THE MEXICAN INDIANS. 



87 



Their religion was also of a milder character, and sanguinary rites had been 

 introduced only a short time before the Spanish conquest. They long held 

 out valiantly against their Aztec " Fathers-in-law ; " their own name (Tarhascue) 

 had, according to Lagunas, the meaning of " Sons-in-law," and was said to have 

 reference to their exogamous practice of taking their wives from their Aztec 

 neighbours. 



On the east slope of the plateau, facing the Gulf of Mexico, are found some 

 groups of distinct populations isolated amid the surrounding Aztec people, who 



. L. 



rig. 35.— Chief Native Races in Mex co. 

 Scale 1 : 30,000,000. 



Aztecs. >r.aya«. Quiches, 



Huaxtecs, Totonacs. Mems. 



Tarascans. 



Zapotecs, 

 Mixtpcs. 



Opata-Cora. Otomi, &c Zoqué, Mixé Cborotegi. 



^__^_i______^_^_^ 620 Miles. 



Lencas, 

 ChoDtals, &'C. 



have become more or less assimilated to their Spanish rulers. Such are the 

 Huaxtecs (Huastecos), that is, " Our Neighbours," so named in courtesy by the 

 Aztecs, although, according to Pimentel, the term means " People of the Huaxi 

 land," so called from a kind of fruit common in their territory. They occupy the 

 northern part of the State of Vera Cruz, and stretch thence northwards to the 

 plains watered by the lower course of the Tampico river. The Huaxtecs are allied 

 in race and speech to the Mayas of Yucatan, although no tradition survives of 

 the events by which they became severed from their southern kinsfolk. Judging 

 from the archaic form of their language, Stoll concludes that they were the first 

 who became isolated from the primitive Maya group, and various names of places 



