THOMAS] EXPLANATION OF TUE BLACK NUMERALS. 23 



supposition further, as not one day out of three ever falls on the day given 

 if these black numerals denote the days of the month. 



We will next proceed on the supposition that these indicate the months. 

 In that case the dates given in the present example M'ill be 9 Oc, 9 Ik, 9 Ix, 

 9 Cimi, and 9 Ezanab of the 1 5th month (Mnan). In this the feast, relig- 

 ious ceremony, or whatever the date refers to, occurs always in the same 

 month, and so far agrees with what is left on record in reference to religious 

 ceremonies and observances. As only the day and month are given, it is 

 possible, as heretofore stated, to find four dates to each day. Now, let us 

 hunt out, by the use of our condensed calendar, the years on which these 

 several dates fall. Commencing with 9 Oc, we look first for this day in the 

 Cauac column; having found it to be the twelfth day of the mouth, we run 

 our eyes along the twelfth transverse line of figures until we reach the 

 figure 9, which we find to be in the eighth colunm (the one with 11 at the 

 top) ; counting back fifteen months (including the one 9 is in) we reach the 

 column with 4 at the top The year is therefore 4 Cauac. We next find 

 Oc in the Kan column; it is here the seventh day of the month, and 9 is in 

 the fifth column (the one with 3 at the top); counting back fifteen months 

 (going towards the left until we reach the first column, and then to the thir- 

 teenth, and moving back toward the left), we reach the fourth column (with 

 9 at the top). The year is therefore 9 Kan. We next find Oc in the Muluc 

 column, and by the same process obtain the year 1 Muluc. Next we find 

 Oc in the Ix column, and by the same process ascertain the year to be 12 Ix. 



Pursuing the same method with the other days, we obtain the following 

 result: 



9 Oc. 9 Ik. 9 Ix. 9 Cimi. 9 Ezanab. 



Years 4 Cauac. 12 Cauac. 13 Cauac. 8 Cauac. 9 Cauac. 



Years 9 Kan. 10 Kan. .'j Kan. 13 Kau. 1 Kan. 



Years 1 Muluc. 2 Muluc. 10 Muluc. 11 Muluc. G Muluc. 



Years 12 Ix. 7 Ix. 2 Ix. . 3 Ix. 11 Ix. 



Now, let us construct a table (No. VIII) of years for one cycle, as this 

 includes all possible variations in the numbers and names of the years, and 

 see where those obtained will fall. Marking each of the years with a star, 

 we find that they belong to one continuous period. So far the result is 

 favorable, and what will probably attract the attention of those who have 



