Upon an examination of the illustration of the centre tablet, which is an exact reproduction from a photograph of the original stone (see frontispiece), these symbols may perhaps be traced. I may here venture to express the opinion that the Toltecs may have been the tribe that once dwelt in that part of Ohio to the west of the river Scioto, where is still to be seen the Totem of the serpent. The illustration of the propitiation to the serpent is taken from a part of the Mexican manuscript represented in Humboldt’s “Vues des Cordilléres.” [Illustration: MEXICAN CACIQUE (?) MAKING AN OFFERING TO A RATTLESNAKE. (FROM AN ANCIENT TOLTEC OR AZTEC MANUSCRIPT.)] CHAPTER XX. Conjectures respecting the descendants of the tribes who built the Temples. — Knowledge and education of the Caciques and Priests. — Traditions of the arrival of white strangers from the East. — Las Casas. — Quetzal-Coatl. — Crosses found in Yucatan. — Gomara. — Legend of the flight of Spaniards by sea towards the West after the conquest of Spain by the Saracens. — Fabulous island of Antilia. — Columbus on his outward voyage steers for Antilia. — Trade-winds. — Considerations upon the probabilities of vessels being driven across the Atlantic or Pacific Oceans towards America. The subject of the origin and migrations of the Toltecs has been given much attention. It has been a matter of conjecture whether any of the descendants of the people who built the temples of Palenque, and inscribed upon tablets of stone their hieroglyphic records, are at present living in Central America. The chief difficulty in attempting to form a decision upon this question, is the uncertainty regarding the distinction to be made between the people belonging to the conquering Quichés and the aboriginal races whom they had reduced to slavery, and who constituted the greater part of the population. It is known that the caciques and other members of the governing families of Utatlan became gradually reduced to the utmost poverty. But there were other chiefs of tribes of Quiché origin who did not resist the Spaniards, and who volunteered to become their allies. Many of these were permitted to hold lands in the neighbourhood of Lake Atitlan, and lived in a prosperous condition until the early part of the eighteenth century, when they disappeared from notice. Possibly, in accordance with Quiché customs, they may have kept apart from those who were mazeguales, and intermarried amongst Indians of the same race as themselves.