108 



HISTORY OF MEXICO; 



a few days journey from that river towards the north 

 was the kingdom of Tollan, and many other peopled 

 places, from whence came thofe who peopled the Mexi- 

 can empire ; and that by the fame peoplers thefe and 

 other like buildings had been erected. In fact, the whole 

 people of Anahuac have ufually affirmed, that towards 

 the north-well and the north, there were the kingdoms 

 and provinces of Tollan, Teocolhuacan, Amaquemecan, 

 Aztlan, Tehuajo, and Copalla, names which are all Mex- 

 ican, and the difcovery of which, if the population of 

 the Spaniards lhould ipread into thofe parts, will throw 

 great light on the ancient hiftory of Mexico. Boturini 

 fays, that in the ancient paintings of the Toltecas, was 

 reprefented the migration of their anceftors through Afia 

 and the northern countries of America, until they eftab- 

 liftied themfelves in the country of Tollan, and even en- 

 deavours to afcertain in, his General Hiftory the route 

 they purfued in their travel ; but as he had not oppor- 

 tunity to compofe the hiftory which he deligned, we can 

 fay no more of this matter. 



Thofe countries in which the anceflors of thofe na- 

 tions eftabliftied themfelves, being fituated towards that 

 part where the moft wefterly coaft of America approach- 

 es to the moft: eafterly part of Afia, it is probable that 

 by that part they paffed from the one to the other con- 

 tinent ; either in veflels, if the ftrait of the fea then di- 

 vided them which is there at prefent, according to the 

 difcoveries of the Ruffians, or by land, if the continents 

 were united, as we fliall prefently find. The traces which 

 thofe nations left of themfelves from time to time, lead 

 us to that very ftrait which is undoubtedly the fame 

 which was difcovered by the navigators of the fix- 



teenth 



