These paintings illustrate the religious opinions of the ancient Mexicans, and were copied from the hieroglyphics found in Mexico. The Spaniards destroyed nearly all the books, ancient monuments and paintings which they could find; had it not been for this, much more regarding the religion of the ancient Mexicans would have been handed down to us. Many chapters were also taken--by the Spanish authorities--from the writings of the first historians who wrote on ancient Mexico. _All manuscripts had to be inspected previous to being published._ Anything found among these heathens resembling the religion of the Christians, was destroyed when possible.[199:8] The first Spanish monks who went to Mexico were surprised to find the _crucifix_ among the heathen inhabitants, and upon inquiring what it meant, were told that it was a representation of _Bacob_ (Quetzalcoatle), the Son of God, who was put to death by _Eopuco_. They said that he was placed on a beam of wood, _with his arms stretched out_, and that he died there.[200:1] Lord Kingsborough, from whose very learned and elaborate work we have taken the above, says: "Being questioned as to the manner in which they became acquainted with these things, they replied that the lords instructed their sons in them, and that thus this doctrine descended from one to another."[200:2] Sometimes Quetzalcoatle or Bacob is represented as _tied_ to the cross--just as we have seen that _Attys_ was represented by the Phrygians--and at other times he is represented "in the attitude of a person crucified, with impressions of nail-holes in his hands and feet, but not actually upon a cross"--just as we have found the Hindoo _Crishna_, and as he is represented in Fig. No. 8. Beneath _this_ representation of Quetzalcoatle crucified, is an image of Death, which an angry serpent seems threatening to devour.[200:3] On the 73d page of the Borgian MS., he is represented _crucified on a cross of the Greek form_. In this print there are also _impressions of nails_ to be seen on the _feet and hands_, and his body is strangely covered with _suns_.[200:4] In vol. ii. plate 75, the god is crucified in a circle of nineteen figures, and a _serpent_ is depriving him of the organs of generation. Lord Kingsborough, commenting on these paintings, says: "It is remarkable that in these Mexican paintings the faces of many of the figures are _black_, and that the visage of Quetzalcoatle is frequently painted in a very deformed manner."[200:5] His lordship further tells us that (according to the belief of the ancient Mexicans), "the death of Quetzalcoatle upon the cross" was "_an atonement for the sins of mankind_."[200:6] Dr. Daniel Brinton, in his "_Myths of the New World_," tells us that the _Aztecs_ had a feast which they celebrated "_in the early spring_," when "_victims were nailed to a cross and shot with an arrow_."[200:7]