THOMAS] FESTIVALS AT THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE CAFAC YEARS. 65 



ties. In order to remedy these calamities, which they feared entirely or in 

 part, they made, at the instigation of the demon, the statue of an idol named 

 Kincli-Ahau-Yzamna ; they placed it in the temple, where they offered to it 

 all kinds of incense and oblations, drawing their blood and sprinkling with it 

 the stone of the god Zac-Acantun. They executed different dances, the old 

 women dancing as usual; at this feast they formed anew a small oratory 

 to the demon; they assembled there to offer sacrifice to him and to give 

 him presents, and finished with a solemn orgie, where every one became 

 intoxicated, for this feast was general and obligatory. There were also some 

 fanatics who, of their own accord, and through devotion, made another idol, 

 like that which is mentioned above, which they carried into other temples, 

 making it offerings and intoxicating themselves in its honor. They regarded 

 these orgies and sacrifices as very agreeable to their idols and as preserva- 

 tives capable of preventing the misfortunes with which they believed them- 

 selves threatened." 



"XXXVIII. — Sacrifices of the new year at the sign of Cauac — Etnl prognos- 

 tics prevented hy the fire dance. 



"This year, of which the dominical letter was Cauac and the omen 

 Hozanek, after they had elected a chief of the ceremonies, they formed, in 

 order to celebrate it, the image of the god Ek-ii-Uayeyab ; they carried it to 

 the piles of stone at the west entrance, where they had left the image of 

 the year before. They made at the same time the statue of the god called 

 Uac-Mitun-Ahau, which they placed, as usual, in the most convenient spot in 

 the chief's house. From there they went together to the place where they 

 found the image of JSk-u-Uayeyab, having taken care previously to orna- 

 ment the road; arriving there, the nobles and priests incensed this image, 

 after their custom, and cut off the head of a fowl. When this was finished, 

 they took the statue on a litter called Yaxek and placed on its shoulders a 

 gourd with a dead man and, besides, the ashes of a bird which they called 

 Ktich, as a sign of great mortality; for this year was considered very unfor- 

 tunate. 



"They afterwards carried it about in this manner, with devotion min- 

 gled with sadness, executing several dances, among which there was one 



.5 M T 



