70 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



On the fitJI day of the fecond month, which, in the 

 firft year of their century, correfponded to the 18th of 

 March (d), they made a mod folemn feftival to the god 

 Xipe, the facrifices offered at which were extremely 

 cruel. They dragged the victims by their hair to the 

 upper area of the temple, where, after they were fa- 

 crificed in the ufual manner, they ikinned them, and the 

 priefts clothed themfelves in their ikins, and appeared 

 for fome days in thefe bloody coverings. The owners 

 of' prifoners that were facrificed, were bound to fad 

 for twenty days, after which they made great banquets, 

 at which they dreffed the flefli of the victims. The 

 dealers of gold or filver were facrificed along with pri- 

 foners, the law of the kingdom having ordained that 

 punifhment for them. The circumftance of fkinning 

 the victims, obtained to this month the name of Tlacax- 

 ipehualiztli, or the ikinning of men. At this feftival, 

 the military went through feveral exercifes of arms and 

 practices of war, and the nobles celebrated with fongs 

 the glorious actions of their anceftors. In Tlafcala, the 

 nobles, as well as the plebeians had dances, at which 

 they were all dreffed in ikins of animals, and embroidery 

 of gold and filver. On account of thefe dances, which 

 were common to all ranks of people, they gave the fef- 

 tival as well as the month the name of Coailhuitl, or 

 the general feftival. 



In the third month, which began on the 7 th of April, 

 the fecond feftival of Tlaloc was celebrated with the fa- 

 crifice of fome children. The ikins of the victims 

 which were facrificed to the god Xipe, in the preceding 

 month, were carried in proceftion to a temple called 



Jopico, 



(d) Whenever we mention the correfpondence of the Mexican months wi.th 

 ours, it is to be underftood of thofe of the firft year of their century. 



Il 



