Every three months a hawk's bell full of gold was to be brought to the treasury at Isabella, and in the case 39 of caciques the measure was a calabash.

A receipt in the form of a brass medal was fastened to the neck of every Indian when he paid his tribute, and those who could not show the medal with the necessary number of marks were to be further fined and punished.

In the districts where there was no gold, 25 lbs.

of cotton was accepted instead.
This levy was made in ignorance of the real conditions under which the natives possessed themselves of the gold.

What they had in many cases represented the store of years, and in all but one or two favoured districts it was quite impossible for them to keep up the amount of the tribute.