The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-02-11

l
1t is q public holiday In Tenochtitlan (th
ancient Aztec name OF tho City Of Mexic,
and all its varied population-prlest peasar
ana nob ,ra poured out Wa, In the
the wonders OF their new discoveries. The
are gathered before hill where lies the grea
calendar stone, by which the time, the move
ments OF the sun and moon and stars are cal
culated, and there the priests proceed to tel
them Of fire and time. Two priests ar
mounted on slight elevation; one has
large barrel drum, whose dull notes can b
heard any distance, and which calls to tn
Temple the people from afar The other ha
a torch lighted by that new fire. treasured b,
rs ever was the immortal fire Of Vesta by tn
Roman virgins, and waves It to and fro.
In the front OF the cliff wherein the priests
are standing is the great calendar stone o
the AEtecs. on which rests SO much OF theiI
claim to civilization. It's whole history IL
something OF q mystery. This remarkable
scripture is OF dark porphyry and weighs nc
less than fifty tons. How the Aztecs. who
possessed no mechanical contrlvances. no
draught animals Of any kind, could have con
veyed THE monstrOus mass from the far dis
tant mountains of Cholula to the cliff where
on IT now stands is puzzle that historians
have never been able to solve. lis face Ia
| richly engraven with symbolic carvings and
| 1erogyphics, which enable the priests to cal
culate the days and months with skill and
perfection that far exceeded the calculations
| OF the best astronomers of Rome In It's most
| civilized days, or. for that matter, of Modern
Europe, Tor the lear. years were 80 well ar
ranged that the Aztecs lost but one day in
6oo years ia their count whereas the Julian
system lost one day In each century.
inc people who gaze upon this stone and
upon GALS new. bOfn fire are showing their Joy
IN every possible manner. They are unlike
the rude savages that preceded them, and are
dressed IN robes OF spun cotton. Their hair Ia
covered with ornaments OF feathers, save the
woman's, whose flowing locks are crowned
with perfect bouquet OF flowers. Tho pot
terry and wages scattered around on the ground
are further evidence OF their progress.
g. THE GOLDEN AGE OF ANAHuAo.
The golden age Of the Aztecs has been
reached and Quetzalcoatl the white god OF
the air, rules over them. Under him the earth
teens with fruits and flowers, without the
pains OF culture. An ear of indian corn IL as
Gnuch aa one man can carry. The air is filled
with Intoxicating perfumes and the sweet
melody Of birds. Qnetzalcoatl himself Ia tall
In stature, of fair white skin. and with d long
flowing beard. Flnallydrlven from the coun-
try. he sets sail from the ungrAtsfu shores OF |
Anahuac (Mexlco) In his skin of serpents'
skins. promising his people however, to re-
needed. 1t was this tradition that made the |
Aztecs first welcome tho SpanIartls to their |
land, believing them TO be Quetzalcoatls peo-
ple
\, Shus. LIS GLORIOUS RUE OF TINS monarch |
The priests flourish, and the great god,
le1eatllpoca. the creator, receives far more
sacrifices than he had ever enjoyed before.
The day OF sacrifice has arrived. and the
young Indian who has played the part Of tho
god for several months crowned with flowers.
living on the best In the land, and waited on
" four Of the prettiest girls In Ahanuac, Ia
about to pay the penalty for his short career
u enjoyment by the most horrible OF deaths.
we enter the great temple Of Tezcatlpoca
la vf, Il |
Ike that OF Egypt, built Of huge stones filled
n with earth. A long and tiresome trip is
a. Journey to the summit OF this temple, for
ne path leads all around 1t before one step up
vara is made, 80 that the distance is ten times
The shrine of Tezcatlipoca, 1.-THE
reator,' stands at the eastern end OF the
building. There sits the ugly Image OF the
700. OF features horrible and Iineaments too
oul Tor human sight" A row OF skulls.
okens Of former victims, surround the shrine
n which he stands, while around the pyramid ,
re coiled huge Berpents OF red and green hue,
whose color, shape, indeed their very twist. ,
nEs, are emblematic mysteries In the eyes OF
he priests.
Here heprIests clad In sable robes, covered ,
Nth hieroglyphics of mystic import, and
nth their long matted hair hanging down ,
heir backs, receive their victim with pomp
nd ceremony. They throw away the gay ,
haplet OF Howers which he wears, strip him .
the gaudy apparel In which he has
our1shed, and then sacrifice him to the true
ezeatlipoca on the sacrifcial stone q huge ,
lock OF jasper, with Its upper part somewhat
pnvex. Four priests are officiating at this
reat religious ceremony and are gathered
round the stone on which lies the body or :
leir victim. Two OF them hold his feet and )
rms. while the third grasps sharp razor OF !
sh-a volcanic substance, hard as flint-and
ith 1t opens the breast OF the unfortunate !
,ars out his yet warm and bleeding heart.
he deed Is over, the blood OF
le victim pours out In torrents until the
cor OF the pyramid Is covered with it, !
NJ the priests can with difficulty walk about !
aereon. The victim has been disembowled, :
le auyuries found promising. and the priests ,,
DW divide the carcase that each may have
10 proper share and portion for his evenings :
zeal. One secures nice broil, another =
alks of of happy with pair Of legs beneath
eat he, will have when his cook has
roperly dressed these choice tidbits with pep
Or, sugar and vanilla. The head only is f
reclaimed, for must 60 to Tezcatlipoca HIM !
lat stand In the skull room Of his temple, {
ID which the priests. who have counted !
lem over so often with delight, know already :
mount to 100000, the largest and choicest !
election In all Anahuac.
1. THE JUDICIARY.
But perhaps the prisoner has been con- I
,mned to death. not by the priesthood az an
lime; he has removed the boundaries OF an Z
hers land, altered the established measures. :
luandered his patrimony-a capital ofYense-
,t drunk FURNISHED with death In the young,
1T permissible In the Old. He has been 9
led by the lower court and found guilty; has 9
opealed TO the superior court, only to have !
le former decision approved, and now stands .
'fore the poet-king Of Tezcuco, the great 9
for sentence. The king is !
,ated in state In the courtyard OF his great l
alace, known as "the tribunal OF God" His 2
lrone Is Of pure gold, inlaid with turquoises =
Is chair is covered with the beautiful spot Q
d skin Of the iaguar or American tiger. But .
le grandest thing OF all is the canopy that
lades him from the rays Of the sun. This Z
one OF the choicest gems OF that celebrated Z
ather-work or plMmdQe for which both Az J.
cs and Acolhuans were famous.
BY the side Of the King are number of Q
obles, caciques OF the highest rank, also o
earring feather ornaments, and a clerk with 9
and In hand, who has traced on the papyrus
cords OF the court the fatal arrow which =
cans death. The prisoner, naked, and with his =
ands tied together behind his back, faces his =