CHAPTER VI. 



THE WRITTEN CHARACTERS OF THE MANUSCRIPT. 



It is not my intention at present to enter into a general discussion of 

 the ancient Maya writings, as this will be found in the introduction by Dr. 

 Brinton. On the contrary, I shall confine myself as strictly as possible to 

 an examination of the characters found in this, occasional reference to the 

 Dresden Codex and the inscriptions on the ruins being made only for com- 

 parison and illustration. 



The interpretation of these written characters is, as a matter of course, 

 the chief, though not the only object of our research and examination. 

 Although my progress in this direction has been limited, yet I trust the 

 result will show that I have made some positive advance. 



In discussing these characters there are some preliminary questions to 

 be considered, which, if satisfactorily answered, may aid us in the attempt 

 to 'decipher them: 



First. The direction in which they are to be read. 



Second. The order in which the parts of the compound characters are 

 to be taken. 



Third. Whether they are, in any sense, phonetic. 



THE DIRECTION IN WUTCII THEY ARE TO BE READ. 



Brasseur de Bouibourg, influenced by the direction in which the 

 figures appear to be moving and in which the faces are turned, Avhich, in 

 nearly all cases, is toward the left, concludes that the writing must be read 

 by lines from right to left, and by columns from the bottom upward. His 

 attempt at deciphering was made upon this theory, which I believe he sub- 

 sequently confessed to be an eiTor, although still retaining his theory in 

 reference to a great geological cataclysm. 



Mr. Bolloert^ followed the same method, reading from the bottom 

 upwards and from right to left. 



'Exam, of Ceut. Am. Hier., p. 30(5. 

 136 



