H8 *A M E %I C A. Chap. V. 



fold, fupporccd by twenty eight Pillars . behind which appear'd thoufandsofMens 

 Heads, and amongft them the Prifoners that were to be Offer'd fat ftark naked 

 and guarded by feveral Armed Men • three Foot from the Steps which led up to 

 the top of the Scaffold , flood a pyramidical Stone, ( by the Indians call'd Quauxi. 

 callt) and behind it two round Chappels, cover'd on the top like MitTrcs, each had 

 four Holes in a large Gate, in which fat a horrid Reprefentation, worfhipp'd by 

 fix Priefts call'd Chackalmua, whereof one call'd Papas, or loptl^in, whofe Office was 

 to pluck out the Hearts of the Prifoners, being in greateft efteem, wore a red Man- 

 tle about his Body, not unlike a long Coat, with broad Fringe, which trail'd af. 

 ter him upon the Ground, and alfo a Crown of green and yellow Plumes on his 

 Head; his Ears and under Lip were likewife adorn'd with Precious Stones: The 

 other five appear'd in like manner with their Hands and Faces painted red, but ha- 

 ving Leathern Fafcias about their Heads , and white Coats ftitch'd with Black on 

 their Bodies, they might eafily be diftinguifli'd from the Topifyn- who on a fudden 

 ran down the Stairs to the Prifoners, and fliew'd each of them an Image, (faying, 

 This is your God) made of Sledo Pafte, Mai^ and Honey, green Beads for Eyes, and 

 Grains of Mai% for Teeth: whereupon the Prifoners were led up, and laid with 

 their Backs on the fharp Stone Quauxicalli l then the five Priefts took hold of their 

 Lc gg s > Arms and Head, put woodden Collars about the Sufferer's Necks, whilft 

 the Topil^in fliew'd Reverence to the Idol : which done, with a fliarp Stone he cut 

 open the Breads of the Prifoners, who in a deplorable condition lay on the pyra- 

 midical Stone, and pulling their Hearts out of their Bodies, fliew'd the fame reek- 

 ing to the Sun, and at laft threw them toward the Idol, and the dead Bodies down 

 the Stairs, where fome appointed for that purpofe carried the fame away 5 but eve- 

 ry one taking his own Prifoner, and roafting and boyling him, ferv'd himup to his 

 Friends as a great Dainty. 



This kind of Murdering was not onely us'd amongft the Mexicans, but alfo by all 

 the other neighboring Indians, and efpecially in the City Chulula, which (as we have 

 faid before) fignifics The SanElity of all the Gods : for in this Town fix thoufand 

 Children were yearly OfFer'd. 



The Citizens hereof us'd to drive a great Trade, efpecially in Cocbimle. 



Their Habits were feveral j for Perfons of Note wore Cotton Coats, about the 

 Edges of which hung Feathers and pieces of Cony-skins : the meaner fort went in 

 Nequons, or a fort of Linnen Coats made of the hairy Leaves of the Tree Maguey. 



J. The City Te^uco, full of handfom Streets and fair Houfes, is built near the 

 fait Mexican Lake, yet hath no want of frefli Water, with which it is fupply'd by 

 Gutters from the Mountains under Ground, according to Mthony Herrera, it twice 

 exceedcth in bignefs the famous City SiVtll in Spain. 



4. Quitlavaca, by the Spaniards call'd Venezuela, (becau/e it is, 1 ikt Femce, fur- 

 rounded with Water, and divided into feveral Iiles, j boafted formerly above two 

 thoufand Families : From the Town a Cawfey of twenty Foot broad, and half a 

 League long, leads through the Lake to the Main Continent. 



5. r^acpalapa, a very populous Place, and lying part of it in the fait Lake, and 

 partly on the Main Land . where feveral frefh-water Pools afford ftorc of Fifli, 

 two Leagues diftant from Mexico, to which leads a broad, Way , in the middle of 

 which ftands a Fountain, furrounded with high Trees, which produces excellent 

 Water. 



6. Mexicalt^ngo, fituate upon the Lake 'Lapma, a Town confifting of four thou- 

 fand ftately Houfes. 



7. C a J° c *»> in ^fruitful Plain, containing fix thoufand, being but a League and 



