54 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



the lake. At another feftival of the fame god, fhey 

 purchafed three little boys of fix or feven years of age, 

 Unit them up inhumanly in a cavern, and left them to 

 die of fear and hunger. 



The moil celebrated facrifice among the Mexicans 

 was that called by the Spaniards with much propriety 

 the gladiatorian. This was a very honourable death, 

 and only prifoners who were renowned for their bra- 

 very were permitted to die by it. Near to the greater 

 temple of large cities, in an open fpace of ground fuf- 

 ficient to contain an immenfe croud of people, was a 

 round terrace, eight feet high, upon which was placed 

 a large round flone, refembling a mill-ftone in figure, 

 but greatly larger, and almoft three feet high, well pol- 

 ifhed, with figures cut upon it (n). On this (tone, 

 which was called the Temalacatl, the prifoner was 

 placed, armed with a fliield and a fliort fword, and tied 

 by one foot. A Mexican officer or foldier, better ac- 

 coutred in arms, mounted to combat with him. Every 

 one will be able to imagine the efforts made by the def~ 

 perate victim to defend his life, and alfo thofe of the 

 Mexican to fave his honour and reputation, before the 

 multitude of people that affembled at fuch a fpe£acle. 

 If the prifoner remained vanquiflied, immediately a 

 prieft named Chalchiuhtepehua, carried him dead or alive 

 to the altar of the common facrifices, opened his breaft, 

 and took out his heart, while the vi&or was applauded 

 by the affembly, and rewarded by the king with fome 

 military honour. But if the prifoner conquered fix dif- 

 ferent combatants, who came fuccelfively to fight with 



him, 



(«) The form of the edifices rcprefented in the plate of the gladiatorian fa- 

 crifice is a mere caprice of the defigner ; there never was any thing elfe than 

 the terrace and the battlements. 



