Evansville weekly journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 184?-18??, 1848-07-13
THE YUCATAN INDIANS.

he IVA AIN
Mr. Stephens in his Incidents OF Travel,'
in Yucaan, gives The following account of
The condition of The People who have fualy
turned upon their masters:
The Indians are of two classes; vaceTos
or tenders OF cattle and horses, who receive
Twelve doilars per year, with five almundas
or maise per week and labradores, or la
borers, who are also called Luneros, from
their obligation, in consideration OF their
drinking the water of the hacienda, 10 work
for the master without pay on Lunes or Mon
day These last constitute the great body OF
The Indians, and besides their obligation to
work on Monday, when they maryland have
families, and, OF course, need more water,
they ale obliged 10 clear, SOW, and gather
twenty meates of maise for the master, each
micaIe being twenty four square yards -
When the bell of the church is struck five
times, every Indian is obliged 10 go forth
with 10 the hacienda, and, for real day
and ration of three cents worth OF maise,
do whatever work the master or his delegate,
the lordomo, may direct.
The authority ofihe master or his dele.
gate over these is absolute. He settles all
disputes between the Indians themselves,
and Furnishes Tor offences, acting both as
Judge and execu;ioner. II the major domo
punish an Indian unreasonably, the latter may
complain TO his MASTER and fihe master re-
fuse to give him redress, or himself Furnishes
an Indian unreasonably, the latter may apply
for his discharge. There is no obligation
upon him 10 remain ON the hacienda unless
he is in debt TO his master, but practically
this binds hial hand and foot. The Indians
are all improvident, anticipate their earnings,
never have two days provision in store, and
never keep any accounts.
A dishonest master may always bring them
in debt, and generally they are really so. II
able 10 pay off the debt, The Indian is emil
tied 10 his immediate discharge. but if not,
The master is obliged to give him writing 10
the effect following:-
'Whaiever senior wishes TO receive the In
dian named, can take him, provided he
pays me The debt he owes me- If the mas
ter refuses him this paper, the Indian may
complain 10 the lusliia. When he has OBJ
tanned it, he goes round 10 the different ha-
ciendas until he finds proprietor who is
willing 10 purchase the debt, with mort
gage upon him until il is paid. The ac-
count is settled, aud the master gives the
Indian wiring OF this purport: 'The ac-
count of my former servant - being adj
iusIed, which is $40 and having paid me the
said debt, |, his present master, give him
this receipt and with this he enters in
10 the cervice OF new master.
There is but little chance of his ever ply-
ing off the smallest debt. He will never
work merely to clear off the incumbrance
considers all he can get on his body clear
gain, and virtually from the time he receives
his first dollar, goes through life in bondage
varied only by an occasional change ofmas
iers. In general they are mild, amiable, and
very docile bear no malice and wher
one OF them is whipped and smaring under
stripes, with tears in his eyes he makes
baw TO the major domo, and says, beuno'
tarde senor-'good evening, sir But they
> require to be dealt with sernly, and kept a
a distance, are uncertain and completely the
creatures of impulse-and one bad lndial
or bad Meuizo may ruin whole hacen
da. They inherit all the Incidence of thei
: ancestors, are welded to old usages, anc
unwilling to be taught anything new.
l. Don Simon has attempted TO introduce
improvements in agriculture, but in vain
! they cannot work except in their old way
Don Simon brought out the common ch1rI
from the United States, and attempted TO in
troduce the making OF butter and cheese
: but The Indians could not be taught the use
of III EN-, the cliuns were thrown aside AM
hundreds of COWS wander in the woods un
MIXED. The master is not obliged TO main
tain the Indian when sick; though as he de
i rives profit from his labor, il is his inieres
10 do so-and on broad grounds, il is an OF
:, iect always TO increase his laborers, il is hi
interes, to treat them in such manner as i
8 acquire among the Indians reputation Of
!, good MASTER
IS In Ceylon, Elephants are employed i
ploughng new ground for the culture {
l. coffee, pepper, etc. One Of these animal
d when we'll trained, will do the work OF 2
oxen, consequently more laoor is performe
in given time, and The period is haslene