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332 or towns were called upon to furnish men to encomenderos and officials, or for pretended royal service, to transport provision and material to the settlements, or for armies, The burdens and pressure to which such impressed natives were submitted were quite appalling, hundreds perishing on the road, there to be left as carrion. To stop the impressment was impossible, as available beasts of burden were too few, and as there was no other way to utilize certain natives who were accustomed to carrying. Nevertheless restrictions were introduced, with limits on the burden, the distance, and the proportion of the imhabitants to be thus employed. Married men were allowed to employ four carriers, bachelors, two, who must volunteer for the work and receive in payment one hundred cacao beans daily. All natives, indeed, must be paid for work, the rate and number of hours being determined by the audiencia.

In these and other tasks of reform this body was aided by native alguaciles, instructed by Spanish officers and intrusted with the staff of office, as a step to teaching them the administration of municipal affairs. A further step was the establishment of the town named Santa Fé, near Mexico, for converted natives, especially those who had left the monasteries, and here under the care of friars in their convent hospital they were to be confirmed in the knowledge