. The myths of Mexico and Peru. y decided from theportents must have conceived the most violent wrathagainst their capital. They therefore ordained a greatsacrifice of war-captives. But upon the first of thevictims being placed upon the altar a still more terriblecatastrophe occurred. In the method of sacrificecommon to the Nahua race the breast of a youth wasopened for the purpose of extracting the heart, but nosuch organ could the officiating priest perceive. More-over the veins of the victim were bloodless. Such adeadly odour was exhaled from the corpse that a terriblepestilence arose, whic
. The myths of Mexico and Peru. y decided from theportents must have conceived the most violent wrathagainst their capital. They therefore ordained a greatsacrifice of war-captives. But upon the first of thevictims being placed upon the altar a still more terriblecatastrophe occurred. In the method of sacrificecommon to the Nahua race the breast of a youth wasopened for the purpose of extracting the heart, but nosuch organ could the officiating priest perceive. More-over the veins of the victim were bloodless. Such adeadly odour was exhaled from the corpse that a terriblepestilence arose, which caused the death of thousands ofToltecs. Huemac, the unrighteous monarch who hadbrought all this suffering upon his folk, was confrontedin the forest by the Tlalocs, or gods of moisture, andhumbly petitioned these deities to spare him, and notto take from him his wealth and rank. But the godswere disgusted at the callous selfishness displayed in hisdesires, and departed, threatening the Toltec race withsix years of ?fA-^.^^--em-. .?>? r-:^!:»!^^smmm^.^ Toveyo and the Magic Drum William Sewell 16 KING ACXITL The Plagues of the Toltecs In the next winter such a severe frost visited the landthat all crops and plants were killed. A summer oftorrid heat followed, so intense in its suffocating fierce-ness that the streams were dried up and the very rockswere melted. Then heavy rain-storms descended, whichflooded the streets and ways, and terrible tempestsswept through the land. Vast numbers of loathsometoads invaded the valley, consuming the refuse leftby the destructive frost and heat, and entering the veryhouses of the people. In the following year a terribledrought caused the death of thousands from starva-tion, and the ensuing winter was again a marvel ofseverity. Locusts descended in cloud-like swarms, andhail- and thunder-storms completed the wreck. Duringthese visitations nine-tenths of the people perished,and all artistic endeavour ceased because of the
Size: 1332px × 1877px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, booksubjectindianso, booksubjectindiansofmexico
