298 



HISTORY OF MEXICa. 



before the idol of HQitzilopochtli, where the priefts 

 opened his breaft and took out his heart, and threw the 

 body down the flair of the temple according to the efta- 

 blifhed rites. Thus fell this famous general, whofe cou- 

 rage and fidelity to his country, had he lived in more 

 enlightened times, would have raifed him high in the 

 rank of heroes. 



During the time in which war was carrying on againft 

 the Tlafcalans, fome provinces of the empire were dif- 

 treffed with a famine, occafioned by two years of dry 

 weather. All the grain which individuals polTefTed be- 

 ing confumed, the king had an opportunity of (hewing 

 his liberality ; he opened all his granaries, and diftribut- 

 ed among his fubje6ls all the maize which was in them ; 

 but this not being fufficient to relieve their neceffities, in 

 imitation of Montezuma I. he permitted them to go to 

 other countries to procure their fubflftence. The follow- 

 ing year, 1505, having had an abundant harveft, the 

 Mexicans went to war againft Guatemala, a province up- 

 wards of nine hundred miles diftant from Mexico in the 

 fouth-eaft. During the continuance of this war, occa- 

 fioned probably by fome hoftilities offered to fome of the 

 fubje6ls of the crown, the building of a temple, creeled in 

 honour of the goddefs Centiotl^ was finiftied at Mexico, 

 the confecration of which was celebrated with the facri- 

 lice of the prifoners made in that war. 



They had, during this feafon alfo, enlarged the road 

 upon the lake from Chapol tepee to Mexico, and repaired 

 the aqueduct which was upon that road, but the rejoic- 

 ings which the conclufion of fuch a labour excited were 

 interrupted by the turret of another temple, called Za- 

 mollis being fet on fire by lightning. The inhabitants of 

 that part of the city which was moft diftant from the 



temple. 



