos. ' Tos trois tribns parlout nouf dialcetos difi'itnts, di'-rivos
do trois 1aii;.'(U' s-matrici'S.' iVniw, 7»'('c/i. i'/ii/., toni. i., p. KiS. 'Losuuos
jiarlant \:\ La iituo .l/ixcyu . . . . les autros la Lnnguo Luininni.' I'icnlo, Mi'-
■iiKiifi', jr. /uvi' 7 lie yoUtijis an Nonl, torn, iii., p. 27'J. ' DrcyiTloy Spracbon
I'l f'iili'.iii'ii ^ 'die d(! los Pioos, dann dio do los Waiouros. . . .und cnd-
liib lie t' I. i Ijaynu'inos.' JJucrue, iu Murr, Xacluulikii, p. 'M'2. 'Dio
Poi'tir, i.i'. Wi.i^r.ra, niit don Dialoctou Cora, Uobidie und Aripe; dio
Laymon; di' Cotlii)' a niit-; rorscbiodonon Dialooton, woruntor dor von S.
Praneospu ii I V i;.;ia; dio Utsoli'ta; dio Ika.' Jlnssd, Mi.v. (inat., p. i'tl.
'Dio i'oricnos, il.iini dio Moncpiis odor Monguis, zu wolobou dio Faniiliou
dor (TUayci'iras und Coras goboiou, dio Cocbiuias odor Coliniit'S, dio Lai-
nuhios, di(! Utscbitas odor Vobi'tis, und dio loas.' Mi'tldnipfavdl, M'jint, torn,
i., p. 2I"2. Soo also torn, ii., pt ii., pp. 41li— 1; Titylur, in llrmruf's L. C(d.,
]ip. '>;!— L 'Tbo Corbiiiii, Porion, and Lorotto langua^;os; tbo fornior is
i\w samo as tbo Li;vnion, for tlio Ijaymonos nro tbo ncn'tborn Coobiniics; tb((
Lorotto bas two dialoits, that of tbo (.Juaycuru and tln^ I'cbiti.' I'rirlKO-d's
J'l^id. lli.-<t. M(tn, vol. ii., p. '>■>'.). 'Tbo laiiguagos of old California wore: J.
Tbo Waikur, spoken iu several dialects; '2. Tbo I'tsbiti; ;i. Tbo Layiuim; -1.
Tb' :• )obiuii Nortli and tbo I'orieu at tbo soutberu extremity of tlie jienin-
Bul-.; . A probably new form of speooh used by some tril)es visitetl by
Iii' i; I itli'itii's I'oiiij). J'liU., vol. viii., p. 4'2H. Jlorrell mentions tbroo
langti:i , ibo Peri(Mies, Mentpiis, and Coobimies. Xnr., p. I'.liS. Forljos,
q'lotiu,, • itber Taraval, also speaks of tbree languages, Porieues, Mi)n(pns,
und Coibimfs, Cid., ji. '21. ' Solo babia dos idionias distintos; el uno todo
lo quo comproLcudo la parte del Mudiodia, y Uamubau Ad't; y el otro todo
G88
LOWER CALIFORNIAN LANGUAGES,
scribed as liai^li and poverty-stricken. Tlie mission-
aries complained of not beinp; al)le to find terms \vitli
which to express many of the doctrines which the\-
wislied to inculcate; but. from the grammatical noti's
•left bv Father Baegert and those of J)ucrue contained
in Jlifrr's JSdchric/itei), as well as from the vai-ious I'ater
\osters at hand, it appears that these languages are not
so very poor after all. Much there may have Ijccii
wanting to the z.ealouH Fathers, m.-iny burning uoi-ds
and soul-sti' '.ic: ex])ressions, which would have greatl\'
assisted theii ( , but except that there is certaiidy
no rethnidancv . these languftges, they oiler nothing
very extraordinary.^' Following T give a lew gram-
matical notes on the Guaicuri language. ^J'he sounds
i'e[)resented by the German letters, o, /', r/, I, a; z, and .s.
exce})ting in fsJt. do not appear. Possessive pronouns
are shown in the following examples:
]My fath.r
'I'liv fiitli. r
His fatiiir
Our liitlu 1'
bcdaro
ti 'no
lv('i)(.'ilarG
My iKise
Thy iKiso
His nose
mi nan 111
t'inaniu
tinumu
lo quo (il)iazn (1 Doji.u'tamonto iltl Norte y llamaimn f'orhhn!.' CnlU'ormns,
XotiriKs. carta i., ji. W; \'iitir, Mitliridnlin. toiii. iii., j)t iii., ]>. ]N2, it skj.;
Jiiic'iert, in Siiiilli!<(ii(i((a Hid., 1(S(U, \). ',VM. Orozco y Jiciia alscj ac'i'ci)ts
Ihi'i'e, naniiiiL! Uriii, I'l.'iicii; Giiaicuru, with tho diaiicts, ('uia, roiiclids,
I'chita and Arii)a; and tlio (.'oehinii' witli tho diuliits, lldi'i, J)id\'i, an.l
Northern (.(ichiiai. (jriKiruj'ia, jjj). Kijij-T; rhiiciitil, ( inniiv, toni. ii., j). \l(!~,
ftsi'(j.; lliiarliiinDiit. S/iitreii ihr AiU'l,'. ^';»'., p. ■!•)'••, ('t sc(|.
1' "La liiiuiia (Oi'hinii, hi (jualu i hi jiiii distcsa, e niolto dificilo, (• jiiom
il'as]iira/icini, cd ha alcuni' nianicre di jironnnziarc, clie non (■ jiossiliilc di
(larlc ad intriidirc. . . I-a linj^nia i'laii'i'i o o.i,'j,'iniai cstinta . . .La liraiica di -i
Uchiti, I' (jiiasi tuttii (jnclla de' Cori si sono cstinti;.' I'lnr'i'iiro, I'^lnriit diliii
('((}., toni. i., Yyi. HO, lot). Kdius and Didins, 'sns palaliras no cran do iiniy
difu'il lironunciaiidii, ]Hro carcoian cntoranionto de hi f y s.' Aihijvi', 7/iV'.
Ciiiiip. ilr Jisiis. tiiiii. iii., ]i|i. 1(1-7. 'Die Anss|iraoho ist nicistcnsthi ils ^;iil-
turaiis iiiid iiariuni.' J)iirnii\ in Murr, yurlirirlitcu, j). lili'J. ^\'ai^■nri. ' Kami
man von d( rsiU" 11 sa.u'ii, ilass «io ini luiohston (irad^ild scy mid liarha-
risoh... so iKstchot drrsolbon Harharoy in folj^oiidom, niid zwar 1. Ju
cincm crliiiniilicliiii niid crstannliclKn Manj^o] nnondlidi viohr Wdrtir. . .
ill dom JIaii^,'il mid AliLjaiij^ dor I'riijiositioncn, < 'onjuiutioncn, -iiid l!i la-
tivorniii, (his <h'vo, odor tipi'tschou, so woyon, nnd <his t iia, Mcldn s anf
lioissot, ansj^'enoinmon. . . .liii Abj^ang dos Coniparativi und Suinrlativi, ni.d
ihT Wiirtor nichr niid woni^'or, itom, allor Advorbinruni, so wohl ihiOii,
wolclie von Adjoctivis iurkonimon, ids anch schior alhr andoron. . . ,]iii Ali-
puig dfS Modi Conjnnctivi, mandativi nnd schior gar dcs optativi. Item,
dos vorbi i'as^yvi, odir an statt dosson, dosvorlii lli'ciproci, (hss( n sich di''
Sjianiornnd Franzoson bodiunon. Item, in Abj,'ang dor Doolinationon, iiiul
/ngUich dor Artildon dor,(lie, das, etc' linKji'rt, Xaclir. vo)i (.'«/., pp. 177-
83. Soo also, ,SiiiitltsonUui liej)!., IBGi, pp. u'Jl-5.
Of p
upon; f
frrj, '\
'Die cor
to be CO
ten.ses —
present
tlie alTix
by addii
action ol
/•'/. or /;
changed
To fi-I,t
^I'o roiuoiulK
To sjieak
^'^ome 1
the form
]>r()nouns
tiiee, tiiy
CON
I play,
Th.iu playcst,
Ho phiys,
I have played
riay thon,
I also
translation
Ive[)r d;
Our fa
pn-me,
''■'Ik'o all will,
gracia-ri .
grace O that
Vol.
GUAICURI GRAMMAR.
CS'J
;l-
lilt'
],a
I"'
Ill-
Ill,
lii'
Of prepositions only two are mentioned. — tlna^ on or
upon; and deve, or tipitschefi. on account of, or iov fpi'op-
t<r). There is no article, and nouns are indeclinable,
IMie conjunction tshie is always placed al'ter tlie words
to be connected. Verbs have only one mood and three
tenses — the present, the perfect, and the future. 'J'ho
l)resent is formed by the alFix re or rehv] the i)erfect by
the ailix rikiri, riijcre, ra/'qK', or ra//j)er<;; and the i'utnr(i
])y adding in like manner 7ik\ nicjc, or t'lie^nc Jf the
action of several persoi^s is to be expressed, the syllable
I'li or k is prefixed to il "* verb, or the first syllable is
changed into hi.
PLCRA-L.
kuiiiabrtko
kuiiiiitu
kuuko
Some ver])s have also a perfect passive participle in
the form of a substantive, — tsrlupuhv^ to ])eat; tsr/iij/it-
srhiint\ a person who has l)een beaien. The j)ersonal
])ron()uns are: be, I, me, to me. my; el, thou, thee, to
tiiee, thy ; becun, betlcun, ecuu, or eltlcuii, mine, thine.
CONJUGATION OF THE VERB AMUKIRI, TO PLAY.
PUESKNT INIHI'ATIVK.
SINGULAR.
To flight
piiibiike
Ti) rciiii'inbor
uinutii
To speak
juke
I play,
Tliou playcst,
llo plays,
I'Kiu'Eirr.
I liavo played, be atimkiririkii'i
1)0 amukirii'o
<'i aiimUiriro
tiitau iiumkirire
ciiti"' anmkfriro
Itctt"' ainiikiiiii!
tiicava aiiiukiriro
Wo play,
Yon play.
They pliiy,
FIRST Ft'l'L-RK.
I sliall play, Lo umuki'rime
riay thon,
IMPERATIVK.
amnkiri tei
I'lay you,
ftiuukiri tii
GPTATIVK.
Would that I had not i)layed,
or,
liori ainnkiiirikiriliaiii
btri aiiiukiriiiijciaia
I also add a (iuaicuri Lord's ]*rayer with literal
translation.
lve[K' (hire tekerekadatemlu dii!. ciri akiitllil<^-
Our fatluT avoliod earth (lioaviii) thou art, tin <■ O that arkiiow-
])U-me. tschakiirrake-pu-me ti tschie: eciiu
lodyo all will, jiraise all will people ami: thy
j:racia-ri atume cate tekerekiidatemba tscliie: ei'ri
grace O that have will wo urchutl earth
and; thee U that
Si
hi
YoL. in, u
690
LOWEll CALIFOHNIAN LANGUAGES.
jebarrakt'mo ti pii jaiipc datembu, pue c'i jebarrakt'rc,
obey will people all hero earth, as theo ol'iy,
ai.'iia koa: kepocun bue kepo ken jatupe untairi: catc
• nbovo are: our food us give this clay: us
kiiitscliarrake tci tschie kepecun atacamara, pae kuit-
forgive thou aud our evil, as
.scharrakcre cate tscliie cavape atukiara kepetujakc;
forgive we also tlie evil us do:
eatc' tikakamlja tci tschie, cuviimera cate ue
us help thou and, desire will not we something
atukiara: kope kakunja po atacara tschie. Anieii.''"'
evil: ua ^notect from evil aud. Ameu.
As rcgai'us the otlicr two hmguagcs, the only ma-
terials at hand are some J^ord's Prayers in various dia-
lects of tilt (JocMuii, as used in the different missions.
Of these 1 insert the following as .'samples of the dialects
spoken — 1. at the Mission of Santa ^Tarfa, 11. at San
Francisco de Borgia, and 111. at San Ignacio:
I.
11.
111.
I.
11.
III.
T.
II.
III.
I.
II.
III.
Father our heaven in who art: thy name
Lahai-apa and)eing mia: mind)angajua val
Cahai apa, ambeing mi;i, miniljang-ajua v;d
Ua-bappa amma-bang miamu, ma inang-a-jua hiiit
all honored: earth thy kingdom come:
vuit-uiaha: amet inididivvaijua kukuem: jen-
vuit-niah;i; aim't inididiivaijua cucyem; jenniui-
maja tegem amat-nia-thadabajua ucuem: kemmu-
will thine
nui-jua
jua
jua
ns
luvihim.
luichim.
lauahim.
heaven
ainabang
junabang
amniabang
Bread
Tlievap
Thevap
Teguap
done be
villi mieng
vihi mieng
vr.hi-mang
earth on
ametetenaug
ametenaug
amataiuuiu'
}i-cue ti-mi-ei-di-gua
yiecue ti-uii-ei-di-uiiii,
ibang gual guiang-avit-a-jua
ifi lltetjcrt, Xnckr. von Cal, pp. 175-94; /(/., in Smithsonlun H'pL, IStU,
])p. 8'Jl-;i',)3; also in Piiitentd, Ctoidro, torn, ii., i)p. 207-1-1; >(»•. JA.f. '/c"/.,
Jiiilvtiiii, 'ida epoea, ti>ui. iv., pp. iU— tfl; Vatcr, JfUhrithitis. torn, iii., pt iii.,
pp. 188-'J2; JJusclitnann, I'Spuren dtr Azkk. Spi\, pp. iSl-'Jo.
LORD'S PIUYERS IN DIFFEIIENT DIALECTS.
G91
Day
I. i])an
II
III. ibaiiji; liiiane
a-nung
ihang-aniinggna
I. mihigiia
lyeg-na na
iyegiiii gna
uayecg-jiui
iia-kahit tevicliip
caliit tevicliip
pac-kagit: maclii
aviuvc liam: vicliip
II. miliigiui aviuvoliuin vicliip
III. piigijua abadakegem, maclii
I. kaviu-vcm cassetajuaiig inameiiit nakum
II. caviii vein cassotat^iuiig inaiiuMiit giiaki'im
III. pac kaba^a gucm ; kazot-a juaii a juaiig-auiuognit
I. g"'Wig tevisiec na-kavifialia.
II. g'li^iig tevisiec gna cavignalia.
III. pacum guang mayi-acg packanajam.'^
The dialect spoken at the ^fissions of San Francisco
Xavier, San Jose de Coinondu, and at Santa Gertnidis,
dillered considerably from the above as ^viU be seen by
the following Lord's Prayer as used in the last mentioned
places.
Pennayu makenamba, yaa ambayujiip miya mb,
Our fiither who heuveu thou art,
bului mombojna tammala gkomendii hi nagodognb de-
thy uaiiiti men reeo^uize and love
muejneg gkajim: pennayula bogodogno gkajim, gnihi
all ; an and
ambayujup maba yah, ka?ammet e decninyi mo puegign:
lu'uvt'U above earth satisfy
yaum bnhula mujiia anibayujnpnib de dahijua, amet e
thy will heaven iu done bo, earth on
no guilugui, ji pagkajim. Tamada ya?i ibo tejiieg giii-
this as. Bread this day
luguigui painijich 6 mh, i})h yanno puegin: giiihi tamniu
day and men
yaa gambuegjula ka^pnjui ambinyijua peiiiiaynla
who have done evil us
•' ITerviis, Saii!i'io Prntico, p. 125; Bnxohmann, Spnren tlvr Azkh-. Spr., pp.
49G-7; \'tdir, ^iitllridaU't>, torn, iii., pt iii., jip. l!)3-4; r'unextvl. Citailri), toni.
ii., p. 'i'l'i; ^fl>J')\ls, Explor., tom. ii., pp. 3'Jj-C; Cluvhjuro, Shria iklla fal.,
torn, i., p. '205.
G92
LOWER CALIFOUNIAN LANGUAGES.
doilandn.uujuil, guilujjjui piiukivjiin: <iiiilii y.ui tiigainuogla
(Idiiii liikvt> Its: mill
lun siinl»in\ yjua lii doonir) puguojj^jua, lii dooino pogoii-
cvil luul altlioii^'h itiiil ultlioiij^'li
iijiin; tiiimiegjiiJi, guilu ii.si maliel ku'iuuic't c diciiiii
iilso fiil'th satisfy
yiini(\ guihi ya^ liui inahinyi ja?i gaiubiiog;jii.\ pagka-
and what is I'vil
iKliiu;uin.*'*
(Maviiivro dors not give a translation of tliis Loid's
PraviM", hilt llcrviis, avIio copios it in Iiis Soijijio J'niflco,
translatos all words which ho could (ind in a short
voeahidary; JJiiscihinann and others co[)v iVoin him,
and oven at this time no coiuplote translation is oh-
tainahlo.
Lastlv, T present a few sentences in the Lavnion
dialect, literally translated.
Tannna aniiivben nietafi aguinani
Mull yi^ai's many livt's nut
Kenedabapa iirap. guang lizi, (piimib tejunoey
Fiithor inino cats, ami ilrinks, but little.
Kenassa niabti guiiinna
Sister tliiim sli><>|)s.
Kadiigua gadey iguiuiil decuini
Tho lish si'( s but not Lours
Juetabajiia tahipeni
lUooil mint! t^'ood not
Kotajiia kiunang gehua
The stono (is) ^'''-'"'■1 1""''^
Ibinigajiia ganelnnajen kalului
Moon sun groator is."
Xone of the Lower (^alifornian lan<j;uao:es are in any
nvay related to. or connected with, any other lanii'iiii'ic.
In Jalisco an idiom is spoken which is called the Com,
'■f Clariijcro, Storm dcUa Cn}., torn. i.. jip. 2n4 5; Bnsi'JntKUin, Spxnii 'hr
Azh'k. S}y,\, p. 4'.)7; l[irrds, SiHiiiio J'nitini, p. 12"); I'alo; Milliriii(it<s, toiii.
iii., pt iii., pj). 1112-1; Mofms, Exphr., toui. ii., pp. 3'J5-0; I'linvnld, Vwidi-i;
ttun. ii., ])]), 221-2.
1* JJucruv, in Mnn\ Xachrkhtcn, pp. y'Jl-7.
THE COll.V DIALIXT IN LOWER CAI.IFOUNIA.
<;i):!
l)iit Scfior Piincutcl iil'tiT (rompiirini; it with tlu> Com of
till' pfniiisiilii iis well iis with othi'is in Lowit ('jilil'or>ii;i.
sissiiri's us tiiiit not tho loust coimwtion t'xists b(>twooii
thoin.'" It has also hcon statod that the lan,ti;iia,izvs
spoken on the |HMiinsnla nofth ol' La. l*a/ aiv alliliatetl
Avith the ^'iiniM, tonu,ne. hut this is not tlu; case. As we
have seen, tlu^ dialect of the Diejiuefios i-eaches the sea-
coast near San Dieiio. and again south ol"that j>oint. and
this heint;' a Yuma dialect, it has iieihaps |;i\-en rise to
the heliel' that the Lower (^ililornian laniiuaiics incline
the same w;iy.-' In South America there is a lan,nuage
called the (luaicuru, which has nothing in conunonwith
the (liiaicuri of Lower Califurnia."
2" ' TI IV otr.i i'lionvi ll:im:iil() flora cii Culiforiiia, (]iif> os im (liMlccto drl
(luaiciiia ('• N'aicui'a, difciTiitt^ ul ijiic sii hulila t ii Jiilisco.' I'hiiiiitcl, in Sue.
J/i-.i". iliii<i.< l!"liliii, toiii. viii., |i. (idit,
2' 'Alltlic liuliaii tribes of tli<' ])('iiiiisnliv socm to be iiflitiati'd with tlio
Yiiiiias of tilt' Coloi'ailo, aiid with tliu ('uras b(low Lit Taz.' Tai/lur, in
Jir<>ii'iii''s Ij. ('ill., ]i. T)!!.
-^ ' r.iidi' Spnu lull, die oalifoniisiOio uiid dio Sii(hini(>i'ikaiiisch(' (rtiay-
cnra odir (Tiiayciiru ^^^n>aya) vou fiiiam' ; i^ituzliuU vci'Sfhicdou Bind.'
Jhi.ichiiuimi, iipuroi, der Azkk, lipr., p. -JIM.
CHAPTER VII.
THE PIMA, OPATA, AND CERI LANGUAGES.
PtMA Alto and Ba.to— PApaoo — Pima Grammar — Formation of Plurals —
Pki!sonal Pronoun Conjugation — Classification of Vkrus— AnvKiiiis,
Prki'ositions, Conjunctions, and Intkrjections — Syntax of iuk
Pima — Prayers in diffkrknt Dialects— The Ofata and Eudkvk— Er-
DEVK (iRVMMAR — CONJUGATION OF ACTIVE AND PasHIVE VkRUS— LoRd's
Peaver- -^I'ata Grammar — Declension — Possessive Pronoun— Con-
juoATioN — Ceri Language with its Dialects, Guaymi and Tkfoca—
Ceri Vocabulary.
the lai
is rep
tlioii;:;!
tholes.'"
tlie A;
less b\
liirity
from
follow:
s, t,
To for
iioim i^
tioiis t(
rlj)iiioif
sitiili'l.,
expi'es^
From tlie Rio Gila southward, in Sonora and in cer-
tain parts of northern Sinaloa, is found the I'ima lan-
guage, spoken in many dialects, of Avhich the principal
divisions are the Pima alto and Pima bajo, or upper and
lower Pima, and it has generally been considered one of
the chief languages of northern ^lexico. Xorth of tiie
thirty-second parallel, the Pi'ipago is the d(>minant diakrt
of the Pima; in Sonora there are the Sobaipuri (Uid others
more or less divergent.^ The l*ima as compared with
ii
1 'Estos so parton en nltos y l)ajos. . . .liasta los rios Xilii y Colorado,
ftunque <li! otm baiida do tsto h.iy iiuichos (jue liablan todavi'a ul luismo
idioina.' Ali'ire, Hint. Cump. dc Jmits, torn, ii., \). 'Jl(i. 'Jjos jiiimis Imju.'i
itsaii del niisnio idiuuia coii Ids altus, y estos con todus las dt-iiias jnucialid.i-
dos dc iudios iiue habitaii los ai'i^ualcs y paramos do los p;ipa,i,'os, los aiiiiiios
vallt'S de Sobattijuiris, las vci^as do los rios Xila (a csoopoion do los apacliis)
y i'ohwwlo, y ami ol lado ojiiii'sto del ultimo graii ni'inioro d(^ gcntos, (pio a
diohu dol Padre Kiiioy Sodolniayr, iiodiforonciansiiio on I'l dialocto,' Smior't,
Descrli). (ifuj., in Due Hist. Mce., sorio iii., toni. iv., pp. 5;Jl-r). 'Los opas,
oocomarieoi)as, Imdooadan, ynmas, cnhnanas, (piicpiimas, y otras nias all.'i
dol rio Clolorado so ))uodon tanihicn llainav pimas y contar por otras tantas
tribua do estar uaciou; puea la leugua de iiuo usuu ea uun, misma cou sola ia
(681)
PIMA GRAMMAR.
69:
the liiiiiinajros of thoii* northern and southern nei<ihl)or.s
is r('i)rosenteil an complete, i'liU, and liarnionious.- Al-
tlioiigli rre([nently chissified witli the Yunia. it is nev(>r-
theless a distinct ton<iiie. It is closely connected with
the Aztec->>onora languages, >vhich niav he proven no
less hy its graunnatical coincidences, than hy the simi-
larity of many of its words.' FoUowinjr is an extract
from a I'ima grammar. The alpliahet consists of the
following letters: a, h, c, d, r/. It, l, _/, in. ii, o, j), (j, r, r/i,
s, t, u, V, ,T, ij. Xearly all words end with a vowel.
To form the plural, the first syllahle of the singular
noun is duplicated, — /ioIk, stone; hohoUi, stones. Jv\ce[)-
tions to this rule occur in some few cases; — rhmj^ snake;
vtplnoi/, snakes; f>i((!a^ girl; tiisld., girls; slsi, hrother;
stslki, hrothei's; f/ini, hare; tutnapd, hares, (leudcr is
expressed ])y means of the words uln. female, and Itnol'i,
(liforouciii (li'l diiilccto.' Td., p. Tt'A. Snnnrn, Estado ilv hi P
roniicKi, in
lip. C.IS-HI; .S(
111
A/., IK
' Sol
(iliaviiillis
.V lii
Id.,
in tl
iiliomi (Ic Ins I'iniiis, inuuiuc con al;4<ina (lifcriiifiii fii la iiroininciacioii.
nil.
l->n:/i(ir
jl Siiiirlu'z, 'I'liiitlri), toni. ii..j). lilHi; ll'diKs, Uisl. dr Ais 7
riiiiiiiiiiiis
l>. 301). ' El iilinnia cs i^^nial, y con rcsix'cto al dc los piiiias sc difirciiciaii cii
limy (l<'t('niiiiiaila>* jialahvi
I'l'/a.s
Xiilh
<le iS'n
1>. ICil ; /.iijiido
Ui'hmiiii. in J)i'<\ Hist. .lA.c., scrie iv., toni. iii., p. HOI, ttsccj. 'Las nacioiicH
I'iiiin, Solia y Koliaipmis . . .cs un.i niisma y general el idioiiia (jik! toilon
lialilan, con poca dill reiici.i de tal ciial veilio y lioiiibrc ' ']iapal>otas ,. d<»
ill /'/.. toni. i.. jip. •J'.t2-;J. I'iiuas ' iisan
la liiisiiia li'iiLjila.' Id
ll'litf
tod
OS lin;l lllisiu
I lenj,'Ua, ])el-o esliecialineliti' al Xort<' (pie en todo se a\t
taja S. los deiiias, mas almndaiite y con mas piiiuoiis (pie al I'oiiieiite y
iiiiei'i'a liaia; to. los no ol)stant(^ s(» eiitieiiden.' Vdnrdv, in hi., toiu.
■El
V (
\ sal),
)iiua su (
livid(
eii vallos dlalectos, (
le 1
OS ciiales.
i-l t
I'
ecollim
riiiiiiilil. ri/(((/c(>, toiii. ii.. p. iU. Orozco y ]>eiTa t^ivcs as dia-
lects of tlie i'iiiia. the lVipai,'o, Sohaipiiii, Yuiiiii and ('ajueiiehe. (liiifini/'ii,
pp. oS-l), ;!■">-- 10, ;)l.")-.")l!. /'r/yx/i/DS 'die lllit dell IMllias dieseihe SplacllO
redeii.' rfrjYvrl.iim, in Vdtir, M'lllivldiilin, toni. iii.. ]it iii., p. J.")'.). '])!
Spraeho del' Sovii}
ipiire. Ills vei'waiu
It mit der del' I'iiii
/./., 1.. 101.
.\ll\-
Yuinas. . . .so rattaeheiit iiussi, (piaiit k la lani,'uc. . . .lis i'lii-iiiiinni-i'juis et li s
tiilins noiiilircuses ([in, sous
soiiclie piraisseiit veiiir aussi
lu noni d ' J'lmo.l, s'l'telldellt.
les /'
ip'iiji-
doiit l.l lal
de la ijii'ij
iLJile s'('loi''ii
dav.iiitaLte de celle des Yuiuas.' lirns^iinr ih lldiirlionni, A'.sv/i'/'s.scs, ]i. ;S0.
'■* ' l-^sta leii^iia distiii.i,'ue p.-ir llexiou el sinL;iiiai' del pliir.il de los noinhre^
sustuntivos; coioi'a de las preposicioiies dispiies de sus reui'iiieiies y las eon-
jiliicioiies al till de l.is ])reposieioiies: la sint.'ixis es mny compiicada y del tod')
ilislinta de la de las ieiiLtiias EiU'opeas.' Il'dh'i, in OrcCfo ij llirnt, (idi'jnu'iii,
l^. liVJ; ll'iiiMI'.-i I'rrs. .\iir., vol. ii., p. 202.
^ 'Si' ist uiifiaj^'lich iind deiitlich eiii (Wied des sonovisclieii S[)iachstaiii-
nies; al)er wiedi r sOil' eii,'elltliiiiiiliclies, sell)st;ilidi>ies imd wicliti;4( s Idiom.'
I!'(^cliiii(tiii}, riiint-.^jirncli''. p. ;i.")2. Family, iJolime. . . . L.ni;_'u :i;_;e, riiiia. . . .
Diii
I'ts, ( >i' ita, 11.
X
Theso trilies s|)eak ii common lani,nia;j
evoiiie, Papai;os, etc." tH.-il. .l/'(;/., vol. v., ]>
liiich
IS conceile(
1 1.
Uv
anji'iit Aztec toiigiio.' Baridsva, iu Lul. Af. liipt., LSO"), p. WI; rarhr, in
Id., ISG'J, p. I'J.
CM)
riMA LANGUAGES.
null*'. Derivatives cxprossinj; somotliinir; wliicli i)iir-
tiiki's of tluf niitiire of the primitive are formed with tlic
jillix 7ii(/f/nl: — .riflrorl, honey; ivalroriiiHirjiil, hoiie\e(l. I'or
the sime [)iir[»ose tlie terminal /ihiihi is also used; —
hiitlmiihtiiKi, related to. Kniiui is also em[)loyed to form
names of jdaces and })atronynru's. Ahstraet Mords iiic
H)rmed with the word (hiijn ; — luimnthnna, man; /hhh-
ii//,'tnii(((/(i//ii. mnnkind; .s/r«^ ^vhite; f<foti(/(N/ii, whiteness.
The i>artiele jhh'Iki, ailixed to nouns inij)lies a past eon-
ilitioii; — ii'i'J'i'J<is niv land for planting; iii(j(i<ja purha; the
land for planting whieh was mine.
PERSONAL PRONOUNS.
HISIiUI.AIi.
FII;ST PKlisON.
Noin. luii, lurnni
< It'll., Diit., aiul Abl. iii
Ace. ui, iniiiu, iiu
SECOND PEKSON.
Nniu. api, ap'ani
Gon., Dut., auil Abl. inii
Ace. IMIIIIIIl, Hill
Voc. upi
PLURAL.
Nciiu.
i'<vn., Dat., nml .\bl.,
Ac.
ati, at'ati
ti
ti, tutu, til
Num., M\'\ Voc. n])iinu
(ti'ii., l';it., anil Alil. aiiiii
Ac. aiiiuiiiu,aiiiu
He, or hLc,
THIRD PEIiSON.
huyai hukii | Thfy, those, uugaina, hukaiim
CONJUGATION OF THE VERB AQULVRIDA, TO COUNT.
PRKSEST INDICATIVE.
I count, ani lia<iniavi(lii
Thou countest, i\\n huniiiariiln
lie counts, hiii,Mi haijuiaridii
I counteil,
■\Vt' count, nti haqniiirid.i
You count, iiiaiiiu hatiuiaiiiT.'.
They count, hiigam ha(|uiaii.lu
IMPEIiFKC'T. PERFECT.
ani hiuiui'uid caila | 1 have couutdd, au't' huquiuri
P/.UPEKFKC r.
I bad counted, i n't'hiuiui ;•!<: cada
FIliST FUTUHE.
I Mhall count, lu;.: aijuiavidainucu, or an't'io baquiari
SECOND FtlTCltE.
I shall have counted, an't' io baquiari
IMPERATIVE.
Count thou, ha(]uiiirid:ini, or hahaquiarida
Count you, haijuiarida vorha, or gorha haquiarida
PRESENT SUDJUNCTIVK.
If I count, co'u'igui haciuiaridann
PRESENT OPTATIVE.
O that J may count, dod' an' iki haquiaridana
Wh
Spi
Kiu
Wh
II.
II.
II.'
Vei
liular,
I)iilsiv^
jidIio, 1
the \\'\
111 III II.
changii
adding
loWl'l\S(
adix till
niimher
''ipeeime
here
!•()
Jiero (niov
Near
Nearer
Before
For
Upon
In
And
But
Because
Siihsta
lo signif
l)ly preti:
tions are
four spec
as to he
these dia
are given
pp. !»;i-118;
IrfOi/, Sor., ,
iii., pp. B!!-;
^•37-09; Mof,
riMA tm.VMMAU. 697
WIkii T am coiintin'/ I'Hpoiikiiig of one i)orHoii only >, Imqnirtridatu
Siiciikiii^,' of two iii'i'sijiis, hiii|iiiiiriilii(la
iliiviii^' iMiiiitcd, hiujiiiiii'iiliti!
Whiii f count, ur iiftur counting, hiuiniuridiiuy
III wlio coiintH, Lii(|iiiiiritliiliiiiia
III' wlio I'oiinti'il, )iMi|iiiai'i(litiMiiiii
]k' who lius to count, litt(iuiariilaaguidauia, or io Lai^uiaridacanm
Verbs Jiro divided into many classos, siidi as sin-
trular, plural, froipioiitativo, a[)[)licative, and coin-
ptdsive. I'liiral-verb.s; — nmrha, to rim, one person; rn-
j)()l)o, to run, many. Fre(inentative,s are Ibrmed witii
the verb hhtw, to ^o; — for example, valla, to call; vaita-
li'nini. to Call IVccpiently. Applicatives are made by
ehanuinji' the terminal vt)wel oi* the verb into /', and
adding' the terminal <fo; — tahann, to lower; fnliiniiihi, U)
lower somethinji'. Compulsive verbs are formed w ith the
alli.x: tii(la:—liiikhuidatada, to compel to count. A largo
mmiber of advorbs are used, of which 1 give only a lew
specimens:
lU'l'l!
ua, ubai
Near hero
iavu
VO
ia
Hi«h
tai
iiiTi! (niovin")
ny
Yesterday
taco
Xi-ai-
luia
How, as
xa, astii, xaco
Neuror
uiiacu
No
PREPOSITIONS.
pima
Before
vaita
Sin<!e
oiti
For
i(liiiti, vusio
With
buniatu. buiua
l'i)ou
daiuauii
Of
amidurhu
lu
abu
CGN'JL'XCTIONH.
And
iipu, cosi
Or
aspnmnsi, aspi
lint
posa
Then
l)iiii(ii,'ii
liooause
coiva
Although
apcuda
Sn))stantive.s are p;cnorally placed after the adjectives.
To signify possession the name of the possessor is sim-
l)ly prelixed: — Pedro onnl(j()a. wife of I'edrcj. Preposi-
tions are affixed,* Of the difVerent dialects there are
four si)ecimens, of which one dift'ers to such an extent
as to be hardlv recognizable. Neither the names of
these dialects nor the places where they were spoken
are given with any of them by the authorities. The
< .Ir/c (U In Lcnfi'in X^'romo, qiic sc dice Pimn; Phvottol, CiKnIm, torn, ii.,
pp. '.lU-UH; Vuti'i;' Mltliridnlis, torn, ill., pt ill., pp. l(i(i-l); Cdiilltr, in Loml.
(iiiKI, S(n\, Joitr., vol. xi., jip. 24S-r)(); J'nrry. in Schoiilcrd/t's Arch., vol.
iii.. jip. KU-i; lli^f. Mii[i; vol. v., jjp. '2(12-3; JJusdmuinn, rUna-Sprache, Dp,
3J7-Uy; Miifras, Explur., torn, ii., p. 401.
' < i
698
PIMA LANGUAGES.
taikisa
fii'o ill
pia
no
first which I give is by the missionary Father Pfefler-
korn, and (lifters most from any of the others.
Diosch ini mam, ami si schoic tat, wus in' ipiidakit.
God my dear, I very sorry am towards luy luart uf
Ant' apotuta si sia pitana, apt' uni .^oreto
I have done very much Uoly> tl'^'i nie liuuisli wilt
humac tasch pia etomii tat.
single time not burning,' is.
The next, a Lord's Prayer, is from a Uodriiui C/wis-
t'lana :
T'oga ti dama ca turn' ami da camii s'cnga m'aguna
mil tiigiiiga, tubiii divianna simu tiiodidaga. C'osasi
m'hiiga ciigai kiti ti dama eatiim' ami giisuda hiu;o biqxj
giisiidana ia dubiirh' aba. Siari viigadi Li coadaga viitu
ica tas' aha cati maca. A^pu gat' oaiiida pima s'cugati
tuidiga cos' as' ati pima tiigiiitoa t'obaga to buy [jiiiui
s'ciiga tuidiga. Pima f luihugiiichi tiKhina vpii pima
s'ciiga tuidiga. co' pi ti dtigiivonidani pima sciiga ami
diirhii. ])oda hapu mii(hiua Jhs.
The next is a Lord's Prayer from Uervjls:
T'oca titaiiacatu >i ami dacama; sciic amii aca mii
tiikiea; ta hiii dibiaiUv ma tuotidaca; cosassi mu cii^-
siima amocacugai titamacui'.'m apa hapa eiissiidaiia iua-
tiiburch apa miii siarim thiikiacugai Imto ca tii maca.
Pim' iipii ca tiikitoa pi':ia sciica ta tiiica cosas ati pima
tiikitoa t'oopa ami(hirch pima sciica tuitic; i)im' iipii ca
ta dakitoa co diablo ta hiatokidara; ciipto ta ituciialjun-
dana pim sciic ainidiirch.
The fourth, also a Lord's Prayer, is from the collec-
tion of the AFexican Geographical Society:
Choga diiinsi Ciira dlacaiiiii iz([uiama ~ia mcitilla tabus
matuyagii cosauiacai 31. dama cata gussada imidimiha
Sulit eciiadaga hutis maca vii[)uc ciiuaii yiga cosisuiatito
ciiavaga tiaj)isnis([uaiitillos pinitiandana copetullarii imis-
quiaiuhira dodii madiina cetu.s.
Prom the same source I also take a P;i[)ago Lord's
Pr
\>'
Pui? toe momo tamcaschina apeta michiicii}ca ^^aiito:
anclnit
apo mas
taapa, ji
maza ch
gibu ma;
AVedg
bajo, is t
the End
generally
careful
^vere coi
the one
even sa;
greater t
between
Pima, it
As is \i\(
dift'ers ui
Opata; i
others it
dialects a
these the
tuca. Sal
!■', CiKoIr,., t(
r'"/(", )).;!.; /
l>nii\'niU:itl, ]i]
•i'AlaO
ciiir tun jiol-d
li provciizal
\virn diffrcn(
>i''riu iii., toil]
(lives, ))c)co (1
p. 210.
' 'E'v('i'i),
(li tosto a iliv
(Arc, rOimtii,
'•''a Ant. ill .\i
liii'riill., Ili/iir'ti,
'I'll, iiai'hlu'r
il.iss sic von
);li ifliwohl sii
Kill liisst, si 111'
(li\v ' Uuv V.
iii'lit -11 (Hii'ili'
''•I'.iia) iiiit 1
THE DIALECTS OF THE OPATA LANGUAGE,
G99
anclmt ])otonIa ati cliuyca: cntupo hoyeliui maotacliui
apo masima inotopa cachitnio, inapotoinal i)aiiu biieiiiiLsi-
taapa, jimiirio toniae, boetoicu.sipua chuyochica, apomasi
niaza china sngocuita juanu motupay assiiui qui. juljo
gibii matatna Ciizi paehuicliica, panchit borrapi. Anion.''
Wedged in between the Pima alto and the J*ima
bajo, is the Opata, or Teguima, with its princii^al dialect
the Eudeve. Altliough tlie Opata and Eiidevc have
generally been enumerated as distinct languages, after
careful comparison I think with the missionaries who
were conversant with both, that it will be safe to call
the one a dialect of the other. An anon\ nious author
even says that the difference Ijetween them is not
greater than between the l\)rtugueso and (\istilian. or
between the French and the Provencal." Ijike the
Pima, it is a ])raiich of the Aztec-Sonora languages.
As is most frecpient on the Pacific Coast, classification
dilYers greatly according to fancy; thus it is with the
Opata; its classidcations havo been many, and among
others it has been placed with the Pima i'amily. Many
dialects are mentioned, but little is said of them. Of
tliese there are the Teguis, Teguiina, Coiiuinachi. Pa-
tiica. k^ahuaripa, llimeri, Guazaba, and dova." The
•'' Pi'ctf'frLorn, in \'itei\ .Vi/Zo'/i/'/'.-s, tou, iii , pt iii.. \>\k liM ."i; Phiicn-
/'/, ('niiilrn, tiiiii. ii., ))j). lli(-]"J; l> ii'lrimt CliristiniKi. in Arli' r/c /k /.iiiiinii .V'-
V'liii", |). ;!. ; lliirirliiidhiii, I'iiii i-Siir'ii:liii, p. \io'3; C<il. rnl'iil'inniicd J/i.iv, Ontcbui,
i)<iinin'u:nl, jip. Itl-.j.
•i ' K. lii ()])iitii SI' jiiU'ilcn .'Oiliicir los E(ln<:Ay Jai'i^; iuinillo^i. jjnr difc icii-
ci;ir tiiii i)()L'i) su lcii;^'iia lie In ('i])at;i, coiiio la ]iciitni,'n(Sii ilc la ci^ilfUaiia, c(
li pi'DVciizal (Ic la fraiiL'rsa.' 'La nacinii Ojiata y Eiulcvi', <iiu' con iiiny
pnco (lifciTiu'iaii I'll sii idioiiia.' Snii'ini, />i.vi'/-i/). 'icn'j., in />'"'. IHst. M'.v.,
h lie iii., toiii. iv., jip. TdU, }',)l:. 'A las (ipatas so vciluccn lus tuvas y en-
dives, ])ocu dit'eientes eii el idioma.' Alcjn, Hist, t'liiiqi. di: il'.sas. tmn. ii.,
1 'E'vei'o, elie fra alcnue di (jnesto liiujno si seorfjo niia tale atliiiita. elio
(1 1 tosti) a divrdi'Ve, elie esse soil liate da una liiedisiiiia liiadl'e, sieuiue l' l-'n-
(/"•(', I'Ojiiitii, I) la TiiniliHiiKtra iieirAiiieriea setteiitriDiiai ■.' t I'n-hji rn, >V..-
t'l'f Ant. ill, .\fissico, toiu. iv., ]i. 21; Jlwriis, ( 'i//.(7.y.;ii, tma. i., ji. •!:>•'!; •■"(/-
vii-roH, 111 htfiiiiii.t, in Diir. Hist, l/cr., si'rie iii., tuni. iv., p. ('>s. ' A'.iiii v iii
•liii, iiaehher an/.ufiihri'iiden Opata nnd Endevo sieht man ans I't'ellei'linni,
diss sie von tliell denselliell Missioliaren bedient Wlirdell. wie die Tiina:
Ulrii'liwoiil siiid die S[ir.u'hen dersellnn. su weit sich ans di ii \'. I', sihlies-
Hi 11 liisst, selir versehiedeii.' Vdlrf, Milliridnlcs, toni. iii., yt iii., ]>, 1(11. En-
ilivi' ' Ilii'i' N'ei'waiidtscliaft niit deiii smioriselieii S[irat'listainiiie, als ciiieH
iii'lit"n (Hiedes, niit erfluulicher Jiestiiniutlieit lieweisell.
.Man kan sio
0|i;ita) luit llulie mill (iluii' viele EiiiSeliranktuit,' als ein Glied in deii sono-
I'Ni lien
S]iraelistaiiini eini'iih
11-7, Xio; Uivico ij Uvira, Uivijraj'ia, pp. ol3-3.
Ilnsfliiiiiiiiii, Srti.mi dtr A:l'l<\ >'/'/'., pp,
l»!l
m
700
6PATA LANGUAGES.
Opata is represented as finished, easy to acquire, and
al)ounding in elocpient expressions." Of the iindine
(lialect 1 insert a few grammatical remarks. In the
alphabet are wanting the letters y, j, k, u\ ,r, y. and /;
vowels are pronounced as in the ISpanisli; nouns are
declined without the aid of articles. Verbal nouns ;ue
frecjiiently used; — hl<kfjii((di(iih, painting or Avriting. frcjiu
hiosf/iian, I write. Xouns as names of instruments are
formed from the future active of verbs, designating the
action pei-f(trmed by the said instrument; — Dirficdii. 1
chop; inUwe, DU'tctiL', by changing its last s\llable into
slceii.j forms mefexlreii — as a noun, meaning axe or cliop-
per. In some cases the ending ruia is used instead of
slvea; — bicnsirlim, llute, from blcxthin, I Avhistle, and
InJdrhid. shovel, from hihdn, I scrape. Abstract nouns
are formed with the particles ra<jiia or S'lm, — rdde. joy-
ously, cddcrcKjiia, j\oy; dcid,, good, den'majKa, goodness;
do/une, man or people; ddhiner((r/>'((, humanity. All
vcrlxs are used as nouns, and as sucli are declined as
well as conjugated ■—-/ddsr/uaii, I write, also means writer;
■neinj'itzdii, 1 bewitch, is also wizard. Adjective nouns
ending with U'l'i and el signify quality;— />?/r;7c//, ele-
gant; aresKniefcrlj diiferent or distinct; t(isH(jitci, narrow.
The ending rdre denotes plenitude; — s'ttordcc, full of
lionoy; sildri, honey; and rdre, full. Endings in e, o,
fij signify possession; — ese, she that has petticoats; vdna,
he thiiL has a father, from uonoynd, father; siif/ni, he
that has (inger-nails, from sutn. Ca prefixed tt) a word
reverses its meaning; — c//ne, married; cac/iiie, not mar-
ried. St/iKni, allixed, denotes an augmentative; — dotzi,
old man; dutzis'jadri, very old man.
Nom.
(ten.
Dat.
DECLENSION OF THE WOllD SIIBI, HAWK.
siilii .\cc'. siilifc
siiil>i'(]UO Voc. siibi
Biil)t
Abl.
sibi'tze
The plural of nouns is usually formed ))y duplica-
tion; — (hi; man or male, plural dddor; hint, woman,
8 ' r.I i(lii)inii tie Ids I'lpiitiis cs mny nrrosante 6 elopnente en su rs])n'si(iii,
f.'icil lit' iiinciiilLr, y tiuiio iniicluis voces del easU'Uiuio.' I'dasco SvUdai: dc
tSoHoru, i', 151.
hdhi
as.
FUDEVE GEAMMAR.
roi
holiolt, women. Some exceptions to this rule occur; —
as, doritzi boy, plural vus, applied to both sexes, but
when intended only fi)r males, it is i/odon's. In some
cases females employ different words from those used by
the male sex; for example, the father says to his son,
uof/xat, to his daughter, morqua; the mother says to
either, nofrcijiKi-, the son says to the father, iioiK'f/mi; and
the daughter, mosgva.
Personal pronouns are nee^ I ; nap, thou ; iW, iit, or ar,
he, or she; tainidc, we; ernet, or cmidc, you; aiii/'f, or
met, these or thej'. In joining pronouns with other
words, elision takes place, the last letter or s} llaljle of
the pronouns lieing dropped.
CONJUGATION OF THE VERB HI()SGUAN, I PAINT.
PKESEXT INDICATIVK.
a<;tive.
I paint, lice liii'isgnan
Thou paintest, 11:4) liiiis,L;iiiin
He paints, id, or at liiiiw^'nan
We paint, tuiiiide liii'is^'iiiinie
You |)aiiit, enii't lui'isLrniiiiie
They paint, unlet hiusyuanie
PASSIVE.
I am painted, n<>e hii'is£;nadanli
'I'liou art painted, nap liii'is;,'Mailanli
Hi! is painted, iil, or at liiiisL;nadauh
We are painted, tamide liii'psi,niiidaL;iui
Yon are painted, eniet liinsLjuada^'iia
Thej- are jjainted, lunet hicisyuadagua
IMPERFECT.
I painted, noo hidsguamru | I was painted, nee hi()sguadanhru
PERFECT.
I have jjainted, nee hiosguari i I have been painted, neo liiiis^'uncanh
I or nee liiusguarit
PLUPERFECT.
1 had painted, nee hiosguarirn | I had been painted, nee hi.isguacauhrutu
FIRST FUTURE.
I shall paint, nee hiusgr.iit^^; | I shall be painted, noo hiosguatzidauh
Paint thou,
I'aint ye,
1 will see that I paint,
I shall see that 1 bi' ))ainted.
Even thouj^'h you paint,
T will that you paint,
I will that thou be painted.
Even thoU!,di I niav laint.
hiosgua
hii'isi^navn
asniane hidspiuatzo
asniane hidsj^uat /.idanh
venesniana hii'is;^'uain
nee enie hii'isLjuaeo naipleni
nee enu> hii'isi|iiarico naipti'ni
Vent'sniaiii' lu('is''iiatn
Eventhoui^h I niaj jo painted, venesniatu! hii'is^'uadauh
If I should l)aint, nee hii'isguutzeru
I should be painted, nee hiiisqiuvtziudauhrn
There are seven other kinds of verbs mentioned, such
as fretiuentative, compulsive, a[)[)licative verbs, etc.
The numerals show more particularh- a strong affinity
702
6PATA LANGUAGES,
to those of the Aztec language: 1. sei; 2. f/odiiia;
3. veidiinr, 4. nauoi- 5. marqal; 0. vusiDii; 7. ncn'i-
oi'usdni; 8. r/os ndvol; 9. vesmucor, 10. macoi
THE lord's prayer.
Tamo Xono, tevictze catzi, caniie tegua uehoa vit/.iui
teradauh. ^I'oino caiiiie vene hasoin aino (iiu'idagua.
Amo caiino hiui'idoeaiili iiilitepatz ('iidaugli, teiu'ctze vn-
dahtevL'ii. (Jin'covi taino hadaguau(jui tame mi(!. Taiiio
luiveiitziiih tame piiiidedo tamo caiiade omea; cui tanii-
de tamo. Ovi tamo iiaveu tziuhdahteveii. Caiia tutzi
Diablo tatacui'itze tame hiietudeiita; iia.ssa tame liipiu-
cadc'nitzeiiai.'''
Of the ( )[)ata, there exists a grammar written 1>y
Natal Lom))ar(l(), from whieh a lew remarks are here
given. The alphabet: a, 6, ch, d, c, g, h, i, l\ )», n. o. p,
r, rh. 8, t, th, tz, v, v, x, z. Most words end with a
vowel. Long words are not rare, as chnmihuialiaina-
(judt, name of a plant; kiitjiics(i(jiK(t(i<jii!/i-kI(', sjiriiig
(season); iiifihtisen'ujndbKSsaniht'f/iKi, seventeen. CJeiider
is ex[»ressed either by the addition of the word, malt;
or female, or by distinct words. The plural is Ibnm d
by du[)ru'.ation; the manner of du[)licating varies; soino-
tinies the ili'st. and at others the last syllable being re-
l)eated. and very frequently letters changed; — 7'///"-
rhl, lad; plural, tetemdcli'i] hijre, squirrel; ])lnriil,
hoho)'i': uri, male; plural, urini; vafzif/nttf, brother;
plural, \ytpiihhpiut] mani</ii(tt, daughter; plural, ukoiui-
n((/iiiff. daughters. Ten declensions are desci'i bed; tluy
may be recognized by diiVerent endings of the genitive,
which are: (e, r'l, sL f/nl, ni, tzi, ki, kn, kx, ju. The
greater number of words belong to the first declension.
In the 2d, :5d, 4th, 5th, 0th, Tth, and 10th, the accusa-
tive and dative arc the same as the genitive; in tlie Sth
the genitive, which ends in k i, is formed from tiie accus-
ative, while in the 9th, in which the genitive also ends
in I'u. the accusative and dative are like the nominativi'.
9 Smith's Oram. Have Lanq.; Hervds, in Vater, MilhrUlaks. torn, iii., pt
iii., pp. l(15-(>; I'iiiii'ntct, Cmdro, torn, ii., pp. li)i-Gl;liuscliinann, tSpumnl'i-
Aikk. Spr., pp. 2;i2-'J.
OP\TA GRAMMAR.
703
1st DECLENSION OF THE WORD TAT THE SUN.
Nom. tiit I Gen. tiitte | Diit. or Ace. tfitta
2(1 DECLENSION OF THE WORD KUKU, THE QUAIL.
Nom. kuliu ] Geu. kukuri | Dat. or Ace. kukuri
8th DECLENSION OF THE WORD CHI, THE DIRD.
Nom. chi \ Gen. cbimikii | Diit. or Ace. chimi
Oth I>ECLENSION OF THE WORD TUTZI, THE TIGER.
Nom. tutzi I Gou. tut/.iku | Dat. or Ace, tutzi
Al).sti'act terms are formed l)y the affix rrif/ua-, — masst,
father; Dya^^lrdtjun^ paternity; na'uhnu good; 'nnhhrium-
l/HK. goo(biess. The word a/d-n is used for a hke piir-
])ose: — nri, man; uriahbt, humanit}-; tossai, white; tos-
sifia/du, whiteness. To express a local noun, the
syll;il)le (?e is added; — detiide, place of light; ueoiiKichlde,
dillicult place. S/uwia, (juihia. eixt, oi, csxti, and ofze,
signify nnich. and are used to form superlatives. Per-
sonal pronouns are: — ne, I; ta, we; inc, thou; emido,
you ; / or it, he or she ; me. they. Possessive pronouns
are: — no, mine; tamo, ours; amOj thine; emo, yours;
<(re, andi'ii, his; mcreki, theirs.
CONJUGATION OF THE VERB NE HIO, I PAINT.
I jiniiit,
'I'liou )i,"iiitest,
lie puiuts,
IMTERrKfT.
I paintttl, no hiokaru
lie hio
ma hio
i hio
rr.KSENT INDR'ATIVE.
Wc i)aint,
til, or tainiilo hio
eniiild hio
mu hio
\\)u j),iint,
They paint,
PKUFECT.
I I have painted, no hiosia, or ne hiove
rLUPKKFECT. FIRST FL'TUltE.
I had painted, ue hiosiruta | I shall paint, no hioboa
SKCON'D FCTCliE.
I shall have painted, ne hioseavo
IMPERATIVE.
r
lint thon.
hiotte
L
et him pai
nt,
hioseai
Taint
in^,'.
Havii
'U
]iainted.
Havii
'^'
to paint.
H-w
he
shall paint,
He Nv
ho
]i;iints.
He \\
ho
painted,
Paint you.
Let tliem paint.
hiovn
hioseumo
liiopa, or hioko
liiosani, or hiositzi
hiosfakoko, or hioseakiko
hinscakame
kiokamo
hiosi
As in the Eudeve, there are in this language many
classes of verbs, diiVering mostly in enO'ngs of certain
jiersons. Prepositions and adverbs exist in great num-
l)er. Finally 1 give a few of the conjinictions; — i/neiza,
although; vesc, and; nonake, also; hauefjuari, why, etc.
7H
(JPATA LANGUAGES.
THE LORDS PRAYER.
Taniomas toguikaktzigiui kakamc anio togua snnlo
C)f iiiir fiithcv LfiiVfii in ho who is of tlieo iiaiuu holy
ah, amo roino tame makte, hinadoka igiiati tevepa
is, of thuo luni,'(loiii to us give, thy will hero oiirth on
alinia tegnikaktzi veri. (^hiama tamo giiaka vcu
1)0 iloiio hi'iivou ill Ko. Of all the tliiys of us fo<jtl imw
tamomak, tamo iieavere tamo kainaidoiii ata api tamido
to us give, tu us forgive of us bail as also
neavero tamo opagna, kai tame taotidudaro; kianaideiii
forj,'ive of us ouomy, uot to us full let; bad
chiguadu ai)ita kaktzia.'"
of also lU-livur.
Following is the Lord's Praver in the Jova diak-ct:
Dios Xoiksa: Vantogucca cachi, sec jan itemijuiiido-
qna itemijiniale(iua motequan. Veda no parin, emheida
niogitj'ipcjopa. I'hinio jii giiidade, nati', vite teva. iiate
vantt'gurca. Xeclio cuguirra. setata veto toomacii onto
oreira. en tobann-ra, como ite yte topa oreira toon oivira
seejiiii Caa ton surratoga caneclio jorra saeii iiima
dogiie seejan ignite caagiieta.
East of the ( )pata and Pima hajo, on the shores of
the gnlf of (.California, and thence for some distance in-
land, and also on the island of Tibin'on, the Ceri l:ui-
gnagewith its dialects, the (riiaymi and Tepoca. is spoken.
lew of the words are known, and the excnse given
l)y tra^•elers for not taking vocabularies, is, that it was
too diilicult to catch the sound. It is represented as
extremely harsh and guttural in its pronunciation, and
Avell suited to the people who speak it, who are de-
scribed as wild and fierce." It is, so far as kiKJwn.
1" Loiit'nirijo, in Piniputcl, (^iirt'Jro, torn. 1., pp. 407— tt">; l[irr<is. in I'c'. r,
^^lhri lilies. toMi. iii., pt iii.. 11. lliii; linsrlninoji, SjiHn>)t ihv Athk. >/ic., \'\'-
'22',) -2.!: i; I'hiKtilrt, in Sue. JAcr. (i<'(i;i., Ii(,Min,toin, x., .])p. 2SS-;n:{; (W. ]'■'-
lulinmini. Mix., Ornclun Ihrnnu'wal, p. 11.
" ' i'os('(> nn iilioniii gntiiral muy ditieilde aprcndoi-.' Vvhirico. \iilichi^ i!i'.
Simnro,^). i;n. 'Los tj;uainias. . . .de la niisnia len^jua.' -I/k/i,', Jlist. <'")iii>.
<lv JiSHs, toni. ii., ]>. 21'!. ' Poeo os la distincion ipic buy cntri' seri y n|>iiii-
gnaiuia y unos y otros oasi hablan un inismo idionia.' (iidhirii\ in l>'i'-
Hist. Mex., scrie iii., pp. bbi'J; Honura, Jjescrip. Uivij., iu Id., p. o\io.
surrosED ceri and welsii similaeities.
705
not rcltitecl to any of the ^Mexican linguistic faniilios.
As in many otlior langiiajios, some have I'ancied they
.saw AVelsh traces in it; one writer thoiiglit he detected
simihu'ities to Arabic, but neither oi" these s[)ecuhitions
are worth anything. The Arabic relationship has been
disj)roven by .Sefior Ramirez, who compared the two.
and the stjitemeiit regarding the AVelsh is given on
the hearsay of some sailors, who are said to have stated
that they thought they discovei'ed some AVelsh sounds,
when hearing the Ceris speak. ^" I give here the oidy
vocabulary which I have been able to find of this
language:
Womim
ropuhitiou
]\[ilk
Wiuo
Good
Letter
ji<1.ja
jicui
jmiin
ainiit
tuujiijipG
jipe
Horse
llooiu (chamber)
Jloro
Less
Little
oni
iiii^'euiium
a UK' a
tuiiK'ira
jiuiis
•2 ' Por su iilioma .... so aparta complotampnte do la filiadon do las na-
cioin's (jiic lii rodcaii.' Onizi'o ij Ucvva, GfDijrufiii. jip. -t'i, lioli-l. ' Their lau-
j,'iia^'(' is ^,'Uttm'al, and very dirt'evcnt from any other iiUoni in Sonora. It is
haid that on ovm oei-asion, some of these Indians jmssed hy a shop in Gnay-
iiias, where souie Welsh sailors were tiilkinj^, and on hearing,' the Welsh
laiimiaj,'e spoken, stopped, listened, and api)etired niuoh interested; ih'ehiriiij.;
that these white men were their brothers, for they had a tonttue like their
own.' S(<mi\ in ll'id. .Umi., vol. v., p. liKi; L<iri(nil<ra, quoted by linmirtz,
iu :Soc. J/e.L'. (reo;/., Jio!dia, torn, ii., p. 116. aud liandixz, iu Id., p. ll'J.
Vol. III. 45
CHAPTER YIII.
NORTH MEXICAN LANGUAGES.
The Cahita and its Dialkcts— Cahita GnAMMAn— Dialectic Differences
OP the ^Iavo, Yaqui, and Tehukco — Comparative Vocabulary —
Cahita Lord's Pravku — The Taraiiumara and its Dialects -The
Tarahtmara (liiAMMAU — Tarahumai;a Lord's I'iiaykr in iavo Diai.eits
— The Concho, The Tonoso, The Julime, The Tiro, The Susia, The
CiiiNAHRA, The Tt'UAR, The Irritila — Tejano --Tejano Grammar-
Specimen op THE Tejano — The Tepehuana Tepehuana GitAM.MAR
AND Lord's Praver — A(;axee and its Dialects, The Topia, Saisaiuh,
AND XixiME — The Zacatec, Cazcane, Mazapile, Hcitcole, Gcachi-
cniLE, Colotlan, Tlaxomultec, Teci'exe, and Tei-ecaso— The Coisa
AND US Dialects, The Ml'utzicat, Teacuaeitzica, and Ateacari —
Cora Grammar.
We now come to the four Aztec- Sonora 1,'ingungcs
l)efore mentioned, the Cora, the Cahita. tiie Tej)ehuana.
and the I'arahnniara. and their neijihhors. 1 have al-
ready .said that notwithstanding' the A/tec ek'nient
contained in thcni, they are in no wise rehited to each
other.
In the northern part of Sinaloa, extending across tlic
houndary into Sonora, the princii)al hingiiage is tlif
(.^diita, spoken in many dialects, of most of which
nothing is transmitted to us. Xumen^us hinguagcs.
which were i)erhn[)s oijly diak'cts, are named in this
region, and hy some classed with the Cahita. hut the
information regarding them is vairue and contradictors'.
(TO ( •
Xo vocahukiries or other specimens of tliem can be
(700)
NUMEROUS LANGUAGES IN SINALOA,
707
obtiiiiiod. nor can I find anywlu're mention that any
wore ever written. Of these tliere are tlie Zoe, tiie
(juazave, tiie Vacoregiie, tlie Batueari, tlie Aihino, the
Ocoroni, wliicli are mentioned as ivlati'd. iis also th(?
Ziia((ne and Telnieeo, and the; Como[)()ris and Aliome.
There are also the AFocorito and I'etatlan, both dis-
tinct; the Unite, the Ore, the \'aroiiio. the Tauro, the
Macoyahni, the Troe, the Xio, the Cahninieto, the
Tepaji'iie. the Ohuero, the Chieorata. the l>as()[>a. lind
two distinct tongues spoken at the Mission San Andres
de Conicari, and ibur at the Afission of San Miguel de
Mocorito.^ The oidy dialects of the Cahita, regarding
which a few notes exist, and which at the same time
ap[)ear to have been the princi[)al ones, accoi'ding to
the best authorities, are the Mayo, Vaiiui. and Tehueco."
The Cahita language is copious, but will not readily
1 'SI.
ito, Pi'tatl.ui mill Ocoroni iiro ' Kciitos <lo v.irias lonquas.' Tli'ni!!
Hist. <h Ins T
j'iriiijiliiis, \)
;! L Ah.
itr (111 difcniiti' Ifii'Miii lliini.
(la '/ah-.' Ziks 'sou do la inisiiia Iciii^'Uii cnii los ( liia(,'ancs.' /(/., ]>. J |."i.
' C'omnpdi-is los ([iialcs annunc craii de la niisina Icip^iia de los inaiisos Ali
2; 17.
/'/., l>. l.");l. ' Unites de difcniito Icii
/
UiiijiifS an
d 'IVliucci
frimi tli(> (,'ilialoas. /(/.. p
■ Kit tiidos de una niisnia liii''na.' Itatiica ' de
una Icii'Mia no <
lilii'il.
y iiaicrida ninclio a la dt! Ocoroiri.' Alf in'. Hist, t 'iiin/i
tin J'sus, toni. ii., ])\>. 1(1, lM(i. ' J^a lini,'na cs oi'c,
ivoi'ia V SI ;,'un sf li.i
I'cconocldo cs lo mis
la i^'raniatica.' ' I^a Icuj^'ua cs jiaiticMl.i
Ltnas iIh cstc i)artido.' In San Aiidns dc Coiii
(juc la taiiia, aunijuc varia alijo [irinci|ialnicntc ( n
lyalini con (jiic son ti< s las li 11
' la li 111,'na cs ]iartirnlar y
distinta dc la dc los dcnias jmcl>los si bicu todos losdcnms dc cllos i nti(
den la liii^'ua tcpavc, y ann la cdta aniuinc no la liaMan.' ' La lingua cs
l)articuiar i(nc llanian tn
' lia I'cntc en su idioniM
,'uazave
L
Icni^ia cs distina y iiai'ticnlav (juc llanian luo.
las Ien_;nas dc calininictos v olnii fas
' I'onvcrsan cntrc sf distint;
licni'uas (inc halilan
•ntri
son clijrurata y l):iso[)a.' San MIliucI dc Moeurito ' dc cuatio pai'cialidadi s
y distintas Icn.Ljuas.' Z-iimtn, H'lurimi. in Ihic. lli-^l. .lA.c, si'ric iv., tnni. iii ,
jip. IMi-l'I'.l. "Los niisioncros. . . .colocalian e
n 1,
IS ndsioncs dc la lcnL;na
caliita a l.is sinaloas, liiclm io-;, zuai|nes, l)iaras, niatapancs y teimecos.
nic y el coaiopiui son dialcetos muy divcrsos ('» li nunas lieiinalias
del
>/■'<: '() // Ikrrii
I'li-'tt m.
p. :!■">; \''if'r, Mithr'utit'.-i, •m
iii., ])t iii., pp. l'>[ 7; //i^ssi/, .Mix. Unit., \
'^ ' L I nacion Hiinpii y por conseeueneia ia Mayo y del Fnevti
■n la sustancia sou una niisnia y de una prupia lenu'ni.' '
(lllfl,!. Ill
IHst. .I/-.
toni.
). ■2V\
^[ayo and Yai|ui; ' Su idionia ji-
(•onsii;u'ii-ntc cs cl niisnio, con la dit'crcucia dc unas ciiantis voces.' I'
.V iticins lie .s'. i/C)(V/.
Ma
nos (
Ic (
ua(|U(i y
//;>7. ,1" los 7
l[iai|ui.
'I'itiiinih'ts
su IcULjua cs la niisnia iplc coiii' n lo
liini (jUe
I'P
la n
::i7, 2^7; Lmt. .V
drill
il dc ( ii
■ISC,
L
■n
L;ua caliita cs dividida en tres dialcetos jaincipales, el mayo, yaqui y
tihueeo; adcinas liav oti'os seeiindarios
/'
1-1 'S I
lialecti
•)■/■.(, (r
OS jinni ipales
I irujia, p. If'); /.
/.uai|
irusfifjur (I
IC, 1;
'ili'l, (■
1
-//■
I niaya y el y.Kpu
tolll. 1.
II' I II,
•is:
/(.' llourhuKr'j, JJs(^:
(I.W.S, JI
//. m Onjiio
n.
708
NORTH MEXICAN LANGUAGES.
express polite sciitiinents.'' Fjitlier Ixibas says tliat tlii^
^'jKinis iilwiiNs .siH'iik verv loudly iind luroiiiUilK-. and
that whan ho asked them to hjwer their voice, they an-
swered: '"Dost thou not see that 1 am a Ya(|iiiV"
Avhich hitter word si.unilies. 'ho who speaks loudly.'
A granunar of the Cahita >vas written in tiie yeiu*
1737, of ^vhicll I giye hero an extract. The alphahet
consists of the following letters: a, b, ch, c h, i.J. /,\ /,
111. IK '), p, i\ s. /, n, r, //. z, tz.
There are tiireo declensions; two for nouns, and the
third for adjectiyes. To the first belong tiiose woi'ds
which end in a vowel, and also the participles ending
with me and ii\ to the second, those ending witii a con-
sonant. Nouns ending with a yowel, and adjecti\es. foi'ui
the plural h_y appending an m to the singular; — hilm. rab-
bit; fdfiniii. rabbits. Those ending with a consonant
allix lin. and those ending with t affix zlni; — -^;(/y(«. hare:
•pni'oxhu, hares; /^//v'^, bird; iilhitzba, birds. The per-
sonal ni'onouns are: iiiopo, nchci'uut, vcJieri, iichc, iw, 1;
ifdjio. Itari'Ki, itee, te, we; enijx), eheri"(i^ elwri, clia'. c,
thou; eiiijioni, eiiiariKKj i'lueti, once, on, yon: luilinn^
tia/uiriiui, tui/uiri he; uamcriua, iKoneri, uamee, ini, they.
CONJUGATION OF TIIE VERB TO LOVE.
I'UKHENT INIHCVriVK.
I fove, ne eria We love;, to eiia
Thou Invest, e oria You k.vo, vm criii
He loves, eriii Thfj' love, iiii criu
IMPKIU^KCT.
lie eriiii
I loved,
PLUPEIiFKCT.
I had loved, uo eriakai
PEliFKCT.
I I have loved, no eriak
FIRST IX'TfllK.
I I shall love, lie eiiaiiake
RKCOND F0TL'UK.
I shall have loved, ue eriasuiiake
IMI'EKATIVK,
Love thon, e eria. or e eriania
Let him love, eiia, or eviania
Love you, em eriahu, or em eriamahu
Let them love, iui eriahu, or im eriamabii
)](' (l.<
'lISOl.
3 ' Ru idioma es iiiuy franco, nada dificil de aprenderse, y suseejitil
reducirse a las re^^las graniaticales de euahiuieru uaciou civilizada.' Wli
2\'otif}(is lie Si>ii(ir((, ]). 7.").
i ' Kn hahlar alto, y con hrio siiii,'ulares, y f;raiulemente arro^Miiti s.'
' No ves <[n<! soy Hia(iui: y dczianlo, porciue ess i palalira. y iinmhre, sigiiitiiM,
el (juc habla a gi'itos.' llVxt^, Hint, dt Ion Triciiiplioa, p. '2iio.
GRAMMAR OP THE CAIIITA.
709
I'liKsiiNT Hfiui-NrrivK.
If I lovf, lu' tiiiiimuii, or iriiiim
OI'TATIVK.
O that I niny love, uetziyo criayo
PIIKHKNT PAIITK.'UT.K.
Loving', criitkiiri, uriiiyu, I'l-i.iko, or priiikuko
INFINlrlVK PASSIVK.
Til 1k^ lovi'd, eriauakftckii, or frianakckari
Tit' who loves,
Hi' who li:u; lovi'd,
111' wlio w ill lovi',
I'Viaine
rri.ikaiiie
criaiiaki'ini
III' who was hn-i'il, rrian
Ilf who liail k)V('(l, criakan
Oi'tlie iiiiiny pivpositioiis I only insert tlic following: —
To
In
"With
]!( fori)
Abovo
Also
Althou^'h
JJiit
Not evi'U
m
tzi
ye
ut'patzi, iiatzi
vi'lia
T.clow
'I'owanl
For
AVithin
■\Vhiiii'o
CON.ItTNCTIONS.
Vf't/.i, snri, huiii'ri, soko As if
iiiaut/i 'i'hiis
vilzi. trpa liisidi's
ti.pcsaii If
vrttikuni, tukiiiii
vi'iiukiit/.i, patiuu
vi't/iii
iiahiiia
kiiui, uni
sin a
hiili'iii
iocntoksoko, ii'iitoik
silk
1'ho dialectic^ (liffcroiicos botweon tlio ^Fayo. Yn<|iii.
and 'IVliiR'co are as folknvs; — the Yatjnis and Mayos
use the letter h, where the ^rehiieoos use s when it
occin-s in the middle of a word, and is followed hy ii
consonant; — tn/ifa, by the Tehueeos is pronomiced
tiisfc. Other words also, by S(Jine are ])roiioiniced
short, while others pronoinice them long. The inter-
jection of the vocative is with some /liiur, and with
others vie. The pronoun ncjio, the Yaijuis use instead
uf iiio/io. The Miiyos use the imperiect as before given;
the Tehueeos end it with /. and the Yatpiis with ii.
The [Hujierfeet of the Tehueeos ends with /': that of
the ^ 'a(|uis with hnii] that of the Maya with /v/i.
To illustrate dialectic dilVerences, 1 insert a short
com[)arative vocabulary, made up IVom ii dictionary, a
doctrina, and from words of the Mayo and two Vaipii
dialects:
IlICTIONAnY
DOCTRINA
MAYO
YAQrl
YAQUI
Father
arliai
at/ai
hicliai
achay
achai
Our
itoin
itoiii
itom
itom
itoiu
lie
katik
katek
katek
katik
katik
Kl'SJlIK
ted
aioiore
ioiori
llori
llori
iuri
Thiue
em
em
em
em
em
710
NORTH IMEXICAN LANGUAGES.
\MiVl
Y\(JfI
tt■^'llnln
tc7,'iiam
bilailc 111
laiayc
luali'lmi
liiacliiik
aiiiikii
liiika
lull
liii'li
buliiuu
bL'tiimi
UK TIoNAKY DOCTRINA MAYO
Xainn tt liua ti'liiiaiu tc^^aiii
Itii'iid liiiiiliiianio liiiaii'ii )i;iJkiiak('iii
I)ail,v iiiat/iikvu in ikliiikvu iiiiikcliut
iiivi' jiiiiaka iiiiiiku ninikii
To ilay ii iii i'lii liciic
Of vitai'il bctaua betaim
The liord's Prayor in ihv r'aliita:
Itoiii at/ai tcufkajx) katckaiiK' emteliuam cliwlicuasu
Our fatliiT hfiivt'ii in lie whu is tliy iiaiiic very iiiucli
ioioriiia, itoiii ipoisaiia (Mniaiiraiiaeiniiare|)() iiiil)iiiii[ii)
lie r(T>[i(c'tt'il, t(i us tliat lie may coiiio tliy kiiij,'(li)iii thy will cartli in
aniia amaii toiK-kapo anna eiioni. Makliiikve itom
Int it 111' ildiic ulsi) lu'iivcii ill isdiiiic lis. Each (lay niir
l)iiai('ii ii'ui itom amikii, itomo sok alulutiria itom
lirciul to-ilay to lis givf, ti) us also I'or^'ivo us
kaalaiK'kiiii itomo sok alulutiria oiioiii itom hi'licriiii
sins we also wc forgive as our ciit'iiiies
l<at(' sok itom l)iitia liueiia kutckoni iioti: oiiiposi
not anil tons U-ail fall tiunitatiou 'i: thou
amaii itom ioivtiia katui-i botaiia.
alscj us fJiivu no good (bud) of.
The Lord's Prayer in the Yaqui dialect:
Ytoma eliay teqne canca tccame emtejniam clioli02ua-
suUorima yom itoii Uejosama. Kmllaiiragiia emltiilcpo
vnim biiiaio aiiuua. Amau touuocano aimiiaben iiiate-
liiii itom buallem yan sitoma mica. Sor y toiiia a
bitaria cala ytom a bitaria y tojjo i'l litaiv'.mi' ytoiu
l)c\uvrim ctituise ytom biililae coiite^iiotiama, ca jiicna
citcbi emposii jiicbi amaii ytom lloretiiaiie catiirim bc-
tana. Ame.i Jesns.°
Kast of tbe Cabita, in tbe states of Cbibnalmn
^onora, and Dnrango, an nncivilized and bar! km inn-
people inbabit tbe Sierra AFadre, wbo speak tbe T
binnara ton,i>ne. Avbicli contains tbe same Aztec eleii. ..
as tbe (^diita. but is otberwise, as previously sttiteik a
distinct language. Tbe principal dialects are tbe Varogio,
•'' PimeitM, Cnaclro, torn, i., pp. iiiC)-^!, Tlerciis. in Vdter, Mithr'i'hiU:!,
ti>'n. iii., pt iii., i>p. 157-8; linscluniinn, Spuren dir AzU'k. Spr.. pp. 'JIl-l'^;
'l'criti(ti.f-('iiiiip(inn, in yoaveUes Annales den Voy., 18-41, torn, xcii., pp. -OU-
ST; Col. PoUdioinica, Mex., Oracion Dominical, p. 4'J.
(iUAMMAii ();• Tin; TAiiAiir.MAit.v j,AN(;rA(ii:.
m
(iii;i/,ii])!in' Mild PiicluTii/' Tlic Tiir;iliiiiii;irii is a riitlu'i*
(lifliciilt liiiiiiiiii<:(' to acquire, mainly owiiiu' to its pro-
iiiiiiciiilioii. Tilt' liiial syllahk-s ol" woi'ds arc rr('(|iu'iitly
omitted or swallowed, and sometimes even tlie Hist
svllahles or letters. I'lie accentuation alsodilVers nuieh,
iionns jrenerally l)ein<i; ai^centiiated on tlie penult iiniite,
and verbs on the ultimate. 'J'lio aljiliahet (Consists ol*
tlio lullowing letters: a, h. c/i, c, r/, /. /, /. /, m. n. o. j). r,
tt, t, ", /', //. These letters, and also the i'ollowiii;;' ji'ram-
matical ivniiU'ks refer si)eciallj to the languajie as
s[i(iken in Chinipas. Other dialects have the letter h
in i)laco oF /' or r, and :. '"or ,s. The plural of nouns is
lormed hy duplicating' a sellable;— yy//'/v'. woman; )nii-
inc/i'i, women; or, in some cases an ad\erh, indicating
the plural, is apiiended. Patronymics form the ])lural,
by duplicating the last syllable. The particle (/hh also
indicates the })lural. The possessive case is formed by
inin''\'ng the syllable ni to the thing possessed; — Pedro
h i/i/h" house of Pedro. Com[)aratives are expressed
by ailding the terminal be; — (p(i'<(, good; (finihc, better;
and su[)erlatives by simply putting a heavier accent on
the comparative terminal; — rcrc, low; mrchc, lower;
nirjtcv, lowest. I'ersonal pronouns are: ucjc^ J; mnjc^
thou; sciu'i^ he; t<unujc or nnniijc, we; oiuje or eine^
you; fjiicjji'iid, they.
CONJUGATION OF THE VKRB TO COUNT.
niESKNT INDICATIVE.
T p on lit,
noji' tiii'A
Wi' coniit. raninji' tav.'i
Thou cnnntost,
innji' tani.
You count, ciiH j(' tai'a
llu cdimts,
siuu tiini
TliL'j' count, gucpuna tara
rKUFKCT.
I'lATKUFKCT.
1 have coimtotl,
iic'ju tanica
I bad counted, ucjc taiayt'iino
FUisr
FL'TL'KK.
SKCOXn FrTL'ItK.
>liall couut,
iifje tardra
IMPEP.
I shall havo counted, iicjc tantfjopera
ATIVK.
Count tlion,
.'nra
Let them count, tar.'ira
Count yon,
tarasi^
Do not couut, cute tarasi
Ll'I ns count,
turaj'L'quo
f' ' Varogia y scgnn so ha rrconocido es lo niisnio que la tanra ann(jue
varia al.L(o i)nucipalincnto eu la gi'aiuatiea.' (Tuazajmre 'la Iciij^iia ts la
niisma auiiiiuo ya mas parccida a la de los taranniarcs.' Z'lp'ild, Ililnrhm, iu
Doc. Hist. JA.f., scrie iv., toni. iii., jip. 388, 3'M, 331, ct seq.; SUff'd, iu Muir,
712
NORTH MEXICAN LANGUAGES.
PBKSENT SUBJUNCTIVE.
If I count, soiu'(';i tiirara If we count,
If tlioii count, somucii tiir.ira
If he count, soseuucii tarara
sotnmenoe'i (ar.'ua
If they cov'it, sopuci tar.'ua
IMP'Ji.i'ECT.
If I did count, soneca tarnreyeque
He who counts, tarnyauic(iue j They who have to count, tarnmi'ii
('onutiuL!, taruy() j He who has to count, turabuii
Having counted, tarasago ( "
Of tlic (lilTorcnt dialects tlicre are five specimens, all
Lord's Prayers, a comparison of which will show their
variations. The first is from Father Steflel:
Tami Xonu, niamu rejiui giiann' gatiki, tami noiiirruje
mu regua selimea reki'ji*na, tami negnarnje mu jelidiki'
henni'i gnetschiki, mapi'i hatschihe reguega qiiamf. Tami
iHiti'itnje liipela, tami giiecauje tami gnikelikf, matauu'
hatschihe ivgiiega tami gueeauje pntse tami guikejameke.
ke ta tami satuje, teiegatigameke mechca hula. Anit-n.
The second is fi'om Tellechea, who lived in Chinipas
and ai Za[)6i)an:
^J'ami'i nonu repa regiiegachi atigameque mntegiiiU'nn'
santo nirehoa, mu semarari regiiegachi atiga, tamu juri'i
niuyerari jenagiiichi([ui mapu regiiega eguari'gua ivp.i
regiiegiichi. t^esenu ragiie tamu nitugara, jipe ragiiO
tami nejii. tami cheligiie tamuchei'na vori yonii'i mata-
meregiiegiii cheligue tamu ayoriguumetiue uche mii[n'i
requi chut) ju niecii mu juri'ij mapu tami tayoralma
qut'co.
The third is in the dialect spoken in the district of
^rina:
Taininono tehnastiqui tchuara santi rihoa razihunchi
tamupera arimihuymira nahuiehi chumiricii tehtiMuc-
huario teamonetella sinerahuo hiperahui tamencj;!.
Seoriipii cahuille chumarica cahuillc fjuianuxpu' ta-
ruhe chimera chiniariqui masti nahuchimoba. Amen
Jesus.
Xiichi-h'htcn, lip. 290-300; 7?i7)((s, Tlist. do Inn Trivmphoa, p. 'i')-2\ PhwhUl
Vmiilro, toni. i., p. '.Vu\\ Orozco i/ Ilevm, (n'oiira/iii, p. ;!4.
' Tdkclua, Couqwmlio Gniiit. del Idioina Taralndiiar, pp, 2-3.
TARAIIUMAEA LORD'S rilAYEllS.
71B
For tlio next two no loealitiea are fiiven:
Tiinii noiio giiunu repii roji'uegaehi atianio: ta chei-
quiclii jii, niapii niiireg uega repii asaga nni atiqui:
Jen<i il)i, guicliiuirrDa qiiima neogarao niu nagiu'ira; mil
llelii litae guiciiinioba '.nil lloi.'ira giiali niii cii rnollenara,
mi, re});! reguegaclii. Amen Jesus.
Ilono taini nigni'ga main ati crepa: giiehruca nilrcra
que niiibvuiii'i. Tami n!«giiil)ra (jue mmu'tehriclii, nil-
relra (jiie mu el rabriclii gena giiicirnnoha: ina[)ii hregiie-
gal repa. IJrami gogiiiime e[)ilri bragLie bi'ame ji[H\v;i,
brand giieoagiie. ^fata igui giiiea ma[)u Lri'giiega bra-
mege. Giiecagiie mapii brami giu([iie ta nobri brami
guiebavari que ebiticbi nata])ricbi. JIabri brami guaini
mane hrisiga e(puni(
.\
nu'u isuis
Altliouub in possession of Tellecbea's urannnar. (Jal-
latin denies llie connection between tbe I'ai'abumara
ami
.1 tbe A/tec.'' 1 liive liere some of tbeir gr
nn-
matical resend)laiu'e;
Tl
lese are
tl
le mcorijora
tion of tbe noun witb tbe verl) in some cases; tbe
combination of two vei'bs, tbe drop[)ing of tbe original
end-syllabk's wben joining or inc()r[)oi'ating several
Avt)rds togetber, tlie idrmation of tbe plural by du[)li-
Ciition, and tbe traces of a reverential end syllable.
All tbese are important points, .and combined witb tbe
sinnlarity — in some cases even identity — of a great
number i)f words, tbey make tbe relationsbip or tra(;es
of tbe Aztec language in tbe Taraliumara incontest-
able.^"
Passing to tbe nortb-eastern part of ^Jexico I enter ii
*< Tclloi-hi-ii, Cowpnulin lirnm. dd hlh>mn TantlninKU-: also in Sue Mi.v.
Ct'rnii., Iliililiii, toiu. iv., j)]i. 1 t"> 'IS, iiiid in I'IdhhIiI. I'liuilro, tmii. i., |i]>.
3()(1-1()(); Sfijfil, 'rari(liiiiii<tnsrl,,s Wiirtrrlinch, \n Murr, \<ti-liiifliliii.\>]>.'iU..-
.'(71; 'ririiiiiix-i'Dnipinia, in Xniivillr.i Aintulis tU'.-i \'iii/., ISIl, toni. x.ii., ]ip.
'2(ll)-'2.s7; \'iik'i; .l/iVA/iAi/es. toiii. iii., jit iii., pp. lU-.-)|; ',,/. r,,l!'li''.ni'fi(.
Met., Ofici'ti Diuiiiiiirnl, pp. 40 -Hi.
9'I[:ive no I'cfienililiincu with the ^Icxioan.' GnlluHn. in .'imr. FJImn,
o'oc., Tninsitfl., vol. i., ji. 1. 'This (thf Tiiruhnniiiiii) li:is not in its wmils
n.iy iilVniity witii the .Mfxicun; and tho ir'o]i1i' wlio sijciik it litivi' ii dccinial
iirithnu'tic' /(/., p. •iO.'l. ' Hire Achnlii-hkiit nut dciii Mcxlliiinischiii, . . .ist
do(>h ;_;ross t,'i'n\n,'.' ]'ali')\ Milliriilnlis. Unn. in., yit iii., ]k ll.'i; WilluUn wu
Jliiiiihnhlf. in IlKsrIiDKiiiii. Siuinii ili'r A:lvh\ Sjir., pp. lll-.'id.
1" ]]'iiliilin vou Jhiiiibi'lill, in Jiaachniann, Sjim t ilvr .!:/(/.'. >'y'C., p. oO.
ru
NOIITII MEXICAN LANGUAGES.
totally unknown region, of whose lanjiunfres mention is
made, but nothing more. Neither vocabularies, nor
grammars, nor any other specimens of them exist, and
in most cases it is even dilficult to fix the exact geo-
graphical lijcation of the people who are reported to
liave s])oken them. Of these 1 name first the Concho,
which language is re[)orted to have l)een a dialect of
the A/.tec, but this is denied by Herviis. who had his
information from the missionary I'alacios. although the
latter admits that the people spoke the A/iec. Their
location is stated to have been near the llio (Amcho.''
In the Bolson do Mapimi, the Tol)oso language is
named, ^fhis people are reported to have understood
the language of the Zacatecs and the Aztecs; and
furthermore, to have had their own distinct tongue. ^^
Other idioias mentioned near the same region are the
llualalmise. Julime, Piro, Snma, and Chinarra." Of
the Piro I find the following Lord's Pra\er:
(Juitatac nasaul e yapolhua tol hu}' ([uiamgiana mi
(piiamnarinu. Jaquie mugilley nasamagui hikiey (pilau)-
sama/', mukiataxam, hikiey, hi(iui(puamo (piia inae,
huskilley nafoleguey, gimorey, y apol y ahuley, C(uia-
liey, nasan c porno Uekey, quiale mahinniague yo si';
malii kana rrohoy, se teman rpiieimatebui nud\illey,
]iani. nani emoUey quinaroy zetasi, nasan (juianatehuoy
pemcihipompo y, qui solakuey quifoUohipuca. Kuey
maihiia atellan, foUiquitey. Amen.
The Trritila. which Avas spoken by a number of
tribes, called by the Spaniards the Laguneros, inhab-
iting the country near the Missions of Parras, is an-
other extinct tongue.^* in Ooahuila. the Tejano ov
(N)ahuiltec language is found. A short manual for the
nse of the priests was written in this language b}
11 Ale^irv, Ifisl. Citmii. (h' ./^.^•'/.s•, torn, ii., p. 58; O/ozco y Jkrra, Gcoijraflii,
j)p. ;V24 ■">; lliixrliitiunn, Spiirvii (J>r A:trk. iSfir., p. 172.
'■'! \"illa-Soriiir 1/ Siuichiz, Thcairo, torn, ii., p. !M»S; Pasi'mi!, in Hixt. Dnr.
M.X., Ki'rii' iv., toin. iii., p. '21)1; UHsvhmanii, Sjmrvn dir Aztik. Spr., p. 17'2;
Vroifo 1/ licrnt, (inniroflii, pj). ;!08-l).
i'-< Or<nri> 1/ lii'rni, Oiwjnifla, pp. 300, b27; Col. rolklii'iniica, ^[i'x., Omc'ion
D(WiiHirfil, p. .'((').
n Oriizco 1/ liirni, (iio<ir-\fia, p. 3'iO.
EXrruVCT FEOM THE COAIIUILTEC GRAMMAR.
ri5
Fi'tlicr Onrci'ii. and from It a few grammatical ol)f>!orva-
tioiis have heeii drawn J)y Pimoiitc'l.
The letters used are a, c, cJi, e. (/, h, i,j, 1. 7n, », o, j>, g,
«, L 11^ )/, tz. The pronunciation is similar to that of
soiiU' of tiie poo])le who inhabit the Xorthwest Coast, as
the Xootkas, Thlinkeets, and others. A kind of clicking
sound pi\j,iuced with the tongue, which Garcia desig-
nates by an apostrophe, thus — c\ q, t\p\ l\ The c\
and r/, are pronounced with a rasping sound from the
root of the tongue; t' with a click with the point of the
tongue against the teetli, etc. '^fhere is no phu-al in the
language except such as is expressed ))y the words many,
all, and some. Pronouns are tzln^ I; jamiii, or (tni. tliou ;
muni m'luo.] }«i, t]\inc] ja7)ii ouvH. Interrogation is ex-
pressed by the letter e after the verb: j<i/if'1 2)ne? urc
you a father? pn being the verl). Negation is expressed
hy ojiiii, if it stands ibr ' no" alone. ])ut if it is joined to a
verlj it is expressed 1)}' ((jdm following the vei-l). and if
the verl) ends with a vowel, by l/"j''ii)i. The 'i'ejano is
divided into several dialects whie'h vary chielly in the
different proiuuiciation of souie words: as I'or cln> they
say f/ii, or so for s*', cue instead of en. etc. The follow-
ing soul-wiimiug dogma with the translation is given as
a specimen of the language.
Mej t' oajam ])itucuOj pinta j)ilap.'lm choj'ii pilchQ
guat/au»riiuajr,mati'. })ilapaiu;ij sauj cliojai: ^h'j t' oaj:"im
pitucuOj pihi[)i'uj[)ac6 san paj guajiitam at^: talnm ajniiin
])an t" oajam tucuet a})cue tucue apajiii sanch(' guasjiya-
jiim: saj[);un pinapsa })itachijn, mai cuaii t/am aguajta,
namo. namo t' oajam tucuem maisajm^ mem; t' lijacat
mem jatalam ajam c ?
And tliere in hell there is nothing to eat. nor any
sleep, nor rest: thi're is no getting out of hell; the
great fuv of hell will never be iinislied. if thou hadst
died with those sins, thou woultlst ))e alretidy there in
hell; then, why art thou not afraid?'"'
The Tubar is another idiom which was spoken near
the head-waters of the llio Sinaloa. llibas alli)'ms that
ii I'biientel, CHHilra, toin. ii., pp. 409-413.
nCi
NOETH MEXICAN LANGUAGES.
twc 1 )tiilly distinct languages are spoken by this peo})lo.
From a Lord's Prayer preserved in this tongue Mr
Buselnnann after careful comparison has concluded tliat
the Tul)ar is another memher of the Aztec- J^onora group,
.showing, as it does, umnistakeahle Aztec traces. 1 iu-
.sert the Lord's Prayer with translation.
Ite cafiar tegmuecarichin catemat imit tegmuarat
Our fatlur hoiivt-n in art thy name
milituralni teochigualac; imit huegmica carin iti bacachiu-
lie i)raist!il; thy kiiis^ihna lis to
assisaguin, imit avamunarir echu nauigualac imocuigan
coiiio, thy will licru lie done as well as
amo nacliic tegmuecarichin; ite cokuatarit essemer taui-
there is dono heaven; vnv bread thiAy
guarit iahha ite micam; ite ttitacoli ikiri atzonnia iki-
to-day lis give; our sins forgive as wo
rirain ite iMCiichin cale kuegmua nafiiguacantem caisa
forgive US against evil iirevioiisly have done nut
ite nosam baca tatacoli bacachin ackiro muetzerac ite."
lis lead in sin of evil deliver ns.
The folknving is a Lord's Prayer of the Tu])ar dialect
spoken in the district of Mina in Chihutdnia.
II ite Ciifiac temo calichin catema himite muhani hui-
turabii santouetara himitomoh acari hay sesahui liite-
bacachin hitjiramaiv hechineniolac amo ciiira pan amo-
temo calichin hitecocohatari eseme tan huiU"ic. Llava hi-
temicaliiu hitacoli higuili bite nachi liiguiriray hitebacach
in calnuihutm nehun conten hitehohui cidtehue cheiaca
tatacol biiciichin hiqu ipu cahpiihua fiahuitt!' baquit eba-
cachin calaserac. Amen Jesus.^'
""' ' Tienen estos indins dos lengnas totalmento distintas: la iinn. y (pir
mas eori'e entre <'ll(i:', y denias gentc, es de las (jne yo tengo eti esti' jiartiiln,
con (jne lis hahio, y 'iie entienden. . . .la otra estotahnentedistinta.' /A /t./'n,
^'(^(7n<;ll, toni. i., J). ;'20. JHhti.i, JUsl. lie li'S Tririni'hns, ]1. IIM; Vnhr.Mi-
thr!(l(ilis, toni. iii., ]); iii., p. KJ',). '/war voll vun l-'icindheit nnd si-lu' fiir
sich da>ti lit, alirr (l.)ch als ein wirlilielus snndri-clies Vilicd. Ini iHstiiiuiitcu
(tenieinsrhaften niit dm andeven nnd als vnrzngsueise nirli un azti lusi'lnii
Stnti' aus^ist ittct . . . .Ihri' Ahnliehki'iten neii'cn ahwechstlnd L;ej,'i')i die '"/■'/,
Tid'ulniliinnt. nnd ('dliU'l, be.Minders gei,'eU die liiidell letzten, ailcll Iliiiijili;
der Ti'jiiyiiiiiut lileiM sic niehr freuid.' Hjsclinumn, Spumi ikr Aihk. ^j'l'.,
pp. 1(!1, 17.1-1.
'' Vol, PuluH'iiii'uv, JA'.i'., Oraclon Doniikind, p. 17.
TEPLflUANA GRAMMAR.
ri7
111 the state of Diirango and extending into parts of
Jalisco, C'liilnuihua, Coahuila and tSonora, is spoken tlie
Te[)ehiiana language.^** Like the Taraliuniara it is gut-
tural and pronounced in a rather sputtering manner.
The Tepeliuanes speak very fast, and often leave off or
swallow the end syllables, which occasioned nuicli trou])le
to the missionaries, who on that account could riot easily
understand them. Another difficulty is the accentua-
tion, as the slightest variation of accent will change the
meaning of a word.^-* The following alphabet is used to
represent the sound of the Tei)huana. a, h. eh. il, e, g, h,
/. /', /•. /, VI. V, o, p, q, r, 8, sc, t. i(. r. y. In the forma-
tion of words many vowels are frequently combined, as,
ooo. ])one; Ihile^ to drink. Long words are of frequent
occurrence as; — soir/itlidfKkitiKladf/nio, dilFicult; vielt scin-
l/iti(Jo(/(((J(f//ii;*ix?u(Jtn)ino. continually. The letter (J ap-
l)ears to be very frequently used, as in the word — toddds-
dddrdf/d, or do(idid<niH)d/nrif/(t, fright. To form the plural
of words, the first syllable is duplicated. Personal pro-
nouns are; — tn>e(iiie,ovane,l; «^)j, thou; e(/[/iie,ho; (dum,
wo; cqwni, you; ef/f/aimi, they; in, mine; u, thine; (//,
or de, his; ut. ours; vni, yours.
CONJUGATION OF THE VERB TO SAY.
PKESEXT INDICATIVE.
I say,
Thou sayost,
llu siiys,
nnciiiH' nt;ui(li
npi ii^'iiidi
t'^'yue nyuicli
IMPEEFKCT.
I sail!, aiieaue nguiilitiulo
'We say,
You say,
They siiy,
atuin n^nidi
apuin aj,'ui(li
i-Hgam uguiili
PEKFFCT.
I have suiil, aguidianta or
aueaucanta aguiili
riKST FCTriiE.
SECOND FL'TCIIE.
I shall say, anoaiio aguidiaguo | I shall have said, aneaue a(iuidiamoi!UO
'•^ nihdii, Jfist. lie /os Tr'vitiplin^, p. Ctl'.i; Ahire, Tfist. C'niiip. de Jifstm,
toni. i., {). lillt; Mnxiii, Mix., toiu. iii., p. '2(i'.); /Cupul'i, Ilildrimi, in Jinr.
Jli.st. Me.v,, si'vic iv.. toiii. iii., pp. 310-1.")'. Orozrn y liirvn, (jeniirafiit, pp. ;U,
320: )■((/((', .l/;///r(</'('('.s', toni. iii.. ]>t iii., p. i;iS; i'iinviitel, ('ti'ulro, toin. ii.,
11.43; llascliiiinnn, Spiinn def A:k/c. .y^>;'., p. 1()2; Ikrvis, ('•iliilo.jn. toiu. i.,
p. 327.
'•' 'La jiroiuiiii'iaoion os mny giitural y hasta el mas ligero raiuliiocn clla
])ara c[ui- caiidiicii <li' sciitido las palaliras.' IHixtltliiii, (rriniKiticn, in I'hinU'
id, Ciotdro, tuiu. ii., p. -iH; linscliiiiann, Spnri'ii der A:Uk. i^2>r., p. iiU.
718
NORTH MEXICAN LANGUAGES.
IMPEIIATIVE.
Let me say,
Hay tliMU,
Li't him siiy,
Let ns Kiiy,
Say yon,
Lf t them say,
n{,'ni(1inim nno
a^uidiikui, or ngnidiana npi
at^nidiiiiui e,t,'Kue
ngiiiniaiia atuiii
nguidiana ai)nin, or aguiJavoramoo
aguidiuua i'g;,'am
I may say, aneane a<:;uidaiia
I should say, aiuane a^ruidai^'uitade
I shoidd have said, aneane aj^nii'tat^'nijutade
If I shoukl say, aneane agiiidayuiayne
PARTICIPLE.
Saying,
He is saying,
agnidimi
ayuidiniijatade
Having said,
aguidati
In some places tlie ending of the imperfect indicative
is hide instead of tade.
And
As if
Also
And for that
amider
ajipia na
jattilii. kat
il-- .lidiatut
coxjCNrTT^rs.
Or
Although
Tor which
Roiupu
tiniiasci, tume
ukaidi
THE LORD S PRAYER.
Utojicra atemo tubaugiie dama santusikamoe uggiie
Our father who in heaven abovo sanetitied be he
ututiigiivnjiii duviana iiguiere u|)i oddiina giitngiiito-
thy name come thy kingiloni thou do thy
daraga taini duhur dama tiihaggue. Udgnaddaga \u\
will as Will eaith above heaven. Our food to lis
makane scihi ud joigiidano ud sceadoadaraga addukate
give to-diiy to us forgive our sins as
joigiide jut jiiddime maitagne daguito iid.-''
W'U forgive our debtors not tempt \is.
The rougliest and most inaccessible part of the Sierra
!N[adre. in tiie state of Dnrango. is the seat of tlie
Acaxee langiiiige. which from this centre spreads, inider
dilferent naiiu's and dialects, intt) the neiglihor-
ing stati's. Among tliese ilialects are mentioned the
^fopia. Sahailx). Xixime. Hume. Mediota([uel and Te-
baca.'-^ Some writers chiim that the Acaxee with all its
2" PhiiriifcJ. Cimli-o. foni. ii., pp. 40 f;8.
Siibaib
ran
li'ii.'Uii V Xac
7.';'„/s, ir,!
hin 7'/(r)/i/)//"S, ]ip. 171. 4111. Siiliail)os 'distinta nacion, aumpie del misiiio
idiouia ' — Aca\<e. .I'm//'i\ Hist. I 'diiij). th' Jfsiin, toiii. ].,]>. 4i2. ' Hui
cion distinta de his xiximes ann(pie tieueu una misma leiigua,' Alv
lUL
THE CORA LANGUAGE AND ITS DIALECTS.
719
(liftbrcncos is related to the ^[exican, ^vlnlo otliers, ainon*^
them Halbi, make it a distinct tonjiue. As neither vo-
cabularies noi' other specimens of it exist, the real Tact
cainiot he ascertained. The missionaries sav that the
Aztec laniiiiage was R[K)kcn and nnderstood in these parts.
In Zacalecas is mentioned as the prevailinj:' tongue the
Zacatec, besides which some authors s[)eak of the Cazca-
ne as a distinct idiom, while others aver that the Cazca-
nes and Zacatecs were one people. Besides these there
are adjoining them the ^fazapile, lluitcole, and (iuachi-
chile, of none of which do I find any si)ecimens or vocal»-
ularies." 1 also find mentioned in ZacMitecas the Colo-
tlan. and iu Jalisco the Tlaxomulteca, Tecuexe, and Te-
pecano.'"'^
In that portion of the state of Jalisco which is known
hy the name of Xayarit, the Cora lantrnage is si)i)ken.
It is divided into three dialects; the Muutzicat, sjjoken in
the heart of the mountains; the Teacuaeit/.ica. on the
mountain slo[)es; and the Cora, or Ateacari. near the
mouth of the Rio Xavarit, or Jesus Maria."' The Aztec
2'"! 'luilios cMsc UK'S (jiio SOU los Z:ic'fiti'cus. ' ' Xuclii]iilii (jiic t iitiiiiliaii Li
Icii^'Uii (le Ills ZiUMtecoH.' I'niUUu, Com/. X. (idlirin. MS., p. "J;!!; ix iu,<ir(h ;,
Jl'scriji. Z'tnilriyis, p. 23. 'Cmcducs, qui ad tints Ziicittvcnrnni (U';^iiiit, liii-
{,'11:1 iiiovihusijiK! II caetoris ilivcrsi; (i\((irli(ii:h')lcs itiilciii idioinuti' ilitt't i'-
...i i>,.,; /' ,, i.i;, ...,., ,.,...1 ,...,...;.. i;r,i..;i
cuti's; \)v]\i{[\ui (riiiuu'irir, (jiuirmii idioiiia suiiru iiiodnm coucisuiii, ditiicil-
i:iio aldiscitur.' f/H't, Xii-kk Orliis, p. "iSl. 'La liiu.'na incNii'iiiiii (pir <s l;i
(,'i'U('i'i 'a d'' toda la Provincia.' Arli'iiid, Chrnn. Zaniticns, ]<. "I'J. •Soluc ci
('a>^('i(ii (I Zacatcco, no crco ipio Iniliicra siilo ni a\in dialicto o, I iinxiciiiio,
sin ) ijii" era el niisnio iinxii'aiio lialilado |ior uiios n'lsticos ipn' i stropfaliiin
lis pal il)ias y (|ni' Ics dabaii distinto aci'iito.' lliiacliii'liili's, 'rcincjiif iiiul
Tlajoiiiulti'c'o ' Sobi'f fstos idiomas, 6 si Ics considiM-a dialci'toK, juzl;o t\\\c no
oxistii run.' Il'itmro <iU. in Snr, .lA.c. (Iiimi., Jiohlln, toiii. viii., p. I'.V.i; liibit^,
iii.s/. (/(' los Triniijihits. p. ('i7('); IIuskiI, Mtx. Uunl., j). lo'J.
i'i ()rini''i 1/ Hrfi'il. (ieoiirnfiii. p. (il.
24
Apostulicos Aj'ane.i, cap. vii., p. 5G. 'Dcutro du llcyuo de la Galiiia que-
720
NOllTII MEXICAN LANGUAGES.
elomont. uhicli is stronger and more apparent in tlie
Cora than in an^' otlier of the three Aztee-Sonora lan-
gnages, has been reeogni/.ed by nian^' of the eai'lie^t
AvritiM's.'-' The Cora hinguage is intrieate and ralhei'
dillicnlt to learn, as indeed are the other three.-'' Jol-
lowing are a few grannnatical notes taken from Ortega's
voeabularv.
The letters of the al[)habet arc a, h, ch. e, h, i, J,\ in, v,
o, p, r, t^ II, v, ./', //, 2, tz. The pronunciation is hard ;
there is no established way of expressing the gendi'i-.
The names of animated beings, as well as inanimate
objects form the plural by the allixcs te, eri or ri, tzi or
2/, and also with the ])reposition )ii(;((, although there
ai"e some exceptions to this rule; for exam})le; — zairatc,
bee; zcftrdteri, Ixx's; hiiKVX, sheep; kdiicn'ri, sheep;
iikiibi/iKame, orator; tihiUhuamdzi, orators; tedtza/nui-
tmkanie, he who is obediv^it, of which the plural is
(liivnn !xl.L;nnos otms Nixcionos coiiio son his Copiis, Tequrxos, Chorus, Tc-
cniiliucs y Niiyaiitiis, y otiiis (juo (Ir.spiics do iiac'iliciidii la tii'Uii liuii dcjailM
du lialilarsi.' pdi' tjiu' ya rcdiicidos los du la liii;,'na A/.tcca, (inc ( la la luiijur
iiuc'iou so hail niixtiiradi) dc suei'to 'luo yatcidos las mas hablaii S(ili)iiiia h n-
fjua ell tdda la (talii'ia exci'pta (Ui la I'mviiuia del Nayant.' I'ltdillu, ('(imi.
A', (riilirhi, jMS., |). H. 'La U'li^'ua C'ora, (]Uo cs la del Nayar.' An-idrit'i.
Cri'miai Svnijii::!, p. 81); Ortnco y Ikrrn, UnKinifia, \\\i. 3'.*, 'iSl-^; Vahr,
MUhriiUdi'!<. vol. iii., pt iii., pp. 131-2.
'^J ' La liiiL;iia mas coiimn del pais cs la vhota aniiquf inny iiitcvpolada y
C'onfiiiidida hoy con la Mixioaua.' Alfijn', Jlist. Voiiip. da Jcsks, turn, iii., p.
1!)7. 'Muchos voi'alilos do la liMij^ua nifxicaua, y ulguiios do la oastollaiia,
los hail corisado hai^ioudolos propios do su idioma tan aiUinnaiiicuto; <iU('
ya hoy on <lia corroii, y so tionon por Coras.' OrU'in, in Six;. Mi. v. liiinj-, lln-
I'tin, tola, viii., p. 5(13. 'No carezco totalnionto do datos para oroor quo Ins
indios nayaros son piiiias, (') al nionos dosoondiontos do olios.' Onuru 1/ liirni,
Giiiiiviifln, p. ;t!l. ' Es idioma hcrmano dil aztoca, tal voz fundado on alj^u-
Jias iialahras (pio Hoiion la forma •') las raioos dol moxicano; nosotros ciic-
nios (pio ostas s(>iiiojaiizas no provienon do oomiinidad do ort^,'on do las dos
longivis, sino do las rolacionos que csas trilms niantnvioroii por os)ia<'io do
mnoho tioiiipo.' III., p. 'IH'!. 'La coro otfront tros-jioii d'allinito avoc lis
nutros laiifjuos aiiiorioaiiios.' Midk'-Ilnin, I'n'cis de la lirmi., tom. vi., p. 4t'.l.
'Dio Ctn'a. . . .bowiilirt ihro Vorwandtscliaft vornohmlioh diiroh dio uiivoi-
konnbaro Gloiolihoit oinor nur dioseu boidon Siirachoii i,'oin"iiishaftliohiii
Eoriiiations-Woiso dos Vorbniii in soinoii rorsonon und dio Itozoiolinniii^'ihn r
Hoziohimt,' anf oinloidoiidos Objoot, wio dio Yornloiohnn^,' dos j^'ramuiatisolii 11
Charaktors bcydor Spraclion doutlioh zoij^on wird.' I''//./-, M'dliridal's. toiii.
iii.. pt iii., )ip. S7, Sit. ' Fiir vorwandto Spraohoii, wic sio allordiiij^'s soIk iiicn,
liabon dio Cora und die' moxioaiiisolio |^ross(! VorschiodonhoitoU in iliitiu
Lantsvstom.' Wd/uhn con Jhtinboldt, in huncliiiiunii, Spiinn dcr Azhk. Spr.,
pp. 4tS-!).
2'i ' La longua Cora . . . es tan difloil, quo si no so esta ontro ('llfis mnclms
nnos, no so jiiiodo aprondor y tiono do particular, quo no so asoiiioja i'l uUa
de las uacionos (juo tieuu veciuas.' Caco, 'I'rcs Siijhs, tom. ii., p. 117.
CORA GRAMMAR AND LORD'S PRAYER.
21
ti'(if::iiliiiatejihitmizi.\ I'liyvlc, crane; I'xrtitil, crniios; feavh/,
.scorpion; hiirkntn. sc()r[)ions. Vcrltul nouns dosignat-
inj:; a person \vho perlornis an action, are Ibrnied by
adixinj^ to the verb the s^lhihle hnne, or JiiKtinc; — Jmhihl'
hinnnc, •A'XyocAiW (he who [)lea(ls) ; //////'^^r//(Y//y////f', lover,
(lie who loves): tirhu'ihimc, sinj^er, (he who sinus).
Personal pron<»uns art;; — iienptx', lun, 1; apm^ <ip,
thon; (ic/ipn, (h'/i/>, he; ifcdinmo, Ifcini. we; (iiinno. ciij
}'on ; itf/iino. dilnn. they; hut in eonjnuiitinu' the Ibilow-
in;i' are used : — iii\ |; y,(' or y>^/. thou ; A. we; ,*.>'. you ; me,
they. Of the eoujuuiition of the Aerh. it is only stated
that there is no iidiniti\e. and the following example of
the present indicative is given:
1 lovo,
'J'liDU Invest,
lit' loVL'S,
llcinUiU'hd
l)rlllllllcho
iimiicht!
Wp Iovo,
Vim Idvi',
Tluy lovi',
tc iiniaclio
Zc lllUilcllli
nil' niimulio
There are plural and singular ver])s; — UicJiulte, to give
a long thing; tallifc, to give long things.
J'r('[)()sitions are: — /nfr^c, tzoliln, in; h'liic, with, for;
(f/)<)ini, above; t'llKiiKic, before. The peculiarity of the
Muutzicat dialect is the i'reiiuent use of the Icttei- r,
which is either ai)[)en(kHl, or placed in the middle of
the word at pleasure; — for /nii/uiHf, they sa\' nilfuiui;
for (ji/rit, rnirit. The Teakuaeit/icai dialect has many
distinct words not used in any of the otbci's. so that
at times they are not at all understood by those s[ieak-
ing the other di''lects. As a specimen 1 insert the
Lord's I'rayer:
Tayaoppa tahapoa peteh1)C ohcrihuaca eiia teaguarira;
Our fiUlirr h( iivcu lie saiii'tilk-il l)u thy nauiu;
cliemeahaubeni tahemi eiia chianaca cheagiiasteni eiia
cyino to lis thy woikl tloiu' l)u thy
jevira iye chianakatapoan tup np tahapoa. Ta hauuiit
will as tiiitk us hLiivi;ii. Our lu-iiid
hnima tahetze
us
ihic ta
taa ;
ru^ieve ....v, ..i., ^i....,
iihviivs us by wanting' to-iliiy us givo;
huatauniraca
foi'tivo
ta xanacat tetup itealnno tataliuatanni titaxan.akanto ta
sill as Mu \vu forgivu ou» .\btor.s us
Vol. III. HJ
uur
722
NOllTII MEXICAN LANGUi^GES.
vaoliro tcatkiii havoljorcni xaniikiit liotzc Imavacliroaka
help tliiit not let UH fall win in bflp
tocui tulu'ini rutalmaja teliai vu cni' clio (.'iilmata
thiit not UB reucb uot whiit ycuxl so be it.
2' Orhia, Vornhxiarin, in Snc. Mi\r.. Ornr/., Boklbi. torn. viii,. pp. r,i\\ -C,02;
.Viinniltl. Cwvlvi), toni. ii., pp. 71-HS; Vntir, Milhriilatts, toiu. iii., \)t iii., pp.
1:11 S; lliixc/iiii'inn. Die Laulceriinderimj jizltk, Worter In dm Honor, iipr,; la.,
Uruni di:r iSonvr, i>pr.
CILVrTER TX.
THE AZTIX' AND ()TO.m( LANOrAGES.
NaIII-A on AZTKO, ChICIIIMKO, and TciLTKC LAN'dl'AdKS IDKNirCAL — AKAIir-.M!
TlIK AIIOUKHNAL SKAT OV THK X/.VV.V ToNdUK TlIK AZTKC TIIIC OI.DKsT
LANdUAClK I.V AnAIIUAC— UkAL-TY AM> llK HXKHS (iF THK A/.TKC— TkhTI-
JIONY Ol.' THK MlSSlONAltlKS AND KAllLY WUHKUS IN MS I'AVOl! SPKCHIKN
FKliM I'aUKDKs' JIaNUAL— (JliAMMAll Ol'' TIIK AzTKC I;AN(il'A(lK - A/ 1 KH
Lokd's 1'kavkk — 'I'hk ()T')MI a JIdnysvi.i.auk: Lan(i(aiik dv AsAiifAi!
— UkI,ATH>NSI1I1" (.'LAIMKK with THK C'lII.NKHK AM) ( 'hKKOKKK— OTuM l
GUAMMAK— OTOMI LuKU'a TUAYEB IN UUTEUENl' DlALtCiS.
Tlio Xuliua, Aztoc, or ^rexicau, is tlie liuigiiutio of
^Nfoxicnn civilization, si)()kL'n tliroiijihoiit the greater
part of Monteziiinas emj)ire, exti'iidiiig iVoiii the [tlateaii
of Aiiiiliiiar.. or valley of Mexico, as a centre, eastward
to tlie gulf of Mexico, and along its shores fronj aliove
A'era Crnz east to the Ilio (ioatzacoalcos; westward to
the l^acific, and u[)on its border from about the twenty-
nixth to the sixteenth parallel, thus foi'ining an irreg-
ular but continuous linguistic line IVoni the gulf of
Califoi'uia south-east, across the Mexican plateau to the
gulf of Mexico, of more than four hundred leagues
in extent. Again, it is found on the coast of Salva-
dor, and in the interior of Nicaragua, and ue have
])efore seen its comiection with the nations of the north.
Within the limits of the ancient Mexican em[)ire many
other languages besides the Aztec were spoken, as for
instance the Otonn', lluastec, Totonac, Zapotec, Miztec,
r2i
Tiin \ZTi:c .VXD otomi languages.
^sl'^\l' L. ii lii vt'iHc, iiussi (liius ci' jmys u nil .Mcxicaiii L;rossiti ii DHiiiiirc, Minus
(jiir Miii'iiiii Ic |iiiil;iit iivcc liciiuconii (I't'li'nimi'c.' /(/., toiii. xcix., p. It!. Ti>
clidtl ilatziu 'fiu'cl |)i'iiii('i() (Hif ns(') liiililav la liiii,'nii iialiiiii, (iiic alinrii ;;u
llama .Mcxi'-aiia. iioriiue sns pasatUis iimica la nsMi-ini; y iisi iiiiiihIi'i (jiic tmlos
1' IS ill' la iia'-i()ii( 'liicliiiiici' I lahalilusi'ii, fii i-^pcfial ti)il()slos([iic tnvics' iidtlcio
y cai'go.s iIj ifpublicii.' IxHUxoclutl, U'uit, Chick., in Kiwjsboruajk' s Mtjc. Anliq.,
OllIfilNAI.ITV OF TTIE XZTV.C TONCUE. 7::.
l-'iirtlicnnorc, iiitoniiil cNitU'iu'c is nil in lavor of the
orii:iiiiilily dl" tlio A/ti'O touiiuo. Tliroujilioiit the i^rcat
t'in[»ir(' ol" Auiilmiic it was tlio tlomiuaiit stuck laiigiia;j,v.
vol. i\., ]). '2\7 . ' T,(i-< ^ffxirnnos. . . .soil (li> InM niisinnn lie Collin.'i. . jmr m r
l;l li'H;,'llii tinU llllil.' l/i >/'/'■
llisl. lll'I'lilH, ill Ic'ljllllri I 1^ i iil.lif lhu\, tdlll.
i., p. ."). '1,11 li ii'^uii (Ic Ids Mcxiciiiiii-; cH III (Ic liis Niiiiiiulcs.' /</., j). 1^7.
' 1,11 piiniil'iil lclif4iiii (Ic III Nilcva i;s|ialVi ijllc IS (Ic iMlpiatl.' /'/,, ]). 'SM \ sen
Isii |i|i. Ik 11. ' 1,1 PS Tcl/ciiiiiiiiw I llaiu.iilos .\ciilliii;niiii'H 1 y Idh ,Mi\iciii
. flllll ill' VII Ijtl|Kllil|,'i'
I.
cliiiin'i'iis Aiiti'MiiH
I'Stll.
\ jn'iipna, y n
titiuii.i l.in''na, \V
Clii-
ijiin lima corri', ('"ii en
caiiii.
7'.
■7"
>hi, .lA
V .Ni'iilliiia. ' lil liiiLtna
■J.I' ill
until .Niiiiiliic lie .M(\i-
//(■/., toiii. i., )ip. 111. :i.'t, II. 'r<('paiii'ca, OtiPiiii'
I'stas tl'i'S liiii'iiiiic'S I'la (liviisii, no lo era li!.;o-
vm nil
V lll>llllloH
nil' Intilaihlo il ili' la tii'iianii'.'i y uiiilliiiii, iii punli'ii Uaiii
t;il.-
.!>' I;<
,'1111 ii.iliuatl 1) UK iifiiiia, Kiiiii sol. mil Mil! cii il iliali'i (o v
flasiiiios, 111 llio.lo i]Ui' il port II (111''- rrspi I'to llrl Clistilliiua. 1,11 Ot.iliii Ml
tlifcriiici I mas il^ In nahiiatl.' r'////'», //is'. .Ic'. Mij., toiii. ii., p. II. 11-
iiRTs; 'sii
iji\'iiii I'lii
la Ni
iiiaili'i'; V isia fiu' iId la inuioii toltrcu, v li
niatl ipio hoy Uaiiiaii liii jicalia, y sc tiiiio piir
llo ill
sti'iiiilas I'll I'stc iiliiiniii, inin iii al<.<mios piiclilo.s iiur iiiiii sulisl^ti u i ii nn
«1'
I'll' a pi'i'soiuis liii n II
il.
troH iliaH coiioi'iilas ])oi' do la liai'ioii uliiiri'a.' Id., toiii. i., ji, l.'il. ' I,l)^, .\./.
h'lux, (M'lili los ipio lialilaliaii la l('ii<<iiii iiii'Xicinia, iiiiliipii' no la pl'oiiiini laliaii
tan I'liira, coiui) loH ini'fi'ftos lui'xiraiios; v cstos X'lhdKs taniMi n si' llaiiiiilniu
I -I,
'il-!iiiiic ■!(•;
Do fsliH l'/i!''lihil CdS UlloH 1
laliliV (pii' sn
iloi-iiin .\'(Ai
V'li'linii' I
1.
//;.s7. '/
"s llain iiiilosi' ili> .V'//(iii(.'< V llo ('Idi'li'niiifiis porinio luililiiliail
li''iia ill' los
S'.ih :<
liiai. iii.
Moxi
lili
.M
I'iiiios y la siiya pro
I'l
i'iii,'iiii .Mi'Xiciina;
). 1211, i;i(i, 117.
pl)l'lll
'ill ( liii'l
Loii;4iia
iiiiioca.
.Xi'ihiniU.
.'<'il,
'.'/""•
1)110 111 ipio al pr. si'iito halilali y liil)
tion losiT en
«>u la ( icntiliilail los Jlixii alius iiu os suyii. Kino ii]>i'rlii'niliilii di' las oti'
niitrciilciiti'S Niu'ioiu'S, y mas biiii so ilclii i llamar 'I'liltioa, ponpii! i stn
Kacion 111 traxo ili'silo sii jiorc^'riniiciou, liaviiiulnla piiforiioiiiiilo i ii l.i tir-
(•■ra Milad.' li ilnriiii, t 'dl'ilihiu, p, ',)."). ' Los tlii\i-iilti uus, ipio ( iiicii la nio!--
iiiii 1 'ii;_,'iia ndiiiiil ill? M.'xii'o y 'ri'/ciic).' Mnal'i-Jit, Wist. K'l s., )i. 117.
' Lo iialiiiatl I'st sans mil douto uiio liuiij;!!'^ di'jii ami 'iiiio diiiis r.Xiiii'riipm
contrail', it p'lis imritniii! mr'iim ipif I'lnipii'L' doiit Moiiti'ziim.i fiif lo cli' f."
)l-l:isriir I
!■■ I!.
■'I, f.illir, ill \i
(//i
I]). l")l, l^t. ' lo pi r'l iioii iluliito, I
Aidi'ilis (111 \'i'!/.
ho 111
loiii ]inipni (
old ;inliclii fossi! la inedcsima do;..;li .Vcolliui, c N-iluiatI i^ in. cior
Cl'iri'i' ri>, S!' ri-i AiJ. del Mcssirn, toin. i., p. l">;i. 'l.i'S M xici
iiR'j r di.'i'ir .N.^tliuiii'iis, no es su iiatiii'iil liii^'ua la f[iii halil.iii al
toin.
I. i Cicimt-
iicssir.ina.'
por
1:1
:l (pui iiiircndii'Von on Tr.^i'il''o.' /.I'lliLmrli'it!, Ji'ititi'iniK.i, h
^f^.
.\„li
'I-
p
!ir
•1 1
ili'.shnriniitii ,s'
I'lii'iiiii'i! nil xii'imo so ii-i'i iior las
iintiipl siaias na.'ioiirs do lis Tult ci^ y (.'liirltinrras.' Ilrfi.-i, l'ut''l'i'ii>. torn.
i., ]>. 'J'.iS. ' X'lcliiniilciis, Cliil lUcrios, 'ri'palii<-as, Colhiias, 'riahiiiias,
Tia/i'aili'cas y ,Mi/\iraiios. . . .todas haliliin iiti mlsmo idionia.' II ruli'i y
S'lrnil' iild
Srnih
r
'^rdirodir iniiulir /iililrtirh
-]iriic'hi'(sti' alls
doni "\r 'xik mi-i.-lirn Spi'iu'lisfaiumo. . . .sind Zoii.;i n von dov clicmali^^'Pii
Vtibriiti
d i' 'I'oltokoii iiii Siidi'
.Mil
Ailirrihlli'isc/ii' I'lTi'lhj'idhi II.
fi'i.j. ' ( hii-hiiiu I'S. . . .same fai
with till' Tolti OS, wli
lanL;iia',(' tlnv
nppoiir to have siiokon.' I'lr^i'dlt's .l/c.i'., vol. i., ]>. Ik "Dio ( h'l'himi ki ii
wi'li'ho a/.tekisch lodi
.Ulihlr
(11. .1/
//(•(). torn, ii.. pt ii., p. ;!'i
jh'lns, dioj. H. Slat., ])]i.;U-."). 'Dasssio I'lims Tvspruii'.'rs init don Toltik
..waiou biwi'ist dio iillon ociininsi'liaftlirhe Spur ho. wihlio i.oili d
'I-
10
nzti'kisclio lio'sst.' Il'isflnndiin, OrtsmiDii'i
1 olhor kindi'i'd tviln
1'
am
(I'ltll 'tin. ill .II,
llaiiiiida tolf. o
. Hthi
O'-dZ
s . .wovo of till' siimo laiif,'!! i'j,i
.^■|i''., 'I'rnhsdrt., vol. i., i). 'iv'.''.
ij !!■ rri(, (idvirdfiti. \
>. m;
-V/tios, .\io',huils,
. . .ii> tho 'rultoos.'
1.1 n.','.ia iiioxiriilia,
'I'olloiiis V ins sii'tf tli-
bns nalniatlai'ii-i tciiiaii im niismo oi-i'^'cn y hablabaii la iiiisina Ion ;r.a, ipie
era ci mo.Muaiio,
nahuatl o aztoca; pero do ii
uii'iiiia mil
ill ra succ'idu cstu
720
TilE AZTEC ANDOTOMI EAXdlAGES.
Towards tli(> iioith, as >ve liavo s(vn. sprinklings of it
arc loiind ii. .ntuiy places, hut iiowIkto does it appear
ill that diivctio.i as a haso. I'ar to the south, in Xic-
araL;iia. it is again !;);i;ul as tho stock (onguc. \ct with a
dialectic rather than an ahoriginal appearance, so that
the testimony ol" languaiie is all in I'avor ol' the plati'iui
of Anahuar. liaAing heen the i)riinal centre of the A/tec
tongue, rather than its having heen introduced within
any measurahle eixxdi hy innnigration.
That the .Mexican nativ)n did its utmost to extend
the liinguage is cei'tain. It was lh<' murt language of
Anni-ican ci\ ili/ation, the Latin of medieval and the
IVencli of modern times; it was usvd as the means of
holding intercoiu'se with non-A/tec speaking people,
also hy all andtassadors. and in all oflicial connnunica-
tions; in all newly ac(|uired and i'on(|uei'ed tt'rrit(»ries it
was innnt'diately introduced as the oHicial language, and
t!ie people were ordered to learn it. It. or its kindled
(halcctw, can be said to have been the common vcrnac-
ul;ir in the whole inteiior of Anahuac, and over a lar^ge
]>art of the Aztec ]dateaii,nltl>()Ugli wiOiin these limits
other toii'^ues were in voijjue. Southward, it a'gaiii an-
pears aloiiL"- the shores of the Pacific Ocean. It was
sj)oken as far as (inatemala, in the interior of which it
a[>peared in the shape of various dialects more or less
corrupted. Ji can also be traced into 1'abasco,an(l (^vcn
into Yucatan on the Atlantic coast. It is again en-
<-ountercd in the gulf of Amatique, wdience lines ex^ end
connecting with tlu' branches of the Aztec in (kiate-
mala., Honduras, and Nicaragua. It is also pos: ible t hat
it may at oik^ time hav<' been used won east of the ]\Ii^-
sissippi,as will appear from the following statt nients of
rcspccto A los cliicliiinec.is, annquc liasta hoy por im error in , t comuu so
lieu lo contrario.' I'hnenU'l, i'midro, toiii. i., )i. iri4 ; Gnjalua, Croii. Aiifiiit-
till, f')l. 3'J. 'lios rarc^ trntUtioiis (jui uoiis soiit ro.-itLOS <li' I't'inpiro dcs V'o-
tiuiiilrs, aiitrricMUvmciit h ''anivOo di'.s Nalmas, no iloniiciit aiicunc luiiiii'io
s'lr li's j)ii[)ulati(jns tjiii liabitali'iit, .'i ci'tto I'poqiie, los provinoos intrrioiircs
• ill jMoxiiiuu. . ..Co ([iio nous pcusoiis, toiiti'tois, jiourvoir avanocr nveo uno
■■'iiiviotion ])Ius oiitiiM'o, c'cst ipio la niiiji'iiro partio dea nations (pii cu (!■ -
pi'iiiiaioiit parlaioiit uiio suiilo ct iiioinc liiiiu'uo.' '(Jctto langiio •'.'Xxui siiivaiit
toute a])paiviK'o \v Mujin ou YiiuatiKjiu'.' JiniHucur tie JJourbotirj, Hist. Xut.
Viv., toni. i. , p. lO'J; lldkr, Rcinen, p. 379, ct socj.
THE AZTEC LANcilAlii; EAST OF MEXICO.
.Vt^ostii ami SaliiiLiun. Tlio latter says that tlie Apala-
cIk'S living oast of the Mississippi fxtciuU'il tlieii" oxp
(liti
oils aiK
I colonics lar into Mcxici
(1
UUl UCIV
ni'oiK
1
to show to the (irst coiupieror.s of their oountrv the iireat.
hifdnvays on Avliieh they traveled. Aeosta, allirnis that
the Mi'xicans oalle(l these Apalaehes. Tlatiiiees or mount-
aineers. Sahagun. spi'akiiii:' ol' them, says "they arc Xa-
hoas. and s[)eak the Mexieaii laiiLmaii'e."'' T'l:- is hy no
Me, as the A/tec is found '-'smard in tlie
means imi)rol
])reseiit states of Tamaiilipas and ('oahiila. and thence
the distance' to the Mississippi is not so ^\ .;, far.'
Of all the lanjiuaLii's spoken on the American conti-
nent, the A/,tec is the most perfect and finished. ;i])-
proachinj:' in this res[H'ct the tor.ij,iU's of Iwiropc and
Asia, and actii;dl\- surpas-Inu' many o\' then: iiy its
elei::ance of expression. AlthoiiLili \\;niliiig' the six
■> .i.v.s//(, ir<st. y.ii. Tmi.
'.I: /;,
COO; Siihii'i
Jf'ist. lit ii., ton), iii.
ill' lltiiirlimirit, /'all'
HI), iii
4'. IX.
':il;l. Hist. /■'
//;>•/. Ii
hh. iv
"ji'
nil., lll'i'. 11.. Illl. v.. I'illl. V
r
(Mil. vii.. (Ico. iv
lil
lib. h
1. M., Ct\]\ ML. lit ('. 111.
1'
111.
'P
xiii : I'll
Pii-
>l(;il';i<;iia sea v 'stc lin
X:,h
U'S, quo -ion dv 1..I. li'li'4via tic ^[I'xi
.i/.p/,,/;.
It!.
iiiii;
Ir.rjiilinln
(•ill. d" l>
('., tutu. 1., [ip.
ltl-11, -IM: Oriiiti; llisl. (ill,.. l(
illl. 111., |i
liij.
1)111. iv.. |)[i. :i.")-:J7, Ui'*: .^nl'm, Jli^l. Cmu]. J/'.c, toiii. i., ji. lis. ■ Si iiie
Hi'iTschart't, Ltiii(U-Sprai'li. uiul Glaulii'iis-Sfrt frstmlarii sich oiiur scits
zii lii'iii M-aiKlii- -ki'ii T.
mtcin
(las ist. zwi'\liiiii(lrrt, ai^Jii'siits l)iss
i; -1111 (finatiiiiMia ila.»iH ist flicyhiliidi'i't Mcil si'lir von i\vv Sla*t Mcxi
lliivirt, JSii'i'li- Li/isrlil'lili', titni. ii.
il
M). 'Esla li'li),'iia iinxicaiui es la '^I'li-
♦Tal (jne ritrn' \inr tnda-; las [■roviucias tii' csta Niiiva Esiiaua, innsto ([lu' vn
clla hay iniiy iimrlias y (llti'iVciit f-' li n^'ii.as jiavticiilaiis, ilr i-aiia jivovimia, y
I'll Ijart*-* til' c.ula piiclilo, ioii|ii(' sou iiiiniiiii'ralili s.' Mmilhlii, ll'isi. Kilia.,
j>. 5.V2. "Sic lialii'U vnn-rh •» S|.i'a. li ilaiiniii ii. untir wtlcln ii cicr .Mtxiciiucr
am liclilichsti'ii vinl ^'i liranclilii'listcu liii Nirai'a;4uai.' VVi^t "ml Ost-ln-
(/<■.>•(•/((■/• Litsliim't, ]i, ;{'.•!!; (injiiliiii. I'rnn.. vl/(;/i'.-^'''i, ji. I'J. 'La Icumiia j_'cii(rail!
(It'l jiais. ([lie t'la la .Mi'jicaiia.' HniHiiuud. I'rm'. Mli'li"iiiiiii. .MS., |i. S'.l; .!;■-
ii'ii/a, Curtn, in I'm'. I'i-^i. .l/'.i'., si'iii' iv., toni. iii., p. CiT. 'Ci'liii ilc Mexico
est I'cLjai'ili' coiiiiiii' li' iliali'i'tc oi'ii^i'ial.' I'limiwijii, Wist. Tlii.r., iu .Nuici //!.•<
Anit<ili.-< ilis I'll//., 1S1:{, loin, xcviii., ]>. l:iM; Jliiri/iKt, li'H'i. DiKrriji.. tuiii.
ii..fi>l. :ill; I.itil. Xiinis <)r!i>s, ]). '.'.Vi; linilfn.il. .V ('•«; )|' //! ]>. 'ix.i; ,/'((//•/',■.-■.
IliM. Uiiiit.. p. 224: Clii'iiirn'r. .l/'.c. .{iii'iin'it Mml.. \i. H'lH; Mumh .lA.r.. toiii.
iii., p. 'iCi'.i; I'lilni'li), I'lii'ln, p. 20; Siinirr, iu Id., note iii., p. I'lii; ,'<ipii<i''!<
Miimi'jruiili iif Aiillmrs, ji. ix.; Id.. <\iit. Aimr., pp. ;t2(l. :i27 !l, ;>:HI, 41:1;
Sli')ilii'ii,'<' I'i'iil. .\iiiir.. Vol. ii., ]). IIM); Fnnlnl, An- Aimrikn, toin. i.. ]i 2nri;
Cuiidi'r'a ,1/c.i'. limit., vol. ii., |). ITS; llmiii m, Xnt'u'Ui.f jiiirn I'liriiinr lii l]i.''tiriii
dv Mii'liiiiii'iin, JI. o; xUnjir, I list. Cdihii. dt ./(;.s(/.<, toiii. i., p).). M» '.»(': iJnid,
-l/'.i'/i/Ki . p. 212; lli'iissinr </)• Hiri'lmnri, Id., Kiijiiissi's, \). 21; Hiilliilin. iu
.l»ii'/'. Ktliiio. S-ii-.. 'I'l'iiii.'icti t., vol. i., pp. ;!, S; Orii.iii !/ Iln'ru. limiivii/.n. jip.
r>l-5; Viitif, Mitlii'iiliit .<. toiu. iii., pt iii., p. H.!; rinunti'l, t'luulro. toiii. i.,
Ji. loS; Aiinli'S ilvl. .M'mi.-^ti rin dii Fniiii iitn, IS.jl, tolii. i ; .IC'/.^/'(, lli^l. \d.
hid., p, oS-1; Id., Jiist, de las I'nd., p. H'M.
7i>8
TIiE AZTEC AND OTOMI LANGUAGES.
consonants. ,'/. <l.f. i\ ij. a. it m;iy still Ix' called full ami
rich. (Jf its C()[)iousn(','-;s tlu- N'atiiral llistoi'v ot" i'r
llcniandc/ iiives tnidence. in which ai'c doscrihcd
twohc hnndred diiVcivnt sixH.'ios of Mexican plants.
t\vo hinidred or nioi'e species of 1)irds. and a lariic
iniinher of (inadrn|ieds. re[)tili's. insects, and metals,
each of which is Liixen its proj)er name in the Mex-
iciin lanjiMia-Lie.' Mendietii savs that it is not ex-
celled in heaiitv hv the liatin.disjjlavinii' e\en niori' ai-t in
its const rnction. and al)onndinii' in tropes and metaphors.
Cumarp) calls it the richest of the whole land, and tin'
])nrest. heinu' mix<'d ^vith no foreign ha.rharic element:
(lomara. savs it is the hest. most copions, and most
extended in all Xewr^jiain; Davila Tadilla. that it is
verv ele.uant and iiracelnl. althontih it contains man;
mctaphoi's which malce it diff;<'ult; Loren/ana. that it
is \vY\ (de.nant. swt'ct. and com})lete: riavitierp. t*ha(t it is
copious, politr, and expressi\e; J>rasseur de Bonrlxinr/.
that from the most suhlime heiiihts it descends to com-
mon thin^is with a, .•^onoronsiv'ss and j'ichness ot' e\-
pivssion pet'uliar oidv to itself. The KMs.'^ionaries toiind
it anipk' l()r tlu'ir pm'jK)se. as in it and without the aid
of ffireiiiii ^vo^ds tht-v could express all tiie shades ot"
their dotinias. from th<' thunderinus and anathema^ ^A'
Sinai to tlu; suhlime teachings </ the Christ.
Althotigii the Spaniards nsuallv em[)loved th/' woi'il
Dios for (/od. the A/;t.ers offered one as fit. their TeotI,
and Tloipie Xalnia([iie. si|/lof/ing in\lsihle su^fciiie
heing. The many written A/,fcc «erni/«is. catechisms,
and I'ituals also attest i\m <'/Opiot'isru's.«( of tlie tongue.''
'•> H(rnan<1ez, Sorn /'lanf. ,
C Sii' Jii'i ' di' la Amiiic'i'i' ' ,,,. T).,rli-iiia ( hr'iii^fln/t t/my' nMjfi^'i'lii. //' .■u i^f
fon/'i^w l^/ t/f/oyirii/n dc III'/" n'ui pufo rlintfiniit '/ 1'$ /'" ' n 'in-
i/Sti'^/Ilm i'/ji -f'/firli/s Siirrunii I < ■,//i/>iiiiif'ltolfi'i'jii^i ^ 'isiHI'iyn "'
ijtf.^y, iWto. Jii'ih lie I't Aiiiiriiiiin,,n, i^< rnii'ii"f'//i in Ui,.>fii .l/i.c
'Fffj.- Ji-'in mit^'id<t, Adv(riit,v'iiif wiftihut I '•iifi»iirt)i d( t.< ^■"/
jV5«y// fl'/ivd n, l/>n fnOhneqnin d,> lo Aiiniii,.,' df NHCslni .^ •'«-
'nji', /'"'fiij ^5*^2. /»in de Myifi'io^, F.i^o' f> /f^nbio. • ■• "
SjT' A . P'.<4, MirHi (}' J^on, ('(iiiiiiio d<l ' '/'/>, en Iri •
1' ' ' Z' ' • ■'' (j'dii. ijf//iiwd hnif If I'Drniii df odm'tiii
Mo,\'.. JfJK*. C'lrl'H f'ili(/i,ii'ii/ i''l<isfjiii'2 </' f 11/'
III ''I. y lif'/ iini d'l <'iiti(i*K)iffi'if\ii ill li"l'i<'^ ' '/■
f'/fnici'i 'P Pared' s, /'/-i/iiiji/mi-iij M'lnwd Mit'uviM). •
hu
SPECIMEN OF LONG AZTEC WOllDS.
7-20
The Arixicaii. liki> the l[e])re\v and I'reiuli. does
not posse.NS wiperhitive nouns, and like the Hebrew
and most ol" the li\inii' I']in'o[)ean huiLiiiaLies. it has no
ooniiiaratixfs. tiieir phice heinji' supplied hy certain
p:'
•tic!
es.
The A/tec contains nioiv diniinuti\es and
uti'inentariNcs than the Italian, and is ])rol)ahlv richer
than anv other tongue in the worUl in \<'rhid nouns
ajid ahstiacts. there hein;4 hardl}' a wih tVoin which
verbal noinis cannot he I'ornied. or a suhstanti\e or
adjective of which abstracts ai'e not made. It is etpialls
I'ich in \i'rbs, for every A'ci'b is the :'oot iVom whit'li
othci> of diU'crent meanin-i's spring'. A,-:,:hitinjitit)n or
aggregation is cari'ied to its ^^idest extent, and words (•!"
inordinate leniith are not nncounnon. In aLiuhitinatinii,
d-
eiKl-sN llaldes oi'
lette
dlv d
rs arc usually (iro])pe(i. })rnicipaii_\
lb
lb' the sake ol' euphony. A prayer to the \ ii'gin ol'
( ' adahiiic. which is to be tbund in the' /^imijt/iKfrin
Miiin'iil (.r raredes. I insert here as ;i curious
ol' loim' words:
i^pe
cnneii
Tlahuemmanaliztli ; ic momoztlae tictoce7iim'ica/([ue
in TlJtocacihuapilli ^^anta Maria de (Juadalupe. Tl,i-
tocacihuapill'^', Xotla/.omahuiznantzine. Santa .\rariae.
nican mi\pantzinco ninomayahui. niiiocnotla/.a. ihuaii
UK K
hi N
o\i' 'tK'a,
N
nnmatica nnni
tzhol
HI cananilhuia,
niniit/Momaliiii/tililia. nimit/notla/otilia. ihiian nimit/-
lilit-
notla/ocama'hitia ipampa \\\ nepaj»an m niotctlaiK'o
ziu: i(^ ill Tehuritzin otiiiecinnomacahuililit/ino. Auh
ocyecetica ipam|ia, ca Tchu'lzin. Xotzo[)erieanatitzini', oti-
iU'clunoj)iltzintitzino. ihiian. otinechiuoconetitziuo. Auh
p ipinn])a in a\can iluian y " m(X',hii>a nimitziiocemma-
/■atzinoa. Notetlaocolictuiantziiic. inir in Tehu.'tzin ni-
fnitznotla/otiliz, ihuan inic aic niiuif/uoyolte(|uipMchil-
huiz. Auh in Tehultzin, niuiitznotliltlauhlilia : in ma,
in nonemian. ihuaii in noini^'uian xinechmo[)alehuili.
ri'itirit ]irini, Inner a I'lS! Iiidlo.t. Ifrx., 1717. Ai((i»i!n I'ws-
.tmiKiri'i Jiri'i-f (')( ii'it'i'
Intii'iiii Mvxiiiiiiti, t nil
I fistiiii i,n I
fj
litiiili, IS'JCi, JSIiH, iils.i iHCiO. jAVrionC'i h's/'irilinlis ikivh Ins
' rnlii'lsiiiii ni fl kliiiinu JAa',
I'u.
1S41. /'.
Jr'ui l/i .. i^l'J. ,/ii'in lloiitiutli.h Xinaro, Dodi<nn. JUi. islO.
730
THE AZTEC AND OTOllf LANGUACxES.
111.1 xinodimocliiiiialciiltili. iluiiin iiiii in iiiototljiocoliliz-
cucxaiitziiico xinecliiiiociiliuitiili ; inic (lUiilli ic iiiiiciiii/.
iliiKin )iiiiii((ni/ ; iuii,' (•atopaii luiiiit/iioiiiuhiii/iilliiii/. in
()iii[)a ill llliuicac; in oiiipa in ]Jios Itiritocatcepanchant-
zinco in (iloria. Anion.'
A word of sixttrn syllables, tlie namo of a, plant.
occurs in IK'niaiulcz — )ni./iiitittiliiioijolcciii//(ifniij)ici.r(ir/ii/l.''
'riiou^h tlu! A/tecs made versos, no siK-ciiiioiis of tlioir
])Ootry liavo ]K'vn [)rosorvo(l oxcopt in a translated
Ibrin. Oho. composed hy the ii:reat lo/.cucan. Kiiii;'
Ne/almalcoyoll, translateil in lull in the ])i'e('i'diim
volume. ,i:i\'es us an exalted idea of the advanced state
of the laiiLiuatie.'**
i_ <^
1 PfO't'/'s, rriiiiipti.i'trlo, ^[ll)ulnl JTc.xicnno, p. xc
« IliisrIdiiinDi, OrlsHiniicn, p. '24.
'■> ' Lii niixic.iiia no cs niciios piluiia y ruviosa qnc In liitinii, y ann pionso
<pio mas ai(i/a<l.i cu coiiijiosiiiou y lUiivacidii dc vcicalilns. y in iiHtafnn
ciiya intcli;4(iu'ia y uso St' lia ]>ir(li(l<).' .M(i((H'l<i. Ilisl. Vv/t.s., p. r<.")2. 'ha
ianujuc niexicainc est la plus liclu^ tic tonti' cunlrri': <'llt> est aussi la ]ili
].in
cav oUi! n'ist jias iii('laus,'('(« (raiicun niMt ('trangci'.' ('iiiitiinio, JUsl.
in A".
die
An)t(tkn (Ivs !'(>//., 1S|:J. toin. xc-ix., p. l:ii
L
Moxicana y Nalniatl, ([Ui- cs la nicjor, mas t'opiosa }■ mas I'stcndida ij
la
uni'va I'jspafia.' limndvii, Coixi. Mc\\, fol. 2'.tiJ; I'nn-has lii>i }'il-
iiriiiii ■■
vi)l. iv.. fol. ll:
' hn icni'ua Mrxi
(.•ana, (|Ui> auncpK- cs nuiy t
};;uitc y tj;i'a(iiosa, ticnc jior su artilicio y a^'inliza imu-lias nutafdras. (pic la
ll i/.cn ililicullosa.' D'irilu I'mlilld, Hist, l-'rinl. J/i,i'., p. lil. ' .Mal'^v.uli) l.i
iiiancan/a di ipiclli' sci consonanti o nna lingua cdiiidsissima, assai i)iilitii. <■
Dniiiiaiiiontc csiivcssiva." ('Iiiviijfni, Slor'm Jhl. i!el Missirn. tiini. ii.. ]>. 171.
J-
,s iiinv ch-LtantL' is
tc iiU
sicloiU'S. ('
,!■■
Ilisl. \
dull
•o. V muv a
.l>undaiiti' di! ]•
rases, V I'oini)!)-
r
L'l.t. .V,
iifUi
I'P
](K
('(irlnij.d K<inii'>!<n, ll'id. .1/i.r., toni, i., p. 035; Mi'dhr. 1,'iis'ii, toin. iii,, ])ii.
10.")-,S, ' Su liU'^na os la mejor y mas jiolida.' ('liziiico.) Hirvrn, ll'isi.
(It'll., <\oo. Hi.. lil>. ii., cap. x. ' lia mas fli't^anti' la Tizcucana i-nnio la Cas-
tdlana in Tiilido.' Vdnncvd, Tvtdm Mvx., pt ii., p. Ji; liolinii.i, Jdm, )>.
112; /{luididl'lt. \'iif'ft. toni. ii., p[). HS'i-3. '.Esta lcn^i;ua nias iliL;antc y fX-
jii'rssiva ipii' la I.atina, y dulct.- ([uc la Toscana.' (irmiiiili
I, lib
Ti
■1(11.
' La lanu'ui'
Lxicainc! i-st riilin ciiui
Ifs antirs lanuuis
iudicniKs; niais, ((imiiu' cllos. t'lli,' est luati'iiillo ft n'alionde pas ci
litii'atil's d'idi'i's
1 mills
straites; conmic I'llis, i-lk> est Kyiitlii'lii|Ui' dans i-a
i^truiturc, ft n'cn diiriu'i', ipiant a sfs funms, qui' par n s di'tails qui n'af-
fi'i'tcnt [loint son t,'rni(' I't son earacli re. KUc ahonde i n paiticulis in trr-
al('
Da r
M.
the ,1/('.»'. 1,1(1(11.. in .1;
Xat.
nitni'i'. ]), 'Jij'i; SiDiin'xi-iiinit
Mi,Hthlll .l/i
/. /
' IllilliiS IDl
.U<
'./
IM'
Till' ^]i xican ton
'";/., vol. iii., ]>. IIS; J.iDni'.t I'ldiiDi'sidii
alioundcd in expressions of icv-
eii^nce and fuirtesy. The style and a]iiiellations nsed in tlie intereouise
Jn'tweeii eijuals, woidd have been so mil
leeoiniUL'
tl
a- nioulli of one in a
l.)uer sphere, when he aeeosted u pei'sou ill lii,i;her rank, as to hi' dei nii d au
iiisiUt.
(ilii'ii.-i
J/M. A
vol
'1'
•'7S-'».
liponuneiation i)f the Mexiean, or Aztec.' irc//'(/".s Me
TIk! low KUtdual
1)1,
). 31 : (iidirin
Cli'niitdiinpiifidl, />)'.ssr)7r(('/,M*i, in .Mksvd .lA.r.. torn, iv., p. TilT, et seip; lldi-r.
Jidhi'n, p. 377. 'Des hauteurs Ics jilus sublimes, de la iiii'taphysique, lUc
«li3sceud aux lUoaes Ics plus vulyaircs; avuc uuo sonuriti' tt uuu ricLesso
AGGLUTINATION IN THE AZTEC LANGUAGE.
731
The ^^oxic!lll language employs tlio following letters: a,
r, ch. I'. //, i, /'. /. VI, n, o, ^j, q, t, tl, tz, a. r. .r. //. z. The pro-
luiiu'iatiou is soft and niusieal, and free Ironi nasal
sound. The a is clear; ch helbre a \()\vel is pro-
nomu'ed as in Spanish; but before a consonant, or when
a terminal, it diit'ers somewhat; e is clear; /i is an a.'<[)ir-
ate, in general soft, ))eing strong only when it precedes
/'. Xo word commences with tiie letter /; // is pro-
iiounced as in l*]nglisli. The t is sometimes silent, but
not when it comes Ijetween two /'.><; tf in the middle of
a word is soft, as in Spanish, but as a t<'i-uiiu;i' it is
])ronounced /k\ the e half unite; fz is siuiilar t(j the
Si)anish 8. but a little stronger; the r is by th*.' women
})ronounced as in S[)anish. but men give it a sound
very siuiilar to hn in S[)anish; ./■ is sot't. like t^h in
I'higlisii; z is like 8 in Spanish, but less hi^■villu•.
\\y compounding, the Mexicans make many long
words, souie even of sixteen syllables; l)ut there ai'e also
some non-compounded words that are \xm"\ iorig. Words
are eom[)ouuiled 1)y unitiug a numbei- (tf whole words,
and not alone by siui[)le juxta|)osition, since, with nnich
attention to brevity and euphouy, iettei's and s\ lla-
bles are frequently omitted. I'or instance; — lldZoUl^
loved: iii'i/iiiizfi/i', honorable, or rexcreiid : li<)j)i,rij/i!^
})riest; (<((/!, father: '"'. mine; of which is composed imtla-
zo)n(i/tii'tzf(nj)i.ri'ii/ziu. that is to say. my ^ely esteemed
iather and ivvei'end ]irie^t. This also jt'esenls an exam-
])le of the ending Iziii. which simply signifies res[)ect.
'h'tiji'iniiii is composed oi' /I'lf/. (Joil, and />!". to guard.
There iU'e t\v<) particles which may be appropriately
called ligatures, as they ser\e to unite \vords in certain
cases; they are (v/ and /'". Kmti'fiii. to irritate, to anger;
itt<l, consider, rellect; nik'UdliinloiiUd, to obsei'sc with
anger, angrily.
l»y reason of these couipouuded woi'ds. the meaning
ol' a whole seuLeuce is often contained in a single word,
(rrxi)i'('><sii)n i\n\ u'ai>]M«ti»'mi lit qua illi'.' Brn:^:<iiir ile />''iiir'""'c;/, //'">•■'.
.V((. ' I'r, tiim. i., |i. lii^ l'r'>j-')lt's .)!■ x . vul. i., p. ins, vol. iii., p. ;i!>.').
' rii'' liiM,;iiii,'i' i.f till' M'Xk''iiis is Vi iiiir apiuvhuu.iiou harsh iu iho cx-
tii'iiic' III [!>' >^nii. (. Wh;., wl. i., p. 2SS.
■■bf
Ii4
732
THE AZTEC AND OTOMI LANGUAGES.
as; — lIitliH'paiitla, in tlio middle of the earth, or, situated
ill the middle; popocnU'ptt/, smoking momitiin; ntzai put-
z<iH'i, uiit-liill, or. phice where there are many po()[)le
moving — alludijig to a dense pt)i)nlation; ciKiiihud/tviic,
{(\u'rnavaca) near to the trees; dtliiru, ahovi; tlie watei';
ii'pi'litlnii, al)()v<> the mountain, etc.
There are several ways of expressing the plural.
As a rule, plurals are applied only to (uiimate ol)-
jeets. Inaiiimatr ol))ect,s seldom change in the |)lural,
as; — re. tdl, one ston<.'; yul Mf. three stones; 7)>i<x M/,
many stones. In exceptional cases th<! plural of in-
animate ol)j(M!ts is expressed hy tci'uiinals. One of
these exceptions is when the ohject is connected with
l)ers(ms, as; — .■.0^"'''/, mud; ttzrxpiivit'. wv are earth: l)ut
there are ag;iin exceiitionK to this rule, as for instance; —
'illiiih'luiic. the heaviMis; f<'pcrm\ mountains; zi(l<tl(iit. stars,
t^onii'times inanimate things also form the plural hy
douhling the lirst syllal^le; — tcthi, place full of stones;
ivtcfhi, places full of stones; adll, house; c<(c<i//i houses.
These various tei'uiinations may l)e reduced to the Ibl-
lowing rules, riimitixe words liave the phu'al in ///c.
till, or </ii(\ as; — Ir/ici'tl. a shv'cj); /(7/(v^y/;c, sheep; zu/iii, a
quail, zo'tiii. (piail; com.npii, sick; coco.npie, sick (})lural);
tnplle. constahle; fnpi/itjnc, constaDles. Derivatives I'oi'ui
the plural as follows: those cidled reverentials. ending
witli fziiiU'i, have in the plural lzif::liifiii. Diminutixes,
ending in fouf/i. have in the plural iotoiiliii. and dimin-
utives ending in Ion. and pil. auginentatives in jiol. and
I'cverentials in I'.ni. douhle the terminal, as; — thtaitzint/i,
person; Uiivati'ditiitin, persons; ic/tcdfonf/iy a lami); ich-
cdfo/onfiii. lainhs; ichcapif, lamh; irlicnpipH. laml)s; c/ii-
chiton, a little dou": chlcliitoton, little dous; hiiduutju,
old man; /iHehiicfzifzui. old men.
AN'ords into whose composition the possessive pronoun
enters, whether primitive or derivati\e, have for the
])lural 7''//A ov/iiiii)i\ — iio'irjictijiiiiin, mv sheep; iioii-hcuto-
t')iiliif!ii. my little sheep. The wi)rds ilnciill. man. rinatl,
woman, and those which imply an oHk ial or pi'ofes-
sional position, form the plural simply hy lea\ ing oil'
AZTEC GRAJIMAR.
733
the lust letters, as; — mcxicail, plnnil. mcvJcf/; in ^v^.iell
CJise, however, the ultiniiitc syllable is acc^entt'd. Some
■words, to Ibriii the plural, double the first sylhilde, and
also use terminals, us; — ti'ot/, God; tcUo, j^ods; zolhi,
(juuil; zozolflii, (juails; zit/l, hare; ?:lz!(fAu, hares. 'Jll-
liochlll und h'liporlitli, double the syllal>le jm.
k^ome udjeeti\es have severul plurals, as; — »?/"((',
much; plural. viioiliK iiuochitni, or iniccin. (jeiider is
cum
II.
male
expressed b_\- addiuj;' the words oqii'tc/it/i or
and I'emale, exce[)t in such words as in tlu'mseKis in-
dicate the ticnder. A I'atlu'r speakiuu' of his son sa^•s,
h.
'jinjji/lxiit, and a mother oi' her dau.Lrlitcr. iKiratirnii
There are no reiiular declensious; in the vocative
case, an <' is added to the nouiinative. oi- woids eiidinj^'
in tli or//, ch;in<ze the i into c. Those endin,^ in l:.iii may
chan^'o to tze or add an c, l>ut the lattt'r is only used by
males. The genitive is denoti'd b\' the possessive pro-
noun or by the juxtaposition of the words, as; — holl, («od;
teiiahiitit'l'i euianatinji'; tcotoMhudtil/i, precept of (jiod.
The dative is indicated by verbs called u}>[)licati\es; the
accusative, by certain [)articles which accom[)any the
vei'b. or b\ juxtaposition; a>
'/>!/>
It
!<i. to have
lid rc</lli.
])reud; iiifltirci^'-ltUma, I have l)read. The ablative i.s
indicated by certain particles and prepositions. Dimin-
uti\es are I'oruied by the terminals In, /111 anil Ian. as;—
chic/ii. dou'; c/ili'/iifoii, small do,u,'; cn/H, house; C(fc()uf/ij
[sniall liouse. .VuLiuuMitatives take the syllable y/o/. The
■hill. II
ower
temiiuals lift, and /)(. servo as collectix'es; — .loi
xoc/til/". ilower-bed. WOrds endinii with "// ai\' abstracts,
ns;- qiiiiUi., good; qiidhttl., goodness. Those ending with
r<i {liiKi) jind (' iiulicuto })ossession: il/niicul/, he;iven;
ifh/iicdhiii'. master of heaven. (a[)[)lied to (iod). (Vmi-
parati\''< and suiterlutives ha\(' no ])articulai' tmnina-
tions. hut their [)lace is sup[)lied by ailvi'rbs, as;- <fcjil,
on I eh
h ett
r.. \\ hicn mean more
IVdro is l)eitir than
l\:(lro ihuaii toiu) Jiniii: hei\' the ad-
vtM'b ix contM'cted with qtiallo, good. W ords derived I'rom
uan. iii-iK'/utjiiii'ii III
aetixe. lUMiter. jKissive, rellective and nnpersonal verbs
d
huvi
ng \urious signilications, ternnnutc ni n(, oui, y((,
734
THE AZTEC AND OTOMI LANGUAGES.
in, yni, ran, yan, 'inn, til, II, liztU, oca, crt, o, (I; as; —
cochliil, lie who .sk'ops; tldvmkhlhwiid. he who has
bread; mothiMxnu. he who runs; cldJtnahitl, practicable;
ticitou'tfoiii, soniethiut^ producing perspiration; notldchl-
wuja, my instrument; iiDiotldiieqicht, our will; tlacud/ni/tni,
cater; vurodi/an, })lace to sleep; itepiithiijdn, hospital;
tl(i('Jdhii((U'i, created, produced; tdhuutlatlztli, love; tiacld-
Juudohi, creation.
Personal prcjuouns are; — nelmatl, nelma. iie, T; ti-JcKd/,
tchiKt, fr. thou; ijvhiidll, ijahHxi, ye, he or somel)ody; te-
JiKfintui. (e/uKi, we; <iiii('hn(intla, ainehuan, }ou; yeJuimt-
till, ychaaii, they. Possessives; — tio, mine; dio, tliine;
i, his; to, ours; (unn, yours; in, or im, theirs; te, belong-
ing' to others.
The above-mentioned possessives are used in com-
pounded words, and change the final syllable of the
word to which they are joined; — teotl, Ood; ttotc/ih, my
God; hiichnefl, old niiin; a)iiu/u(ehiietc(iuh, our old man.
The Aerb has indicative, imperative, optative, and
subjuiK^tive moods — present, imperlect, perl'ect, pluper-
fect, and future tenses.
CONJUGATION OF THE VERB TEMICTIA, TO KILL.
PKESENT INDICATIVE.
I kill, nitemictia We kill.
Thou killcst, titciiiictiii You kill,
Hu kills, teiiiittin They kill,
titemictia
iiiitciiiictia
touiicti/l
IMPEIIFEOT.
I killoil, niteuiiotiaya
PEKFECT.
I have killed, onit(ni'.ieti
We have killuil, otiteuiictique
I had killeil.
PLUPEKPECT.
ouitemictica
FIRST FCTUItE,
I shall kill, nitciuietiz
We shall kill,
Kill thou,
tituiuictizij^ufi
SECOND FUTtTRE.
I shall Lave kUled, yeouitcmictli
IMPERATIVE.
maxictemicti | Kill you, .nasitemictican
OPTATIVE.
Would that I might kill, manitemictiani
I am killed.
I was killed.
PASSIVE FORMS.
nimietilo
ouiuiicliloya
AZTEC IRREGULAR VERBS,
735
PASSIVE FORMS.
I have lioon killed,
1 Imil been lulled,
1 shull 1)(. killed,
] sluill liiivc been killed,
() timt I luiiv be killi d,
() that I luui been killed,
I (illnlit to be killed,
He who is killed.
oniinictiloo
oniniitildeii
iiiniietilii/.
ye (ininiietiloo
uiiininiictilo
iimniniietiloni
iiiniietilozciuia
iuiuiutilo
OTHEB FOKMS.
If I had killed,
If I hail not kdlcd,
If 1 sluiuld kill.
He who kills,
I eollK! to kill,
I will conx^ to kill,
Jlay I (■oiuv to kill,
I went to kill,
I will ^^o ti) kill.
May I yo *'J kill,
iiitlaonitcniietiani
iiitliieiinu) ouitemictiuni
intlaniteiiiieti/
inteuiietiii
oniteniietieo
uiteiuietiijniuh
nianiteniieticiiii
oniteniietito
niteniictinh
uumitemiciti
There are l)nt few irregular verl)s in tlie Aztec lan-
guage and the following are all that Fiiuentel could
find; — hi and mani, to be; hir, to he on foot; o//or, tohe
lying down; yndi, to go; hiidlldiih and Jmifz, to come;
iwizeliddll'i. h-iiojt'ilf'i, iind llhnllti, to o])tain a henelit.
The Ibllowiiig words are always used as allixe.s:
For
Behind
With
Belon!,'inf! to
Within
On tlu' othei' side
I'pon, in time
UuderneatU
jiixl, prunpn. Of, from
icaniiia, tepotzco, Towaid
eiiitlai)an Ik'tween
linan, pa, eopa, ca In the midst
tloo Together
CO, e Above
nalko, ual Before
]ian
tlau Inside
Under
toeh
hiii(;
t/.alan
lupantla
nahuac
iepac
ixco, ixpan, ixtlan,
ixllii
itie. iteo
t/intlau
tiulli
tin
THE LOCI) S PKAYi:n.
Totatzino ynilhuiciic tiuio} eztica, ma3Tct(Miehtial()
Our revered father who luaven in art, be praised
inmotociitzin, luahutdauh inmotlatociiyotzin niiichihualo
thy name, niay cume thy kingdom be douo
intliilticpac inmotliUKHiuilitzin, inyuhchichiliuido in-
earth ab(jve thy will as is duUe
ilhuicac, intt^tlaxcahnoinoztlae totech nionequi maaxcau
heaven in, our bread every day to us is necessary to-day
xiteclnnoina([uili, niaxitechmetlapopohuili intotlatlacol,
yive us, foryive us our sins.
TM\
'I'll!!
AZTEC
AND OTOMi L.VX(
,i:\(
IF.S.
•
iniiili ti(|
uiiitliipopolliuiii intcclitliitlii c
iillniia. nia
I'anioxi-
IIS
\Vi' I'll; j:
i\f
thusi^ will) 11
s (iir
11.1.
tlidii Hot
tc'cliiiioinncaliuili
inic
iiiiio ipiiii tiliiK't
/i/(|
1U> Jlltc
lU'VCVl'-
us
l.a.l
thii
t not in \vr
i.iii
i:i tiiiH)-
coltili/tli
: rim VI'
xite(
'liinoniiKiuixtili
inv
liui<'l);i
iiKinio-
tatitm;
l>u't
dtlivir lib
a
jiiiiist
I'lijiii
((iijilli.
^raiiiluiioclii
llllU.'^
IKil good.
AT
,,, 1
.^t...^w,,. 4l.^, \ .,i
...1 4.1,,,
*. .., ,. .
of Asia ami liuropu have luvii made, and n'lati()iislii[)
claiiiu'il with almost evoiy promiiu'iit laiiLiiia.iic, lait iiii-
(ItT aiial\>is all thcso fiuiciod allinitirs \anisli. Simi-
larities ill ^v(l^ds. in common with all touiaiK's. arc Hmnd
hctwccn the A/.tcc and others, hut at hest tlie\ can he
called onl\' accidental. Still, ii few I'emarkahle Avord-
unalojiii's ha\e heen noticed, among the chief of ^\■hich
are the follo\vin,i;'. The Aztec like the dreek and Sans-
krit, nsesthe privative preposition --/.which in the (Adtic
has heen chanLzed to aii, in Latin to ///, or iiii, and in the
(jernian to tm; — (jlreek, athanatos; .\/tec. (iiniqiiin'i^ im-
mortal. I'nilher. in the perfect tense, and sometimes in
the im[)erfect. o is nsed in the Aztec, like the Sanskrit <l
and the (Jrei'k c. IJut the most reinarkahle coincidence is
the word tmtl, which is as nem- as possible to the (Jreek
Tlu'ns. Kinj:sI)oroujih and Airs Simon set' in the Aztec
the lanuuaiit' of the Jews; Jones that of the ancient
Tvrians: Lan-j. that of the roUnesians, (jarcia makes
comparisons with the lleljrew, Spanish, I'hoenician,
J"]i:'V})tian. Japanese, and (Icrman. and for a I'clationship
with these and many others he (inds claimants. I'ntil
further liuht is thrown upon American philology, the
10 Pi'ilrn lie Aroivif!. VonrthnVmo BTannal dc las Li'mpids Casldl'iiui. y J/t',i'i-
c<ina. ilex., \-<><''\. M'liinii I'lirz, Arte <Ui Ididina Mixici/tiii. Mrx'., ]713.
y1///')/ii'< \'ii.-i:iiii-! (iiisli'hi, Arte ilr hi Ltii'iwi M'.i'iciinii. I'mliln, 17Hi, uiul liil
edition. ls;iS. /•V"/i')N('() de Ariht, Arle de Id Li')i'iua Mt.w(iiiint. ^\v\., 1717.
Ciiiiii.< di" I'liiiiiL Z'litiiiii, Arte XorissiiiKt ib' l,ru<iitn Mi.cicniKi. ^It-x., 17r).'i.
JItinich) ('itri)clii, i.'<itiiiii'hi!'ii) ilil Arti' ill' In [.■injidt Miw.'intiiii. JIcx., 17.VJ. .l/o-
]/)!((, \'iir(iiiiil(iriit, JIcx., I."i71. J-lit/iit^l S<(ii<l(ir(d, Arti' de In- Li-)iiii"t Mexicana.
Mi'X., ISIO, J'vdri) de Arenns, Gniile de Id Coiicersathia. I'lii-is. IsOii. liidld-
fin, in Aiiivr. Klliim. S<ir., Transiict., vol. i., )>]). 21 l-"2l"); I'inieild, CiKulri).
vol. i.. p)>. li>|-21i'>: \'dtir.^ Mitltridattn, vol. ill., pt iii., iip. «.J-lUu; Busdi-
inann, Urlmu'iuH. pi). i!U-37.
IIYI'OTKKTICAL OTOMl AND CIIIXESK Jil'.I,.VTIONSIlir. 7;i7
A/tec must stiiiid .'iloiic. its one of tlic iiuli'[)oii(l('nt hm-
guiigos of tilt' world."
J
Tlic Otomi'. licM to Ih' next to the A/tcc llic most
AVult'K' ('Xtcildc
d I
iiiiti'iiMuc ill Mexico, wii
|IOl\t'll h\ !l
roii,i:li Mild hiirlciroiis people who iiiliahit the moiiiitniiis
micii'tdiii^' the \'iillev ol" .\ii;ihiine. hilt more piirticiihirl y
those towards the iiorth-west. Thence it extended into
the present state ol" San T.uis Potosf. was si)oken
thi'oii.iihont (^)nei'('taro and the larger part ol" (Inanajuato,
and in places in Michoacan. \ era Crii/. and i'nehla.''
I-'roiii the .loiinial and I'roceeilinusol' the fourth Pi'o\in-
cial Council, held in Mexico in the year 1771. it ajipears
that the laiijiuage was spoki'n in four dialects, varyini;'
so much that it was only with the Lireatest diHicidty
that the se\('ral trihes could hold intercourse.''
ln)
only dialect of which particular notice has hecMi taken
is the Ma/,ahua. spoken in the ancient i)ro\ ince of Maza-
'[
\v
hiiacan. Of tho others the only specimens are a fe
l^ords I'rayers.
The Otomi claims attention in one particular; it is
the only true inonosyllahic langiiaue found in the I'acific
States, and this alone has led many to claim relation-
ship hetween it and the Chinese.
This (Miiiies(> relationshi[> has ))een mainly aihocated
by Sefior Niijera. a native Otomi'. who in fiirtheraiici' of
his peculiar \iews wrote an excellent Otomi' grammar, in
an appendix to which he iiives an extensi\i.' comparison
between the two idioms. I'mt. taking np the words w liich
11 >K
iiiclit iii(i''licli von ( iiii r N'mviiiidtsclnift ili r inrNicaiiisclic!!
Spruclic mil .liii SpmclK n iiiidirci' jMillluilc /ii niliu,' liiisi-liiiuinn, <hisiiii-
vi'H. 11. -211; (iiirri.t, ()rii<u ih' /r,s IihI.. ^,^). IIS-'JI, 1,S7, •_':!2-.J, 211, -JdH;
Jfiii-i' llisl. Am'. vIkkc; S'nii'i)i',< 'I'm VV/'s, jiji. liiil, 17-1; l.inni's I'lihim^'itUk
\<ll., ]i\). Uli-S. ctscci; (^Wirhrhj Hn-inr^ ISIC, p. U,"); llninhnlilt, I'lds, tnni.
). -I'l'-K ct SI
1^ Or
!/ Ir
2S-> :
■rrn 'irofirnfi'ii. ji. 17; J/fiC', l!i>f. I'oinp. ih .h
p. -
p. ]i;!.
I'iiinid' I, Ctddtrii, toiii.
»-, 1'
t"in. i.
]I«; !''(/(/■, .)/;//i/((/"/i.-, loiM. ili., ]it iii.
II ' Concordandoso on (ino no so ontii iidcn los iiiisiiids Otuiiiitc^s ilc divir-
KOS PufM
qno
mil Vi'ciiios. do
(Uo dill una luiiinn (■niirliiyciilo i
1 Ol
llSI 11 (
ie
I'lioljlii, con il iicciio do liiiviT jiiiitailo qiiatri) ( 'mas csliiidaiitrs do su siirra
Otom'i los i|Uo iiintiiMmciito so imiirohalian por In rotioas. a di-]iavatadns siis
OXlllll'.IOlOlll'S III
Mvstoiiosdo nvii liolii'ioii.' C
(7(0 7'
'Ml Mi
IV.
1771, .Il
II, Ms.
Vol. 111. 47
IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)
A
<^ 4i.
4^ ""^A^
r^o
1.0 Ifi
I.I
1.25
M 1125
»~ i— ill 2.2
U IIIIII.6
V]
r^^^
*>
/
.>, ->
™ ^. NT ^
V
/A
Photographic
Sciences
Corporation
33 WiST MAIN STREET
WEBSTER, NY. US80
(716) 872-4503
Sf
s
^
7.58
THE AZTEC AND OTOilf LANGUAGES.
he declares to be similar, we are ax, once struck with ini-
IK)rtant omissions on his part. The first is that he has
not at all taken into consideration the difficulty of com-
parinj^ monosyllabic languages, in which a word fre-
(piently has ten or more significations, distinguishable
only by pnmunciation and accentuation, and at times
having scarcely these distinguishing features. Secondly,
tlie words which he adduces to be similar, are wanting
in the very essentials that constitute a relationship, for
in most instances tliey are not even similar in sound,
a ro(piisite to which more tattention ought to be paid in
monosyllabic languages tl.an in those which are poly-
syllabic. The few words that in reality are similar are
probably only accidental resemblances, and the (piestion
of relationship between the Otomi and Chinese caimot
be said to have been established as yet."
Mr Bringier branches out in another direction in
search of a relationship, and fancies he finds it in the
('herokee, basing his whole argument on a hypothetical
resemblance of perhaps half a dozen words, which in
fact do not resemble each other at all.*''
Like other monosyllabic tongues the Otomi is rather
difllcult to acquire, its pronounciation being rough, gut-
tural, with frequently occurring nasals and aspinites.*" •
' '< X'lxcra, Dls. sobrc la lenrjua Othom ! ; Warden, Iterhcrches, mAntU/, Mix.,
pp. 12.")-'.».
I' IffhiipT, Lettre, in SilUman's Jonr., vol. iii., pp. ^^y^Ct.
'6 ' La <)ti>mi', len}j;'iu bitrbarii cuiisi ontfmnu'nt i fjiitunil, y quo k pc'nas
cetlo 111 cstiulii) y si In nius si'ria a|)lii'ai'i(m.' AlKjre, l/isl. Cinnp. ile Jisus,
toni. i.. ]). '.'(>. ' La Otomi, quo se dilata i'a-<i tanto oiiino la Mcxicaiia, y on
1:1 (liltt(Miitail, y obscnridacl le ha/o graiulfS vciitajaH. ' UriJ'iluii, Vrvii. Au-
ijitstiii. fol. 71. ' Loio liiiguaggio o assai ditlicilu, o jiioiio (l'aK|iirii/i(ini,
ohf famio parto nella gola, e parte nol naso nia pnaltro o alibaslan/a
copiciso Oil cspri'ssivo,' Vlariiji'm, StorUt Ant. dd MiKxira, toni. i., p. 118.
' Uno liuyiio pl.'iiui (I'aspirations uasalos ot giitturalos. ' llitiiihutdl, Kssui
I'ol., toin. i., |). 'i'y>. ' Dio Sprache iler Othomi /lichiu't sioli tliircli die Kin-
Hvlbij^kfit odor wouif^stcns Kiirze ibror nioiston Wiirtor, dnroli Hiirto nnd As-
piration aiis.' \'(itii\ .IfiV/ir^/flf^^.f, torn, iii., pt iii., J), lit. ' Lour limtiuo, rndo
ootnnio otix, ost nionosyllabiipie; oiiibraKHaiit a la fois tons los sons, niaisdi'--
luii'o d'ornouiouts, olle niontro, noanrnoins, I'ms sa siniplii'iti' cpioUpio oliose
do niaiostiioux qui rajipolle los t(>nips nntiqnos. ' Jirassiur de JSourlidnni, Hist.
Nat. Cii'., toni. i., p. 1">7. 'Es dura, seca, ini^rata ii la lon'4na y nial nl oido:
todo lo de oUa os ri'istico, vnsto, sin pulidoz.' Xiij^ern, Pis. sobre Ik Icuifua
Dthnml, p. 23. ' Sii lenr;uftK<' e>* nniy duro y corte.' Ihmra, lli.it. (im., doc.
iii., lib. v., cap. six; Duponcean, Memoire, pp. GH-71; Tiifqiummiu, Mo-
narq. Jnd., turn, i., p 33, torn, ii., p. ti2; Mulkr, Ikisiu, turn, iii., p. 45;
OTOMI GRAMMAR.
739
As before stated, many words having disrinct mean-
ings, are distinguisiied only by various sounds, or in-
tonations of the same vowel ; many words even having
the same sound and intonations have different meanings.
The words of this language are of one or two syllables;
a few of them have three. In words conipoiuuled of
more than one syllable, each syllable preserves its origi-
nal meaning. The words whether noun or verb, are in-
ilexible. Neither substantive nor adjective nouns have
any gender. The same word may be a substantive,
adjective, verb, and adverb, as in the following sentence;
— na iiho ii/io i/c ud ii/io lie n/io, which means, the good-
ness of man is good and becomes him well. Xouus have
neither (U'clension nor gender, which jire expressed either
by distinct words, or by td or tz((, male, and iisn or
vxu, femide; — t<ii/o, the dog; iuvnijo, slut, ^fhe particle
na has the pro[)erty of the article and, prefixed to the
noun, distinguishes the singular. In the plural, i/a af-
fixed, or e prefixed, is substituted. Adjectives are always
placed belbre substantives; — ka ye, holy man. Com-
paratives are expressed by the words j/m, more, and
c/iu, less; — iiho, good; vm iiho, better. SujK'Hiitivrs are
in like manner shown by the word tza, or txc, prefixed,
meaning very much, excessively, exceedingly; — tm nho,
best; tze iitzo, worst, ov very bad. The ])article ztzi, or
ztzn, prefixed, marks a diminutive; — zfzi herisl. a small
pa^x^r. In abstract nouns of ipiality ttie prefix va is
changed into ,svn- — n" n/io yt'/tj a good man; K(t u/to, that
which is good. Personal pronouns are; — iinf/d, n>i</tif/(t,
nngiti^ I; f/ui, I'i, me, for me; )in(/n(' mh/. thou; y. ///, tt)
thee, for thee; uiiiin, he; In, ba, ^v, him, for him. to him;
iingdJiv, iin(/(U/(i/i/', n>i</iii/i(\ we, or us; iiKf/iiri/f/l. inKjiu'lin,
ii'li/f/iii, nnijIiK, you, to you; nuija, they; iiui, mine; /*«',
thine; n<(, his.
Verbs are conjugated with the assistance of })articles,
which designate tense and person. Every tense has
three iiersons, also a singular, and a plural. The plural is
Hansel, Me,r. Gunl., p. 152; ^fuhkupfordt, M<jico, torn, ii., pt ii., p. 3G4; C<mi-
(kr's Mix. (hutl., vol. ii., p. 111).
740
THE AZTEC AND OTOMf LANGUAGES.
always designated by the syllabic hc^ we ; w'l^ f/ui, or ha,
you; yii, they. All nouns may also be verbs, for the
Otomi's, unal)le to segregate the abstract idea of existence
from the thing existing, confound both and have no
substantive verb; — nho, good; di nho, I good, or 1 am
good
CONJUGATION OF THE VERB NEE, I WILL.
PRESKNT INDICATIVE.
I will, di noG
Thou wiliest, giii noo
He wills, y noo
IMPKRFKCT.
I willeil, (li noe hmii
We will, (li nop Ik'
You will, f,'ui iiic yi'ii
They will, y nee yu
PERFECT.
I have willed, xtti nee, or da nee
PLUPERFECT.
I Liid willed, xta neo hraa
FIRST FUTURE. SECOND FUTURE.
I shall will, ga nee | I shall have willed, gua xta nee
IMPERATIVE.
AVill thou, neo | Will you, nee giii nee hu"
LOHD's PRAYER.
Ma t?i he ni buy mahetsi da ne ansu ni huhu
My father we thou house heaven call holy thy name niuno
da ehe ga he ni bay da kha ni hnee ngu
thy will come towards us thy house thy will do thy will us
gua na h?iy te ngu malu'tsi ma hme he ta na pa
here the earth as also heaven the hread us every day
ra he nar a pa ya ha puni he ma dupate he
give us OHO day new and foryivo us our debts
tengu di puni he u ma ndupato he ha yo gui he he
as wo for^'ivo now debtors ours and avoid the permit us
ga he kha na tz6 cadi ma na pelie he bin nho.
do us in bad action but save us no good.
Do kha.
Thy will do.
'" Yonqtdn Lopez Yepfn, Cdteciamo y Dcclnracinn ile la Dodrinn Cristtnnn, en
It'ri'jua Otoini. Francisco Perez, CiitecAsmo dc. In Doctrina Vrixtiunn, vn Irinjiia
Olomi. Xaxtra, Discrtncion sohro la lewjna Olhomi. Gulladn, in Ainvr. Kllmn.
Soc, Transact., vol. i., pp. 28G-98; Vater, MllkrUhtti's, torn, iii., pt iii., i)p.
115-24; Pitnentel, Cuaiiro, vol. i., pp. 120-50; Axtonio Uuailuliipe Jiainirei,
lirere Compendio . . . . Dispui'sto en kmiua Othomi. See also Lond. (leoij. Soc.,
Jour., vol. iii., p. 355; Luis de Xece y Molina, Oramiiudica Ddla Liitjua Olo-
mi,
OTOMf AND MAZAIIUA LOKDS PKAYER'S.
741
The sfimo in another dialect,
(io nia ta lie
To gill buy
Ho tHi
]>a ma ka ni liu
Na tli ni hue
lliiy he lu'isi
Ma hine he ta pa
Ba da ke ni
I la pu ni ma thuy he
Xgu y pii ma thay to ho
I la yo he
lie j-a za tzo di
Still another version of the
same.
Ma ta ki he
(iiie };ui buy
Kiia hetsi
Kha ni liu
Da di hnec
lii klio na hay
15a na kha mahetsi
Da da so he
^la lime he
Yo t-a zo he y;ee tzo di.
The grammar of the !^^azah^la dialect is very nearly
the same as that of the Otoiiii', and 1 therefore insert
the Lord's Prayer only to illustrate the connection be-
tween the t\\o laniiuaiies.
Mi yho me ki obuihui aliezi tanereho ni chiui ta ehe
Our futlicr is Lt'iiveii saiictilicd tliy ii.iuiti conio
ni nahmnu ta cha axonihomue clio ni nane niakhe
thou kingiloiu do ciirtb ? tLy will us
anzi oclia ahezi. Ti yak me mi bech me cliovazmuc,
also ia done Louvou. Give ns our bruad every day,
ti chotkhe me mo huezok me makhe anzi tigattotpue
forgive us our faults us ulso we foryive
me mache i zokheguc me pekhecho gueguetme tezoxk-
tliose who offiiid us not us must lead
liemeyo huezok hi tipe yeziz one macho yofieiie macho
deliver us from all
m
Bins
tenxi higaho.'*
ovil.
w Pimentel, Cmdro, torn, ii., pp. 194-201.
CHAPTER X.
LANGUAGES OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MEXICO.
The Pamk and its Di\i.kcts -Thr Mkco of GcAVAJrATo and thk Sigbba
GonDA-TnK Takasco of Miciioacan and its GiiAMMAi; Thk Matlal-
TZINCA AND ITS GliAMMAU— ThK OcUILTKC— ThK MizTKC AND ITS DiALKCTS
- MlZTKciiKAMMAll Thk AMl'S(i(), CH()CirO,MAZATKt', C^t'lCATKC, CllATlNO,
Tlai'anki^ Chinantkc, and I'oi'oLucA— Thk Zai-otkc and its (iaAMMAii —
Thk SIi„k -Mijk Guammak and Lord's riiAYKu— Thk Uuave uf the
IsruMLs or Tkuuantkpkc— Huave Numeisals.
Xortli-castward of the Otomi, is a language called the
Pame, spoken in three distinct dialects; the first in San
Luis de la Pa/, in the Sierra (Jorda; the second, near
the city of Maiz, in San Luis Potosi; and the third in
Purisima Concejwion de Arnedo, .and also in the Sierra
Gorda. I luive at hand only the Lord's Pra\er in
three dialects; nor can I find mention of any vocahu-
lary or grammar. It is descrihed as diilicult to acquire,
principally on account of the many dialectic variations.'
FIRST DIALECT.
Tata mi'cagon indis bonigemaja : indis nnaja grotzta-
cuz: Quii unibo: Nage cu nitaza, unibo ubonigi: Ur-
roze paricagon uvingui ambogun bucon gatigi bajir
goniur, como icagon gumorbon rpiipicgo hicnang*'): nena-
' 'Es nuiolm la clificnltnd del idioma, porquo on trointa vocinos sncle
haber cuutro y I'iiico k'lif^uus distiiitiis, y tuuti), ([Uo aim (lespiU'S ilc iuucIki
ti'uto no sc cnticndiMi siuo lus cosas luuy ui'diuui'ius.' Ateyre, Hist, t'omp. de
Ji:suii, torn i., p. 2^2.
r.VME AND MECO LORD'S PRAYEtt'3.
748
nj^iii nandazo pacunima : imorgo cabonjii pajanor. Amen
Je«us.
SECOND DIALECT.
Cancan xugiienan, ((iio humijii caiitaii impains, ach-
scalijoii gee nigiii jucaiit gee cninpu. Cliaiicat gee
qiiiinaiig, ac-gi ciunpo acgi cantau impain. l^eiite
cancan seiula gnno yncant chine ignadcatan cancan
linninnts, ac-gipaiii cancan 1nijna(1i)tan a cancan lin-
nnnit.s. Y mi negenk do gnaik gnning ciicaa velvet vali
eiiiiig, ac-gc-bo.
THIRD DIALECT.
Ttattalighnhggg igliegli ddili nhvoh hinh ggliili q(inilili-
missches: nghgnjnhgii ttahgiigilih imiddisseli (^(piilii-
Iiiidt nligguho nlighg gidiihh rrehhino, lli ((((nih iigli-
ggliiliglili woliUnlui tt;ili igh.sdiclialdi. A.^si '<ggiighli
connno nb vuhnnibgidi. rhnghehddi nbvra bbvi'hii
(l((nibb[)lipohggilhn]di, vhcbihh nh vehvchb ibgbgiiboli-
giibiddi ih <((|ili ib cbi wciiveh ildunnbnrbggiibubb
nbiiobddi inicli bMiwbnag. Assi connno abiu* bp'.bbddi
iiiec rdig;j;iibnbb Unhndifdiruidig nlionnddi abjibpiggii-
hubb. Ib ((([niimgnaligiinbOlirrggiibnbli i)bpaba'jb,
Abirdissiiliqcinib bnbidi('bb. Mabbsst'bb ribl»bi;Uirbr
ildiebiin'iibidi
Ib^lignbttabbebrr-b (Ju/bssubs.
Jt V ill be observed that tbe tbird dialect displays a
a most smgidar combination ot letters. It is a manilcst
absnrditv. Pimentel does not mention wbere be obtained
it, noi* doi's be intimate wbat sonnds are prodnced from
tbis biiddling of consonants. I give it more as a curi-
ositv tbanuitb tbe ideatbat pbilologist.s will ever derive
anv benefit from it."
In tbe Sierra (Jorda and in (Jnanajnato, anotber lan-
gnage is mentioned, calU'd tbe Meco, or Serrano, of
wbicb no spe(!imeu bnt a Lord's Prayer exists:
Matai'ge gni bn majetzi. qni snndat too. da gn^' rit ti\
jii da ne i)a (jnec(pie ni moc canani. lie si dac-Ua;! na
moccanzii; tanto na sinlUi, tengu, majetzi. Mat tiinieje
? T'iiiienld. Ciimlro, toui. ii., p. 2G7; Col. roUdimicn, .V'.r., Oifirion Z>o-
miukal, i'[>. IJl-3.
7t4 LANGUAGES OF CENTBAL AND SOUTIIEllN MEXICO.
til, Jit mapa, rac-jo ])illa, ne ni gi piingag<', mat-olgaje,
toiigil 81 (lidi piunJL'o, too dit-tiic-jo, m-llo gi.'n'ga je
gatac-je rateiitacioii; luan-aa juOgaje, gat-tit-jov Ua-
Still loss is said concerning the langnagos spoken in
the state of Taniaulipas; of them nothing is known l)ut
the niinies, and it cannot he ascertained whether they
are correctly classified or not, as no specimens exist.
The languages w hicli 1 find spoken of are the Vur. ^'eme,
( )live, Jananibre, Pisone, and a general one named Tama-
ulipeco.*
The Taras(!o, the principal language of Michoacan, can
he placed almost ujKm an etpiality with the Aztec, as
])eing copious and well finished. It is j)articularly
sweet-sounding, and on this account has l)een likened
to the Italian; possessing all the letters of the alphabet.
Each syllable usually contains one consonant and one
vowel; the letter r is frecpient.^ From the dilferent
grannnars I compile the following:
3 Pinicntrl, Cnnilro, torn, ii., p. 207.
* H'fliinilb r, Diiirii), p. 144; Orozco y Tii'rra, Gi'Otirafin, ]>. 'IWCt.
i Meuilhla, llisl. /•Jrlcs., ji. Go'i. ''rniMscuin, (jiioil liujiih ;^i litis pvoiirium
orat ot vulf^iiro, roiicisimi iitcjne tl<'f»!ins.' l.dit, A'"/'"s Orliin, p. •JCi". ' Lii
'riii'iisca, (pie c'ol'i't! }4clici'aluunt<! fii las I'ronim ias de Mcdioacaii, i stii cs liiny
f.ieil por ti'iuT l.i nnsiii.i jironuiifiacion (pie la mn'stra: \assi sc cscnuc cnii el
nu'snu) alicccdario. Es inuy coi)i(Jsa, y oiei^ante.' h'rij'iliiit, i'rnx. An'iuMln,
fol. 7j; Ikrrtn, J/ist. (fin., ihc. iii., lib. iii., cap. ix; Alnire, Jlist. ('miij). ite
Ji'siis, tmn. i., 11(1. !(()-!; Acosta, Jlisl. yul. Iml., p. Ttdf!. ' Lu loro liii^,'na e
nlilionilaute, dolce, e Hoiiora. AdoiuTano k[)(sso In 11 soavc: Ic loro sillabe
I'liiistaiio per lo piii (I'liim sola eonsonaiite c (Viiiiiv vocalc' Clctvvivni. .'^Inria
Aiil. (hi .l/i's.sic'i, toiii. i., p. 14!). 'Les Tavasijucs. . . .ci'lilin's. . . .]iar I'liai--
lUDuiedeleiir lauj^iie riche eu voyellrs.' Ilniiihnlitt, l-'s.i<ii I'ul., toin. i., )i. 2oiJ;
lifiiiiiiiiiiil, Cri'ni. (/(■ Mecliodi-itii, p. 43; Miihli iijihirilt. Mijira, toni. ii., pt li., ji.
3 it: Hiimern, Xnlh-hts Michortrnn, i>. i>; llvndUi ij Surui'unUi. >vnii(»i. p. MU;
Aniiks lid Mhiislirio do Fominto, Vti'A. p. IH."), ct st(].; Wdiipiiiis, (ii<ii,i. u.
^■tiit., )). []■>; //iisml, Mex. dual., p. 1.12. ' Die SpraclKMU dicsiT I'rovinz
■\virk fiir die niiie-te mid zicrlicliste von gaiiz Nen-Spaiiieii ^'chalten.' Ihlii-
pnrte, ll'isdt, pp. ;UIt-4; WUir, ^^tlll■illllt^'s, toiii. iii.. pt iii., p. P2,"). ' Tunisia
ceil iietto en i<i)i-te spraek, die eim'iitlijk nlliier te lniis lioort.' ^[llllt'lnlls,
JVicidPP n'<c)v/</, ;>. '2iM. Ward, speaking of the Tarasco, lias made the
Bei'ioiis mistake -/f coiifonndiiif^ it with the Otomi, and seems to think that
they are both (I .e and the same. Two languages eould h:ivdly be farther
apart than the.'.e two. M'jr'wo, vol. ii., p. (IHI. /iV/^'/icv/iie, th(f iiiilefatiirablo
Be;ireh(^r for foreign relatioiishijis witli Mexican languages, eL.ims to liave
discovered on affinity between the Tarasco, Italian, Atlantic, Cojitic, I'elas-
gic, Greek, and Latin languages. He writes that he was 'struck with its
evident a-.ialogy ' with the above and with the 'languages of Africa and
Europe both in words and structure, in spite of u 8e2)ai'atiuu of soiuo thou-
8-iud years.' lu I'rk:it's Amer, Antlq., p. 314.
TARASCO GRAMMAR.
7»
In the alplmljct there i.s neither /, r, nor /; no uonls
begin with the letters b, d, fj, and r; k\ lias a sound
distinct from that of c, Ixung pronounced stronger. The
letter s is often intercalated for euphony; it must be
inserted ))et\veen h and *, when a woi'd ends with /<,
and the next begins with /. At the end of a word it
signifies same, or self; /</, f; his, 1 myself. When a
wortl ends in s and the next begins with //, the letter
a* is substituted for both. The letter x at the end of a
word indicates the plural. Ph is never pronounced
like /; the h after j) only indicates an aspiration of the
vowel which follows: — ji-hira. Jhii'i, third person sin-
gular of the pronoun used in conjugations, may be
converted into iiill. The y> innnediately ibllowing in is
converted into h. The r and t next following a are
converted into il\ and e and q next following // are con-
verted into (J. There are three kinds of nouns - ra-
tional, irrational, and inanimate. The last two arc
indeclinable in the singular. The plural of irrational
animals is formed simply by the addition of the particle
(;r]«i. Two other particles are used to exjuvss the plural
of inanimate things; — nan, and Imniiiildi, many, nmch.
Five words of this species use, however, the particle
echii in the plural; witUj mountain; ambocuta^ street;
((hchUu'i, night; tz'qmi', morning; Iiusqiai, star.
DECLENSION OP THE WORD FATHER.
BINOCLAK.
PLUBAL .
Norn.
tata
Norn.
tata eclia
(ion.
tataoueri, or hihchimremba
(ten.
tata ccha cuori
Dat.
tata ni
Dat.
tata cdia ni
Acns.
tata ni
Acns.
tata fcha ni
Voe.
tata e
Voe.
tata vvlw
Abl.
tata ni himbo
Abl.
tattt ocha ni Limbo
I touch,
Thou totichest,
He touches,
We touch.
You touch,
They touch,
CONJUGATION OF THE VERB TOMI, TO TOUCH.
PRESENT INDICATIVE.
ACTrVT5. PASSIVE.
I am touched, pop;ahaoa
Thou art touched.
He is touched.
Wo are touclu d.
You are touched.
They are touched,
pohaca
pohacare
pohati
pohacachuchi
pohacnrechuchi
potix
poj^ahiicare
poj,'ahati
pogaliacachuchi
poi^Mhacachuchi
pogatix
746 LANGUAGES OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MEXICO.
IMPKRFECT.
I tonchcd,
I have touclu'd,
I had ioncbed,
I Hhall touch,
I shnl'i
1 hUuII
Lot mo touch,
Touch thou,
Let hiiu touch,
I might touch.
pohamhihca
I I wnH touchtid,
pogahambihca
PKKFECT.
pocu 1 I WAH touched.
i ognca
PLCPKRrECT.
pophihca | I hivd been touched,
pogaphica
nilBT FtJTCllK.
pounca 1 I Mhtill bo touched.
pagauaca
SECOND FUTURE.
havo touclu'd, thuvin pouaca
havo been touched, thuviu pogauuca
lUl'EItATIVK.
popa
po
pouo
Let UR touch,
Toudi you,
Lf.'t tliem touch,
popacuche
])auo
pauez
popiiiuga 1
I might bo touched,
pogapiringa ^
LORD S rilAYER.
Tata hiicliacucri thukircliaca aiiandaro santo avikouo
Father our thou who art heaven iu holy be naid
thueheiioti liacaiigurikua mu'litsini andarenoui thucliouc-
thy niimo make us arrive thy
ti iivc'lickua iikeiio tliuclioiioti iiokua i.skiro auiindaro
kiii;^'(1(>m be dmio tliy will as in heiiven iu
umongaliaca istii iiinonoaiio ixii cclierendo. Jlucliaeiiori
it is jiuulo as it bo uiado as earth in. Our
ciirhida anganaripakua iiistciditsiiii iya caiilitsiiii 110^)011-
bread diuly give us to-day :!n(l to us
acliotsnsta liiichaeiieri hatziiigakuareta iski Imelia uoli-
forgive our fault as also wo
pouaculinantstahaca liiicliaeiieri haisiiigakuacclioui ca
forgive our debtors and
liastsiiu toriilitatzemaiu terimgutaliperakua liiinix), Eu-
uot us lead us temptation but
alipcntstatsiiii cam casingiirita hiiiibo.''
deliver us also evil of.
"West of the valley of AuiUinac, in the ancient king-
's Plmentcl, CuaiJro, toni. i., ji]>. 27r)-309; Gallatin, iu Amer. KtJino., Soc,
Tranxdd., tom. i., jip. '24.ii-'yl; Mdxd, Cartits Mij'nutnan, p. (iS; Vuli^r, Milhri-
dale'i, Unn. iii., pt iii., p. Till; Maxiid ih San Juan Criiostitixo .Kiji-ra, Orain.
Tarasi'd, in Soc. Mx. Gi'mj., liuldin, "ida ejioea, toin i>-., jip. CiCl-dHl,
7 rhnenh'l, Ciiadro, toni. i., p. ;t(U; \'att'i; Millirulali.'i, turn, i.i., i)t iii.,
pp. l'2G-7; Aruiijo, Maniml de los Santos SacrametUos en d Idioma de Mclam-
can.
MATLALTZINCA GRAMMAR.
747
(lorn of Mlclioaoun, and in tlio (linlnct wli'u'li is now
culled Tohu'ji, was an indi'iH-'ndi'nt nation, the Mutlalt-
zinous, whose lan^naj;o, of which there are several dia-
lects, notwithstanding the assertion of some writers that
it was connected with or related to the Tarasco, ninst still
stand as an individnal and distinct tongue. Com-
parisons may develop a few phonetic similarities, but
otherwise tlie two do not approach one another in the
least."
There are twenty-one letters used in the Matlaltzinca
language: a, b, eh, d, e, f/, h, i, k, m, n, o, p, q. r, t, tz,
th, K, X, ij, z. Coini)ounded words are f're()uently used
and are considered very v\v\<:iint;—/ii)n!ti(/i()rlf<i/i'inilii-
diitzifil. to look I'or something to eat; ^•Utif<'f/!nc/ihtHif/i(t-
htiiiiikii/iiiinfiij 1 give a good example. Ciender is ex-
pressed and there is also a declension. Theie is a
singular, a dual, and a plural; the dual is designared
by the preposition f/ic; —hiicmd, the man; t/aiDii, the two
men. The plural is designated by the preposition nc; —
W)n(i, the men; ))ut there are s(ime inanimate substan-
tives with which this latter preposition is not used.
The personal pn)n(>uns are: — /v///, I; hthnclnil, hi-
k'Hehl, hfJi'iit'/irhi^WL' two; kdhthnit'i. hdelicln^Wiy, hdidc/il,
thou; btcJaJiiij. ^ou two; hichohin, you; hitlaJmi. he;
int/ichtiL'/iK(, they two; uitheluw, they. I'osse.ssives; —
uitejeh, mine; hixnhjeh, thine; niijelt intht'hKi, his.
CONJUGATION OF THE VEUH TO LOVE.
PKESENT INDICATIVK.
blNOULAU.
kitiitntoclii
kit'itnchi, or kikitutoclii
kitutochi
I love,
Tliim lovcst,
Ho lovis.
We two lovo,
Ytm two love,
They two love,
DUAL,.
kiknentntothi
ki(;lieiitiitochi
kikueiitiitoehi
8 ' Estos tolnona, y ]ior otro nombro MaUdttlnr/in, no hiiblaban la lengua
njexieauii, sino otra flifcrciitc j' olwcnra. . .y su leiifjt'.m i)i'oi>iii dc cllos, no
careco dc la It'tiM R.' Suhinjnn, ll'isl. (reii., toni. iii., HI), x., )>. 12'J; (Jrijalwt,
Cron. Aaijudui, fol. 75; Brasseur cie JJourbourj, L'xqaissvs, p. UJ,
748 LA\GUA(JES OF CENTIIAL AND SOUTHERN MEXICO.
Wt' InVP,
Yiiii love,
Tlit> love,
IMPKIilKir.
I loved, kiinitututochi
I hIiuU luvo,
Let nie love,
kikuclii'iitntdolil
kiclu'lii'iitutdi'hi
kiroutiituclii
I'KRFECT.
I I Lave loved, kitubutochi
FCTUIIK.
kiiutouhi, or takimitututocbi
IMrElUTIVK.
kutocbi
PASSIVX.
We are loveil, kitoebikakcbebi
I ain lovj'd, kitodiikikaki
We two are loved, kitochibuehuikakuebi
KKIXKXIVK.
I love myself, kitutecocbi
Ho vbo lovcH, iumututocbi | He wbo will love,
inkakatutochi
LOUD S rRAVKR.
Kaljotimtaiiki kizliocliori y|)i\ tiy tharelietomoyuhbu-
Fatber our tbou art above iu beaven sjiuctititd be
tolmi inituvuli tapiio nitubeye tharetclioliui iiiuniliami
tby uauK' «.umo tby kingdom d\> above tbe eartb
inkituluMiahni ipii/ka lietoliehui }pivtiy. Adiii ripali-
tby will as it iw doue iu beaven. To-day
kohbi iiiljotumebui iiidalimutze diheinindikcl)! inl)o-
give us our brer ' every day fi)rt;ivu us
tiil>iicbodu pukutiieiitukahmindi indoribiiel>ikeli nuxi-
our fault as we forgive our debtors
nieiikai'ibecbi kchbi mulie disbedanita kebbi pinita
let us nut fall us aud deliver us from
inbuti.''
evil.
A laiiguasre spoken in Tobica, tbe Ocuiltec, is men-
tioned by Sabiigun and Grijabia, about wbicb, except-
ing tbe name only, no information can be obtained.*"
Principally- in the state of Oajaca, but also in parts
9 Pimentel Cundro, torn, i., pp. 499-539; Guevara, Arte Doctrinal, in Snc.
Mcx. Geoij., JioldiH, tom. ix., pp. 197-2G0; Vater, Mitlir'nJates, toui. iii., pt iii.,
p. 1-2(3.
10 ' OcuUteaas, viven en el distrito de Toluca, en tierras y terniinos suyos,
son de la misnia vida, y costumbre de los de bv Toluca, aunque su lenguage
es diferente.' SdlaniHii, Hist. Gen., tom. iii., lib. x., p. 130. 'Ocuilteca, que
es lengua singular de aquel i>ueblo, y do solo oebo visitas, quo tenia sujetus
asi, y assi somos solos, los que la sabemos.' Grijalua, Cron. Auyustin, fol. 75.
DI.VLEiTS OF THE MIZTEC LAXdlAUE.
T4n
of tlie pi't'Si'iit states of PiH'Ma and (iiicrrcro. the Mi/-
tc'c^ liiii.:iiii2t' is snoki'ii even to thisdav. Of this liin-
giiiifi'' Mu'iH !M'o iMiiny (liaUrts, of which tho iollowiiii^
arc iiu'iitioikod as cliief; — tlic 'r«'i>ii/,('iiIiiiio. tlio ^'an-
gtlistlaii, the ^[i/t('( bajo, tlio Miztoc alto, the Cuix-
laliiiac, the Thixiaco, the Ciiihipa, tht' Micthmtoiigo,
the 'I'amazidapa. the Xaltei»ee, and the N(M'lii/,thin. As
related to the Mi/tee, the Chocho, or ('hiiehon. also an
Oajaca idiom, is mentioned." A- the Mizlecs are «ien-
orally (dassed amon^' tlie autoehth'Vies of Mexi(!o, their
lanjiiia^c is considered as of |rieat antiijuitv, beinj;
8[M)ken of in connection with luit "f the I iniecs and
Xicalaneas.'" Almost all of mo oli] mi-sionaiies coni-
])lained of the dillicnlty of ac(iniriii;' this tonjiue and
its many dialects, which nocessiiattd often a threefold
or fourfold study.''
The Mi/tec may l)c written l)v moans of the follow-
ing letters: — a, c/i. tJ, e, h, i, j, /', )n. n. n. o. cS. t, }i, i\ ,/r
or It's, (/!<, y, z. (hi, ml, tn, I'h. The pronunciation is very
clear; the h is aspirated; v is as in Kni:lish; ///, ntf,
and tn, are n<(sa/. I^ong words are of fictiuent occnr-
rence. I jiiv(; two of seventeen syllahles each; — ijodoijo-
h(i.'"(ii)(li'<iif<ll''iii(lii/(»<(nin'ti)<t/iifni(i/niii. to walk stumhlinjr;
and i/()kiiri(i/inat'uiludlu<)tncuihiuiti(sui<Jl><(i/nifii, to concili-
" 'YimiKino 111 loiigna los htxze gpnoralnipnto h todos vnos on imichos
partes la liaii iliftTciiciiulo on syliibiis, y niodd dc inuiimici irLis, [hmk lodos
HO coniiinicim, y cntii'iidi'ii.' liariiod, iiimi. Ifrsrriji.. toiii. i., ful. 127, l.'tli;
(rrijaliid, Cron. Ah'IhsHh, p. 75; lims-fiur ile ll'mrliDKrii, HsiikI-isis, pp. lit (I;
Ln't, S'ont^ Drlti-i. p. 'Jiid; llwrera. Hist. <>i')i.. dec. iii., ld>. iii., cnp. xii-xiii.;
Orozcn 1/ Ikrru, ili-niird/iii, )ip. IHO-IM!; \"d!<i-S(jili)r y Httnrhv', Tli'dtru, tout,
ii., !>. l."17; /lO/i'-s'i/, Hist, clii/djut, p. 712.
'2 Tiiriinpmsidit, Minntiuj. Iml., toiii. i., ji. 32. ' Ein Viilk, diis zu drii
Autoc'htli.mt'ii von Mfxic.i ^'cluirt.' Ilnsrliiiiiutn, Ortsxittinn, p. IS.
1 < ' Misticiv, cnyii ciifi'Vii pronnnciiicidn sc vii!f ul^'unas vc/fs do Ins na-
rizps. y tii'iio niuchos cipiiuipoos ipif la lia/i-n df mayor ditiriiltad.' Ihiril'i
J'aiUIki, Ifist. Fnvl. .l/r,r., p. Cil. 'La lon^^'ua diliciilt >sissiiiia on la i)roimn-
ciacion, con nolal)!' vaiii'<lad do torniinos y vo/cs on vnos y otios I'liolilns.'
liimjon, Vakstrii, //i.v/., ])t i., fol. 211. ' (^no c-onio oran Domonios so valian
do lii inalicins.i astnoii do varia'. la vozos y vooatilos on osta lcnL;ua, asi jiaia
los Palaoiosde losCa/iipios con • nuinos ronoroiicialos, oomo |),ira los ldol<n
con parabolos, y tropos, quo solits los sativ.pas los uprmilian, y oomo orii
aqui lo mas corrtipto.' hi., (leoij. Ihsrrip., to: i. i., fol. l.")i'>. ' I,a lcii^,'na do
aqnoUa naoion. (jno os difioultosa de saborso, jior la yran ocpiinocaoion do los
booahlos, i)ara oiiy i distincion es uecossario vsar do onliiiai-io del sonido do
la nariz y aspinioion dol nVicnto.' Remcsdl, lii.st. Clii/'ijut, p. ;}21. 'Sor In
Leni;na ditioidto-ia do apronder, por lus muchas cquiiiooacioues qtie tiene.'
Ddoila, Ttairo Ecks., torn, i., p. loG.
750 LANGUAGES OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MEXICO.
ute the jrooil graces of a person. Words are compounded
or agglutinated in five different ways; — First, without
changing either of the component words, as; — i/ntnu,
tree; and kuihi, fruit; yiitnukuihi, fruit-tree. Second,
one of tlie component words changes, as; — hitdlia, good,
and mha, no; hahuaha^ bad. Tliird, words whidi are
first divided and cut up, are afterward, so to say,
j)atciied together again. Fourth, one word is interca-
lated with another; as; — ijosinhuU, 1 know; indiu, an
estimable thing; yosinlmaniiuU, I love or esteem.
There are niiuiy words in this language which ex-
press quite diilerent things, according to thc! con-
nection in which they are used, as; — ijonihthtmli,
1 accompany somebody, means also I ask; yoj/ii/tiiiudl.,
I counsel, signifies also, I go to receive somebody
on the road; also, let us go; etc. Reverential terms
are of frefjuent occurrence, necessitating alnu)st a sep-
arate language when addressing superiors. For in-
stance: — noho, ieeth; y('J>')i>/a yuchira, teeth of a lord;
(Izlfiii, nose; diUiiyd, nose of a lord; iholm, cars; tnn-
hoyn, ears of a h)rd. There is no rcguhu' ])lural,
but plundity is expressed by the word 'many,' or
the number. Personal j)ronouns are; — 1, si»eaking to
inferiors or equals, dnlui, ndi; I, speaking with su-
[)eriors, rindztnlK, iladm, ndm] thou, doJio, iido] thou,
used by females speaking to their children, d'lya^ add;
you, or your honor, di,^i, ludhii, 'nl; he, td, fey. yidma-
she, Hd, (also used by women sjieaking of men); he
or she, speaking respectfully, yd, iya; we, mJoo', you,
doho; they, td, (<iy, ynkiid. The pronouns, vdi. vdo, td,
are affixed to the verb; and the pronouns, didm^ doho,
and tdi, are prefixed ; hddxddd, is usually ])renxed ; riddnd
or luhid. allixed; (?/.s'/, and imiinl, are generally prelixed,
III is allixed; diyd, is prefixed and na, ndoo, and yd, are
affixed.
CONJUGATION OF THE VERB TO SIN.
PRESENT INDICATIVE.
I sin, yotlzateviiindi I IIi> hIus,
Thou sinnest, yotlzitttvuiudo | Wo sin,
yodzfitrvnita
yodzutuvuiudoo
MIZTEC GRAMMAR AND LORD'S PRAYERS.
751
IMPERFKCT.
I sinned, nidziitevuindi
Fir.ST FUTURK
I shall sin, dzutevuiudi
PLUPERFECT.
I I had sinned, Huuidzatevmndi
SECOND FOTURE.
I I shall have sinned, sadztitcvuikandi
IMPERATIVE.
lift nie sin, nadzatovuindi
Sin tlioii, dziitevui
Let hiui, ur them sin, uudzutevuita
Let ns sin.
Sin you.
nndzatevnindoo
cLidzatevui
Vorl)al nouiiH are formed l)y prefixing the svllaljle s</,
or Sdsl, to tlie present indicative of the verb. Regarding
the dialects of tlie Miztec, Timentel quotes the folkming
iVom Father Ueycs' grammar. All the dialects xmiy be
grouped into two principal languages, which are those
of Tepuzculula and Yangiiitlan. I'hat of Tepuzculula is
the best understood throughout the district of Mi/teca.
I'he Tater Xoster in the Tepuzcidida dialect is as fol-
lows.
Dzutundoo 3'odzikani andevui nakakunahihuahandoo,
Our father thou art heaven let us praise,
sananini nakisi santoniisini nakuvui fiuufiayevui inini
thy name come thy kin^^dom be done (in the) world thy will
dzavuatnaha yokuvui andevui. Dzitandoo yutnaa yutnaa
as also be done (in) heaven. Our bread each day
tasinisindo huitno dzaandoui kuachisindoo dztivuatnaha
give us much to-day for^jive us our sins as well as
yodzandoondoo suhani sindoo huasa kivuiuahani nukui-
vve l'oi|,'ive debtor ours not lead us wo
tandodzondoo kuachi tavuinahani sitfiahuahua. Dzavua
will fall in sin deliver you from evil. bo
nakuvui.
be it uuvde.
For the purpose of illustrating the difference between
the dialects, 1 insert two other Pater Xosters, the first
of Miztec bajo, and the second of the alto dialect:
Ih'itundo hiadicani andivi uacui'i hii na nilnini: na-
quixidica satonixiiu': nacuu ndi'idu I'nini fuinahivi
y6h»'» daguatnaha vo cuu ini andivi. Ditrmdo itiun
iti'an taxinia nundi vichi: tc dandooni cuachindi dagua
tnaha dandoondi naa ni dativi lunidi: te niaza danani
ntziuhu uncaguandi na dativindi: te cuneguahanindi
nuu nditaca fia unguaha. Duha na cuu Jesus.
752 LANGUAGES OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHEEN MEXICO.
Dzutujo iyoxicani andivi nacui hii fianjinini. Xa-
qiiixi xatoiiiixini. Xacahui n<ludzuiiiini ufiaiviyuli5,
saiuiatna yoci'ihui ini andivi. Dzitayo itian itian ta-
xini niindi vichi: sandoo-ni cuacliiyo, .sahuatanlia yo
sandondi nauidzativi nundi taun-sayiiliani fiacanaca-
luiandi zadzativiudi. Sacacimino fialiani nuu nditaca
fia lumliua. Dzaa nacuu lya lesus."
Another laiit>iiage, said to be connected with the
Miztec is the Aniiisgo. Wedged in between the Miztec
and Zapotec are several tongues, of which, excepting a
few Lord's Prayers, I find nothing mentioned but the
names; it is not improbable that some of them were
only dialects of either the Miztec or Zapotec. Tiiese
are the Mazatcc, Cuicatec, and C'hinantec, which latter
is described as a very guttural tongue, with a ratlier
indistinct pronunciation, so that it is difficult to dis-
tinguish the vowels; further there are mentioned tlie
Chatino, Tlapanec, and Popoluca.^^ Orozco y lierra de-
clares that the following names designate the I'opoluca in
different states. Thus the Cliocho, Chochona, or C'hucli-
on, is said by him to have been called, — in Tuebla,
the Popoluca; in Guerrero, the Tlapanec ; in Michoacan,
the Teco; and in Guatemala, the Pupuluca.'*^ Of these
languages I have the following Lord's Prayers:
(MIOCIIO OR CIIUCIION.
Thanay theeningariuhi athiytnuthu y nay ditliini
achuua dincliaxiili atatc^u ndithetat(,"u cagiini, nchi-
yatheetatyu ngarmhi andaatateu sayermhi y tcama caa-
'■» r'uiioitil, Ciuiilm, toni. i., pp. 41-70; Vnier, MUhrhlaton, torn. iii.. jit
iii., pp. ;U— 11; (Jitkcisino del F. lilpaldo, tnulucida ul Miskco; Ctderixmo m
idi<»n(t Mixt'co,
i> Hcini'sid, Hist. Chi/fipn, p. 712. Chinantec 'con 1ft diftcultnd do In
prominciiii'ioii, y vozcs tiiiuMpiiuoeiirt que con vn lucsmo tentiino iiiiLKblauilo
o mils rcfio dicliD si^,'nilioii disonaute seutido. ' ' I'or que la locuciiiu en
entro dioiitcs, violoiita, y non L.s acccidas de consonantcs as))fras, nitifiiHus
las Vdi'alcs, sin distiiicioTi vnas de otras que pareciaii brainidos. mas qxw
torniiiiDs th' loi^ucion.' liariion, Geoq. Jhncrip., toiu. i., ful. 183., toui. ii.,
f.)l. 2St, 2Si;; VUI<i.S"w>r !/ S^nu'JiPi, Thonlvn. toin. ii., j)p. i;J7, 141, Kilt, 1H7,
181), l'J7; Urozco y Ikrra, Uvoijmfia, pp. 187-11)7; llaUuyt's Voy., vol. iii,,
p. 407.
'« Sdh'tgun, Hist. Oen., torn, iii., lib. x., p. 135; Pimentel, Cuadro, torn, ii.,
p. 2G2.
MAZATEC AND CUICATEC LORDS PHAYEIIS.
7o3
tuenosacjiliJi cuhau caliau atzizliuqhee caa tuoncsacaha
di oniliay a taangiiyheene caguni, dithoethaxenga(ihine
tiiGiu'.sacaha nchiyaquichuu, (Uthoetaanguyheone (3agii-
(liiichuu. . . , sacaha, thiytheecheexengaijliiiio (iiiichim
jsacalia lU't-anga vliathainiiii eixiticxasaoalia vhoe
cliet'caamiiii elieocaatihi iieniiiii caatuC'iie.sacalia caaiieii-
iidinaua aiidataazii.
Of tlie Mazatoc tliore are two specimens, wliich do
not appear to accordj thus showing how little regard
was paid to names:
Nadmiiia Xaina ga tecni gahami. sandumi ili ga
tirruhanajin nangiiili. Cuaha catama janimali. jacunit
die nangiii eunit gahami. Nino rrajinna tey (piitaha
najin; cpitedeiiatahanajin gadcliidtoniijin jacnnitg.'ijin
nedchata alejin chidtaga tedtunajin. (juipiimit tacun-
tuajin, tued tinajin cuaclia ca tama.
Tata nahan xi naca nihaseno: cliacuca, catoma
fiien'; catichova rico manimajin. (^itonia cnaznare.
donjara batoo cor nangui, bateco, nihasen: niotisla
najin ri ganeiiiinixtin, tinto najin delii; nicamdii ri
guitenajin donjara batoo, juirin ni canojin ri quiteisja-
jin, (piinKpienahi najin ri danjin quis anda nongo
niqueste. Mee.
Of the Cuicatec there are also two dialects:
Chidao. chicane cheti jubi chintuico na; cobichi. jul)i
fia; cliichif. chicobi no ns: nendi na; cobichi nenona.
J)uica nahi'in, nain'ni tando ciieti jnbi. Xondo ni-cno;
chi jubi, jnbi; teciii ni nous: ma dinenino. ni cbi can-
ticono, dinen. tandonons; dineninono chi canti co nehen
nous, ata condicno: na tentac ion, ante daidii. dinenino
ni chin que ho danhi.
Chida deco. chicanede vae chetingue cnivicu duchi
dende cuichi nusnn dende vue clietingiie cui. tundube
vedinun dende tica nahaa. tandu vae chetingue \n
dingue deco (U> huehue techide deco guema yna deche-
code de<^) (biciii' ticu tica, tandu nusun nadecheco dee-
YoL. la. 4»
754 LANGUAGES OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MEXICO.
vioduciie eliichati cusa yati, tumandicude ciiitao vendi-
cuido iianguaedene diicue cliiguetae."
The ancient kingdom of Zapotecapan, in whicli the
Za|X)tec language was spoken, extended from the v.illey
of Oajaca as far as Tehuantepec. The difterent dialects
Avere, the Zaachilla, Ocotlan, Etla, Xetzicho, Serrano de
Jxtepec, Seirano de Cajones or Beni-Xono, and Serrano
de Miahuatlan.^** The Zapotec is a more harmonious
language than the Miztec, and is s|X)ken with consider-
able elegance, metaphors and parables abounding.^" Yet
it is in some places pronounced indistinctly; so much so
that J uan Cordova, the author of a grammar, complains
that the letters <i and o, e. y, and i, o and u, h and p, and
t and r, are often confounded. The 1i is used only as
an as[)irate. Tiie following letters of the alphabet rep-
resent the sounds of the Zapotec: ^, h, ch, e, <j, h, i, k,
/, VI. V, /), o, p, r, t, V, y, a,*, 2, th. There are also five
di})h thongs: (c. (je, ei, ie, oil The plural is expressed
either by numerals or by adjectives; — 'plchind, deer; zl((id
pk-JuiKi, many deer. Like the Aztec, Miztec, and others,
the Zai)otec has reverential terms. I'he personal pro-
nouns are; — nna^ ya, a, I; lohn'i, lay, hoy, lo, thou;
yohiiia, your honor (when speaking to superiors) ; nlhou^
iiikw uikw. III, ke, he or they; yolnid or yalniKi^ he,
(speaking respectfully); taoiio^ tonu, tonuo, ton((, no, 1100,
we; hto, tn. vou.
F( (ssessi ves ; — xiten ia,
1
mnie ;
xltenilo, thine; outeir'nd,
lis; xltenltono or xlk'iii no, ours; xltemto, yours. Interrog-
atives used with animate beings, are; — tn,v<i or tn'ut, tit
or chii; and with inanimate tl
koota is used for either animate
//
(i:f(i, .rn.riL xii
lings:
inanimate objects.
;
b\
ko,
ka ;
He
'7 Phiii'ntil, C'urnlro, torn, ii., pp. 2ri!)-G2.
"< \'illii-Si I'mr 1/ Sitiicliv:, Thi'dtio, Unn. ii., pp. 100-9; JlffLspo .lAo.v., torn,
ii., ]). "),")!; Miililfiiiifonlt, Mcjici), toin. ii., p. iHCi; U'ojijtiiKS, (iioij. ». Slid.,
]). ;i(i; Orozi'ii y Ikvnt, Gcoijru/ia, p. 177; Jiuniua, (iemj. Ih'srriji., ti>iu. ii.,
fol. ;U2.
'■' ' Su leiit,'nii),'o era tnn nictiifovioo, como el do los Pivli'stiiMis, lo qno
queriiiii jxTsuuilir, habliibiiu Kieiiiprt^ ooii piirubolas.' linrijixi, h'ro'i. Ih.irvii).,
ttiiu. i., fol. I'.Mi. 'Lii laujj;ue Ziipoti'ijiie est iruue (lonccur et (Vinio bouo-
rite qui riippelle I'ltulieu.' JJrasseur da JJourbounj, £■»•</ Ktsses, j). 30,
ZAPOTEC GKAMMAR AND LORD'S PRAYER. 755
There are four conjugations, which are distiuiiuished
by the particles with wliich they commence. I'he first
uses, in the present, ta^ in the past, ka^ and in the
future, hi; the second has ^e, pe, and av?; the third, ti^
lo, hi; and if they are passives, ti^ jn, ki, or tl, ko, and
ka; the fourth uses to, 2)6, find ko.
CONJUGATION OP THE VERB TO DIG.
PBESENT INDICATIVE.
W.. dit,'.
You dig.
I dig, tanaya
Thou diggost, tiinalo
He digs, or they dig, taiiaui
Illl'ERFKCr. PERFECT.
tanatia, koiiatia, or konaya | I have dug,
PLCPKRFECT.
I dug,
tioenano
tauuto
zianaya
I had dug,
or.
huaynnaya, konakalaya, ziauakalaya,
huayanakahiya
FIRST FUTURE.
I shall dig.
kanaya
IMPERATIVE.
Dig thou,
Let us dig.
Dig you,
koua
lakeyanano, or kolakieenano
kolakanu
OTHER FORMS.
If I would dig, iiianalayaniaka
If I liavo dug, zianatilaya
If I shall dig, iiikauaya
The following is an example of the differences between
the dialects. Child in the Zaachilla is b'ltoo; in the
Ocotlan, nu^t/io] in the Etla, bhialto; in the sierra, hltao\ in
the tierra naliente, Into.
The Pater Xoster with literal translation taken from
the Catecistno of Leonardo Levanto, reads as follows.
Bixoozetonoohe kiiel)aa nachiibalo nazitoo ziikani
Father our ht'uvuu thou who art above grciit has lueu done
laalo kellakookii xtennilo kita ziika ruarii nitiziguee-
thy iiiiuio kingdom thine will eomo hero tliy will
lalo ziika raka kiaa, kiiebaa laaniziika gaka ruarii
as is done above, heaven aa be done here
layoo. Xikonina kixee kixee peneche ziika anna chela
earth. The bread of all us to-morrow give also to-day and
a kozaanauaaziikalo tonoo niiani yakezihuina: peziilla
uot lead us ub that we sin: deliver
-:,n LANGUAGES OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MEXICO
zika toiioo niiaxtcnni kiraa kellahuocliiie.
also us of all evil.
ziiKa.
Gaga
Will be doue
zuga
BO
Between the head waters of tlie Rio Xexapa and Go-
atzacoalco the Mije hmgiiage is siwken. It is described
as guttural and rough, and by some as poor in Avords,
necessitating auxiliary gestures. The l)ishop of Oajaca, to
whose diocese they belonged, in a letter to Archbishop
Lorenzana stated that he had a people under him, who
could only converse during daylight, for at night they
could not see their gestures and without these were un-
able to understand each other.-^ The following alphabet
is used by Pimentel in writing this language; — a, b, ch, e,
h, i, k, m, w, u, 0, j9, t, u, V, X, y, tz. Two and more con-
sonants frequently follow one another in the same sylla-
ble, as; — <dx, ej)x, kzj), otzk, inma, mne, iiijii, nito, ni.Tn,
etc. Vowels are also frequently double, as; — kou, arms;
teikhid, and tltinak, stomach. In declensions the geni-
tive is formed by prefixing the letter i; — xeali, name;
(lios ict'ifh, name of God. The plural is formed by the
terminal tocA; — toix, woman; toixtoch, women.
PRONOPNS.
I
otz, n, notz
Thou
ix, mitz, mi, mim, n
Thou, speaking \s'ith reverence
niih
He
t, i
He, or they who
hudiiphee, hudii
He, or they who (affixed)
phee, lu'o
This, these
phee, hee, yaat
Who
pon
We
ootz, n
They
yao
Mine
notz
Thino
ni, niitzm
His
i
Our, ours
ootzn, nootz, n
2" Phnentel, Cuadro, torn, i., pp. 321-60; Xoiivelles Annaks ties Toy., 1841,
toni. xeii., p. 2(')0, et seq.
SI ' Exprt'ssa tl Illino Seiior Ohispo de Oaxaca en su Pastoral, que en su
Diocesis hay unaLcu<{ua, cpie solo de dia se entienden bien, y cpie di^ noche
en apagiindoles la Inz, ya no se pueden expliear, porquo con los gestos sigiii-
tican.' Lorvnznna y Jiuitron, ('(tvtas PastDrahs, p. 'J(i, note 1. 'Tainbien
su idionia tiene fuerca y euergia.' Jinrfioti, (renij. Deserip., torn, ii., fol. 271.
' Lingua illcmim, rudis et erassum quid sonaus instar .\l'.<'nii»noruni.' Di>l,
2fovus OrbiSf p. 262; Barnard's 2\huantepec, pp. 224-5; I'illa-lSin'ior y Aan-
MIJE ADVEUBS, PREPOSITIONS, AND CONJUNCTIONS. 757
ADVEEBS, FBEPOSITIONS, AND CONJtJXCTIONS.
Here
y**
No
kiitii
Tlienco
httiu
Alwiiys
XII in a
Never
Ivtihiuuliin
Moro
iiiik
Tlu'u
hutiiiit
AVh.'ii
ko
Fur, ill, to, above, with
knxiii
Of
kuxinit, it
111, betweeu
hoit])
111
huifi
With
moot
Insitlo, within
akuuk
IJi'fore
liuiiidui
AVhv, what for
hfikiixm
Thut
hiu'u
As much, so that
ixtiiiioni
Not yet
kutiimuu
How, since
ixtiv
THE lord's prayer.
Xtcitoutz tziiphoitp mtzoiiJiipliee konuikx itot mitzm
Fiither our in houvnn who Hves bkiSHocl bo thy
xC'uh inoinoikuutz initzm konkioii itunot mitzm tzoku
name give us thy kingdom be doiio thy will
ya naxliuin ixta ituiuu tzaplioitp. Outzii kaik opo-
aiS in earth us is done in heaven. Our bread
mo|K)mit momoikoutz joiiiit etz moyaknitokoikoGtzu
daily t've us to-duy and forgive us
pokpa ixta Outz niakuitokoi Ootzn yacliotmaatpa etz
sin as wo forgive our oft'eiuler and
katii Cutz ixmomatztuit heekiixm katii uutz nkedai
not as lead that not as kt us carry
liuinonn kuxn. Etz mokolinankuCtznaniliiim kaoiapheo
temptation iu. And deliver ull evil
kuxmit.^^
from.
The language of the TTiiaves ppoken on the isthmus of
Tehuantopec, is, according to tradition, not indigenous
to the country. It is related that these [)eo[)le came
by water from a place down the coast, altliougli the lo-
rhi'z, Tlimtrn, torn, ii., pp. 153. 199-201; MiihlenpfonU, Mfjico, torn, ii., p.
I4;<; Mii><^o Sliw.. tom. ii., p. 05."); Ornzro y Ikrra, UeoijraJ'kt, p. 17G.
•^■^ riiiHiitd, Cttudro, tom. ii., pp. 173-88.
758 LANGUAGES OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MEXICO.
cality whence they came is not given.'*' I have only
the following numerals as a specimen of the language.
agax-ponx
agax-piinoc'thx
n^ux-pieulix
agax-jmr
agax-i)aponx
agax-pacoigx
uicninaio
iiieuuiiaomcaxp()
auoecacocmiau ^*
*3 ' Y se ilixo antes, qne la nacion destos Indios huabes avian venido do
tierras muy lexanas, de alia de la Costa del Snr, mas ceica de la Eclyptioa
vezindad del Peril, y segun las cireunstaucias de su lengua, y trato de la
Proviucirt 6 Koyno de Nicarahna.' Jiimjoa, Gemj. Descrip., torn, ii., I'ol. SSX);
' El huave, huavi, guave, llamado tambien en un autiguo MS. guazonteca ('»
huazonteca, se liabla eii el Estado de Oaxaca, Los hnaves sou oiiginurios
de GiiatPinala; uuos les haceu de la filiacion de los peruanos, fuudaiidoso eu
la semejanza de alguuas costumbres, raieutras otros les suponen benuanos
do los pueblos de Nicaragiia. La segunda opinion nos piircce la mas aeer-
tada, y anu nos atreveriaiuos a creer (jue el huave peitenece a la faniilia
niaya-quiche.' Orozro y Ikrra, Geof/rapa, pp. 44, 74. 'II parait deuion-
trt;. cependant, que la langue des Wabi a de grandes analogies avec qnel-
qu'uue de celles qn'on parlait a Nicaragua.' Jirasseur de Sourbourij, Hist.
Xal. Civ., torn. iii. , p. 3().
21 Sivers, MUlelamerika, p. 290,
One
anoeth
Ten
Two
izquietJ
Eleven
Three
areux
Twelve
Four
apequiu
Thirteen
Five
aeoquiau
Fourteen
Six
anaiu
Fifteen
Seven
ayeiu
Twenty
Eight
axpecau
Thirty
Nine
ax(iueyeii
One hundred
CHAPTER XL
THE MAYA-QUICHE LANGUAGES.
The M.VYA-QtTicHE, the Lanqpaoes of the CxvirizKn Nations of Cektbai.
Amekica -Enc-mkratio.s of the Membeks of this Famh.v -Hvi-othet-
ICAL Analooies with Lanocaoes of the Old World— Lonn's Praykih
IN the ChANABAL, ChIAPANEO, ChoL, TzENDAL, ZittiCK, AND Zor/IL —
I'oKoNCHi Grammar — The Mame or Zaklopahkap — (^uifHE (tiiammar —
Cakchiquel Lord's Prayer— Maya Grammar — Totonac Grammar —
ToTONAc Dialects — Huastec Grammar.
The languages of the civilized nations of Central
America, being all more or less affiliated, may be not
improperly classified as the Maya-Ciuiche family, the
Maya constituting the mother tongue. Commencing
in the neighborhood of the river (ioazacoalco, thence
extending over Tabasco, Chiapas, Yucatan. Guatemala,
and portions of Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua,
it occupies the same relatively im[X)rtant position in the
south as the Aztec farther north, besides sj)reading
out over this immense area, there are two branches still
farther north, isolated from the mother tongue, yet con-
terminous to eiich other, the Huastec and the Totonac of
Tamaulipas and A'era Cruz. Without including the
last mentioned, probably the fullest enumeration of all
these languages, is given by the Licenciado Diego (Jann'a
de Faliicio, in a letter addressed to the King of Spain,
in the year 1570. Omitting the Aztei, which he in-
cludes in his catalogue, his summary it suljstantially as
7(;o
THE MAYA-QUICIIK LAXGUAGES.
follows. Til (MiiapiiM, the r'hi.ipanoc, T1(K|uo, Zotzil, and
Zoldal-Qiu'len; in Soconu.sco, a tonjiue which ho dcsi*^-
iiatoH as tilt' niothor langnaj;'e and anotiiiT called the
W'hetlateca; in iSuehitepec and finateniala, the Manie,
Aehi, (iuateinaltec, (Munantee, Hutatec. and Chiriehota;
in Vera I'a/, the Pokonehi, and Caechieolchi; in the
valley,, of Acacehastla and Chi<|uinnda. the Tlacjieehastla,
and Apay; and in the valley of ^^an Mijinel, the I'oton,
Tanlepa and I'hia. Other anthors mention, in (iuate-
niala the (^Jniehe. the Cakchiqnel, the /ntiijiil, the Chorti,
•the Alajiuilae, the Caichi, the Ixil, the Zixiue, the
Coxoh, thv. ('harial)al, the Choi, the L'zpanteca. the
Agnaeateea, till' (2"^'^^J''5 '^'^^ ''* Yncatan, the stock lan-
j^nage, the Maya. Among all these langnages thns
ennmerated hy diiferent anthors, it is not jit all nnlikely
that some have heen mentioned twii-e nnder diiVerent
names.^ ^fost, if not all of them, are n'lated to, if in-
deed they did not si)ring IVoin one mother tongne. the
Maya, of which a dialet^t called the T/endal is said to
he the oldest hniuuM'je sijoken in anv of these conntries.
In fact, they all appi'ar to he dialects and vai'iations of
some lew tongues of yet greater anticpiity, which again
liave s[)rnng from the oldest of all, the ^laya. This
latter, 1 mav sav, Ibrms the linguistic eenti'e. IVom which
all the others radiate, decreasing in consanguinity ac-
cording to the distance from this centre, losing, hy intei'-
mixtiu'e, and the adoption of foreign words, their
al)original forms, until on reaching the outer edge of
the ciicle. it ])ecomes dillicult to trace their connection
'.vith the source I'roni which they sprang."
' Pidncio, t'artu, p. 20; Jicirros, Hist. Gwit., p. 198: ni'riistrn Vitcatcrn,
toiii. i., ]). Itifi; (Idlimh), in Loml. deittj. Sue., Jmir.. vol. iii., ))j).',l."), (!;J; 'inllii-
tiii, in Ann')'. KUiiio. Sue. 'I'ntiiKurl., vol. i., j p. 1-7; Miililniji/orill. Mifuo,
(oni. ii., pp. 8, 17; Wdjipiinx. Okkj. m. Stit., j). 24.'j; Ih n\iii. Wist, dm.,
dec. iv., lib. x., Ciip. ii-\iv.; f/dt, S'orufi OHiis, jip. 277, ;tl7, H25; llninlitililt,
is's.sin' /■'</., toll! . i., ]). 2<'p7: llillir, /»< i.sc/i, p. 8.S0; (laliiiiln, in Aulii/. Mi.v.,
]). <)7; Xoriiiiiii's Uninhlis, p. 21(8; 1 1 ml' I, ins. Vent. Aiin:i., p. 112; I'riilinril's
.\'(it. Ili.st. Man, vol. ii., p. '>\'-'>; Hi li rent It's liipaft, in Sniitlisaiiidn llijit.,
18(17, J). 125; Sijuit'r's M^ionxirii/ili, j). ix.; VMnijid'nvn', Wist, t (nn/. Iti'l, p. 81.
'"f The liinHUiif,'»'S of the Miiyii faniilj' are sjHikcn in tlit> old pvovincis of
Soconusco. CliiapiiM. Sncliitoi ec, Vera Paz, Hondtn-as, l/aleos, Salvador, San
!Migni'l. Nicarai,'iia, Xcri'Z do Cholutci-a, Ti'<^uoij.'ulpa, and Costa Eica, says
tUe Abbe iirussuur ilu li'jurboiug, MS. Tiuunu, turn, ii., p, ^i. ' La plu-
THE MAYA LANGUAGE IN YUCATAN.
761
The Aravii, with it.s many nfTiliutions, may ho well com-
j)arL'(l in its gnunmatical construction and capacity to the
Aztec. It iia.s in tiiis ros^K^ct heen likened to the ancient
(rreek which it is said to resemhie in many iH)ints. Al-
tiionjiii monosyllahic words are of fre(inent occurrence, it
has not, as is connnon to monosyllahic languajres, many
very harsh and guttural sounds, hut is geneially called
stjft and well-soundinu;. The dialects spoken on the coast
of Yucatan and near Helize, are the purest and most ele-
gant of the Maya family, and the greater the distance from
this region, the greater are the variations from the pm'o
^laya.'' fc!ome remarkable hyi)othe.ses. which, if proven,
part (IcH liinf;uos dc octto contrt'o, si multiples nu promior nsprot, so rt'dnison
ell I'l'iilitt' i'l UM })(tit iioiiiliiv. Ce sunt ilos diiilt'ctes (jiii nu dirtV-rciit Ics uiii
di's imtrcs (jiic liar li' iii:'liin},'o du (jUL-lqiifs mots ('traiii^crs, niK- ciTtiiini
viirit'ti' duns Ics linali'S oii duns lii pronouciution.' llidssenr dv lliiiirliiumi, ii
Xnxrvlli's Aiitiiili's ill's \'i>!l., isrio, torn, cxlvii., p. 155. '11 nui jiuiait imliilii
'dnisont
lUti
inn
in
Xnnn-Ui's Aiitiiili's ili's \'i>!l., W^to, torn, cxlvii., p. 155. '11 nui jiuiait imliilii-
t ililf (pic lu lunLjiic iiniversillo di's royuunics t,'uiiti'inulii'iis dcvuit t'tif, uviuit
I'invusion d<'s trilms (pie ics Espugiiols tronviTt'iit t-ii jjosschsioii dc ccs ctni-
tivfs, Ic iiiiiyu d'Viicutuii i)U lo tzondul <pii liii rt'sst'inMo beuiiconp.' "■
Ih.
,--, .- ^. .- .. _,.- ,»14 ±\J KCiy. IllKtt ^|»*l 1111 l^nnillli'll iri^iiiiiiriiii. Il/,
' JjucMiuldiis. . ..li's Miiiinn, I'oriDtinmvs, etc., cpii jjurlt'iit eiicoru aiijoiird'hni
lint-' lanL!iic iii'('S(prt'n tout seiubluMo ii cello dcs Y'licati'-iplcs.' /</., p. 15(i.
'Le Tiiiiliil on Tii'lilid tjt un diulecto do lu laii^'nc i()/:i7«' doiit il ditti'i-c fort
pen. hi., ruliiii/iit', y). 'M, 'Tontcs soiit issues d'linc .scnic Konclic, doiit lo
bles sont composes de racines communes ii tout le j^'ronpe. /</., .l/>'. 'Irinnni,
tiiui. ii., PI), vii., viii. 'La luni^uo primitive forme le centre; jiliis clle
B'uvunco vers la circonfi'rence, ulns elle perde desoii orij^inalite la tani^'cnte,
c'est-a-dire le point oil elle reiicoutro nn autre idiome, est Tendroit oil ella
s'altere pour former uik^ laiij^uo mixte.' \\'iililei\h', I'c//. J'ill., pp. '24, 42.
' L(.'S Tait/.aes, les Celiatches, les Campims, les Chiiiamitas, les Loci'iies, les
Ytzaes et les Ijacandoiis. Toutcs ces nations parleiit la laii^'ue mayu, ex-
copt(' les Jjoci'iies, ([iii ])arlelit la laiii^ue Choi.' Ti rnunx-' iiiniiiins, \n Xun-
vdles A)iiutles c/'S ]'i>i/., lfS4;{, tom. xcvii., p. 50; lil., 1840, tom. Ixxxviii.,
p. G. 'La d(! Yucatan, y Taliasco, (luo es toda vna.' Jlrriml h'nn, Hist,
fiiH^., fol. 25; Snlis, Hist. .1/c.i'., tom. l., ]>. H'.\. 'Zo(ples, Celtales y (^iitle-
iies, todos (!(.' len:.,'uas diferentes.' Ilijiiiisul, ]llst. Clu/iijt'i, pp. 2f')4, 2'.i'.t; also
in M'.nliinas, .Vicnirf M' (/•(/(/, p. '2(51); //(7/i.s' .s'/h/u. ('miii,, tmn. iii., ji. 252;
Sqnhr, \n Ximrilhs Aiiaati's ilis Vni/., 1M55, tom. cxl\iii., ]>. 275, ///., 1S57,
tom. cliii., jip. 175, 177-H. Tiie nativi^s of tlie island of C'ozumel 'sonde la
leiigua y costumlires de los de Y'ncutau.' Liindit, lie'acion, p. 12; Orozv.o y
Ikrrn, ifen'irnfin, p]). lS-25, 55-5(>.
■' ' La simplieiti' ori^'inalo de oetto lanf;;ufi ct la iv^'ulariti' niervi>illense do
Uieir pro-
702
THE MAYA-QUICHf: LANGUAGES.
would revolutionize mtuiy existing tiicorios, ethnologic
and philologie, have latterly been l)roiiglit forward by
the Abl)e Urasseur de Bourlxjurg. Tliis gentleman,
wlio has devoted hiuiscif to the study «)f ancient (Cen-
tral America and Mexico for many years, and who is
fully conversant with the languages of Yucatan and
(luatemala, the Maya and (Quiche, claims to have dis-
covered a close connection between the Maya, (^uiclu',
Cakciii(iuel, /utugil, and others, with most of the chief
languages of I'iUrojx'; prominent among which lie places
the (Jreek. I)ut mentions also Latin, French, Knglish,
German, i'lemish, Danish, and others. Although on ex-
amination many of the abbe's so-called I'oots display
similarities, both phonetic and in meaning, with some
Eur()[)ean words, still a large majority are evidently
twisted to conform to the writer's ideas, and it will
retpiire not alone further investigations, but unpreju-
diced studies, such as are not made i'or the purjH)se of
l>roviiig any i)articular hypothesis, to substantiate his
theories. L'ntil sudi imi)artial comparisons are made,
and a clearer light thrown ujkju the suliject, these ( V'utral
American languages must remain content to be treated as
strangers to those of the old world/ Of the languages
previously enumerated I have the following specimens.
The Tjord's Trayer in Chanabal, spoken in Comitan,
in the state of Chiapas:
Tattic liaya culchahan tfinlinubal a vihil jacue eg
nnnciatiiir. ' Thmn's (liuiUmnhi, p. ^05. 'Diesc Siiriicho war wolilkliiiKeiul
mill Wficl
p. 178.
i ' Da
pai'tii'iiiu'.
uns, (liiihii
Annoks tlf:
Miillir, .iiiii-rihinisclie i'rri'H<iioiien, ]>. 4'):t; TcriKiii.v-CuiiijxidS, in
vvtlvti tUs Toy., 1843, torn, xcvii., p. .'$2; Sijniir, in hi., tuin. rliii.,
pos liiiij^'uos IdikchiqnMc, kioht'e et zntii<,'ile, Ioh mots qui n'ap-
liiH an Maya, iii'oiit tout I'air d'titre d'orii^inc j^criiianiijuo, sux-
Hiiuiauds, aiii;lais niouie.' Jinixsi'ur ile lidnrlKinnj, iu XmnHkA
III/., 18.").'), toll), fxlvii., ])p. 15(!-7. ' Ji' fns frajipi', (K's uion nr-
riv(M). . . .(]( I similitudi! (|u'uni> ([uaiftitt' de mots do Icur liHij^'uc offrait iiveit
et'Uos du ni d do I'Kurope.' /(/.. h'llre u M. Ilafn, iu Itl., toui. c\\., 1H.")8, jip.
'20;J, 28l-',)( 'Tho fuu<laiiu'Utal furins aud \vord« of tlif lanj^uaf,'(is of these
regions (exeopt the Mexican,! are intimately conneeted witli the Maya or
Tzendal aud that all tlie words, that are neither Mexican nor Maya, belong
to otir lanj^iiages of Northern Eiu'opo, viz., Euf^lish, Saxon, Danish, Nor-
wegian, Swedish, Flemish and (reruiau, some even api)ear to belong to tho
French and I'ersiiin, and altogether they are really very numerous and as-
tounding.' Jd., Ldkr in the New York 'J'ribune, November 21, 1855.
CIIIArAXEC, CIIOL, AND TZEXDAL.
7(!!»
bftgtic Ji frunjun acotuc u piiiabul hicliiio ili liilmni ja.stal
culclmliaii. Vipil calt/il ojr j;iiiuii|i.il tic auiuitio Hva
yahanhi soo ciilaiqierdoii og imiltic- hiclnic ((ucj <<anti(>()u
giiazt cnlaiiticon pordon maclui liay siiuil Ki}iiltit'on wh;
mi ztaf^iia coiicoctic mulil mas lee coltajotic Mcab piiciij
jachuc.
Lord's Pmycr in Chiapanec:
Pua inaiifzm'im' nilunia cam'' iiacapajo totomnmo co-
paminK' cliaiul)ri:"*^o clialaya {iuipmmitanm j-adilojii
istanacupii cajiluca naco[)aj6: cajilo bana vai^niiu'oiuo
iiiiuri may taribi miiubiinii o^iiajimo lla roiMMiiimcmo
tfio;iiajimo nambucamiineino ciujucme jiadiliica si iiR'imi
casiinomii tauiia^imo nambucamuiu'mo copii tipiisitiimii
bica tipiicapuimu imijarimimuMaine maii<^uemc. l)iu.si
mutarilii iiitangame cbaciiillame caji .Jojsu.s.
Lord's Prayer in Cbol:
Tiat to lojon, aue ti})iicban ntzat alvilacaval trictic
tolojun ban gracia cbulee vili(; a i)iici('al val'cliec ti
l)aniumil cliee tipancban. Laa cual ti jiiun pt;! (piin,
de vonnomolojun gualee sutven lasvot bascbt'o nnio sut-
venbia y votob bispibulob. Lbastt'l ti lolontccl cotanon
melojon y cbacban jaipel y tiuu nialoloion. Amen
Jesns.
Lord's Prayer in Tzendal, as spoken near tlie cele-
brated ruins of Palenque:
Tatic, ta nacalat tacludcban: cbtdalviluc te ajalalvile:
acataluc te aguajuale: acapastayiic: te tiixacane tajicb
ta cbulcban jicbucnix ta vabunilal, Kciictae jiijlian
acabeyaotic te guag vixtum cuntic tajiijun eaal cliayljo-
yaotic te multic acbiotic cbaybetic ate bay snud oagto-
joltiqne soyoc mameaguac yalucotic ta nndil colta yaoti-
cnax tastojol piscil te colae. Amen Jesus.
Lord's Prayer in Zoque, as spoken in Tabasco, Cbia-
pas, and parts of Oajaca.
Tliesbata tzapguesmue itupue yavecotzamue mis nei,
yamine mis yuiniliacui, ya tuque mis sunoycui, yecnas-
(juesi tzapcpiesmuese. Tesane boinuiepe boniepe tziliete
7(34
THE MAYA-QUICIIf: LANGUAGES.
yslioy. Viitooinatos mis liosccAa lies jaziqiiot mis atocoi-
})as('' tliosqiR'sipue jatzi liuitoinistotzat'ii liocysote ciii-
jomuo ticomaye ya ootzocamisthe muimiyatzipuo ([uesi,
tose yatii([iio. Ameii Jesus.
Lord's Prayer in Zotzil:
Totit ot-te iiacal oi ta vinagel-utzilalnc n vi-acotal
agtiajiialel-acopas hue ii chul eano-eehue uo.v ta vimi'^el-
eelus(' tit valuinil-ael)eotic e eiiam-lliM'om llov'ouuitie
-eeh xaehaiheutie-euie taji tojolie-nia a ^iiae llalu-
euntic-ta altajoltie-eeh xaeolta utic nox ta stojol ti coloe.
Amen .lesus.'
or the Tokonelii Tjanjruige T have a short grammar,
l)y Thomas Gage, Avhieh has also heen used by ^'ater
and (iallatin. Following are a lew of its prominent
features:
Xouns are decl'ned hy the aid of partieles, of whieh
there are two kinds, varying accordingly as the word to
he declined coinmenees with a consonant or with a
vowel. For words eonnnencing with a consonant the par-
ticles /w^ (I, rii, c<i, (ltd. and qiiitav<iiie are used; and for
those commencing with a vowel, i\ (U\ ;•, c, or y, A/,
</if. and i'acqKt'. These partieles are i)artly prefixed and
partly ailixed, as will appear in the following exani[)les.
So the word /x/f. house, and tat, father, are by (Jage de-
clined in the following manner.
My liousr
iinii.it
Our honso
Clljlllt
Thy liiiiisii
iipiit
Your honso
uimttiv
His luiiiso
rupiit
Th(.'ir Louso
(luiliattacquo
Mv fatlitT
Ulltut
Our fiitlior
Odtllt
Thy fMlh.r
iitiit
Your fiitliiT
lltllttlV
llis fiitlit r
nitiit
Tludr father
(iuitattiicquo
The decU'Usion of the word aciiu, son, and ivun, ;'orn,
are given by (j!age, us follows:
JIv
son
'l\n
sou
llis
sou
Mv
COIU
Tli\
corn
His
I'OIU
VIU'UU
avaciiu
rai'uu
Our son
Your son
Thfir sun
vixini
Our corn
avixini
Your rorn
rixiui
Thoir corn
cacnn
nvacuuta
c!U'uiita(|uo
(|uixiiii
aviciiiitik
miixinitacquo
5 I'iiiicnhl, CiMiIro, toiii. ii., pp. 231-15.
rOKONCIII GRAMMAR.
765
Yt'r])s in like manner elianj^o the i)arti('les. liy niean^
of Avhifh tliev are ooiij united, aceoi'dinj^lv as the word
coinmenees with a consonant or a vowel. I'or thosi'
coinnK'n('in<;' witli a consonant the ])arti('les are; nx, na,
invii, iiicd, Hiifd. iiKji'lfiii-qnc. Tlui« the word loat/t, to love,
is conjugated as follows ;
CONJUG.\TION OF TlIK VERU LOCOII, TO LOVE.
I'UEHENT INUUATIVK.
I love,
Thou lovest,
Ho lovfs,
I am loved.
Thou lilt lovi'd,
lie ia luVL'il,
iiulocnli
IImIociiIi
im'ulueuL
We love,
Vii\l 1 )Vo,
Thfv love,
iiiofiloooh
Il.lliirdhtl)
iiKluilocohtacqne
(juilocoiihi
tiliicoiilii
iiirucuiihi
I hiivo l)«'(>ii Icivcd,
'I'lidii liiist l)('(ii Idved,
lie lilts lii'<'ii loved,
We liiive been Iiived,
You liiive lieell loved,
They hiivu btuu luvod,
PRESKNT I'AHSIVE.
We are loved, (■olocniihi
You lire loved, tiioi'onliitii
They an; loved, (ju'.loeoiibiluc'nue
PKllFECT I'ASSIVK.
xiiilocoiilii
iMiloeoiihi
ixloeoiihi
xoloi'diibi
ixlilocouhita
xilocouhi tae([uo
IMl'KllVnVK.
]?e ihou loved,
Let him be loved,
Ijct us be loved,
lie ye loved.
Let them be loved,
I ("Mil lov(>,
I will love,
I have been williiij,' to love,
1 lliive been able to love,
I CIUI love thee,
1 will love thee,
(iloi'oidii
I'hiloeonho
chicidoeonho
tiio'.'onhota
chiciuiloeonho taqiio
inelioiniiloeoh
inniniiloeoh
ixnuli h
i\(lioliMniloeoli
tiehol nuloi'oh
lira iiulocoh
Sometimes the verh [ will is athhvl to express the
future: -liint. 1 will; mint, thou wilt; iiini. he will.
Verhs hejiiuning with a \owel lia\ f the followiiig" j)iii-
t'ides;- iiio, )iiii\ iiir, Iniin. oi' inc. ikih/ii, int/'i IdcijHc. or
inc fdajiic. Thus the verh <rti, to deliver, is coiijiipated.
I deliver, invet,'ii
Thou d( livercst, navei^'u
He delivers, iiirec^'u
We deliver,
^'oU deliver,
They deliver,
nic|nei;.i
naveeiita
ini[Ue(ja ta('(|Ue
Adjectives are indeclinahli', and the ])hiral of nouns
cannotju' distintiuished from thesingulai', as; liro luiioc,
good man; ///o aiiitic. gtH)d men.
7C6
THE MAYA-QUICHK LANGUAGES.
The following Lord's Prayer comes from the same
source :
Catat taxah vilcat; nimta incaharcihi avi; inchalita
aviliaiir"4)iui cana. Invaiiivita nava yahvir vacacal,
lie iuvataxab. Cliaye nina caliulumta qiiih A'iic; na-
rachtainac, he iiK-achve quimac ximacquivi chiquih;
iiiaeoacana chipani catacchyhi, coaveyata china unche
tsiri, mani quiro. he inqui. Amen.*^
Of the ^Fame, or Zaklohpakap, the following ex-
tract is IVoni a grammar written by Diego cle Ileynoso.
The lettei'ts used are: a, b, ch, e, A, i, /■, I. m, m, o, p, t, u,
V, .r, y, z, tz. There are no special syllables or signs to
express gender, but distinct words are used, as; — mama,
old man; nh/i-linikeia, old woman; nuimail, old age of a
man; /icidii, or uhkimikU^ old age of a woman. The
j)lural of animate beings is expressed by the particle c
])rerixed to the word; — niinal', person; evulnnk, persons;
but it is considered .as elegant also to allix the same
v\ — h'ii(hi)J. son; diahok, sons. For inanimate things,
either numerals or adjectives expressing the plural are
used; — (i/mi/i, stone; llroh abah, many stones. Personal
pronouns are; — (liii. I; aUt, thou; ahii or ahl, he; ao ov
nolo, we; ae or at'ie, you; aehu or tiehi, they.
iNfo, to nip, in me
Vllih
'I'Ir'c, to thee, in thee
tiha
][ini, to him, in him
tihu
I's. to lis, ii: ua
kiho
You, to you, in yo\i
kihae
Thiiii, to them, iu them
kihiiehu
Of iiie. l)j' me
vuxm
l{y thee
tiima
liy him
tumhi
]>y us
kiimo
li'v von
kiimo
Uy them
kumlm
])y myself
tipii
J!y himself
tij)hi
liy ourselves
kiho
l\y yourselves
kiho
liy themselves
kihaehu or kibhu
« Oagp's A'lir Survey, pp. 465-477, et seq.
MAME CONJUGATION.
7G7
I (im,
ain in, or aiu iueu
Thou art,
tiia
Ho is,
iihu
CONJUGATION OF THE VERB TO BE.
PRESENT INDIC.\TIVE.
AVo aro, ao, or aoia
You are, ae, or ufio
Tbuy are, aehu
IMPEllFEf'T. PERFECT.
ain took I I have been, ain hi
PLUPERFECT.
I hail been, aiu tokem
FiliST FUTUHE. SECOND FUTURE.
I shall be, in abenolem, or ain loiem | I shall have been, ain lohi
IMPERATIVE.
Be, a u ia
I was,
CONJUGATION OF THE VERB XTALEM, TO LOVE.
PRESENT INDICATIVE.
T love,
TliDU lovest,
He lovLS,
ain tznm chiui xtalem
t/um xtalcni a
tzuui xtalem hu
I loved,
I have loved.
tznni ko xtalem o
t/.iiiii clio xtaU'in o
tzuiu ehti xtalem hu
We love,
You love.
They love,
IMPEUFECT.
tzum tok chim xtalem
PEr.FKCT.
iiii xtalim, uni xtalo, ma chim xtalim,
ma ui xtale, or ma uni xtale
PLUPERFECT.
ixtok chim xtalim
FIRST FUTURE.
niii xtalibetz, or ain chim xtalem
SECOND FUTURE.
I shall have loved, aiu lo in xtalem
IMPERATIVE.
ixtalin o ia
ixtalin o hu
ko ixtalin o
ixtalin ke io
ixtalin kc hu '
I had loved,
I shall love,
Love thou,
Let him lovo.
Let us love,
Love you,
Let them love,
Of tlie QiiiclK', tlicro is an alnindiiiice of matorial.
The lotters used ii\v,—(t, h. c. e. r/. h. /, /•. /. ?m, 11,0, p,
(/, )\ t. II. r, ,/'. ?/. .i. As, t<-li. (lendci' is oxjiivssod In' prc-
iixing the noun Ivok. woman, to tiio woixl. as; ro//„ lion;
imk co/i, lioness; iwni. slave; iro/,' ninn, female slave.
The sound ish ex])re,ssed bv the letter ./• denotes iuferi-
ority. and is therefore fre({uently used to express the
feminine of inferior beings. V in the Quiche and ru in
I riinenkl, ('Hudro, torn, i., pp. 8-4-110.
7G8
THE MAYA-QUICHK LANGUAGES.
the Ciikchiquol fire either possessive pi'onomis or denote
the possession of the word which follows. The porticles
re and riure ut times used for the same purpose; — ti churh
a/ip')j), the mother of the prince; qui quoxtum thmnlt,
the ram[)arts of the town. Before the vowels n^ o, and
?', they are changed tof; and before c and /. to qn, ])e-
I'ivatives are formed with the preposition uJl^ either pre-
fixed or allixed to the primitive noun ; — oir^ fish; ahair.
the fisherman; tilh, word; ahtzih. the speaker; etc. No
positive rule can be given for the formation of the
jilural, as there are several different methods in use.
The most connnon appears to be by the allixes ah, e/>.
iT*, oh. ah] — heom, merchant; i)lural, heo/nahj ifokj woman:
plural, li'ok'ih] ahau. lord; plural, <(h<iii<ih. In the Cak-
chicpiel language the last letter h is omitted, as; —
iivkih^ women, in Quiche, is icol'l in Cakchirpiel.
AVith adjectives the syllables al;, tak, u\ tie, etc., are
used instead; — ////yi, great; n'nndhhi^ great houses; r/7;/,
old; rihltnk viixik, old people; vtz, good; iifzic va, good
eatables. Adjectives are always [)la('ed before tlie sub-
stantives; — z<i/,\ white; zaki ha, white house. v^ul)stan-
tives aie foruied from adjectives by adding one of the
particles, al, c/, ii, ol, id-—nini. great; nii)ui/, tlie great-
ness; za/,', white; zah'l, the whiteness; iitz, good; attil.
the goodness. These same substantives can be turned
into adjecti\es again ))y adding the particle ah; — n'nnahih
Diak, great sin; i(til/ah achi, good man. In the same
manner all substantives mav be turned into adiectives
by adding one of the particles ainh, elah, ilah, olah, vlah.
etc.; ahaii^ king or lord; a/iaua/ah. royal.
To exi)ress the comparative, the present partici[)le of
the verb /yo//, to sur[)ass, Avhich is Ujonuiak, is used,
and sometimes also the word ij<dacn]ihntk, from ijalamh.
to exceed. Tor example; — -/i/z^i. great, C()m[)arative, hion-
■iiia/i- chl iihii. he who surpasses in greatness; iqouiiiak
chl, una a hchviii/nlll hi rokalian (rcpoh iiiaria chiqin ri co-
vohcl Ivok'ih. (literalh) surpasses in great ))eauty our
Lady the N'irgin Mary all other women. I'he superla-
tive is expressed by the syllable inalh^ very great or
much; turn, crre.it
of whicl
iivicm: nioxouxs.
oi' great Iv; flh.
7(il)
bv tl
i are i)liice(l helore "tl
.ran, ,jh}\ much; all
le svllahle r/i
'; — //////"// c/t
III.
very /ine; ^y^.z/A ^.|^l fiiKiinlt
'LMvord and are i'ollowed
>' "nn, very great; umihrl,
^•l'l•y .ui'eat lieat; tih
ve)-y great eit\
The advci-i) },,rolo or (of<, i,s uJ
l,ose;— /.,.o/o(,rM> roil c/i a limuiAuM
le names of colors are duplicated \
iiltnii, h,i, ^•cl•y giv;it 1
'■"^o ii.^ed lor till
'II
,rno
loiise
Tl
it St
anie pur-
roiiu:
porlative. ;is- — ;
Tl
le ]-e\ereiitial svllahl
•<i.r n/.i; verv given; zn/r ■,//,
<) express the sn
es
^Vl■\ ^^hite,
ca/iaii, your excellency is niv i'atl
111 ii>e are /i/i nnd lii—l,,/
the
son of
yoxxv excellencv
Jcr; ui a/vaai /a, 1
nil
am
I. or me
Thou
Ho
Jlvself
Thvs<lf
Hiiiisolf
^\■c
You
Tlicy
Ouisclvrs
Yourselves
TllOUlSulvfS
riioxouNs.
in, iiu, nuv
at, a
me, ri, r'
Xiivi in
xavi at
xavi iue
oil
f, ho
xiivi oh
Xiivi yx
xiivi o, ho
^Vl
in tl
len a
nomi commence
iilar, a
l)Ossessive pronou
10 sinti'M
witl
1 a consonaiit, nu.
(fv , ?
it il'it
[/"'. in the phn-al
rf. V.
are nsed a.-
j '>
in the plural
are eniployed in the .singular, und /.
'oimnences uith a vowel
F
c , or OH
^fy slavo
Tliy slavo
His slave
Our slaves
Your sla\es
Their slaves
JFy wrath
Thy wratli
J I is wralli
Our wratli
Your wrath
Their wrath
uu iiniu
a iiiuu
n luuu
l^a uiuuil)
y luuuil)
oui uiunib
v' oyoual
av' oyoual
1" oyoiuil
k' oyoual
yy' oyoual
'•' oyuuul
IXTEriKOGATIVES
Who
^\'ho nm I
■\Vlio art thou
^OL. III. iS)
iiaki, nchinak, apachinak
aiia-ni-cliiiiak
ai'.i-at-fhiuuk
770
THE MAYA-QUICHK LANGUAGES.
INTERROGATIVES.
Who is t'.is ni)acliinak-ri
Who is if iiaki la
Who Would it bo naki-lalo
Who arc wo apa-oh-chiiiak
Who are you a[ia-yx-i'liiiiiik
Who are they apa-e-chiiiak
The verb, to be, is expressed ])y either 7ix, or qn^ or
(jolie. As an example of its conjugation 1 insert the in-
dicative present.
I nm,
Thou art,
ill iix
at ux
or in qoh'c
" at (lolii;
H< is.
We are.
fire ux
oh ux
" are (iolio
" oh tjiilic
You are,
They are,
yx ux
e, or he
ux
" yx (|iilie
" e, or he qolic
Four different kinds of verbs are given in the gram-
mar coini)ilt'(l by the Abbi' JJrasseur de Bourbourg.
-which he calls ai^tive. aljsolute. passi\ . and neuter. The
following sentences are given as s[)eciinens of each kind.
Active;— tv/// nn h/o/i v a/i/Hi, I love m\' niiister. Abso-
lute; — q'l' i lixjoii, DV foi/oulc, 1 love; <jti' I fnl/xiiiic. I write.
I'assive; — ta .c-c tnoito.v, rmndl (ildnah', then they were in-
terrogated by the creator. Neuter; — qn' I aim. or qui
ram, i die; qii lit id, 1 come; qit I be, 1 go; qa I var, I
sleep.
Following 1 insert the conjugation of the active verb
to love, in which the word hf/o/i, love, commences with
a consonant, and also the conjugation of tlie active verb
oi/o/iIk/i, to wait, which commences with a vowel, thus
showing the dilTerent particles used.
CONJUGATION OF THE VEEB TO LOVE.
I'RKSEXT INDlCATIVK.
I love,
TIkju lovest,
Ho loves,
ca nu lo^oh
<■' a Iciuiili
e' u Id^oh
ca ka li)i;oh
qu' y liiMoh
ea que 1(
oh
We love,
Ynu love.
They love,
rEISFKCT.
x-in, xi-uu, or x-nii logoh, or uu logom
ri.CI'KUFKCT.
nu, or x-nu logoin-ehic
FIKST FcrcitK.
I shall love, eh" in, xeh'iu ehi uu, or xchi nu lofjoh
riiESKNT .smirxcnvK.
If I love, ca uu loyoh-tuh
I have loved,
I had loved.
QUICIIH COXJUGATIOXS.
If I had loved, nu logom-clii-tah
PAKTIcrPLK.
I^oviuj,', loyuacl
CONJUGATION OF Till.; VERB OYOBEII, TO WAIT.
771
I wait,
Tliiiii waitost,
Hu waits,
PRESKNT INDICATIVB.
c'av'„VMl„.h Yon ■'•' ; C'l k' nvolnh
I i-nii wait, ea c' ovoIhIi
PKKFECT.
1 have waited, xi-V oyoWh, or av' oyolum
SKCON-D I'L-riritK.
I shall hav.. waited, cla v', or xcLi v oyol.ch
ITiKSKNT S[-]l.ICNfTrv|-
If I wait, ea v' oyolu-ii-tah
In tlio followin- throe columns T t-ivo a .noolmon nf
tl-co.y.,,atu.n <,rthe ub.ohUe, p..iv. tttta ,^r v;.;;
T lovo,
'J'lioii lovcst,
lf(> loves,
\\'e lov<.,
You lov(i,
They love,
I roll,
Tlinll rollest,
He rolls,
ABSOLCTK.
(JU'i lorjon
f'at 1iil;i)ii
ca InLJiiil
kdh I",^'oii
qu'y liiL,'ou
(|Ue log(jn
qn'i liol
(•'at l.ol
ca bol
PASSIVK.
I am loved,
Thon art loved,
Ife is loved,
We are lov( d,
You are loved.
They are loved.
AI3S0H-TK.
1 have loved, x-i lo^,,,,,
NEfTKIt.
I Wo roll,
You roll,
I They roll,
I' 'at |.)-ox
fa Ic'^ox
li'ill lo'_j(ix;
'|u'i\ liit,'()x
'lUe luj,',jx
kol, 1„,1
iju' yx Ijol
<iue bol
I'ASSIVK,
x-i 1ol;ox,
or iulo-.L\inak
. ■ I I was loved,
'!■ Ill Idgomnak '
xki:tkr.
I have arrived, x-i„ „1, or iii uliuak
FIliST I(.TL-|!K.
Aiisoi.rrK.
I shall love V • 1 TAssiVK.
-lU.lo,„u i I shall be loved, .x-.,uilogox
NKL'TKU.
I shall arrive, x-qu'iu ul
OftholbinuTtlR. Inllowiiigisan™,,,,!,!,.
I hive myself,
'I'lioii IdOest thyself.
If" loves hinisi'lf,
^\ e l:i\e iiurselves,
)'<n liive yourselves
ca nu loL;oh uib
r-'a lo;;i,li 111,
f'll lo-'ol, vii,
ca ka ioLrr.h kil)
qu'y loooii vvib
'I'),,,.. ],,, ■ ,1 ,"■"• ' " y louoli will
Alii.N lo\e themselves e-i .nii I i' 1
^^' <<-'', La qui loyoh (iUll
772
THE MAYA-QUICIII': LANGUAGES.
ciit iiu Iiij^'dh
cii li, or nil! logoh a cahna
Oftlic ,<(.'C()ii(l form this is an oxuniplo.
'I'llCC 1 IdVC,
]lr loves Ills father,
"iiiii li)v<' us, knh y lo^jiih
Thfo they lovo, cat (jiic loj^uh
Tlio ])r('p()siti()iis — ma, 7nnn, or id'Hki, jiiid 7nrfrc, .ire
iH'sjiativt's. Wlioii iJKiii, or nvfiti/, is used ^vitli a vorh,
till' particU' fuJi must lie iuldt'd ;— ;/?^^/^ oi v il-Idh, I do
not SCO. Father Xinu'iic/ calls tht^ lollowiuir irri'uular
vcrlts, <if). qoli. or yo/Zc, pa^ ux, or iwic; qari, to live, and
oh, or //o. to til).
The conjugation of the last mentioned is as follows.
INDICATIVK
rUKsKNT.
I «<>,
h'in
^\\^ •:,,},
(.'ho
Tlinn t,'ocst.
liat
Ydu no.
h'yx
llu got'S,
oh, or Lo
Thuy yo,
L'o
The Zutugil and Cakchiquel appear to hear n closer
I'elationship to each other, than the ('akchi(juel and
(Quiche. Some of the princi})al dill'erences hetwi'on the
three are the Ibllowing. ^J'he ])lural oi' noun*! which in
the Quiclii' is formed ])y the allixes ah, ch, ah. '/>, nh. is
in the Cakchiiiuel designated hy sim[)ly alllxing the
Aowels ol the ahoNo s\llahles, and in the Zutuuil 1)\- the
ailixes (iij. or /. The pronouns which in the (^)uich(' and
('akchi(|uel are //^ 1. etc., are in the Zutugil douhled,
as; — la-'ui. 1. etc. The possessive pronouns dilVer in all
three of the languages. The (^uiclK'- has nrh. mine;
(ircc/id, thine: iX'c/t, his; I'tcJi, ours; ijctc/t, yours; (ji'vc/t,
theirs. In the Cukchicpiel these {ire; — ricJitu, (iric/ttii,
r'lchui. I'lcliht. i/rlcliii), qnlcJiiii, and the Zutugil changes
the rA of the (^d\chiquel into v; — /"/.////. (irlvin, lirlii,
JtifiiL i/rlxi/i. ipi'irln, The dative in the (^)uich(' is dni-
vi-c/i. to me. in the (^d<chiquel HmrlvJiut, and in the Zu-
tugil, f/iiiriflii. Ileciprocal pronouns in th.e C^)uich(' are
rib, (ii'il). I'll), l/il), ijr'ih, and y/A, and in the Zutugil tlu'v
are '■/, uri. r'l. //, ^jrl, r/ni, Thp: vei'h (/niic/i. "which also
means to love, is in the Cakchicpiel and Zutugil conju-
gated as follows.
1 love,
The 111 lovest,
He loves.
tin i:;uiicli
tall i,Mli(h
tu "Uiieli
W(> l.n-p,
Yiiii love.
They lovo,
ti ka pMiieh
ty L;Mneh
ti f[\d yuueh
QTTirni: and cvKcniQrEL lohd's PitAvicRs.
Tliero Jire also iiiiiny other words wliicli dillrr in oiii'
or more letters in the tiireo langiiaiies. hut it tipiieiirs
that they are nevertheles.; so much alike that the dif-
I'ereut people speakiii;^' them can understand one anothei'.
liord's l'rnv(M" in the Quiche:
Ka cachiui chi cal) lal (jo-vi. raua/irizaxic-tah hi la.
Chi pe-tah aliMuarem la. Chi haii-ta idiauam In. va-
ral chuvi uleu queheri ca han chi cah. Yah la chikech
ka hutauihil va. Zacha la ka m;ik. (pieheri ca ka /iielio
(jui mak rii x-e makun ehike ru([ ni'oh oeotah la pa
takchiihal mak, xata noli col-ta la pa it/.el. (^uehe
ch'uxoc.
Lord's Prayer in CakcirK[nel:
Ka tata rat (|oh chi cah, rjuiazirizaxic-tah a hi. Ti
])e-ta-
oi
ilV
uiiuiiu'ein.
Ti l)an-tah a\ idiooin \a\e
chusi nleu. (juereri tan-ti l)an chi cah. Ta yata-ok
chike ^•acanli(• ka hutaiiihil vay. Ta Ziich-ta-ija-ok ka
mak. (piereri tan-ti ka zach (pii mak riy x-i- makun
chike. Kuiiuin qa maqni-tah koh ax'ocotah pa takchii
hal mak, xatah koh a colo pan itzel. C^uere ok tux."
Of the Maya Grannnar, the following is a hi'ief com-
pendium:
4'he following alphal)et is used to write the ^NFaya lan-
guage: (I. I), ('. <•, z, tz, .>, cti, c/t, e, li. L ij. /•, /. III. II. o.
[K i>i>
t. ih
I. II, .'•.
riie letter c is pronounced like the Knizlish z. or as it'
tl
ih:
■re siK'lled ruDihi'Z. Tlu'
lor example tlie word cuiiiin'r, were s|
is [)ronounceil as if spelled </j. ,>il) is pronoiniccil as it"
written ((/Hi. to write; A. not as[)irated. and wvy iVe-
(piently omitted: /'. rather guttural: />/> and y/. sharj)
and with fi)r<x': /A. hiU'd. at the same time approximating
slightly the I']nglish //. The gender ol" rational heings
is denoted hy the ])re(ixes d/i, i'or masculine, and /"'■. lor
feminine: — n/i cuinlirzu/i. master; ir fv////A( v'//. niistrcss.
With animals the particles xib'd, for males, and r/iiij,ii/.
•^ n,
dro, to;ii. ii., pp. 12G-17.
n- ih' JiDHrhoHrij, Gminmaire dc la Loi'ine Qiwlir; riiiicntd, (.'an-
771 niK MAYA-QUICHK LANOrAOES.
(or ll'iiiiilc's, is prefixed. An exception to tliis nili' is
the Avoi'd ixih.—.nb'd pal, the hoy; iind r/nijtiil jjal, the
fiii'h Xoiiiis loi'iii the phiral hy iuhliiii;' the j)artieh' oA;
— irh, eye; ic/i oh, eyes. Adjectives eiidiii;;' in ikic. in
the phirid lose their two last svUuhles jiiid siihstitiiti;
i()r them tlu' sylhihle l(ir; — hthifiKic, uii idle thiiii:';
hiilli'ic. idle thiii,iis. When an adjective and siihstanti\e
are joined tojiether, the adjective is always placed he-
lore the siihstantive, hut the plural is expi'i'ssed only in
the suhstantivt'; — man. iniilc; •iood, nf:iii; iilZ'il iiiiiico/i,
p»od men. To ionn the comparative, the last vowel of
the adjective with the letter / achled t(J it is allixed; (Ve-
(piently, the particle // is simply allixed ; — further, the
j)ronoiui of Ihi' thii'd person u or y is always j)refixed,
in the com[)arative: — ti/ilL a good thing'; /i fil>!/i/, a hettt'r
thing; "/i, good ; i/ufzi/, or ijntzni ))etter; hh. had; nln-
lol. or nlo!)il, Avorse; /vri, ngly; nhirnil. oi' nhni/, nglier.
The superlative is ex[)ressed hy the particle h(tc/i. which
is prefixed; — hi', had; hac/iioh, xcvy had. // added to
nouns and adjei-tives serves to make them ahstracts,
U(ii!(\ man; hIhiciI. humanity.
There are four kinds of prononns nsed in the ^faya,
all of which are nsed in conjugating verhs, Ihit the
two last are also used, nnited with nouns, oi- as possess-
ive pronouns, and never alone, or as ahsolute pronouns.
TEONorxs.
I
Thou
He
ten
teeh
lay
A\o
You
They
t('on
tiVx
li'iob
I
Thou
Ho
on
eeh
laylo
We
Y'ou
They
on
ex
ob
I, inino
Tin Ml, thiuo
He, hia
in
ii
11
Wo, ours
Yon, yours
They,' theirs
ca
n-ex
I'l-ob
Mine
Thiuo
His
n
au
y
Ours
Yours
Theirs
oa
au-ox
y-ob
EECirEOCAL
niONOUNS.
Myself
Thyself
Himself
in-bii
a-ba
u-ba
Ourselves
Youiselves
Themselves
cn-l)ii
a-l)ii-ex
u-bu-ob
.MAVA CONJUGATIONS.
I t.j
CONJUGATION OF TFIH AUXILLAUY VKIJIS TKXI, TO Hi:.
INiJlUATIVK I'liKsKNl'.
tnoU
U'iK
l(job
T |iiu, ten W,. an.,
"'"luirt, t.ch Ynii uiv,
IIO IS, lay 'I'l,,,^. nj.^,_
urrKiirKcT.
I WHS, ten ciKlii
I'Kl:FK(:r.
I hiivi! bfcu, tell hi
PLCPERFFX'T.
I had luin, ten lii-ili ciidii
FIUST FfTfliK.
I shiill lie, hill tfii-uc
HKCON'l) FLTfUK.
I shall hiivf belli, till hi-ili coshom
IJirKIiATIVK.
l>t\ tcii-ac
lUtKSEXT sun-ri-NciivK.
If I 1ji\ ti!i-ac t u
nil'KlU'KCT SL-lUI-.Nt'TIVK.
If I were, Li tcii-ac
FIRST CONJUGATION OF THE YEllU NACAL, TO ASCEND.
I aspoiiil. iiacal in cah
Tlmu Msrcndcst, iiacal a cah
Hu asLtiuls, iiacal I'l cah
rilKSKNT INUIC.VTIVK,
Wf ascend,
Yon ascend.
They ascend,
nacal ca cah
llacai a-cali-ex
liiical u-cah-ub
IMI'Kia-'KCT. PEIiFKCT.
I iiseeiidod, iiacal in cah-cuchi | I have nsceiidcd, nac-cu
ri.LTKEFKCT.
I had ascended, iiac-en ili-cnchi
FIUST FL'TUIIK, SKl'OND FfTCRE.
I shall ascend, bin nacac-cn | I shall havo aseeuded, nac-cn ili-cuchom
IXIl'KliATIVK.
Ascend, uacac-cn
SECOND CONJUGATION CAMBEZAII, TO INSTRUCT.
PJIKSKNX INDICATIVK.
I instrnct, canibezah in cah, or ten canibezic
TluHi iiistructest, candie/.ah a call, " tech eaiiibe/ic
lie instructs, cunibezali I'l call, " lav caiiiljezic
AVe instruct, cainbe/ali ca cah, " t(ion candxzic
Yon instruct, canibczah a c,ili-ez, " teex canibezio
They instruct, cainbezah I'l cah-ub, '< loob cambezic
IlirKKFKCT.
I instructed, caiubezah in cah cuchi
PEltFECT.
I have instructed, in cambeznh
PLUPEBFECT.
I had instructid, iu caiubezah ili-cuchi
776
THE MAYA-QUICIlf; LANGUAGES.
FIIWT FL'TfllR.
I sliiill iiistnict, liiii in ritinlicz
KKCONI) irifliK.
I Hhtill Imvt' iiihti'iu'tcil, ill ciiinliL'Zuh ili'corhnm
IMl'KliAIIVi:.
T-it nil' iiistnut, in cMnilicz
In^tl'IK't tiloll, CIlMllil'/
liC t liini uislriK't, I'l <'anil)c'/.
I. it us instiiii't, en caniln z
Instruct you, ii ciiuiIm / ex
Lut tliuin iiiHtnict, li euiiibi.'/ ub
ruKsKxr srMui'NciTVK.
If r instruct, tell ill caiiilicz
Tlic tliii'd and I'oiirtli ooiijiiujitious not (lilU'i'inu" iVoni
the ubijvo, J do not insert thoni.
TIIH LOIM) ,s ri{AYi:i{.
Cavmn ianecli ti catmnol) cilielitliJinlaljac ak!d)a:
Our t'utlii r wlni art in liiavcii lilcsscil Lo tliy iiaiiic;
tiic ii idiaidil c' okol. Mcnciilitui a uoltdi uai
it may cniiic tliy kiiivjdnni us c>vcr. I>c doiio thilii' will as
ti Inini l)ai ti catmr'. /aii/aniid. uali ra a/otoon
(111 cartli as in licaMin. i),iily lircad us j,'iv('
liclcai! caa/aatcz c' ziiiiil lie hik c' /tuit/ic ii/iipil
tii-ilay us fiir^'ivc diir sins as wo f(irL,'ivi: tlicir >ins
ahziii)il<)()))toono nia, ix ai)[)atic c' Inhnl ti tmitidi.
til siiiiit IS not alsa Icc UH fall in tuiiiptatiou
caiitocoon ti lol).'"'
us deliver from uvil.
To the two liinunaii'os tlio TTuaztec and Totonac spoken
respectively in 'dc.' -itiiies ol' Taniiinliptis and N'era Crii/,,
_ureat ;uiti(iiuty is nscribed. I include them Itoth in this
chiV|)ter, and '•!;!• sily them with the Ma\ii iamil\ : the
lliiii/ti'C ))ecause its rchitionslii^) has already I)een stitis-
lactorily established l)y \'ider and his successors, and
the Totonac on the statements oi' k^tdiauini and other
9 li'llran ih' Siviln Rosa ^fln■i(t, Artr; JIkz, ('((tcrisjiin llislnri<'(i\ Id., I'ur-
t'lUn; [iL, (rnnii. Fkc/^tc lidlntiii. in Amcr. J-Jtlnn). Sor.. 'rninsitrt., vol. i.,
1»)>. 'i'i'i, ct seij. ; Ilclli;/; lif'tsi'ii, \). liSl. ct sci^.; I'dkr, Milld'iiltdi-i, toni. iii.,
]>t iii.. ]ii). l-'Jt; I'lineidel, Cau'lro, loin, i., |ii). .">. 2:^;!, toin. ii . pp. ll'.i. 2-'.i;
/i/'/s.svK/' (?>' lloHrh'invii, Grainiii'xlre, in L'luda, lidadon, pp. Ib'J-il'J; Id., in
JLi. Troano, torn. ii.
TOTOXACGIIAIIMAIJ.
777
piod iuitlioi'itics."^ or liotli of tlicsc laiiLiiiJiucs 1 insert
HHiU' ;^rimmi:iticiil nott's. Tlu' 'rottniac is (li\ iilcd into
lour [trineiiuil diiilcets. named respectiNclv lliat nl" tliu
Sierra Alta or Tetikiliiati. that of Xalpan y I'onteiK'c,
or Cliakahiiaxti, the l[)a[)ana and the Naoiinuo or Tati-
molo. 'rht> I'ollowing j:rainniar refers s|ucially to tho
last dialect.
The letti'rs nsed are f^ rh, c, ^/. //. /. /•. /, ///. //. i>. p, /,
v. t\ .V. ij.z, fn, III. ('onii)onnded or aL:,::hitinated woi'ds
are ol" tVe((iient oecinM-enei'; they seem to he joined with-
out any itartieniar system, althonuh it appears that
the last letter is olUrntime.s omitted. The loljowin,:;'
.shows the com[)()sition of a wor^l ; — HihrHliiiiiii/'ifldlnrliii-
lili'lliiiiii, to ji'o [)rophesyin_u'; composed of the particle A',
tl>e \erl> o.rlllifi, the adverh iiKKjat, the sniislantive luhi-
tni, and the verhs cIkihi) and lilllnilii. There are no j)ai'-
ticular sii:iis or U'tti'rs to express the jiendei'. hut in most
cases the woi'ds lit/ivliditn, male, and j/o::/,)i/, lemale, art;
prelixed to words.
The ]»hn'al for animated heinus is formed hy one of
the I'oUowinu' terminations: — /^ /"//, /////. l/nl. nil hi, mi,
11(1. lie. Ill, no, III'; — o.ri/ii. youth; o.iyim. youths; ii(/i/-
poii. heaven; (tf/tipoiiiii. heavens; jhiIi/u'I. captain; /mlu-
iiiiiiiii, cii[)Ui\\is: iiii/li'i/ii, hand: iii"l<'iiiii/iii. hands; Julo,
star; 'Jiihiiiifiii, stars; juniiil, ilower; .niimhid. Ilowers;
etc., etc.; in and Itui art' u.^^ed when the woi'd ends with
a corisonant, and iilii and nltiil when it ends with a
vowel.
1
lioll
rEKSONAL
rrtONorxs.
akit
Wq
iilcin
Idn
fs
kila. (ir Idiika
liiiix
Y.u
lnii\iii
iiuuili, or liuata
xhi-y
hiiatiiiiiu
i.'>([n('s. . , . (Ii'pian
sor I'llas
,1,^ '•
nisl.hiyi.' ' (^tvos hay,
II.
i]\w ciitiiiuli'ii la Iciiijiia (iiiastcjii. ' Sulcui'iii. Il'ir-I. 'm//.. tmii. iii., lil>. \.,
j(i). litl-J. 'Ini altcii Cfiitialaiiicrika also wa.rii dir Siuaclu ii ili r 'I'dlo-
iiiikcii, Otiiiiiir, Hiiastckcii, .MacahiU'i' uutci' sicli Sdwolii al~i aiirli mit ili r
Spraf'hi' ill Vui'ataii verwaudt. ' Mdlbi\ Aiiirrihiiiiisrla' Vrii'lni'i'm' n, y. AUW;
Jfi ,eil,mi!si-lii' Ziinliiiulr; tuin. i., j). It^i; Miiiilnniii. A »'""'■ 11" /''/'/, p. 'J'll;
Jf'mscl. .]fi\\'. Hii'it., ]). 'H't; Ahiiarii:. Miinoriii, ]>\>. \X, \iO: \"illii-S( I'mr 1/ Sim-
ih''z, I'lfiilrn, torn, i., pj). "JST-IU; Hnll'iliii, in Aiin'r. h'lluKi, S'h-., 'I'riiii.-<ii ■'.,
Vol. i., \). 1; Ti I'liiiu.r-CiiiiijKiiis, in A'""''/A.s Aimdlis ilis \'i>i/.. ISlo, toiu.
Ixxxviii., ji. 7; \''il>i\ Milliriilntvs, toni. iii., pt iii., p. ind; Or<i-r>.i y Bi^rni,
liuijiv/la. i.p. lS-120, •201.
778
THE M.VYA-QUICHfi LANGUAGES.
J lovp, ik-paxl<i y
'J'liou lovcst, i>iixl;i-ii
Hu loves, iiuxki-y
CONJUGATION OF THE VElli; IK-PAXKI-Y, I LOVE.
ruKsKNT isdk; ati v k .
Wc lovo, ik-]>:ixl<i-yauh
You lovi', j)ii\l<i-yalit
TLey love, piixki-goy
nirKr.FKCT.
I lovttl, xak-piixki-y
rEKFKCT.
I liavc' loved, ik-paxki-lh, or ik-paxki-iiit
PLCPKKFKCT.
I had loved, xah-paxki-uit
FIUST FcrciiK.
I shall love uak-paxki-y
SKC'OND FL'TL'llK.
I shall have loved, ik-paxki-lh naluiau, or ik-pnxki-nit nahuan
IMPKUATIVE.
Love, ka-paxki
rilKSEXT .SUUJL'NCTIVE.
If I love, kak-paxki-lh
IMPKliFECT.
If I loved, xax-paxki-lh
Tlio difference between the three didects may be
seen :
Heart
nako
nlkonoko
lakatziii
W(nld
kiltaiiiako
k;.itoxahu
it
tanliilat/.ou
Moon
lualki.ivo
papa
laxliiiiap
llai/.e
koxi
tapaxiu
ki/pa
Good
tzey
tlaail
kolliaiia
Truth
ztonkiia
loloko
tiUxUaiia
To believe
nkaeiiiv
kaualay
katayahuay
The Lord's Pniyer in the dialect of Xaolinsio:
Xinthitkane nak tiayan hiiil takollalilniid<aliuanli u
Our father in heaven art sauctilicil hv
mimaokxot nikiminanin 6 mintakakchi tacholiikahiianki
thy name mine thy kiii^'doni licMlone
6 minpahnat cholei kaknitiet ohalchix nak tiayan.
thy naiiu^ as world as in Iieavi^ii.
kincliouhkan hd<;\lhya nikikaixkiuh yanohiie kakikimat-
Our bread daily" give us to-day forgive
zankaninh kintakallitkan chonlei u kitnan himatzank-.i-
us our faults as wo ourselves wn fo,t,'ivo
niyauh 6 kintalakaUaniyan ka ala kilamaktaxtoj-auh
our debtors and not lis lead
iiali yoyaiih naka liyotrni. Chon tacholakalinanka.
that * wc bo in teiiiplatiwu. So bu it done.
HUAZTEC GEAMIIAII. 779
The ,losoription.s or grammatical remarks of Yator
A ater .aj.s hat he letter. /• and r are not used in this
languagv whde Pinientel mentioiis them both as hein-
used. 1 he expression of the phn-al is also given differ^
ently by both, as are also several other points."
vvll?"' *^"i ^'''""I'Y ''i; ^'"■^"•^ ^^^' ^ ■'Pi-'^ ^^^"teno,
hich was also nsed l)y Gallatin and I'inientel, 1 offer
tlie lollownig remarks on the Hna/iec:
The letters nsc.l in writing this language are: ./, h, rl,
^'' f'' \h J>. >, .;, /■, /, 7n, y^ 0, p, ^, ?/, ^. ^. y 2, fe. The
pronnne.atum is soft. Gender is denoted iW the addi-
lon o the words umk, man, and u,:Mm, woman ;-
tzxlk, king; imtmtm/ie, (,neen; ^^.^c//////- ^oung niin-
fe'^e/.,m.. 3-oung girl. The aflix ridck is .s<il to^xpress
the plural ;-r.^/- son; Mc/dd; sons; but tiiere are a
ew exceptions to this r.de. Diminutives are expressed
bytheprepositionc/./r/,;,./. as;-/,, tree; ch!c/u/,i<' small
tree. In some cases the preposition tzakmu. or the allix
^^. IS used for this purpose. In the superlative the syl-
uble /. IS nsed before the word, as :-;;,,////• .y^,^.
h>"M, yei-jgrmt. Personal pronouns;-.,,../, I ^.,a/
thou; juja, he; hnaJmt, we; .niMi, you- baba, they.
C:ONJUGATIOX OF THE VFltP. TAIIJAL. TO HAVE.
ini;I(;ativk I'Uk.sknt.
AVc lijivo, luiiilina viitalijiil
"inn li.ivc, xitxii VMtahjiil
They liavo, babiv'tahjal
IMPEftFKCT.
nana ufahjalitz or intaljjalitz
PKltl-KCT.
nana ntalijaitz or utalijamal, or iitalijamalitz
J'l.ri'KiirKcT.
nana ulalijalak or utal.jaiiialak, or ntuhjanialakitz
I'llisr ITTCUK.
I sLall havo, „aua ku or kin, or kiatajah
IMI'KllATIVK.
"'^^■0. lata katalijii
J havo,
TIkju hast.
Ho has.
nana ntah.jai ir iutalijal
tal.i atalijal or ittahjal
taja, iutalijal
T hi'.a,
I bnvo Lad,
I had hud,
780
THE JIAYA-QUICHK LANGUAGES.
PRESKNT SUBJUNCTIVE.
If I have, nana kutabja or kiatahja
IMPEUFKCT.
If I bad, nana kin or iutabjalak
INFINITIVE.
To bave, tabjal
Verbal nouns and participles arc formed l)y addina:./;
or cliix, to tiie infinitive, as; — tzohiKtl, to know, nnd tmh-
na.v, he who knows. There are said to be several diller-
ent dialects of this language in use. Folknvuig is tlie
Pater Xoster as given by Zentono in his Doctrina. nnd
as spoken in the mountains of the district of Tm'dj 'axk
IVdomo anitquahat tiaeb, quaquauhlu anabi, cacirK^li
Father art heaven holy said thy name eunio
anatzalk'tal. Katalian analenal tOtitzabal, nuantianihua-
thy Uinydoiii. Be ilonu thy will on the eavtb as to
t.'ihab tiaeb. Ani taciipiza xahue cailel ya])ncanil ani
have biiavcn. Aiul thuu give to-ilay each day our bread and
tacupacidamchi antuhiiulabchic, antiani hiiahua tupncu-
thuii lorj-'ive
we
for-
lanichial tutonnianchixlomchik, ani ib takuhila tiiical
give debtors and not ]'';id that we
ib (. icuallam tin exextalab. Timat taculouh timba ana ib
not fall us in temptation. 13ut save us frtim no
cuacua. Anitz catahan.
holy (evil) so be it done. '2
Lord's Prayer in the dialect spoken in the Depart-
ment of k?an Luis Potosi:
Tatu puilom huahu:i, itouajat. ti eb chie pelit santo
jajatz abi cachic atztde tal ti eb al huahua: catitjatz ta-
cull)etal hantzauii titzabtd hantini tiaeb ani cap ud pata-
lagiiicha tticubijianchi, xoqiie ani taciq)acidan('h'. ; cal
iiiualab. ani ela teuiii taeunalauchi cal v Jit <:'uitziil> ani
il tacujila cugualan cal junhi iataxtalb, maxibtacidohu
cal lijui attix mal tajana guatalel.
^- Zfiil"no, T.riviU'i nnfislfrri: Giilliitiii, in Aimr, Ellmo. Sun., Trmifincl., vol.
i., pp., 27G-bJ; i'u(itii(c7, VmuIiv, torn, i., pp, o-'<iL
HUAZTEC LORD'S TEAYEE. 731
of fl.?''l'/'-'?'J' nV *'^'. ^'^'^•'"^ '^P^^^'^^" "^ •'^"other part
01 tlio (iLstnct of Ttmipico:
railou qua cjuo cinjat tia ol: tu cal, tajal hanchana
e .1 >i ca clux hanti ca ilal cataja na a.iuiztal hanchana
tiitK h aval (juin.tme tia ol. An pan abalo iht ti pat/.s
1 uicha ha. tu piza .seoue, tu placuanchi ni o,„dal an-
chana jontniegua y placuanclial in at qualahloni. il tu
en o,l.i eu cuahui anti ata.s dm labial, tu en librari ti pa-
tU8 an ataz tabal, anchana iuntani. Anchanan catajan.'^
" Col Polmlomka, Jlex . U-.acion UommicaL ip. 8-10.
CHAPTER XII.
LANGUAUilS OF HONDURAS, NICARAGUA, COSTA RICA, AND
THE ISTHMUS OF DAIilEN.
The Carib an Imported Laxguaoe — Thr Mosquito Lanquagk — The Poya,
TowKA, Skco, Yai.iente, Rama, Cudkua, AVoolwa, and other Languages
IN Honduras — Tuk Chontal — Mosquito Grammar — Love Sonh in the
M()S(juno Language — Comparative Yocabularv of Honduisas Tongues
(—The ConiBici, Chorotega, Chontal and Ouotina in Nicaragua—
CtRAMMAR OF THE OuOTINA OU NagkADAN — COMPARISON BKTWEEN THE
Ordtina and Chorotega — The Chiuiqui', Guatuso, Tiisibi, and others
IN CosTA Rica — Tai.amanca Yocadulary— Divkusity oi' SrEKcii on the
Isthmus of Darien -Enumeration of Languages— Comparative Vocab-
ulary.
In Iloiiduras tlicre is a long list of trihiil names,
to each of Avliich is attrihiited a distinct tongue. \'o-
cabulai'ios have heen taken of three or ibui- only,
and one, spoken on the Mosquito coast, has had its
grannnatical structure reduced to Avritiuu:. It is there-
fore impossible to make comparisons and therefrom to
determine how far their number miiiht be reduced by
classification. Tbe first which I introduce is generally
conceded to have been imported. It is tlie Carib,
spoken on the shores of the bay of Honduras and on
tbe adjacent islands, and has l)een proven to lie almost
identically the same as the one s[)oken on tbe West
India islands. From Cape Honduras to tbe ITio San
Juan, and extending inland as i'ar as ]>lack 1 liver,
the Mos(|uito language is in general use. Of it I
LANGUAGES OF IIONDUEAS.
783
shall insert a few grammatical remarks. Tii tlie
Voya Mountains a lil<e-named toniiiie is sjioken; on
the headwaters of the I'atook lliver is the Towka, and
on the Kio Secos, the Seco. Fnrther in the mountains,
near the Ijonndary of Nicaragua, and extending into
that state Jire the Valiente and llama, said to be ])oth
separate tongues; and in the interior of the state
there are the C'ookra and AVoolwa, the latter spoken
in the province of Chontales. Others mentioned are
the Tonglas, the Lenca, the Smoo, the Teguaca, the
Alhatuina, the Jara. the Taa, the (iaula, tiie Motuca,
the :''iiitasnia, and the Sambo. Of these nothing but
the names can ])e given. The oldest authorities men-
tion, as a principal language the Chontal, the name
of a peo[)le and language met in many variations
in almost every state from .\h'.\ico to Nicaragua. As
there are no specimens of this language existing, it is
impossible to say whether one people and language
extended through all this territory- or uhethcr certain
Avild tribes were designated I)y this general name, as,
according to .^[olina's ^lexican dictionary, vliOiitdUl
pnpobini. Avhich
means stranuer or foreigner; and
seems to be also used like chontalli, is delined as
Ijarbarian, or man of another nation and language. I
am therefore of the o})inion that no such nations as
Choutals or I'opolucas exist, but that these names were
emi)loved bv the more civilized nations to desimiate
people s[)eaking other and barbarous tongues.^
1 A classification has boon madi) l)y Mv S(iuior, but in tlio nhsrncp (if
rcliablo (l.ita on whiili to base it, it cannot be ai'C('{it<(l witlnmt nsii'vc.
Ho says; 'it a|)[)('ars that llombu'as was anciently occupii'il by ut least four
illstinct fa'uilirs or i^'VdUps.' These lie names: the Choi'ti or Ses( iiti, belonf,'-
inL; to the Miiya family, the Lenca, niiibi' the various names of Ciiont.ils anil
jHahaps Xicaques and I'oyas; - ill the tliii-il he iiuluiles the various trihis
■intervenin.; lietwccn the r,cncas pvoiur ainl the inhabitants of Cariay, or
what is now (Mile. I tlie .Mosciuito shore, such as the Toacas, Toie^his, Itauias,
etc., anil lastly in Ihefouiih. the sava'^">s who dwelt on the M(isi[nito shoro
from near Cirataska IjIl;oou southward to the liio San Juan. I'mt.
Aiiiv.,\t\}.'lT)l-',\. See also Sqnh'r, in Vnhinii, Vadn, note iii., jip. lO()-ri;
FriwUt'l, Alls Aiiin-ihi, torn, i., pp. ;i",»'.l-l();!; /(/., Cd. Aii")\, ]ip. i:!:i--3( ;
./jiiy/c's /I'/'/c, viil. i., J). 2.S7; Si/'tiiT, in \onnll'S AuikiIi s ihs Vinj., IS.'iS. torn,
clx., ]ip. bU-"); l'<(l(U'U>, I Ill-Ill, ]>. •!(). ' Variis et diversis lin^'uis utebantur,
Choutalium tameii maxiuie erat inter cos comnninis.' ///./. Xucu^ (irliis, \t.
'Ml. 'Teniau difercucius de leii^'uas, y la mas yeucral us la de los Chuuta-
784
LANGUAGES OV HONDUEAS.
Oftlio ^r()sfinitola)ifiua,iiO,"\vliicli is mulorstootltliroiigh-
out the ^vllol(! .Moscjuito Coiist, and of which 1 hero give
a few liTaimnatical remarks, ^fr Sqiilor remarks that '' it is
iiotde/icient in euphony, although defective in grammati-
cal power.'"- There is but one article, the inuneral ad-
jective li'iimi one, used also I'or a and an. ^riie adjectives
are lew in number, having no uniform termination, and
are discovered only Ijy their signification, excei)t when
participles, when they always terminate in ra or )>.
Adjecti\es Ibrm the comparative by adding hii'd to the
positive and the superlative by adding jwli except in two
words, via and silpe, which have distinct words lor each
degree of comparison, thus; — siljK. small; uria, smaller;
I'lfant, smallest; itia, much; kam, more; ;>o/(', most.
Comparison is usually formed in the manner following;
— ijdinue, good; ydinne Ay? /y/, better; yamne jioU, best;
hoiira, strong; I'onra kara, stronger; Ivurapoli^ strongest.
In composition, to express excess or diminution, com-
parison is sometimes formed in this manner; — J<()i al-
')nuk, Kiamud abnuk apia-. John is old, Samuel is not
old.
ADJECTIVES.
Okl
(ilmuk
Dad
sanra
Every
l)!iue
Green
Huue
Tii,'ht, closo
l)itue
Dlack
Bixa
Spotted
buluo
Small
silpe
Greedy
sliibla
Trans])arcnt
sli onp;
Dull
diiiidim
Slippery
swokswaka
Circular
iwit
Sour
Bwaue
Less
kiiusa
Damp
tauske
Mitro
kara
Grout
tara
Hot
laptiv
Thin, flat
taiita
liich
lela-kera
Thick
twotiio
Hound
niurbra
Poor
uiupira
l(>s.' HciTira, THst. Gen., deo. iv., lib. viii., cap. ill.; Jnarron, Ifist. flrint., p.
()2; <rii!iii(h>, \i)Hi'(' i\f Ihn ( V/ri'is, ill Loud, (iciiij. Sue.., Jmiy., vol. iii., j).
21H)-1; Oi'iizfo y ISi'rra, Gvixirdfia, p. '20. 'Die Karaibeii beilieiitu sich
iiocli ,L,'('f,'eii\v:irtii; iliri'r f^anz eiL,'entliiiuilicheu Spraclie, welche Ix'd. ntc iid
Von ulleu iilirii;cii abwcicht, und von den anderen Indianerstaiiimeu niclit.
verstaiiden wird.' MnsqiutoUunl^ lUi-klit, yiy. I'J-'il), 110; IU'U'k Hiukii ks on
Mit!<(iiiilit Tir., ill Ldiiil. (ji'ixj. »ji;., Joitr., vol. xxxii., j)p. 2u8-'J; W'dls' £'.i'-
jiliir. ]liin(l., ])]>. i)'>2-3.
^ llanl'.i W'di/.mi, p. 3(i.'3. 'Die Spraclio. .. .der Sambos odor rigent-
liclien lloscjiiitos, am meisten ansj^ebildit, all,L,'emcin verbreitet mid wird im
gan/eii l.ande von alien Sliimmen verstniidin und gesproclieii. Sie ist wolil-
kliiitieiid. oluu' besondere Kelilaute aber ziemlich arm iiud imbeholtcu.'
Jlusquitulaiat, JJcricId, p. lilt.
MOSQUITO ADJECTIVES AND DECLENSIONS.
785
ADJECTIVES.
»
Sharp
nintft
Much
tiia
White
pine
Smaller
uria
R.d
pauno
AVcary
wet
Jlost, very
poli
Hiavy
wiriv
Orey, light blue etc
piipotno
Chief
wita
New
riiiiiku
Gooil
yunino
THE PERFECT TENSE USED AS AN ADJECTIVE.
Dry
liiwiin
Angry
palaii, or luau
L.izy
shrinf,'\viin
Fearful
Kibrin
Sliick, loose
limj^wau
Sore
latwau
Wet
buswiiu
Sick, troubled
warban
Dirty
kliiklan
Dead
pruau
Generous
kupia-jjiuo
The gender is commonly marked by addinj:; vjiihiKi
for the male and inalreii lor the female, or, for beasts,
vninntka for the male, and nudreii, as belbre, for the
female. Tluis; — liij)ia icdiknn, a son; Ihjhh Jiiftiren, a
daughter; blp icainatka, a bull; hip iiytln'ii., a cow. In
nouns relating to the human species the plural is
formed by adding nani to the singular; as; — icdlJina,
a man; waikiui nani, men; yaptc, mother; y<(j)te na)ii,
mothers. Other nouns have the plural the same as
the singular, although sometimes a plural is foi-med l)y
adding ra to tlie singular; — insht, a (ish; iiishir<(. fishes.
There are four cases, distinguished by their termina-
tions, the nominative, dative, accusative, and ablative.
Nom.
Dat.
Aec.
Abl.
Nom.
Dat.
Aec.
Abl.
Nom.
Dat.
Ace.
Abl.
DECLENSION OF THE WORD AIZE, FATHER.
PLURAL.
Fathers
To fathers
SINGULAR.
Father
To father
Father
With father
aize
ai/.cra
ai/o
uize-uo
Fiithcrs
With fathers
aize-uani
aizc-iianira
ftiz( -nani
uize-ue-uaui
SINGULAR.
My father
To my father
My father
With my father
SINGULAR.
Thy father
To thy father
Tliy father
With thv father
Vol. Ill, 00
WITH AFFIX KE.
PLURAL.
aize-ko !My fathers aizeke-nani
aizt'kra To my fathers ai/.rke-nanira
aizfki! My futlicrs aizi-kc-nuni
aize-ke-iie With my fathers aizeke ue uaui
WITH AFFIX KAM.
PLURAL.
aizekam Thy fathers aizekam-nani
ai/.ekamra To tliy fathers aizckam-iianira
aizekam Thy futhrrs aizekam-nani
uizekam-uc With thy fathirs aizekam uc uaui
780
LANGUAGES OF IIOXDUEAS.
SINGULAR.
Norai. Ilis people ni npla
I>iit. To his people ai ui)lnra
Ace. His ])i()pUi (vi u|iLi
Abl. With his people ai uplauo
PLUnAIi.
Their people ai npla-nani
To tluiir jx'oplo ai npla-uiuiim
Their ])(opl(! ai ui)la-ii;iiii
With Ihtir people ai uplane-uaui
To form the possessive case of nouns, the word ihUn,
sigiiilyiug ' belonging', is added. The word, being subject
to 11 declension peculiar to itself, is on that account not
put as an allix in the usual declension of nouns.
DECLENSION OF THE WORD DUKLV, BELONGING, POSSESSION.
Bi'lonf,'inji, possession dulda
Heloii",'iii<,' to liiiu, to them ai iliikiara
Belonging,' to thee, to yoti ai dukiauira
111 my posstissiou, belonyiug to mo dukia-iie
SIXOULAB. PLUUAL.
Of me, mine ynnj:; <liikia
Of thee, thine man ilukia
Of him, his, hers, its wetin dukia
Of ns, onrs
Of you, yours
Of them, theirs
yung-nani dukia
maii-iiani dukia
wetin uaui dukia
There are twelve pronouns, mostly declinable. Six of
them are personal.
I
Thou
He
yung
man
wetin
Self bui
Our xvan
He, bis, her, bers, I, me, etc. ai
Three are relative, and three adjective.
This
That
Other
ADJECTIVE.
baha
naha
wala
What
Which
Who
EELATIVE.
naki
ansa
dia
The first three are declined alike; thus
DECLENSION OF THE WORD YUNG, L
Nom.
Aat.
Dec.
Abl.
Nom.
Dat.
Ace.
Abl.
Nom.
Dat.
Ace.
Abl.
SINGULAR.
I
To me
Me
lu me
y^nrr
yuiiKi-a
y"'ig
yung-ne
We
To U3
Us
With U3
PLURAL.
ynng-nani
yung-uaiiira
yung-nani
yuug-uaui kcra
DECLENSION OF THE WORD MAN, THOU.
SINGULAR.
Thou
To theo
The.-
In thee
man
luanra
man
man-no
You
To you
You
With you
PLURAL.
maii-nani
man-iiauira
man-nani
mau-uaui-kera
Ho
'I'o hiin
Him
In him
DECLENSION OF THE WORD WETIN, HE
SINGULAR.
Wetin
we ti lira
wetin
wetin-ne
They
To them
Tliem
With them
PLURAL.
wetiii-nani •
wetin-nanira
wetin iiaiii
wetiu-iiaui kera
MOSQUITO ADVEKBS AND PllEPOSITIOXS. ■^7
AfTixcs aro also joined to proiioiiiis to increase, var^•
01- change their signilication, such as sa, ne, ra, am, aild
otliers, as well as prei^ositions and adverbs.
Ihcre are but three interjections: alal! alas! Ivii^W
and al((h(i! dear! ' "
Adverbs aro numerous, and admit of certain varia-
tions in their signilication by the use of allixes thus —
nam, ham; uarasa, hera it in; lama, near; himara, nearer.
Qui(;kly
When
Evfiy
Yt'sturday, tLo
other day
Presently
Wlieu
Af,'iiiu
Hoon
To-day
Next, by and by
Already
Iniini'diately
To-morrow
After to morrow
No, not
Only
Por nothing
Not, never
Not
It is not
ane
nidcia
banc
eua-wala
kanara
kanka
kli
mit
naiua
naika
put
tiske
ynnka
yawanka
apia
baiuau
barko
para
sip
bipsa
Never
AVliem
Toi^'cther
There
There it is
Yonder
Near
Nearer, closo
Farther
Here
Hero it is
No moro
Yes
Anything
Sweetly
Exactly
Strangely
Very, trtdy
Enough
Truly
tara
aiisera
aika-aika
bara
barasa
biikra
lama
lamara
liwara
nara
narasa
yulakano
nil
deradera
dumdum
kut
palo
poll
sipso
kosak
There are
are also use
verb, admit
At, near, about
To, there
In
Into, within
Ag.iinst
Kevond
With
Through
With, together
In front
Oi)posito, before
Unto, close
Witliout, outside
Between, centre
Then
Since
Like
Because, for
twenty-eight prepositions. Some of them
(I as conjunctions; and some, like the ad-
ol a variation.
baila
bara
bela
b( lara
dara
kau
kera
krauau
kuki
lalma
lidmara
lama
latara
lilapos
balia
balia-wina
bako
bamna
For
Beneath
Below
Under
Beliind
Aft.r
Witliout, destitute
Ovei upon
Ul'ou, above
Before, anterio-
"Without, exterioi
Amontr
With
From, out of
mata
uiaira
nionunta
iiionuntara
idnara
niuka
pai'a
pura
liurara
pus
skera
tilara
wal
Miua
CONJUNCTIONS,
Until
Now
How
Next
knt
nick
nald
naika
[
788
LANGUAGES OF HONDURAS.
So thus
bnn
Bnt
flcknna
So it itt
l)iiuHa
L<'st
Hin
If
kaka
And, also
Bin
Yet
kivu
Aud
val
Still
kauso
CONJUGATION OF THE VERB KAIA, TO BE.
I'llKSKXT INDK'ATIVK.
I am,
yuiif,' no
The
same, only plaeing nani after
Tliou art,
luan kaiu
the prououus.
U.ii is.
wetiii
FERFECT.
FUTURE.
I have been,
kare
I sha
11 bo,
kainno
TliDii linst Itocu,
karum
Thou wilt bo,
kaina
lit! has boeu,
He W
ill be.
kubia
IMPKHATIVK.
Be tlion.
knma
Let us be,
knpo
Let him be,
kubia
Be y.
,
man-nani-kama
Let them be,
wetin naui kabia
OTHEB FORMS.
I have not bi'cn,
kerns
Tliou hast not been,
kcruni
H.
has not been,
kcinisknn
I shall not be,
kaniue-ajii
a
Thou wilt not be,
kania-apia
He
shall not be,
kabia-apia
Wo shall not V)e,
yunf,'-nani
kamne-apia
Yo
shall not be,
uian-nani '
;ania-apia
Thi'v shall not T)0,
wctin-nani
kabia-apia
Shall I not b..y
kanmc-ii])!
iko
Wilt thou not be?
kania-apia
if!
Shall he not be?
kabui-apiuke
CONJUGATION OF THE VERB DAUKAIA, TO MAKE
PRESENT INDICATIVE.
SINGUTAU.
I make, daukisno We make.
Thou niakest, daukisma Yon make.
He makes, daukisa, or dauki They make,
PLURAIi.
yunp;-nani dankiano
man-uani daukisma
wetin-nani dauki,
or daukisa
IMPERFECT.
I did make, daukatne
Thou didst make, daukatma
He did make, daukata
In the same way every tense forms the phiral, having
no difterence in the terminations.
PERFECT.
I have made,
Thou hast made,
He has made,
Make,
Let him make.
dankre
daukruni
daukau
FUTURE.
I shall make, dankamne
'J'hoii wilt make, daukama
He will make, daukbia
IMPERATIVE.
daiix
daukbia, or
daukbiasika
lict ns make,
'Slake ye.
Let them make.
dankpe
man naiii daux
wetin nani dauk-
bia, or daukbia-
sika
jgggg ^
MOSQUITO LOVE SONG.
789
I make nnt,
I dill Udt iiirtko,
I Imvo not lu.iilc,
I slmll imt make,
Make nut,
l-it liiiii Hot jniik(>,
Let us not iiKilvo,
Miiki' yo iiiit,
Let thciii Hot Tiiiike,
I limy or (mh maku,
I shoiilil iniikc,
I iiiiiy liuvc ihihIi',
I iiii^^'lit liavu iiiiidc,
I shall huvo miido,
Do I Illllkc?
Do I not make?
Dost thou Hot iiiiik(\ oi
iiiiikt'st till 111 not?
OTIIKU FOUMS.
diuikrusno
daukniskatno
yiliif,' daiikruH
daukiiiiiiiii-iii>i(v
(liiiik|iaiiiiiia, or man dunkprtm
dauki.Tu, or witin duukliicriv
yuii^,' n.ini diiukliicrii
man nani daiikiiara, or dimkiiiirama
wiliii nani ihiiikhicia
yuii^,' shtp daukisuu
daukaiakatiKi
yun^; shi'p (lankrn
yuirL; ilaiikutnokrano
daukaiakaiuuo
daiikisiioko
daukriiMic'ke
daukriisinako
Dnps hcnot niaki)? daiikrusko
Shall I not make? dankanin.> apinks
]l f ""il^"'- yuii- daukikaka
If 1 bad nt)t mado, yung daukruskaka 3
As a specimen of this liuiguiige I have the followiii--
love soim': '^
Keker miren n:ino. warwar piscr vamiie krouoknii.
Coope iii'irer mi koolkiiii I doukser. "Dear miine kukei-
cle wol prone. 1 sahhetine wal moonter niopparii.
Keker misc'rc yapte wiiiegan. Koker somholo J)ai-iiar
hppun, li])pmi, lippiiiike. Koohinker i)uiiater ])iii hi-
wegan. Coope iiarer tiincs I doukser. Coope lu'irer mi
koolkun I doukser.
Of this tlie translation Is given as follows:
Dear girl, 1 ain going I'ar IVom thee. AVhen shall
Ave meet again to wander togetlier on the sea-side? 1
feel the sweet sea-bivo/e blow its welcome on niv cheek.
1 hear the distant rolUng of the ni- . rnful thunder. I
see the lightning fhi.shing cm tlie niountain's to]), and
Jlhuniuating all things |)t'low, hut thou art not near me.
^ly heart is sul and sorrowful; faivwell! dear <drl
Avitiiont thee I am desolate.^ ^ '
Following is a comparative vocabulary of some of the
other languages.
■» rouiij's Xarrai.icc, i)p, 77-8.
LANGUAGES OP HONDURAS.
i"
ui*
a
t
©'
n
C3
•^
-»
s
o
B
I
I
B (6 = 3 C '-. i. c n C'Ji p =• a C s i c 1 g j; i -,
. . '-- . . 3. ji. t^ a . f*^ ^ . : s •' • : • ^ P •
•■:••:£, ••••::»:
• . • • • ?i •
- • J; 1
i, ^ 1^ 35 S
i. Z'
u; 3. ". c s J^ jE, f^ i H- 3. p - - -
—• —■ 3" •/. 7. /. cT 3; '■< 35 r* S tf. V :?. 'I p 3
ET jL 5 :i E- — s ;= a - E. '^ S - •=: -S S g
ST- tr 5 1? J;: i- S i. f' E ^ c = ^-', en i=^ £.
^
en
t)5
»^
P
y.
%-
t.
£
;3
rr
j:
o
p
p
S»
tt
B
c E
I-! P
P n C-
£. P
'2- S'
. p
0" p
P E:
P P Clj
p 7
O p ►a
C P p
p; x t: ►— 3: P' r* '^ P P
P M ^
o
10
?^£.35 P e2 "5'
2 ^^'3 ^- g*
5 P P - ir 5
' p
;= p ft.
P -* E
n
■o
M
W
O
o
15
M
M
O
o
(O
w
OnOTINA CONJUGATIONS.
7D1
ru'sitlc'M tlu' A/tt'C. which I hnxo ah'i'iidy spoken ol'
ill ii |»ri'\i()us chiipti'i". there \vero Ibiii' distinct lauLiiiiiuvs
s[)()keii in Xicura^na: — The Cofihici. ( 'hoiolei:!!. ("hon-
tah and Oi-otifia." Of the Orotina. which Mr S(|nier
(.•alls tile Xa'-randan, I have tiie Ibllowiii'; m*annnatical
notes.
Ni'ither articles nor pn'jiositions are expressed. The
jilural is ibrnied by the allix im: — /'//sc/^ bird; /'"s-
fiiini. birds. ( '()in[)aratives and siipi'ilatives are e.\-
])resse(l by in<ih, better or nu)re. and jxinrn oC y/"/v/, best
or most; — iik/k Hd, u()od ; niii-iii< /iiud. better: j)"ri'-iii( Ik i/a,
best. Diininiitives, or (U'licii'iicy. are expressed by at
or imu; — al-hichma or iiun-znc/ai'iu, bad or lacking good.
rr.oxouNS.
I
Icu
Thiisi'
ca^'iiinu
AVo, iiiasc.
hcchrlll
This, 111.
calii
W<.. 1,111.
htcholi
This, i.
halii
Tlinll
i('!i
These, m.
cailehinuhi
"i'oll, 111.
licehclit
These, f.
Cailel.ici
You, f.
licfhtliii
Mine, 111.
CMi^iaiii
]!<^
iciiu
iline. f.
ieauani
Sill'
ica,L,'ui
Ydui'-i, in.
ciitiiiii
'Ih.V, 111.
ii'iuiu
Y'oius, f.
ieatani
'J'licv, f.
icii<,'nnu
His
ca^^ani
Thut
ca''ui
6 'Ay en Nioarnffiia pinro ]pnc;najes niny difrventos: rnrihiei, rjno Innn
mucbit, ( 'lii>r(itei,'a, (jile esla liatnrai, yaiiti^ua: y assi estaii elilos (|iie lo hablau
los hiicilamiiiitus, y el Cacao, ciiie es la iiunieda, .V riiiueza dela tierra
('hoiidal es ^,'r(issem, y selTalio. Ointiria. (jue diz(^ mania, |pc)r l<> ijiie no
oti'os I iiDsotros). Mexieano, que es la luiiicipal.' (linintni, llisl. ///</., fol. "Jdi.
'A ijuatro 11 (;ineo leii}j;iias distintas e diverssas his unas de las otias. La
]>nn<;iital es la (jne llaiimn di- \"i<-<ii-itiii<<i, y es la niesina ([tie lialilan en M('-
xico (') en Xueva Msfiana. La otia es la lenj^ua (pie llaniali de I'lmrotfiin, e
la teii^'era es Clioiidal. . Otra hay (piis del Ltolpho de Uiotifianilia h;'i(;ia la
Jiai'te del Xol'deste, o otras lenL;uas hay adelalite la tieiva adelitrn.' Oriiila,
Jlist. '•'in., toiii. iv., pp. ;}•"), ;{7. Heiii ra, wlm has enpieil t'liini (loin.ira al-
most literally, has made a very inipintatit mistake; lie sjh aks of tivi' laii-
},'ilii;4es and only nieiitions fuur. As lleirera mentions a jilai'e ('liulo(ee;i,
hioiiio writers, and aiiioiiL.' tin in ^Ir Sipiier. have !i]i[ilied this n.ime to a lan-
t;iia,L,'e. Init s(emiiiL;Iy without authoiity. llerreras eojiy reads: ' IlaMauaii
« n Niearauiia, eineo leii^'ii,is dit'i niites, Coiilii/.i, (jne lo liaMan miirho en
Chilloteea. ipie es la natural, y antij^'ua, y ausi estanaii en los (pie la liaMaii-
an , . , .Los de Chondal smi ^Tosseros, y si rralios, la (plarta es Orotina, Mex-
ieaiia es la (piiiita.' J/ist. (h n.. Cue. iii.. lil>. iv., eap. vii. I'luchas has eojiied
<iomara more closely, and cities the live like him. J'iliiriiin s, vol. v., ji. h)s7.
yiv Siiuier makes the followiiif,' division: Dirian, NaL;raiidaii. Clioluteea, Oro-
tina, and Chniidal. Those speakiiu; the A/tec dialect he names Niipiivans
iind also counts tho Cholilteea as a dialect of the same. Xic'iniiiini, vol. ii.,
p. )il0-12; lli(!<cliiiiiinn, (>rtsiiitnii it, p. Li'J: Vrn'lnl, Cent. Annr., p. .")',), et se(|.;
Jidijh'ft JH'li', vol. i., p. 2G7, vol. ii., p^i. "iiSG-T; llassd, J/».v. Uii'il., p. li'Jl;
I'ulaciOi Curia, p, 20.
792
LANGUAGES OF NICARAGUA.
I am,
Thou art,
Ho is,
I was,
Thou wast.
He was,
T have hccn,
Thou hast been,
He has beeu,
I had been,
Thou liadst been,
He had been.
I shall be,
I shall have been,
CONJUGATION OF THE TEK15 SA, TO BE.
PltKSKNT INDICATIVE.
SINOULAE.
sa
sa
sit
PLURAL.
We are, so
You are, soa
They are, sula
IMPERFECT.
cana
eana
caua
^\'v were.
You were.
They were,
canan'i
eaiiaiio.i
lacauaua
PERFECT.
s:'i ci'i
sachu
saca
AVe have been,
You have been,
They have beeu.
sii euii
sa cualii
sa gahu
PLUPERFECT.
mncasini Plural the
mucanasiui
same
inucanasiMliiii
FIIiST FUTURE.
lamaiiambi ]
■NVe shall be,
lamanannn
SECOND FUTURE.
malamaua | "\Ve shall have been, lamana
CONJUGATION OF THE VERB AIHA, TIHA, AHIHA, TO COME
PRESENT INDICATIVE.
SINGULAR.
I co:ne.
icuuaha
iVe ecmc,
PLURAL.
I came,
I have come,
I had come,
I shall come,
I shall have come,
Come,
I should come,
If I had come,
ISrPERFKCT.
incunahalu | ^\'e came.
icusanaha
PERFECT.
We hav? oome,
PLUPERFECT.
icuschisalu i We had come.
FTiiST FUTURE.
icugalia
We shall come,
bechelunagu-
bi
bechelunagu-
balu
Lechelusagu-
alalii
licchelnnigu-
alalu
Lcchclu''uli
SKCOND FUTURK.
icuvihiluuiha j A\ e shall have come, lu chchivilii-
I luiugualalu
IMPERATIVE.
ahiyaica j Let us come.
ieugahalu | AVe should come,
icumahaluvi- If we had come.
hilu
ahi\f)lH(h( u
hcch(ln^,'u-
alalu
hcclKJuiiiiiiii-
ueamagulha '
■'■ Sii'tkr'f: Xicavxjwi, vul. ii., pi). ;Jl-j-31i).
naoi
NICAllAGUA AND COSTA TJCA VOCABULARIES, 79:5
Of the Orotina and Cliorotega I al^o insert a .short
vocabulary
Man
Woiiiaij
Hdul
Fiici!
Ear
].ye
NdSO
Arm
IfoUMO
Sun
Firo
OBOTINA ' CnoiiOTEGA
rali[ifi nulio
r:il)!iku imhscyomo
h'cii, oredi t^'oocboiuu
OnOTlNA
CllU
nun
SctU
til 'en
pil'pu
gilii
alicfi
uLku
Kroto
nnliino
iialitu
lllllli;,'00
(Iciio
iiuhiij,'u
iiiiiiiliii
liuliu
Water
Stolli)
\V(.,.(1
To driuk
i o K<)
0.a,l
White
I
Thou, ho
Wo
CIIOKOTEOA
coia iiiiubii
csco, or esenn nii^'o
iiiin'Miinm
liai'ii
ir.iilniia
aiyii, or icii
giui,i;aim
iiKjsha,
ion
ica
liocliohi
boprima
jiaya
f^'a.ualiio
aiiilirume
saho
suiuuHheta
bomehmu >*
^Fore .scanty .'^till is tlio information rotrarding the
tongues of Costa JJica. Only one vocabulary "is at
haiul of the languages spoken by the IJlancos, A'aliente.s,
and Talaniancas, who inhabit the east coast between the
Rio Zent and the IJoea del Toro. IV'sides these there
are mentioned, as .speaking .sei)arate tongues, the Chi-
ripos, (Juatusos, and Tii-ibis. Of the lanuuage of the
Talaniancas 1 give a few words
J[an
Womau
Iloaa
Faco
Ear
Eye
Xv>nO
Haud
House
Sun
J^Ioou
Firo
sij^iia-kirinoma
Ki^^'iia-ai'.'igro
sa-/a-ki'i
sakar-kii
sn-ki'i-ko
Hll-WU-l'lkl'tl'l
sii-t.sliu-l;o-((i
Ka-fra-tziu-Hok
snln'i
kaii-huo
tu-lii
tscLu-ko
Water
Stone
Wood
Do-
(iood
Bad
I
Thou
He
We
Yon
They
di'-tzi'ta
ak
ii-ruk
tschi-tsebi
l>iii.-.i
bi'-so-i
bc-h.'
tsrhi-si
Ko-de
sa-ta-war-ko
se-hetsuh-to
bf-zo '■*
On the isthmus of Darien there is nothing to b<'
mentioned but the n!iin(>s of tongues .said to have been
spoken there, and of ,si)ecimens nothing but a few
.scanty vocabid.'u-ics exist. Oviedo. s[)eaki.ig of Xica-
rngua, Cosia lUcii. iind the ancient pi'ovince of Tiena
Firme, thinks thert; were as many as seventy-two dis-
tinct tongues .s|)oken in that region, lie special! v
mentions thu Cuiba, the JJurica. and the I'aris.'" Anda-
■^ I'l. jip. :!'_»n-2:<.
_'■' U''>:liii-r iiiul Srhcrtfi; r„sl,i Hira. [), 'A.-i; Srhn-srr, \'n,;ih., in s;i-,ni>is-
uerir.hl" ilrr Al.iol. >hr ICks'x.sr/,., ir:,., vol. xv., no. i., is.",-,, pp. •JtH-:\r,. '
'■•' 'Fionso yo (pio sou apartados doi uumoro do las soptonta y dos.' Vi.
im
ISTHMIAN LANGUAGES.
govii spcal<s (jf a distinct language in the province of
Acla; another called the Cueva as s])oken in the prov-
inces of CV)inogre and ]>irnqueta, on i'earl Island. jd)otit
the gulf of Hiui ^liguel. and in the province of ( oiha;
at Xom])re de Dios the Chuchura; to each of the ])rov-
inces of Tobreytrota, Xata, Chiru, Chame, L*aris, J<]sco-
ria. Chicacotra, Sangana, and Guarara, a distinct lan-
tiuaLie is assiuncd." Another tonu'ue siiokcr of l)v an
old writer is that of the Simerones.'-' To the diilerent
.surveying and ex})loring exjjeditions of later years ue
are indebted for a few notes on the languages spoken
in Darien ct this dav. The Tules, Dariens, Cholos,
Dorachos. i>a\aneric«, Cunas, and JJayauios, are new
names not mentioned by any of the older writers; of
souie of them vocabularies have been taken, but other-
wise we are left in darkness/"
CHOLO
TULE>
WAFKE S DARIEN VOLAB
Water
jiayto
teo
doolu
Fii-f
tiihoor
cbo
Sun
Jiesea
ipe
]M(i()n
licileelio
11 eo
HOG
Tivf
liaeliru
c'liowala (pi.)
Ilonso
dhe
nekfi
.Alan
niochiiia
iiiastola
Wdiuan
vneua
puudola
poouab
Thmuler
pa
111 arm
1)(^'
acliu
Ear
uwa
Eyo
ibia
Nose
an uchuu
ISIoatli
kagyii
Father
tantali
:\[(ilhir
iiauiiali
IJiotlier
riin|iah
<4o
eliaiinali
Sleep
coteliah
Fine
uiuuuiubah
f./o, ifist. a,
)!.. ton>. i., HI), ii.,
eap. xliii. 'En tiprr
a fir me
. . . .ni mui diver
Has, i apartadas ].,eiinuas.' Orkilo. I'vin'mio, i" Ijiircin. Jli.-<liiriail<iirs, tmii. i.,
]). 11. ' Xl eiilre ellos leie_;uas difrreiites.' i ■ .:<(nili> Cnhn,. ill HnYci'i. Jli.-h'-
rht:J<iri's, torn, i., fnl. in(;. -Son tia lor dhierso ]iiiL;iie.' rohiinhd, llisl. Aiii-
vitntijlin, ]). 10.").
i^ Aiiihiii<ii/,i, ]!'I(iri.„i, ui Xav'imtc Col, toui. iii., p. li'.W, et se(i.; !!<>■-
n'rii. Ilixt. O'lii., dec. iv.. lib. i., cap. xi.
'■■^ liiijitlsl'i .l/)/(.//ir). Jlihdi'iii. in ll'ili-lui/t'A Vol/., torn, iii., fol. ")")1.
I'f Wihr Milliiiiliilis, torn, iii., ])t ii., yt. 707:' ('"/'f/t'.s Darin. ]i. i'l'r. Fltz-
»•()//. in Liittil. inoij.. >«)<■., ,fiinr., vol. xx., ii. Hit: /.(iIIkhh, iu hi., pp. 1^'.'-
'.)il'; .s'l'iKi'Oi'.s Vni/. Ifivahl. vol. i.. ]). ?,\'l; Jii(lin'ir.-< l^llninis. {^u 'M-'M; lie
J'lil/ill, Krplor., iu Loml, (jeuj, Hoc, Juur., vol. xxsviii., p. Ul.
CHOLO, TULE, AND DARIliN LANGUAGES.
705
CHOLO
Ono
Two
Tlirco
Fi )ur
Fi so
Trr.E \V.VFKIi".S DAMES VOCAB.
qucncliaqua Lean
ponoa clW
l>!i,^\va tree
liakcLtiiu caller
"pfali f(j()ig
ambe dell "
Al though from a perusal of what has licro heen path-
orcd Avo might wish to know more of tlie weird im;ig-
iniiigs that lloated through the minds of these peopled.
and to follow fin-ther the interniinal)le intermixture of
tongues and dialects, spoken, grunted, and gestured ])v-
tween the Arctic Ocean and the Atrato River, we nuist
content ourselves with what we have. I have gatheivd
and given in this volume all that I have been able to
find; and from the readiness with wiiich the Americans
were wont to adopt the dogmas and creeds of Ein-o-
])eans. supernatural conceptions su[)[)osedl\- superior to
their own, and insist upon their being aboriginal, and
IVom the rapid and bewildering changes that so (piickly
mnr and destroy the original jnirity of tongues, there is
little hope of our learning further froui living lips, or
of our ever being able to f>tm]y these things froui the
scattered and degraded renmants of the people them-
selves.
lie who carefully examines the Myths and Languages
of the aboriginal nations inhal)iting"the Pacific States,
i;umot fail to be iuipressed with the similaritv between
them aud the beliefs and tongues ol' mankind elsewhere.
Here is the same insatiate thirst to know the uukuowi)I)le,
here ;u'e the sauie audacious atteuipts to tear asnuder llu!
Aeil, the saim; fashioning and peo[)ling of worlds. la\ iug
(Hit aud circuuiscribing of celestial i-egions. aud miiiui"
facturing. and setting up. spiritually ai'id m;iteri;dly. of
creators. luan and auiuial makers and ruh>rs. e\ (>i'\ wheiv
manifest. Here is apparent what would seem to' be the
same inherejit necessity for worship, for propitiation, for
^^CiUni's Darin,, pp. |);)-102; Latham, in Loml. O'toa. S,,,-., J„„r vol
XX, 1,. HH); Wu/u'; Sac l",.//., pi,. ISO-lbS. '
796
CONCLUSION.
purification, or .1 cleansing from sin, for atonement and
•sacrifice, with all the symbols and paraphernalia of nat-
ural and artificial religion. In their speech the same
grammatical constructions are seen with the usual varia-
tions in form and scope, in poverty and richness, which
are fomid in nations, rude or cultivated, everywhere.
Little as we know of the beginning and end of things,
we can ])ut feel, as fresh facts are brought to light and
new comparisons made between the races and ages of
the earth, that humanity, of whatsoever origin it mav
be or howsoever circumstanced, is formed on one model,
and unfolds under the iniluence of one inspiration.
END OF THE THIRD VOLUME.
lat-
ime
I'iu-
icli
TO.
lli'S.
nul
of
lav
lei,