Chap* V. 



AMERICA. 



271 



I 



one : The Prieft challenging the Slave which was to be OfFer'd, to Fight for his 

 Life, he had one of his Feet ty'd to a great round Stone, and having a Sword to 

 offend, and a Shield to defend himfclf, Encountred with the Prieft, who was Arm' d 

 after the fame manner, whom if he conquer'd, he not onely preferv'd his Life, buc 

 gain'd the Name of a valiant Man. 



They alfo dealt ftrangely with Perfons that were yearly to be Offer'd to their Sragei&ge 

 Idols : for after having wafh'd them, they put on them the Clothes of the Idol, and * ™"* t% 

 gave them the fame Name, every one honouring them as a God ; were permit- 

 ted to walk up and down, but guarded by twelve Men, that they might not 

 efcape ; for then the chiefeft of the Guard was to fupply the others place : More- 

 over, they refided in the chiefeft Apartments of the Temple, eat of the beft, 

 were ferv'd like Princes, and attended through the Towns by Perfons of the 

 greateft Quality, who led them through the Streets . where they no fooner play'd 

 on a little Pipe, but all People came running to them, fell at their Feet and wor- 

 fliip'd them ; In the Night they lock'd them up in a Cage, fecur'd with Iron Bars, 

 and at the appointed time flay'd them alive. 



The chief Towns now remaining, and inhabited by the Spaniards ,zte 1. St. Lewis Towns and 

 de Tampice, a Colony of Spaniards fituate on the Northern Bank of the River ( Panuco l 

 at the very Mouth of it . where it hath a very large Haven, but fo barr'd with 

 Sands, that no Ship of any great Burden can enter or abide in it with fafety ; and 

 yet the River otherwife fo deep, that Veflels of five hundred Tun, might Sail up 

 threefcore Leagues at lead within Land, and thereby vifit the rich Mynes of 2ata- 

 tecas on the one fide of it, and of ]S(eu> Bifcaj on the other, at pleafure, and without 

 fear of much oppofition. 



*• St. SteVan del Puerto, on the South fide of the fame River, eight Leagues diftant 

 from the Sea, or Gulf of Mexico, at prefent the Metropolis or chief Town of the 

 Province, built by Cortefius in the place where flood old Tanuco, which was likewife 

 the Metropolis, or Head Town of the Natives, before the Spaniards burnt and de- 

 ftroy'd it. 



ySt. 



Villages, 



