. Wild scenes of a hunter's life; . By it, too, they freed their country from thosemischievous animals which abounded in the forests, and furnishedthemselves with materials for those feasts which seem to haveconstituted their greatest pleasure. The young chieftains had thus, likewise,an opportunity of pay-ing court to their mistresses, by displaying their courage andagility, and making them presents of their game ; nay, so strong,and universal was the passion for hunting among the ancientBritons, that even young ladies of the highest quahty, and great-est beauty, spent much of their time in th
. Wild scenes of a hunter's life; . By it, too, they freed their country from thosemischievous animals which abounded in the forests, and furnishedthemselves with materials for those feasts which seem to haveconstituted their greatest pleasure. The young chieftains had thus, likewise,an opportunity of pay-ing court to their mistresses, by displaying their courage andagility, and making them presents of their game ; nay, so strong,and universal was the passion for hunting among the ancientBritons, that even young ladies of the highest quahty, and great-est beauty, spent much of their time in the chase. They em-ployed much the same weapons in hunting that they did in war,viz., long spears, javelins, and bows and arrows; having alsogreat numbers of dogs to assist them in finding and pursuing theirgame. These dogs were much admired among other nations, onaccount of their swiftness, strength, fierceness, and exquisite•ease of smelling. They .\ ere highly valued by the Celtic nationa. HUNTING AMONG THE ANCIENT MEXICANS 18. MONTEZUMA. CHAPTER 11. HUNTING AMONG THE ANCIENT MEXICANS. VERY circumstance in the character andcustoms and condition of the Mexicans,under Montezuma and his predecessorsof the Aztec race, predisposed them tobe active hunters. The Aztecs were acruel race and delighted in blood. Theirforest laws, according to Mr. Prescott,*were as severe as those of the Normansunder William the Conqueror. They had human sacrifices. Insome of these bloody rites the heart of the victim was torn fromthe living body, as an acceptable offering to their stern gods. Inothers, which might be termed gladiatorial sacrifices, the victimwas bound by a chain attached to his leg and fastened to a plat*foirr., where he was compelled to fight a fcee antagonist, urtil his
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