country.

The rest of the body is cut into pieces, as the gestures of the slave showed, but the belly and entrails are untouched; no doubt for fear of corruption. The head of the enemy sacrificed in this wise is stripped of its flesh and set in gold, after which the victor keeps it as a trophy. They are even accustomed to make as many little golden heads with half-opened mouths as it is proven each has killed or sacrificed enemies, and these they wear round their neck. It is believed the members are eaten.

Ribera affirms that he knows the principal vassals of Muteczuma were accustomed to live on human flesh, and he also suspected that Muteczuma himself did. Nevertheless he always abstained in the presence of the Spaniards, doubtless after they had given him to understand how odious and displeasing it was to the Divinity to kill a man, and much more so to eat him.

When this representation was finished, and while we were questioning Ribera concerning the customs and the greatness of these countries, the slave was taken into another room, where he donned his gala costume. He then appeared before us in another dress, holding in his left hand a golden toy with a thousand different ornaments, and in his right hand a circle of bells, which he shook, gaily raising and lowering his golden toy. He accompanied himself by singing a native air, and danced about the room where we were assembled to see him. The most curious thing to see was his representation of the salutations with which they honour their sovereigns when offering gifts. They approach, and with trembling voice and bowed head, never looking at the king and humbly prostrated, they spoke more or less in the following words: "King of Kings, master of the heavens and the earth, we bring you in the name of our city (or our fortress) this pledge of our obedience. Choose what suits you best. Do you wish that we should construct a palace for you, bringing stones, beams, and lumber, or do you prefer

that we should cultivate your properties? We are your slaves. We have been very badly treated by our neighbours, who are your enemies, for we defend your interests. But we have endured everything without grumbling, for we desire to become obedient and faithful. This is the cause of our misfortunes."

While we were still questioning Ribera the slave appeared a third time; he now played the part of a drunkard, and never was the rôle more faithfully sustained. When the Indians hope to obtain what they desire from the gods, they assemble to the number of two or three thousand, and intoxicate themselves with the juice of an herb; after which they rush naked through the streets, and squares of the town, clutching at the walls, to sustain themselves and asking their way home of those whom they meet. Some spit, others puke, and oftener still they fall to the ground. But this is enough concerning that slave.

Ribera had vaguely heard of a region amongst the northern mountains exclusively inhabited by women, but nothing could be less positive. What might argue in favour of the truth of this story is that the land is called Yguatlan; for ygua in their language means woman, and lan means master. Hence it is believed to be the country of women. While the slave was preparing his several representations, Ribera cited as proof of Muteczuma's power, the large number of interpreters and envoys frorn different provinces who resided permanently at court, to represent their master's interests. It is precisely the same as in Europe where counts, marquesses, and dukes, form the emperor's court.

Though they are frivolous things, it may not be out of place to say something of their games. It is known that they have chess-boards, from the representations of them seen on their draperies, but the most popular game amongst them, as amongst the people of our own islands, is a game

of tennis. Their balls are made of the juice' of a vine that climbs over the trees, as hop vines clamber amongst the hedges. They cook the juice of these plants until it hardens in the fire, after which each one shapes the mass as he pleases, giving it the form he chooses. It is alleged that the roots of this herb when cooked give them their weight; at all events I do not understand how these heavy balls are so elastic that when they touch the ground, even though lightly thrown, they spring into the air with the most incredible leaps. The natives are most skilful players at this exercise, catching the ball on their shoulders, elbows, heads, rarely their hands, and sometimes their hips, if their opponents throw when their backs are turned. When playing tennis they strip, as do our wrestlers.

Instead of candles and torches, they burn pine resin, but do not use soot, grease, or oil. Neither do they make any use of wax, although they have both wax and honey, which they have only learned to use since our arrival. In the palaces of the king and the great lords, there are fires burning throughout the night. Servants appointed for the service take turns in feeding them by continually putting on wood, and in keeping the flame burning on a lofty copper candelabra. One of these candelabra stands in the vestibule of the palace, another in the first court which serves as a waiting-room for the courtiers, and the third is in the sovereign's sleeping chamber. Any one wishing to move about takes a torch in his hands, just as we do a candle. In the islands they use turtle fat for their candles, just as we use grease.

The common people restrict themselves to one wife, but the chiefs may keep as many concubines as they choose. Only the princes sleep in beds, the others upon masses of flowers thrown on the floor, or on cotton carpets, using cotton coverlets. Ribera has shown us a number of these covers.

' Meaning rubber, of which mention is here made for the first time.

The natives are acquainted with figures and measures, but not with weights. I have already often said that they have books, of which a number have been brought here.' Ribera states that these books are not written to be read, but are various collections of designs the jewellers keep to copy in making ornaments, or decorating coverlets and dresses. Spanish needlewomen, as well as all women who do fine embroidery of roses, flowers, and other pretty designs in silk on linen, keep such models on stuffs which serve to train the young apprentices. I hardly know what to believe, because of the great variety one observes in these books, but I think they must be books whose characters and designs have a meaning, for have I not seen on the obelisks in Rome characters which are considered letters, and do not we read that the Chaldeans formerly had a similar writing?

I remember to have written above that Muteczuma, at the suggestion of Cortes, had ordered his architects to build a palace near the sea, sixty leagues from the capital. Two hundred cocoa-trees and numerous measures of maize had been planted; ducks, geese, and domestic peacocks had been stocked there, and farm houses had been constructed near the residence. When the Spaniards were expelled from Temistitan, the barbarians massacred all our compatriots who had been left there, and carried off everything they found.

According to Ribera the following are the advantages

' Consult Zelia Nuttall's Analysis of Mexican Inscriptions and Paintings; Aubin's Mémoire sur la peinture didactique et l'écriture figurative des anciens Méxicains. Seler's article in the Revue d'Ethographie, 1889. Also the valuable work of Borunda published in Rome in 1898 by the munificence of the Duc de Loubat. Numerous partial or entire reproductions of such Mexican books as escaped the wholesale destruction that followed the Conquest exist; notably the Codices Borgianus, Tellerianus, and Mendoza. Also in Orozco y Berra's Anales del Museo Nacional de Mexico; Brasseur de Bourbourg's Manuscrit Troane; Raynaud's Monuments pre-colombiens; Chavero's, Antiquidades Mexicanos, and Histoire de la Nation Méxicaine depuis le départ d'Aztlan.

of the drinkable and the salt water of the lake. The fish living in the salt water are smaller and have less flavour. When the salt-water current runs into the fresh, the fish of the former return to their native habitat as soon as they taste the fresh water, and the fresh-water fish do likewise when they taste the salt water. Ribera has informed us that the ancient rites have been modified, and how the natives conformed to the sudden changes in their ceremonies. He enumerated the idols the conquerors had destroyed, and informs us that human sacrifices are prohibited. The natives display a good disposition, and seem persuaded that it is no longer necessary to murder men to obtain heavenly favours. Nevertheless Ribera does not believe that it is yet the moment to change suddenly the hereditary practice. It is a good result to have obtained that the people of Tascalteca and Guazuzingo, as well as our other allies, no longer publicly give themselves up to these butcheries of human flesh; whether they abstain in secret or not, is not so certain. It is hoped that, little by little, these ancient ceremonies, will disappear. Priests, bells, and sacred vestments are wanted, all of which will be sent, and several thousand converts will kneel before the throne of Your Holiness.