ABORIGINAL SACRED ENCLOSURES. 155 



Mexico also, as in Central America, we still discover, beneath a complication of 

 strange observances and bloody rites, the simplicity of Toltican Zabianism. Upon 

 the high altars of Aztec superstition, reeking w^ith the blood of countless human 

 victims, we still find the eternal fire ; no longer, however, under the benign guar- 

 dianship of consecrated virgins, but consigned to the vigilance of a stern and rigor- 

 ous priesthood. And, as the Inca trusted at his death to be received to the bosom 

 of his father, the Sun, so too did the fiercer Aztec look forward with confidence to 

 eternal existence and beatitude in the " House of the Sun."* 



The Natchez and their affiliated tribes were worshippers of the sun, to which 

 they erected temples and performed sacrifices. And from what can be gathered 

 concerning their temples, it is rendered probable that they erected structures 

 analogous to those under notice. They also maintained a perpetual fire, and their 

 chiefs claimed the sun as their father. The chiefs bore the distinguishing title of 

 Suns^ and united in themselves the priestly and civil functions. — (Charlevoiv, 

 Canada, Vol. II., p. 273; Du Pratz, Hist. Louisiana, Vol. II., pp. 178, 212; Her- 

 riot. Hist. Canada, p. 508.) The natives of the Barbadoes and the West India 

 islands generally, worshipped the same celestial body in conjunction with the 

 moon. — {Edward^s Hist. W. Ind., Vol. I., p. 80; Davis's Barbadoes, pp. 216, 236; 

 Herrara, Vol. I., p. 162.) The Hurons derived the descent of their chiefs from 

 the sun, and claimed that the sacred pipe proceeded from that luminary. — {Charle- 

 voix, Canada, Vol. I., p. 322; Lafiteau, Vol. I., p. 121.) The Pawnees, Mandans, 

 and Minatarees had a similar tradition and a kindred worship. — -{NutaWs Arkansas., 

 p. 276.) The Delawares and the Iroquois offered sacrifices to the sun and moon ; 

 and, in common with the southern Indians, had a festival in honor of the elementary 

 fire, which they considered the first parent of the Indian nations. It is probable that 

 their council-fire was an original symbol of their religion. — {Loskiel, pp. 41, 43 ; 

 Colden's Hist. Five Nations, Vol. I., pp. 115, 175; Schoolcrajfs Narrative, p. 20 ; 

 Bradford''s Res., p. 352.) The Virginian tribes were also sun worshippers, and 

 sustained the perpetual fire in some of their temples. The same is true, as we 

 have already had occasion to show, in a remarkable manner, of the Floridian 

 tribes ; who, if we are to credit the accounts of the early voyagers, sacrificed 

 human victims to the sun. — {Ribauld, MS.; Le Moyne, in De Bry ; Herrara, Flo- 

 rida; Lajiteau, Moeurs des Sauvages, Vol. I., p. 1.58; Rochefort, Hist. Antilles, 

 Chap. 8.) 



The Esquimaux, the natives of the Northwest Coast, and the California Indians, 

 all shared in this worship. — {HaWs Voy. (1631), pp. 38, 61; Va7iegas\s Cali- 

 fornia, Vol. I., p. 164.) It prevailed to an equal extent among the savage tribes of 

 South America. In connection with the worship of the moon, it existed among 

 the Muyscas of Colombia, among the Araucanians, the Puelches, and the Botu- 

 cados of Brazil. — {Herrara, Vol. V., p. 90 ; Molina, Vol. II., p. 71 ; Dobrizhoffer, 

 Vol. II., p. 89 ; Mod. Trav. in Brazil, Vol. II., p. 183.) The caziques of the Gua- 



* Cliivigero, Vol. II,, p. 3. "They held for an assured faith that there were nine places appointed for 

 souls, and the chiefest place of glory was to be near the sun." — {Gomeia, in Purchis, Vol. IIL p. 1137.^, 



