Laws of slavery.  No Indian in this country is made a slave or is put to death for any crime which he commits, even if it be theft, adultery, or murder—­except that for each crime there is an established fine, which they have to pay in jewels or gold, and if the culprit is unable to pay the fine he will borrow the money, and pledge himself to the man from whom he borrows.  As a result he becomes a slave, until he shall repay what was lent to him; after that, he is free again.  Therefore, according to the crime committed, they are slaves; and there are three classes of slaves in these islands.  The first, and the most thoroughly enslaved, is the bondman of him who is served in his own dwelling; such a slave they call ayuey.  These slaves work three days for the master, and one for themselves.

Kinds of slavery.  Another class of slaves are those called tumaranpoc.  They live in their own houses, and are obliged to go to work for their master one day out of four, having the three days for themselves.  If they fail to work for their master, in order to cultivate their own fields, they give the master each year ten chicubites of rice, each chicubite being equal to one fanega.

There are other slaves, whom these people hold in most respect, who are called tomatabans; these work in the house of the master only when there is some banquet or revel.  On such occasions they bring small gifts, and share in the drinking.  But when one of these slaves dies, the property left by the slave is shared with his children by the master.  During their lifetime, these slaves are bound to work for their master five days in a month; or, if they do not work, they annually give the master five chicubites of rice.

Value of the slaves.  The ayueys are worth among these people two gold taes of Labin sian, the equivalent of twelve pesos.  The tumaranpoques are worth the same sum.  The tumatabans are worth one tae, or six pesos.

The ayuey women, like their husbands, work in the houses of chiefs.  The tumaranpoque women, if they have children, serve half of the month in spinning and weaving cotton, which their masters supply; and during the other half of the month they work for themselves.  The tumataban women spin only one hank of cotton each month for their masters, who furnish to them the cotton in the boll.  Only the ayueys receive food and clothing from their masters; to the others the masters give nothing.  When these slaves die the masters take away all their property, except from the tomatabans, as we have said above.  Those whom these natives have sold as slaves to the Spaniards are mostly the ayueys.

The rules which they observe for punishing any one so severely as to enslave him are as follows:  for murder, adultery, and theft; and for insulting any woman of rank, or taking away her robe in public and leaving her naked, or causing her to flee or defend herself so that it falls off, which is considered a great offense.