Brinton.] "^ [Oct. 17, 



Berendt, the Xinca is or was spoken in the following towns or villages in 

 the district mentioned : 



Atescatempa, Mustjquipaque, 



Atiquipaque, Nancinta, 



Chiquimulilla, Sinacantan, 



Comapa, Tacuilula, 



Guazacapam, Taxisco, 



Ixguatan, Tepeaco, 



Jupiltepeque, Tescuaco, 



Jutiapa, Tupitepeque. 



The first information about the Xincas is contained in ihe letter of Pedro 

 de Alvarado to Hernan Cortes, dated July 28, 1524.* He there describes 

 his conquest of their territory in the previous winter. Further particulars 

 of the campaign are given by Juarros, in his Historia de O uatemala, Tom. 

 ii, Tratado iv, Cap. xxii, from the MSS. of Fuentes. 



From these sources we learn that Alvarado first encountered the Xincas 

 after he had crossed the River Michatoyat and entered the town Atiqui- 

 paque [Atiepar, in Alvarado's letter, who makes as much havoc with the 

 native names as he did with their armies). 



In this town he particularly states that he met another people and a dif- 

 ferent language from those he had just left ("este es otra lengua y gente 

 por si "). 



Thence he proceeded to Tacuilula and Taxisco, not encountering deter- 

 mined opposition, as Juarros erroneously says, as Alvarado informs us 

 that the natives received him without fighting, but fled in the night to the 

 forests. After leaving Taxisco, however, they attacked him in force and 

 slew many of his allies. 



The chief town of the Xinca would seem to have been either Nancinta 

 (the " Nacendelan, pueblo muy grande " of Alvarado's letter) or according 

 to Juarros, Guazacapam. In this vicinity a determined stand was made 

 by the Indians, and they caused the Spaniards and their allies much trouble 

 by digging pitfalls, and by planting the paths with sharpened sticks said 

 to be poisonous. What puzzled the Spaniards was that these natives 

 during their fighting held in their hands small bells with which they made 

 as much noise as possible. Probably they were intended either as charms, 

 or to alarm the enemy. 



Juari'os adds that these tribes were not conquered by Alvarado's incur- 

 sion. It required renewed eflForts by Don Pedro Portocarrero, in 1526, to 

 bring them under subjection. 



On account of their obstinacy, numbers of them were sold as slaves and 

 branded with a hot iron, and hence was derived the Spanish name of the 

 river on which the Xincas lived, Rio de los Esclavos, Slave river. 



Very few hints as to their social condition are found in the early 



* I quote it as published in the Biblioteca de autores Espafioles, Vol. xxii, 

 Madrid, 1852. 



