Brinton.] ^^ [Jan. 5, 



birth they forecast the destiny of the child, and stated the power 

 or spiritual influence which should govern its career. 



The tonal was by no means an indefeasible possession. It was 

 a sort of independent mascotte. So long as it remained with a 

 person he enjoyed health and prosperity; but it could depart, 

 go astray, become lost ; and then sickness and misfortune 

 arrived. This is signified in the Nahuatl language by the verbs 

 tonalcauallia^ to check, stop or suspend the tonal, hence, to 

 shock or frighten one; and tonalitlacoa, to hurt or injure the 

 tonal, hence, to cast a spell on one, to bewitch him. 



This explains the real purpose of the conjuring and incanta- 

 tions which were carried on by the native doctor when visiting 

 the sick. It was to recall the tonal, to force or persuade it to 

 return; and, therefore, the ceremony bore the name "the resti- 

 tution of the tonal," and was more than any other deeply im- 

 bued with the superstitions of Nagualism. The chief officiant 

 was called the tetonaltiani, " he who concerns himself with the 

 tonal." On a later page I shall give the formula recited on such 

 an occasion. 



8. There is some vague mention in the Aztec records of a 

 semi-priestly order, who bore the name naualteteuctin, which 

 may be translated " master magicians." They were also known 

 as teoi/autce, " sacred companions in arms." As was the case 

 with most classes of the tetenctin, or nobles, entrance to the 

 order was by a severe and prolonged ceremony of initiation, 

 the object of which was not merely to test the endurance of 

 pain and the powers of self-denial, but especially to throw the 

 mind into that subjective state in which it is brought into con- 

 tact with the divine, in which it can " see visions and dream 

 dreams." The order claimed as its patron and founder Quetzal- 

 coatl, the " feathered serpent," who, it will be seen on aqother 

 page, was also the patron of the later nagualists.* 



Tlie word naualli also occurs among the ancient Nahuas in 

 composition as a part of proper names ; always with the signifi- 

 cation of "magician," as in that of Naualcuauhtla, a chief of 

 the Chalcos, meaning " wizard-stick," referring probably to the 



• See Ch. de Labarthe, Mvue Amincaine, Serie ii, Tom. ii, pp. 222-225. His translation of 

 nanallctcuctin hy " Sc\gnems du gfsnie" must be rejected, as there is absolutely no au- 

 thority for assigning this meaning to naualli. 



