Remarks on American Languages in general—Conflicting Opinions of
Philologists—Religious Zeal a Stimulus that has produced the Grammars
and Vocabularies of the American Languages—Sketch of the Grammar of
the Maya Tongue—Concluding Observations respecting its Origin.
The origin and the mutual relations of the American languages have long
been favorite topics of discussion among philologists; but their
researches and speculations have led to results so contradictory and
utterly irreconcilable, that we are left, after a thorough perusal of
the leading works upon the subject, in the same state of doubt and
uncertainty with which we commenced it. Mr. Gallatin, in the prefatory
letter to his learned and profound essay, entitled “A Synopsis of the
Indian Tribes within the United States, East of the Rocky Mountains, and
in the British and Russian Possessions in North America,” remarks, that
“amid the great diversity of American languages, considered only in
reference to their vocabularies, the similarity of their structure and
grammatical forms has been observed and pointed out by the American
philologists. The substance of our knowledge in that respect will be
found, in a condensed form, in the appendix. The result appears to
confirm the opinions already entertained on that subject by Mr. Du
Ponceau, Mr. Pickering, and others; and to prove that all the languages,
not only of our own Indians, but of the native inhabitants of America,
from the Arctic Ocean to Cape Horn, have, as far as they have been
investigated, a distinct character common to all, and apparently
differing from those of the other continent with which we are the most
familiar.” Mr. Gallatin, however, in a note appended to this paragraph,
qualifies it by stating that “the grammar of the language of Chili is
the only one, foreign to the immediate object of the ‘Synopsis,’ with
which a comparison has been introduced. Want of space did not permit him
to extend the inquiry into the language of Mexico and other parts of
Spanish America.” Mr. Bradford, however, in his “Researches into the
Origin and History of the Red Race,” p. 309, states unqualifiedly that
“philologists have examined into the form and character of the American
languages, and have established satisfactorily that they have all sprung
from one common source. The features of resemblance are such as enter
into their elementary construction; the diversities, those to which all
languages are exposed, by the separation and dispersion of those who
speak them.”
On the other hand, Baron Von Humboldt, in his “Political Essay on the
Kingdom of New Spain,” vol. i. p. 138, after some remarks upon the
migrations of the American tribes, proceeds to state that “the great
variety of languages still spoken in the kingdom of Mexico proves a
great variety of races and origin. The number of these languages exceeds
twenty, of which fourteen have grammars and dictionaries tolerably
complete. The following are their names: the Mexican or Aztec language;
the Otomite; the Tarasc; the Zapotec; the Mistec; the Maya or Yucatan;
the Totonac; the Popolouc; the Matlazing; the Huastec; the Mixed; the
Caquiquel; the Taraumar; the Tepehuan; and the Cora. It appears that the
most part of these languages, far from being dialects of the same, (as
some authors have falsely advanced,) are at least as different from one
another as the Greek and the German, or the French and the Polish. This
is the case with at least seven languages of New Spain, of which I
possess the vocabularies. The variety of idioms spoken by the people of
the new continent, and which, without the least exaggeration, may be
stated at some hundreds, offers a very striking phenomenon, particularly
when we compare it with the few languages spoken in Asia and Europe.”
We might give quotations from other writers, of an equally contradictory
nature, were it our design to write a treatise upon the origin or the
resemblances of the American languages in general. We intend, however,
to confine our attention solely to the language of Yucatan, or the Maya
tongue, mentioned above, by Humboldt, as one of the original languages
of New Spain.
The Maya was the sole language spoken throughout the peninsula of
Yucatan, and the northern portion of Guatemala, at the time of the first
settlement of the Spaniards in Campeachy. The difficulty of opening an
intercourse with the Indians, and of mastering their language, was at
first exceedingly great; but was finally surmounted by the learning and
religious zeal of the Catholic priesthood, who, after years of incessant
labor and self-denial, under the most discouraging circumstances,
succeeded not only in acquiring a knowledge of the Maya tongue,
sufficient to enable them to converse with and preach to the natives,
but to invent a written language, and to compose a grammar and a
vocabulary. It is impossible to reflect upon the physical and mental
exertions of the Catholic missionaries among the Indians of America,
without admiration. The Jesuits in Paraguay, Chili, Peru, and, in truth,
throughout the whole of South America, animated by an unextinguishable
zeal in the cause of religion, buried themselves in the most remote
districts, in the midst of the most appalling dangers, and quietly and
undauntedly set about the task of conquering the Indian, not with the
sword, but with the pen; and they ceased not until they had obtained
that key to his heart, in the shape of an embodied language, which all
the political changes of the continent, during the lapse of centuries,
have not been able to wrest from them. The Indian in Yucatan and
Guatemala, as well as in South America, acknowledges no authority but
that of the priest, and it is through the influence of the Church alone,
that the temporal power is enabled to keep up even the semblance of
government. The Padre is to the Indian a guide, father, and friend; he
consults him on all occasions. We hazard little in saying that
throughout nine tenths of the peninsula of Yucatan, if we except the
seaport towns, the entire control of the Indians is in the hands of the
priesthood, and that the political relations now existing as between the
government and the governed, would be instantly dissolved were the
clergy to withhold their co-operation; and that the result would be the
same, whatever mutations may take place among the parties which may now
or hereafter contend for political supremacy.
Humboldt speaks of fourteen languages of New Spain as having grammars
and vocabularies tolerably complete. We will endeavor, by means of the
Maya grammar and vocabulary in our possession, to give such a slight
sketch of its structure, as we have been enabled to glean from its
pages. The first Maya grammar was composed by Father Louis de
Villalpando, the first Catholic priest that set foot upon the peninsula
of Yucatan, at Campeachy. This grammar was never published, and was much
improved by Father Landa, the first provincial minister, and the second
bishop of Yucatan. His treatise, with the additions of the bishop,
remained in manuscript, but was the basis of the grammars of Fathers
Juan Coronel and Gabriel de San Bonaventure, which in their turn were
largely used by the author of the work in our possession. It is a
remarkable fact, tending to show the decline of literary taste among
even the priesthood of Yucatan, that we were unable, after the most
active research, to find any of the works above mentioned, and we have
reason to believe that few if any copies now exist. The grammar in our
possession was written by Father Pedro Beltran, a Franciscan, and
published at the city of Mexico, in 1746, see note[3]. The author, in
his preface, characterizes the Maya, as “graceful in diction, elegant in
its periods, and concise in style; often, in a few words of few
syllables, expressing the meaning of many sentences. If the learner can
overcome the obstacle presented by the difficulty of pronouncing some of
the consonants, which are intensely guttural, he will find the language
of easy acquisition.” After some remarks upon the mode in which he
proposes the trial of his subject, he concludes with the following
remarks, which we have condensed here, to show that religious zeal was
the moving cause which produced all the grammars and vocabularies of the
Indian languages: “I will not rest my appeal in behalf of the Maya upon
considerations of mere personal interest, or of the pleasure which must
be the result of being able to communicate ideas in a foreign tongue; I
would elevate my thoughts above such comparatively base and vulgar
views; since I dedicate my work as an instrument for the service of the
Divine Majesty, knowing, from my personal experience, that the brethren
of the church will obtain abundant fruit among the poor Indians, by
instructing them from the pulpit and the confessional, and likewise
holding converse with them, in their native tongue: since by this means
we shall most successfully thwart the Devil, who will be cast down if we
succeed, and who often interposes ridiculous difficulties in our path,
which we can easily surmount; the Accursed One well knowing, that in
turning aside, and not acquiring this language, we deeply offend God, in
that we cause the ruin of many souls. Therefore, beloved reader, apply
yourself carefully to this treatise, to the end that you may please God,
by opening the ears of this poor people, and feeding them with spiritual
bread.”
The Maya alphabet consists of only twenty-two letters, of which the
following, viz.,
ↄ, ch, k, pp, th, tz,
are peculiar to the language, and are very difficult of pronunciation.
Mechanical rules, representing their sounds, are given in the grammar,
but it is almost impossible to acquire them without the assistance of a
native. It is deficient in the following letters:—
d, f, g, j, q, r, s.
The remaining letters are sounded as in Spanish.
The parts of speech are the same as in English. The noun is
indeclinable, that is, the cases are formed solely by means of
prepositions; the accusative, like the objective in English, requiring
no preposition when governed by an active verb. The genders are natural,
as in English, and are designated by the particle _Ah_, for the
masculine, and _Ix_ for the feminine, neuter nouns having no prefix;
thus—
Ah cambezah, ... master.
Ix cambezah, ... mistress.
These monosyllables, however, are generally written simply H and X. They
are often used in a pronominal sense when mention is made of any
peculiarity or attribute of a living person; thus, nohoch being an
adjective, signifying great, and pol a noun, meaning head, we should
say—
H nohoch pol, ... He with the large head.
X nohoch pol, ... She with the large head.
The genders of beasts and birds are still further designated by the
prefix xibil for the male, and chupul for the female.
The numbers are expressed by affixing to the substantive the particle
ob, to signify the third person plural, and the personal pronouns to
express the first and second persons. The adjective is, like the
substantive, indeclinable; admitting only, as in English, of the
variation of degrees of comparison. These are formed by doubling the
last syllable, and prefixing a pronoun for the comparative; as—
tibil, good. û tibilil, his, her, or its better.
noh, great. û nohol, ––––––– " –––––– greater.
kaz, ugly. û kazal, ––––––– " –––––– more ugly.
lob, bad. û lobol, ––––––– " –––––– worse.
The prefix of u changed to y, and sounded with the adjective, when it
begins with a vowel. The final syllable of all comparatives has been
gradually corrupted into il or el, in the spoken language.
The relation of comparison between two persons or things is expressed by
several words analogous to than, in English; but this part of the
subject belongs more properly to the syntax.
The superlative degree is formed by simply prefixing to the adjective
the word hach, very; as—
lob, bad. hach lob, very bad, or worst.
ez, enchanted. hach ez, most enchanted.
The pronouns are very difficult to classify. The author, however,
arranges them in five divisions, of which two are demonstrative, two
mixed, or partaking of the possessive nature, and one reciprocal or
reflective.
The first, which is prefixed solely to active or transitive verbs, or
used as a relative, is declined as follows:—
Ten, I; Toon, We;
Tech, Thou; Teex, Ye;
Lay, He. Loob, They.
The second is suffixed to all tenses of neuter or substantive verbs,
except the present and imperfect. It also serves as an objective when
following an active verb, and, joined with a past participle, forms a
neuter verb. It is thus declined:—
En, I; On, We;
Ech, Thou; Ex, Ye;
Laylo, He. Ob, They.
The two demonstrative and possessive pronouns are as follows:—
In, I, or mine; Ca, We, or ours;
A, Thou, or thine; A ex, Ye, or yours;
U, He, or his. V ob, They, or theirs.
The numerous and delicate distinctions between these last, as shown by
the author in many examples, would be fatiguing to the reader were they
set forth at length. It is enough to remark here, that the first is used
in the conjugation of certain tenses of the verbs, and the second in
certain others; and that, as a possessive, the first is used before
nouns beginning with a consonant, and the second before those commencing
with a vowel.
The reciprocal or reflective pronoun is declined as follows:—
Inba, Myself; Caba, Ourselves;
A ba, Thyself; A ba ex, Yourselves;
U ba, Himself. U ba ob, Themselves.
This is used precisely as in English: thus, _cimzah_, to kill;
_cimzahba_, to kill one’s _self_.
The verbs are divided into four conjugations; of which the first
comprehends all absolute or neuter verbs. The verbs of the other
conjugations are all active or transitive, but are rendered passive by
being conjugated after the first conjugation; whence all passive verbs
may be said likewise to be embraced under this form. All verbs of this
conjugation, with a few exceptions, terminate, in the infinitive, in the
letter _l_, and are of more than one syllable. The perfect tense ends
always in _i_, and the future in _c_. We give a few examples, to show
the symmetry of the arrangement of the Spanish grammarian.
Etppizanhal, etppizanhi, etppitzanhac, to resemble;
Elel, eli, elec, to burn;
Hatzpahal, hatzpahi, hatzpahac, to separate;
Mankinhal, mankinhi, mankinhac, to persevere;
Uenel, ueni, uenec, to sleep;
Xanhal, xanhi, xanac, to delay.
The second conjugation, which is the first of the active verbs, is
indicated by the termination, _ah_. The perfect likewise ends in _ah_,
being distinguished from the present by a different pronoun, and the
future in _z_. A few examples follow:—
Cambezah, cambezah, cambez, to teach;
Yukkahzah, " yukkahez, to examine;
Kochbezah, " kochbez, to blame;
Xupzah, " xupez, to destroy;
Zipzah, " zipez, to provoke.
The verbs of the third conjugation are all monosyllabic, and form the
preterite by the addition of _ah_, and the future in _é_ or _ab_
indiscriminately; as, for example:—
Kam, kamah, kamé or kamab, to receive;
Mac, macah, macé or macab, to shut;
Ux, uxah, uxé or uxab, to gather;
Xoc, xocah, xocé or xocab, to respect.
The verbs of the fourth conjugation differ from those of the third, in
being polysyllabic. They form the preterite by adding _tah_, and the
future by adding _té_ to the body of the verb. If the infinitive end in
_tah_, the preterite remains the same. Some examples follow:—
Kabatah, kabatah, kabaté, to number;
Kuul, kuultah, kuulté, to worship;
Lolobthan, lolobthantah, lolobthanté, to curse;
Nenol, nenoltah, nenolté, to contemplate;
Tzolthan, tzolthantah, tzolthanté, to interpret;
Zinché, zinchétah, zinchété, to crucify.
The irregular verbs, of which there are about as many as in our own
language, are to be learned only from practice. The auxiliary verbs
likewise require much attention, to enable the student to conjugate the
regular verbs. They are used in the different tenses and modes precisely
as the auxiliaries in the modern European languages, except that they
sometimes follow the participles in place of preceding them. We give the
reader a specimen of the mode of conjugating a verb of the second
conjugation in the present and imperfect tenses, our limits not allowing
us to give all its modifications.
PRESENT INDICATIVE.
Ten cambezic, I teach;
Tech cambezic, Thou teachest;
Lay cambezic, He teaches.
Toon cambezic, We teach;
Teex cambezic, Ye teach;
Loob cambezic, They teach.
IMPERFECT INDICATIVE.
Ten cambezic cuchi, I was teaching;
Tech cambezic cuchi, Thou wast teaching;
Lay cambezic cuchi, He was teaching.
Toon cambezic cuchi, We were teaching;
Teex cambezic cuchi, Ye were teaching;
Loob cambezic cuchi, They were teaching.
Were we to give the remaining portions of this verb, as conjugated by
Father Beltran, the reader would be filled with admiration at the
clearness and simplicity of his arrangement, and perceive how much his
labors have facilitated the acquisition of this language.
The great obstacle, however, to the perfect knowledge of the Maya, and
which can only be removed by continual converse with the natives
themselves, is the frequent use of elisions and syncopes. The author has
devoted several pages to this part of his subject, and has laid down
many rules to guide the learner; but finally he is obliged to confess
that no written directions can be given to embrace every case. The Maya
tongue, in this respect, resembles many other Indian languages, in which
words are elided, syncopated, and consolidated together, until the
grammatical construction can only be conjectured by the philologist, and
the radices become jumbled up and difficult to distinguish. The utmost
that the grammarian can accomplish, is to separate the different parts
of speech, and to classify them scientifically. A spoken language is
always more or less elided in conversation, however distinctly the words
may be written in books; but the written languages of South America
present consolidated masses of words truly formidable to behold, and
which tend utterly to discourage the most patient philologist. Humboldt
mentions the word NOTLAZOMAHUIZTESPIXCALATZIN, signifying “venerable
priest, whom I cherish as my father,” as used by the Mexicans when
speaking to the curates; and the vocabularies of Indian languages, both
of North and South America, exhibit words of even greater longitude. It
is evident that so long as the words of a language are, as it were,
fused together, almost according to the fancy of the speaker,
grammatical rules will be of little practical use to guide the scholar,
and that he must acquire the language mostly by the ear. This perhaps
accounts for the disappearance of all grammars and vocabularies of the
Maya tongue from the peninsula of Yucatan, the priests finding it much
easier to learn the language directly from the Indian, than to acquire
it from books. I offer this, however, as a suggestion, rather than as an
explanation.
The brief sketch we have given of some of the features of the Maya
tongue, naturally leads to speculations concerning its origin, and that
of the nation by which it is spoken.
There appears to be but little resemblance between the Maya, and the
Mexican or Aztec, although they are both intensely guttural, and have a
great similarity when viewed superficially by a cursory observer. The
Maya bears evident marks of very great antiquity, and may have been the
language of Mexico before the great invasions of the Toltecs and Aztecs.
There are some who suppose that the present inhabitants of Yucatan are
but the scattered remnants of a great nation, which once ruled a large
portion of the continent, and had its central seat of power in the
peninsula; and that it was gradually forced to yield to the assaults of
more warlike nations, who invaded it from the North, and retired within
the boundaries of the peninsula, where it decayed by degrees, until all
vestige of political power was lost, long before the arrival of the
Spaniards. Its temples and pyramids, and its spoken tongue, are the only
memorials from which we can form any idea respecting its origin. This
question necessarily involves a solution of the great problem of the
origin of the American race in general.
The opinions of writers upon this subject are diverse, and are supported
on each side with a great variety of interesting facts and inferences.
It has long been a favorite idea with most who have treated of this
topic, that America originally derived its population from Europe or
Asia, or, to speak in the usual manner, that the _New_ World was peopled
from the _Old_. This hypothesis seems to have been assumed in the first
instance as a premise; at least, most arguments upon this head seem to
indicate that it has served as a sort of basis to the train of
deductions; and the most ingenious suppositions and skilfully arranged
facts have been adduced to support a foregone conclusion. Whether the
American continent was peopled at a very remote or a comparatively
recent date, is not of so much moment, although there is a great
diversity of opinion also in this respect. Mr. Gallatin, in his
“Prefatory Letter,” above mentioned, is of opinion that “this continent
received its first inhabitants at a very remote epoch, probably not much
posterior to the dispersion of mankind;” thus evidently referring to and
supporting the theory of immigration, and of the derivation of all
diversities of the human race from one type; while Mr. Bradford, in the
final chapter of his elaborate work, before cited, agrees with Mr.
Gallatin in the hypothesis that “the Red Race penetrated at a very
ancient period into America,” but differs with him in the conclusion
that it “appears to be _a primitive branch of the human family_.” Baron
Von Humboldt, however, in his great work upon New Spain, terms the
Indians “indigenous,” and, although he quotes the opinions of many
authors in favor of their Asiatic origin, he at the same time combats
their views with sundry striking facts, and finally modestly dismisses
the subject with the remark, that “the general question of the first
origin of the inhabitants of a continent is beyond the limits prescribed
to history, and is not, perhaps, even a philosophical question.”
We will candidly confess that we could never understand why philosophers
have been so predisposed to advocate the theory which peoples America
from the Eastern hemisphere. We think the supposition that the Red Man
is a primitive type of a family of the human race, originally planted in
the Western continent, presents the most natural solution of the
problem; and that the researches of physiologists, antiquaries,
philologists, and philosophers in general, tend irresistibly to this
conclusion. The hypothesis of immigration, however inviting it appear at
first to the superficial observer, and however much he may be struck
with certain fancied analogies between the architectural or astronomical
peculiarities of the American and the Asiatic, is, when followed out,
embarrassed with great difficulties, and leads to a course of
interminable and unsatisfying speculations.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
APPENDIX.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
APPENDIX.
A BRIEF MAYA VOCABULARY.
Acquaintance, kaholâl.
Adder, can, or cam.
——, (harmless,) tzelcam.
Afternoon, zezikin.
Age (an,) khinkatun.
Agony, takyekik, xulikal.
Air, l’k-ikal.
Alligator, ain, chinan.
Alms, ↄayatzil, zitl, matan.
Anger, campectzil.
Animal, balachi.
Ant, zinic, zacal.
Apartment, uay, kakal.
Appetite, ulolal.
Arm and hand, kab.
Ascend, nacal.
Ashes, ↄitaan.
Asthma, coc, coczen, cencoc.
Avarice, coczioïl.
Ax, baat.
Badger, ah, chab.
Ball, (dance,) okot.
Banner, lacân.
Basket, xac.
Bat, zoↄ.
Bath, katchu.
Beam, chalatché.
Beans, bouloul.
Beautiful man, chichcelem.
Bee, yikilkab.
Bed, uay, chac, chacché.
Bed canopy, yuub.
Bed-bug, kulimpic.
Bell, (small,) kilzimoc.
Bench, xacamache.
Bird, chich.
Birth, züan.
To Bleed, tock.
Bleeding, tockil.
Blood, kik, olâm.
Blemish, yikub.
Blind, ekmaï.
Blister, ppool, choolax.
Body, uinclil, cucut.
Bow, pump.
Boy, pal.
Brain, ↄomel.
Bread, uah.
To Break, noppah.
Breast, tzem.
Broom, mizib.
Bug, (flying,) pic.
Butter, tratz.
Buttock, ppucit.
Calabash, chu.
Caldron, mazcabcun.
Calf of the leg, ppuloc.
Cancer, ↄunuz, ↄunuztacon.
Candle, yibac.
Candle, (wax,) yibaccib.
Cane, ochux.
Cat, mix, miztun.
Caterpillar, nok, nokol.
Chair, yec.
Chamber, unoyna.
Chastisement, tzeac.
Cheek, ppuc.
Chicken, cach
Chin, meex.
Cholic, kuxnakil, yanakil.
Circle, peet, petil.
Claws, (beast’s,) mol.
Cloak, (sort of,) zuyem.
Cloudy, nocoycan.
Coal, thabaantchuc, tchuc, cimenchuc.
Cochineal, mukaï.
Cold weather, ceec.
Cold in the head, zizhalil.
Cold, (any thing,) ziz.
Consumption, tzemztemil, nichoïl.
Contagion, bambanicimil.
Cook, or cookery, coben.
Corn, yxim.
Corner, tunk.
Cord, (line,) kaan.
Costiveness, natzhalil, zunↄnalil.
Courage, ikal, ↄabaïl.
Court, tancabal.
Covetousness, natzil.
Crab, ixbau.
Cramp, lotheek, zizoc.
Cricket, maaz.
Cripple, mech, moch.
Crown, nac.
Cruelty, yxmaↄnↄilil.
Dauphin, ahzibic.
Day, kin.
Day-break, yaja-cab.
Day after to-morrow, cabej.
Dead, cimen.
Deaf, cooc.
Deafness, coocil.
Death, cimil, cimen.
Deceit, tabzah.
Deer, ceb.
To Deflower, zat zubuyil.
Descend, emel.
Desire, ↄibolal.
Diamond, kabliztoc.
To Die, cimil.
Dinner, (to eat,) hanal.
Discord, kexolal.
Dog, pek.
Door, hol.
Doubt, picolal.
Drake, (wild,) catzhâa.
Drawers, ex, humpel, sacech.
Drink, ukil.
Drop, chibaloc, can-nohol.
Dropsy, zot, chupil.
Dumb, tot.
Dumbness, totil.
Eagle, coot.
Ear, leexicên.
Early, matukin.
East, lakin.
Earthen dish, xamah.
Earthquake, cicilan, cicilancal.
Eat, (bread,) hantachouaj.
Egg, hue, cel.
Elbow, cué.
Embroider, chuy.
Enchanter, ahez, ahcunyha, ahcunal.
Ennui, tukolal.
Enter, ocol.
Entrails, hobnel, tzuc.
Eye-lash, matzab.
Eye-lid, pachich.
Eyes, ouich, or ych.
Fair, kinic.
To Fall, nenel.
Family, balnaïl, cuchteïl.
Fan, ual, picit.
Far, naach.
Fast, tumut, hana.
Fat, yek, yekil.
Father, hachyum.
Fear, zablemotal.
Feather, kukum.
Feebleness, tzemil.
Female, chupal.
Fever, chacauil, chocuil.
Fever, (intermittent,) yaxcal.
Fiction, iktili, iktilican.
Fields, hotoch.
Fight, tock.
Fingers, jalkab.
Finger, (middle,) chumuckab.
——, (ring,) ahoïpit.
Fire, kak.
Firewood, zi.
Fish, (lake,) hulum.
——, (peculiar to America,) tzan.
To Fish, tchoukaï.
Flame of fire, leↄka.
Flatulency, baalanik.
Flea, chic.
Flint, tock.
Flux, xaankik.
Foot and leg, oc.
Fore-finger, tuchub.
Foreigner, nachiluinic, ↄul.
Forest, kax.
Forehead, chi-lec.
Forgetfulness, tumbobal.
Fornication, pakkeban.
Foundation, ↄec, ↄecil.
Fraud, tabzah.
Fresh, (a thing,) ziz.
Froth, (scum,) om.
Gall, ka, kha, kah.
Giant, ahuanchac.
Girl, tchoupal.
Glow-worm, cocaï.
Goat, chupul, yuc.
God, Kù.
Godfather, yumilan, yeyum.
Godmother, naylan, naylah.
Gold, kantakin.
Gossip, etyum, yumlàh.
Gravel, kaluix, kataczah, kazab.
Great, nohoch, mapal, nuc.
Grief, okomolal.
Groin, heh, mah.
Gum, chunco.
Gutter, ocoyhaa, oc.
——, (sewer,) beelhaa, yachhaa.
Hale, bat.
Half, tancoh.
Hammock, yaabkaan.
Hamper, baas.
Hands, kab.
Hand-worm, pech.
Hare, (two species,) halu, tzub.
Hat, pooc.
Hatred, uyah.
Head, hoot, pol.
Headache, kuxpolil, yapolil.
Hedge-hog, kixpachok.
Heart, puzcical.
To Heat, kilcab.
Heaven, caan.
Heel, toucuy, chol.
Hen, chcach.
Hermaphrodite, hazakam, cobol.
Hern, bac-haa-zacboc.
Hiccough, toucub.
Hip, bobox.
Honey, cab.
Honey bear, zambhol.
Hope, alabolal.
Horse, tzot, tzotzel.
Host, ula.
Hot, chocouhàa.
House, na, otoch.
——, (stone,) nocac.
Humanity, uinicil.
Hump-backed, ppuz, buz.
Hunger, uüh.
To Hunt, tzonaï.
Husband, ichambil.
Image, vimba.
Imagination, ↄüolâl.
Incest, onelbilkeban.
Inconstancy, hebolal.
Industry, ytzatil.
Infant, hcho, schuchul.
Infirmity, kohanil, chapaïl.
Intention, olil.
Intestine, zal.
Itch, uech.
Jar, (large,) calamacat.
Jaws, camach.
Jewel, ↄipit, kab.
Jug, buleb, zuleb.
Kidneys, yz.
To Kill, cimzah.
To Kiss, machü, ↄuↄ.
Knee, pix.
Ladder-step, ↄac, ↄacal.
Languor, kohanil, chapaïl.
Lead, tau.
League, luub.
To Learn, cambal.
Learning, miatzil.
Left, ↄic.
Level ground, poctchê.
Lie, tuz.
Light, zaz, zazil, zalilil.
Lightning, lemba, lembaïl.
License, zipitolal.
Lime, taan.
Linen, nok.
——, (dirty,) cicinok.
——, (clean,) yamaxihutnok.
Lion, (wild,) kancoh.
——, (white,) ↄacek. [bo, aï.
——, and Leopard, coh, chac-
Liver, tamnel.
Living, ahcuxan.
Lizard, ixmemech, xzeluoh.
——, (kind of,) huh.
Louse, uc.
Love, yecunah.
Madam, colel.
Madness, cooïl.
Man, uinic.
Man, (handsome,) chichcelem.
Market, kinic.
Marrow, ↄubac.
Mask, kohob.
Mat, (rush,) poop.
Mature, takin.
Measles, uzankak.
Meat, baak.
Melancholy, ppoolcmolal, tzemolal.
Memory, kehlaï.
Menses, ilmah-u.
Midnight, tantchoumoukacab.
Midwife, etnaa, nalha.
Milk, ucabim.
Mirror, nen.
Mist, yeeb.
Mole, ba.
Monkey, maax.
Month, ilaxnoc.
Moon, umpekin.
Moth, xthuyul.
Mother, hachnàa.
Mould, ↄalâb.
Mouth, cha, xi.
Murmur, campectzil.
Nail, (claw,) laxquetlac.
Near, nasaan.
Necklace, kanthixal.
Negligence, nayolal.
Negro, ekbok.
Nerve, xich.
Night, acâb, acbil.
Nipple, polim.
No, ma.
Nobody, mamac.
Noise, hum.
Noon, tantchoumoukin.
North, nohol.
Nose, nü.
Nostrils, holnil.
Nothing, mabal.
Obstinacy, nolmaïl.
Oil, tzatza, kaabil.
Ornament, cen, cenanil tap.
Outcry, auac.
Owl, icim.
Pain, ya, yoïl, kinàm.
——, (in the side,) auat-mô.
——, (mouth, teeth,) chacnik.
——, (breast,) tuzik.
Palace, ahauna, papilote.
Palate, mabcaan.
Palm of the hand, tancab.
Palm-tree, haaz.
Pantaloons, humpel ech.
Partridge, num.
Paste, takab, takeb.
Pavement, taztunichil.
Peg, ecbe.
Pearl, yaxiltun.
Pen, cheb.
Period of time, katum, kin-katun.
Petticoat, paytem, bon.
Physician, ahↄuyah.
Pigeon, zacpacal.
Piles, kabak, ixmumuz.
Pillow, kumchuy.
Pitcher, ppul.
Plate, chob.
Poet, hiktan.
Poison, uay, yaah, tenↄac.
Porridge-pot, cucul, yaan.
Pride, nonohbaïl.
To Produce, alan, alan cal.
Promise, zebchiil.
Provisions, nech.
Pulse, tipontip.
Pupil, (of the eye,) nenel, ich.
To Purge, kalab, halabↄac.
Putrefaction, tuil, hio.
Quinsy, zippcal, yacalil.
Rabbit, thul, muy.
Rain, chuluhhàa.
Rainbow, cheel.
Remedy, ↄaↄacil.
To Retake, mol.
Rib, chalat.
Right, noh.
Ring, ↄipit, kab.
Rivulet, haltun.
Rust, yx, akzah.
Saliva, tub, baba, cilbaïl.
Salt, taab.
Salutation, peul, peultah.
Scorpion, zinan.
Scull, tzec, tzekil.
Sea, kanaps.
Serpent, kanal, can, ixkukilcan.
To Sew, embroider, chuy.
Shade, booy.
Shark, ahcanxok.
Shin-bone, tul, tzelec.
Shirt, xicul.
To Shirt, buuc.
Shoes, chanal.
Shoulder, celembal, pach.
Side, tzel.
To Sing, kaay.
Sir, yum.
Skeleton, tzitzak.
Skin, (human,) oth, othel.
——, (animal,) kcuel.
To sleep, uenel.
Sleep, uenel.
Sleeve, teppliz, tzotiz.
Small-pox, kake.
Snails, mexenhubo.
Soil, bitun.
Sorcerer, ahez, ahcunyha, ahcunal
Sore, pomaetel.
Sore eyes, ya ichil.
Soul, pixan.
South, chanian.
Sparrow-hawk, hii.
Spider, leum.
Spine, chacpich.
——, (animal,) zibnel.
Spot, yihul.
Squirrel, cuc, cuceb.
Star, eck.
Steps, eb.
——, (stone,) ebtun.
——, (wood,) ebché.
Stomach, ychpuzical.
Stone, tunieh.
Stool, (cricket,) yculxec.
Stove, mohob, mob.
Stranger, omon.
Stud, moo.
To Suck, ↄuuc.
Sugar, momcab, mom.
Sun, khin.
Swallow, cuzân.
To Sweep, miz.
Sweat, keluc.
Sweet, chahuc, chaku.
Swim, tahal, tahalhaa.
To Swoon, nuniltameaz, haↄik.
Swooning, zalalol, zaccimil, thoyol.
Sword, (sabre,) haↄab.
Table, mayac.
——, (of stone,) mayac tun.
To Take, chaa.
Tarantula, am.
Tear, kabich, yatilich.
Teeth, (grinders,) cham.
Tempest, chacakal.
Temple, machunhach.
Thigh, chacbacal.
Thirst, ukah, ukhil.
Thorn, hiix.
Throat, cal.
Throne, nac ↄam.
Thumb, naakab.
Thunder, humchac, peechac.
Thunderbolt, uhaↄchac.
Thus, or so, beï.
Tiger, balam, chacekel.
Timidity, oyomolal.
Toad, much.
Tobacco, kutz.
To-day, béjélaé, or bechlaé.
To-morrow, saamal.
Tooth, co.
——, (canine,) ↄay.
Tortilla, (corn bread,) pakach, pecuah.
Tortoise, ack.
To Touch, tal.
Treason, kubilah.
Treasure, tzoy.
Tree, (trunk of,) out-choun-tchai.
Tripe, choch.
Trough, poxché, pokoatché.
Turtle, ae.
Understanding, naat.
Vanity, pezbaïl.
Vein, ychac.
Vengeance, tohbaïl.
Venom, soliman, chihimtie.
Vial, ppool, choolax.
Village, cacab.
Vinegar, zuↄci, pahcii.
Viper, ahaucan.
Virgin, zuhuy.
Voice, than.
Vow, ppaachii.
Vulture, (species of,) ouxcil.
To Wake, ximbal.
To Walk, ximbalni.
Wall, pak.
——, (enclosure,) tulum, paa.
Wallet, mucuc, chim.
War, katun, bateil, ppizba.
Wart, ax, chuc.
Washerwoman, humpel, schpo, xpo.
Washing hands, pocolkab.
Water, haa.
Wax, cib.
Weasel, zabin.
To Weep, okol.
Well, cheen.
West, chikin.
Wheel, cocoↄ.
To Whistle, chouchoub.
Wild-boar, ac.
Wild-cat, akxux, zacoboly.
Wild-hog, citân.
Wild-turkey, ahau, cutz.
Will, olha.
Wind, (blustering,) ciz.
Wing, xik.
Wolf, cabcoh.
Woman, or wife, attambil.
Wood-louse, (Indian,) xkuluck.
To Work, meyach.
World, jocokab.
Wound, cimil, centanil.
Wrist, kalcab.
Year, oumpe-hab.
Yes, matan la.
Yesterday, joolgé, or hooljé.
Youth, paal, baac.
* * * * *
NUMBERS TO ONE HUNDRED.
1, hun.
2, ca
3, ox
4, can.
5, ho.
6, uac.
7, uuc.
8, uaxac.
9, bolon.
10, lahun.
11, buluc.
12, lahca.
13, oxahun.
14, canlahun.
15, holhun.
16, uaclahun.
17, uuclahun.
18, uaxaclahun.
19, bolonlahun.
20, hunkal.
21, huntukal.
22, catukal.
23, oxtukal.
24, cantukal.
25, hotukal.
26, uactukal.
27, uuctukal.
28, uaxactukal.
29, bolontukal.
30, lahucakal.
31, buluctukal.
32, cahcatukal.
33, oxlahutukal.
34, canlahutukal.
35, holucukal.
36, uaclahutukal.
37, uuclahutukal.
38, uaxaclahutukal.
39, bolonlahutukal.
40, cakal.
41, huntuyoxkal.
42, catuyoxkal.
43, oxtuyoxkal.
44, cantuyoxkal.
45, hotuyoxkal.
46, uactuyoxkal.
47, uuctuyoxkal.
48, uaxactuyoxkal.
49, bolontuyoxkal.
50, lahuyoxkal.
51, buluctuyoxkal.
52, lahcatuyoxkal.
53, oxlahutuyoxkal.
54, canlahutuyoxkal.
55, holhuyoxkal.
56, uaclahutuyoxkal.
57, uuclahutuyoxkal.
58, uaxaclahutuyoxkal.
59, bolonlahutuyoxkal.
60, oxkal.
61, huntucankal.
62, catucankal.
63, oxtucankal.
64, cantucankal.
65, hotucankal.
66, uactucankal.
67, uuctucankal.
68, uaxactucankal.
69, bolontucankal.
70, lahucankal.
71, buluctucankal.
72, lahcatucankal.
73, oxlahutucankal.
74, canlahutucankal.
75, holhucankal.
76, uaclahutucankal.
77, uuclahutucankal.
78, uaxaclahutucankal.
79, bolonlahutucankal.
80, cankal.
81, hutuyokal.
82, catuyokal.
83, oxtuyokal.
84, cantuyokal.
85, hotuyokal.
86, uactuyokal.
87, uuctuyokal.
88, uaxactuyokal.
89, bolontuyokal.
90, lahuyokal.
91, buluctuyokal.
92, lahcatuyokal.
93, oxlahutuyokal.
94, canlahutuyokal
95, holhuyokal.
96, uaclahutuyokal.
97, uuclahutuyokal.
98, uaxaclahutuyokal.
99, bolonlahutuyokal.
100, hokal.
* * * * *
TRADITION OF THE MEXICAN NATIVES RESPECTING THEIR MIGRATION FROM THE
NORTH.
In corroboration of Mr. Atwater’s opinion with respect to the gradual
remove of the ancient people of the West toward Mexico, we subjoin what
we have gathered from the Researches of Baron Humboldt on that point.
See Helen Maria Williams’ translation of Humboldt’s Researches in
America, vol. ii. p. 67; from which it appears the people inhabiting the
vale of Mexico, at the time the Spaniards overran that country, were
called Aztecs, or Aztecas; and were, as the Spanish history informs us,
usurpers, having come from the north, from a country which they called
_Aztalan_.
This country of Aztalan, Baron Humboldt says, “we must look for at least
north of the forty-second degree of latitude.” He comes to this
conclusion from an examination of the Mexican or Azteca manuscripts,
which were made of a certain kind of leaves, and of skins prepared; on
which an account in painted hieroglyphics, or pictures, was given of
their migration from Aztalan to Mexico, and how long they halted at
certain places; which, in the aggregate, amounts to “four hundred and
sixteen years.”
The following names of places appear on their account of their
journeyings, at which places they made more or less delay, and built
towns, forts, tumuli, &c.:—
1st. A place of _Humiliation_ and a place of _Grottoes_. It would seem
at this place they were much afflicted and humbled, but in what manner
is not related; and also at this place, from the term _grottoes_, that
it was a place of caverns and dens, probably where they at first hid and
dwelt, till they built a town and cleared the ground. Here they built
the places which they called Tocalco and Oztatan.
2d journey. They stopped at a place of _fruit-trees_; probably meaning,
as it was further south, a place where nature was abundant in nuts,
grapes, and wild fruit-trees. Here they built a mound or tumulus; and,
in their language, it is called a Teocali.
3d journey; when they stopped at a place of _herbs_, with _broad
leaves_; probably meaning a place where many succulent plants grew,
denoting a good soil, which invited them to pitch their tents here.
4th journey; when they came to a place of _human bones_; where they,
either during their stay, had battles with each other, or with some
enemy; or they may have found them already there, the relics of other
nations before them; for, according to Humboldt, this migration of the
Aztecas took place A. D. 778; so that other nations certainly had
preceded them, also from the north.
5th journey; they came to a place of _eagles_.
6th journey; to a place of _precious stones_ and _minerals_.
7th journey; to a place of _spinning_, where they manufactured clothing
of cotton, barks, or of something proper for clothing of some sort, and
mats of rushes and feathers.
8th journey; they came to another place of eagles, called the Eagle
Mountain: or, in their own language, _Quauktli Tepec_: _Tepec_, says
Humboldt, in the Turkish language, is the word for mountain; which two
words are so near alike, _tepec_, and _tepe_, that it would seem almost
an Arab word, or a word used by the Turks.
9th journey; when they came to a place of walls, and the seven grottoes;
which shows the place had been inhabited before, and these seven
grottoes were either caves in the earth, or were made in the side of
some mountain, by those who had preceded them.
10th journey; when they came to a place of thistles, sand, and vultures.
11th journey; when they came to a place of _Obsidian mirrors_, which is
much the same with that of ising-glass, scientifically called mica
membranacea. This mineral substance is frequently found in the tumuli of
the west, and is called by the Mexicans the _shining_ god. The obsidian
stone, however, needs polishing before it will answer as a mirror.
12th journey; came to a place of water, probably some lake or beautiful
fountains, which invited their residence there, on the account not only
of the water, but for fishing and game.
13th journey; they came to the place of the _Divine Monkey_, called, in
their own language, _Teozomoco_. In the most ancient Hebrew, this animal
is called K-oph, Kooph, and Kuphon: in the Arabic, which is similar to
the Hebrew, it is called K-ha-noos, Khanassa, and Chanass; all of which
words bear a strong resemblance to the Mexican Te-oz-o-moco, especially
to the Arabic Khanoos. Here, it would seem, they set up the worship of
the monkey, or baboon, as the ancient Egyptians are known to have done.
This animal is found in Mexico, according to Humboldt.
14th journey; when they came to a high mountain, probably with table
lands on it, which they called _Chopaltepec_, or mountain of locusts: “A
place,” says Baron Humboldt, “celebrated for the magnificent view from
the top of this hill;” which, it appears, is in the Mexican country, and
probably not far from the vale of Mexico, where they finally and
permanently rested.
15th journey; when they came to the vale of Mexico; they here met with
the prodigy, or fulfilment of the prophecy, or oracle, predicted at
their outset from the country of Aztalan, Huehuetlapallan, and
Amaquemacan; which was (see Humboldt, vol. ii. p. 185), that the
migrations of the Aztecs should not terminate till the chiefs of the
nation should meet with an _eagle_, perched on a _cactus-tree_, or
prickly pear; at such a place they might found a city. This was, as
their bull-hide books inform us, in the vale of Mexico.
We have related this account of the Azteca migration from the country of
Aztalan, Huehuetlapallan, and Amaquemacan, from the regions of north
latitude forty-two degrees, merely to show that the country, provinces,
or districts, so named in their books, must have been the country of
Ohio, Mississippi, and Illinois, with the whole region thereabout; for
these are not far from the very latitude named by Humboldt as the region
of Aztalan, &c.
The western country is _now_ distinguished by the general name of the
“lake country;” and why? because it is a country of lakes; and for the
same reason it was called by the Mexicans _Azteca_, by the Indians,
_Aztalans_, because in their language ATL is water, from which Aztalan
is doubtless a derivative, as well also as their own name as a nation or
title, which was _Astecas_, or people of the lakes.
This account, derived from the Mexicans since their reduction by the
Spaniards, is gathered from the researches of learned travellers, who
have, for the very purpose of learning the origin of the people of this
country, penetrated not only into the forest retreats in the woods of
Mexico, but into the mysteries of their hard language, their theology,
philosophy, and astronomy. This account of their migration, as related
above, is corroborated by the tradition of the Wyandot Indians.
We come to a knowledge of this tradition by the means of a Mr. William
Walker, some time Indian agent for our government. A pamphlet, published
in 1823, by Frederick Falley, of Sandusky, contains Mr. Walker’s
account, which is as follows: A great many hundred years ago, the
ancient inhabitants of America, who were the authors of the great works
of the West, were driven away from their country and possessions by
barbarous and savage hordes of warriors, who came from the north and
north-east, before whose power and skill in war they were compelled to
flee, and went to the south.
After having been there many hundred years, a runner came back into
the same country whence the ancient people had been driven, which we
suppose is the very country of Aztalan, or the region of the Western
States, bringing the intelligence that a dreadful _beast_ had landed
on their coast along the sea, which was spreading among them havoc and
death, by means of fire and thunder; and that it would no doubt travel
all over the country, for the same purpose of destruction. This beast,
whose voice was like thunder, and whose power to kill was like fire,
we have no doubt represents the cannon and small arms of the
Spaniards, when they first commenced the murder of the people of South
America.—[PRIEST.]
* * * * *
TRAITS OF THE MOSAIC HISTORY FOUND AMONG THE AZTECA NATIONS.
The tradition commences with an account of the deluge, as they had
preserved it in books made of the buffalo and deer skin, on which
account there is more certainty than if it had been preserved by mere
oral tradition, handed down from father to son.
They begin by painting, or, as we would say, by telling us that Noah,
whom they call Tezpi, saved himself, with his wife, whom they call
Xochiquetzal, on a raft or canoe. Is not this the ark? The raft or canoe
rested on or at the foot of a mountain, which they call Colhuacan. Is
not this Ararat? The men born after this deluge were born dumb. Is not
this the confusion of language at Babel? A _dove_ from the top of a tree
distributes languages to them in the form of an olive leaf. Is not this
the dove of Noah, which returned with that leaf in her mouth, as related
in Genesis? They say, that on this _raft_, besides Tezpi and his wife,
were several _children_, and animals, with grain, the preservation of
which was of importance to mankind. Is not this in almost exact
accordance with what was saved in the ark with Noah, as stated in
Genesis?
When the Great Spirit, Tezcatlipoca, ordered the waters to withdraw,
Tezpi sent out from his raft a _vulture_, which never returned, on
account of the great quantities of dead carcasses which it found to feed
upon. Is not this the raven of Noah, which did not return when it was
sent out the second time, for the very reason here assigned by the
Mexicans? Tezpi sent other birds, one of which was the humming-bird;
this bird alone returned, holding in its beak a branch covered with
leaves. Is not this the dove? Tezpi, seeing that fresh verdure now
clothed the earth, quitted his raft near the mountain of Colhuacan. Is
not this an allusion to Ararat of Asia? They say the tongues which the
dove gave to mankind, were infinitely varied; which, when received, they
immediately dispersed. But among them there were fifteen _heads_ or
_chiefs_ of families, which were permitted to speak the same language,
and these were the Taltecs, the Aculhucans, and Azteca nations, who
embodied themselves together, which was very natural, and travelled,
they knew not where, but at length arrived in the country of Aztalan, or
the lake country in America.
Among the vast multitude of painted representations found by Humboldt,
on the books of the natives, made also frequently of prepared skins of
animals, were delineated all the leading circumstances and history of
the deluge, of the fall of man, and of the seduction of the woman by the
means of the serpent, the first murder as perpetrated by Cain, on the
person of his brother Abel.
Among the different nations, according to Humboldt, who inhabited
Mexico, were found paintings which represented the deluge, or the flood
of Tezpi. The _same_ person among the Chinese is called _Fohi_ and
_Yu-ti_, which is strikingly similar in sound to the Mexican _Tezpi_, in
which they show how he saved himself and his wife, in a bark, or some
say, in a canoe, others on a raft, which they call, in their language, a
huahuate.
Tezpi sent out other birds, one of which was the humming-bird; this bird
alone returned again to the boat, holding in its beak a branch, covered
with leaves. Tezpi now knowing that the earth was dry, being clothed
with fresh verdure, quitted his bark near the mountain Colhucan, or
Ararat. A tradition of the same fact, the deluge, is also found among
the Indians of the Northwest. I received (says a late traveller) the
following account from a chief of one of the tribes, in his own words,
in the English:—“An old man, live great while ago, he wery good man, he
have three son. The Great Spirit tell him, go make raft—build wigwam on
top: for he make it rain wery much. When this done, Great Spirit say,
put in two of all the creatures, then take sun, moon—all the stars, put
them in—get in himself, with his _Equa_, (wife,) children, shut door,
all dark outside. Then it rain much hard, many days. When they stay
there long time—Great Spirit say, old man, go out. So he take diving
animal, sa goy see if find the earth: so he went, come back, not find
anything. Then he wait few days—send out mushquash, see what he find.
When he come back, brought some mud in he paw; old man wery glad; he
tell mushquash, you wery good, long this world stand, be plenty
mushquash, no man ever kill you all. Then few days more, he take wery
prety bird, send him out, see what it find; that bird no come back: so
he send out one white bird, that come back, have grass in he mouth. So
old man know water going down. The Great Spirit say, old man, let sun,
moon, stars go out, old man too. He go out, raft on much big mountain,
when he see prety bird, he send out first, eating dead things—he say,
bird, you do no right, when me send, you no come back, you must be
black, you no prety bird any more—you always eat bad things So it was
black.”
The purity of these traditions is evidence of two things: first, that
the book of Genesis, as written by Moses, is not, as some have imagined,
a cunningly devised fable, as these Indians cannot be accused of
Christian nor of Jewish priestcraft, their religion being of another
cast. And second, that the continents of America, Europe, Africa, and
Asia, were anciently united, so that the _earlier_ nations came directly
over after the confusion of the ancient language and dispersion—on which
account its purity has been preserved more than among the more wandering
tribes of the old continents.
As favoring this idea of their (the Mexicans) coming immediately from
the region of the tower of Babel, their tradition goes on to inform us,
that the tongues distributed by this bird were infinitely various, and
dispersed over the earth; but that it so happened that fifteen heads of
families were permitted to speak the same language. These travelled till
they came to a country which they called Aztalan, supposed to be in the
regions of the now United States, according to Humboldt. The word
_Aztalan_ signifies, in their language, _water_, or a country of much
water. Now, no country on the earth better suits this appellation than
the western country, on account of the vast number of lakes found there,
and it is even, by us, called the lake country.
It is evident that the Indians are not the first people who found their
way to this country. Among these ancient nations are found many
traditions corresponding to the accounts given by Moses respecting the
creation, the fall of man by the means of a serpent, the murder of Abel
by his brother, &c.; all of which are denoted in their paintings, as
found by the earlier travellers among them, since the discovery of
America by Columbus, and carefully copied from their books of prepared
hides, which may be called parchment, after the manner of the ancients
of the earliest ages. We are pleased when we find such evidence, as it
goes to the establishment of the truth of the historical parts of the
Old Testament, evidence so far removed from the skeptic’s charge of
priestcraft here among the unsophisticated nations of the woods of
America.
Clavigero, in his history of Mexico, says that among the Chiapanese
Indians was found an ancient manuscript in the language of that country,
made by the Indians themselves, in which it was said, according to their
ancient tradition, that a certain person, named _Votan_, was present at
that great building, which was made by order of his uncle, in order to
mount up to heaven: that then every people was given their language, and
that Votan himself was charged by God to make the division of the lands
of Anahuac—so Noah divided the earth among his sons. Votan may have been
Noah, or a grandson of his.
Of the ancient Indians of Cuba, several historians of America relate,
that when they were interrogated by the Spaniards concerning their
origin, they answered, they had heard from their ancestors, that God
created the heavens and the earth, and all things; that an old man,
having foreseen the deluge with which God designed to chastise the sins
of men, built a large canoe and embarked in it with his family, and many
animals; that when the inundation ceased, he sent out a raven, which,
because it found food suited to its nature to feed on, never returned to
the canoe; that he then sent out a pigeon, which soon returned, bearing
a branch of the _Hoba_ tree, a certain fruit-tree of America, in its
mouth; that when the old man saw the earth dry, he disembarked, and
having made himself wine of the wood grape, he became intoxicated and
fell asleep; that then one of his sons made ridicule of his nakedness,
and that another son piously covered him; that, upon waking, he blessed
the latter and cursed the former. Lastly, these islanders held that they
had their origin from the accursed son, and therefore went almost naked;
that the Spaniards, as they were clothed, descended perhaps from the
other.
Many of the nations of America, says Clavigero, have the same tradition,
agreeing nearly to what we have already related. It was the opinion of
this author, that the nations who peopled the Mexican empire belonged to
the posterity of Naphtuhim—(the same, we imagine, with Japheth;) and
that their ancestors, having left Egypt not long after the confusion of
the ancient language, travelled towards America, crossing over on the
isthmus, which it is supposed once united America with the African
continent, but since has been beaten down by the operation of the waters
of the Atlantic on the north, and of the Southern ocean on the south, or
by the operation of earthquakes.
Now we consider the comparative perfection of the preservation of this
_Bible_ account as an evidence that the people among whom it was found
must have settled in this country at a very early period of time after
the flood, and that they did not wander any more, but peopled the
continent, cultivating it, building towns and cities, after their
manner, the vestiges of which are so abundant to this day; and on this
account, viz., their fixedness, their traditionary history was not as
liable to become lost, as it would have undoubtedly been had they
wandered, as many other nations of the old world have done. As evidence
of the presence of a Hindoo population in the southern, as well as the
western parts of North America, we bring the Mexican traditions
respecting some great religious teacher who once came among them. These
say, that a wonderful personage, whom they name _Quetzalcoatl_, appeared
among them, who was a white and bearded man. This person assumed the
dignity of acting as a priest and legislator, and became the chief of a
religious sect, which, like the Songasis, and the Buddhists of
Hindostan, inflicted on themselves the most cruel penances. He
introduced the custom of piercing the lips and ears, and lacerating the
rest of the body, with the prickles of the agave and leaves, the thorns
of the cactus, and of putting reeds into the wounds, in order that the
blood might be seen to trickle more copiously. In all this, says
Humboldt, we seem to behold one of those Rishi, hermits of the Ganges,
whose pious austerity is celebrated in the books of the Hindoos.
Respecting this white and bearded man, much is said in their tradition,
recorded in their books of skin; and among other things, that after a
long stay with them he suddenly left them, promising to return again in
a short time, to govern them and renew their happiness. This person
resembles, very strongly, in his promise to return again, the behavior
of Lycurgus, the Spartan lawgiver, who, on his departure from Lacedæmon,
bound all the citizens under an oath, both, for themselves and
posterity, that they would neither violate nor abolish his laws till his
return; and soon after, in the Isle of Crete, he put himself to death,
so that his return became impossible.
It was the posterity of this man whom the unhappy Montezuma thought he
recognised in the soldiers of Cortez, the Spanish conqueror of Mexico.
“We know,” said the unhappy monarch, in his first interview with the
Spanish general, “by our books, that myself, and those who inhabit this
country, are not natives, but strangers, who came from a great distance.
We know, also, that the chief who led our ancestors hither returned, for
a certain time, to his primitive country, and thence came back to seek
those who were here established, who after a while returned again,
alone. We always believed that his descendants would one day come to
take possession of this country. Since you arrive from that region where
the _sun rises_, I cannot doubt but that the king who sends you is our
natural master.”
Humboldt says that the Azteca tribes left their country, Aztalan, in the
year of our Lord 544; and wandered to the south or southwest, coming at
last to the vale of Mexico. It would appear from this view, that as the
nations of Aztalan, with their fellow nations, left vast works, and a
vast extent of country, apparently in a state of cultivation, with
cities and villages, more in number than three thousand, as Breckenridge
supposed, they must, therefore, have settled here long before the
Christian era.
And this Quetzalcoatl, a celebrated minister of these opinions, appears
to have been the _first_ who announced the religion of the east among
the people of the west. There was also one other minister, or Brahmin,
who appeared among the Mozca tribes in South America, whom they named
_Bochica_. This personage taught the worship of the sun; and, if we were
to judge, we should pronounce him a missionary of the Confucian system,
a worshipper of fire, which was the religion of the ancient Persians, of
whose country Confucius was a native. This also is evidence that the
first inhabitants of America came here at a period near the flood, long
before that worship was known, or they would have had a knowledge of
this Persian worship, which was introduced by _Bochica_ among the
American nations, which, it seems, they had not, until taught by this
man.
Bochica, it appears, became a legislator among those nations, and
changed the form of their government to a form, the construction of
which, says Baron Humboldt, bears a strong analogy to the governments of
Japan and Thibet, on account of the _pontiffs_ holding in their hands
both the secular and the spiritual reins. In Japan, an island on the
east of Asia, or rather many islands, which compose the Japanese empire,
is found a religious sect, styled Sinto, who do not believe in the
sanguinary rites of shedding either human blood, or that of animals, to
propitiate their gods; they even abstain from animal food, and detest
bloodshed, and will not touch any dead body.—(_Morse’s Geography_, p.
523.)
There is in South America a whole nation who eat nothing but vegetables,
and who hold in abhorrence those who feed on flesh.—(_Humboldt_, p.
200.)
Such a coincidence in the religion of nations can scarcely be supposed
to exist, unless they are of one origin. Therefore, from what we have
related above, and a few pages back, it is clear, both from the
tradition of the Aztecas, who lived in the western regions before they
went to the south, and from the fact that nations on the Asiatic side of
Bhering’s Strait have come _annually_ over the strait to fight the
nations of the northwest, that we, in this way, have given conclusive
and satisfactory reasons why, in the western mounds and tumuli, are
found evident tokens of the presence of a Hindoo population; or, at
least, of nations influenced by the superstitions of that people,
through the means of missionaries of those castes, and that they did not
bring those opinions and ceremonies with them when they _first_ left
Asia, after the confusion of the antediluvian language, as led on by
their fifteen chiefs; till, by some means, and at some period, they
finally found this country—not by the way of Bhering’s Strait, but by
some nearer course.
Perhaps a few words on the supposed native country of Quetzalcoatl may
be allowed; who, as we have stated, is reported to have been a _white_
and _bearded_ man, by the Mexican Aztecas. There is a vast range of
islands on the northeast of Asia, in the Pacific, situated not very far
from Bhering’s Strait, in latitude between forty and fifty degrees
north. The inhabitants of these islands, when first discovered, were
found to be far in advance in the arts and civilization, and a knowledge
of government, of their continental neighbors, the Chinese and Tartars.
The island of Jesso, in particular, is of itself an empire,
comparatively, being very populous, and its people are also highly
polished in their manners. The inhabitants may be denominated
white—their women especially, whom Morse, in his geography of the Japan,
Jesso, and other islands in that range, says expressly are white, fair,
and ruddy. Humboldt says they are a bearded race of men, like Europeans.
It appears that the ancient government of these islands, especially that
of Japan, which is neighbor to that of Jesso, was in the hands of
spiritual monarchs and pontiffs till the seventeenth century. As this
was the form of government introduced by Quetzalcoatl, when he first
appeared among the Azteca tribes, which we suppose was in the country of
Aztalan, or Western States, may it not be conjectured that he was a
native of some of those islands, who in his wanderings had found his way
hither, on errands of benevolence; as it is said in the tradition
respecting him, that he preached peace among men, and would not allow
any other offering to the divinity than the first fruits of the harvest,
which doctrine was in character with the mild and amiable manners of the
inhabitants of those islands. And that peculiar and striking record,
found painted on the Mexican skin-books, which describes him to have
been a white and bearded man, is our other reason for supposing him to
have been a native of some of these islands, and most probably Jesso,
rather than any other country.
The inhabitants of these islands originated from China, and with them
undoubtedly carried the Persian doctrines of the worship of the sun and
fire; consequently, we find it taught to the people of Aztalan and
Mexico, by such as visited them from China or the islands above named;
as it is clear the sun was not the original object of adoration in
Mexico, but rather the power which made the sun. So Noah worshipped.
Their traditions also recognise another important chief, who led the
Azteca tribes _first_ to the country of Aztalan, long before the
appearance of Quetzalcoatl or Bochica among them. This great leader they
name Tecpaltzin, and doubtless allude to the time when they first found
their way to America, and settled in the western region.—[PRIEST.]
* * * * *
ORIGIN OF FIRE-WORSHIP.
For many ages the false religions of the East had remained stationary;
but in this period, _magianism_ received considerable strength from the
writings of Zoroaster. He was a native of Media. He pretended to a visit
in heaven, where God spoke to him out of a fire. This fire he pretended
to bring with him on his return. It was considered holy—the dwelling of
God. The priests were for ever to keep it, and the people were to
worship before it. He caused fire-temples everywhere to be erected, that
storms and tempests might not extinguish it. As he considered God as
dwelling in the fire, he made the sun to be his chief residence, and
therefore the _primary_ object of worship. He abandoned the old system
of two gods, one good and the other evil, and taught the existence of
one Supreme, who had under him a good and evil angel—the immediate
authors of good and evil. To gain reputation, he retired into a cave,
and there lived a long time a recluse, and composed a book called the
_Zend-Avesta_, which contains the liturgy to be used in the
fire-temples, and the chief doctrines of his religion. His success in
propagating his system was astonishingly great. Almost all the eastern
world, for a season, bowed before him. He is said to have been slain,
with eighty of his priests, by a Scythian prince, whom he attempted to
convert to his religion.