Note 601 — Chapter XV · NAHUA ARTS AND MANUFACTURES.

Huitzilopochtli's idol 'era vna estatua de madera entretallada en semejança de vn hombre sentado en vn escaño azul.' Acosta, Hist. de las Ynd., p. 324. Large chests 'hechas de madera con sus tapaderas que se abren y cierran con unos colgadizos.' Zuazo, Carta, in Icazbalceta, Col. de Doc., tom. i., pp. 361-2. 'I Falegnami lavoravano bene parecchie spezie di legni co'loro strumenti di rame, d' quali se ne vedono alcuni anche oggidì.' Clavigero, Storia Ant. del Messico, tom. ii., pp. 207, 194-5. 'Los carpinteros y entalladores labraban la madera con instrumentos de cobre, pero no se daban á labrar cosas curiosas como los canteros.' Mendieta, Hist. Ecles., p. 403. 'Labravan lazos, y animales tan curiosos que causaron admiracion à los primeros Españoles.' Vetancvrt, Teatro Mex., pt ii., p. 59. 'With their Copper Hatchets, and Axes, cunnyngly tempered, they fell those trees, and hewe them smooth, taking away the chyppes, that they may more easily be drawne. They haue also certayne hearbes, with the which, in steed of broome, and hempe, they make ropes, cordes, and cables: and boaring a hole in one of the edges of the beame, they fasten the rope, then sette their slaues vnto it, like yoakes of oxen, and lastly insteede of wheels, putting round blocks vnder the timber, whether it be to be drawn steepe vp, or directly downe the hill, the matter is performed by the neckes of the slaues, the carpenters onely directing the carriage.' Peter Martyr, dec. v., lib. x. 'Hazen caxas, escritorios, mesas, escriuanias, y otras cosas de mucho primor.' Herrera, Hist. Gen., dec. iii., lib. iii., cap. ix. 'They made cups and vases of a lackered or painted wood, impervious to wet and gaudily colored.' Prescott's Mex., vol. i., p. 143.