FoHSTKMANN.] RECENT MAYA INVESTIGATIONS 541 



ti-ibe. Finally, Mr ViiltMitini exj)res.ses the opinion that the Mayas 

 were the aboriginal race and the Aztecs " mere parasites ". 



Now that these expressions of opinion and countless earlier discus- 

 sions on the same subject lie before us, it is time that for once a con- 

 sistent hypothesis should be framed regarding the whole matter, on 

 the principle of the old adage that even a faulty hypothesis is better 

 than none at all, and that all progress must have a point from which 

 it advances. 



In this case, however, such an h3'pothesis must seek to offer an 

 explanation for the following facts: 



1. The similarity and at the same time the difference of the two 

 civilizations. 



2. The antiquity and mystery of the vanished Toltec race. 



3. The entire separation of the Huastecs in 22° n.orth latitude 

 (between Tampico and San Louis Potosi) from all other Maya tribes 

 and their distinguishing characteristics. 



4. The equally complete separation from the other Aztec tribes of 

 the Pipiles (in southeastern Guatemala), and of those Aztecs who had 

 pushed forward as far as Nicaragua. 



5. The curious fact that almost no Aztec place names appear in 

 Yucatan, Avhile they are met with by hundreds in Chiapas, (niate- 

 mala, and Honduras as far as Nicaragua, leaving almost no traces 

 of ]\Iaya names on the maps. 



On the other hand, little care need l)e taken to make the hypothesis 

 agree with the ancient native accounts of wars and migrations. If it 

 does, then such accounts will always be welcome in spite of their 

 legendary nature. 



In presenting my hypothesis as a connected chain of opinions. I 

 ask those who attack any one of these opinions, and thus ])ropose to 

 destroy a link of this chain, to take care at the same time to replace 

 it by another and a stronger link. 



I assume that in the most ancient period of Central American his- 

 tory with which Ave are acquainted the country from about 23° to 

 10° of north latitude was chiefly inhabited by different tribes of the 

 Maya race. Indeed, one can assume that, beyond the uuiinland. this 

 race also occupied the island of Cuba, which is still archeologically 

 iniknown. Such a theory is favored by certain facts connected with 

 the first expedition of Cortes (see, for example, Peter Martyr, pages 

 10 and 11 of the edition of 1521). AVhile this race Avas still at quite a 

 loAA^ stage of civilization the Aztecs advanced out of the north from 

 at least 26° north latitude. Their adA'ance took place on the Pacific, 

 not on the Atlantic, side ( Brinton, American Race, page 128), and 

 this explains the fact that the Huastecs remained almost undisturbed 

 in the east. Maya civilization soon influenced the Aztecs very ])er- 

 ceptibly and it Avas natural at first that they should call the Mayas 



