HISTORY OF MEXICO. 85 



Iebrate his arrival with hymns and dances, which were 

 repeated all the reft of the night. On the two days fol- 

 lowing, other gods fuccefllvely arrived, and on the twen- 

 tieth and laft day, when they believed that all their 

 gods were come, a number of youths dreffed in the 

 form of various monfters, danced around a large fire, 

 into which, from time to time, they threw prifoners, 

 who were there confumed as burnt facrifices. At fun- 

 fet they made great entertainments, at which they drank 

 more than ufual, imagining, that the wine with which 

 they filled their bellies, would ferve to wafh the feet of 

 their gods. To fuch exceffes did the barbarous fuper- 

 ftitioft of thofe people lead ! Nor was the ceremony 

 which they pra&ifed, in order to preferve their chil- 

 dren from the evil which they dreaded from one of their 

 gods, lefs extravagant : this was the cuftom of flicking 

 a number of feathers on their fhoulders, their arms, 

 and legs, by means of turpentine. 



In the thirteenth month, which began on the 24th 

 of October, the feftival of the gods of water and the 

 mountains, was celebrated. The name Tepcilhuitl, 

 which was given to this month, fignified only the fefti- 

 val of the mountains. They made little mountains of 

 paper, on which they placed fome little ferpents made 

 of wood, or of roots of trees, and certain fmall idols 

 called Ehecatotontin, covered with a particular pafte. 

 They put both upon the altars and worfliipped them, as 

 the images of the gods of the mountains, fung hymns to 

 them, and prefented copal and meats to them. The 

 prifoners who were facrificed at this feftival were five in 

 number, one man and four women ; to each of which a 

 particular name was given, alluding, probably, to fome 

 myftery of which we are ignorant. They clothed them 



in 



