Page:The English Historical Review Volume 36.djvu/84

 1921 EARLY HISTORY OF JAMAICA (1511-1536) 77 a scarcity of labour, in that certain * encomendados ' were removed from the estate. 1 Indians were scarce now ; the colonists of Jamaica in their turn desired to fetch aborigines from the continent to serve in that island. 2 Macuelo owned a third mill, of his own, on the south coast. Something of royal favour was extended to this nascent sugar industry in that Antonio Garay was permitted 3 to import machinery, implements, &c, to the value of fifteen hundred ' pesos ', for his mills, free of duty. Further, Macuelo, who went to Spain on leave, 4 nego- tiated for his estate the immigration of thirty Portuguese field labourers and their households, who were given free passage and exemption from customs duties on their effects. 5 Also, for his estate, Macuelo procured licence ' to pass ' thirty negro slaves, on which slaves he was to pay no dues, provided he brought the estate to completion within three years. 6 The king's portion of the property involved in the partnership with Garay passed into the possession of the royal officials ' and other persons ' designated by the ' audiencia ' at Santo Domingo to act with them in selling it at proper prices by public auction, on credit, under adequate guarantees, the settlers of Jamaica having a preference over others — for instance, those of Santa Marta — who desired to buy. 7 Settlers in Honduras applied for some of the live stock. 8 The distribution of the property was not satisfactorily effected : serious charges of fraud were made against the royal officials. It is significant that whereas Antonio Garay referred to his half of the property as being worth twenty thousand * pesos ', these officials informed his majesty that his half brought fifteen hundred at the sale. 9 In 1533 the Crown commissioned the ' licenciado ' Gil Gonzalez de Avila, ' juez de residencia ', to make thorough inquisition into the administration of all those officials in Jamaica whose authority emanated from the Crown, and to audit accounts. 10 Gonzalez de Avila was governor's lieutenant there while this investigation was in progress, and neither the vicereine nor Luis Colon was to appoint any other person to that post until the council for the Indies should have seen its results. 11 The ' licenciado ' died while engaged in this duty, 12 and, to finish the task he left 1 Ibid. 79,4, 1, YI, fo. 118% 2 Ibid. fo. 133. 3 Ibid. fo. 129. 4 Ibid. 139, 1, 7, xiii, fo. 242 v. 5 Ibid. 79, 4, 1, Y II, fo. 22, 33 6 Ibid. fo. 27. Documents concerning Macuelo' s activities on behalf of this estate are numerous and interesting, but belong rather to a succeeding period in Jamaica's history. It would appear that the town of Seville was removed to his plantation, its previous site being unhealthy and less desirable. 7 Ibid. 139, 1, 7, xiii, fo. 194 v. 8 Ibid. fo. 391 v. 9 Ibid. 79, 4, 1, YI, fo. 118% 164. 10 Ibid. 79, 4, 1, Y I, fo. 124% 118, 121, 123, 127% " Ibid. fo. 123. 12 Ibid. 54, 3, 28, Macuelo to the Crown, 10 December 1536 ; 79, 4, 1, Y II, fo. 103 r.