The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1857-09-02

V,
vided with tho important requisites of
maize flour. eggs. aud the rich sugar Of
the aloc were famous The Emperor
took no other beverage than the choc0.
(atlc. a pota'ion Of chocolate, favored
with vanilla aud other spices and 50
prepared as to be reduced to fourth Of
the consistency cf honey, which gradu
nllly dissolved in thu mouth The bev.
eragc if so it could be called, was served
in golden goblets, with spoons of the
same metal or of tortoise she'll finely
wrought
The general arrangement Of the meal
seons TO have been not very unlike that
of Europeans. But no prince in Europe
could b0ast desert which could CON.
pare to that Of the Aztec Emperor. For
il was gathered fresh from the most op.
rositc climcs and his board displayed
tho products Of his own temperate region.
and the luscious fruit Of the tropics
picked the day previous, from the green
groves of the tierT0 caLicnte and trans.
mitted by means of couricrs, to the cap.
ital.
After the royal appetite was appenscd
water was handed to him hy the female
attendants III n silver basin, in the same
manner as had been done before com.
mcncing his meal Cor the Az'ecs were
as constant in their abulitions, Mt these
times, as any natiou in the East. Pipes
were then brought made of vanished
and richly gilt wood. from which he in
haled. sometimes through the nose, some.
times through the mouth. the fumes of
tobacco, mingled with liquid amber
While this soothing process of.fumiga.
tim was going on, tho Emperor enjoyed
the exhibitions Of his mountobanks and
jugglers, Of whom Il regular corps was
attached to the palace No people, not
even those Of Caina or HiuGoostan, sur
passed he AAtocs in fcats of agility and
legerdemai
Sometimes he amused himself with
his jester. At other times he witness.
cd the graceful dances of his women, or
took delight in listening to music--if
the rude minstreley of the Mexicans de-
serve that name-accompanled by a
chant, in slow aud solemn cadeuce,
celebrating some Of the great deeds of
Aztec warrio ors, or of his own princely
line
When he had sufficiently refreshed
bis spirits with thee diversions. he
composed himself to sleep. On awak-
cpinn. he gave audience to ambassador
from foreign States, or his own tributary
cities, or such caciquos As had suits to
prefer to him. They were introduced
by the young mobiles in attendance, and,
whatever .night be their rank, unless OF
the blood royal, they were obliged to
submit to the humiliation OF shroudiug
theiL rich dresses under the coarsc man.
tie of HcqueH, and entering barcfoutcd,
with downcast eyes. into the presence
The Emperor addressed fcw and brief
remarks to the suitors, answering them
generally by his secretaries and the
parties retired with the same revercntial
obeisance, taking care TO keep their faces
turned towards the monarch Well
might Cortos exclaim. that no court.
whether of the Grand Seignor or any
other irfdel, ever display so pompous
and elaborate "A ceremonial
Besides the crowds Of re'aincrs al.
ready noticed, the royal household was
not complete without host Of arizaus
constantly employed in the erection or
repair of buildings, besides great nun.
ber Of jewellers and persons skilled in
working metals, who found abundant &C.
maud for their trinkets among the dark.
eyed beauties of the harcm The im.
Ferial mummers and juggiers were very
numerous and the dancers belonging TO
the palace occupied particular district
of the city, appropriated exclusively to
them
The maintenance of this little host, a
mounting to some thousands of iniivid.
uals, involved heavy expenditure, re-
quiring accounts Of a complicated and
to a simple people, it might well be, en-.
barrassing nature. Everything, howev.
er, was conducted with perfect order.
The care of all this was entrusted to a
treasurer who acted as sort of major
domo in the household, having general
superntendencc over all its concerns.