FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   428   429   430   431   432   433   434   435   436   437   438   439   440   441   442   443   444   445   446   447   448   449   450   451   452  
453   454   455   456   457   458   459   460   461   >>  
ng before our arrival, but now also they attend to the breeding of all kinds of cattle. They plough with oxen, sow maise, bake biscuits, and have everywhere planted Spanish fruit trees, so that they already draw considerable profit from them. As the fruit of the peach tree is not wholesome, and the plantain tree throws too much shadow, they continually keep cutting them down, and plant in their stead quince, apple, and pear trees, which, in their estimation are of greater value. We have also introduced among them good police and justice. In every township the Indians annually choose their alcaldes, regidors, accountants, alguacils, and other authorities; and they have a courthouse where the authorities hear causes twice a week, and pronounce judgment in actions for debt and minor offences. Criminal cases and heavy offences are always referred to the governor or the royal court of audience, according to circumstances. I have been assured by credible persons that when the town councils of Tlascalla, Tezcuco, Cholulla, Huexotzinco, and of other great towns meet, the mace-bearers precede the civic authorities with golden staffs, the same as are carried before a viceroy; also that these Indian judges are as correct in the judgments they pronounce, and look quite as dignified as the judges in Spain, and that they assiduously study our laws and set a high value on them. All the caziques keep good establishments, they have their horses with beautiful saddles and trappings, and whenever they travel through the country are attended by numerous pages. In some townships even tilts, tournaments, and bull-fights take place among them, particularly on Corpus Christi day, the feast of St. John, St. Jacob, and of the Virgin Mary, in the month of August. Many Indians have even the courage to combat with the bulls, though these animals are so uncommonly fierce. Some of the most expert horsemen are to be found among them, particularly among the inhabitants of Chiapa de los Indios. Most of the caziques breed their own horses and mules, which they employ in carrying goods for sale to the different markets,[62] and gain a livelihood as carriers to different parts of the country, in the same way as we do in Spain. In short they are uncommonly expert in all handicrafts, even to the making of tapestry. I must now close this, and relate what further advantages the Indians derived in the following chapter. CHAPTER CCX. _Of other adv
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   428   429   430   431   432   433   434   435   436   437   438   439   440   441   442   443   444   445   446   447   448   449   450   451   452  
453   454   455   456   457   458   459   460   461   >>  



Top keywords:

authorities

 

Indians

 
pronounce
 

expert

 

judges

 

caziques

 

horses

 
offences
 
country
 

uncommonly


chapter

 

townships

 

CHAPTER

 
numerous
 

attended

 

tournaments

 

Corpus

 
Christi
 

making

 

tapestry


fights

 

travel

 

assiduously

 

dignified

 

derived

 

advantages

 
beautiful
 

saddles

 

trappings

 

establishments


relate

 

handicrafts

 

carriers

 

livelihood

 

inhabitants

 

horsemen

 

carrying

 

judgments

 

employ

 

Chiapa


Indios

 
August
 

Virgin

 

markets

 

animals

 
fierce
 

courage

 

combat

 

Tlascalla

 

continually