THOMAsi MODE OF BUILDING HOUSES IN YUCATAN. 227 



they recommenced their prayers, sacrifices, and incensing. While all these 

 things were going on the nobles and those who had accompanied them 

 replaced the Nacon on their shoulders and carried him in procession around 

 the temple. On their return the Chacs sacrificed a dog, tearing out its 

 heart, which they presented to the idol, between two plates; each one 

 present then broke in pieces a large vessel filled with a drink, with which 

 the feast was completed. All then ate and drank the offerings which they 

 had brought, and, with much solemnity, but without the usual incense, car- 

 ried the Nacon back to his home. 



There a grand banquet took place, at which the lords, nobles, and 

 priests became intoxicated in the effort to excel each other in drinking, with 

 the exception of the Nacon, who remained sober, the crowd in the mean 

 time returning to their homes. Tlie next day, after they had slept them- 

 selves sober, the nobles and priests, who had remained at the mansion of 

 the general after the orgy, received from his hand large presents of incense 

 which he had prepared for this purpose and caused to be consecrated by the 

 holy priests. 



At this reunion he addressed them in a long discourse, and earnestly 

 recommended to them the feasts which they should celebrate in honor of the 

 gods, in their towns, in order to obtain a prosperous and abundant 5"ear. 

 When the lecture was finished all took leave of each other with much affec- 

 tion and noise, and each one took the road for his village and home. 



There they occupied themselves with the celebration of their feasts, 

 which sometimes lasted, according to circumstances, until the month of Poj). 

 They gave to these feasts the name of Zabacil-Than, and they were cele- 

 brated in the following manner: They sought in the commune those who, 

 being the richest, were the most able to bear the expense of the feast, and 



requested them to fix upon a day, because they had more of 



during these three months which remained until the natural year. What 

 they then did was to assemble at the mansion of the one who celebrated 

 the feast, after having performed the ceremony of dispelling the evil spirit. 

 They burnt copal and presented offerings with rejoicings and dances, after 

 which they drank some wine, which last was always the main point of the 

 feast. Such were the excesses in which they indulged themselves during 



