HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



105 



which account they burned all the habits which the 

 deceafed had worn during life, their, arms, and fome 

 houfehold goods, in order that the heat of this fire might 

 defend them from the cold of that terrible wind. 



One of the chief and mod ridiculous ceremonies at 

 funerals was the killing a techichi, a do medic quadru- 

 ped, which we have already mentioned, refembling a 

 little dog, to accompany the deceafed in their journey 

 to the other world. They fixed a firing about its neck, 

 believing that necefTary to enable it to pafs the deep 

 river of Chiuhnahuapan, or New Waters. They bu- 

 ried the techichi, or burned it along with the body of 

 its mafter, according to the kind of death of which he 

 died. While the mafters of the ceremonies were 

 lighting up the fire in which the body was to be burned, 

 the other priefts kept finging in a melancholy ftrain. 

 After burning the body, they gathered the allies in an 

 earthen pot, amongft which, according to the circum- 

 ftances of the deceafed, they put a gem of more or lefs 

 value ; which they faid would ferve him in place of a 

 heart in the other world. They buried this earthen 

 pot in a deep ditch, and fourfcore days after made ob- 

 lations of bread and wine over it. 



Such were the funeral rites of the common people ; 

 but at the death of kings, and that of lords, or perfons 

 of high rank, fome peculiar forms were obferved that 

 are worthy to be mentioned. When the king fell 

 fick, fays Gomara, they put a mafk on the idol of Hu- 

 itzilopochtli, and alfo one on the idol of Tezcatlipoca, 

 which they never took off until the king was either 

 dead or recovered ; but it is certain, that the idol of 

 Huitzilopochtli had always two mafks, not one. As 

 foon as a king of Mexico happened to die, his death 



Vol. II. O was 



