60 HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



of their bodies, particularly their ears, lips, tongue, and 

 the fat of their arms and legs. Through the holes 

 which they made with thefe fpines, they introduced 

 pieces of cane, the firft of which were fmall pieces, but 

 every time this penitential fuffering was repeated, a thick- 

 er piece was ufed. The blood which flowed from them 

 was carefully collected in leaves of the plant acxojatl (r). 

 They fixed the bloody fpines in little balls of hay, which 

 they expofed upon the battlements of the walls of the 

 temple, to teftify the penance which they did for the peo- 

 ple. Thofe who exercifed fuch feverities upon them- 

 felves within the inclofure of the greater temple of 

 Mexico, bathed themfelves in a pond that was formed 

 there, which from being always tinged with blood was 

 called Eztipan. There was a certain fixed number of 

 canes to be made ufe of on this occafion, which, after 

 being once ufed were preferved as atteflations of their 

 penitence. Befides thofe and other auflere practices of 

 which we {hail treat fhortly, watching and failing was 

 very frequent amongfl the Mexicans. A feftival hardly 

 occurred for which they did not prepare themfelves 

 with falling for fome days, more or lefs, according to 

 the prefcriptions of their ritual. From all that is to be 

 inferred from their hiflory, their falling confided in ab- 

 flaining from flefli and wine, and in eating but once a 

 day - y this fome did at mid-day, others after that time, 

 and fom€ tailed nothing till evening. Fading was ge- 

 nerally accompanied with watching and the efFufion of 

 blood, and then no perfon was permitted to have com- 

 merce with any woman, not even with his own wife. 



Some 



(r) Acxojatl is a tree of feveral upright ftems, with long leaves, which are 

 ftrong and fymmetrically difpofed. They made formerly and ftill make excel- 

 lent brooms of this plant. 



