217 
himself. The Aztecks professed to be flattered 
n 
with this offer ; but they resolved at the same 
time to make a sacrifice, which should strike 
terror into their masters. After a long dance 
around their idol, they brought forth four 
Xochimileks, prisoners, whom they had kept 
hidden a long time : these miserable captives 
were immolated with the ceremonies still ob- 
served at the time of the conquest by the Spa- 
niards, on the platform of the great pyramid 
of Tenochtitlan, which was dedicated to the 
same god of war, Huitzilopochtli. The Col- 
huans signified their just abhorrence of this 
human sacrifice, the first which had been made 
in their country: but fearing the ferocity of 
their slaves, and seeing them puffed up with 
pride at the success obtained in the war against 
the Xochimileks, they gave the Aztecks their 
liberty, enjoining them to quit the territory of 
Colhuacan. 
The first sacrifice had happy effects for a 
nation that was oppressed ; vengeance soon 
gave birth to a second. After the foundation 
of Tenochtitlan, an Azteck scours the border of 
the lake, to kill some animal for an offering 
to the god Mexitli ; he meets an inhabitant of 
Colhuacan, called Xomimitl. Irritated against 
his former masters, the Azteck attacks the Col- 
huan: the conquered Xomimitl is led to the 
