Brinton.] €)7U [Nov. 4, 



of the Conquest. The valle}^ of the river Motagua, therefore, 

 was probably one of the centres of Central American civiliza- 

 tion, and a study of its archaeology might prove peculiarly pro- 

 ductive. 



The reduction and conversion of the tribe dwelling at Acasa- 

 guastlan probably took place before the middle of the sixteenth 

 century. The intelligent members of the community were taught 

 to read and write their native tongue, and the records in my 

 hands are by native scribes, wlio kept these notes or accounts in 

 order to submit them from time to time to their civil or ecclesi- 

 astical superiors. 



These records are in a dialect of Nahuatl closely akin to that 

 of the Pipiles of Escuintla and the neighborhood. Both dialects 

 are but slight modifications of the tongue as spoken in its purity 

 in the Valley of Mexico. Perhaps much of the apparent differ- 

 ence is due to an uncertain orthography and the inexpertness of 

 the writers. 



The subjoined extracts from the archives under the dates 

 1610, 1634, 1636 and 1637, will show conclusively that the Na- 

 huatl was the current tongue of the parish at that time. The 

 entries relate to fines which were imposed on the natives for 

 various misdemeanors, and of which the civil officers were obliged 

 to pay a portion from time to time to their superiors. The re- 

 ceipts of these superiors are entered in Spanish in the archives 

 and present the honored autographs of Juan de Montoya and G. 

 de Mendieta. 



Although various Spanish words occur, and the imperfect 

 handwriting as well as the poor condition of the MSS. render 

 these specimens less satisfactory than could be wished, it will 

 nevertheless be apparent at a glance that the dialect is a toler- 

 abl}^ pure Nahuatl, such as was common in Mexico a century 

 after the Conquest. 



Extracts from the Parochial Archives of San Augustin Acasa- 



guastlan. 



Y nipan 20 de Octubre 1610 anos niman in teguantin S'"' Don 

 Fra" Castro Bernabe de Chaves Christobal Hernandez attos Ju" 

 Perez nico Melcjior Perez tiri Caspar Lopez Chuvuru Augustin 

 Hernandez rexidorcs nican vticchiuaque condenat j^ei tupilhuaA 



