ATLOYANTEPETL, 85, 89, 91.  Perhaps for atlauantepetl, “the mountain that rules the waters.”  But see note to XIII, v. 6.

ATZALAN, 114.  “Amid the waters” (atl, tzalan).  Perhaps not a proper name; but two villages in the present State of Puebla are called Atzala (see Orozco y Berra, Geografia de las Lenguas de Mexico, pp. 212, 213).

AXAXACATZIN, 43.  Probably for axayacatzin, reverential of axayacatl, the name of a species of marsh fly.  It was also the name of the sixth ruler of Mexico (flor. about 1500), and doubtless of other distinguished persons.  See Ixtlilxochitl, Historia Chichimeca, cap. 51.

AZCAPOTZALCO, 50, 51.  An ancient town in the valley of Mexico, once the capital city of the Tepanecas (q. v.).  The word means “place of the ant-hills,” from azcaputzalli.

AZTECS, 25.  A Nahuatl tribe who derived their name from their mythical ancient home, Aztlan.  The derivation is obscure, but probably is from the same radical as iztac, white, and, therefore, Father Duran was right in translating Aztlan, “place of whiteness,” the reference being to the East, whence the Aztecs claim to have come.  See Duran, Historia de las Indias, cap.  II.

CACAMATL, 94, 95.  The reference appears to be to Cacamatzin (the Noble Sad One, from cacamaua, fig. to be sad), last ruler of Tezcuco, son and successor, in 1516, of Nezahualpilli.  He was put to death by Cortes.

CATOCIH, 89.  A doubtful word, which may not be a proper name.

CHALCO, 16, 69, 95.  A town and lake in the valley of Mexico.  The people were Nahuas and subject to Mexico.  The word is probably derived from Challi, with the postpos. co, meaning “at the mouth” (of a river).  See Buschmann, Ueber die Aztekischen Ortsnamen, s. 689, and comp. Codex Ramirez, p. 18.

CHIAPA, CHIAPANECA, 70, 71.  The province and inhabitants of Chiapas, in Southern Mexico.  There were colonies of Nahuas in Chiapas, though most of the natives spoke other tongues.  The derivation is probably from chia, a mucilaginous seed highly esteemed in Mexico.

CHICHIMECATL or CHICHIMECS, 88, 89, 91, 101.  A rude hunting tribe, speaking Nahuatl, who settled, in early times, in the valley of Mexico.  The name was said to be derived from chichi, a dog, on account of their devotion to hunting (Cod.  Ramirez).  Others say it was that of their first chieftain.

CHICOMOZTOC, 88, 89.  “At the seven caves,” the name of the mythical locality from which the seven Nahuatl tribes derived their origin.  The Codex Ramirez explains the seven caves to mean the seven houses or lineages (totems) of which the nation consisted.

CHILILITLI, 36.  Name of a tower of sacred import.  It is apparently a compound of chia or chielia, to watch, and tlilli, blackness, obscurity, hence “a night watch-tower.”  It was probably used for the study of the sky at night.