112 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



only finglc individuals of the nations which we now 

 know, or of fome others more ancient and unknown (^), 

 The Toltecas are the oldeft nation of which we have 

 any knowledge, and that is very imperfect. Being ba- 

 niftied, as they tell us, from their own country Huehue" 

 tapallan^ which we take to have been in the kingdom of 

 Tollan (d j, from which they derived their name, and fitu- 

 ated to the north-weil of Mexico, they began their jour- 

 ney in the year i. Tecpatl^ that is in the 596 of our era. 

 In every place to which they came, they remained no 

 longer than they liked it, or were eafily accommodated 

 with provifions. When they determined to make a long- 

 er ftay, they eredled houfes, and fowed the land with 

 corn, cotton, and other plants, the feeds of which they 

 had carried along with them to fupply their neceffities. 

 In this wandering manner did they travel, always fouth- 

 ward, for thefpace of one hundred and four years, till 

 they arrived at a place, to which they gave the name of 

 Jollantzinco^ about fifty miles to the eafl of that fpot 

 where, fome centuries after, was founded the famous city 

 of Mexico. They were led and commanded, upon the 

 whole journey, by certain captains or lords, who were 

 reduced to feven, by the time they arrived at Tollant- 

 zinco (e). They did not choofe, however, to fettle in 

 that country, although the climate is mild, and the foil 

 fruitful 5 but in lefs than twenty years after, they went 



about 



(f) Many hiftorians of Mexico fay, that the giants were betrayed, and put 

 to death by the Tlafcalans; but this idea, which has no foundation but in fome 

 poems of the Tlafcalans, is inconfiftent with the chronology adopted by thofe 

 hiftorians themfelves ; making the giants much too ancient, and the Tlafcalans 

 too modern, in the country of Anahuac. 



(d) Toltecotl, in Mexican fignifies a native of Tollan, as ^laztaliecatl does a 

 native of Tlafcala, &c. 



(e) The feven Toltecan leaders were, Zacatlj Chaleatzin, Ebeeatzint Cohuatzon, 

 T zihuacoatly Metzotzi/if and Tlapalmstzotzh* 



