IV. GLOSSARY.
ANAHUAC. Aztec. “By the water-side.” The name at first applied to the Valley of Mexico, from the situation of the towns on the banks of the lakes; afterwards used to denote a great part of the present Republic of Mexico.
ACOCOTE (Aztec, acocotl, water-throat), aloe-sucker’s gourd; see p. 91.
ADOBE, a mud-brick, baked in the sun. (Perhaps a Moorish-Spanish word. Ancient Egyptian, tobe, a mud-brick; Arabic, toob, pronounced with the article at-toob, whence adobe?)
AGUAMIEL (honey-water), unfermented aloe-juice.
AGUARDIENTE (burning-water), ardent spirits.
AHUEHUETE (Aztec, ahuehuetl), the deciduous cypress.
ALAMEDA (poplar-avenue), public promenade; see p. 57.
ALCALDE, a magistrate (Moorish-Spanish, al cadi, “the cadi”).
ANQUERA (hauncher), covering for horses’ haunches; see p. 164 (and cut, p. 260).
ARRIERO, a muleteer.
ARROYO, a rivulet, mountain-torrent.
ATAMBOB, a drum.
ATOLE (Aztec, atolli), porridge.
AVERSADA, a freshet.
BARATILLO, a Rag-fair, market of odds and ends; see p. 169.
BARBACOA, whence English “barbecue;” see p. 95; a native Haitian word.
BARRANCCA, a ravine.
CALZONCILLOS, drawers.
CAPA, a cloak.
CAYO, a coral-reef.
CHAPARREROS, over-trousers of goatskin with the hair on, used in riding.
CHINAMPA (Aztec, “a place fenced in),” a Mexican “floating garden;” see p. 62.
CHINGUERITO, Indian-corn brandy.
CHIPI-CHIPI (Aztec, chipini, drizzling rain); see p. 26.
CHUPA-MIRTO (myrtle-sucker), a humming-bird.
COLEAR, to throw a bull over by the tail (cola); see p. 71.
COMPADRE. COMADRE; French, compère, commère; see p. 250.
CORRAL, an enclosure for cattle.
COSTAL, a bag, or sack.
COYOTE (Aztec, coyotl), a jackal.
CUARTA, a leather horse-whip; see p. 264.
CUARTEL, a barrack.
CUCARACHA, a cockroach.
CUCHILLO, a knife.
CURA, a parish-priest.
DESAGUE, a draining-cut.
DESAYUNO, breakfast.
EMANCIPADO (emancipated negro); see p. 6.
ESCOPETA, a musket.
ESCRIBANO, a scribe or secretary.
FANDANGO, a dance.
FIESTA, a church-festival.
FRIJOLES, beans.
FUERO, a legal privilege; see pp. 19, 249.
GACHUPIN, a native of Spain. Supposed to be an Aztec epithet, cac-chopina, that is, “prickly shoes,” applied to the Spanish conquerors from their wearing spurs, which to the Indians were strange and incomprehensible appendages.
GARROTE, an instrument for strangling criminals.
GENTE DE RAZÓN (reasonable people), white men and half-breed Mexicans, but not Indians; see p. 61.
GUAJALOTE (Aztec, huexolotl), a turkey: see p. 228.
GULCHE, a ravine.
HACENDADO, a planter, landed proprietor, from HACIENDA (literally “doing,” from hacer, or facer, to do). An estate, establishment, &c.
HACIENDA DE BENEFICIO, an establishment for “benefiting” silver, i.e., for extracting it from the ore.
HONDA, a sling.
HORNITOS (little ovens), the small cones near the volcano of Jorullo, which formerly emitted steam; see p. 92.
HULE (Aztec, ulli. India-rubber?) a waterproof coat.
ICHTL (Aztec, thread), thread or string of aloe-fibre.
ITZTLI (Aztec), obsidian; see p. 100.
LAZADOR, one who throws the lazo.
LAZO. a running noose.
LEPERO, lazzarone, or prolétaire; see p. 251.
LLANOS, plains.
MACHETE, a kind of bill-hook.
MALACATE (Aztec, malacatl), a spindle, spindle-head, windlass, &c.
MANTA, cotton-cloth.
MATRACA, a rattle; see p. 49.
MESON, a Mexican caravansery; see p. 209.
MESTIZO (mixtus) a Mexican of mixed Spanish and Aztec blood.
METATE (Aztec, metlatl) the stone used for rubbing down Indian corn into paste; see p. 88.
METALPILE (Aztec, metlapilli, i.e. little metlatl), the stone rolling-pin used in the same process.
MOLE (Aztec, mulli), Mexican stew.
MOLINO DE VIENTO (literally a windmill), a whirlwind; see p. 31.
MONTE (literally a mountain), the favourite Mexican game; _see p. _256.
MOZO, a lad, servant, groom.
NIÑO, a child.
NOPAL (Aztec, nopalli), the prickly pear.
NOETE, the north wind; see p. 21.
OCOTE (Aztec, ocotl), a pine-tree, pine-torch. OLLA, a boiling-pot.
PASADIZO, a passage; see p. 231.
PASEO, a public promenade.
PASO, a kind of amble; see p. 163.
PATIO, a court-yard, especially the inner court of a house.
PATIO-PROCESS, method of extracting the silver from the ore, so called from its being carried on in paved yards; _see p. _92.
PATRON, a master, landlord.
PEDRIGAL, a lava-field.
PEOS, a debt-slave; see p. 291.
PETATE (Aztec, petlatl), a palm-leaf mat.
PITO, 1, a whistle, pipe; 2, aloe-fibre thread.
POTRERO, a water-meadow.
PULQUE, a drink made from the juice of the aloe; see p. 38. (It is a corruption of a native South American word, introduced into Mexico by the Spaniards).
RANCHERO, a cottager, yeoman.
RANCHO, a hut.
RAYA (literally a line), the paying of workmen at a hacienda, &c.
RAYAR, to pull a horse up short at a line; see p. 163.
REATA, a horse-rope; see p. 264.
REBOZO, a woman’s shawl; see p. 56.
RECUA, a train of mules.
SALA, a hall, dining-room.
SERAPE, a Mexican blanket; see p. 169.
SOMBRERO, a hat.
TACUMENILES, pine-shingles for roofing.
TEMAZCALLI, Indian vapour-bath; see p. 301.
TEOCALLI (Aztec, god’s house), an Aztec pyramid-temple.
TEFONAZTLI, Indian wooden drum.
TEQUESQUITE (Aztec, tequesquiti), an alkaline efflorescence abundant on the soil in Mexico, used for soap-making, &c.
TETZONTLI, porous amygdaloid lava, a stone much used for building in Mexico.
TIENDA, a shop; see p. 82.
TIERRA CALIENTE, the hot region.
TIERRA FRÍA, the cold region.
TIERRA TEMPLADA. the temperate region.
TLACHIQUEBO (Aztec, tlacbiqui, an overseer, from tlachia, to see), a labourer in an aloe-field, who draws the juice for pulque; see p. 36.
TORO, a bull.
TORTA (literally, a cake); see p. 92.
TORTILLAS, thin cakes made of Indian corn, resembling oat-cakes; see p. 33.
TRAPICHE, a sugar-mill.
ULEI, see Hule.
VAQUERO, cow-herd.
ZOPILOTE (Aztec, zopilotl), a turkey-buzzard.