PAPERS OF THE PEABODY MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ARCHAEOLOGY AND ETHNOLOGY, HARVARD UNIVERSITY Vou. XI, No. 2 OFFICIAL REPORTS ON THE TOWNS OF TEQUIZISTLAN, TEPECHPAN, ACOLMAN, AND SAN JUAN TEOTIHUACAN SENT BY FRANCISCO DE CASTANEDA TO HIS MAJESTY, PHILIP II, AND THE COUNCIL OF THE INDIES, IN 1580 TRANSLATED AND EDITED, WITH AN INTRODUCTION AND NOTES BY ZELIA NUTTALL TWO PLATES AND TWO TEXT FIGURES CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A. PUBLISHED BY THE MUSEUM 1926 PAPERS OF THE PEABODY MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ARCHAEOLOGY AND ETHNOLOGY, HARVARD UNIVERSITY Votruxl; NO; 2 OFFICIAL REPORTS ON THE TOWNS OF TEQUIZISTLAN, TEPECHPAN, ACOLMAN, AND SAN JUAN TEOTIHUACAN SENT BY FRANCISCO DE CASTANEDA TO HIS MAJESTY, PHILIP I, AND THE COUNCIL OF THE INDIES, IN 1580 TRANSLATED AND EDITED, WITH AN INTRODUCTION AND NOTES BY ZELIA NUTTALL TWO PLATES AND TWO TEXT FIGURES CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.A. PUBLISHED BY THE MUSEUM 1926 COPYRIGHT, 1926 BY THE PEABODY MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ARC AND ETHNOLOGY, HARVARD UNIVERSITY PRINTED AT THE HARVARD UNIVERSITY CAMBRIDGE, MASS., U.S. A. NOTE THE remarkable acumen of the Spanish authorities in send- ing out a questionnaire to many of the settlements through- out the Spanish domain in America is amply justified by the wealth of material collected by this means. The replies to this list of questions returned by the various towns are all important but special interest centers on that sent by San Juan Teotihuacan on account of the famous ruins at that site. Mrs. Nuttall early discovered the great importance of this manuscript and has kindly translated it for the present paper. The Museum is greatly indebted to Clarence L. Hay, Ksar., for its publication. CHARLES C. WILLOUGHBY, Director. CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, February 8, 1926. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS PLATES PuatTE 1. Map or TEQUIZISTLAN, TEPECHPAN, ACOLMAN, AND San JUAN TEOTIHUACAN PuatTe 2. A Part oF THE Map By ALONSO DE SANTA Cruz (circa 1570) FIGURES meme TACH-NAMES OF Tmxcoco ......... 2... 49 Meese iACh-NAME OF ACOLMAN ..... 1... « 64 INTRODUCTION In 1900, Sefior Don Pedro Torres Lanzas, the distinguished Direc- tor of the Archivo de Indias in Seville, in Volume I of his valuable Inventory of the Plans and Maps contained in the Archives, published the title of the ‘‘ Map of the towns of Acolman, San Juan Teotihuacan, ‘Tequizistlan and adjoining towns by the Corregidor Don Francisco de Castafieda, accompanied by a descriptive Relacion [dated 1580], of each of said towns, made in compliance with His Majesty’s Instructions.” ! Separated from its Relacién for years, the Map was, and still may be, exhibited in one of the treasure filled show-cases of the Archivo. It thus came about that, in 1911, on registering the contents of a ‘“‘Legajo”’ attractively labelled ‘‘Indiferente Gen- eral,’ I came across the Relacién by mere chance, and after read- ing it with intense interest, copied it forthwith, as a document of utmost importance that should be generally known. I had not seen the Torres Lanzas Inventory and was unaware at the time that, in 1905, Sefior Francisco del Paso y Troncoso had actually published the Relacién with the Map, in Volume VI of his ‘‘Papeles de Nueva Espafia,”’ etc.;? for this, like others of his important and valuable publications, was and is, unfortunately, practically unobtainable and inaccessible to students. In the monumental work on the ‘‘ Population of the Valley of Teotihuacan,”’ recently issued by Sefior Manuel Gamio,’ the Map is reproduced, but the Relacién, while referred to, is not described 1 See “‘ Relacion descriptiva de los Mapas, planos, etc., de Mexico y Floridas existentes en el Archivo General de Indias, por Pedro Torres Lanzas.”’ Sevilla, 1900. TomolI,p. 26. This document is registered in the Archivo General de Indias, Sevilla, as follows: Indiferente Gen- eral — Descripciones poblaciones y derroteras de viajes. Nueva Espafia. Afios 1521-1818. Estante 145 — Cajén 7 — Legajo 6. The text of the questionnaire is translated from the ‘‘ Memoria”’ published in ‘‘ Relaciones de Yucatan.’ Colecciédn de Documentos Inéditos . . . publicada por la Real Academia de la Historia, Segunda Serie, Tomo XI. 2 ‘*Papeles de Nueva Espaiia publicados de orden y con fondos del Gobierno Mexicana. Segunda Serie. Geografia y Estadistica. Tomo VI. Relaciones Geogrdficas de la Diocesis de Mexico. Manuscritos de la Real Academia de la Historia de Madrid y del Archivo de Indias en Sevilla. Afios 1579-1582.” Madrid, 1905. Text, pp. 209-230. 3 ‘*La Poblacidn del Valle de Teotihuacan.’”’ Secretaria de Agricultura y Fomento. Direc- ciédn de Antropologia. Mexico, 1922. 45 46 OFFICIAL REPORTS as a source of invaluable and authentic information, nor is it de- servedly utilized and recorded. It therefore seems opportune that a publication be made, in English, and in eatenso, of the Relacién, for the benefit of Ameri- canists. This document is one of the many that were drawn up and sent from Mexico to Spain in obedience to a remarkable decree, dated May 25, 1577, issued by King Philip II and distributed broadcast throughout his New World possessions. This decree reads: ‘Instructions and memorandum for the drawing up of the re- ports which are to be made for the ‘ Description of the Indies’ His Majesty is having made, to facilitate the good government and ennoblement of the same. . ‘Firstly: The governors, corregidors, or mayors to whom the Viceroys or Audiences or other government officials and adminis- trators send these printed instructions and memorandum are first of all to make a list and memorial of the towns inhabited by Spaniards or by Indians within their jurisdictions, in which only the names of these towns are to be entered, written clearly and legibly. This is to be immediately sent to said government offi- cials so that it can be returned to His Majesty and the Council of the Indies jointly with the reports drawn up in each town. “Said printed instructions and memorandum are to be dis- tributed throughout all towns of Spaniards and Indians in each jurisdiction in which there are Spaniards, sending them to the Councils, or, if these are lacking, to the parish priests or to the monks in charge of religious instruction, with direct orders to the councils or a recommendation from His Majesty to the priests and monks, that within a short time they answer and fulfil their obligations. “The reports made are to be sent to the above officials, with the printed instructions, so that, as they go on receiving them they can redistribute them to other towns to which none have been previously sent. ‘“‘In the towns and cities where the governors or mayors or other officials reside, these are either to write the reports accord- ing to the instructions, or to have this done by persons with a knowledge of the affairs of the country. The persons charged with the drawing up of the report of each town are to give answers TO HIS MAJESTY, PHILIP II 47 to the questions in the memorandum and observe the following order and form. “Firstly: On a separate sheet, as a superscription to their re- port, they are to write the day, month and year dates, with the name of the person or persons who participated in making it; also the name of the governor or other person who sent them the said instructions. “After carefully reading each paragraph of the memorandum, they are to write down separately what they have to say, answer- ing each one of the questions it contains, one after the other. Those questions to which they have nothing to answer are to be omitted without comment, passing on to those that follow, until all are read. The answers given are to be short and clear. What is certain is to be given as such, what is not is to be recorded as doubtful, so that the reports may be exact and in strict conformity to the instructions and memorandum.” The latter consists of a series of most carefully formulated, penetrating and comprehensive inquiries, and constitutes a ‘‘questionnaire’’ so remarkable for its acumen that I have adopted the plan of presenting the questions in the order established by the royal questionnaire and, after each one, in succession, the answers to it sent in from the four towns. The combined evidence is thus presented in a concentrated and more interesting form, that will facilitate the survey and study of the fresh data presented concerning one of the most important archaeological regions in America. The Relacién was supplemented by the interesting map that is reproduced as Plate 1. The reproduction in Plate 2 is from a photograph of the same district containing the four towns, as represented in the famous map of Mexico and its surroundings made by the cosmographer of King Philip II, Alonso de Santa Cruz, about 1570. | As the main purpose of this publication is that of placing the valuable record within the reach of students, I have confined my- self in my notes to drawing attention to certain important points and elucidating a few statements that are obscure or misleading. Descriptions of the towns of Tequizistlan, Tepechpan, Acolman, and San Juan Teotihuacan, and their dependencies, were composed by the illustrious Sefior Francisco de Castafieda, the Corregidor of 48 OFFICIAL REPORTS said towns, for His Majesty, in obedience to the royal instructions transmitted to him by the illustrious Sefior Gordian Cassasano, accountant and administrator of the Royal Revenue of this New Spain. The description of each town is signed by those persons present who could sign. A list of said towns and those subordinate to them accompanies each description. | The towns included in the circuit and jurisdiction of Tequizistlan are as follows: Firstly: Tequizistlan, chief town, with its subordinates Totol- zingo and Acaltecoya. Secondly: Tepechpan, chief town, with its subordinates San Miguel Atlanmaxac, Santiago Saqualuca, Santa Ana Tlachahualco, San Francisco Temazcalapa, San Matheo Teopancalca, San Pedro Tulamiguacan, San Xriptoual Culhuacazingo, Santa Maria Maquix- co, Sant Jhoan Tlacalco, San Bartolome Atocpan, San Xeronimo Chiapa, Santa Maria Suchitepec, its subordinates, and San Juan Cuyoa. Thirdly: Acolman, the capital, with its subordinates Santiago Atla, San Miguel Jumetla, San Agustin Tonala, los Tres Reyes Yzquitlan, Santa Maria Chiapa, San Matheo Tuchatlauco, San Lucas Tlamazingo, San Juan Tepehuizco, Santiago Nopaltepec, San Juan Tlaxinca, San Martin Huiznahuac, San Felipe Sacatepec, San Tomas Atlauco, San Matheo Tezcacohuac, Santa Maria Atenpa, San Marcos Quacyocan, San Pedro Tepetitlan, San Antonio Huiztonco, Santa Maria Tlatecpa, San Bartolome Quauhtla- pecco, San Juan Chicnahuatecapa, San Martin Aticpac, San Niculas Tenextlacotla, Santa Maria Astatonacazco, Santa Maria Atenpa, Santa Maria Saguala, and San Juan Atlatongo. Fourthly: San Juan Teotihuacan, with its subordinates San Lorengo Atezcapa, San Miguel Tlotezcac, San Matheo Tenango, San Sebastian Chimalpan, Santa Maria Coatlan, San Francisco Magatlan, San Martin Teacal, San Pedro Tlaxican, Santiago Tol- man, Sant Andres Oztocpachocan, Los Reyes Aticpac, San Antonio Tlaxomolco, San Agustin Ohuayocan, San Pedro Ocotitlan, San Miguel Tlaguac, San Luis Xiuhquemecan and Juan Tlaylotlacan. TO HIS MAJESTY: PHILIP IT 49 THE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS THERETO QUESTION I In the towns with Spanish inhabitants the name of the district or province is to be stated, also the meaning of the name and the reason it is so named. ‘TEQUIZISTLAN The town of Tequizistlan is the capital of the jurisdiction. It is in the district of Texcoco, and was in ancient times an indepen- dent town that rendered allegiance to its natural lords until Neza- é ; ee Figure 1. PLace-NAMES OF T'Excoco. hualcoyotzin, lord of Texcoco, became an ally and confederate of Montezuma, lord of Mexico, and with tyranny subjugated said district, incorporating it into Texcoco and Mexico. The natives were unable to explain the meaning of the name Texcoco.! 1 Evidence that the primitive town of Texcoco, like the residence and hill garden of Neza- hualcoyotl, was situated in or among the rocky foot-hills is furnished by the hieroglyph of the town; of which several variants are recorded in the native picture-writings and are retained in the arms of the town granted by Philip II and still in use. Its main element is a rocky hill, ‘“‘ Texcalli,”’ that conveys the first syllable of the name. In the ‘‘ Code en Croix” of the Aubin-Goupil Collection, the rocky nature of the hill is graphically rendered and this is surmounted by an earthen pot with two handles (a Comitl) that conveys the syllable ‘‘co’’ —an affix that signifies ‘‘in”’ (Fig. 1,a). In the Codex Mendoza, the hill is ingeniously formed by three signs for ‘‘ Tetl,’’ stone, form- ing three peaks, between which — “‘co,’’ = in — are two conventionalized drawings of a popular medicinal rock-plant (a Senecio), either of the names of which, ‘‘ Texcotli’”’ or ‘Texcapatli,”’ conveys the first two syllables of the name, while ‘“‘ Tetl’’ acts as a determinative (Fig. 1,5). A third variant occurs in the ‘‘ Histoire de la Nation Chichiméque’’ (Catalogue Raisonné de la Collection Goupil, E. Boban. Atlas. Planches 2 and 3), where, in a conical hill (covered with a design consisting of diagonals and dots), the pot ‘‘Comitl’’ is figured above the sign for stone, “Tetl.’’? Inthis case two duplications of sound occur, that is: ‘‘ Texcalli”’ or hill, and ‘‘Tetl”’ or stone. The duplication of ‘‘co’’ was obtained by placing the ‘‘Comitl’’ in (co) the hill (Fig. 1,c). Of the three examples given, this is the only one in which the vowel ‘“‘co”’ is duplicated and the full name “Texcoco’”’ is conveyed. In the others, it was evidently considered sufficient to record ‘‘Texco’’ only. For the etymology of the names of the other towns dealt with in this document, see the answers to Question XIII farther on. 50 | OFFICIAL REPORTS ‘TEPECHPAN The town of Tepechpan and its dependencies are held by Geronimo de Baessa, citizen of Mexico City. It is in the province of Texcoco and was an independent town until Nezahualcoyotzin, lord of Texcoco, tyrannized over it and made it a subject of Texcoco. ACOLMAN Acolman is in the district of Texcoco and was an independent town where the Chichimecs had their metropolis until Nezahual- coyotzin, lord of Texcoco, tyrannized over them, as will be told farther on. TEOTIHUACAN The town of San Juan is in the district of Texcoco. In ancient times it was the capital of a province because the surrounding towns, which were Otumba, Tepeapulco, Tlaquilpa and others, acknowl- edged it as such in heathen times, until Nezahualcoyotzin, lord of Texcoco, conquered them in war and tyrannized over them. ! QUESTION II Who was the discoverer and conqueror of said province and by whose order or mandate was it discovered? Give the year of its discovery and conquest and all that can be readily learnt about it. TEQUIZISTLAN As it is publicly known that it was Don Hernan Cortés, the Mar- ques del Valle, who discovered New Spain in 1519, reference is here made to the description which will be written in the City of Mexico. TEPECHPAN The discovery of said town in New Spain was made in 1519 by the Marques del Valle, Hernan Cortés, as is referred to in the description of the town of Tequizistlan. 1 The important facts established by the above answers to Question I are that Tequizistlan and Tepechpan were ‘‘independent towns,”’ that Acolman was ‘‘the Chichimec metropolis,’’ and that Teotihuacan was ‘‘the capital of a province’”’ until all four towns were conquered by the allied lords of Mexico and Texcoco. The date of this conquest, etc., will be given in the note pertaining to the answers given to Question XIV. TO HIS MAJESTY, PHILIP II dl ACOLMAN As is publicly known, the discoverer of this town and of New Spain was Hernan Cortés, the Marques del Valle. The order and mandate and the year of its discovery are not set down here because in the description to be made in the City of Mexico these will be stated by the person in charge. TEOTIHUACAN The Marques del Valle was the discoverer of this land. QUESTION III State in general the climate and quality of said province or dis- trict; whether it is cold or hot, dry or damp, with much water or little and at what season there is more or less; and the prevailing winds, whether violent and from what quarter and at what season of the year. TEQUIZISTLAN Its temperature is cold and damp on account of its being situated near the great lagoon in the midst of canals. The rains fall gener- ally from May until the end of September. The winds blow from the South from January to the end of March in which month it blows with such violence that it causes many natives to suffer dangerously from headaches. From April onward, until the rains begin, the North wind generally blows with great strength at sun- set. This does less harm to the natives than the South wind. TEPECHPAN The temperature and quality of the climate of the capital Tepechpan is cold and damp, for the greater part of it lies low among canals. All of its dependencies are in a cold, dry region. Rains fall generally from the first of May to the end of September. South winds are prevalent from Christmas until the end of March and are very violent during the whole of this month, causing ill- ness among the natives. From April onwards the North wind blows and is less harmful, for in the day time it is temperate. All night it blows violently but as at this time the natives have re- tired into their homes it does not harm them. 52 OFFICIAL REPORTS ACOLMAN The capital town of Acolman is cold and damp on account of being situated among canals and of having bad night dews. Its dependencies are in a cold region and lack water because the only water they have is rain water in basins or pools. From the middle of December until the end of March the South wind gives the na- tives headaches and pains in their bodies. In March it blows with great force. When the rains begin, the North wind blows and is unhealthy for the natives even if it blows temperately. TEOTIHUACAN The region in which said town and its dependencies lie, is cold, excepting its capital which is cold and damp on account of being situated among canals and fountains all proceeding from flowing springs. In winter from Christmas to March the South wind blows, with greater violence in March. It is unhealthful for the natives. From March to the end of October the North wind blows but does no harm to the natives because it is tempered. QUESTION IV State whether the country is level, rough, flat or mountainous; with many or few rivers and fountains, with abundance or scarc- ity of water; whether fertile or lacking in pasture; with an abundance or scarcity of fruits and sustenance. TEQUIZISTLAN Its entire district consists of a level plain open on all sides without any trees. Towards the East there is a high range of mountains. It lacks wood. The natives drink water from wells. It lacks fodder but yields an abundance of maize and beans, cactus fruits, cherries and agaves, of which the natives make good use. ‘TEPECHPAN The land is flat and in Tepechpan and its dependencies there are very few trees. All the natives drink stored rain water al- though the river named San Juan passes through the town. TO HIS MAJESTY, PHILIP II 53 ACOLMAN The capital Acolman is situated in a plain at the foot of a mound. It is level and has no fountains. A river called ‘‘de San Juan” runs by said town and is divided into three canals with which they irrigate a great piece of land nearly a league long and half a league wide. It is prolific in fodder and sustenance. TEOTIHUACAN The capital, San Juan, and all its subordinate towns lie in a plain and the farthest of the latter is situated at a distance of two leagues from the capital. Towards the North, a league distant, is a great mountain which the natives name Tenan, which in Spanish means ‘‘mother,’”’ because many small hills issue from it.! 1 The second half of this name, ‘‘nan,” is an abbreviation of ‘‘ Nantli,’’ mother, while the first, ‘‘te,” is a contraction of ‘‘ Tetl,’ stone; thus the ancient Nahuatl name of the mountain signified ‘‘Stone Mother,” or ‘‘ Mother of Stone.’’ The native explanation that the moun- tain was so named ‘‘ because many small hills issue from it’”’ and because ‘‘it had given birth to many other mountains” (see answer to Question X XI) is shown to be strikingly appropriate by the report on the geology of the mountain recently published by Sefior Ezequiel Ordofiez, the distinguished ex-Director of the Geographical Institute of Mexico, in the monumental work already cited on the Valley of Teotihuacan issued by the Department of Anthropology. Sefior Ordofiez writes that the mountain, an extinct volcano, ‘‘does not now show its crater which had once vomited such great volumes of lava and loose stones, doubtlessly because the residue of the last lava flow had consolidated and obstructed its mouth. Before becoming extinct, however, it gave birth to a number of small subordinate volcanoes which, like parasite volcanoes, are scattered over its eastern, northern, and western slopes, and look very fresh.’’ From the foregoing, it may be inferred that the native name ‘‘ Mother of Stone’’ dated from a period when the dying volcano gave periodical birth to the small craters, possibly in compara- tively recent times. Compare note 1 on p. 74. Additional light is thrown on the ancient association of the mountain with the production of stone by other facts recorded by Sefior Ordofiez and also reported upon by the energetic and painstaking young geologist, Sefior Diaz Lozano, in the same monumental work. Both geolo- gists point out, as a characteristic of the now extinct volcano, the enormous quantities of loose stones and volcanic bombs which it cast forth with great force and scattered over the adjacent plains. Sefior Ordofiez states that the first inhabitants of the Valley of Teotihuacan must have found it thickly strewn with loose stones which would have constituted an inducement for them to settle there and build a city. Close by, moreover, was an inexhaustible supply of loose basal- tic stones of a portable size, for between the base of the ‘‘ Mother of Stone’’ and the site of the ancient metropolis there are vast areas covered with basaltic agglomerations which can easily be detached and there are also great caves or pockets entirely filled with loose stones. One of these caves is two hundred and ten feet long, sixty feet wide and forty-five feet high — others are three hundred feet long and nine feet deep. Besides this loose portable material the mountain furnished different kinds of basalt which were shaped and worked at a later period, a peculiar basalt whose structure furnished very compact and hard, thin, flat stone slabs which the primi- tive builders used as flags for flooring, in making drains and as supports for cornices. Pointed fragments of this hard stone were also employed as chisels by the ancient sculptors; besides all this valuable building material the same mountain had produced the immense quantity of the very light, porous loose fragments of lava, of various colors, which are so extensively em- ployed by the ancient constructors. The entire appropriateness of the name bestowed upon the prolific mountain by the ancient builders is therefore amply demonstrated, as well as its 54 OFFICIAL REPORTS Another hill, medium sized, shelters the southeastern portion of the plain. In the territory of the subordinate towns there is a lack of water and the natives drink stored rain water. In the capital there is an abundance of water and many springs close together that feed a large river on which the natives have a mill. The water of said river irrigates two leagues of land, which is the whole length of its course. It passes by the towns of Acolman, Tepechpan, Tequizistlan, and the boundary of Texcoco, and emp- ties itself into the lagoon. This region yields an abundance of fodder and food supplies. ) QUESTION V State whether the district is inhabited by many or few Indians and whether in former times it had a greater or lesser population; the causes for the increase or diminution and whether the inhabi- tants live in regular towns permanently or not. | State also what is the character and condition of their intel- ligence, inclinations and modes of life; also whether different languages are spoken throughout the whole province or whether they have one which is spoken by all. TEQUIZISTLAN In ancient times, before the Conquest, it was densely populated and had more than four thousand tribute-paying inhabitants. After the Conquest many died from an illness like itch or mange all over the body. Since then they have always had illnesses. The Indians think that these have increased because they now have more luxury than in former times and because, before the unquestionable antiquity; for all indications point to the name having been invented at a re- mote period when small craters were still being formed and when the vast agglomerations of portable building material had been discovered and exploited by the founders of the great me- tropolis, that owed its existence to the vast amount of portable stones so conveniently at hand. The ancient name ‘“‘ Tenan”’ is quite unknown to the present inhabitants of the region, as I found on making many inquiries. Nor is the old name recorded in the recent publication men- tioned above. In a document dated 1608, published in this same work (Part III, p. 573), the name of the mountain is given as ‘‘ Temiztepetl,” called ‘‘Cerro Gordo,” and the latter Spanish name is the only one by which it is known by the natives nowadays. The fact that the ancient name ‘“Tenan,” which appears to hark back to the nebulous period when Teotihuacan was founded, is in the highly developed and ancient Nahuatl tongue furnishes a valuable indication that the occupation of the Valley by Toltecs, a Nahuatl-speaking race, long ante-dated the arrival of the Aztecs in historical times. TO HIS MAJESTY, PHILIP II 55 Conquest, they used to go naked and sleep on the ground and eat cactus leaves, cooked agave leaves and other plants yielding scant nourishment. Now they live well, eat delicate viands, baked bread, chicken, and beef and mutton, and wear clothes and sleep high [that is, in beds] covered at night with blankets. Any excess makes them ill, especially the drinking of pulque, which is gen- eral amongst them and is drunk from their childhood. Previous to the Conquest, when they did not drink nor were permitted to do so and were punished for drinking, they died old. Nowadays they do not live as long.!. This town has no streets nor have its dependencies, which are scattered about. The inhabitants are of medium intelligence. Their inclination is toward cultivating their lands excepting in one dependency which lies on the shore of the lagoon, in which the natives live on fishing and catching ducks and other birds with nets. They speak the Nahuatl language. TEPECHPAN At the present time this town and its dependencies have nine hundred and fifty tribute payers. In former times, and a short time before the Conquest, it was densely populated. The inhabi- tants have dwindled on account of the diseases they have had, which, according to the native belief, proceeded from their having less work and more luxury than before the Conquest, and also from the drinking of pulque and because at present the natives eat fowl and other birds whereas formerly they ate cactus leaves and the pulpy agave leaves and other herbs of little sustenance. The town is not a regular but a scattered one. The foremost or chief natives are of medium understanding and the rest are rude and dull. They are inclined to cultivate the land and maintain themselves by this exclusively. The Nahuatl tongue is commonly spoken, with the exception of some few natives who speak the Otomi tongue. ACOLMAN In past times it had many inhabitants. The natives were not able to tell us anything more certain than that in every house there lived six or seven married couples, besides unmarried youths. They died of the illnesses which spread amongst them. At the 1 For interesting evidence concerning the relative health and longevity of the natives before and after the Conquest, see the answers to Question XV and notes thereto. 56 OFFICIAL REPORTS present day according to the list of tribute payers, it has nineteen hundred of these. It is built without order and is not a regular town. Its inhabitants are well disposed although dull of under- standing. They live by cultivating the soil. The language they generally use is the Nahuatl. A few speak Otomi. TEOTIHUACAN The natives say that in ancient times this town was thickly pop- ulated by a great number of inhabitants. At present it has besides the ordinary population, according to appraisement, one thousand and six hundred payers of tribute. The natives say that many of them died during an epidemic which occurred a year before the discovery of New Spain. The town was not founded on a regular plan, but consists of a number of scattered houses. The inhabi- tants of said town are a polished people of a good understanding ! who always live on the produce of their land. They speak Nahuatl generally, but a very few of them speak the Otomi and Popoluca tongues. QUESTION VI State the latitude in which these towns of Spaniards lie if this has been taken or if known or if there is any one who knows how to take it. State on what days of the year the sun does not cast a shadow at noon. TEQUIZISTLAN This town lies in a straight line directly north of the City of Mex- ico at a distance of three leagues, therefore its latitude would be ten minutes higher than that of said city. In the middle of May and at the end of June the sun casts no shadow at noon. TEPECHPAN The latitude of the town of Tepechpan is about twelve minutes higher than the City of Mexico as its distance is about three 1 Attention is drawn to the significant fact that whereas the inhabitants of Teotihuacan are described as ‘‘a polished people of a good understanding,” those of two of the other towns are entered as ‘“‘of medium intelligence,” and those of Acolman as ‘‘ well disposed although dull of understanding.’’ The higher degree of culture was evidently a survival from the time when Teotihuacan was the capital of a province, the residence of the ruling intellectual class and a great religious centre. TO HIS MAJESTY, PHILIP II ays y, leagues to the North of said City. In the middle of May and at the end of June the sun casts no shadow because the sun is at the zenith and shadows are under one’s feet and do not incline in any direction. ACOLMAN Acolman lies due north from the City of Mexico at a distance of a little more than three leagues; the difference in the latitude is nine minutes. In the middle of May and almost at the end of June the sun casts no shadow at noon and the shadow is underfoot. TEOTIHUACAN On account of the lack of the necessary instrument it was not possible to determine the latitude of the town, but, judging by that of the City of Mexico, it must be a little over twenty degrees. At the end of the month of May and in June the sun casts no shadow at noon.! QUESTION VII? State the distance in leagues between each city or town occu- pied by Spaniards and the city in which resides the Audiencia to whose jurisdiction it belongs or the residence of the governor to whom it is subject — also the direction in which said cities and towns lie from each other. QUESTION VIII Give also the distance in leagues between each city or town oc- cupied by Spaniards and those of the adjoining district, stating in what direction they lie; whether the leagues are long or short, the country level or broken and mountainous; whether the roads are straight or winding and good or bad for travel. QUESTION IX State the name and surname that every city or town has or had and the reason, if known, why they were so named; also who was 1 In the Valley of Mexico and at Teotihuacan the sun is in the zenith twice a year: on May 17th at about 11.33 a.m., on its journey northward, and on July 26th, at about 11.43 a.m., on its return southward, at legal time (that is, the local mean time of the 105th Meridian). 2 The following six questions are grouped together, and others will be similarly treated when the answers to them sent in from the four towns are more or less incomplete or are fur- nished by one town and not by another. 58 OFFICIAL REPORTS their founder, who named them, and by whose order or mandate he made the settlement; the year of its foundation and the num- ber of inhabitants at that and at the present time. QUESTION X State the situation of said town, if it lies high or low or in a plain, and give a plan or colored drawing of the streets, squares and other places, the monasteries to be marked, which can be easily sketched on paper, as well as can be done. It is to be noted which parts of the town face North and South. QUESTION XI In the case of Indian towns it is only to be stated how far they are from the capital, in what district and jurisdiction they lie, and which is the nearest centre for the teaching of religious doc- trine. The names of all of the chief towns in its jurisdiction are to be given as well as those of their respective dependencies. QUESTION XII State also the distance between the other towns of Indians or Spaniards that surround it and the directions in which they lie and whether the leagues are long or short and the roads level or straight or mountainous and winding. TEQUIZISTLAN! The distance between the town of Tequizistlan and the City of Mexico, where the Royal Audiencia resides, is of five leagues of road, three running from North to South and two from East to West. The town lies at the Northeast of the City of Mexico. It lies in a low plain, among canals, very close to the lagoon. It is 1 Sefior Troncoso has drawn attention to the fact that in a document dating from the middle of thesixteenth century, the name of this town is given as ‘‘ Tecciztlan”’ (op. cit., Vol. VI, p. 226 note). This is confirmed by the use of the great marine conch shell —“ Tecciztli’’— as the hiero- glyph to designate the town in the Alonso de Santa Cruz map, although the Spanish rendering of the name as ‘‘ Tequizistlan,’’ is written alongside. (See Plate2, upper left corner.) The native informants were evidently aware that the local name was derived from some sort of shell. The gratuitous and plausible explanation they volunteered, however, about the name having origi- nated from the abundance of small fresh-water shells found in the canals is obviously wrong, and may have been inspired by the wish to appear ignorant of the name, even, of the marine conch shell that was so intimately associated with the cult of the moon and the water gods in their ancient, forbidden and persecuted religion. TO HIS MAJESTY, PHILIP IT 59 the capital of the district of the Corregidor and is a league distant from Acolman, the centre for the teaching of religious doctrine. Its dependencies are Totoltzinco and Acaltecoya. It lies to the Northeast of the City of Mexico, separated from it by a distance of five leagues of straight and level road running from North to South for three leagues and from East to West for two leagues. A straight and level road leads to the City of Texcoco which lies to the Southeast at a distance of two leagues. These leagues are medium ones. TEPECHPAN The town of Tepechpan is at a distance of five leagues from the City of Mexico where the Audiencia and Royal Chancery reside and is separated by a level road which runs directly from North to South for three leagues and two from East to West. It lies to the Northeast of the City of Mexico. The town is situated in a plain on the southern slope of a small hill. The plain is open to all sides. It has, to the Northwest, a small mountain which shelters it, and at the North the hill at whose base it lies protects it also some- what. It is exposed towards the East. It belongs to the jurisdic- tion of Tequizistlan and is at a distance of a quarter of a league from said town and from Acolman where the monks who teach the Doctrine reside. Within three quarters of a league are its dependencies, Santiago Zaqualuca, San Miguel Atlanmaxac, Santa Ana Tlachahualco, San Francisco Temazcalapa, San Matheo Teopancalco, San Pedro Tulamihuacan, San Cristobal Culhuaca- zingo, Santa Maria Maquiteco, San Juan Teacalco, San Bartolome Atoepan, San Geronimo Chiapa and Santa Maria Suchitepec. The town Tepechpan is at a distance from the City of Mexico of five medium leagues by level road, which runs for three leagues from North to South and two from East to West. It lies North- east of the City of Mexico. At the Southwest of the town of Tepechpan les the town of Texcoco two long leagues distant by a straight and level road. At its South lies the town of Tequizistlan, a quarter of a league distant by a straight road and at its North the town of Acolman, its reli- gious centre, three quarters of a league distant by a straight, level road. Towards the West it has the town and district of Chico- nauhtla, two short leagues distant by a straight and level road. 60 OFFICIAL REPORTS ACOLMAN The town of Acolman falls under the jurisdiction of the City of Mexico where the Royal Audiencia resides, at a distance of five long leagues of level road, three and a half of which run almost due North to South and a league and a half to the Northeast. At its Southwest lies the town of Texcoco at a distance of two and a half leagues of straight, level road. It belongs to the jurisdiction of the district of Tequizistlan and is the chief seat of religious instruction. Its dependencies are San Pedro Tepetitlan, San Antonio Huiztonco, San Miguel Jumetla, Santa Maria Tlatecpa, Sant Ana Atenpa, San Bartolome Quauhtlapeco, San Juan Chico- nauhtecapa, Santiago Atla, Tres Reyes Yzquitlan, San Agustin Aticpac, San Martin Tonala, San Niculas Tenextlacotla, Santa Maria Ostonocazea, San Matheo Tezcacohuac, Santo Tomas Atlauhco, San Marcos Quauhyoca, San Felipe Sacatepec, San Martin Huiznahuac, Santa Maria Atenpa, San Juan Tlaxicaya, Santiago Nopaltepec, San Matheo Tochatlauco, San Lucas Tla- mazingo, Santa Maria Saquala, Santa Maria Chiapan, San Juan Tepehuizco and San Juan Atlatonco. To its South it has the town of Tepechpan, three quarters of a league distant; to the North-northeast the town of San Juan Teotihuacan, one league distant; to the Southwest the town of Texcoco, nearly two and a half leagues distant; to the West the town and district of Chiconauhtla, a long league and a half distant. TEOTIHUACAN The town of San Juan Teotihuacan lies to the Northeast of the City of Mexico where the Royal Audiencia resides, at a distance of six long leagues of level country. The said town of San Juan is separated from the city of Texcoco by three long leagues of straight road and level country. Its distance from Acolman is one league; from Tequizistlan two leagues both lying almost directly South. Tequizistlan is the capital of the Corregimiento. Its subordinate towns are: San Lorenzo Atezcapa, San Miguel Tldtezcac, San Matheo Tenango, San Sebastian Chimalpan, Santa Maria Aguatlan, San Francisco Macatlan, San Pedro Tlaguican, San Martin Teacal, Santiago Tolman, San Andres Oztolpachun- can (sic), Los Reyes Aticpac, San Antonio Tlajomulco, San Agustin TO HIS MAJESTY, PHILIP II 61 Ohuayucan, San Pedro Ocotitlan, San Miguel Tlalguac, San Luis Xiuhquemeccan, San Juan Evangelista Tlaylotlacan. Its distance from Otumba is two leagues to the Northeast by a straight road. The town of Tepetlauztuc lies to the Southwest at a distance of two and a half leagues of level ground. QUESTION XIII State what the name of the Indian town means; why it was so named; what there is to know about it and what its name is in the language which the native inhabitants actually speak. TEQUIZISTLAN Tequizistlan means “place where shells abound ”’ and, accord- ing to the natives, it is so called because there are many shells in the canals of said town. The sole language they speak is the Nahuatl. TEPECHPAN 1 Tepechpan in the Indian language means ‘‘a town set on a large rock”’ and is named thus because it was founded near a rocky hill. The language spoken by the natives of the chief town and its de- pendencies is the Nahuatl, with the exception that some few of them speak Otomi. ACOLMAN 2 Acolman in the Nahuatl language means ‘“‘shoulder and arm.” The Indians could give no reason why it was thus named. The language they generally speak is the Nahuatl; a few speak Otomi. 1 ** Tepexitl’’ —a large rock; ‘‘Pan’’—upon. In the original document the name of this town is written ‘‘ Tepexpan ’’ — a spelling that is more correct than ‘‘ Tepechpan,”’ now in use. 2 The name of the town of Acolman, expressed by a rebus consisting of a shoulder and arm combined with the sign for water, is an interesting specimen of the native picture writing. The shoulder — ‘‘ Acolli’’ — conveys the first two syllables of the name and the sign for water — “ Atl’? — serves as a determinative by duplicating the vowel ‘‘a.’’ The hand — ‘ Maitl’’? — furnishes the syllable ‘‘ma,’’ and thus ‘‘ Acol-ma’’ was conveyed, this being the ancient name, as can be seen in the Plan (Plate 1) where it is spelt ‘‘Aculma,” the u and o being interchange- able in the Nahuatl tongue. The fact that the same hieroglyph served also to express the tribal name ‘‘ Acolhua”’ and the name of the province ‘‘Acolhuacan’”’ is revealed by its use in combina- tion with the sign for Texcoco in the Codex Mendoza, the Codex Osuna, and in the arms of the town conferred upon it by Philip II. This combination was probably assumed after the Conquest of Acolman, the ancient metrop- olis of Acolhuacan, by Nezahualcoyotl, when Texcoco became the capital of the province, and the name Acolhuacan was applied to the whole territory subjected to the Texcocan rulers. In the famous map of Alonso de Santa Cruz, the familiar rebus consisting of an arm and water designates the town of Acolman (see centre of Plate 2 and compare with Fig. 2, from 62 OFFICIAL REPORTS TEOTIHUACAN In the language of the Indians the name of the town of San Juan is Teotihuacan, meaning ‘‘temple of gods,” because in this town there was the oracle where the Indians of Mexico and those of all other surrounding towns idolatrized.! QUESTION XIV State to whom the Indians belonged in heathen times and what dominion was exercised over them by their lords; what tribute they paid and the form of worship, rites and customs they had, good or bad.? Codex Mexicanus, Collection Goupil-Aubin Planche, 24, op. cit.) the name of which is, however, not written also in Spanish characters as in the case of the majority of other places. It was probably for this reason, and for the misleading error of the map-maker, who wrote the name “ Tequizistlan’’ close by (in the wrong place and for the second time) that it was overlooked by Sefior Arreola in the recent Mexican government publication already cited. On page 370 of Tomo I, Volume IT, he actually affirms: ‘‘ Alonso de Santa Cruz does not even register the town of Acolman.’”’ (‘‘Alonso de Santa Cruz no registro siquiera el pueblo de Acolman.’’) It is interesting to note that in 1697 Gemelli Carreri wrote that he had visited ‘‘the town of Acolman or Aculma,”’ which shows that both pronunciations were still in use at that time. The fact that, in the Codex Mendoza, the identical sign composed by an arm and water is used to designate the town of ‘‘ Coliman’’ — Colima — is interpreted by Orozco y Berra and Pefiafiel, in Nombres Geogrdficos, as implying that this locality, near the Pacific Coast, was con- quered by the Acolhuas. They were evidently not aware that Ixtlilxochitl, the native historian whose statements are of great weight, having been approved of by the six most learned and aged caciques of his time, relates that the Acolhuas ‘‘ were from beyond the provinces of Mich- oacan,’’ and that in the year One Flint (1063 a.p.) three Acolhua lords, whose names he gives, “‘accompanied by many vassals, among them the nation of Otomis, having heard of the greatness of Xolotl, the Chichimec lord and leader, of his having seized all the country and that he was colonizing it, came to offer him obedience and ask him for lands where they could colonize. He was much pleased to see them, for they were a civil people, well governed, and giving them lands for colonizing, he also gave two of them daughters of his in marriage; to the principal lord named Acolhua he gave his oldest daughter, and the town of Atzcapotzalco as the capital of his state, with more lands and provinces for his vassals; to the second, with a daughter, the town of Xaltocan (on an island in the lake of Xaltocan); and to the third ‘ Acol- huatitlan Acolhuacan.’ In this way he obliged them, telling them that they only needed to recognize him as their lord and sovereign, and need not pay him any tribute whatsoever.’”’ (See Obras Historicas de . . . Ixtlilxochitl, ed. Chavero, Mexico, 1891, Tomo I, p. 94, also p. 268 and Tomo II, p. 40.) Archaeological evidence, obtained in recent years, strikingly confirms the truth of the above history, for a remarkable similarity exists between the type of the clay figu- rines I and several fellow-archaeologists have found near Atzcapotzalco (in my case at a depth of 16 feet under a gravel-bed) and those unearthed in the present states of Michoacan and Col- ima. Both are characterized by thesame type of long, narrow faces and square brows, etc., the clay being, in both cases, of a fine, light-colored variety. 1 Without entering here into what would be a fruitless discussion of the many different etymologies of the name that have been published from time to time, the newest being contained in the recent publication of the Mexican Government, attention is drawn to the interesting ex- planation given here that Teotihuacan owed its name and designation as a ‘‘temple of gods” to a famous oracle that was there. Further mention of this oracle will be found in the answer to Question XIV. ; 2 Attention is drawn here to the curious fact that in the following answers from the town of Tequizistlan it is stated that ‘‘they adored the idol Huitzilopochtli’”’; in the answer from TO HIS MAJESTY, PHILIP II 63 TEQUIZISTLAN In ancient times the Indians came from Chicomoztoc in the land of the Chichimecs and peopled the town of Tequizistlan and the other districts. They had as their lord Izcuin, who wore a cloak of coarse agave fibre, a loin cloth and sandals. Every day they contributed some rabbits and snakes for his sustenance and he had Indian servants who guarded and served in his house. He did not eat fowl. Besides the above they gave him skirts and shoulder capes of coarse agave fibre. He did not use cotton; nor did the natives take him aught beyond what has been stated. They adored the idol Huitzilopochtli and every eighty days they sacri- ficed thereto the Indians who were condemned to death for crimes they had committed. They lived and were condemned to pun- ishments according to the law of Nature. TEPECHPAN The Indians affirm that in heathen times they formed an in- dependent republic. They paid no tribute to their lords but only acknowledged them as such by giving them daily, hares, rabbits, snakes, quail and domestic fowl. They were Chichimecs until some years later a cacique of somewhat greater culture, named Axoquauhtzin, became their ruler. To him they contributed, every eighty days, four loads of coarse agave-fibre cloths, each load containing twenty cloths and eighty sandals; also four loads of the finer cloths made of agave fibre called ‘‘ayates.’’ Later on, fifty years previous to the reign of Montezuma, lord of Mexico, the lordship of Tepechpan was held by Tencuyotzin, to whom the natives of said town began to yield tribute. Every eighty days they brought him fifty cotton cloths four legs (piernas) wide and eight arm-lengths long; and also thirty other cotton cloths four arm-lengths long and four legs wide; also forty other cloths for wearing worked with rabbits’ wool and twenty loads of cocoa from Soconozco, each load containing twenty-four thousand cocoa beans; also forty skirts and as many shoulder capes (for women) ; twenty loads of chili peppers and as many of seeds. Tepechpan, that ‘‘they had no idols and worshipped the Sun daily’’; in the answer from Acol- man, that ‘‘they adored Tezcatlipoca”’; and in that from Teotihuacan, that ‘‘their principal idol was Huitzilopochtli,” but that ‘‘for greater veneration, this had been placed on the hill of Chapultepec,” a statement that may have been made for the purpose of warding off any search for this idol being made at Teotihuacan. 64 OFFICIAL REPORTS They had no idols and worshipped the sun, offering it daily, snakes, butterflies and some game birds. The man who first found any kind of the above creatures, at whatever hour of the day it might be, cut off its head and, turning towards the sun, offered it so that the sun should protect him that day. They had no other rite or custom and occupied themselves with hunting. ACOLMAN In ancient times, when they were heathens, the natives of Acol- man, those of Coatlinchan in the district of Texcoco, and those of Atzcapotzalco named Tepanecs, knew no alien lord and only ren- dered obedience to their native lords until about twenty years, more or less, before the Marques del Valle arrived and conquered New Spain, one Nezahualco- yotzin, lord of Texcoco, allied himself with Montezuma, lord of Mexico, and tyrannized over the whole region.!_ Afterwards the natives of the town began to render tribute to the lord of Texcoco, but only to the extent of furnish- ing him with fighting men in war time. To their native lords they had formerly paid, as tribute, a load of coarse agave-fibre cloths, twenty in a load and another load of thin agave-fibre cloths; a load of women’s shoulder capes of thin agave fibre; a load of petticoats of the same and some fowl (they did not know how many). Every day they con- tributed a load of dried agave leaves to be used for fuel, and an- other load of the wood of the wild cherry tree. Their lord had, in his house, Indians who guarded and served him. They adored Tezcatlipoca. When they returned from warfare and brought some prisoners they assembled by order of the lord and held a festival, taking those who were to be sacrificed to a great temple which is in the said town. They were decked with rich cloths, carried flowers in their hands and danced until they reached the summit of the pyra- mid temple where they tamely submitted to being stripped and thrown backwards on a large stone on the edge of which they were stretched, their head and legs hanging and their breast taut. A FIGURE 2 PLACE-NAME OF ACOLMAN 1 Instead of ‘‘twenty years, more or less,’ read ‘‘ninety years,’’ the final Conquest of Acolman and Teotihuacan and adjacent country by Nezahualcoyotl and his cousin Montezuma the Elder having taken place in 1429. TO HIS MAJESTY, PHILIP II 65 cut was made across the body below the ribs with a flint knife and the heart was torn out. This was carried in a painted gourd bowl to the idol and was cast before it. Old men were specially ap- pointed for this office and they took the dead body and placed it in a bath. After it was well washed with hot water they cooked and ate it, dividing it between the chieftains and captains. They lived according to the law of Nature. The Indians who distinguished themselves in warfare, took prisoners and killed enemies, were authorized to wear on their heads in peace times as a mark of distinction, white feathers stuck on with paste. In the month of March they celebrated a feast which they named Tlacaxipehualiztl which means ‘‘the flaying of a person.’”’ It was ordered that during twenty days the slaves who were to be sacrificed danced every day, singing sad songs, carrying certain shields and flowers in their hands and wear- ing a kind of wide shirt sewn together at the sides and named “xicalco.”’ When, at the end of the twenty days, they were to be sacrificed they were taken to the summit of the pyramid temple where the idol was. After the heart had been torn out and offered to the idol, the corpse was thrown to the base of the pyramid and beaten with rods until the skin became raised.! Then they flayed it and an Indian clothed himself with it and ran about the neighboring towns showing himself and begging for alms. He was given maize and huauhtl and other things, all of which was given to the owner of the sacrificed slave who, twenty days after the sacrifice, took the flayed skin and buried it publicly in the temple of the idol. Inviting all the lords on the day of the burial, they consumed all the edibles which had been collected as alms. On the day when the slave was sacrificed the lords arrayed themselves and danced all day long and partook of the flesh of the victim. On the day when the skin was buried they beat a drum in the temple of the idol, at the sound of which all Indians who were working in their fields ran and shut themselves up in their houses. For the Indian who had worn the skin ran all over the country and if he found anyone working in the fields he shaved the top of his head and thus made him a slave. If he found no living soul, instead of hair ‘1 According to Sefior Troncoso y Paso, this method of treating the skin before flaying the body was also used by the Indians of Teutitlan. It was probably the method generally em- ployed in the gruesome rite. 66 OFFICIAL REPORTS he had to cut agave leaves to bring back to the temple. They ob- served the custom of burning incense every twenty days in a cir- cular building nearly two yards high. The vassals daily burnt in- cense in their homes. The festivals they observed every twenty days had different names. One of them was named Suchimanaloya, which means ‘“‘the gathering of flowers,” ! it being the custom to gather, on that day, many flowers in the hills and plains and to place them where they burned incense without any further rite or ceremony. An- other festival was named Hueytozoztli, its ritual being that, three days previously, they gathered some of the earliest maize shoots and tied them in bunches with bean-blossoms. On the feast day they carried these to the house of the owner of the field in which they had been gathered and laid them on a clean mat. In front of said bunches they placed as an offering, a small basketful of pinole which is made of roasted and ground maize, and a basket of tamales and on the top of the basket a cooked frog ? with its limbs stretched out. It was their intention thereby to appease their idol so that it would give them a good harvest. When the said feast day had passed the owner of the field in which said maize shoots had been gathered, ate the offerings. They had another festival named Toxcatl, the ceremonial of which was to take maize from the fields and roast it and when it popped and burst to string the pop-corn for necklaces and chaplets which they wore on their necks and heads. The old people danced, rejoicing at the good year conceded to them. Another festival was named Etzalqualiztli and its ritual was that they took maize, beans, huawhllr, and all kinds of seeds they cultivated and made tamales of them all mixed together. Small eroups consisting of five, six or ten persons went dancing through the streets and into houses and the palaces of the lords where they offered each other the aforesaid tamales as a sign of festivity and rejoicing. They had five other festivals named Tecuilhuitontli, Hueytecuil- huitl, Miccailhuitl, Hueymiccailhuitl and Ochpaniztli in which 1 This seems to have been a local name for the festival that is usually named “ Tozoztli’? — the feast that followed it being designated as ‘‘ Huei-tozoztli’’ or ‘‘ the great Tozoztli.”’ 2 The frog was the emblem of the goddess of water, and she was worshipped under this form. An “extremely beautiful Temple of the Frog, the goddess of Water’’ is mentioned by Ixtlilxo- chitl (Obras Histéricas . . . ed. Chavero, Mexico 1891, Tomo I, p. 37) as having been built by the Toltecs in the ninth century of the Christian era by Mitl. TO HiseMalES VY, PRULTP i 67 the only ceremony observed was the burning of incense in front of the idol. They had another festival named Tepeilhuitl which means “‘the feast of the mountains,” the ritual of which was that whenever an Indian, on going to fetch fuel, found any piece of wood or branch which was crooked or twisted, he brought it to his house and when this festival arrived, covered it with the dough named tzoalli, placed it on a clean rush mat, and when the festival was over, ate the dough. They had another festival named Que- cholli, the ritual of which was to take dry canes and make arrows of them, decorating them with feathers. Early in the morning of this day all the common people assembled arrayed for warfare and went hunting. They then danced with the produce of their hunt such as rabbits, rats or snakes, and ate them with tamales made of maize and the sweet juice of the agave. They had another festival named Panquetzaliztli, in which the boys of the town aged ten years or less, wearing rich mantles, danced in honor of the idol in the temple square. During the other two festivals named Atemoztli and Tititl, the sole ceremonial was the burning of incense before the idol. Another festival was named Izcalli and its ritual was that after midnight they took their children and holding their heads between the palms of their hands lifted them repeatedly so that they should grow rapidly. At the same time they also feasted and drank. In another festival, named Quahuitlecua, their ritual was that the chieftain took many folded sheets of paper and joining them together made [something] like a lance. He then went to the top of some hill where they had their idols, followed by all the common people and there they offered the papers and burnt incense and covered the idols with cotton mantles, leaving them there until time destroyed them. TEOTIHUACAN In heathen times its people constituted a republic which recog- nized no authority but that of its natural lords who were [of the race] named Chichimecas, until Netzahualcoyotzin, lord of Tex- coco, made war and tyrannized over the whole territory, killing sons of Tetzotzomoctzin, lord of Atzcapotzalco, to whom all ren- dered allegiance. After the death of Tetzotzomoctzin the said -Netzahualcoyotzin made himself powerful by making an alliance 68 . OFFICIAL REPORTS with Montezuma, lord of Mexico. They divided between them- selves the lands of the towns of Teotihuacan and Acolman. The inhabitants of Teotihuacan, in recognition of their overlordship, paid them as tribute, every eight days, some blankets made of coarse agave fibre, named zchtzlmates, and some loads of agave leaves, named metlontle. Their principal idol was Huitzilopochtli which for greater vener- ation was placed on the hill of Chapultepec in the City of Mexico. Aside from this there were other minor idols in the town of San Juan which was the temple and oracle to which the inhabitants of all neighboring towns flocked. In the said town there was a very high pyramid temple which had [stairs with] three landing places [terraces] by means of which one ascended to the summit.!' On its summit was a stone idol they named Tonacatecuhlli, made of a very hard, rough stone all of one piece. It was eighteen feet long, six feet wide and six feet thick, and faced the West.’ In the level space in front of said temple, there was another small one, eighteen feet high, on which was an idol smaller than the first, named Micttlantecuhtli, which means Lord of the Under- world. This faced the first and was seated on a large stone six feet square. A little farther to the North was another [pyramid] temple slightly smaller than the first, which was called ‘‘the Hill of the Moon,” on the top of which was another great idol nearly eighteen feet high which they named the Moon. Surrounding this [pyramid] temple were many others, in the largest of which were six other idols called ‘“‘the Brethren of the Moon,’’ to all of which the priests of Montezuma, the lord of Mexico, with the said Montezuma came to offer sacrifices, every twenty days.’ 1 This positive statement that the pyramid of the Sun at Teotihuacan consisted of three stages is confirmed by the representations of both pyramids in the accompanying Map (Plate 1) and in that made by the famous cosmographer Alonso de Santa Cruz (see Plate 2, lower right- hand side). 2 The stone idol described here is the ‘‘image of the Sun’”’ mentioned by Gemelli Carreri who in 1697 was shown a fragment of it that had been thrown from the summit of the pyramid of the Sun and had, on account of its great size, stayed half way down. Ixtlilxochitl, the native historian, who resided at Teotihuacan, states that Tonacatecuhlli signified ‘‘ God of Sustenance’’ (‘‘ Tonacayotl’?— human sustenance or the fruits of the earth, and ‘‘Tecuhlli’’—lord) and that this was one of the principal gods, in the figure of the sun, the other being his wife, in the figure of the moon. (Obras Histdéricas de Don Fernando de Alva Ixtlilxochitl, ed. Chavero, Mexico 1891, Tomo I, p. 39.) 3 This statement that Montezuma and his priests came to Teotihuacan every twenty days is of extreme importance and interest, for it reveais that this ancient Toltec capital qubbeyed to be a great religious centre down to the time of the Spanish Conquest. TO HIS MAJESTY, PHILIP II 69 During the entire year they observed eighteen festivals, or one festival every period of twenty days. Each festival had its differ- ent ceremonials as is set forth in paragraph fourteen of the descrip- tion of Acolman to which I refer. Every four-year period closed with a feast on the number twenty but in the bissextile year there were five days in excess and they then held a feast in a large square that was situated between the two pyramids. In the centre of this square there was a small plat- form about twelve feet high on which they punished evil-doers and delinquents. QUESTION XV State how they were governed; with whom they carried on war- fare; how they fought; the clothes and costume they wore and now wear and whether they used to be more or less healthy than now and the reason that is known for this.! 1 It is an interesting and instructive fact that, in reports from a number of towns, situated in different parts of Mexico, the answers to Questions V and XV unanimously and invariably relate that previous to the Conquest the natives enjoyed better health and longer lives and that the physical deterioration since then was due to the living in towns, the use of more cloth- ing, a greater license and independence, and the indulgence in a meat diet and pulque. The following reports from towns pertaining to the diocese of Oaxaca, corroborate these and are particularly explicit and illuminating: “The oldest inhabitants state that the reason why the natives are more shortlived nowadays than in heathen times is because anciently they did not sleep in towns or settlements; and ate naught but dry tortillas made with great labor and care. Thus they lived strong and healthy and when they married they were at least over thirty years of age and thus led healthy lives. After the Spaniards came they built houses and lived in peace and tranquillity; ate an abun- . dance of different foods; wore clothes and indulged themselves. The boys marry at twelve and fifteen, and all these things, as it is reasonable to suppose, cause them to be more short- lived nowadays.” (Town of Chichicapa.) “|. . In olden times the natives lived a hundred years or more and now they die young and what they say and explain and communicate to each other on the subject is that the reason for this is that anciently the children were put to work at the age of six or seven. As there were so many wars there was no time to cultivate much and so they ate little, slept in the open and were fitted to live in constant labor. After the Spaniards came they wore clothes, slept in houses, ate and drank and indulged themselves much. In those days an Indian married at forty and now at twelve or fifteen. .. .””. (Town of Ocelotepec.) “|. . They used to fight with the natives of other neighboring towns for no cause or reason whatsoever, only for the exercise and they ate the flesh of those they captured alive in battle, and not that of those killed in warfare. ... They ate tortillas or tamales and some chile and no more. Once a year when they celebrated their harvest, they killed a hen, chicken, dog or rabbit (if able to catch it) or other game and ate it, offering first of all to their idol the first ‘fruits of all they caught or killed — for in all things they were subjected to strict laws. ... They say that notwithstanding the hard work they used to suffer under, they used to be health- ier . . . they say an Indian used to live more than a hundred and twenty years and now it is a great deal if the age of eighty is reached, although the natives now lead such an easy life and are the masters of their properties which formerly they were not, for no one then dared eat any- thing they raised under pain of fine or death.”’? (Town of Iztepexi.) “ . . . Their ordinary food used to be tortillas and chile and beans and if anyone hunted a deer, rabbit or mouse they ate it although usually they presented it to their native lord who 70 OFFICIAL REPORTS TEQUIZISTLAN The natives of this place had no government. All they under- stood was to hunt and to cultivate very little land. They had never been at war or quarrelled with anyone until Nezahualcoyot- zin, the lord of Texcoco, conquered the district and allied himself with Montezuma, lord of Mexico. They made vassals of the natives of this town and distributed among their sons the lands they owned. They fought with bows and arrows, and clubs gar- nished with obsidian points. They had shields made of hard cane. Their war costume was of the skin of rabbits and other animals and feathers of birds, and in time of peace they went naked and only used coarse mantles of agave fibre and loin cloths. ‘The chiefs wore sandals. Nowadays all in general wear cotton mantles, shirts and trousers and the women cotton shirts and shoulder capes. Some use woollen mantles. They sleep high and cover themselves with woollen blankets. In ancient times their food consisted of snakes, cactus and cooked agave leaves and some herbs of little nourishment with which they lived heathily. Nowadays they are accustomed to eat game birds and domestic fowl, baked bread, also other products of the lagoon, with which they are not as healthy as in olden times because they have more luxury now than they had then. TEPECHPAN According to what the natives say, they governed themselves according to the law of Nature. For many years they lived in peace, without being at war with anyone until, two hundred years before the time of Montezuma, they had some encounters with the lords of Mexico who wanted to subjugate them, whereas they would give them some of it or some other food or clothing as a compensation, because only the lords had permission to eat turkeys, quail, deer and other game. Nowadays everybody eats tortillas, chile, beans, gourds and deer although they cost excessive prices, also other meats of our cattle or of the game they kill... .””. (Town of Tepeucila.) “ They use at present the same foods they used to but have many meats, as they eat sheep, ewes and cows, there being no town which does not have its community ranch and private ones, thus having meat in abundance. ... As the reason why, in ancient times, they lived much longer, all dying old then and young nowadays, they say it must be because they work less now than they used to, having then to render personal service not only to the caciques and lords but also to the ‘ Tequitlatos’ who were those who were in charge,’ Alsc hecause nowadays they marry in boyhood, whereas formerly they did so at the age of thirty or forty. . . .””’ (Town of Miahuatlan.) TO HIS MAJESTY, PHILIP II AL defended themselves so as not to receive their evil customs. They became confederates by means of a marriage. A hundred and twenty years later a lord of Atzcapotzalco near Mexico, named Maxtlaton, with despotism killed Tencoyotzin, lord of Tepechpan, in order to increase his dominion, for which reason they waged war against Atzcapotzalco and joined the Mexicans and made war on those of Soconusco and Tlaxcala and Huejotzinco and the province of Michoacan. The chieftains wore a loin cloth named maztli, no shirt, and man- tles worked with designs, also bracelets and labrets of stones named chalchthwtes. Ordinary men went naked with a loin cloth only and a mantle of agave fibre. Nowadays they generally wear cotton mantles, shirts and loose trousers; only a few wear loin cloths. The commonest foods they have always used and still use are maize, beans, squashes, huauhtle and chili peppers. After the arrival of the Marques del Valle they ate fowl. The natives state that before he came they had never had any remark- able illness but that about a year before his arrival, a great num- ber of them died of a disease like small-pox which broke out all over their bodies. Since then they have never been free from ill- ness, they do not know why. ACOLMAN The lord of Acolman used to govern his Indians and punished those who committed crimes. If any chieftain committed a crime this was investigated by the lord of Texcoco. The people of Acolman carried on war with those of Tlaxcalla and the mountain range of Metztitlan, and fought them with bows and arrows, wooden sabres with obsidian points, and wore cotton mantles. In time of peace the chieftains always wore fine loin clothes, mantles of agave fibre, and sandals, excepting at festivals when they wore mantles worked with designs. When they went out, in order to protect themselves from the sun, each carried a feather fan. All vassals wore only a mantle of coarse agave fibre and a loin cloth. Nowadays all generally wear cotton shirts and mantles and trousers; they cover themselves at night with blankets, whereas in ancient times they only covered themselves with the mantle they wore in day time. The chieftains used to eat game birds and some domestic fowl. The commoners only ate the cooked 72 OFFICIAL REPORTS leaves of the cactus or agave and other wild herbs. Nowadays all generally eat maize bread and chicken and beef or mutton. Previous to the Conquest, in olden times, they were very healthy but nowadays they suffer from disease and do not live as long. The natives believe that it is on account of the little work and much feasting that they now have. TEOTIHUACAN They governed by means of some laws they had, in accordance with which they punished malefactors. One of these laws decreed that those who committed adultery and were found in delicto fragranti, were handed over to the relatives of the offended party and were beaten to death publicly within two days. If by chance the offended one forgave the crime the pair were not punished be- yond the fact that the wife was separated from her husband. If the latter returned to her he incurred penalty of death for he was regarded as having consented to the adultery committed. This law only applied to the wife who had been received by the husband after negotiations with her relatives followed by the celebration of a wedding, during which the bride and groom were anointed with a yellow pitch or wax named jahualit. The woman who had re- ceived a man without this ceremony was a concubine and not a wife and even if she committed adultery she was not punished. The person who stole ears of corn, squashes or beans, even though he were a child, was condemned to pay for each stolen ear or squash, a woollen blanket named quachtli. If he had no means of paying he incurred the penalty of death and his head was publicly pelted with stones as a warning to others. Adults who stole cloth- ing, feathers, stones or other articles of value incurred the death penalty if the stolen goods were not restituted. In the latter case the thief became a life-long slave. When an Indian man and wo- man, married according to the customary ceremonies, happened not to treat each other well and often quarrelled, the chieftain or elder of the quarter in which they lived, summoned them and in- quired what was the reason of their disagreement. If, being a regular wife, she complained that her husband did not provide her with necessaries, or that, instead of supporting himself by working in his corn-fields or farm he amused himself, this constituted a cause for separation, as was also the case when the wife was lazy TO HIS MAJESTY, PHILIP II 73 and did not serve her husband. An equal division of property was made when a separation took place. The slave who escaped from his prison and made a public decla- ration that he had done so before the elder of his quarter, was ac- quitted of his imprisonment and set free by said elder. If war captives, while being led to the temple to be sacrificed to the idol, were by chance able to escape and reach the summit of the pyramid where the idol was, and get behind this, he was acquitted of said death and sacrifice. The inhabitants of Teotihuacan used to carry on warfare with the people of Huejotzinco and Atlixco and used to fight with bows, arrows and wooden sabres edged with sharp obsidian points (ma- cana). The usual costume of the chieftains in time of peace con- sisted of a mantle of fine agave fibre, a loin cloth and sandals. In war time the chieftains and others who had distinguished them- selves in warfare wore a cotton armor and various devices; some disguised themselves as herons, or ducks, or eagles. Others dis- guised themselves by wearing the skins of pumas, jaguars, wolves (coyotes), deer or other animals. The common Indians only car- ried bows and arrows and wore no device whatsoever. They went naked excepting for a loin cloth and coarse mantle of agave fibre. Nowadays they all wear cloaks, cotton shirts and trousers; they sleep on beds and cover themselves with woolen blankets. They eat good food, boiled maize, domestic and wild fowl, beef and mutton. In ancient times most of them sustained life on the boiled leaves of the cactus and agave, or roots, or mice, snakes and other reptiles, and were healthier because of this and because they were more accustomed to exercise and hard work than nowadays. The natives realize that the luxury they now live in and the little work they do is the cause of illness, because they now fall ill whenever they make any exertion, especially on account of the pulque which they are accustomed to drink from childhood and which does them much harm. QUESTION XVI It is to be stated, about all towns of Spaniards or Indians, whether it is situated in a mountain, valley or open plain, and the name of the mountain or valley. The district is to be recorded with the meaning of everything in the native tongue. 74 OFFICIAL REPORTS TEQUIZISTLAN This town is situated in a plain, among canals and close to the lagoon. Towards the North it is open on all sides but there is a small mountain there which is named Tlahuilquitl because the natives say that in ancient times they saw fire come out of said mountain and that it illuminated a great part of the country; therefore they call it the ‘‘mountain of light.’”’ 1 To the Northwest there is another large mountain within its boundaries. It is named Yelocotl because it has plentiful game, so the Viceroys of this New Spain have used it as a hunting ground. TEPECHPAN The town is situated in a plain at the base of a rough hill and is open to all sides. Near it, at a distance of a quarter of a league, in the confines of Texcoco, there is a medium-sized, round hill which is named Tlahuilquitl, thus named because the natives say that in said hill there used to be fire which gave light at night; therefore they named it ‘the mountain of light.” ACOLMAN Acolman is situated at the foot of a hill, in a plain open to all sides. At a distance of about half a league there is a mountain named Tlahuilquitl and another big mountain named Yelocotl. The meaning of these names is given in the descriptions of Tequi- zistlan and Tepechpan. TEOTIHUACAN This town is situated in a vast plain wherein there are many springs, as has been declared above. QUESTION XVII State whether the town is situated in a healthful or unhealthful place and if unhealthful the cause for this, also the kinds of illnesses that are prevalent and the remedies employed for curing them. 1 [t is interesting and important to learn that, within the memory of man, a small volcano in this vicinity was still active. Compare with the evidence presented in note 1, p. 53, tending to prove that the name ‘“‘ Tenan”’ was given to the large volcano in the same region while it 77 was periodically active. The name “ Yelocotl’’ may be derived from ‘‘ Yeloa’? = a crowded place, or “‘ Yeltia’’ =to flee or cause to flee. TO HIS MAJESTY, PHILIP II 75 TEQUIZISTLAN The situation of this town is unhealthful on account of being very damp. Its inhabitants suffer from fever and cure themselves with nettles and a kind of lily, which afford them some relief. TEPECHPAN The situation is healthful. The usual illness is fever which pro- ceeds from their working in their seed lands. They cure themselves with cooling things. Those that are to die only live eight days. ACOLMAN It is a place of medium healthfulness and has bad night dews. The prevalent illness among the Indians is headache which they cure with cooling herbs. TEOTIHUACAN It is a healthful region although the natives sometimes suffer from headache and fever, which maladies they cure with herbs and roots of cooling qualities. QUESTION XVIII! How far or near is any remarkable mountain or mountain range: in what direction does it lie and how is it called? - QUESTION XIX State what principal river or rivers pass close to the town; at what distance they do so; how abundant they are and whether there is anything remarkable about their sources, their water, its water-supply and the land it irrigates, also whether it is employed or could be employed for irrigation on an important scale. QUESTION XX Cite the remarkable lakes, lagoons and fountains and any notable things there may be in the district of the towns. 1 As the answers to Questions X VIII to X XI, and from XXIII to X XVII, are either omitted or scant, these questions are grouped together. ‘In the case of Question XXXII and others to which no answers are given, the questions are printed as being interesting in themselves and completing the questionnaire. 76 OFFICIAL REPORTS QUESTION XXI Mention the volcanoes, caves and all other remarkable and ad- mirable works of nature there may be in the district, which are worthy of being known. TEQUIZISTLAN At the East of this town the river named San Juan passes in a deep canal at a distance of two arquebuss shots and it irrigates nearly half a league. TEPECHPAN To the East of the town at a distance of half a long league, at the confines of Texcoco, is a range of mountains, the names of which are not given as they are not very noteworthy. There is no river or fountain, only the river of San Juan passes through the town, dividing into two canals which irrigate the land of said town for a distance of half a league. | ACOLMAN The river named San Juan passes through the town of Acolman, dividing into four canals, each conveying the measure of two oxen of water and irrigating nearly a league of land. TEOTIHUACAN Towards the North les a big mountain which the natives name. Tenan and it has given birth to many other mountains. On the eastern slope of the aforesaid mountain, about half way up, is a chasm in which one hears a great noise which appears to proceed from the interior, at a distance of twenty yards. This seems to be the noise of the water which descends from the said mountain. The natives are convinced that it is water, because in the whole plain that extends between the town of San Juan and the confines of Texcoco there is no river nor spring other than the one at the head of the town of San Juan which the natives associate with the water which makes a noise in the mountain. In said plain, for a circumference of a league, between the head of the town of San Juan and Otumba, there are many large and small caves, some as extensive underground as an arquebus shot. From these they extract the saltpeter with which gun powder is TO HIS MAJESTY, PHILIP II 77 made in His Majesty’s Munition House in the City of Mexico. Thirty Indians are usually employed every week in extracting said saltpeter and the train of mules which conveys it to the City of Mexico is famous. QUESTION XXII Describe the native trees that commonly grow wild in said dis- trict, and the profit gained from their fruits and wood. State what they are or might be good for. QUESTION XXIII Mention whether the cultivated trees and fruit trees in the district brought there from Spain or elsewhere do well or not. QUESTION XXIV Mention the grain and seeds and other plants and vegetables which have served or serve as food for the natives. QUESTION XXV State what plants have been introduced there from Spain and whether wheat, barley, wine and the olive flourish; in what quantity they are harvested and whether there are silk-worms or cochineal in the district and in what quantities. QUESTION XXVI Mention the herbs or aromatic plants with which the Indians cure themselves and their medicinal or poisonous qualities. QUESTION XXVII Describe the native animals, birds of prey and domestic fowl and those introduced from Spain and state how they breed and multiply. TEQUIZISTLAN They have trees of the native cherry and a quantity of agave plants which yield sweet juice and fibre. When cooked the leaves furnish food and when dried supply fuel. They have no other 78 OFFICIAL REPORTS fruit trees, for the earth contains saltpeter and they could not grow. The seeds they sow are maize, chia, huauhtli, and beans, also some wheat, about fifty fanegas [bushels] more or less. They breed dogs from Spain and some native ones which multiply. Of the wild native animals there are coyotes, and some hares and rabbits. TEPECHPAN Within the confines of this town there are some quince and peach trees and some native cherry trees. In one of the dependencies named Maquizco they grow a quantity of pear, peach and quince trees which give fruit at Christmas. Throughout the whole dis- trict there grow quantities of agaves which yield sweet juice and fuel. The natives cultivate and gather for their food maize, beans, squashes, peppers, chia, and huauhtli. Of Spanish vegetables they have lettuce, radishes, onions and parsley. They have wheat which, although the quantity is small, serves as provision for the natives. ‘They have raised quantities of dogs of those brought from Spain and a few of the native ones. Of wild animals there are coyotes. ACOLMAN They have a quantity of the native cherry tree which produce much good fruit. They have walnut, pear, and quince trees and vines in the orchard of the monastery of this town. Of agave and cactus plants, which are the principal food of the natives, there is anabundance. They cultivate maize, beans, chia, and huauhilt, on which they live. They have no other vegetables out of careless- ness, for they would grow well in this district. They cultivate wheat with and without irrigation, and it does very well, but they only sow a small quantity. TEOTIHUACAN They have an abundance of the native cherries, of the edible cacti and agaves which sustain them, and which they sell in the neighboring towns. In said town and its confines they harvest much maize, beans, huawhili, and chia for their maintenance. They also raise some Spanish vegetables. The natives sow but little wheat although what is raised is very good. TO HIS MAJESTY, PHILIP II 19 QUESTION XXX State whether there are salt works in or near said town and from where they get their supplies of salt and of all other things they need for sustenance and clothing. TEQUIZISTLAN In ancient times they used to make salt in this town with which they provided the City of Mexico. For the past thirty-eight years they have given up doing so because the number of inhabi- tants have decreased and because the water of the lagoon has risen and covered the salt beds from which they extracted the salt. TEPECHPAN They lack salt and procure what they need from the City of Mexico or the town of San Cristobal Ecatepec or from Exqui- payaque, a dependency of Texcoco. For their clothing they pro- cure cotton from the estate of the Marques del Valle. ACOLMAN The salt they use is brought from the towns of Tequizistlan and Acatepec and Mexico; the cotton which they use for clothing themselves is brought from the land of the Marques del Valle and from the mountain of Meztitlan. TEOTIHUACAN There are no salt beds in said town or its dependencies, so all that is consumed there is brought from the City of Mexico, from the town of San Cristobal or from the mountain range of Meztitlan and the hot lands. The cotton they use for clothing is brought from the region of Panuco. QUESTION XXXI Describe the form and construction of their houses and the ma- terials for building them that are found in the towns or the other places from which they are brought. TEQUIZISTLAN The houses and constructions in which they live are generally built with stone foundations and adobe walls covered with flat 80 OFFICIAL REPORTS roofs. Thestone needed for building is to be had in the neighbor- hood. The timber required is brought from the woodland of Tex- coco, distant four leagues. TEPECHPAN All of the houses in this town and its dependencies are generally built with stone foundations, adobe walls and flat roofs. ACOLMAN All of their houses and structures have stone foundations, adobe walls and flat roofs. They have an abundance of stone. TEOTIHUACAN All the inhabitants of this town and its dependencies live in houses built of stone and adobe, with flat roofs. The houses of the principal personages are curiously and elaborately constructed.! QUESTION XXXII Describe the fortresses in said towns and the strongholds there are in their vicinity and within their confines. QUESTION XXXIII Describe the trade and traffic and dealings with which the Spanish and native inhabitants of the town support themselves and state with what produce and how they pay their tributes. TEQUIZISTLAN The Indians live by farming. They have the custom of buying cotton brought from the Marques del Valle and of this they spin and weave skirts and mantles (mantas) with designs, that they sell. The natives of Acaltecoya, subordinate to Tequizistlan, deal in fish and game birds and pay their tribute with these. 1 In a document dated 1563 mention is made of the great palaces then occupied by Alonso Bazan, a descendant of the Kings of Texcoco, who was the native lord and encomendero of Teotihuacan. TO HIS MAJESTY, PHILIP II 81 TEPECHPAN The inhabitants of this town live by cultivating their lands and raising hens and have no other trade or dealings. They pay their tribute to their Encomendero in agaves, money and maize as is generally done by the other towns in New Spain. ACOLMAN The inhabitants live by farming and raising hens and have no other trade or dealings. With their profits and the sweet juice of the agave, they pay their tribute in money and in maize. TEOTIHUACAN The natives incline to farming and its produce is their principal means of support. They raise Spanish and native fowl for nourish- ment and have no other trade. QUESTION XXXIV : State the diocese of the archbishopric or bishopric or abbey to which the town belongs; the district in which it is situated and its distance in leagues. State in what direction from it lies the cathedral town and the capital of the district and whether the leagues are long or short; the roads straight or winding and the country flat or rough. QUESTION XXXV Mention the cathedral or parish church or churches in each town with the number of beneficiaries and prebends in each; if the town contains any chapel or noteworthy endowment, state whose it is and who was its founder. QUESTION XXXVI Mention the monasteries of friars and convents of nuns of each order there may be in each town; when and by whom they were founded and the number of friars and nuns therein. Mention also anything noteworthy there may be in the towns. 82 OFFICIAL REPORTS QUESTION XXXVII Mention also the hospitals, colleges and pious institutions there may be in said towns and by whom and when they were instituted. TEQUIZISTLAN This town belongs to the diocese and archbishopric of the City of Mexico which lies to its Southwest at a distance of five leagues of level country. The boundary of the district of Tequizistlan lies to the North of the City of Mexico at a distance of a quarter of a league. TEPECHPAN Tepechpan pertains to the diocese and archbishopric of Mexico and lies in the district of the town of Tequizistlan, a quarter of a league to its North, and five leagues from the City of Mexico, wherein the cathedral stands. ° ACOLMAN The town belongs to the archbishopric of the City of Mexico where the cathedral of the diocese stands, at a distance of five long leagues of level country. In Acolman there is a monastery of friars of the order of Saint Augustine, in which there is a school in which grammar is taught. ‘Twenty-four monks reside therein and five priests for the administration of religious doctrine to the natives. They have a very grand church with a vaulted ceiling and a very sumptuous portal of carved stone; also a good orchard within the monastery walls, in which they gather quantities of Spanish walnuts and cherries, of native cherries and plums. This monastery was founded in 1539, the provincial of the order of Saint Augustine being the reverend father Friar George Davila. TEOTIHUCAN The town of San Juan and its dependencies pertain to the diocese and bishopric of the City of Mexico and is two leagues distant from Tequizistlan, the headquarters of the Corregidor. In San Juan there is a monastery of Franciscan friars who administer the doctrine to the natives. They have a good church and fair house in which three priests and a lay brother generally reside. ‘The TO Ris VAs os DY; ePHiciP If 83 monastery was founded in 1566, the provincial of the Franciscan order being Friar Miguel Navarro and the guardian of said town Friar Francisco Perez. PARAGRAPH L And after the said description has been written down, it is to be signed by the persons who helped to make it. It is to be sent without delay with this instruction, to the person who may have forwarded it. TEQUIZISTLAN The description of this town was written therein on the twenty- second of February, 1580, and was signed by the Corregidor Fran- cisco de Castafieda and those who knew how to write, namely Juan de Vera, Antonio de San Francisco. ................ [an illegible name followed by the word fiscal, that is prior or censurer]. BEniTO Martinez, clerk. TEPECHPAN Description written in the town of Tepechpan on the twenty- third of February, 1580, and signed by the Corregidor Francisco de Castafieda, and those who could sign: Juan de Vera; Don An- tonio de Herrera; Rodrigo de Sandoval. Benito Martinez, clerk. ACOLMAN The description of the town of Acolman, under the encomienda of Francisco de Solis, citizen of Mexico City, was written in said town on the twenty-sixth of February, 1580, those present while it was being drawn up being: the Corregidor Francisco de Cas- tafieda, Benito Martinez, Alonso de Solis, Francisco de Miranda, and Juan de Vera, Spaniards; Don Diego Vazquez, Governor, Don Guillermo de San Francisco, Alcalde, Lucas de Molina, Don Cristobal de Santiago, Pablo Zihuatecpanecatl, Regidors; Don Juan Bautista, Diego Atecpanecatl, and Antonio de Santiago, chieftains and natives of said town.! 1 The above entry appears as a superscription to the report from Acolman and the signatures follow separately at the end. 84 OFFICIAL REPORTS Signed by the Corregidor Francisco de Castafieda and those present who could write, who were Juan de Vera; Guillermo de San Francisco, Alealde; Diego Vazquez, Governor. Benito Martinez, clerk. TEOTIHUACAN The description of the town of San Juan Teotihuacan, under the charge or encomienda of Don Antonio Bagan, Chief Alguazil of the Holy Office of the Inquisition,! was written in said town on the first of March, 1580, there being present Don Cristobal Pimen- tel and Luis de San Miguel, Alealdes; Antonio de San Francisco, Mateo Juarez, and Antonio de los Angeles, Regidores; Andres Dalbiz, Don Lorengo and Francisco Quaunochtli, chief Indians of said town; Alonso de Servantes and Juan de Vera, Spaniards. It was translated by Francisco de Miranda; interpreted and signed by the Corregidor and those who knew how to write: Francisco de Castafieda, Andres Dalbiz, Damian Bravo, Gabriel de la Cruz, Francisco de Miranda. Benito Martinez, clerk. 1 It is deeply significant and illuminating to find that absolute authority, civil and ecclesi- astical, was wielded in Teotihuacan, the ancient religious centre, by Don Antonio Bacan, who, like his brother Don Francisco before him, was an Inquisitor of high rank, being Chief Con- stable of the Holy Office. There can be no doubt that much of the destruction and covering up of the ancient monuments in Teotihuacan must be attributed to the Inquisition, whose officers systematically and ruthlessly carried out the policy of exterminating idolatry, initiated by Cortés and Bishop Zummaraga, a task in which they were enthusiastically aided by the native Catholic neophytes. Praspopy Museum PAPERS Map of Tequizistlan, Tepechpan, Acolman, and San Juan Teotihuacan « ae path r oe yentoy tana at c ’ =i - % = ’ tae (OLGT 20129) znIg BYU ep osuCTY Aq deur eq} jo yied Vy Z GLiviIg ‘Z ‘ON ‘IX “TOA sumavg WASSOTY Adoavag te: | PUBLICATIONS - OF THE The publications of the Peabiney Museum causes of a Aur a Reports ee bound in four octavo an fuion: of Mexico and Central America. te BA ge, The Museum also issues from time to time Spec | _ cations upon various anthropological ane . “. For a list of the above with prices, address ~ % ne Peabody Museum, Ne Cambridge, mone U. s A.