548 HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



had not, according to M. de Paw, numeral words to 

 count above three, had, in fpite of his ignorance, words 

 to count to at leaf): forty-eight millions. In -like manner, 

 we could expofe the error of M. Condamine and M. de 

 Paw, in many other languages of America, and even in 

 thofe which are reckoned the mod barbarous ; as there 

 are in Italy at prefent perfons acquainted with the new 

 world, and capable of giving an account of more than 

 fixty American languages. Among the materials wc 

 collected for this work, we have the numeral words of 

 the Araucan language, which although it is a more 

 warlike than civilized nation, has words to exprefs mil- 

 lions. 



M. de Paw is not lefs wrong in affirming, that the 

 languages of America are fo poor, that they cannot ex- 

 prefs a metaphyseal idea ; which opinion M. de Paw has 

 learned of IVL Condamine. Time, fays this philofopher, 

 treating of the languages of America, duration, fpace, 

 being, fubilance, matter, body, all thefe words, and ma- 

 ny others* have no equivalents to them in their languages ; 



and 



Naehtzontli 1600 

 Macuilzontli 2000 

 Chicuacentzontli 2400, &c. 



Ccntzontli 400 

 Ontzontli £00 

 Etzontli, 1200 

 Matkczontli ten tirr?e9 40.0 4000 

 Caltoltzonvii fifteen times 400 6oco 

 Thus they go on to 8000. 



Nauhxiquipilli 32,000 

 Macuilxiquipilli 40,000 

 Chicuacenxiquipilli 48,000, &c. 



Ce-xiquipilli 8000 

 Onxiquipilii 16000 

 Exiquipilli 24OOO 



Matlacxiquipilli ten times 8000 80,000 



Caxtolxiquipilli fifteen times 8000 120,000 



Cempoalxiquipilli twenty times 8000 160,000 



Ompoalxiquipilli forty times 8000 320,000, &c 



Centzonxiquipilli four hundred times 8000 3,200,000 



Ontzonxiquipilli ei£ht hundred times 8000 6,400,000 



Matlaclzonxiquipilli fourthoufand times 8®00 32,000,000 



Caltoltzonxiquipilli fix thoufand times 8000 48,000,000, &c. 



We mentioned that they had words to count as far as forty-eight millions at 

 leafl. but thofe above are fuffkient to coafute M. de Paw. 



