Mr. Ranking on the Ruins of Palenque, 143 



the name of their native residence. They were acquainted 

 with the art of casting gold and silver, and of cutting all kinds 

 of gems. They brought with them from their own country an 

 exact knowledge of the length of the solar year, where it had 

 been known about a century before the Christian era *. 



The Toltecs multiplied exceedingly, and extended their 

 population in numerous and large cities ; till, in the year 1052, 

 they were dreadfully afflicted with drought, famine, and mor- 

 tality, and their monarchy terminated. Some of the wretched 

 remains removed to Yucatan^ some to Guatemala f, and some 

 dispersed themselves in Anahuac. There cannot be a doubt 

 but that they had a clear notion of the Deluge. (^Clavigero, 

 i. 87.) 



For about a century Anahuac remained nearly depopulated ; 

 when in the year 1170, a numerous party of Chechemecas ar- 

 rived. They came from the north, and their native land they 

 called Amaquemacan, where different monarchs had ruled their 

 country many years. They were eighteen months upon the 

 journey, and passed the ruins of the buildings of the Toltec», 

 (Casa Grande.) They had distinctions between the nobility 

 and commonalty. They lived on game, fruits, and roots of 

 spontaneous growth ; were clothed in the skins of beasts, 

 armed with bows and arrows, and worshipped the sun. They 

 established themselves six miles north of the future Mexico. 

 In process of time they formed alliances with the few Toltecs 

 who had remained. Eight years afterwards, (in 1178,) six 

 respectable persons, with a considerable retinue, arrived from a 

 kingdom near Amaquemacan ; these were the Nahuatlacs, and 

 consisted of seven tribes, Sochimilcs, Chaleks, Tapanecs, 

 Acolhauns, Tlahuics, Tlascaltecs, and Aztecs, who all spoke 

 the Toltec language. — (See Clavigero, B. ii., Humboldt^ Res, 

 ii. 251.) 



After the beginning of the thirteenth century, Acolhuatzin, 

 and two other princes, arrived with a great army of Acol- 



* See Clavigero, ii.226. Humboldt, Researches, ii. 249. Conquest of Peru 

 Rnd Mexico by the Moguls, A.D. 1283, p. 268. The knowledge of the Toltecs, re- 

 gardiYig the year of 365 days 4nd near si:v hours, agrees precisely with the Chines^ 

 history. See Du Halde, folio ii. 230, and Conquest by Mongols, p. 274. 



t There is not any thing in the history, as far as is known, to warrant the idea 

 of greater antiquity of the ruins in question; at these two places, 



