San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1893-02-15

placed the tiara upon mis- head and the
procession began to move. First came
the body of priests in their white robes,
hundred or more, chanting low mo-
notonous song, followed by eight chiefs
bearing litter of wood covered with
gold and decked with flowers, in which
sat Aimee, a dark skinned girl of eight
cen, already under the influence of the
potent aitsi-a drink distilled from maize
and forming picture that sent shud-
ders through Lela's frame.
Then came the four death priests,
swinging censors of gold and filling the
air with an aromatic scent. Their faces
were painted most skillfully to represent
skulls; their heads were shaved, and
their tightly fitting garments were like
wise made to convey the idea of skele-
tons. The effect upon the minds of the
people was CHASTITY and thrilling.
Behind them came the members of the
order of the Kabilo, an ancient secret
society, to the number of four hundred,
clad in black, the foremost carrying a
corpse between them. Many of them
led little spotted dogs-a fayorite form
of sacrifice to Chalcu, the serpent, the
dread god of evil.
Then came the principal families, in
the order of their rank and wealth, with
bearers of food, drink, flowers and fruits
for sacrifice at the different affairs,
which were located at intervals all
around the great court. The populace
~ -, ND
less disputing, and stretched out the
long parade until the rear nearly touched
the leaders and all could see the entire
ceremonies.
When order had been attained they
moved slowly and with great solem-
nifty toward huge heap of wood upon
which had been cast the sweepings of
the houses, old utensils and clothing,
baskets and fishing nets-in fact every
thing that would be renewed yearly in
the household. This was ignited with d.
brand from the sacred fire by Kulcan,
who, covered with small bells and attired
in a gorgeous feather robe, marched
slightly in advance, with much show of
pomp, the priests chanting solemnly.
The procession moved on to a large
stone altar, upon which rested the figure
of a woman, most hideOusly carved,
bearing in Der arms maize and other
fruits. This was Ixcan-leOx. the goddess
of maize. To her was sacrificed bread and
pinOn nuts and all manner of produce
of the fields, brought in baskets and laid
around the altar. -Four chiefs stood at
the corners and held aloft a red cord,
under which all who had purified them
selves by fasting and dreaming were
permitted to enter. Before Ixcan-leoX
they burned little balls of incense, each
casting his ball into the braziers of gold,
while the people prayed silently, kneel-
ing, for good and bounteous crops.
Then they moved onward to the altar
of Am, the sacred stone, the emblem of
life, some holding it to be but the ancient
symbol of the sun god himself. 1t was
simply an upright conical stone stand
ing upon pedestal; before it, in a great
fire, they sacrificed sheep and rabbits,
also wounding themselves and dropping
their blood into a number of braziers set
about the altar. Women, kissing this
stone of Am, invoked the blessings of
maternity with loud pleadings. Farther
on stood the dread image of Chalcu-
the very sight of which affrighted not
only the children, but old men as we'll
a hideous figure, with a huge serpent
coiled about his form, out of whose
mouth came pale blush fame continu
ally, as though he hungered for blood.
Before him the people Frustrated them
selves, while even among the younger
priests blanched faces showed here and
there. To Chalcu they burned many
little spotted dogs, and consigned the
corpse which the Kabilo carried to the
devouring flames.
Kulcan addressed the PROSTATE multi
tude with devout gravity and earnes
mien, advising them as to what they
should do to avert evil, and announced
to them the solemn feast of "Katun," O,
the fifty-second year, which would oc
cur two years hence, telling them t.
prepare their daughters for the fata
lottery.
Then opening a folded parchment h
read to them the omens for the futur
year, announcing the findings of thos
whose duty it was to study the stars an
other signs. He prayed aloud to Chalc
to be merciful, to tempt no man beyon
his strength, to bring no evil to the city
but to be satisfied with the sacrifice c
his servants.
1t was evident that each word wa
echoed by the grooming fear stricke
multitude, to whom, as we shall see, til
serpent emblem meant more than mel
idea, and represented a real and horrib
memory of a terrific event.