[Aztlan] Mexica porters

[Greg Sandor]

A few weeks ago there was some discussion on this list about people carried on the backs of others; I just ran across this in The Discovery and Conquest of Mexico:

Describes five men carried from "an Indian town named Papalote" (at or near Vera Cruz?) to Mexico-Tenochtitlan in four days.  Described in the chapter The Expedition Under Narvaez.

"..He had hardly uttered the words when a number of the Indians who were at work in the fort, snatched them up in net hammocks like sinful souls, and carried them off on their backs, and in four days arrived with them close to Mexico, for they travelled day and night with relays of Indians.  They were indeed frightened when they saw so many cities and large towns,a dn food was brought to them, and one party dropped them and another carried them on their way, and it is said they were wondering whether it was all witchcraft or a dream."

Regards,

Greg

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