156 



SPANISH OPPRESSION. 



wife and children were cruelly murdered. Hi^ 

 tongue was then plucked from the roots^ and 

 each of his arms and legs being fastened to a 

 horse, he was torn into four quarters. 



The mita was an institution no less violent 

 in its nature, though limited to the districts 

 of Potosi. By this law, each able-bodied male 

 was obliged to work for a year in the mines; 

 and in like manner, the females at the farms, 

 to obtain a stipulated profit for their masters, 

 within that period, over and above their own 

 scanty subsistence; but, as very frequently, 

 from loss of strength, and physical incapacity, 

 the necessary sum could not be worked out in 

 time, they became indebted to their masters, 

 and worked on as slaves, in order to liquidate 

 the debt. This debt as often increased as dimi- 

 nished, and they then remained absolute slaves 

 for the rest of their lives ; and, if they died, their 

 wives and children were seized upon to go on 



