NO. I HONDURAS STRONG, KIDDER, AND PAUL I3 



MODE OF THESE SACRIFICES 



They sounded their trumpets and drums for one day and night before the 

 sacrifice, and when the people were assembled, the four priests came out from 

 the temple, with four small braziers in which they burnt copal and caoutchouc ; 

 and the four together, turning in the direction of the rising sun, bent their knees 

 to it, offering incense, and reciting words of invocation. After this they separated, 

 and did the same in the direction of the four cardinal points, south, east, north and 

 west, preaching and explaining their rites and ceremonies. When the sermon 

 was finished, they retired within four houses or chapels which were built at the 

 four corners of the temple, and there rested for a little while. They next went 

 to the house of the high priest, which was close to the temple, and took thence 

 the boy who was to be sacrificed, and conducted him four times around the court 

 of the temple, dancing and singing. When the ceremony was finished, the high 

 priest came out of his house, with the second priest and mayordomo, and 

 ascended the steps of the temple, accompanied by the cazique and principal 

 Indians, who, however, stopped at the door of the sanctuary. The four priests 

 next seized the victim by his extremities, and the mayordomo coming out, with 

 little bells on his wrists and ankles, opened the left breast of the boy, tore out 

 his heart and handed it to the high priest, who put it into a little embroidered 

 purse, which he closed. The priests received the blood of the victim in four 

 jicaras, which are vessels made from the shell of a certain kind of fruit (the 

 calabash), and, descending one after another into the court, sprinkled it, with 

 their right hands, in the direction of the cardinal points. If any blood remained 

 over, they returned it to the high priest, who put it back, with the purse 

 containing the heart, into the body of the victim, which was interred in the 

 temple itself. This was the kind of sacrifice made at the opening of the two 

 seasons of the year. 



The high priest, his second, and the four priests were accustomed to meet to 

 ascertain, by sorcery and enchantment, if they should make war, or if their foes 

 were coming to attack them; and if it appeared that such an event was to take 

 place, they called together the cazique and war chief, and advised them of the 

 approach of their enemies, and whether they should go to meet them. The 

 cazique then assembled the soldiers, and all went out to battle. If he was 

 victorious, he despatched a messenger to the high priest, advising him of the date 

 of the occurrence, and on this information the diviner ascertained to which of the 

 gods sacrifice was to be made. If to Quetzalcoatl, the ceremonies lasted fifteen 

 days ; if to Itzqueye, five days, and on each day they sacrificed a prisoner. These 

 sacrifices were made as follows : All those who had taken part in the war, 

 returned home in order, singing and dancing, and bringing with them those who 

 were to be sacrificed, decorated with feathers and chalchiuites on their wrists 

 and ankles, and with strings of cacao beans around their necks, the captains 

 themselves conducting them in their midst. The pontiff and priests, at the head 

 of the people, went out to meet the victors, with music and dancing; and when 

 they encountered them, the captains delivered over the victims to be sacrificed, 

 to the high priest; after which all went together to the court of their teupa, 

 where they kept up the dancing night and day, for the periods above named. In 

 the middle of this court was placed a block or bench of stone, on which the victim 

 was stretched, the four priests holding him by the feet and hands. The sacrificer 

 then came forward, loaded with plumes and bells, with a knife of flint, with 



