143 



of the Muyscas had also particular names ; and 

 we may suspect, that the cycles, which Mr. Du- 

 quesne has transmitted to us, alluded to these 

 same names. All this leads us to presume, that 

 the numerical words, ata, bosa, mica, &c., were 

 substituted for the names of signs only to indi- 

 cate the first sign of the zodiac, the second sign, 

 the third sign, &c. ; and that this substitution 

 has insensibly given rise to the extraordinary 

 idea, that the numbers themselves were significa- 

 tive. This subject, which is not uninteresting in 

 the history of the migrations of nations, can be 

 cleared up only when we shall have compared a 

 greater number of American monuments with 

 each other. 



