Page:A Study of the Manuscript Troano.djvu/295

Rh they recommenced their prayers, sacrifices, and incensing. While all these things were going on the nobles and those who had accompanied them replaced the Nacon on their shoulders and carried him in procession around the temple. On their return the Chacs sacrificed a dog, tearing out its heart, which they presented to the idol, between two plates; each one present then broke in pieces a large vessel filled with a drink, with which the feast was completed. All then ate and drank the offerings which they had brought, and, with much solemnity, but without the usual incense, carried the Nacon back to his home.

There a grand banquet took place, at which the lords, nobles, and priests became intoxicated in the effort to excel each other in drinking, with the exception of the Nacon, who remained sober, the crowd in the mean time returning to their homes. The next day, after they had slept themselves sober, the nobles and priests, who had remained at the mansion of the general after the orgy, received from his hand large presents of incense which he had prepared for this purpose and caused to be consecrated by the holy priests.

At this reunion he addressed them in a long discourse, and earnestly recommended to them the feasts which they should celebrate in honor of the gods, in their towns, in order to obtain a prosperous and abundant year. When the lecture was finished all took leave of each other with much affection and noise, and each one took the road for his village and home.

There they occupied themselves with the celebration of their feasts, which sometimes lasted, according to circumstances, until the month of Pop. They gave to these feasts the name of Zabacil-Than, and they were celebrated in the following manner: They sought in the commune those who, being the richest, were the most able to bear the expense of the feast, and requested them to fix upon a day, because they had more of. . . . . during these three months which remained until the natural year. What they then did was to assemble at the mansion of the one who celebrated the feast, after having performed the ceremony of dispelling the evil spirit. They burnt copal and presented offerings with rejoicings and dances, after which they drank some wine, which last was always the main point of the feast. Such were the excesses in which they indulged themselves during