170 TRANSACTIONS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. [Vo. VI.' 
jointly with Hunyg. The vassals of the crown, who no longer felt 
the pressure of the terrible hand of Oxlahuh-Tzy, profited at once by 
the change to relax the bonds that held them, and resume their 
independent life, working with emulation to enfeeble royalty and thus 
prepare the way for foreign domination. At the beginning of the reign 
of these two princes, the Mexican ambassadors, of whom we have made 
mention in the history of Montezuma II., arrived at Iximche.” ” 
Such are the materials furnished by Brasseur to illustrate the life of 
the chief actor in the events narrated on the tablets. There are 
discrepancies between the two stories, and, as the evidence of a contem- 
porary monument is always more to be trusted than that of a later 
document, several important corrections in the latter must be made in 
the light of the former. Other portions of the history of the civilized 
nations of Mexico and Central America must yet be examined, however, 
prior to any reconstruction of the careers of Oxlahuh-Tzy and his 
colleagues. 
CHAPTER X. 
THE INSCRIPTIONS IN THE LIGHT OF OTHER HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS: 
THE HISTORIES OF THE OAXACANS, MAYAS, ETC. 
The earliest traditions of the people of Oaxaca relate to the arrival in 
their midst at Yopaa, the great remains of which are now known as 
Mitla, of the prophet Wixipecocha, venerable, white of complexion and 
beard, attired in a long robe and a mantle which partly covered his head 
like a capuchin. His preaching was similar to that of Gotama Buddha, 
and when he disappeared on the enchanted island of Monapostiac, he left 
behind him the priesthood of Yopaa under a supreme pontiff called the 
Wiyatao.' : 
“It is impossible to tell how long the power of the Zapotec kings had 
lasted before these princes began to extend their conquests ; nor is it 
less difficult to assign an epoch for the origin of the Zapotec kings, nor 
to determine by what course of events they found themselves in 
possession of sovereignty in the regions in which the pontiff of Yopaa 
held sway. The high priesthood, from lack of male children, having 
become their heritage some years before the discovery of America, it 
may be inferred that the stock of the kings of Zapotecapan sprang from 
the Wiyataos, one of the younger sons of whom was probably invested 
