with the view of bringing about the independence of the region of Nachi Cocom, but his scheme failed, and he became a victim of the ruthless European.
The decree of Governor Mediano, that no advance exceeding twelve reals should be made to any native, was made stronger by Governor Ordoñez, who ordered that no advance whatever should be allowed.[1] The measure met with much opposition, but the governor refused to repeal his order. The enforcement of it was indeed necessary, because under the then existing system the Indians would receive advances from several speculators at once, and when the time came they could not pay; and to avoid the consequences they would either hide in the woods or emigrate to Peten, and never return. With all these drawbacks the business had been a profitable one, and its suppression caused a great excitement, which ended in a manner unexpected. Governor Ordoñez expired on the 7th of July, 1594.
Fernandez de Bracamonte discovered the indigo plant in Yucatan in 1550, and the Spaniards soon devoted themselves to its cultivation, as a staple for trade.[2]
The natives held in encomienda by the king in 1551 yielded only three thousand pesos de minas yearly, and the expenses of collection slightly exceeded that amount.[3]
Scrofulous maladies had become wide-spread among
- ↑ This advance was given the Indians as the value of several products to be delivered at the time they gathered the crops, or at the time agreed on. The value was rated by the speculators very low, on the pretext that they had to wait one or two years to be reimbursed; hence the misery of the natives became greater with every year. The governor's measure raised a great clamor, and he was accused by the speculators, in which they are partially supported by Cogolludo, Hist. Yuc., 413, of attempting to kill by famine the 'pobres españoles,' who had no other means of obtaining a livelihood. Ancona, Hist. Yuc., ii. 126.
- ↑ It flourished several years under royal encouragement; but later it was made to appear that the preparation was injurious to the health of the natives, whereupon the king forbade the employment of them at the indigo-works. The cultivation thereafter was continued only upon a small scale. Cogolludo, Hist. Yuc., 375.
- ↑ The collection was very difficult. Paredes, Rel., in Pacheco and Cárdenas, Col. Doc., xiv, 193-200.
