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tion, that the Azteck priests, as we have already 

 observed, followed the different terms of a series 

 from right to left, and not from left to right, as 

 the Hindoos, and almost all the nations that now 

 inhabit Europe. We still see at Mexico the 

 copy of a painting, formerly in the museum of 

 the Chevalier Boturini, in which the sign of the 

 month quecholU, followed by thirteen points, is 

 placed near a Spanish spearman, whose horse 

 has under his feet the hieroglyphic of the city 

 of Tenochtitlan. This painting no doubt repre- 

 sents the first entry of the Spaniards into Mex- 

 ico, on the thirteenth of the month quecholli, 

 which, according to Gam a, corresponds to the 

 17th of November, 1519 ; but we must confess, 

 that simple dates, expressed by the month and 

 the number of the days passed, was very rarely 

 found in the Mexican annals. 



With respect to the years, those of the same 

 cycle of fifty-two years were never distinguished 

 by numbers. In order not to confound them, 

 however, they made use of a particular contriv- 

 ance, which we shall describe farther on ; and 

 which is so much the more curious, as it offers 

 points of resemblance between the chronological 

 system of the Mexicans, and that of the people of 

 Asia. The rounds or signs of numbers are found 

 added only to the ligatures, which indicate cycles 

 of fifty-two years. Thus the hieroglyphic of the 

 Xiuhmolpilli, followed by four rounds, placed 



