f picture writings, known as the Mendoza collection,
which will be described more particularly when we describe their picture
writings. The confederacy was never at a loss for an excuse to pounce
upon a tribe and reduce them to tribute. Sometimes the tribe marked out
for a prey, knowing their case to be hopeless, submitted at once
when the demand was made; but, whether they yielded with or without a
struggle, the result was the same--that is, a certain amount of tribute
was imposed on them. This tribute consisted of articles which the tribe
either manufactured, or was in situation to acquire by means of trade
or war; but, in addition to this, it also included the products of their
limited agriculture.

The same distribution of land obtained among all the civilized tribes
that we have already sketched among the Mexicans. So, a portion of the
territory of each conquered tribe would be set aside to be cultivated
for the use of the confederacy. But, as the tribe did not have any land
of its own, except for some official purpose, this implies that each
gens would have to set aside a small part of its territory for such
purpose. Such lots Mr. Bandelier calls tribute lots. These were worked
by the gentes for the benefit of the Mexicans. It is to be noticed right
here, that the Mexicans did not claim to own or control the land; this
right remained in the gentes of the conquered tribe.

The miscellaneous articles demanded were generally such that they bore
some relation to the natural resources of the pueblo. For instance:
pueblos along the coast, in the warm region of country, had to furnish
cotton cloth, many thousand bundles of fine feathers, sacks of cocoa,
tiger-skins, etc. In other, and favorable locations for such products,
the pueblos had to furnish such articles as sacks of lime, reeds for
building purposes, smaller reeds for the manufacture of darts.

Illustration of Tribute Sheet.--------------

These facts are ascertained in the Mendoza collection. We are given
there the pictorial symbol, or coat-of-arms, of various pueblos; also,
a pictorial representation of the tribute they wore expected to pay. The
plate is a specimen of their tribute rolls. The pueblos paying it are
not, however, shown. Considerable can be learned from a study of this
collection--such, for instance, as that the Pueblo of Chala had to pay a
tribute of forty little bells, and eighty copper ax blades.<32> And, in
another place, we learn that