136 
were attributed three heads, because, like the 
Trimurti of the Hindoos, he contained three 
pei*sons, who formed only one divinity ; others 
bore the emblems of Chia^ the wife of Bochica, 
Isis, or the Moon ; others were covered with 
masks resembling frogs, in allusion to the first 
sign of the year, ata; finally others represented 
the monster Fomagata, the symbol of evil, 
figured with one eye, four ears, and a long tail. 
This Fomagata, whose name in the Chibcha 
language signifies fire, or melted matter in a state 
of ebullition, was considered as an evil spirit. 
He travelled through the air, between Tunja 
and Sogamozo, and transformed men into ser- 
pents, lizards, and tigers. According to other 
traditions Fomagata was originally a cruel 
prince, whom, to secure the succession to his 
brother Tusatua, Bochica caused to be treated 
on the night of his nuptials, as Uranus had been 
by Saturn. We are ignorant what constellation 
bears the name of this phantom ; but Mr. Du- 
quesne thinks, that the Indians attach to it the 
confused remembrance of the appearance of a 
comet. When the procession, which reminds us 
of the astrological processions of the Chinese*, and 
that of the feast of Isis, had reached the ex- 
tremity of the suna, the victim was tied to the 
column we have already mentioned, a cloud of 
* Sonclct, tom. iii, p. 33. 
