336 



APPENDIX. 



the world were to be ended, and the laft night they 

 performed the famous ceremony of the new fire. As 

 foon as they were alTured by the new fire, that a new 

 century, according to their belief, was granted to them 

 by the gods, they employed the thirteen following days, 

 in fupplying their kitchen utenfils, in farnifliing new 

 garments, in repairing their temples and houfes, and in 

 making every preparation for the grand feftivals of the 

 new century. Thefe thirteen days were the intercalary 

 days reprefented in their paintings by blue points ; tbey 

 were not included in the century jufl expired, nor in 

 that which was jufi: commencing, nor did they continue 

 in them their periods of days which they always reckon- 

 ed from the firft day to the lad day of the century. 

 When the intercalary days were elapfed, they began 

 the new century with the year i. Tochtli, and the day 

 I. Cipa6lli, upon the 26th day of our February, as 

 they did at the beginning of the preceding century. 

 We would not venture to relate thefe particulars, if we 

 were not fupported by the teftimony of Dr. Siguenza,. 

 who, in addition to his great learning, his critical fidll 

 and fincerity, was the perfon who moft diligently ex- 

 erted himfelf to illuflrate thefe points, and confulted 

 both the befl: inftru6led Mexicans and Tezcucans, and 

 ftudied their hiftories and paintings. 



THE 



