suspected
of knowledge of the theft.

There was also a law that anyone who spoke disrespectfully of a chief,
or uttered abusive language to him, was liable to death. If he could
redeem his life, a fine of fifteen taes of gold was imposed. If he did
not have the means to pay and relatives did not contribute to ransom
him, and the delinquent begged for mercy, saying that then he would
become a slave, his life was spared, and he became the slave of the
injured party. For this reason the penalty of a fine was available
for him who possessed wealth. If the quarrel were between persons
of equal rank, the chiefs settled the matter according to justice
and their laws, and the like penalty was imposed. If the delinquent
refused to pay according to this sentence, war was declared between
the villages or the factions. Hostilities then followed; and from
that time those who were captured were enslaved.

_One may be released after paying the sum decreed; until then he
is a slave._ It was a law that if, when two timaguas were together,
either of them insulted the other, he must pay a sum of money according
to the nature of the insult, which was decided by the judge. If the
insult were a gross one, the fine was large accordingly; and if the
culprit had not the means to pay more than five taes, he became the
slave of the injured person. If the delinquent begged from the chief
or some other friend the favor of lending him the money, he became
the slave of him who loaned the money. This slavery extended only to
the culprit, and not to his children or relatives, except to children
who were born during his slavery.

It is usual among the natives of this island to aid one another with
money-loans. He who borrowed from a chief or a timagua retained the
money until a fixed time had elapsed, during which he might use the
money that was lent to him; and besides, he divided with the lender
the profit that he made, in acknowledgment of the favor that he
had received.

It was a law that if he who borrowed the money became insolvent, and
had not means to pay his debt, he was considered a slave therefor,
together with the children born during his slavery; those already
born were free.

It was a law among these people, when two men formed a business
partnership in which each placed the same amount of money, that
if one of them went to traffic with the money belonging to both,
and while on a trading journey were captured by enemies, the other