hundred and sixty-five days only.

It will be seen, by reference to the essay, that, besides the cycle of
fifty-two years common to the Yucatecans and Mexicans, and, as Don Pio
Perez asserts (on the authority of Veytia), to the Indians of Chiapas,
Oaxaca, and Soconusco, those of Yucatan had another age of two hundred
and sixty, or of three hundred and twelve years, equal to five or six
cycles of fifty-two years, each of which ages consisted of thirteen
periods (called Ajau or Ajau Katun) of twenty years each, according to
many authorities, but, in Don Pio's opinion, of twenty-four years.

The fact that though the inhabitants of Yucatan and Mexico speak
different languages, their calendar is substantially the same, I regard
as extremely interesting and important, for this is not like a
similarity of habits, which may grow out of natural instincts or
identity of position. A calendar is a work of science, founded upon
calculations, arbitrary signs, and symbols, and the similarity shows
that both nations acknowledged the same starting points, attached the
same meaning to the same phenomena and objects, which meaning was
sometimes arbitrary, and not such as would suggest itself to the
untutored. It shows common sources of knowledge and processes of
reasoning, similarity of worship and religious institutions, and, in
short, it is a link in a chain of evidence tending to show a common
origin in the aboriginal inhabitants of Yucatan and Mexico. For this
discovery we are indebted to Don Pio Perez.

CHAPTER VII.

Return to Nohcacab.--Final Departure from this Village.--An Indian
Sexton.--Route.--"Old Walls."--Ruins of Sacbey.--Paved Road.--Journey
continued.--Ruins of Xampon.--Imposing Edifice.--"Old Walls," called by
Indians Xlapphak.--Ruins of Hiokowitz and Kuepak.--Zekilna.--Altar for
burning Copal.--Ancient Terrace.--Lofty stone Structure.--Remains of a
Building.--Sculptured Stones.--Platform.--Rancho of Chunhuhu.--Become
involuntary Masters of a Hut.--Its interior Arrangements.--Scarcity
of Water.--Pressing Wants.--Visit to the Ruins.--Two
Buildings.--Facade.--Ornamented Doorways.--Welcome Visiters.--Another
Building.--Plastered Front.--A Building seen from the Terrace.--Visit
to the Ruins of Schoolhoke.--Large stone Structure.--Ranges of
Buildings.--Circular Stone.--Ruined Edifice.--Representations of Human
Figures.--Return to the Rancho.--Benefits of a Rain.

On the fourteenth o