HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



213 



The mcft effential point of this performance confifted 

 in proportioning fo juflly the height of the tree with the 

 length of the ropes, that the flyers fhould reach the 

 ground with thirteen revolutions, to reprefent by fuch 

 number their century of fifty-two years, compofed in the 

 manner we have already mentioned. This celebrated 

 diverfion is fiill in ufe in that kingdom; but no particu- 

 lar attention is paid to the number of the revolutions, 

 or the flyers ; as the frame is commonly fexagonal, or 

 octagonal, and the flyers fix or eight in number. In 

 fome places they put a rail round the frame, to prevent 

 accidents which were frequent after the conqueft ; as the 

 Indians became much given to drinking, and ufed to 

 mount the tree when intoxicated with wine or brandy, 

 and were unable to keep their flation on fo great a 

 height, which was ufually fixty feet. 



Amongft the private games of the Mexicans, the moft 

 common and mod eftcemed was one refembling football. 

 The place where they played at it, which they called 

 flachcoy was, according to the defcription given us by 

 Torquemada, a plain fquare fpace of ground, about 

 eighteen perches in length, and proportionably broad, 

 enclofed within four walls, which were thicker below 

 than above, and the fide walls were built higher than the 

 others, and well whitened and polifhed. They were 

 crowned all round with battlements, and on the lower 

 wall flood two idols, which they placed there at mid- 

 night with different fuperflitious ceremonies, and before 

 they ever played in it the place was bleflfed by the priefts, 

 with other forms of the fame nature. 



Thus Torquemada defcribes it ; but in four or more 

 paintings which we have feen, the draught of this game 

 reprefenis it fuch as we have given it in our figures, 



which 



