ow to put them on, and that when they were put
on Caonabo should set himself on Ojeda's horse and be shown to his
admiring subjects, as, Ojeda said, the kings of Spain were wont to show
themselves to theirs, the incautious Indian is said to have fallen
entirely into the trap. Going with Ojeda, accompanied by only a small
escort, to a river a short distance from his main encampment. Caonabo,
after performing ablutions, suffered the crafty young Spaniard to put the
heaven-descended fetters on him, and to set him upon the horse. Ojeda
himself got up behind the Indian prince, and then whirling a few times
round, like a pigeon before it takes its determined flight, making the
followers of Caonabo imagine that this was but display, (they all the
while keeping at a respectful distance from the horse, an animal they much
dreaded,) he darted off for Isabella, and after great fatigues, now
keeping to the main track, now traversing the woods in order to evade
pursuit, brought Caonabo bound into the presence of Columbus. The
unfortunate cacique was afterwards sent to Spain [He died on the voyage,
however.] to be judged there; and his forces were presently put to flight
by a troop of Spaniards under the command of this same Ojeda. Some were
killed; some taken prisoners; some fled to the forests and the mountains;
some yielded, "offering themselves to the service of the Christians, if
they would allow them to live in their own ways."

GOLD TRIBUTE IMPOSED.

Never, perhaps, were little skirmishes, for such they were on the part of
the Spaniards, of greater permanent importance than those above narrated,
which took place in the early part of the year 1495. They must be looked
upon as the origin in the Indies of slavery, vassalage, and the system of
repartimientos. We have seen that the admiral, after his first victory,
sent off four ships with slaves to Spain. He now took occasion to impose a
tribute upon the whole population of Hispaniola. It was thus arranged.
Every Indian above fourteen years old, who was in the provinces of the
mines, or near to these provinces, was to pay every three months a little
bellful of gold; all other persons in the island were to pay at the same
time an arroba of cotton for each person. Certain brass or copper tokens
were made--different ones for each tribute time--and were given to the
Indians when they paid tribute and these tokens, being worn about their
necks, were to show who had paid tribute.