HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



73 



head of the idol. This cord, the emblem of drought, 

 which they defired to prevent, was called Toxcatl, which 

 name was likewife given to the month on account of this 

 ceremony. All the youths and virgins of the temple, as 

 well as the nobles of the court, carried fimilar wreaths 

 about their necks and in their hands. Then followed a 

 procefTion through the lower area of the temple, where 

 flowers and odoriferous herbs were fcattered ; two priefts 

 offered incenfe to the idol, which two others carried up- 

 on their fhoulders. In the mean while the people kept 

 kneeling, ftriking their backs with thick knotted cords. 

 When the proceflion finifhed, and alfo their difcipline, 

 they carried back the idol to the altar, and made abun- 

 dant offerings to it of gold, gems, flowers, feathers, ani- 

 mals, and provifions, which were prepared by the vir- 

 gins and other women, who, on account of fome parti- 

 cular vow, aflifted for that day in the fervice of the tem- 

 ple. Thefe provifions were carried in proceflion by the 

 fame virgins, who were led by a refpectable prieft, 

 dreffed in a ftrange fantaftical habit, and laftly the youths 

 carried them to the habitations of the priefts for whom 

 they had been prepared. 



Afterwards they made the facrifice of the victim re- 

 prefenting the god Tezcatlipoca. This victim was the 

 handfomeft and beft fhaped youth of all the prifoners. « 

 They fele&ed him a year before the feftival, and during 

 that whole time he was always dreffed in a fimilar habit 

 with the idol ; he was permitted to go round the city, 

 but always accompanied by a ftrong guard, and was 

 adored every where, as the living image of that fupreme 

 divinity. Twenty days before the feftival, this youth 

 married four beautiful girls, and on the five days pre- 

 ceding the feftival, they gave him fumptuous entertain- 



Vol. II. K ments, 



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