58 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



from them might reach the noflrils of the idols, and 

 nourifli their immortal gods. 



The mod frequent oblation, however, was that of 

 copal. All daily burned incenfe to their idols ; no houfc 

 was without cenfers. The priefts in the temple, fathers 

 of families in their houfes, and judges in their tribunals, 

 whenever they pronounced fentence in an important 

 caufe, whether civil or criminal, offered incenfe to the 

 four principal winds. But incenfe-ofFering among the 

 Mexicans, and other nations of Anahuac, was not only 

 an aft of religion towards their gods, but alfo a piece 

 of civil courtefy to lords and ambaffadors. 



The fuperflition and cruelties of the Mexicans were 

 imitated by all the nations which they conquered, or 

 that were contiguous to the empire, without any differ- 

 ence, except that the number of facrifkes amongft thofe 

 nations was lefs, and that particular circumflances fome- 

 times attended them. The Tlafcalans, at one of their 

 feflivals, fixed a prifoner to a high crofs, and mot arrows 

 at him ; and upon another occafion, they tied a prifoner 

 to a low crofs, and killed him by the baftinado. 



The facrifkes celebrated every fourth year by the 

 Quauhtitlans in honour of the god of fire, were inhu- 

 man and dreadful. A day before the feflival, they 

 planted fix very lofty trees in the under area of the tem- 

 ple, facrificed two flaves, flripped their ikins off, and 

 took out the bones of their thighs. The next day two 

 eminent priefls, clothed themfelves in the bloody ikins, 

 took the bones in their hands, and defcended with fo- 

 lemn fleps and difmal howlings, down the flairs of the 

 temple. The people who were affembled in crouds be- 

 low, called out in a loud voice, " Behold there come- 

 ©ur gods." As foon as they reached the lower area, 



they 



