THE NATURALISTS' COMPANION. 
75 
i^linipse ('f the eountry through 
whieli we were })ussiiig. I aeeord- 
iugly did so, and when we started 
again 1 was occupying a seat on top 
of the coach. The Trotessortold me 
that I had better come inside, but 
to no avail, as I could see no reason 
for such a warning. We had gone, 
about a mile safely, and 1 was enjoy¬ 
ing the never-ending panorania of 
lakes, mountains and valleys, when 
it began to rain again. Ab(nit that 
time I wanted to go inside but that 
was impossible as the coach wais 
crowed before, and anew passenger 
had been taken in at Cedar Kiver, 
leaving no room for me. How it 
did rain ! I had on nothing but a 
thill gauzmer, and that was next to 
no protecticm, therefore, in about 
live minutes I was wet to the skin. 
And that was not all; I had to ride 
twenty-tive miles in that pouring 
rain, till at last we arrived at the 
Blue Mountain House, our destina¬ 
tion. I got otf my wet clothes as 
soon as possible, and went to bed to 
dream of nothing but water. 
TO BE COXTINUEI).' 
AJumj^oLOG r. 
This department conducted by Joseph 
WTgolksworth, Wilmington, Del., to 
whom all articles pertaining to the subject 
should be addressed. 
THE AZTECvS AND TOLTECS. 
Besides the Indians and Mound- 
builders, the Archaeologist recog¬ 
nizes another aboriginal race of 
America. From symbolical repre¬ 
sentations or hieroglyphics found in 
Mexico, they are computed to liave 
consisted of sevei’al tribes, the prin- 
cijtal ones of wliichwere the Aztecs 
and Toltecs. Of these the Toltecs 
were the oldest and the Aztecs the 
most numerous. The hieroglyphics 
represents that about the y^ear 475 
of the Christian era, the Toltecs 
were ex[)elled from their own count¬ 
ry, called Tollan, situated far to the 
north of Mexico, and tor some time 
after that they led a migratory and 
wandering life ; but at the expiration 
of 100 years, they reached a place 
about fifty miles to the eastward of 
the city of Mexico, where they re¬ 
mained twenty years. Thence they 
[)roceeded a short distance westward 
where they founded a city, called 
from the name of their orriginal 
('ountry, Tollan, The Toltecs dur¬ 
ing their wanderings were conduct¬ 
ed by chiefs; but after their tinal 
settlement, their government was 
changed to a monarchy, which last¬ 
ed nearly four centuries. At the 
expiration of this time they had in¬ 
creased very considerably in nnin- 
liers, and had built many cities ; but 
when in the height of their prosper¬ 
ity, almost the whole nation was de- 
stiayved by famine and pestilence. 
The Aztecs are not represented to 
have their country, (a great distance 
north oftlie Gulf of California) un¬ 
til about the year 1160, when they 
did so by the command of one of 
their deities. After wandering fifty- 
six years, they arrived at the city of 
Zum[)ango, in the valley of Alexico. 
During their journey they are sup¬ 
posed to have vstopped some time on 
the banks of the river Gila, an east¬ 
ern liranch of the Colorado, where 
may still be seen rums of massive 
buildings which they are said to 
have constructed. Thence they 
proceeded until they came to a place, 
now known by the name of Casa 
Grande, on account of a very large 
