160 



IIISTORY OF MEXICO. 



Mexicans felt from fo unworthy an infult, referving their 

 revenge for another occafion, inftead of fuch filth they 

 placed upon the altar a knife of itzli, and an odo- 

 riferous herb^ The day of confecration being arriv- 

 ed, the petty king of Colhua, and his nobility failed 

 not to be prefent, not to do honour to the feftival, but 

 to make a mockery of his flaves. The Mexicans began 

 this function with a folemn dance, in which they ap- 

 peared in their befl: garments, and while the byftanders 

 were mofl: fixed in attention, they brought out the four 

 Xochimilca prifoners, whom they had till then kept con- 

 cealed, and after having made them dance a little, they 

 facrificed them upon a ftone^ breaking their bread with 

 the knife of itzli, and tearing out their heart, which, 

 whilft yet warm and beating they offered to their god. 



This human facrifice, the firfl: of the kind which we 

 know to have been made in that country, excited fuch 

 horror in the Colhuas, that having returned inftantly 

 to Colhuacan, they determined to difmifs flaves who 

 were fo cruel, and might in future become deftruftive 

 to the ftate ; on which Coxcox, fo was the petty king 

 named, fent orders to them to depart immediately out 

 of that diftri^t, and go wherever they might be moft 

 inclined. The Mexicans willingly accepted their dif- 

 chargc from flavery, and direfting their courfe towards 

 the north, came to Acatzitzintlan, a place fituated be- 

 tween two lakes, named afterwards Mexicaitzinco, 

 which name is almoft the fame with that ' of Mexico^ 

 and was given to it without doubt from the fame mo- 

 tive, as we fliall fee fhortly, which made them give it 

 to their capital ; but not finding in that fituation the 

 conveniences they defired, or being inclined to remove 

 farther from the Colhuas, they proceeded to Iztacalco, 



approaching 



