closed in a square border, the different figures of which represent so many years, and in the original are coloured blue. The pictures of men signify the ten lords or governors of the Mexican army, by whom Tenuch was elected king; and whose names are inscribed in the original pictures. The facts contained in this picture-writing, reduced to narrative, are as follow:

In the year 1324, the Mexicans who were then called Meciti, first arrived at the place where the city of Mexico was afterwards erected: this spot was at that time under water, and covered with extensive bogs and bulrushes which they called Tuli, interspersed with great spots of dry ground, covered with shrubs. This spot was intersected by a stream of clear water run, ning cross-wise (marked T in the plate); nearly in the centre of this stream, the Meciti, found a high rock, on which grew a great tree or bush, tunal, in which a large eagle candal had her

nest.

Having explored all the neighbouring country, and finding none so commodious as this, they determined to make it their residence. They accordingly settled there, and erected a strong city or place of defence, embanked against the waters, which was called Tenultitlan, from the Tunal growing out of the rock'.

Tenuchtitlan, in the Castilian dialect means, Tunal growing upon a rock.

The army of the Meciti was under the com mand of ten chieftains, who elected Tenuch their sovereign, by whom the other chieftains were constituted captains and governors.

After they had resided here some years, the people multiplied and were called Mexicans, and their city, Mexico: and, becoming powerful, they invaded the two neighbouring towns of Colhuacan and Tenaincan, which yielded to their arms. These transactions occupied the reign of Tenuch, as represented in the pic

ture.

It only remains to add, that each space or partition in the margin denotes a year: such partitions, as exhibit a branch with a foot like a flower, signify bitter and unfortunate years; which the Mexicans had and dreaded, observing that their ancestors from time immemorial had warned them that such years as befell every fifty-second year were unfortunate, inundations, eclipses of the sun, and earthquakes generally taking place in them. In these years they of fered numerous sacrifices to their deities, professing repentance, and abstaining from all vices against the very day and hour of such a year: on which day they usually extinguished all their lights and fires, till it was past; and on the following day they kindled new lights, which were furnished to them out of a mountain by a

H

priest. All these spaces are blue in the original picture'.

§ 4. PICTURE-WRITING OF THE NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS.-Less advanced in the arts of civilized life than the Mexicans, the North American Indians have recourse to a still more simple form of picture-writing, for the recording of past events, and the communication of their ideas to their distant friends. According to Charlevoix, Lafitau, and other travellers, when they went to war, they painted some trees with the figures of warriors, often of the exact number of the party. Further, when they are on their excursions, and either intend to proceed or have been on any remarkable enterprise, they peel the bark from the trees which lie in their in order to give intelligence to succeeding parties of the path they must take, to overtake them 3.

way,

The following instance will convey a more accurate idea, than any mere description of the picture-writing of the aboriginal inhabitants of North America.

When Captain Carver was travelling from the 'Purchas's Pilgrims, vol. iii. pp. 1067, 1068.

2 Astle on Writing, p. 6.-See also La Hontan's Travels in North America, vol. ii. p. 86. Mr. Bray has communicated an interesting paper on the American picture-writing, in the sixth vol. of the Archæologia.

3 Carver's Travels in North America, p. 417.

Mississippi to Lake Superior, under the guidance of a Chipéway chief, the latter, apprehensive lest they should fall in with some parties of the Naudowessies (with whom his nation were perpetually at war) adopted the following expedient, for the prevention of mischief.

He peeled the bark from a large tree near the entrance of the Chipéway River; and with wood coal mixed with bear's grease, their usual substitute for ink, made in an uncouth but expressive manner the figure of the town of the Attagaumies. He then formed to the left, a man dressed in skins, by which he intended to represent a Naudowessie, with a line drawn from his mouth to that of a deer, the symbol of the Chipéways. After this, he depictured, still further to the left, a canoe, as proceeding up the river, in which he placed a man sitting, with a hat on this figure represented an Englishman (Captain Carver), whose French servant was drawn with a handkerchief tied round his head, and rowing the canoe; to these he added several other significant emblems, among which was the pipe of peace painted on the prow of the canoe.

The meaning, which the Chipéway chief intended to convey to the Naudowessies, (who would readily comprehend it,) was, that one of the Chipéway chiefs had received a speech from

some Naudowessie chiefs at the town of the Attagaumies, desiring them to conduct the Englishman, who had lately been among them, up the Chipeway River; and that they thereby required that the Chipéway, notwithstanding he was an avowed enemy, should not be molested by them on his passage, as he had the care of a person whom they esteemed as one of their

nation'.

Mr. Thomas, in his interesting "History of Printing in America," has given a copy of an Indian Gazette, taken many years since by a French officer, and an explanation of the same, both of which were communicated to Mr. T. upwards of forty years ago. It relates to an expedition of a body of Canadian warriors; who, soon after the settlement of this part of America, took up the hatchet against a hostile tribe that adhered to the English. As this Indian Gazette presents a curious specimen of Picture Writing, the reader may not be displeased to find it annexed.

'Carver's Travels in North America, pp. 418, 419.