of this unenviable duty was intrusted to six commissioners, three of whom were appointed by Cortés and three by the audiencia.[1]
The commission, however, after having labored for many weeks in vain efforts to arrive at even an approximate count, reported to the audiencia that the difficulties were insurmountable and a correct numeration impossible, since not one fifth of the estimated population presented itself. The attempt was consequently abandoned, and a compromise entered into by which Cortés, pending instructions from the king, was left in possession of Cuernavaca with its dependent townships and the districts of Tehuantepec and Cuetlachtlan. The valleys of Oajaca and Quilapan, and various towns in the province of Mexico, were also assigned him under the encomienda system, no judicial authority being therewith conferred.[2]
Yet the audiencia considered that the principle on which the king's grants had been made was dangerous, from the fact that the scattered positions of the different districts would give Cortés too wide an influ-
- ↑ The audiencia appointed Cristóbal de Barrios, Gerónimo Ruiz de la Mota, and Ruiz Gonzalez; the representatives of Cortés were, Andrés de Tapia, Juan de Salcedo, and Francisco de Terrazas. Ternaux-Compans, Voy., série ii. tom. v. 197. Cortés complains that two of his greatest enemies were chosen by the audiencia. Pacheco and Cárdenas, Col. Doc., xiii. 22-3.
- ↑ The marquis complained of this limitation of his jurisdiction, and also protested against the appointment of corregidores of certain towns claimed by him as pertaining to his grant. Id., 155, and Pacheco and Cárdenas, Col. Doc., xiv. 331-2. A description of the different districts and townships included in the assignments will be found in Id., 333-7, and Ternaux-Compans, Voy., série ii. tom. v. 153-5. A copy also of the agreement between the audiencia and Cortés is contained in Pacheco and Cárdenas, Col. Doc., xii. 514-20. Cortés engaged to surrender all claim to any districts which might afterward be found outside of his grant.
Again, several families occupied the same dwelling, separated from each other by partitions of bamboo. The oidores complain to the king that many of these houses were found empty, although they were convinced that the inhabitants had only temporarily removed. In other instances the partitions had been taken down so that several families might appear to belong to one and the same head; and the audiencia considered that all houses ought to be counted whether occupied or not. Id. Moreover strictness in count was warmly discussed by the encomenderos who recognized that the decision on this point materially affected themselves. Several witnesses testified that the contador, Rodrigo de Albornoz, had asserted that the count ought not to be taken too strictly as the difference of 50 macehuales more or less was a matter of slight importance. Pacheco and Cárdenas, Col. Doc., xvi. 548-54.
