118 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



self to the study of the ancient chronology of Yu- 

 catan. It is a work which no ordinary man would 

 have ventured to undertake ; and, if general reputa- 

 tion be any proof, there was no man in the country 

 so competent, or who could bring to it so much 

 learning and research. It adds to the merit of his 

 labours that, in prosecuting them, Don Pio stood 

 alone, had none to sympathize with him, knew that 

 the attainment of the most important results would 

 not be appreciated, and had not even that hope of 

 honourable distinction which, in the absence of all 

 other prospects of reward, cheers the student in the 

 solitary labours of his closet. 



The essay explains at large the principles imbod- 

 ied in the calendar of the ancient Indians. It has 

 been submitted for examination (with other inter- 

 esting papers furnished me by Don Pio, which will 

 be referred to hereafter) to a distinguished gentle- 

 man, known by his researches into Indian languages 

 and antiquities, and I am authorized to say that it 

 furnishes a basis for some interesting comparisons 

 and deductions, and is regarded as a valuable contri- 

 bution to the cause of science. 



The essay of Don Pio contains calculations and 

 details which would not be interesting to the gen- 

 eral reader ; to some, however, even these cannot 

 fail to be so, and the whole is published in the Ap- 

 pendix.* I shall refer in this place only to the result. 

 From the examination and analysis made by the dis- 

 tinguished gentleman before referred to, I am ena- 



* See Appendix to vol. i. 



