“At the appointed hour they assembled in the court before my office, accompanied sometimes by their wives and children, and if I happened to be engaged in any business, (despatching the couriers, for instance, when, in the absence or illness of my companions, I have been employed many hours of the day ‘writing against time’) these people would remain, without evincing the slightest impatience, and never approach to ask to be settled with till called by name as they stood upon the list of the major-domo.
“They always expressed their thanks when they received their wages, upon which subject we never had the most trifling misunderstanding, and only once upon another, namely, upon the subject of a pickaxe that had been stolen out of our ingenio. It was worth fifteen shillings at Potosi, and might have been worth five in England; but the example, not the value, determined me upon giving a color of infinite importance to the case.
“After the depredation had been made known to me, and when the workmen had assembled to receive their week’s wages, two shillings per diem each man, I called them all into my office, merely for the sake of exhibiting myself in the highest possible degree of dignity, (a clerk never looks so dignified as behind his own counter,) and whilst they stood like culprits in humility before me, with their hats off, I sat proudly elevated upon my judgment-seat, with my hat on, and in my hand a pen—a just emblem of my office, it is true, and at the same time calculated to convey terror to the mind of the thief, who knew that, if detected, I should instantly employ it in an application to the alcade for the infliction of fine and imprisonment.
“When I had fixed the attention of the party, I commenced the dread inquisition. Alas! many of their forefathers, for crimes of as little note, or even the bare suspicion of them, had been condemned by a more horrible inquisition, and before judges less disposed to render justice and mercy than their present one, although it will appear that even he was obdurately relentless. I put the question,—
“‘Who stole my pickaxe?’—Dead silence, each looked at each, and all looked at me.
“‘Who stole my pickaxe, I say?’
“‘Quien sabe?’ (who knows?) said a low voice in the crowd.
“‘Who knows?’ said I; ‘why, some of you know; and I, too, must know, before I pay you one rial of your wages.’ I then proceeded to question each individual by name.
“‘Gregorio Medrano, did you steal the pickaxe?’
“‘No, Señor.’