152 



SPANISH OPPRESSION. 



lages of the district under his jurisdiction. It 

 was obHgatory^ on the part of the Indians^ to 

 receive them at the discretion only of the corre- 

 gidor himself. It was not necessary that they 

 should really require them^ and it was in vain 

 to urge that articles pressed upon them were 

 of no manner of use ; that razors^ for example^, 

 were needless for people without beards ; and 

 that the Indian women wanted no ornamental 

 combs to braid up their long hair^ which they 

 allowed to flow naturally down their backs. 



Within a stipulated time^ varying with the 

 caprice or avarice of the corregidors^ the popu- 

 lation was compelled to do a sufficient quantity 

 of work to pay him his own price for the goods, 

 and a tax for the king. On many occasions 

 they were so utterly unable to satisfy these 

 extortionate demands on their strength and 

 resources^ that they sent deputations to the 



