254* 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



tions. The atolli is a gruel of maize, after it has been 

 boiled, well-ground, diffolved in water, and drained. 

 They put the ftrained liquor over a fire, and give it an- 

 other boiling until it becomes of a certain thicknefs. 

 The Spaniards think it infipid to the tafte, but they give 

 it commonly to fick perfons, as a mod falutary food, 

 fweetening it with a little fugar, inftead of honey, which 

 is ufed by the Indians. To them it is fo grateful they 

 cannot live without it. It was formerly and ftill is their 

 breakfaft, and with it they bear the fatigues of agricul- 

 ture, and other fervile offices, in which they are em- 

 ployed. Hernandez defcribes eighteen fpecies of atolli, 

 which differ both with regard to the feafoning ingredi- 

 ents, and the manner of preparing them. 



Next to maize, the vegetables moft in ufe were the 

 cacao, the chia, and the French bean. Of the cacao 

 they made feveral common drinks, and among others 

 that which they called Chocolatl, They ground equal 

 quantities of the cacao and the feeds of PochotI, put 

 them both with a proportionable quantity of water into 

 a little pot, in which they ftirred and turned them with 

 that little indented inftrument of wood, which the Ita- 

 lians call frullo, the Spaniards molinillo, and the Englilh 

 milling- stick ; then they poured off the floating oily part 

 into another veffel. 



Into the remainder they put a handful of pafte of 

 boiled maize, and boiled it for a certain time, after 

 which they mixed it with the oily part, and took it when 

 it was cool. This is the origin of the famous chocolate, 

 which the cultivated nations of Europe have ufed in 

 imitation of them, as well as the name and inftruments 

 for making it ; although the name is a little corrupted, 

 and the drink altered according to the language and 



tafte 



