HISTORY OF MEXICO. 83 



order to deaden their fenfes, that their torments might 

 be Jefs painful. Then they began the dance, each with 

 his vi&im upon his back, and one after the other threw 

 them into a large fire kindled in the area, from which 

 they foon after drew them with hooks of wood, to 

 complete the facrifice upon the altar in the ordinary 

 way. The Mexicans gave to this month the name of 

 Xocobuetzi, which fignifies the maturity of the fruits. 

 The Tlafcalans called the ninth month Miccailheuitl^ or 

 the feftival of the dead ; becaufe in it they made obla- 

 tions for the fouls of the deceafed ; and the tenth month 

 Hueimkcailhuitl) or the grand feftival of the dead ; be- 

 caufe in that they wore mourning, and made lamenta- 

 tion for the death of their anceftors. 



Five days before the commencement of the eleventh 

 month, which began on the 14th of September, all 

 feftivals ceafed. During the firft eight days of the 

 month, was a dance, but without mufic or finging ; 

 every one directing his movements according to his own 

 pleafure. After this period was elapfed, they clothed 

 a female prifoner in the habit of Teteoinan, or the mo- 

 ther of the gods, whofe feftival was celebrating ; the 

 prifoner was attended by many women, and particular- 

 ly by the midwives, who for four whole days employed 

 themfelves to amufe and comfort her. When the prin- 

 cipal day of the feftival was arrived, they led this wo- 

 man to the upper area of the temple of that goddefs, 

 where they facrificed her ; but this was not performed 

 in the ufual mode, nor upon the common altar where 

 other victims were facrificed, for they beheaded her 

 upon the fhoulders of another woman, and ftripped her 

 ikin off, which a youth, with a numerous attendance, 

 carried to prefent to the idol of Huitzilopochtli, in me- 

 mory 



