VASQUEZ DE CORONADO ad. 



^539- 

 of beasts. They worship for their gods such things 



as they have in their houses, as namely hearbes, and 

 birdes, and sing songs unto them in their language, 

 which differeth but litle from that of Culiacan. They 

 told the Frier that they were willing to become Chris- 

 tians, and the Emperors subjects, for they were without 

 a governour ; with condition that no man should hurt 

 them : and that they would change their golde for such 

 things as they wanted. Commandement was given, that 

 they should bee received without doing them any dis- 

 pleasure. Neere unto this countrey there is another 

 Province heretofore discovered by our men, where the 

 people go naked without any thing before them : they 

 are very hardly reduced to Christianitie, and they are 

 valiant and stoute. Their houses are covered with straw: 

 They seeke no other riches but to feede cattel. They goe 

 at certaine seasons to their sacrifices into a valley situate in 

 that Province, which is inhabited with people, esteemed by 

 those of the countrey as saints and priests, whom they 

 call Chichimecas, which dwell in the woods without 

 houses : and they eate such things as they of the 

 countrey give them of almes. They goe naked, and 

 are tanned in the smoke, and tye their privie member 

 with a string unto their knee, and the women likewise 

 goe Starke naked. They have certain temples covered 

 with strawe, with small round windowes full of the 

 skuls of dead men ; before their temple is a great 

 round ditch, the brim whereof is compassed with the 

 figure of a serpent made of gold and silver, and with 

 another mixture of unknowen metals : and this serpent 

 holdeth his tayle in his mouth. They of this valley 

 from time to time cast lots, whose lucke it shal be to 

 be sacrificed, and they make him great cheere, on 

 whom the lotte falleth, and with great joy they crowne 

 him with flowers upon a bed prepared in the sayd ditch 

 all full of flowres and sweete hearbes, on which they lay 

 him along, and lay great store of dry wood on both 

 sides of him, and set it on fire on eyther part, and so 



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