218 A STUDY or THE MANUSCRIPT TROANO. 



of taking neither salt nor spice with their meat, which they regarded as a 

 great privation. At this time they elected the officers (C'hacs) who assisted 

 the priests; he prepared for them a large quantity of little balls of incense 

 on small boards, which the priests kept for this purpose in order that those 

 who had fasted should burn them before their idols. Those who had once 

 commenced this fast took great care not to break it, believing that, if they 

 did, some misfortune would fall on them or their houses on account of that 

 violation. 



The first day of the new year having arrived, all the men assembled 

 in the court of the temple, but men alone; for, on any occasion, if the 

 feast or sacrifice was celebrated in the temple, the women were not allowed 

 to assist in it, with the exception of the old women who came to dance; 

 but at the other banquets, which were held in other places, the women Avere 

 allowed to be present. On this occasion the men came ornamented and 

 painted with their colors, after having washed from themselves the grease 

 with which they were covered during their fiist. All being assembled with 

 the off'erings of meat and drinks which they had brought, also a great 

 quantity of wine, newly fermented, the priest purified the temple and seated 

 himself in the center of the court, clothed in pontifical garments and hav- 

 ing beside him a brazier and the balls of incense. The Chacs took their 

 places at the four corners, extending from one to the other a new cord, be- 

 neath the center of which all those must enter who had fasted, in order to 

 dispel the evil spirit spoken of in Chapter XCVI. 



The evil spirit once driven out, all devoted themselves to prayer while 

 the diaces (sic) kindled the new fire; they burnt the incense before the 

 idols, the priest commencing by casting his own ball into the brazier; the 

 rest followed, each according to his rank, to receive the balls from the hand 

 of the pi'iest, who gave them with nmch gravity and devoutness, as if he 

 was giving them valuable relics; then one after the other cast them slowly 

 into the brazier, waiting until it was consumed. 



After this ceremony they feasted upon all the offerings and presents of 

 food, drinking the wine after their custom, as usual, until they had con- 

 sumed it all. This was their feast of the new year, and the solemnity with 

 which they believed themselves to render it perfectly agreeable to their 



