KOTICES or PERU. 



427 



vultures, for which they were charged an exorbitant price, 

 and punished if they refused to swallow this often disgusting 

 offld ! 



The Indians who became mitayos on the haciendas of the 

 second class, where black cattle were chiefly reared, sometimes 

 gained more than the day laborers, but their toil was greater. 

 Each one was charged with a certain number of cows, and 

 with the milk of which they were required to make a stipulat- 

 ed quantity of cheese, that was given to the overseer on the 

 last day of every week, and scrupulously weighed. If it fell 

 short of the prescribed weight, the deficiency was charged to 

 the Indian's account, without taking into consideration the 

 season, the pasture, or the quantity of milk yielded ; so that at 

 the end of the year, when his mita ought to have expired, he 

 was more enslaved than ever ! 



On those haciendas where flocks were pastured, the Indian 

 shepherd received eighteen dollars, if he had charge of a com- 

 plete ^^manada," (which in Europe is 500 sheep,) and if two, 

 something more, though not double, as it should have been. 

 They did not escape the cruel tyranny exercised on all of their 

 race. The flocks were counted every month, and if one were 

 missing, unless brought forth dead, it was charged to the In- 

 dian ; — though the pasture grounds were in the wilds of the 

 Andes, and subject to the inroads of condors, that often car- 

 ried away the lambs, in spite of the shepherd and his dogs, 

 and that too before their eyes. 



The hut of an Indian was so small that he could scarcely 

 extend himself in it. It contained no moveables ; his bed was 

 an undressed sheep skin ; his clothes a capisayo, which was 

 never taken ofi*, not even to sleep ; his sustenance, two or 

 three spoonfuls of meal, taken dry into the mouth, and wash- 

 ed down with water, or chicha when he could get it ; to this 

 was sometimes added a handful of corn, boiled till the grain 

 burst ! 



The fourth class of haciendas, were the manufacturing, 

 where wool and cotton were converted into cloths, baizes, 

 serges, &c. 



With the dawn, tlie Indian repaired to his task. The doors 



