348 HALL’S EXCURSIONS, 
their curates, and indeed of every body who chances to lay 
hands on them. “The Indians,” say the Ulloas, p. 238, 
* are real slaves; and it would be fortunate had they but 
one master to whom to yield the fruit of their toil: but they 
have so many, that while they labour to serve all, not the 
slightest part of their hard earnings remains for themselves.” 
In order that these remarks may not be considered unfounded 
declamations, it is sufficient to keep in view the following 
account of the actual condition of the Indians, considering 
it as applied only to those of the Equator, because both in 
Venezuela and New Granada, they are fewer in number 
and little different in rights and condition from other free 
labourers, while I cannot speak with certainty, as to what 
changes may have taken place in Peru. The observations of 
the Ulloas extend to the whole ancient Empire of the Incas, 
that is, from Bolivia to the northern boundary of Quito. 
We may consider the number of Indians in the two depart- 
ments of Quito, and Cuenca as amounting to not less, and 
probably more, than 300,000 souls; the entire population 
being about 500,000. They constitute the whole mass of 
agricultural and manufacturing labourers, and as such, at 
least nine-tenths may be domdeitesl as adscripti glebe ; 
- while the remaining tenth are artizans or free labourers in 
the towns, and some few of them petty proprietors. The 
condition of the great majority is as follows :—Every estate 
or farm, and many farms which have obrages or manufactories 
annexed to them, has a certain number of Indians, called 
Conciertos or Ganyanes. The wages of a Ganyan are twenty 
dollars a-year; but by a year is meant 360 days of labour, 
marked on a species of tally; by a line or raya. Twelve 
360 rayas complete the year's salary ; but as a deduction is 
made for the numerous festivals of the Catholic Church, for 
all the Sundays and Saturdays of the year, (the latter day 
being allotted to the cultivation of a small piece of ground 
given him in addition to the salary,) the Indian, even suppos- 
ing him never to lose a day's labour voluntarily, labours about 
18 months for the 20 dollars: but every year the government 
