66 



bird of Tezpi remind us of Noah's dove, that of 

 Deucalion, and the birds, which, according to 

 Berosus, Xisuthrus sent out from his ark, to see 

 whether the waters had run off, and whether he 

 might erect altars to the protecting divinities of 

 Chaldea ? 



The tongues, which the dove distributed to 

 the nations of America (No. 1), being infinitely 

 varied, these nations disperse, and fifteen heads of 

 families only, who spoke the same tongue, and from 

 whom the Toltecks, the Aztecks, and the Acol- 

 huans descended, unite, and arrive at Aztlan, (the 

 country of the garces or flamingoes). The bird 

 placed on the hieroglyphic of water, atl, denotes 

 Aztlan. The pyramidical monument with steps 

 is a teocalli. I am astonished at finding a palm 

 tree near this teocalli : this plant certainly does 

 not indicate a northern region ; nevertheless 

 it is almost certain, that we must look for the 

 first country of the Mexican nations, Aztlan, 

 Huehuetlapallan, and Amaquemecan, at least 

 North of the 42d degree of latitude. Perhaps 

 the Mexican painter, inhabiting the torrid zone, 

 placed a palm-tree near the temple of Aztlan 

 only because he was ignorant, that this tree was 

 a stranger to the northern countries. The fifteen 

 chiefs have the simple hieroglyphics of their 

 names above their heads. 



From the teocalli erected in Aztlan to Chapol- 

 tepee the figures placed along the road indicate 



