371 



DISCOVi:i<Y 



doubt tliat their significance is what he assumed it 

 to bo. 



" Union " is denoted by the sting of a rattlesnake, 

 the coils of that reptile appearing to the Maya as 

 symbolical of " tying together." We have here the 

 idea of representing the whole by the part, which is 

 also to be remarked in the glyph for " dog," which is 

 merely a drawing of the ear of that animal. In 

 contrast to the sign of " union " is that for " division " 

 or " cutting," which is represented by an obsidian 

 knife. A half-closed hand means " to eat," derived 

 from the action by which one raises food to the mouth, 

 .^dded to the kin or " sun " sign it denotes chikin, 

 " the west," probably from the circumstance that 

 the Maya took their principal meal at the hour of 

 sunset. Likin, " the east," is a combination of the 

 sun-sign kin and the symbol for " king " (ahau), which 

 is derived from a root meaning " to rise up," " to 

 awake," so that the whole implies " the sun 

 awakes," " the sun rises." Xaman, the north, is 

 more directly symbolised by the face of the devouring 

 earth-monster, which was supposed to dwell in that 

 region. 



The figure denoting the spring equinox was traced 

 because of its obvious representation of a cloud from 

 which three streams of water are faiUng upon the 

 earth. A square portion at the top represents the 

 sky. The obsidian knife underneath denotes a 

 division or period of time cut off, as it were, from 

 other periods of the year. That the sign means 

 " spring " is verified by its position among the other 

 signs of the seasons. 



Water is depicted by the figure of a serpent, which 

 typifies the undulating nature of that element. The 

 symbol known as " the sacrificial victim " is pictorially 

 eloquent of its subject. Its first element is the vulture 

 or death-bird, and the second shows a crouching and 

 beaten captive, ready to be immolated to one of the 

 terrible Maya deities whose horrid rites included human 

 sacrifice. 



The symbol signifying " the day of the new year," 

 which occurred in the month Ceh, is composed of 

 elements meaning " sun " or " day," " year," the 

 sign for " division," and that for the month Ceh, the 

 whole thus signifying " the day in which the year is 

 separated in the month Ceh." The symbol for 

 " wind " has also been determined from its accompani- 

 ment by a figure known to be a deity of the four 

 cardinal points, whence all American tribes believed 

 the wind to come. 



Other glyphs identified relate to various colours, 

 including red, yellow, white, and black, the names of 

 certain deities and those of several planets, Venus 

 and Mercury among them. 



It is clear from what has been established that the 



te.xts are chiefly concerned with the fi.xation of religious 

 festivals. But there is a residuum of matter which 

 undoubtedly relates to historical occurrences of out- 

 standing importance, to which the accompanying dates 

 refer. Wliat may these still obscure symbols not 

 conceal ? So much can be said, that what they have 

 to disclose will make terse reading, for the signs in 

 which the precious information is latent are few. But 

 so highly concentrated is the syllabic script of the 

 ingenious Maya scribes, that such of it as remains 

 dark to us may contain mere of value than wc 

 suspect. 



Ocean Currents' 



By P. J. Harwood 



The present article aims to present the subject of 

 Ocean Currents in a more definite light than has 

 hitherto been the case. There seems at present to be 

 no conclusive sj'nthesis of the causes which operate 

 to produce these phenomena, and for lack of such, we 

 find conflicting testimonies and opinions, and, in 

 general, inadequate and hesitating treatment, which 

 must leave this subject in obscurity and confusion for 

 anyone who seeks to do justice to this important branch 

 of geographical studj'. 



A current is dependent on the fluid nature wliich 

 water possesses. It is the result of an impulse to 

 movement where the lines of action are confined to 

 particular portions of any body of water. Since an 

 ocean of water is a homogeneous whole, it will follow 

 that any disturbance made in one part will find a 

 reaction in the remaining parts. Of all the modes of 

 application whereby the impulse to movement can 

 become, it is necessary to choose those which have 

 the deeper foundations of action, and these arc not 

 necessarily those which are known and seen to have 

 an effect disposing to the ultimate end. 



A current may be produced in a variety of ways ; 

 for instance, when a pool of water is continually stirred 

 by a stick in the same direction ; when, with puffs 

 of breath the water may be made to circulate in a 

 basin ; or, when under the action of gravity, a whirlpool 

 is formed around the orifice of an outlet such as we sec 

 when water is emptying from a bath ; and lastly, the 

 much-referred-to convection currents, which are caused 

 by differences of temperature in various parts of the 

 liquid. 



' Tliis article >h<.iild be read \\ itli an atlas before tlie 

 reader. — Hd. 



