66 A STUDY OF THE MANUSCEIPT TKOANO. 



like the croUees, which they called Xibalba- Okot, which signified dance of 

 the demons. In this interval the cup-bearer arrived with the drink for the 

 nobles, which they drank in the place where the statue of Uac-Mitun-Ahau 

 stood vis-a-vis with the image of which they had the care. Immediately 

 they commenced the oblations, the perfuming, and their prayers; a great 

 number drew blood from different parts of their bodies and anointed with 

 it the stone idol called Ekel-Acantun. Thus passed the unfortunate days, 

 after which they carried Uac-Mitun Ahau to the temple and Ek-u-Uayeyah 

 to the south entrance, where they left it until the following year. 



"This year, signalized by the character Cauac, and in which the Bacab- 

 Hozaneh rules, besides the plague with which it was threatened, was par- 

 ticularly regarded as fatal; they said that the extreme heat of the sun 

 destroyed the fields of maize, without considering the multiplication of 

 ants and birds that devoured the remainder of the seed; however, they 

 added, these calamities need not be entirely general, there were some 

 places where subsistence could be obtained, although with great difficulty. 

 To prevent these calamities they made, at the instigation of the demon, 

 four idols, named Chichac-Chob, Ekhalam-Chac, Ahcan-Uolcab, and Ahbuluc- 

 Balam ; after having placed these together in the temple, where they per- 

 fumed them as usual, they presented to them two pellets of resin named 

 kik, to be burned, also iguanas, bread, and a m.iter, with a bouquet of flowers 

 and a stone which they considered of great value. Besides, they raised, for 

 the celebration of this feast, a large arch of wood in the court, filling it with 

 wood above and on the sides in order to burn, leaving in it, however, 

 gateways for entering in and going- out. Then, the greater part of the 

 men took each one a bundle of long dry sticks and, while a musician 

 mounted on the top of the funeral pile sang and beat the tambour, all 

 danced with much order and devotion, entering in and going out, one after 

 the other, under the arch. They continued to dance in this manner until 

 evening, when, leaving their bundles of sticks, the}^ went home to rest and 

 refresh themselves. 



"When night fell they returned, accompanied by a great crowd; for 

 this ceremony was regarded with great respect among them. Each one 

 taking then his bundle, lighted it and put the fire on the funeral pile, which 



