HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



45 



infers. They prefented this diabolical mixture in fmall 

 veffels to their gods, and afterwards rubbed their bodies 

 with it. When thus anointed, they became fearlefs to 

 every danger, being perfuaded they were rendered inca- 

 pable of receiving any hurt from the moft noxious rep- 

 tiles of the earth, or the wildeft beafts of the woods. 

 They called it Teopatli, or divine medicament, and ima- 

 gined it to be a powerful remedy for feveral diforders ; 

 on which account thofe who were tick, and the young 

 children, went frequently to the priefts to be anointed 

 with it. The young lads who were trained up in the 

 feminaries were charged with the collecting of fuch kind 

 of little animals ; and by being accuftomed at an early 

 age to that kind of employment, they foon loft the hor- 

 ror which attends the firft familiarity with fuch reptiles. 

 The priefts not only made ufe of this unction, but had 

 likewife a ridiculous fuperftitious practice of blowing 

 with their breath over the fick, and made, them drink 

 water which they had bleffed after their manner. The 

 priefts of the god Ixtlilton, were remarkable for this 

 cuftom. 



The priefts obferved many fafts and great aufterity of 

 life; they never were intoxicated with drinking, and 

 feldom ever tafted wine. The priefts of Tezcatzoncatl 

 as foon as the daily finging in praife of their god was 

 over, laid a heap of three hundred and three canes 

 on the ground, correfponding to the number of lingers^ 

 of which heap only one was bored ; every perfon lifted 

 one, and he who happened to take up the cane which 

 was bored, was the only perfon who tafted the wine* 

 All the time that they were employed in the fervice of 

 the temple, they abftained from all other women but 

 their wives ; they even affected fo much modefty and re- 



ferve, 



