60 SIX MONTHS IN MEXICO. 



the memory of many most interesting and 

 curious events. The loss of those monuments 

 of antiquity was inexpressibly afflicting to 

 the Indians, and regretted sufficiently after- 

 wards by the authors of it, when they became 

 sensible of their error; for they were com- 

 pelled to endeavour to remedy the evil, in the 

 first place, by obtaining information from 

 the mouths of the Indians ; secondly, by col- 

 lecting all the paintings which had escaped 

 their fury, to illustrate the history of the 

 nation; but although they recovered many, 

 these were not sufficient ; for, from that time 

 forward, the possessors of paintings became 

 so- jealous of their preservation and conceal- 

 ment from the Spaniards, it has proved 

 difficult, if not impossible, to make them part 

 with one of them. 



6< The cloth on which they painted was 

 made of the thread of the maguey, or aloe, 

 or the palm icxotl, dressed skins, or paper. 



