HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



223 



thofe of Time, the Heavens, the Earth, Water, and 

 Air (j>). 



When they would reprefent any perfon, they paint- 

 ed a man, or a human head, and over it a figure exprefT- 

 ing the meaning of his name, as appears in the figures 

 of the Mexican kings. To exprefs a city, or a village, 

 they painted in the fame manner a figure, which fignifi- 

 ed the fame thing with its name. To form their hifto- 

 ries or annals, they painted on the margin of the cloth 

 or paper, the figures of the years in fo many fquares, 

 and at the fide of each fquare the event or events which 

 occurred in that year ; and if, on account of the num- 

 ber of years the hiflory of which they meant to relate, 

 they could not all be contained in one canvafs, they 

 were continued in another. With refpect to the order 

 of reprefenting the years and events, it was at the liber- 

 ty of the hiftorian to begin at which ever angle of the 

 piece he pleafed ; but at the fame time conftantly ob- 

 ferving, that if the painting began at the upper angle 

 on the right hand, he proceeded towards the left. If it 

 began, which was raoft common, at the upper angle on 

 the left hand, he proceeded ftraight downwards. If he 

 painted the firft year at the lower angle on the left, he 

 continued towards the right ; but if he began at the 

 lower angle on the right, he proceeded ftraight upwards ; 

 fo that on the upper part of his canvafs he never painted 

 from left to right, nor ever on the lower part from right 

 to left ; never advanced upwards from the left, nor 



down- 

 er) Reflecting the numeral characters, it is to be obferved, they painted as 

 many points as there were units unto twenty. This number has its proper 

 character. Then they doubled it for 20 times, that is 400. This character 

 was doubled in like manner, that is to 8000. Then they began to double the cha- 

 racter of 8000. With thofe three characters, and the points, they exprelTed 

 whatever number they chofe, at leaft to twenty times 8000, or 160,000. But 

 it is probable this number had its characters alfo. 



