50 MAYA AND MEXICAN MANUSCRIPTS. 



The reference of the colors and the elements to the cardinal points is 

 too varied to afford us any assistance in arriving at a conclusion in this 

 respect. In the assignment of the elements to the years we find that 

 water is referred by all the authorities named to Acatl, and fire by all 

 but one (Gemelli), to Tecpatl. 



One tiling more must be mentioned before we appeal directly to the 

 codices. As the groups of five days, so often heretofore referred to, 

 were assigned to the cardinal points, it is proper to notice here what is 

 said on this point. So far, I have found it referred to only in the Ex- 

 position of the Vatican Codex and by Sohultz-Sellack in the article be- 

 fore cited. 



As the latter refers to them by numbers only, I give here a list of 

 the Mexican days, with numbers corresponding with the positions they 

 severally hold in their regular order. 



First column. Second column. Third column. Fourth column. 



1. Cipactli. 2. Ehecatl. 3. Calli. 4. Cuetzpalin. 



5. Coatl. G. Miquitzli. 7. Mazatl. 8. Tochtli. 



9. Atl. 10. Itzquintli. 11. Ozomatli. 12. Malinalli. 



13. Acatl. 14. Ocelotl. 15. Quauhtli. 16. Cozcaquauhtli. 



17. Ollin. 18. Tecpatl. 19. Quiahuitl. 20. Xochitl. 



Using the numbers only, 1, 5, 9, 13, and 17 will denote the first col- 

 umn ; 2, 6, 10, 14, and 18 the second, &c. 

 Schultz-Sellack states that: 



4, 8, 12, 16, 20 were assigned to the south. 



1, 5, 9, 13, 17, to the east. 



2, G, 10, 14, 18, to the north. 

 3, 7, 11, 15, 19, to the west. 



But, as he ouly quotes from the explanation of the Vatican Codex as 

 given by Kingsborough, 43 1 will present here the statement of this au- 

 thority: 



" Thus they commenced reckoning from the sign of One Cane. For ex- 

 ample: One Cane, two, three, &c, proceeding to thirteen; for, in the 

 same way, as we have calculations in our repertories by which to find 

 what sign rules over each of the seven days of the week, so the natives 

 of that country had thirteen signs for the thirteen days of their week ; 

 and this will be better understood by an example. To signify the first 

 day of the world, they painted a figure like the moon, surrounded with 

 splendor, which is emblematical of the deliberation which they say their 

 god held respecting the creation, because the first day after the com- 

 mencement of time began with the second figure, which was One Cane. 

 Accordingly, completing their reckoning of a cycle at the sign of Two 

 Canes, they counted an Age, which is a period of fifty-two years, because,. 



4: Kingsborough, vol. VI, pp. 1%, 197. 



