142 Mr. Ranking on the Ruins ofPalenque. 



Huguetan, in the year 1691 ; that it is, however, possible, 

 that Vo tan's tract, or another similar to it, may be that which 

 is in the possession of Don Ramon de Ordonez y Aguiar, of 

 Ciudad Real, a man of extraordinary genius, and at this time 

 occupied in composing a work, the title of which is, Historia 

 del Clelo y de la Terra, which traces the original population 

 of America from Chaldea, immediately after the confusion of 

 tongues. His study of the subject for more than thirty years, 

 and his skill in the Tzendal language, in which the tract is 

 written, lead us to anticipate a work so perfect in its kind as 

 will completely astonish the world." 



The erudite Doctor concludes his critical inquiry, of 103 

 pages, *' about it, Goddess, and about it,'^ in these words — ■ 

 *' It was my intention to call this a new Attempt to solve the 

 grand problem ; but in consequence of the valuable information 

 which I have acquired from the learned work of the Bishop 

 of Sonoro, I denominate it a Solution, and in so doing I 

 sincerely trust the reader will not ascribe such alteration to an 

 overstrained confidence in my own abilities." 



On the above opinions of the three Spanish authors, no 

 other remark is required, than that they have entirely neglected 

 to examine that part of Asiatic history, which is the true 

 source from which the solution can be drawn, and which is 

 offered as follows : — 



Neither history nor tradition, worthy of regard, existed in 

 any part of America, when discovered by Columbus, earlier 

 than the sixth century of the Christian era; from which 

 period the nations in Anahuac, beginning with the Toltecs, 

 date their arrival. South of the fine no annals whatever exist 

 previous to the mysterious appearance of Mango Capac. — 

 (A.D. 1283.) 



The Toltecs are the first people known to have arrived in 

 America. They left their own country, A.D. 544, supposed to 

 be the eastern part of Asia, and tarried at Casa Grande, 

 which they built, (N. lat. 34°, near California, by Robertson, 

 29° by Clavigero,) and other places, 104 years * ; they then ar- 

 rived in Anahuac ; and in the year 670 they founded Tula, after 



* Dr, Cabrera, p. 65, says the 104 years were passed in Afrka, 



