86 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



in painted paper, which was befmeared with elaftic 

 gum, and carried them in proceflion in litters, after 

 which they facrificed them in the ufual manner. 



In the fourteenth month, which commenced on the 

 13th of November, was the feftival of Mixcoatl, god- 

 defs of the chace. It was preceded by four days of 

 rigid and general fading, accompanied with the effufion 

 of blood, during which time they made arrows and 

 darts for the fupply of their arfenals, and alfo certain 

 fmall arrows which they placed together with pieces of 

 pine, and fome meats, upon the tombs of their relations, 

 and after one day burned them. When the faft was 

 over, the inhabitants of Mexico and Tlatelolco went 

 out to a general chace in one of the neighbouring moun- 

 tains, and all the animals which they caught were 

 brought, with great rejoicings to Mexico, where they 

 were facrificed to Mixcoatl ; the king himfelf was pre- 

 fent not only at the facrifice, but likewife at the chace. 

 They gave to this month the name of £>uecholli 9 be- 

 caufe at this feafon the beautiful bird which went 

 amongft them by that name, and by many called fiam- 

 mingo, made its appearance on the banks of the Mexi- 

 can lake. 



In the fifteenth month, the beginning of which was 

 on the 3d day of December, the third and principal 

 feftival of Huitzilopochtli and his brother, was celebrat- 

 ed. On the firft day of the month, the priefts formed 

 two ftatues of thofe two gods, of different feeds parted 

 together, with the blood of children that had been fa- 

 crificed, in which in the place of bones they fubftituted 

 pieces of the wood of acacia. They placed thefe fta- 

 tues upon the principal altar of the temple, and during 

 the whole of that night the priefts kept watch. The 



day 



