10. teya. 10. sham.
20. heng-inai. 20. heang-inai.
30. heng-inai-tain 30. heang-inai-tanai
= 20 + 5 (couples). = 20 + 5 (couples).
40. au-inai = 2 x 20. 40. an-inai = 2 x 20.
100. tain-inai = 5 x 20. 100. tanai-inai = 5 x 20.
200. teya-inai = 10 x 20. 200. sham-inai = 10 x 20.
300. teya-tain-inai 300. heang-tanai-inai
= (10 + 5) x 20. = (10 + 5) 20.
400. heng-teo. 400. heang-momchiama.

In no other part of the world is vigesimal counting found so perfectly
developed, and, among native races, so generally preferred, as in North and
South America. In the eastern portions of North America and in the extreme
western portions of South America the decimal or the quinary decimal scale
is in general use. But in the northern regions of North America, in western
Canada and northwestern United States, in Mexico and Central America, and
in the northern and western parts of South America, the unit of counting
among the great majority of the native races was 20. The ethnological
affinities of these races are not yet definitely ascertained; and it is no
part of the scope of this work to enter into any discussion of that
involved question. But either through contact or affinity, this form of
numeration spread in prehistoric times over half or more than half of the
western hemisphere. It was the method employed by the rude Eskimos of the
north and their equally rude kinsmen of Paraguay and eastern Brazil; by the
forest Indians of Oregon and British Columbia, and by their more southern
kinsmen, the wild tribes of the Rio Grande and of the Orinoco. And, most
striking and interesting of all, it was the method upon which were based
the numeral systems of the highly civilized races of Mexico, Yucatan, and
New Granada. Some of the systems obtained from the languages of these
peoples are perfect, extended examples of vigesimal counting, not to be
duplicated in any other quarter of the globe. The ordinary unit was, as
would be expected, "one man," and in numerous languages the words for 20
and man are identical. But in other cases the original meaning of that
numeral word has been lost; and in others still it has a signification
quite remote from that given above. These meanings will be noticed in
connectio