1^4 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



which had formed themfelves during their migration. 

 This difcord, which was tranfmitted from father to fon, 

 at laft burfl violently out in 1338. One of the faftions 

 not being longer able to endure the other, refolved to 

 feparate themfelves ; but not having it in their power to 

 remove fo far as their rage fuggefted, they went towards 

 the North to refide on a little illand at a fmall diftance, 

 which they named Xaltilolco^ from finding a great heap 

 of fand there, and afterwards, from a terrace which they 

 made, Tlatelolco^ a name which it ftill preferves (/>}. 

 Thofe who eftabliflied themfelves on that fmall ifland, 

 which was afterwards united to that of Tenochtitlan^ 

 had, at that time, the name of Tlatelolcas, and thofe 

 who remained in the firft fituation called themfelves 

 Tenochcas ; but we fliall call them Mexicans, as all hif- 

 torians do. 



A little before, or a little after this event, the Mexi- 

 cans divided their miferable city into four quarters, affign- 

 ing to each its tutelar god, belides the protecting god of 

 the whole nation. This divifion fubfifls at prefent under 

 the names of St. Paul, St. Sebaftian, St. John, and St. 

 Mary {q). In the centre of thefe quarters was the fanc- 

 tuary of Huitzilopochtli, to whom they daily performed 

 a£ls of adoration. 



In honour of that falfe divinity at this period they 

 made an abominable facrifice which is not to be thought 



of 



(/>) The ancients reprefented Tlatelolco in their pidlures by the figure of a 

 heap of fand. If this had been known by thofe who undertook the interpreta- 

 tion of the Mexican pidlures, which were pubUfhed with the letters of Cortes 

 at Mexico, in 1770, they would not have called this place Tlatiloko, which name 

 they have interpreted oven. 



(y) The quarter of St. Paul was called by the Mexicans Teopan and Xochlmll- 

 ca ; that of Sebaftian, Atzacualco ; that of St. John, Moyotla ; and that of St. 

 Mary , Cuepopan and Tlaquichiuchcan. 



