An Aztec Chief's Funeral.

Otago Witness, Issue 1796, 24 April 1886, Page 28

An Aztec Chief's Funeral.

"Amongst the Aztecs," says the writer of " Prehistoric America," " when a chief died, the body was covered with mantles richly embroidered and decked with precious htonos. While one of the attendants was dressing the body, others were cutting up bits of paper, taking care to give to each one a particular form, and placing them on the body. A priest poured water upon the bead of the deceased, repeating the words sacred to the funeral rite; after which he presented the corpse with various papers. " ' With this,' he said to him, ' thou wilt be admitted to cross the defile between tbe two mountains ; with this other thou wilt avoid the great serpent ; with this third thou wilt put to flight the alligator ; with this fourth thnu wilt successfully cross the eight great deserts and the eight hills. The mantles were intended to protect the dead from the winds, as cutting as obsidian, which he would meet with by the way. A little re.d-haired dog was then killed; a leash of cotton was put round his neck, and he was buried near the deceased. This little dog had the important duty of guiding his master, and helping him to cross the Chicunahuapan, or nine torrents ; it is not difficult to see in this an allusion to the nine firmaments in which souls were to sojourn during their successive migrations.

" Slaves and concubines were generally immolated at the funeral of a chief ; their duty was to serve him during the formidable passage from one firmament to another."