64 Transactions of the Canadian Institute. [Vol. VII. 



Piino Taya au bizitate arau dot Taka eviatu debe esatz behi. 

 Pimo Taya this inhabitant right just Taka gives forbidding word 

 cows. 



" Pimo, this inhabitant of Taya, according to law. gives Taka notice, 

 forbidding cows (to trespass)." 



This also is an inscription of Taya belonging to a different period 

 from that of the first Pimo, which is the Etruscan or old Basque 

 numeral " one," and may here mean princeps, replacing the former 

 Mama and Goma. The inscription is imperfect, the word " to trespass," 

 " to pasture," " to seek shelter," being doubtless defaced as is often 

 the case with prohibitory notices. This is not the only inscription 

 relating to cattle, which appear, in ancient times to have constituted 

 the chief wealth of the islands. 



The remaining documents that are legible are from the island of 

 Hierro, the smallest and most westerly of the group, where the Iberic 

 element seems to have been in greatest force, and whence, in all 

 probability, it migrated to America. 



INSCRIPTION IV. 



This is to be read in the same way as the foregoing: ^ 



ma bi 



sis-a ma al 



la kii 



Machisala Bhnaku al. 

 Machisala Bimaku power. 



" Machisala, the potentate of Bimbachos." 



Dr. Bethencourt says that the aborigines of Hierro were called 

 Bimbapes. In the inscription, one Machisala, perhaps mots-sale, " the 

 Shearer," is made Lord of a place called Bimaku. Such a name as 

 Bima or Bimaku would have no chance of surviving as such on the lips 

 of Latin peoples, but would undoubtedly be strengthened into Firma 

 or Palma. 



INSCRIPTION V. 



This brief document is to be read horizontally, from left to right : 



ga no be ta. 

 Ganibeta. 

 " Knife." 



