Chapter XX: Appendix: Vol. I (1)

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THERMOMETRICAL OBSERVATIONS.

Temperature of Merida, according to observations taken by the cura Don Eusebio Villamil, for one year, beginning on the 1st of September, 1841, and ending on the 31st of August, 1842. The observations were taken with a Fahrenheit thermometer at six in the morning, midday, and six in the evening. The thermometer stood in the shade, in an apartment well ventilated.

SEPTEMBER, 1842. | OCTOBER. Days. Morn. Noon. Even. | Days. Morn. Noon. Even. 1, 80 deg. 84 deg. 84 deg. | 1, 83 deg. 86 deg. 85 deg. 2, 80 deg. 84 deg. 83 deg. | 2, 83 deg. 86 deg. 85 deg. 3, 80 deg. 84 deg. 83 deg. | 3, 83 deg. 85 deg. 83 deg. 4, 80 deg. 84 deg. 82 deg. | 4, 81 deg. 84 deg. 82 deg. 5, 80 deg. 84 deg. 83 deg. | 5, 81 deg. 84 deg. 83 deg. 6, 81 deg. 85 deg. 84 deg. | 6, 81 deg. 84 deg. 82 deg. 7, 81 deg. 84 deg. 82 deg. | 7, 81 deg. 84 deg. 82 deg. 8, 81 deg. 86 deg. 85 deg. | 8, 81 deg. 84 deg. 82 deg. 9, 81 deg. 85 deg. 84 deg. | 9, 80 deg. 84 deg. 82 deg. 10, 82 deg. 85 deg. 85 deg. | 10, 80 deg. 84 deg. 83 deg. 11, 83 deg. 85 deg. 84 deg. | 11, 80 deg. 85 deg. 84 deg. 12, 82 deg. 85 deg. 84 deg. | 12, 82 deg. 85 deg. 84 deg. 13, 82 deg. 85 deg. 85 deg. | 13, 80 deg. 84 deg. 84 deg. 14, 82 deg. 86 deg. 85 deg. | 14, 80 deg. 84 deg. 84 deg. 15, 82 deg. 86 deg. 85 deg. | 15, 81 deg. 84 deg. 84 deg. 16, 83 deg. 86 deg. 85 deg. | 16, 81 deg. 84 deg. 83 deg. 17, 83 deg. 85 deg. 84 deg. | 17, 80 deg. 83 deg. 83 deg. 18, 83 deg. 85 deg. 84 deg. | 18, 81 deg. 83 deg. 83 deg. 19, 83 deg. 85 deg. 84 deg. | 19, 81 deg. 84 deg. 84 deg. 20, 84 deg. 86 deg. 85 deg. | 20, 82 deg. 83 deg. 81 deg. 21, 84 deg. 86 deg. 86 deg. | 21, 80 deg. 81 deg. 80 deg. 22, 84 deg. 86 deg. 84 deg. | 22, 78 deg. 80 deg. 78 deg. 23, 84 deg. 86 deg. 86 deg. | 23, 76 deg. 78 deg. 78 deg. 24, 84 deg. 85 deg. 83 deg. | 24, 76 deg. 78 deg. 78 deg. 25, 80 deg. 84 deg. 83 deg. | 25, 76 deg. 76 deg. 76 deg. 26, 80 deg. 85 deg. 83 deg. | 26, 74 deg. 76 deg. 76 deg. 27, 81 deg. 85 deg. 83 deg. | 27, 74 deg. 78 deg. 78 deg. 28, 82 deg. 85 deg. 84 deg. | 28, 76 deg. 80 deg. 79 deg. 29, 82 deg. 86 deg. 86 deg. | 29, 77 deg. 81 deg. 80 deg. 30, 83 deg. 86 deg. 85 deg. | 30, 78 deg. 81 deg. 81 deg. | 31, 81 deg. 82 deg. 82 deg.

NOVEMBER | DECEMBER. Days. Morn. Noon. Even. | Days. Morn. Noon. Even. 1, 82 deg. 83 deg. 82 deg. | 1, 72 deg. 74 deg. 74 deg. 2, 80 deg. 82 deg. 81 deg. | 2, 73 deg. 77 deg. 77 deg. 3, 78 deg. 80 deg. 80 deg. | 3, 73 deg. 79 deg. 79 deg. 4, 80 deg. 77 deg. 77 deg. | 4, 78 deg. 79 deg. 79 deg. 5, 77 deg. 78 deg. 78 deg. | 5, 75 deg. 76 deg. 75 deg. 6, 74 deg. 77 deg. 76 deg. | 6, 72 deg. 74 deg. 74 deg. 7, 74 deg. 76 deg. 76 deg. | 7, 72 deg. 74 deg. 74 deg. 8, 75 deg. 78 deg. 78 deg. | 8, 71 deg. 74 deg. 74 deg. 9, 75 deg. 78 deg. 78 deg. | 9, 70 deg. 74 deg. 74 deg. 10, 74 deg. 79 deg. 79 deg. | 10, 74 deg. 78 deg. 78 deg. 11, 76 deg. 79 deg. 79 deg. | 11, 76 deg. 78 deg. 78 deg. 12, 77 deg. 80 deg. 80 deg. | 12, 74 deg. 77 deg. 77 deg. 13, 77 deg. 80 deg. 80 deg. | 13, 74 deg. 78 deg. 77 deg. 14, 80 deg. 80 deg. 80 deg. | 14, 73 deg. 78 deg. 78 deg. 15, 78 deg. 79 deg. 79 deg. | 15, 75 deg. 79 deg. 79 deg. 16, 74 deg. 78 deg. 78 deg. | 16, 76 deg. 78 deg. 77 deg. 17, 74 deg. 78 deg. 78 deg. | 17, 75 deg. 75 deg. 75 deg. 18, 72 deg. 77 deg. 77 deg. | 18, 71 deg. 74 deg. 74 deg. 19, 73 deg. 79 deg. 79 deg. | 19, 65 deg. 73 deg. 75 deg. 20, 75 deg. 79 deg. 79 deg. | 20, 68 deg. 74 deg. 74 deg. 21, 78 deg. 82 deg. 82 deg. | 21, 70 deg. 76 deg. 76 deg. 22, 80 deg. 83 deg. 82 deg. | 22, 72 deg. 88 deg. 78 deg. 23, 80 deg. 84 deg. 83 deg. | 23, 74 deg. 78 deg. 78 deg. 24, 79 deg. 82 deg. 82 deg. | 24, 76 deg. 77 deg. 77 deg. 25, 80 deg. 83 deg. 83 deg. | 25, 75 deg. 77 deg. 76 deg. 26, 79 deg. 82 deg. 80 deg. | 26, 75 deg. 78 deg. 77 deg. 27, 79 deg. 78 deg. 78 deg. | 27, 74 deg. 79 deg. 78 deg. 28, 78 deg. 76 deg. 75 deg. | 28, 76 deg. 79 deg. 78 deg. 29, 73 deg. 73 deg. 74 deg. | 29, 76 deg. 78 deg. 78 deg. 30, 73 deg. 74 deg. 74 deg. | 30, 76 deg. 77 deg. 76 deg. | 31, 76 deg. 78 deg. 78 deg.

JANUARY, 1842. | FEBRUARY. Days. Morn. Noon. Even. | Days. Morn. Noon. Even. 1, 75 deg. 78 deg. 77 deg. | 1, 75 deg. 78 deg. 78 deg. 2, 75 deg. 77 deg. 77 deg. | 2, 74 deg. 80 deg. 80 deg. 3, 76 deg. 76 deg. 76 deg. | 3, 76 deg. 81 deg. 81 deg. 4, 74 deg. 78 deg. 77 deg. | 4, 76 deg. 80 deg. 79 deg. 5, 74 deg. 78 deg. 78 deg. | 5, 77 deg. 80 deg. 79 deg. 6, 74 deg. 78 deg. 78 deg. | 6, 76 deg. 80 deg. 80 deg. 7, 74 deg. 78 deg. 78 deg. | 7, 76 deg. 80 deg. 80 deg. 8, 74 deg. 78 deg. 77 deg. | 8, 76 deg. 74 deg. 74 deg. 9, 74 deg. 77 deg. 76 deg. | 9, 73 deg. 74 deg. 74 deg. 10, 74 deg. 77 deg. 76 deg. | 10, 71 deg. 76 deg. 76 deg. 11, 73 deg. 78 deg. 77 deg. | 11, 74 deg. 79 deg. 78 deg. 12, 74 deg. 78 deg. 77 deg. | 12, 74 deg. 80 deg. 79 deg. 13, 74 deg. 77 deg. 76 deg. | 13, 76 deg. 80 deg. 79 deg. 14, 73 deg. 78 deg. 77 deg. | 14, 77 deg. 80 deg. 79 deg. 15, 74 deg. 77 deg. 76 deg. | 15, 77 deg. 80 deg. 80 deg. 16, 74 deg. 76 deg. 76 deg. | 16, 78 deg. 76 deg. 76 deg. 17, 73 deg. 76 deg. 75 deg. | 17, 72 deg. 76 deg. 76 deg. 18, 73 deg. 76 deg. 75 deg. | 18, 75 deg. 79 deg. 79 deg. 19, 70 deg. 76 deg. 76 deg. | 19, 76 deg. 79 deg. 78 deg. 20, 73 deg. 76 deg. 76 deg. | 20, 77 deg. 80 deg. 80 deg. 21, 72 deg. 72 deg. 72 deg. | 21, 78 deg. 76 deg. 75 deg. 22, 70 deg. 72 deg. 72 deg. | 22, 73 deg. 74 deg. 74 deg. 23, 68 deg. 72 deg. 72 deg. | 23, 70 deg. 74 deg. 72 deg. 24, 68 deg. 73 deg. 72 deg. | 24, 69 deg. 78 deg. 76 deg. 25, 69 deg. 74 deg. 74 deg. | 25, 71 deg. 77 deg. 77 deg. 26, 72 deg. 78 deg. 77 deg. | 26, 74 deg. 78 deg. 78 deg. 27, 73 deg. 76 deg. 76 deg. | 27, 76 deg. 81 deg. 81 deg. 28, 73 deg. 76 deg. 77 deg. | 28, 77 deg. 81 deg. 81 deg. 29, 74 deg. 78 deg. 78 deg. | 30, 74 deg. 79 deg. 79 deg. | 31, 74 deg. 80 deg. 80 deg. |

MARCH. | APRIL. Days. Morn. Noon. Even. | Days. Morn. Noon. Even. 1, 78 deg. 82 deg. 82 deg. | 1, 78 deg. 83 deg. 80 deg. 2, 78 deg. 83 deg. 82 deg. | 2, 76 deg. 80 deg. 82 deg. 3, 78 deg. 83 deg. 82 deg. | 3, 77 deg. 83 deg. 82 deg. 4, 78 deg. 83 deg. 82 deg. | 4, 78 deg. 84 deg. 84 deg. 5, 78 deg. 84 deg. 84 deg. | 5, 78 deg. 84 deg. 84 deg. 6, 78 deg. 84 deg. 84 deg. | 6, 79 deg. 86 deg. 84 deg. 7, 78 deg. 85 deg. 84 deg. | 7, 79 deg. 84 deg. 84 deg. 8, 78 deg. 84 deg. 82 deg. | 8, 79 deg. 84 deg. 84 deg. 9, 77 deg. 82 deg. 84 deg. | 9, 81 deg. 85 deg. 84 deg. 10, 76 deg. 84 deg. 84 deg. | 10, 77 deg. 84 deg. 83 deg. 11, 78 deg. 84 deg. 84 deg. | 11, 79 deg. 85 deg. 84 deg. 12, 78 deg. 84 deg. 83 deg. | 12, 78 deg. 85 deg. 83 deg. 13, 76 deg. 84 deg. 83 deg. | 13, 78 deg. 84 deg. 83 deg. 14, 79 deg. 84 deg. 81 deg. | 14, 77 deg. 84 deg. 83 deg. 15, 78 deg. 84 deg. 81 deg. | 15, 79 deg. 84 deg. 83 deg. 16, 78 deg. 81 deg. 80 deg. | 16, 80 deg. 85 deg. 84 deg. 17, 77 deg. 82 deg. 80 deg. | 17, 81 deg. 84 deg. 84 deg. 18, 76 deg. 83 deg. 82 deg. | 18, 80 deg. 84 deg. 84 deg. 19, 76 deg. 81 deg. 81 deg. | 19, 79 deg. 83 deg. 82 deg. 20, 76 deg. 81 deg. 80 deg. | 20, 78 deg. 84 deg. 82 deg. 21, 75 deg. 80 deg. 80 deg. | 21, 78 deg. 84 deg. 83 deg. 22, 76 deg. 81 deg. 80 deg. | 22, 79 deg. 83 deg. 82 deg. 23, 76 deg. 82 deg. 81 deg. | 23, 77 deg. 83 deg. 82 deg. 24, 76 deg. 82 deg. 81 deg. | 24, 78 deg. 84 deg. 84 deg. 25, 76 deg. 82 deg. 81 deg. | 25, 80 deg. 85 deg. 85 deg. 26, 76 deg. 84 deg. 80 deg. | 26, 81 deg. 86 deg. 85 deg. 27, 76 deg. 80 deg. 75 deg. | 27, 84 deg. 83 deg. 82 deg. 28, 76 deg. 82 deg. 80 deg. | 28, 80 deg. 83 deg. 82 deg. 29, 76 deg. 82 deg. 82 deg. | 29, 78 deg. 84 deg. 84 deg. 30, 78 deg. 83 deg. 82 deg. | 30, 78 deg. 83 deg. 83 deg. 31, 78 deg. 83 deg. 82 deg. |

MAY. | JUNE. Days. Morn. Noon. Even. | Days. Morn. Noon. Even. 1, 79 deg. 84 deg. 84 deg. | 1, 79 deg. 84 deg. 84 deg. 2, 81 deg. 86 deg. 86 deg. | 2, 80 deg. 86 deg. 85 deg. 3, 82 deg. 87 deg. 86 deg. | 3, 81 deg. 86 deg. 86 deg. 4, 83 deg. 86 deg. 83 deg. | 4, 82 deg. 86 deg. 85 deg. 5, 82 deg. 84 deg. 84 deg. | 5, 83 deg. 86 deg. 86 deg. 6, 80 deg. 82 deg. 82 deg. | 6, 84 deg. 87 deg. 87 deg. 7, 79 deg. 81 deg. 80 deg. | 7, 82 deg. 86 deg. 85 deg. 8, 78 deg. 81 deg. 80 deg. | 8, 83 deg. 87 deg. 87 deg. 9, 78 deg. 81 deg. 81 deg. | 9, 87 deg. 86 deg. 85 deg. 10, 76 deg. 83 deg. 81 deg. | 10, 83 deg. 86 deg. 83 deg. 11, 78 deg. 84 deg. 82 deg. | 11, 81 deg. 86 deg. 85 deg. 12, 78 deg. 84 deg. 83 deg. | 12, 82 deg. 86 deg. 85 deg. 13, 80 deg. 85 deg. 83 deg. | 13, 84 deg. 86 deg. 86 deg. 14, 80 deg. 85 deg. 83 deg. | 14, 84 deg. 87 deg. 86 deg. 15, 79 deg. 85 deg. 84 deg. | 15, 85 deg. 88 deg. 88 deg. 16, 79 deg. 84 deg. 84 deg. | 16, 85 deg. 88 deg. 84 deg. 17, 79 deg. 85 deg. 85 deg. | 17, 84 deg. 87 deg. 86 deg. 18, 79 deg. 86 deg. 86 deg. | 18, 84 deg. 88 deg. 88 deg. 19, 80 deg. 86 deg. 86 deg. | 19, 84 deg. 88 deg. 88 deg. 20, 81 deg. 86 deg. 85 deg. | 20, 84 deg. 88 deg. 87 deg. 21, 82 deg. 86 deg. 85 deg. | 21, 84 deg. 88 deg. 87 deg. 22, 82 deg. 86 deg. 85 deg. | 22, 83 deg. 88 deg. 88 deg. 23, 82 deg. 86 deg. 86 deg. | 23, 82 deg. 88 deg. 86 deg. 24, 81 deg. 86 deg. 86 deg. | 24, 82 deg. 89 deg. 86 deg. 25, 82 deg. 86 deg. 85 deg. | 25, 83 deg. 88 deg. 86 deg. 26, 82 deg. 84 deg. 82 deg. | 26, 82 deg. 88 deg. 86 deg. 27, 82 deg. 83 deg. 81 deg. | 27, 82 deg. 88 deg. 86 deg. 28, 80 deg. 84 deg. 80 deg. | 28, 82 deg. 88 deg. 85 deg. 29, 80 deg. 83 deg. 80 deg. | 29, 82 deg. 86 deg. 85 deg. 30, 80 deg. 83 deg. 81 deg. | 30, 82 deg. 88 deg. 85 deg. 31, 80 deg. 84 deg. 83 deg. |

JULY. | AUGUST. Days. Morn. Noon. Even. | Days. Morn. Noon. Even. 1, 83 deg. 86 deg. 84 deg. | 1, 83 deg. 88 deg. 86 deg. 2, 83 deg. 86 deg. 84 deg. | 2, 82 deg. 87 deg. 86 deg. 3, 82 deg. 86 deg. 84 deg. | 3, 84 deg. 87 deg. 86 deg. 4, 82 deg. 86 deg. 85 deg. | 4, 84 deg. 87 deg. 86 deg. 5, 82 deg. 86 deg. 83 deg. | 5, 83 deg. 87 deg. 86 deg. 6, 81 deg. 86 deg. 86 deg. | 6, 82 deg. 86 deg. 85 deg. 7, 82 deg. 88 deg. 86 deg. | 7, 82 deg. 86 deg. 86 deg. 8, 82 deg. 86 deg. 85 deg. | 8, 82 deg. 87 deg. 86 deg. 9, 81 deg. 86 deg. 85 deg. | 9, 83 deg. 88 deg. 86 deg. 10, 81 deg. 84 deg. 82 deg. | 10, 83 deg. 88 deg. 87 deg. 11, 80 deg. 82 deg. 81 deg. | 11, 84 deg. 88 deg. 82 deg. 12, 78 deg. 82 deg. 82 deg. | 12, 82 deg. 86 deg. 86 deg. 13, 80 deg. 84 deg. 83 deg. | 13, 83 deg. 86 deg. 86 deg. 14, 79 deg. 86 deg. 85 deg. | 14, 82 deg. 87 deg. 85 deg. 15, 82 deg. 87 deg. 85 deg. | 15, 83 deg. 86 deg. 83 deg. 16, 82 deg. 86 deg. 86 deg. | 16, 82 deg. 86 deg. 83 deg. 17, 82 deg. 86 deg. 86 deg. | 17, 81 deg. 85 deg. 84 deg. 18, 81 deg. 85 deg. 83 deg. | 18, 81 deg. 86 deg. 85 deg. 19, 81 deg. 85 deg. 83 deg. | 19, 80 deg. 86 deg. 84 deg. 20, 81 deg. 85 deg. 82 deg. | 20, 82 deg. 86 deg. 86 deg. 21, 80 deg. 85 deg. 82 deg. | 21, 82 deg. 86 deg. 86 deg. 22, 80 deg. 85 deg. 82 deg. | 22, 82 deg. 86 deg. 84 deg. 23, 80 deg. 85 deg. 82 deg. | 23, 81 deg. 86 deg. 86 deg. 24, 81 deg. 86 deg. 85 deg. | 24, 82 deg. 86 deg. 86 deg. 25, 82 deg. 87 deg. 85 deg. | 25, 83 deg. 87 deg. 86 deg. 26, 81 deg. 86 deg. 84 deg. | 26, 84 deg. 87 deg. 86 deg. 27, 82 deg. 87 deg. 86 deg. | 27, 82 deg. 87 deg. 86 deg. 28, 83 deg. 87 deg. 86 deg. | 28, 80 deg. 85 deg. 85 deg. 29, 83 deg. 86 deg. 86 deg. | 29, 80 deg. 86 deg. 86 deg. 30, 83 deg. 88 deg. 86 deg. | 30, 81 deg. 86 deg. 86 deg. 31, 83 deg. 87 deg. 86 deg. | 31, 82 deg. 86 deg. 86 deg.

TABLE OF STATISTICS OF YUCATAN. -------------------------|--------------------------|---------|-------- Districts. | Principal Places |Parishes |Villages | | |annexed -------------------------|--------------------------|---------|-------- Capital | Merida | 4 | 5 Campeachy | City of Campeachy | 2 | " Lerma | Village of Lerma | 3 | 8 Valladolid | City of Valladolid | 11 | 17 Coast | City of Izamal | 16 | 27 The Upper Highlands | City of Tekax | 9 | 7 The Lower Highlands | Village of Teabo | 8 | 5 The Upper Royal Road | Town of Jequelchakan | 6 | 11 The Lower Royal Road | Village of Maxcanu | 5 | 7 The Upper "Beneficios" | Village of Ichmul | 7 | 15 The Lower "Beneficios" | Village of Sotuta | 6 | 16 Tizimin | Village of Tizimin | 7 | 18 Island of Carmen | Town of Carmen | 2 | 1 Seiba-playa | Village of Seiba-playa | 3 | 6 Bacalar | Town of Bacalar | 2 | " ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Total | 15 | 91 | 143 -----------------------------------------------------------------------

TABLE OF STATISTICS OF YUCATAN. (CONT'D) -------------------------|----------------|------------| Districts. | Distance from | Population | | the Capital-- | | | Leagues | | -------------------------|----------------|------------| Capital | | 37,801 | Campeachy | 36 | 19,600 | Lerma | 37 | 10,567 | Valladolid | 36 | 63,164 | Coast | 15 | 78,846 | The Upper Highlands | 25 | 60,776 | The Lower Highlands | 17 | 42,188 | The Upper Royal Road | 26 | 54,447 | The Lower Royal Road | 14 | 41,726 | The Upper "Beneficios" | 39 | 66,680 | The Lower "Beneficios" | 22 | 49,443 | Tizimin | 41 | 37,168 | Island of Carmen | 80 | 4,364 | Seiba-playa | 42 | 8,183 | Bacalar | 88 | 3,986 | -------------------------------------------------------- Total | 578,939 | --------------------------------------------------------

TABLE OF STATISTICS OF YUCATAN. (CONCLUDED) -------------------------|-------------------------------------------- Districts. | PRODUCTIONS -------------------------|-------------------------------------------- Capital | Horned cattle horses, mules, tallow, jerked | beef, leather, salt, gypsum, hemp, raw | and manufactured, straw hats, guitars, | and extract of logwood. | Campeachy | Salt, logwood, rice, sugar, and marble of | good quality.

POPULATION OF YUCATAN.

Statement showing the number of inhabitants in the five departments into which the state is divided, distinguishing the sexes; taken from the census made by order of the government on the 8th of April, 1841.

|------------------|----------|----------|-----------|
|Departments | Men. | Women. | Total. |
|----------------------------------------|-----------|
|Merida | 48,606 | 58,663 | 107,269 |
|Izamal | 32,915 | 37,933 | 70,848 |
|Tekax | 58,127 | 64,697 | 122,824 |
|Valladolid | 45,353 | 46,926 | 92,279 |
|Campeachy | 39,017 | 40,639 | 79,656 |
| |----------|----------|-----------|
| | | | 472,876 |
|------------------|----------|----------|-----------|

NOTE.--"This census is probably not very exact, because, having continually the fear of new contributions, and detesting military service, every one reduces as far as possible the number of his family in the lists prepared for the census. It appears to me that the total population of Yucatan may be fixed at 525,000 souls."--P. De R.

"The best information I have been enabled to obtain goes to show that the population of the state cannot fall short of 600,000 souls."--J. B. Jr.

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SYSTEM ADOPTED BY THE ANCIENT BUILDERS OF YUCATAN IN COVERING THEIR
ROOMS WITH STONE ROOFS.

The engraving No. 1 represents the arch referred to in the description of the Monjas at Uxmal; and as the stones are not quite horizontal, but stand nearly at right angles to the line of the arch, it shows how near an approach was made to the real principle on which the arch is constructed.

[Engraving 51: Triangular Arch] Throughout every part of Central America, Chiapas, and Yucatan, the same method is to be traced with slight modifications. The stones forming the side walls are made to overlap each other until the walls almost meet above, and then the narrow ceilings are covered with a layer of flat stones. In every case the stones were laid in horizontal layers, the principle of constructing arches, as understood by us, being unknown to the aboriginal builders. This readily accounts for the extreme narrowness of all their rooms, the widest not exceeding twenty feet, and the width more frequently being only from six to ten feet. In a few cases the covering stone is wanting, and the two sides meet so as to form a sharp angle. At Palenque the builders did not cut the edges of the stones, so as to form an even surface, their practice differing in this respect from that adopted in Yucatan, where in every instance the sides of the arch are made perfectly straight, or have a slight curve, with the inner surfaces smooth.

It may now be interesting to inquire if any similarity exists between the American method and those observed among the nations of antiquity in Europe and Asia. A true arch is formed of a series of wedge-like stones or of bricks, supporting each other, and all bound firmly together by the pressure of the centre one upon them, which latter is therefore distinguished by the name of keystone.

It would seem that the arch, as thus defined, and as used by the Romans, was not known to the Greeks in the early periods of their history, otherwise a language so copious as theirs, and of such ready application, would not have wanted a name properly Greek by which to distinguish it. The use of both arches and vaults appears, however, to have existed in Greece previous to the Roman conquest, though not to have been in general practice. And the former made use of a contrivance, even before the Trojan war, by which they were enabled to gain all the advantages of our archway in making corridors or hollow galleries, and which, in appearance, resembled the pointed arch, such as is now termed Gothic. This was effected by cutting away the superincumbent stones at an angle of about 45 deg. with the horizon.

Of the different forms and curves of arches now in use, the only one adopted by the Romans was the semicircle; and the use of this constitutes one leading distinction between Greek and Roman architecture, for by its application the Romans were enabled to execute works of far bolder construction than those of the Greeks: to erect bridges and aquaeducts, and the most durable and massive structures of brick. On the antiquity of the arch among the Egyptians, Mr. Wilkinson has the following remarks: "There is reason to believe that some of the chambers in the pavilion of Remeses III., at Medeenet Haboo, were arched with stone, since the devices on the upper part of their walls show that the fallen roofs had this form. At Saggara, a stone arch still exists of the time of the second Psamaticus, and, consequently, erected six hundred years before our era; nor can any one, who sees the style of its construction, for one moment doubt that the Egyptians had been long accustomed to the erection of stone vaults. It is highly probable that the small quantity of wood in Egypt, and the consequent expense of this kind of roofing, led to the invention of the arch. It was evidently used in their tombs as early as the commencement of the eighteenth dynasty, or about the year 1540 B.C.; and, judging from some of the drawings at Beni Hassan, it seems to have been known in the time of the first Osirtasen, whom I suppose to have been contemporary with Joseph."--_Manners and Customs of the Anc. Egyptians_, vol. ii., p. 116, 117, 1st series.

The entrance to the great Pyramid at Gizeh is somewhat similar in form to the arches found in Yucatan; it consists of two immense granite stones of immense size, meeting in a point and forming a sharp angle.

[Figure: Stone Arch at Gizeh.]

Of the accompanying plates, No. 2 represents the arches in the walls of Tiryns, copied from Sir W. Gell's Argolis; No. 3, an arch (called Cyclopean) at Arpino, in the Neapolitan Territory; No. 4, the most common form of arch used by the ancient American builders. A striking resemblance will doubtless be observed, indeed, they may almost be considered identical; and it may be added, that at Medeenet Haboo, which forms a part of the ancient Egyptian Thebes, a similar contrivance was observed by Mr. Catherwood. From this it will appear that the true principles of the arch were not understood by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, or Etruscans, or by the American builders. It might be supposed that a coincidence of this strongly-marked character would go far to establish an ancient connexion between all these people; but, without denying that such may have been the case, the probabilities are greatly the other way.

[Engraving 52: Gothic Arch]

[Engraving 53: Cyclopean Arch]

This most simple mode of covering over a void space with stone, when single blocks of sufficient size could not be employed, would suggest itself to the most barbarous as well as to the most refined people. Indeed, in a mound lately opened in the Ohio Valley, two circular chambers were discovered, and are still preserved, the walls being made of logs, and the roofs formed by overlapping stones rising to a point, on precisely the same plan as the Treasury of Atreus at Mycenae, and the chamber at Orchomenus, built by Minyas, king of B[oe]otia. No inference as to common origin or international communication can with safety be drawn from such coincidences, or from any supposed coincidence between the pyramidal structures of this Continent and those of Egypt, for no agreement exists, except that both are called pyramids.

[Engraving 54: Arch used by the ancient American Builders]

In the Egyptian Pyramids the sides are of equal lengths, and, with one exception (Saccara), composed of straight lines, which is not the case with any pyramid of the American Continent. The sides are never equal, are frequently composed of curves and straight lines, and in no instance form a sharp apex.

* * * * *

VESTIGIA PHALLICAE RELIGIONIS PROUT QUIBUSDAM MONUMENTIS AMERICANIS
INDICANTUR.--(_Vid. tom._ i., _pag._ 181.)

Haec monumenta ex undecim Phallis constant, omnibus plus minusve fractis, undique dispersis, atque solo semiobrutis, duoram circiter vel trium pedum mensuram habentibus. Non ea nosmetipsi reperimus neque illis hanc Phallicam naturam attribuimus; nobis autem, has regiones ante pererrantibus, haec eadem monumenta Indi ostenderunt, quodam nomine appellantes lingua ipsorum eandem vim habente, ac supra dedimus. Quibus auditis, haec Phallicae religionis, his etiam in terris, vestigia putanda esse tunc primum judicavimus. Monumenta attamen de quibus huc usque locuti sumus, non, ut bene sciunt eruditi, libidinem denotant, sed potius, quod memoria dignissimum, nostra etiam continente vis genitalis cultum, omnibus paene antiquis Europae Asiaeque nationibus communem, per symbola nota olim viguisse. Quam autem cognationem hic Phalloram cultus his populis cum Americae aboriginibus indicare videatur, non nostrum est, qui visa tantum vel audita litteris mandamus, his paginis exponere.

* * * * *

ANCIENT CHRONOLOGY OF YUCATAN; OR, A TRUE EXPOSITION OF THE METHOD
USED BY THE INDIANS FOR COMPUTING TIME.--_Translated from the
Manuscript of Dan Juan Pio Perez, Gefe Politico of Peto, Yucatan._

1 deg.. _Origin of the Period of_ 13 _Days_ (_triadecateridas_).

The inhabitants of this peninsula, which, at the time of the arrival of the Spaniards, was called _Mayapan_, and by its first inhabitants or settlers _Chacnouitan_, divided time by calculating it almost in the same manner as their ancestors the Tulteques, differing only in the particular arrangement of their great ages (siglos).

The period of 13 days, resulting from their first chronological combinations, afterward became their sacred number, to which, introducing it ingeniously in their reckonings, they made all those divisions subordinate which they devised to adjust their calendar to the solar course; so that the days, years, and ages were counted by periods of thirteen numbers.

It is very probable that the Indians, before they had corrected their computation, used the lunations (neomenias) to regulate the annual course of the sun, counting (senalando) 26 days for each lunation; which is a little more or less than the time during which the moon is seen above the horizon in each of its revolutions; dividing this period into two of 13 days, which served them as weeks, giving to the first the first 13 days during which the new moon is seen till it is full; and to the second, the other thirteen, during which the moon is decreasing until it cannot be seen by the naked eye.

In the lapse of time, and by constant observations, they obtained a better knowledge of the solar course, perceiving that the 26 days, or two periods of 13 days, did not give a complete lunation, and that the year could not be regulated exactly by lunations, inasmuch as the solar revolutions do not coincide with those of the moon, except at long intervals. Adding this knowledge to more correct principles and data, they finally constructed their calendar in accordance with the course of the principal luminary, preserving always their periods of 13 days, not in order to make them agree with the apparent course of the moon, but to use them as weeks, and for their chronological divisions.

2 deg.. _The Weeks._

It must not be supposed that the weeks of the ancient Indians were similar to ours, that is to say, that they were the revolution of a period of days, each having a particular name: they were only the revolution or successive repetition of thirteen numbers applied in arithmetical progression to the twenty days of the month. The year being composed of 28 weeks and one additional day or number, the course of the years, on account of that excess, followed the arithmetical progression of the thirteen weekly numbers; so that if a year commenced with the number 1, the next would commence with number 2, and so on to the close of the 13 years, which formed an indiction, or week of years, as will be explained hereafter.

3 deg.. _The Month._

"Month" is called in the Yucateco language "U," which means also "the moon;" and this corroborates the presumption that the Indians went on from the computation of lunations to determine the course of the sun, calling the months "moons." But in some manuscripts, the name of _Uinal_ in the singular and _Uinalob_ in the plural is given to the eighteen months which compose the year; applying this comprehensive term to the series, and to each one of the particular names assigned to the twenty days that composed the month.

The day was called _Kin_, "the sun;" and the particular names by which the 20 days composing the month were designated are stated in the following table, in which they are divided into sets of five, for the better understanding of the subsequent explanations.

1st. 2d. 3d. 4th.
Kan. Muluc. Gix (Hix) Ca-uac.
Chicchan. Oc. Men. Ajau (Ahau).
Quimi (Cimi). Chuen. Quib (Cib). Ymix.
Manik. Eb. Caban. Yk.
Lamat. Been. Edznab. Akbal.

As those names corresponded in number with the days of the month, it followed that, the name of the first day of the year being known, the names of the first days of all the successive months were equally known; and they were distinguished from each other only by adding the number of the week to which they respectively belonged. But the week consisting of thirteen days, the month necessarily consisted of a week and seven days; so that if the month began with the first number of a week, it ended with the seventh number of the week ensuing.

[In order to know the number of the week corresponding with the first day of each month respectively, it is necessary only to know the number of the week with which the year begins, and to add successively seven, but subtracting thirteen whenever the sum of this addition exceeds thirteen, which gives the following series for the first days of the eighteen months: 1, 8, 2 (15-13), 9, 3 (16-13), 10, 4, 11, 5, 12, 6, 13, 7, 1, 8, 2, 9, 3, supposing the first day of the year to be the first day of the week, and generally taking for the first number of the series the number of the week by which the year begins.]

4 deg.. _The Year._

To this day the Indians call the year _Jaab_ or _Haab_, and, while heathens, they commenced it on the 16th of July. It is worthy of notice that their progenitors, having sought to make it begin from the precise day on which the sun returns to the zenith of this peninsula on his way to the southern regions, but being destitute of instruments for their astronomical observations, and guided only by the naked eye, erred only forty-eight hours in advance. That small difference proves that they endeavoured to determine, with the utmost attainable correctness, the day on which the luminary passed the most culminating point of our sphere, and that they were not ignorant of the use of the gnomon in the most tempestuous days of the rainy season.

They divided the year into 18 months, as follows:

1st, Pop, beginning on the 16th of July.
2d, Uoo, beginning on the 5th of August.
3d, Zip, beginning on the 25th of August.
4th, Zodz, beginning on the 14th of September.
5th, Zeec, beginning on the 4th of October.
6th, Xul, beginning on the 24th of October.
7th, Dze-yaxkin, beginning on the 13th of November,
8th, Mol, beginning on the 3d of December.
9th, Dchen, beginning on the 23d of December.
10th, Yaax, beginning on the 12th of January.
11th, Zac, beginning on the 1st of February.
12th, Quej, beginning on the 21st of February,
13th, Mac, beginning on the 13th of March.
14th, Kankin, beginning on the 2d of April.
15th, Moan, beginning on the 22d of April.
16th, Pax, beginning on the 12th of May.
17th, Kayab, beginning on the 1st of June.
18th, Cumku, beginning on the 21st of June.

As the 18 months of 20 days each contained but 360 days, and the common year consists of 365, five supplementary days were added at the end of each year, which made part of no month, and which, for that reason, Neg. Name. Days. they called "days without name," _xona kaba kin_. They called them Year. also _uayab_ or _uayeb Jaab_; which may be interpreted two different ways. The word _uayab_ may be derived from _uay_, which means "bed" or "chamber," presuming that the Indians believed the year to rest during those days; or _uayab_ may equally be derived from another signification of _uay_, viz., to be destroyed, wounded, corroded by the caustic juice of plants, or with ley and other strong liquids. And on this account the Indians feared those days, believing them to be unfortunate, and to carry danger of sudden deaths, plagues, and other misfortunes. For this reason these five days were assigned for the celebration of the feast of the god _Mam_, "grandfather." On the first day they carried him about, and feasted him with great magnificence; on the second they diminished the solemnity; on the third they brought him down from the altar and placed him in the middle of the temple; on the fourth they put him at the threshold or door; and on the fifth, or last day, the ceremony of taking leave (or dismissal) took place, that the new year might commence on the following day, which is the first of the month _Pop_, corresponding with the 16th of July, as appears by the preceding table. The description of the god _Mam_ may be seen in Cogolludo.

The division of the year into 18 months of 20 days would have given only the sum of 360 days; and the first day of the year falling on _Kan_, the last would have fallen on _Akbal_, so as to begin again the next year with the same _Kan_, making all the years alike. But as, in order to complete the year, they added five days, the result was that the year which commenced in _Kan_ ended in _Lamat_, the last of the first series of five days; the ensuing year commenced in _Muluc_, the first of the second series of five days; the third commenced in _Gix_, the first of the third series; and the fourth in _Cauac_ (the first ending in _Akbal_), the last of the fourth series of five days; so that the fifth year again began with _Kan_. It has also been stated that the year consisted of 28 weeks of 13 days each, and of one additional day; so that, if the year commenced with the number one of the week, it ended with the same number, and the ensuing year began with number two; and so on through the thirteen numbers of the week, thus forming, with the four initial days, the week of years, or indiction, of which we shall speak hereafter.

The following is the order of the twenty days in each of the 18 months composing the years formed by the four initial days together with the intercalary or complementary days.

Year beginning Year beginning
with the day with the day Year of Year of
_Kan_. _Muluc_. _Gix._ _Cauac._

Kan. Muluc. Gix. Cauac.
Chicchan. Oc. Men. Ajau.
Quimi. Chuen. Quib. Ymix.
Manik. Eb. Caban. Yk.
Lamat. Ben. Edznab. Akbal.
Muluc. Gix. Cauac. Kan.
Oc. Men. Ajau. Chicchan.
Chuen. Quib. Ymix. Quimi.
Eb. Caban. Yk. Manik.
Ben. Edznab. Akbal. Lamat.
Gix. Cauac. Kan. Muluc.
Men. Ajau. Chicchan. Oc.
Quib. Ymix. Quimi. Chuen.
Caban. Yk. Manik. Eb.
Edznab. Akbal. Lamat. Ben.
Cauac. Kan. Muluc. Gix.
Ajau. Chicchan. Oc. Men.
Ymix. Quimi. Chuen. Quib.
Yk. Manik. Eb. Caban.
Akbal. Lamat. Ben. Edznab.
_Intercalary _Intercalary _Intercalary _Intercalary
days._ days._ days._ days._
Kan. Muluc. Gix. Cauac.
Chicchan. Oc. Men. Ajau.
Quimi. Chuen. Quib. Ymix.
Manik. Eb. Caban. Yk.
Lamat. Ben. Edznab. Akbal.

5 deg.. _The Bissextile._

The connexion between the days or numbers of the week which designate the beginning of the year, and the four initial or first days of the series of five, is so intimate that it is very difficult to intercalate an additional day for the bissextile, without disturbing that correlative order of the initials which is constantly followed in the denomination of the years, and forms their indictions, or weeks. But as the bissextile is necessary to complete the solar course, and as I have not any certain knowledge of the manner in which the Indians effected that addition, I will exhibit the method adopted by the Mexicans, their computation being very analogous to that of Yucatan, which in its origin probably emanated from Mexico.

Veyta asserts, in ch. x. of his "Historia Antigua de Mexico," that the bissextile was made by adding at the end either of the 18 months or of the five supplementary days, a day which was marked with the same hieroglyphic as the one preceding, but with a different number of the week, viz., with the succeeding number. But in each way that numerical order by which the years follow each other till they form the week of years, is disturbed; since the fifth year would thus be designated by the number 6 instead of 5, and the regular order of the years 4 to 6 be thereby interrupted. These interruptions, recurring every fourth year, would render it impossible to preserve that continuous harmony (on which rests the whole system of the Indian computation) between the numbers of the week which designate the ending year and its successor, as shown in the uniform succession of the four initial days.

In order to prevent that inconvenience, it is necessary to suppose that the Indians, whether they intercalated the additional day at the end of the 18 months or after the five supplementary days, did not only give to it the same number and hieroglyphic as to the day immediately preceding, but also designated it by some peculiar sign or number, in order that it might not be confounded with any other.

In a treatise published by Akerman, the opinion is expressed that the Indians, at the end of their cycle of 52 years, added a week of days in lieu of the bissextile days which had been neglected. This method has not the defect of disturbing the numerical order of the years, but that of deranging the series of the four initial days, which, as has been stated, gives designation to the years. It will be seen by the table of indictions, that each cycle consists of four complete weeks of years, formed by series of each one of the four initial signs, each week of years commencing with number one and ending with number thirteen; consequently, if, at the end of each cycle, a week of days be added, the first day of the ensuing year would be the 14th in the series of the 20 days of the month (instead of being the 1st, 6th, 11th, or 16th), thus abandoning the regular series of the four initial days, and substituting others, changing them again at each new cycle.

6 deg.. _Katun, or Cycle._

The Indians made (painted) a small wheel, in which they placed the four hieroglyphics of the initial days, _Kan_ in the east, _Muluc_ in the north, _Gix_ in the west, and _Cauac_ in the south, to be counted in that order. Some suppose that when the fourth year was accomplished, and _Kan_ was again in order, a _Katun_ or lustre of four years, was completed; others, that three revolutions of the wheel, with its four signs, were reckoned, with one (sign) more, which made 13 years, and that this completed the _Katun_; others, again, that the four complete weeks of years, or indictions, constituted the _Katun_; and this is probable. Besides the small wheel aforesaid, they made another great wheel, which they also called _buk xoc_ and in which they placed three revolutions of the four signs of the small wheel, making 12 signs; beginning to count by the first _Kan_, and continuing to reckon all until the fourth naming of the same Kan, which was included, thus making thirteen years, and forming one indiction, or week (of years); the second reckoning began with _Muluc_, ending in the same, which formed the next thirteen; and so on, till they came to Cauac, which formed a Katun.

7 deg.. _Of the Indiction and Cycle of 52 Years, or Katun._

As in the preceding explanations sufficient idea has been given of what constituted the indiction and the cycle of 52 years, called by the Indians _Katun_, the facts are briefly recapitulated here, that the reader may not be fatigued hereafter with new explanations.

1st. The name of indiction is given to each one of the four weeks of years composing the cycle of 52 years.

2d. The American week was formed by the course of 13 numbers, applied indiscriminately to the 20 days of the month.

3d. It has been explained, that as the year was formed of 26 weeks and one day, by this overplus the years succeeded each other, following the correlative order of their numbers up to 13, in order to form a week, or indiction; for if the year had been composed of exactly 28 weeks, the numbers of the new years would never have formed a correlative week, because they would have commenced with the number 1, and finished with 13; by the other method, one year begins with the first, and terminates in the same; the second year commences with the number 2 and also finishes with it; and so on successively, until the 13 are completed.

4d. It has also been explained that the Indians, seeing that 18 months of 20 days did not make up the sum of 365, in order to complete them added five days more; resulting from this, the 20 days were divided into four portions, and the first of each of these, being _Kan_, _Muluc_, _Gix_, and _Cauac_, became initials, forming in turn the beginning of the years by courses of four years, every fifth year commencing again with Kan. But as the weeks were composed of 13 numbers, there were in each week three revolutions of the four initials and one initial more, by this excess of one causing each initial to have its own week: thus the indiction, or week, which began with _Kan_ concluded also with the same _Kan_; so that the next indiction might commence with _Muluc_, the second initial, and in its turn conclude with the same _Muluc_; and so on continually, until each one of the initials had formed its own indiction, or week, and given to it its name; the whole composing 52 years, which is the sum of the four weeks of 13 years each, as may be seen in the following table.

_Order of the years in the cycle of 52, divided into four indictions, or weeks of years, and as the year 1841 happens to be the first of one of these cycles, it is taken as the starting-point._

|----------------|----------------|-----------------|----------------
| 1st indiction | 2d indiction | 3d indiction | 4th indiction
|----------------|----------------|-----------------|----------------
|1841 1. Kan. |1854 1. Muluc. |1867, 1. Gix. |1880, 1. Cauac.
|1842, 2. Muluc. |1855, 2. Gix. |1868, 2. Cauac. |1881, 2. Kan.
| &c. 3. Gix. | &c. 3. Cauac. | &c. 3. Kan. | &c. 3. Muluc.
| 4. Cauac. | 4. Kan. | 4. Muluc. | 4. Gix.
| 5. Kan. | 5. Muluc. | 5. Gix. | 5. Cauac.
| 6. Muluc. | 6. Gix. | 6. Cauac. | 6. Kan.
| 7. Gix. | 7. Cauac. | 7. Kan. | 7. Muluc.
| 8. Cauac. | 8. Kan. | 8. Muluc. | 8. Gix.
| 9. Kan. | 9. Muluc. | 9. Gix. | 9. Cauac.
| 10. Muluc. | 10. Gix. | 10. Cauac. | 10. Kan.
| 11. Gix. | 11. Cauac. | 11. Kan. | 11. Muluc.
| 12. Cauac. | 12. Kan. | 12. Muluc. | 12. Gix.
| 13. Kan. | 13. Muluc. | 13. Gix. | 13. Cauac.
|----------------|----------------|-----------------|---------------

This period of 52 years was called by the Indians _Katun_, and at its conclusion great feasts were celebrated, and a monument was raised, on which a large stone was placed crosswise, as is signified by the word _Kat-tun_, for a memento and record of the cycles, or _Katunes_, that had elapsed. It should be observed, that until the completion of this period, the initial days of the years did not again fall upon the same numbers of the week; for which reason, by merely citing them, it was at once known what year of that cycle was arrived at; being aided in this by the wheel or table on which the years were engraved in hieroglyphics.

8 deg.. _Of the great Cycle of 312 Years, or Ajau Katunes_.

Besides the cycle of 52 years, or _Katun_, there was another great cycle peculiar to the Yucatecos, who referred to its periods for dating their principal epochs and the most notable events of their history. It contained 13 periods of 24 years each, making together 312 years. Each period, or _Ajau Katun_, was divided into two parts; the first of 20 years, which was included in a square, and therefore called _amaytun_, _lamayte_, or _lamaytun_; and the other of four years, which formed, as it were, a pedestal for the first, and was called _chek oc Katun_, or _lath oc Katun_, which means "stool" or "pedestal." They considered those four years as intercalated; therefore believed them to be unfortunate, and called them _u yail Jaab_, as they did the five supplementary days of the year, to which they likened them.

From this separation of the first 20 years from the last four, arose the erroneous belief that the _Ajaus_ consisted only of 20 years, an error into which almost all have fallen who have written on the subject; but if they had counted the years which compose a period, and noted the positive declarations of the manuscripts that the _Ajaues_ consisted of 24 years divided as above stated, they would not have misled their readers on this point.

It is incontrovertible that those periods, epochs, or ages, took the name of _Ajau Katun_, because they began to be counted from the day _Ajau_, which was the second day of those years that began in Cauac; but as these days and numbers were taken from years which had run their course, the periods of 24 years could never have an arithmetical order, but succeeded each other according to the numbers 13, 11, 9, 7, 5, 3, 1, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2. As the Indians established the number 13 as the first, it is probable that some remarkable event had happened in that year, because, when the Spaniards came to this peninsula, the Indians reckoned then the 8th as the 1st, that being the date at which their ancestors came to settle it; and an Indian writer proposed that they should abandon that order also, and begin counting from the 11th, solely because the conquest had happened in that. Now if the 13 _Ajau Katun_ began on a second day of the year, it must be that year which began on 12 _Cauac_, and the 12th of the indiction. The 11 _Ajau_ would commence in the year of 10 _Cauac_, which happens after a period of 24 years, and so on with the rest; taking notice that after that lapse of years we come to the respective number marked in the course of the Ajaues, which is placed first; proving that they consist of 24, and not, as some have believed, of 20 years.

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Incidents of Travel in Yucatan, Vol. I.Chapter XX: Appendix: Vol. I (1)

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