HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



57 



The Mexicans were accuflomed at their feftivals to 

 clothe the vi&im in the fame drefs and badges in which 

 they dreffed that god to whom the facrifice was made ; 

 thus habited, the victim went round the city demanding 

 alms for the temple, accompanied with a guard of fol- 

 diers. If any one accidentally made his efcape, the cor* 

 poral of the guard was fubftituted in his ftead as a pu- 

 nifhment for his careleffnefs. They ufed alfo to feed and 

 fatten the victims, as they did feveral animals for the 

 table. 



The religion of the Mexicans was not confined to thefe 

 facrifices ; offerings were made of various kinds of ani- 

 mals. They facriflced quails and falcons to their god 

 Huitzilopochtli, and hares, rabbits, deer, and coyotos, 

 to their god Mixcoatl. They daily made an offering of 

 quails to the fun. Every day as the fun was about to 

 rife, feveral priefts, ftanding on the upper area of the 

 temple, with their faces towards the eaft, each with a 

 quail in his hand, faluted that luminary's appearance with 

 mufic, and made an offering of the quails after cutting 

 off their heads. This facrifice was fucceeded by the 

 burning of incenfe, with a loud accompaniment of mu- 

 fical inftruments. 



In acknowledgment of the power of their gods, they 

 alfo made offerings of various kinds of plants, flowers, 

 jewels, gums, and other inanimate fubftances. To their 

 gods Tlaloc and Coatlicue they offered the firft-blown 

 flowers ; and to Centeotl, the firft maize of every year. 

 They made oblations of bread, various pafles, and ready 

 dreffed victuals in fuch abundance, as to be fufEcient to 

 fupply all the minifters of the temple. Every morning 

 were feen at the foot of the altars innumerable diflies 

 and porringers of boiling food, that the fleams arifing 



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