thomas] ASSIGNMENT OF THE DAY GROUPS. 51 



on account of the bissextile years which necessarily fell in this sign of 

 the Cane, it occurred at the expiration of every period of fifty-two years. 

 Their third sign was a certain figure which we shall presently see, re- 

 sembling a serpent or viper, by which they intended to signify the pov- 

 erty and labors which men suffer in this life. Their fourth sign repre- 

 sented au earthquake, which they called Nahuolin, because they say 

 that in that sign the sun was created. Their fifth sign was Water, for, 

 according to their account, abundance was given to them in that 

 sign. [The five days Cipactli, Acatl, Coatl, Ollin, Atl.] These five 

 signs they placed in the upper part, which they called Tlacpac, 

 that is to say, the east. They placed five other signs at the south,' 

 which they named Uitzlan, which means a place of thorns— the first of 

 which was a flower, emblematical of the shortness of life, which passes 

 away quickly, like a blossom or flower. The second was a certain very 

 green herb, in like manner denoting the shortness of life, which is as 

 grass. The third sign was a lizard, to show that the life of man, be- 

 sides being brief, is destitute, and replete with the ills of nakedness and 

 cold, and with other miseries. The fourth was a certain very cruel spe- 

 cies of bird which inhabits that country. The fifth sign was a rabbit, 

 because they say that in this sign their food was created, and accordingly 

 they believed that it presided over drunken revels. [Xochitl, Malinalli, 

 Cuetzpalin, Cozcaquauhtli, Tochtli.] They placed five other signs 

 at the west, which region they called Tetziuatlau. The first was a 

 deer, by which they indicated the diligence of mankind in seeking 

 the necessaries of life for their sustenance. The second sign was a 

 shower of rain falling from the skies, by which they signified pleasure 

 and worldly content. The third sign was an ape, denoting leisure 

 time. The fourth was a house, meaning repose and tranquillity. The 

 fifth was an eagle, the symbol of freedom and dexteritv. [Mazatl, 

 Quiahuitl, Ozomatli, Calli, Quauhtli.] At the north, 'which they 

 call Teutletlapan, which signifies the place of the gods, they placed 

 the other five signs which were wanting to complete the twenty. 

 The first was a tiger, which is a very ferocious animal, and accordingly 

 they considered the echo of the voice as a bad omen and the most un- 

 lucky of any, because they say that it has reference to that sign. The 

 second was a skull or death, by which they signified that death com- 

 menced with tne first existence of mankind. The third sign was a razor 

 or stone knife, by which are meant the wars and dissensions of the 

 world ; they call it Tequepatl. The fourth sign is the head of a cane, 

 which signifies the devil, who takes souls to hell. The fifth and last of 

 all the twenty signs was a winged head, by which they represented the 

 wind, indicative of the variety of worldly affairs." [Ocelotl, Miquiztli, 

 Tecpatl, Itzquintli, Ehecatl.] 



According, therefore, to this author the first column was assigned to 

 the East, the second to the Xorth, the third to the West, and the fourth 



