HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



91 



- of Mexico was founded in the year II Calli, and that 

 that was the year 1325, not of the world, however, 

 but of the vulgar era, which the above mentioned tra- 

 veller certainly meant to have written. 



It is therefore ufelefs to invelligate whether America 

 was peopled before the deluge, becaufe on one hand 

 although we were able to difcover it, on the other we 

 are certain, that all men periftied in the deluge. We 

 are therefore obliged always, after that general inun- 

 dation, to feek for new peoplers of America. We 

 know that fome writers circumfcribe the deluge to a 

 certain part of Afia; but we know alfo that that opinion 

 is contrary to the Sacred Writings, to the traditions of 

 the Americans, and phyfical obfervations. 



Dr. Siguenza believed the population of America be- 

 gan not long after the difperfion of nations. As we 

 have not the manufcripts of that celebrated Mexican, we 

 are ignorant on what foundation he refted his opinion, 

 which was very conformable to the tradition of the Chia- 

 panefe. Other authors, on the contrary, believe that 

 population very modern, becaufe the writers of the hif- 

 tory of the Mexicans and Peruvians did not find among 

 thofe nations any memory of their particular events far- 

 ther back than eight centuries. But thofe authors con- 

 found the population of Mexico made by the Chichime- 

 cas and the Aztecas, with that which their anceftors had 

 made many ages before in the northern countries of 

 America, nor diftinguiflied the Mexicans from other 

 nations who occupied that country before them. Who 

 can afcertain when the Otomies, Olmecas, Cuitlatecas, 

 and Michuacanefe entered into the country of Anahuac ? 

 It is not furprifmg that fome writers of Mexico could 

 not find any memorials more ancient than eight centuries; 



fince, 



