NO. 14 ARCHKOLOGY OF BAY ISLANDS, IIONDURAS^ STRONG I7 



similar cloaks.'" The latter bit of evidence would go far toward 

 settling this controversial point, since it would indicate that the traders 

 spoke Maya, or at least used a Maya term for such articles of cloth- 

 ing. However, I have been unable to find the word zuyen in the 

 Bartholomew Columbus letter as given by Harrisse (1866), or in 

 Las Casas, Oviedo, or other primary sources. If it does occur in an 

 eye-witness account it strengthens the case for the traders being Maya, 

 but I cannot vouch for this. 



Two citations from early historians, given by Blom, ofifer evidence 

 that canoes from Yucatan commonly traded in this region. Oviedo 

 states : " Because along said coast there is an extensive trade in said 

 fruit cacao, which is used as money among the Indians, and which 

 is very useful and precious, and richest and most highly estimated 

 merchandise which they have, canoes go from Yucatan loaded with 

 clothing and other goods, to Ulua, and from there they return loaded 

 with cacao." (Oviedo, III, 1853, p. 253.) Landa writes that "the 

 occupation to which they are most inclined is trading, carrying salt, 

 clothing and slaves to the lands of Ulua and Tabasco, exchanging 

 it for cacao and beads of stone which both were like money and 

 with this money they could buy slaves and other beads, granting that 

 they were fine and good, which the chiefs wore as jewelry during 

 the feasts, and they had other beads made out of certain red shells 

 which were valued as money and personal jewelry, and they brought 

 them in their network bags." (Landa, as cited by Blom, 1932, p. 546.) 



It is evident, therefore, that the region around the mouth of the 

 Uloa was an important trade center where much cacao was obtained, 

 and that canoes such as the one encountered by Columbus were com- 

 mon carriers along this coast. This, however, does not mean that only 

 the Maya indulged in the carrying trade. Bartholomew Columbus, 

 speaking of a people south of Cape Gracias a Dios, says : " Following 

 farther as far as a land called Cariai in which live people of good 

 strength who live by industry and trading as they do in the province 

 which is called Maia " (Harrisse, 1866, p. 472.) Hence, there seems 

 good reason to believe that not only Yucatecan Maya, but also Choi 

 or Chorti Maya and Jicaque from the Uloa region, the Bay Islanders 

 themselves, and certain peoples on the Nicaraguan coast, all indulged 

 in coastal trading. 



" See Blom, 1932, pp. 533-534, 546, and 548. Dr. Blom (letter of August 24, 

 1934) calls my attention to an error in this paper in regard to footnote 2. which 

 should occur after the fourth instead of the third paragraph. In a later letter (Oc- 

 tober I, 1934) Dr. Blom points out that the word ::uyen is used by Cogolludo (vol. 

 I, p. 8, 1867 edition). Cogolludo, however, cannot be regarded as a primary 

 source in this regard. 



