THE PECOS THEIR HOLY FIRE. 271 



doubt have tended to hasten its utter annihi- 

 lation. A tradition was prevalent among 

 them that Montezuma had kindled a holy 

 fire, and enjoined their ancestors not to suffer 

 it to be extinguished until he should return to 

 deliver his people from the yoke of the Span- 

 iards. In pursuance of these commands, a 

 constant watch had been maintained for ages 

 to prevent the fire from going out; and, as 

 tradition further informed them, that Monte- 

 •zuma would appear with the sun, the deluded 

 Indians were to be seen every clear morning 

 upon the terraced roofs of their houses, atten- 

 tively watching for the appearance of the 

 • king of light,' in hopes of seeing him ' cheek 

 by jowl' with their immortal sovereign. I 

 have myself descended into the famous estu- 

 fas, or subterranean vaults, of which there 

 were several in the village, and have beheld 

 this consecrated fire, silently smouldering un- 

 der a covering of ashes, in the basin of a 

 small altar. Some say that they never lost 

 hope in the final coming of Montezuma un- 

 til, by some accident or other, or a lack of a 

 sufficiency of warriors to watch it, the fire 

 became extinguished; and that it was this 

 catastrophe that induced them to abandon 

 their villages, as I have before observed. 



The task of tending the sacred fire was, it 

 is said, allotted to the warriors. It is farther 

 related, that they took the Avatch by turns for 

 two successive days and nights, without par- 

 taking of either food, water, or sleep ; while 

 some assert that instead of bemg restricted to 



