124 A STUDY OF THE MANUSCRIPT TROANO. 



All those who had been in the battle returned home in procession, singing 

 and dancing, bringing with them the captives who were to be sacrificed, 

 their wrists and ankles decorated with feathers and chalchiuites and their 

 necks with strings of cacao-nibs. The high-priests and other ministers 

 went out at the head of the populace to meet them with music and dancing, 

 and the caciques and captains delivered over those who were to be sacrificed 

 to the high-priests. Then they all went together to the court-yard of their 

 tuepa or temple, where they continued dancing day and night during the 

 time the sacrifices lasted. In the middle of the court was a stone bench on 

 which the victim was stretched, four priests holding him by the feet and 

 hands. . The sacrificing priest then came forward, adorned with many 

 feathers and loaded with little bells, holding in his hand a flint knife, with 

 which he opened the breast of his victim, tore out the heart, brandished it 

 toward the cardinal points, and finally tlu-ew it into the air with sufficient 

 force to cause it to fall directly in the middle of the court, saying, 'Receive, 

 O God, this thank-ofi"ering for the victory.' This sacrifice was public and 

 beheld by all the people." 



