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tion, that the Azteck priests^ as we have already 
observed, followed the different terms of a series 
from right to left, and not from left to right, as 
the Hindoos, and almost all the nations that now 
inhabit Europe. We still see at Mexico the 
copy of a painting, formerly in the museum of 
the Chevalier Boturini, in which the sign of the 
month qiiecholli^ followed by thirteen points, is 
placed near a Spanish spearman, whose horse 
has under his feet the hieroglyphic of the city 
of Tenochtitlan. This painting no doubt repre- 
sents the first entry of the Spaniards into Mex- 
ico, on the thirteenth of the month quecholli, 
which, according to Gama, cnrresponds to the 
17th of November, 1519 ; but we must confess, 
that simple dates, expressed by the month and 
the number of the days passed, was very rarely 
found in the Mexican annals. 
With respect to the years, those of the same 
cycle of fifty-two years were never distinguished 
by numbers. In order not to confound them, 
however, they made use of a particular contriv- 
ance, which we shall describe farther on ; and 
which is so much the more curious, as it offers 
points of resemblance between the chronological 
system of the Mexicans, and that of the people of 
Asia. The rounds or signs of numbers are found 
added only to the ligatures^ which indicate cycles 
of fifty-two years. Thus the hieroglyphic of the 
Xiuhinolpilli, followed by four rounds, placed 
