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64 a statue of the god Yzamna and placed it in the house of the chief, after which, by a road ornamented according to the custom, they returned devoutly to the image of Zac-u-Uayeyab. On their arrival, they perfumed it with incense as they had done before, and there cut off the head of a fowl. The image having been afterwards placed on a litter called Zachia, they carried it devoutly, accompanying it with dances called Alcabtan-Kam-Ahau. They carried their usual drink on the way, and arriving at the house the image was placed in order before that of Yzamna and they made their offerings, to divide them afterwards; before the statue of Zac-u-Uayeyab they presented the head of a turkey, patties of quails, different drinks, etc.

"As formerly, there were among the spectators some who drew blood from themselves, with which they rubbed the stone of the god Zac-Acantun. In this manner they guarded the idols during the days preceding the new year, and incensed them according to their custom until the last day; then they carried Yzamna to the temple and Zac-u-Uayeyab to the west of the city, leaving it there until the following year.

"The misfortunes to which they were exposed this year, if they happened to neglect these different ceremonies, were fainting fits, swoons, and diseases of the eye. They considered it as a year unfortunate as to bread, but abundant in cotton. It was this which they signalized with the character Yx, and in which the Bacab Zac-Ciui reigned, who foretold nothing very good; according to their belief, the year must bring calamities of all sorts, a great want of water, days when the sun would shine with excessive heat which would dry up the fields of maize; the consequence would be famine; from famine arose robberies and from robberies slavery for those who rendered themselves guilty. All this would naturally be the source of discord and internal wars among the citizens and among the towns. They believed that in the year marked by this sign there also generally happened changes among the princes or the priests, in consequence of the wars and dissensions.

"Another omen which they also held, was that some of those who sought to gain authority would not arrive at their end. This year was also sometimes signalized by an irruption of locusts, the consequence of which would be famine and the depopulation of a large number of