226 A STUDY OF THE MANtTSCRIPT TROANO. 



with the blue color; they incensed it several times and invoked the CJiacs 

 with prayers and ceremonies, offering them many gifts. At the close, they 

 rejoiced, eating and drinking the oblations, full of confidence in the result 

 of their invocations for this year. 



N. — The month Muan. During the month ilfMOJi the proprietors of the 

 cacao plantations celebrated a feast in honor of the gods Ekclmah, Chac, and 

 Hobnil, who were their patrons. In order to solerimize it, they went to the 

 farm of one of their number, where they sacrificed a dog, bearing a spot of 

 the color of cacao. They burnt incense before their idols, offering them 

 iguanas — those which were of a blue color; feathers of a particular bird; 

 also different kinds of game. They gave to each one of the officers a branch 

 with the fruit of the cacao. The sacrifice completed, they set themselves 

 to eating and drinking the offerings ; but it is said that they permitted each 

 one to drink only three cups of their wine, and they could bring only the 

 necessary quantity. They then returned to the house of the one who bore 

 the expenses of the feast, where they entertained themselves together. 



0. — The month Pax. In the month Pax they celebrated a feast called 

 Pacum-Chac, on which occasion the nobles and priests of the inferior bor- 

 oughs assembled with those from the more important villages. Thus united 

 they passed five nights in prayer in the temple of Cit-Chac-Coh, presenting 

 their sacrifices with incense, as has been seen at the feast of Kukulcan in the 

 month of Xul, in November. In commencing these five days, they returned 

 together to the house of the general of their armies, whose title was Nacon, 

 of which I have spoken in Chapter CI. They bore him in great pomp to the 

 temple, burning incense before him like an idol, where they seated him. 

 Thus they passed the five days, eating and drinking the offerings which they 

 had presented in the temple, and executing a dance similar to a war dance, 

 to which they gave, in their language, the name of Holkan-Okot, which 

 means the dance of the warriors When the five days were passed every- 

 body came to the feast, which, as it concerned the affairs of war and hope 

 of obtaining the victory, was very solemn. 



It was commenced with the ceremonies and sacrifices of fire, of which 

 I have spoken in the festival in the month of 3Iac. Then they expel the 

 evil spirit, as usual, which is done with much Solemnity. This finished. 



