HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



255 



tafte of each nation. The Mexicans ufed to put in 

 their chocolate, and other drinks which they made of 

 the cacao, the Tlilxochitl, or vaniglia, the flower of the 

 Xochinacaztli (£), and the fruit of the Mecaxochitl (/), 

 and fometimes alfo honey, as the Europeans put fugar, 

 both to render it palatable and more wholefome. 



Of the feed of the chia they made a moll refrefliing 

 drink, which is (till very common in that kingdom ; and 

 of this feed alfo, with maize, they made the chianzot- 

 ^oolatelli, which was an exquifite drink much ufed by 

 the ancients, particularly in time of war. The foldier, 

 who carried with him a little bag of flour of maize and 

 chia, thought himfelf amply provided. When necef- 

 fary, he boiled the quantity he wiftied for, mixing a lit- 

 tle honey of the maguei with it; and by means of this 

 delicious and nourifliing beverage (as Hernandez calls 

 it), endured the ardour of the fun and the fatigues of 

 war. 



The Mexicans did not eat fo much flefh as the Euro- 

 peans ; neverthelefs upon occafion of any banquet, and 

 daily at the tables of the lords, different kinds of ani- 

 mals were ferved up ; fuch as deer, rabbits, Mexican 

 boars, Tuze, Te 1 chichi , which they fattened as the Euro- 

 peans do hogs and other animals of the land, the water, 

 and the air, but the mod common were turkies and 

 quails. 



The 



(i) The tree of the Xoch'macaztU has long, ftraight, narrow leaves, of a dark 

 green colour. Its flower confifts of fix petals, which are purple within, green 

 without, and pleafingly odorous. From the refemblance of their figure to an 

 car, they were called by this name among the Mexicans, and by the Spaniards 

 9rejuela > or little ear. The fruit is angular, and of a bloody colour, and grows 

 within a pod of fix inches in length, and about one inch thick. It is pecu- 

 liar to hot countries. The flower wa» greatly valued, and never wanting in 

 the markets. 



(I) The Meeaxochitl is a fmall flexible plant, whofe leaves are large aiid 

 thick, and the fruit refcmbles long pepper. 



