217 



himself. The Aztecks professed to be flattered 

 with this offer ; but they resolved at the same 

 time to make a sacrifice, which should strike 

 terror into their masters. After a long dance 

 around their idol, they brought forth four 

 Xochimilcks, prisoners, whom they had kept 

 hidden a long time: these miserable captives 0 

 were immolated with the ceremonies still ob- 

 served at the time of the conquest by the Spa- 

 niards, on the platform of the great pyramid 

 of Tenochtitlan, which was dedicated to the 

 same god of war, Huitzilopochtli. The Col- 

 huans signified their just abhorrence of this 

 human sacrifice, the first which had been made 

 in their country: but fearing the ferocity of 

 their slaves, and seeing them puffed up with 

 pride at the success obtained in the war against 

 the Xochimilcks, they gave the Aztecks their 

 liberty, enjoining them to quit the territory of 

 Colhuacan. 



The first sacrifice had happy effects for a 

 nation that was oppressed ; vengeance soon 

 gave birth to a second. After the foundation 

 of Tenochtitlan, an Azteck scours the border of 

 the lake, to kill some animal for an offering 

 to the god Mexitli ; he meets an inhabitant of 

 Colhuacan, called Xomimitl. Irritated against 

 his former masters, the Azteck attacks the Col- 

 huan: the conquered Xomimitl is led to the 



