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Show 402 .BOOI' VII. ~ II I S T 0 R Y 0 F M E X 1 C 0 . • • the tree as there were revolutions to be made by the fliers. Thefc ropes were drawn through four holes, made in the middle of the four planks of which the frame confified. The four principal Ayers difgnifcd like eagles, herons, and other birds, mo~mtcd t~1c tree with grea t agility, by means of a rope which was laced about It from the ground ur to · the frame ; from the frame they mounted one at a time fuccd lively upon the cylinder, and after havi11g danced ~here a little, they tied themfelves round with the ends of the ropes, whtch were drawn through the holes of the frame, and launchi11g with a fprin r~ from it, began their flight with their wings expanded. The aCtion of their bodies put the frame and the. cylinder in motion; the frame by its revolutions gradually untwiftcd the cords by which the flyers fwung; fo that as the ropes lengthened, they made fo much the greater circles in their flight. Whi1ft thefe four were flying, a fifth danced upon the cylinder, beat .. ing a little drum, or waving a flag, without the finallefl: apprehenfion of the danger he was in of being prec ipitated from fuch a height. The others who were upon the frame (there having been ten or twelve perfons generally who mout,lted) as foon as they faw the flyers in their lafl: revolution, precipitated themfelves by the fame ropes, iu order to reach the ground at the fame time amidft the accbmations of the populace. Thofe who precipitated themfelves in this manner by the rQpes, that they might make a ftill greater difplay of their agility, fi·equcntly paired from one rope to another, at that part. where, on account of the little difbnce between them, it was poffible for them to do fo. The mof\: eifen tial point of this performance confified in proportioning [o juftly the height of the tree with the length of the ropes, that the fly ers !hould re~ch the ground with thirteen revolutions, to reprefent by fuch number their century of fifty-two years, compofed in the manner we have already mentioned. This celebrated diverfion is frill in .ufe in that kingdom; but no particular atten tion is paid to the number of the t: volutions, or the flyers ; as the frame is commonly fexagonal, or octagonal, and the flyers fix or eight in number. In fome places they put a rail round the frame, to prevent accidents which were frequent after the conquefl:; as the Indians became much given to drinking,. and ufed to mount the tree when intoxicated with wine or brandy, 1nd were unable to keep their ftation on fo great a height, which was ufur- -ally fixty feet. s , |