Peyote
<p>The term peyote derives from the Nahuatl name peyotl for a cactus.</p>
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Pg. 173
Behold, the following were the abilities of these Chichimeca: they were stone cutters; very well did they work the flint, the obsidian. They set it, they placed it as the tip on the reed, which is called the arrow. And also they understood very well about mirrors, for all used mirrors. They always bored them on the small of their backs. And when they went somewhere, as they made their way, l following a single leader, in order, in line, there they went looking into the mirror which [the one ahead] went bearing in the middle of his back. And they worked, they abraded the turquoise, the fine turquoise, [for] their necklaces, their ear rings, their pendants.
And they knew the qualities, the essence, of herbs, of roots. <u>The so-called peyote was their discovery. These, when they ate peyote, esteemed it above wine, or mushrooms</u>. They assembled together somewhere on the desert; they came together; there they danced, they sang all night, all day. And on the morrow, once more they assembled together. <u>They wept; they wept exceedingly</u>. They said [thus] eyes were washed; thus they cleansed their eyes.
<b>~ Fray Bernardino de Sahagún, <i>Florentine Codex</i>, Book 10 (Part XI), The People, p. 173</b>
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Pg. 129
<b>Peyote</b>
This peyote is white and grows only there in the north region called Mictlan. On him who eats it or drinks it, <u>it takes effect like mushrooms</u>. <u>Also he sees many things which frighten one, or make one laugh</u>. It affects him perhaps one day, perhaps two days, but likewise it abates. However, it harms one, troubles one, makes one besotted, takes effect on one.
I take peyote; I am troubled.
<b>~ Fray Bernardino de Sahagún, <i>The Florentine Codex</i>, Book 11 (Part XII), Earthly Things, pg. 129</b></p>