Page 4. The Dramatis PersonÆ. These have been discussed in the Introduction, page xlv. I may add that the "Regidor de Cana" may be for "Regidor Decano." Otherwise I do not see a meaning to it. The term "Alguacil" might be translated "constable," or "bailiff."

Page 6. The salutations exchanged between the Alguacil and Governor are repeated frequently between the characters. In the first, the words would seem to be the Nahuatl matataca, to beg, to pray, and miecpialia, to watch over, to protect; in the reply, for the latter is substituted miequilia, to prosper, followed by qualli, good, or well. The terminal s, in mispiales, miscuales, is probably a remnant of the Spanish os, you. No pilse is the vocative nopiltze, my dear son, compounded of the inseparable possessive pronoun of the first person, no, and tepiltzin, an affectionate or reverential form, from the root pilli. The expression need not be taken as literally meaning relationship, as the Nahuas used the formula nopiltzintzinÊ in addressing all persons of position. "Ma moyolicaizin, Nopiltzintzine, seas bien venido, Ó ilustre SeÑor." Carochi, Gram. Mex., p. 20.

Ya tiguala neme, I take to be yÊ tiqualli tinemi, in which yÊ is a particle of contraposition, and both the adjective-adverb qualli, and the verb nemi, to live, to be, are preceded by the second personal pronoun ti. The compound mascamayagua appears to be from maxca, yours, literally, your thing (mo, your, axca, thing), and the optative particle mayecuele, equivalent to the Spanish ojalÁ; hence the meaning is "yours to command," or "at your service."

In his next words the Governor uses a phrase which is repeated by various speakers with a "damnable iteration" throughout the comedy. Simocague would, in pure Nahuatl, be ximocauoltia, the imperative second person singular, of the compulsive form of mocaua, to cease, to stop, or to suspend something. The noun mocacaua is the word for the pauses or intervals in music. The reason for the frequent repetition of the request, I suppose to be that in the ancient exhibitions of the drama numerous assistants joined in dancing, singing and playing on musical instruments; and when a specified ballet was to be performed, or an important conversation to be repeated, they were courteously addressed, and requested to be silent for a time. Dr. Valentine tells me that in Guatemala the term gente principal is commonly used to designate the most prominent inhabitants of a pueblo.

Necana y paltechua, Nahuatl words, united by the Spanish conjunction. The former is Nah. nequaniliztli, dancing motions; the latter, elsewhere written palechua and paleguisa, is a corruption of paleuqui, suitable, or appropriate things. Hemo, a form of Sp. hemos, is an antiquated expression for tenemos.

The word mo in the expression mo Cabildo Real may be the Spanish mio, my; or the Nah. mo, thy, thine. The Cabildo was originally the chapter of a religious house, and later a council, but at present it is applied in Central America to the municipal courts, and the house in which they sit.

Page 8. In the second reply of the Alguacil on this page there are evidently several words omitted which I have supplied in brackets in the translation. The same has occurred elsewhere, and it was to be expected, as nearly all the Nahuatl expressions have become unintelligible to the native population of the present generation. As most of these formulas are repeated several times, we can approximate to what the full expression should be.

Ya nemo niqui nistipampa, is a frequent reply in the play to a formal salutation of a superior. I have translated it as some corruption of the Nahuatl words, yÊ nemonequi nixtlipampa, literally, "my presence is proper," i. e., "I am present before you, as is my duty." The Alguacil, as having charge of the patrol, hastens to speak of its wretched uniform. The adjective sesule, constantly applied to GÜegÜence, evidently in a depreciatory manner, is probably from the Nah. tÇulli, worthless. Page 10. While the Governor and Alguacil are conversing, GÜegÜence and his sons enter, and overhear the last directions of the Governor. All three understand whom he means, but it is the cue of GÜegÜence to assume a different signification. To the brusque rejoinder of Don Ambrosio he pretends to be deaf, and this feigned difficulty of hearing is depended on as one of the main elements of the comic throughout.

The epithet mala casta, of bad blood, as applied by GÜegÜence to his own (putative) son, becomes intelligible later in the play, where it is stated that he was begotten during his legal father's absence in Mexico.

Embustero, which I have rendered "humbug," is more exactly a boasting, bragging charlatan. Dr. Valentine suggests "blower," in the slang sense of that word.

Page 12. Asuyungua. The numerous words which begin in asu, asa, and ase, seem to be compounds with the Nah aÇo, "perhaps," used in introducing a positive statement mildly, or in presenting a question in the form of an assertion, as aÇo amo timoÇahua, "perhaps you have not fasted," meaning "you surely have not." (Carochi.) It is usually combined with other particles, and the analysis of such compounds in the altered form presented in the text becomes exceedingly uncertain.

After the announcement of his person and official position by the Alguacil, GÜegÜence repeats his titles in a tone of affected admiration, and inquires after his staff of office, which was not visible. This staff was all-important to the dignity of an alcalde or alguacil. In Nahuatl this official is called topilÊ, he who carries the staff, from topilli, staff.Page 14. GÜegÜence, who has no desire to appear before the Governor, makes an excuse that he will learn how to fly, and is about leaving, when he is called back by the Alguacil. The words te calas, qui provincia real, should probably read, ticalaquia presencia real, the first from calaquia, to enter, as on page 8.

Page 16. Having agreed to take a lesson in etiquette, GÜegÜence pretends quite to misunderstand the Alguacil, when he claims pay for his instructions.

Redes, "nets" of salted fish. The reference is to the method adopted by the Indians of Central America in carrying burdens. This is in a net which is suspended between the shoulders by means of a strap which passes across the forehead. Such a net is called in Nicaragua matate, and in pure Nahuatl, matlauacalli; the strap or band by which it is supported is the mecapal, Nah. mecapalli. When the material to be transported is a fluid, a jar of earthenware is suspended in the same manner. A small earthenware cup, found in Nicaragua exhibits this, and also some ingenuity of arrangement. It represents a woman, with one of these jars on her back, seated. (See p. 78.)

Page 18. Ojos de sapo muerto, lit. "eyes of a dead toad." Such eyes were considered to exercise an evil influence, and to bring bad luck.

Page 20. Doblar. This Spanish word means to toll a bell, as at a death. GÜegÜence chooses to understand the Alguacil's demand for doubloons to be a request to doblar, and hastens to announce to his sons that the Alguacil has suddenly died.

Page 24. The coins which GÜegÜence names are those of the old Spanish currency. A cuarto was a brass piece, equal to a half-penny English, or one American cent (Delpino, Spanish and English Dictionary, 1763.) It was worth four maravedis, and eight cuartos equaled a real de vellon.

The phrase maneta congon is of uncertain signification. I have translated the first word as the imperative form of nextia, to show, to disclose; congon may perhaps be a corruption of conetontli, boy.

The Alguacil now begins his instruction, and repeats, for the benefit of GÜegÜence, the proper salutation which should be used in addressing the Governor. The old man pretends to misunderstand them, and makes use of other words, similar in sound, but of an insulting signification. I have not succeeded in showing, in the English text, this play upon words. Page 28. Asonesepa negualigua, etc. This passage has proved unintelligible to me, and the rendering is little more than a guess. The phrase is the same as at the foot of p. 30.

In the midst of the conversation the Governor suddenly appears, and GÜegÜence turns to him with the customary and proper salutation, thus showing that his desire for instruction from the Alguacil was a sham.

On the phrase te calas qui provincia real, see the Notes to page 14.

Page 30. Mesonero, a person who owns or has charge of a meson, a house in which the poorer classes of travelers sleep, providing their own food, and that of their beasts (Dr. Valentine). For tupile see Vocabulary.

Antepeque or Tecoantepeque, the seaport of Guaxaca. Thomas Gage, who visited it in 1625, wrote of it: "This Port of Tecoantepeque is the chief for fishing in all that country; we met here in the ways, sometimes with fifty, sometimes with a hundred mules together, laden with nothing but salt fish for Guaxaca, the City of Angels, and Mexico."—A new Survey of the West Indies, p. 195. (London, 1699.)

Dulces are sweetmeats of various kinds, eaten usually between meals. Squier remarks: "The Spanish taste for 'dulces' long ago passed into a proverb, but it rather surpasses itself in Nicaragua. The venders of 'dulces', generally bright Indian girls, gaily dressed, and bearing a tray, covered with the purest white napkins, and temptingly spread upon their heads, pass daily from house to house; and it is sometimes difficult, and always ungallant, to refuse purchasing something from their stock."—Nicaragua, Vol. I, p. 275.

The punctuation toward the foot of the page should probably be, "no seremos guancos; no; seremos amigos," etc. The guipil de pecho is the short upper jacket worn by the women. A guipil de pluma is a skirt woven of feathers. In ancient times, these garments, skillfully constructed of the beautiful plumes of tropical birds, were esteemed as the most valued articles in the treasures of kings, and the most magnificent of royal costumes. The art of feather-weaving continued for some generations after the Conquest. Indeed, as late as 1840 one family in Mechoacan preserved it. The reference to it in the text, however, is a sign of antiquity, as it has long since disappeared in Central America. See an interesting monograph on the subject by the eminent French antiquary, Ferdinand Denis.—Arte Plumaria; Les Plumes, leur Valeur et leur Emploi dans les Arts au Mexique, au Perou, etc. Paris, 1875.

Page 32. Much of this page is rendered with doubtful accuracy, as the text is very obscure.

Page 34. Hay me sagua, the same as hoy melague, p. 36; hoy, Spanish, now, to-day, melaua, Nah., to speak out, or openly.

Page 40. The reference to the star would seem to be that when the tent is opened a star is visible through it, which GÜegÜence offers to the Governor.

Para tu cuerpo, "an extremely filthy expression." (Dr. Valentine.)

Page 42. Seran de arena. "They may be of sand," i. e., they are of no value or importance.

Yugos de papayo, yokes of papaw wood, a soft wood, worthless for the purpose, as is also the wood of the tecomajoche, the Plumeria, for plows. The intimation is that Don Forcico was smart enough to cheat his customers.

The Nicaraguan plow is a wooden instrument of the most primitive construction. The following cut from Mr. Squier's work represents one.

Page 48. The tunes mentioned, the St. Martin, the Valona, the Porto rico and others, are still preserved in Nicaragua.

Page 50. Sin tuno, sin tunal. An obscure phrase which none of my advisers can explain. Tuna is the prickly pear, tunal, the plant that bears it, various species of Opuntia. Tuna, in the university slang, means beggarly, reckless; "estudiantes de la tuna," mendicant or vagabond students. (See Don J. Arias Giron, Costumbres Salamanquinas.)

Page 54. When the Governor uses the Nahuatl word mocemati, presumptuously, GÜegÜence feigns to understand him to say desmonte, which means, in Nicaraguan Spanish, a clearing, and also the worthless waste products thrown out of a mine. Page 56. GÜegÜence leads in several girls, and presents them to Don Forcico, which gives the pair an opportunity for some coarse jokes. Pachaca, stuffed up, here meant in the sense of being with child. Iguana Ô garroba, the latter the male of the iguana, a thick tree lizard of the tropics. Aventada, puffed up, taken in the same sense as pachaca.

Page 58. The machete, which I have translated "axe," is a long, heavy knife or cutlass, in extensive use in Spanish America, for domestic and agricultural purposes. It is shown in the following cut.

Una yunta de botijas de vino, a yoke or brace of wine jars, probably so called from having been carried by a neck yoke, one suspended on each side.

Page 60. The Alguacil speaks to GÜegÜence of toasting, brindar, the Court, and GÜegÜence feigns to hear him speak of the provincial or ecclesiastical officer in charge of the province. It is an example of assonance which is lost in the translation. Managua and Nindiri are towns in the Mangue district of Nicaragua. See the map on page xii.

The next affected misunderstanding of the old man is to take una yunta de botijas, a yoke of bottles, for una yunta de bueyes, a yoke of oxen.

Page 62. Hacer amigo, to make a friend. This is the phrase which is used by courtezans with reference to securing a male patron to pay their expenses, and for that reason GÜegÜence affects to be shocked by the employment of it by Don Forcico.

Page 64. The words of the Alguacil, "What a reputation, etc.," are with reference to the charge of Don Ambrosio, that GÜegÜence had taught his son evil ways.

The introduction of the mules, i. e., the actors dressed as mules, as described on page xlviii, is the occasion of several extremely obscene puns and allusions. Page 68. Potrero, colt-yard, or pasture-lot, a play on the similarity of the word to puteria, a brothel. The estaca referred to is, of course, an obscene allusion, as is also the fluccion por debajo de las piernas, i. e., the scrotum.

Page 70. El tiempo del hilo azul. This idiom has foiled all whom I have consulted. Dr. Valentine thinks it refers to the season of the year when the verdure reappears after the drouth. F. Diego Duran states that the village conjurors were accustomed to suspend charms to the necks of boys by blue and green threads. (Historia de las Indias de la Nueva EspaÑa. Tom. II, p. 275.) Thus understood, the time of the blue thread would be equivalent to boyhood.

Campos de los Diriomos. The Mangue word Diriomo means the hill of abundance, or of great fertility. The locality so named is shown on the map, page xii.

Guayaba. This is the fruit of the guayabo tree, the Psidium pyriferum. It is red in color, and about the size of a small apple.

Page 72. A la gorra, literally "for the cap," an idiom meaning that one receives something merely for taking off the cap; a gratuity. Dr. Valentine, however, writes me: "I understand nosotros Á la gorra to mean 'then we shall have to do without.'"