148 AMERICAN MINES. CHAP. XXH. 



money to defray the expenses of government. The 

 taxes paid on all goods by the more populous di- 

 stricts and in the cities where the Spaniards had 

 formed settlements could not have been collected 

 from the Indians, or would have cost more in the 

 collection than their amount. Instead of imposing 

 others, a capitation tax was levied on the Indians, 

 fpr which each chief was made answerable accord- 

 ing to the numbers of which the tribe consisted ; 

 and though it was but a trifle from each individual, 

 it was made an instrument of oppression by the 

 chiefs towards those of the several persons who 

 composed the tribe. The Indians were prohibited 

 from buying or selling without the intervention 

 of their chief, who treated all of them as though 

 they were in a state of nonage, directing their 

 labours, superintending their domestic concerns, 

 and punishing them as children are punished when 

 disobeying their parents. 



In the early progress of mining the chiefs were 

 able to send a part of their tribe to labour in the 

 subterranean works ; and the wages of their labour 

 was received by the cacique, and by him distri- 

 buted among those employed after reserving a 

 share to his own use. 



The change of this condition of society began 

 early and continued gradually. The Spanish ad- 

 venturers brought with them few females, they 

 naturally formed unions with native women, and 

 a new race increasing in numbers in every genera- 



