Brinton.] -^^t) [jan. 2, 



The road-measures of the Aztecs was b}' the stops of the 

 carriers, as we have seen w'as also the case in Guatemala. In 

 Nahiiatl these were called neceuilli^ resting places, or vetlatolli, 

 sitting places ; and distances were reckoned numerically by 

 these, as one, two, three, etc., resting places. Although this 

 seems a vague and inaccurate method, usage had attached com- 

 paratively definite ideas of distance to these terms. Father 

 Duran tells us that along the highways there were posts or 

 stones erected with marks upon them showing how many of these 

 stops there were to the next market-towns — a sort of mile-stones, 

 in fact. As the competition between the various markets was 

 very active, each set up its own posts, giving its distance, and 

 adding a curse on all who did not attend, or were led away by 

 the superior attractions of its rivals!* 



So far as I have learned, the lineal measures above mentioned 

 were those applied to estimate superficies. In some of the plans 

 of fields, etc., handed down, the size is marked by the native 

 numerals on one side of the plan, which are understood to indi- 

 cate the square measure of the included tract. The word in 

 Nahuatl meaning to survey or measure lands is tlalpoa, literally 

 " to count land," from tlalli land, jjoa to count. 



The Aztecs were entirely ignorant of balances, scales or 

 weights. Cortes saj'S distinctly that when he visited the great 

 market of Mexico, Tenochtitlan, he saw all articles sold by num- 

 ber and measure, and nothing b}' weight. f The historian, Her- 

 rera confirms this from olher authorities, and adds that w'hen 

 grass or hay was sold, it w^as estimated by the length of a cord 

 which could be passed around the bundle.^ 



The plumb-line must have been unknown to the Mexicans, also. 

 They called it temetztejnIoUi, " the piece of lead which is hung 



*Habian terminos sefialados de cuantas leguas habian de acudir a los mer- 

 cados," etc. Diego Duran, Hisloria de la Niieva E>ipaTia,Xo\. li, pp. 21.3, 21(). Both 

 the terms in the text are translated legua in Molina's Vocabulary, so that it is 

 probable that the resting places were something near two and a half to three 

 miles apart. 



f'Todo lo venden por cuenta j' medida, excepto,que fasta agora no seha visto 

 vender cosa alguna por peso." Cartas y Relaciones de Hernan Cortes, p. 105. (Ed. 

 Gayangos.) 



X "Tenian medida para todas las cosas ; hasta la ierva, que era tanta, quanta 

 se podia atar con una cuerda de una braza por un tomin." Herrera, /Jecada* 

 de Indias, Dec. li, Lil). vii, cap. xvi. In another passage where this historian 

 speaks of weights (Dec. iii. Lib. iv, cap. xvii), it is one of his not infrequent 

 slips of the pen. 



