nettes, others brought instruments made of bones; others an instrument like a ketel covered with skin; some brought chafing-dishes of coals, with perfumes; others brought idols covered; and, finally, they al came singing in their language, which was a terrible noyse, and drew neere Cortes and his company, sensing them with sweete smelles in their sensers. With this pomp and solemnitie, which truely was great, they brought him unto the cittie.-Conquest of the Weast India.

Gage's account of Mexico is copied verbatim from this old translation, even, in some places, to the literal error of using the hard c instead of z, which the c with the cedilla represents.

Note 40, page 207, col. 1.

The Great Temple. T was a huge square bill. The great Cu of Mexico, for thus these mounds were called, had 114 steps to the summit: that of Tezcuco, 115; of Cholula, 120. Gold and jewels, and the different seeds of the country, and human blood, were thrown in the foundations. The Spaniards found great treasures when they raised the Cu at Mexico, to make room for a church to Santiago.-BERNAL DIAZ.

The lines which follow describe its structure, as related by Clavigero and by the Spanish Conquerors. The Tower of Babel is usually painted with the same kind of circuitous ascent.

Note 41, page 207, col. 2.

The Tambour of the God.

Gumilla (c. 36.) describes a prodigious drum used as a signal to assemble the people in time of danger, by some of the Orinoco tribes, especially by the Caverres, to whom the invention is ascribed. It is a hollowed piece of wood, in thickness about an inch, in girth as much as two men can clasp, in length about eleven or twelve feet. This is suspended by a withe at each end from a sort of gallows. On the upper surface are three apertures like those in a fiddle, and in the bottom of the instrument, immediately under the middle of the middle aperture, which is shaped like a half-moon, a flint about two pounds in weight is fastened with gum. This is said to be necessary to the sound. Both ends of this long tube are carefully closed, and it is beaten on the middle aperture with a pellet which is covered with a sort of gum called Currucay. Gumilla positively affirms, and on his own knowledge, that its sound may be heard four leagues round. This is scarcely possible. I doubt whether the loudest gong can be heard four miles, and it is not possible that wood can be made as sonorous as metal.

Note 42, page 207, col. 2.

Ten Cities hear its voice.

<«< There, in the great Cu, they had an exceeding large drum; and when they beat it, the sound was such and so dismal, that it was like an instrument of hell, and was heard for more than two leagues round. They said that the cover of that drum was made of the skin of huge serpents.»- BERNAL DIAZ.

After Cortes had been defeated, he always heard this drum when they were offering up the reeking hearts of his men. The account in Bernal Diaz, of their midnight sacrifice, performed by torch-light, and in the sight of the Spanish army, is truly terrific.

Note 43, page 207, col. 2. Four Towers

Were piled with buman skulls.

These skull-built temples are delineated in Picart's great work; I suppose he copied them from De Bry. They are described by all the historians of Mexico. Human heads have often been thus employed. Taver nier and Hanway had seen pyramids of them in Persia erected as trophies. The Casa dos Ossos at Evora gave me an idea of what these Mexican temples must have been. It is built of skulls and thigh-bones in alternate layers, and two whole bodies, dried and shrivelled, are hung up against the walls, like armour in an old baron's

hall.

Note 44, page 208, col. 1.

He lights me at my evening banquet.

The King of Chalco having treacherously taken and slain two sons of the King of Tetzcuco, had their bodies dried, and placed as candelabras in his palace, to hold the lights. TonQUEMADA, i, 151.

This same king wore round his neck a chain of human hearts set in gold-the hearts of the bravest men whom he had slain, or taken and sacrificed.—Ditto, 152.

The more usual custom was to stuff the skin of the royal or noble prisoner, and suspend it as a trophy in the palace, or the house of the priest. Gomara's account of this custom is a dreadful picture of the most barbarous superstition which ever yet disgraced mankind. << On the last day of the first month, a hundred slaves were sacrificed: this done, they pluckt off the skinnes of a certaine number of them, the which skinnes so many ancient persons put, incontinent, upon their naked bodies, all fresh and bloudy as they were leane from the dead carcases. And being open in the backe parte and shoulders, they used to lace them, in such sort that they came fitte uponn the bodies of those that ware them; and being in this order attired, they came to daunce among many others. In Mexico the King himself did put on one of these skinnes, being of a principall captive, and daunced among the other disguised persons, to exalte and honour the feast; and an infinite number followed him, to behold his terrible gesture; although some hold opinion, that they followed him to contemplate his greate devotion. After the sacrifice ended, the owner of the slaves did carry their bodies home to their houses, to make of their fleshe a solemne feaste to all their friendes, leaving their heads and hartes to the Priests, as their dutie and offering: and the skinnes were filled with cotton wool, or strawe, to be hung in the temple and kyng's palayce for a memorie.»-Conquest of the Weast India.

After the Inga Yupangui had successfully defended Cuzco against the Chancas, he had all of them who were slain skinned, and their skins stuffed and placed in various attitudes, some beating tambours, others blowing flutes, etc. in a large building which he erected as a monument for those who had fallen in defending the city.-HERRERA, 5. 3. 12.

Note 45, page 209, col. 1. Oh, what a pomp, And pride, and pageantry of war! Gomara thus describes the Tlascallan army : were trimme felowes, and wel armed, according to their

They

use, although they were painted so, that their faces shewed like divals, with great tuffes of feathers and triumphed gallantry. They had also slinges, staves, speares, swordes, bowes, and arrowes, skulles, splintes, gantlettes all of wood, gilte, or else covered with feathers, or leather; their corslets were made of cotton woole, their targettes and bucklers, gallant and strong, made of woode covered with leather, and trimmed with laton and feathers; theyr swordes were staves, with an edge of flint stone cunningly joyned into the staffe, which would cutte very well, and make a sore wounde. Their instruments of warre were hunters' hornes, and drummes, called attabals, made like a caldron, and covered with vellum.»-Conquest of the Weast India.

In the inventory of the treasure which Grijalva brought from his expedition are, a whole harness of furniture for an armed man, of gold thin beaten; another whole armour of wood, with leaves of gold, garnished with little black stones; four pieces of armour of wood, made for the knees, and covered with golden leaf. And among presents designed for the king, where five targets of feathers and silver, and 24 of feathers and gold, set with pearls, both curious and gallant to behold.

They piled a heap of sedge before our host. When the Spaniards discovered Campeche, the Indians heaped up a pile of dry sedge, and ranged themselves in troops. Ten Priests then came from a temple with censers and copal, wherewith they incensed the strangers; and then told them by signs to depart, before that pile, which they were about to kindle, should be burnt out. The pile was immediately lighted; the Priest withdrew without another word or motion, and the people began to whistle and sound their shells. The Spaniards were weak, and many of them wounded, and they prudently retired in peace.-BERNAL DIAZ, 3.

At the sacring of the Popes, when the new-elected Pope passeth (as the manner is) before St Gregory's chapel, the Master of the Ceremonies goeth before him, bearing two dry reeds, at the end of the one a burning

wax candle tied, and at the end of the other a handfull of flax, the which he setteth on fire, saying, with a loud voice, Pater Sancte, sic transit gloria mundi.—CAME

BARIUS.

Note 47, page 209, col. 1.

The Arrow of the Omen.

The Tlaxcaltecas had two arrows, which they regarded with great reverence, and used to augur the event of a battle. Two of their bravest Chiefs were to shoot them at the enemy, and recover them or die. If the arrow struck and wounded, it was held an omen that the fight would be prosperous; but if they neither struck, nor drew blood, the army retired.-Torquemada, i. 34.

This is more particularly noticed by Gomara. « In the warres the Tlascallans use their standerde to be carried behynde the army: but when the battyle is to be fought, they place the standerde where all the hoste may see it; and he that commeth not incontinent to hys ancient, payeth a penaltie. Their standerde hath two crosse bow arrowes set thereon, whiche they esteeme as the relikes of their ancestors. This standerde two olde soldiers, and valiant menne, being of the chiefest Captaynes, have the charge to carrie; in the which standerde, an abusion

The white deer-skin shroud. «The Indians use the same ceremonies to the bones of their dead, as if they were covered with their former skin, flesh, and ligaments. It is but a few days since I saw some return with the bones of nine of their people, who had been two months before killed by the enemy. They were tied in white deer-skins separately, and when carried by the door of one of the houses of their family, they were laid down opposite to it, till the female relations convened, with flowing hair, and wept over them about half an hour. Then they carried them home to their friendly magazines of mortality, wept over them again, and then buried them with the usual solemnities. The chieftains carried twelve short sticks, tied together in the form of a quadrangle, so that each square consisted of three. The sticks were only peeled, without any painting; but there were swan feathers tied to each corner. They called that frame the White Circle, and placed it over the door while the women were weeping over the bones. »>-ADAIR.

Note 50, page 210, col. 2.

'T was in her hut and home, yea, underneath
The marriage-bed, the bed of widowhood,
Her husband's grave was dug.

« The Mosqueto Indians, when they die, are buried in their houses, and the very spot they lay over when alive, and have their hatchet, harpoon lances, with mushelaw, and other necessaries, buried with them; but if the defunct leaves behind him a gun, some friend preserves that from the earth, that would soon damnify the powder, and so render it unserviceable in that strange journey. His boat, or dorea, they cut in pieces, and lay over his grave, with all the rest of his household goods, if he hath any more. If the deceased leave behind him no children, brothers, or parents, the cousins, or other his relations, cut up, or destroy his plantations, least any living should, as they esteem it, rob the dead.»—The Mosqueto Indian and his Golden River, by M. W. LINTOT, and OSBORN's Collection.

Note 51, page 210, col. 2.

On softest fur the bones were laid.

When the body is in the grave, they take care to

touch it. It lies as in a little cave, lined with skins, much neater, and better adorned, than their cabins.CHARLEVOIX.

Adair was present at one of their funerals. They laid the corpse in his tomb in a sitting posture, with his feet towards the east, his head anointed with bear's oil, and his face painted red; but not streaked with black, because that is a constant emblem of war and death. He was drest in his finest apparel, having his gun and pouch, and trusty hiccory bow, with a young panther's skin full of arrows, along side of him, and every other useful thing he had been possessed of, that when he rises again they may serve him in that track of land which pleased him best before he went to take his long sleep. His tomb was firm and clean inside; they covered it with thick logs so as to bear several tiers of cypress bark, and such a quantity of clay, as would confine the putrid smell, and be on a leved with the rest of the floor. They often sleep over these tombs; which, with the loud wailing of the women at the dusk of the evening, and dawn of the day, on benches close by the tombs, must awake the memory of their relations very often; and if they were killed by an enemy, it helps to irritate, and set on such revengeful tempers to retaliate blood for blood.>>

Note 52, page 210, col. 2.

Pabas.

Papa is the word which Bernal Diaz uses when he speaks of the Mexican priests; and in this he is followed by Purchas. The appellation in Torquemada is Quaquil. I am not certain that Bernal Diaz did not mean to call them ropes, and that Purchas has not mistaken his meaning. An easy alteration made it more suitable for English verse, than the more accurate word would have been.

I perceive by Herrera (3. 2. 15.) that the word is Mexican, and that the Devil was the author of it, in imitation of the Church.

one,

Note 53, page 211, col. 1. Ipalnemoani, by whom we live.

The Mexicans had some idea, though a very imperfect of a supreme, absolute, and independent being. They represented him in no external form, because they believed him to be invisible; and they named him only by the common appellation of God, or in their language Teotl; a word resembling still more in its meaning than its pronunciation, the 55 of the Greeks. But they applied to him certain epithets, which were highly expressive of the grandeur and power which they conceived him to possess; Ipalnemoani, « lle by whom we live :» and Tloque Nahuaque, «He who has all in himself.»-CLAVIGERO.

Note 54, page 211, col. 1.

The Great Spirit, who in mountain caves, And by the fall of waters,

Doth make his being felt.

« About thirty miles below the falls of St Anthony, is a remarkable cave, of an amazing depth. The Indians term it Wakon-teebe; that is, the dwelling of the Great Spirit. The entrance into it is about ten feet wide; the arch within is near fifteen feet high, and about thirty feet broad. The bottom of it consists of fine clean sand. About twenty feet from the entrance begins a lake, the water of which is transparent, and extends to an unsearchable distance; for the darkness of the cave prevents all attempts to acquire a knowledge of it. I threw a small pebble towards the interior parts of it, with my utmost strength; I could hear that it fell into the water, and, notwithstanding it was of so small a size, it caused an astonishing and horrible noise, that reverberated through all those gloomy regions. I found in this cave many Indian hieroglyphics, which appeared very ancient, for time had nearly covered them with moss. They were cut in a rude manner upon the inside of the walls, which were composed of a stone so extremely soft, that it might easily be penetrated with a knife: a stone every where to be found near the Mississipi. The cave is only accessible by ascending a narrow steep passage that lies near the brink of the river.»-Carver.

«The Prince had no sooner gained the point that overlooks this wonderful cascade (the falls of St Anthony) than he began with an audible voice to address the Great Spirit, one of whose places of residence he supposed this to be. He told him he had come a long way to pay his adorations to him, and now would make him the best offerings in his power. He accordingly first threw his pipe into the stream; then the roll that contained his tobacco; after these, the bracelets he wore on his arms and wrists; next, an ornament that encircled his neck, composed of beads and wires; and at last, the ear-rings from his cars; in short, he presented to his God every part of his dress that was valuable; during this he frequently smote his breast with great violence, threw his arms about, and appeared to be much agitated.

«All this while he continued his adorations, and at length concluded them with fervent petitions that the Great Spirit would constantly afford us his protection on our travels, giving us a bright sun, a blue sky, and clear untroubled waters; nor would he leave the place till we had smoked together with my pipe in honour of the Great Spirit.»-CARVER.

Note 55, page 211, col. 2.

The Spirit of the Lord
That day was moving in the heart of man.

There is a passage in Bede which well illustrates the different feelings whereby barbarians are induced to accept a new religion.

Torquemada has a very characteristic remark upon these appellations: « Although,» says he, « these blinded men went astray in the knowledge of God, and adored the Devil in his stead, they did not err in the names which they gave him, those being truly and perly his own: the Devil using this cunning with them, that they should apply to him these, which, by nature and divine right, are God's; his most holy Majesty permitting this on account of the enormity and shamefulness of their depraved customs, and the multitude of their iniquities».-L. vi, c. 8.

Edwin of Northumbria had summoned his chiefs and counsellors to advise with him concerning his intended conversion. The first person who delivered his opinion was Coifi, the Chief Priest of the Idols. For this which is preached to us,' said he, ‘do you, O King, see to it, what it may be. I will freely confess to you what I have learnt, that the religion which we have