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Show ,. Il I S T 0 R Y 0 F . M E X I C 0. BOOK VII. they dried in the fun, and preferved to make ufe of it as chee(e, ~ which it refemblcd in fLwour and tafl:e. They gave this fubfiance the name of 7'auitlatl, or excrement of fiones. Accufiomed thus to thofc vile articles of food, they were unable to abandon them in the feafon of their greateO: plenty; on which account the market was always feen full of innumerable fpecies of raw, boiled, fried, and roafied little ani mals, which were fold there particularly to the poor. However, as foon as by their commerce with fi{h they were able to purcha!c better aliment, and to cultivate by the exertions of their indufiry the floating gardens of the lake, they entertained themfclves with b.e tter provifions, and at their meals there was nothing wanting, as the conquerm i:tys, either in refpetl: to the plenty, variety, or nicety of their dia1es (g). Among the eatables, the firfi: place is due to maize, which they called 7'/aollt', a grain granted by Providence to that. part of the world, infiead of the corn of Europe, the rice of Afia, the millet of Afi·ica, . over all which it pollefies Come advantages ; as befides its being whole. fame, reli{hing, and more nutritive, it multiplies more, thrives equally · in different climes, does not require fo much culture, is not fo delicate as corn, fiands not in need, like rice, of a moifi: foil, nor is it hurtful to the health of the cultivator. They had feveral fpecies of maize, differing in fi zc, colour, and quality from each other. Of maize they made their bread, which is totally different from that of Europe in tafl:e and appearance, and in the manner of making it, which they for- 1 merly had, and fiill continue to ufe. They put the grain to boil in water with a little lime; when it becomes foft, they rub it in their hands to firip off the ikin; then pound it in the Met/at! (h), . take out a little of the pafie, and firetching it by beating it with both hands, they form the bread, after which they give it the lafi preparation in the Comal/i. The form of the bread is round and flat, about eight inches in diameter, and one line or more in thicknefs; but they make their loaves or cakes fiill fmaller and thinner, and for the nobles they make them as thin as our thickeft paper. It was cufiomary alfo to mix fomething ,(g ) Sec the fi rfi le~te r of Cortes , the hiOory of Bema! Diaz, and the relation of the anonymous conquero r. (h) The Sp :mi nrd~ call the Mctlatl mrtntr, the Comalli coma!, of which we fhall prefently f,Pcak, and the Atolli ntolt. · elfe Pt . .t:. l'l |