In battle the Aztecs did not desire to kill the enemy, but preferred to
capture prisoners to sacrifice to the gods. When a man was captured he was
very well treated until the day for his sacrifice came. He was taken up to
the temple on the pyramid and thrown on his back upon a sacrificial stone.
He was held by several priests, while the high priest, with a knife of
stone, cut open his breast. The heart was torn out, and offered to the
gods; some other parts were cut off for them or for the priests. The rest
of the body was then thrown down to the soldier who had captured the
victim, and who waited below. He and his friends bore it away and ate it,
or parts of it, as a religious duty. All the time the sacrifices were
being made, the great drum was beaten. It made a mournful noise that could
be heard to a great distance. In the National Museum in the city of Mexico
is a great carved stone which is believed by many persons to be one of
these old sacrificial stones upon which victims were sacrificed.
[Illustration.]