Guzman now exercised his power without restraint, and laid the foundation of permanent evils. All official positions were filled by favorites of his own to the exclusion of those entitled to them; the encomiendas were taken from those to whom they had been assigned, and distributed among undeserving followers; and in a few months the whole colony was embroiled in dissensions. At a later date all offices except those of the two alcaldes, the procurador syndic, and the city majordomo became salable.[XIII‑44] The province was divided into numerous repartimientos, and in every principal town a lieutenant of the alcalde mayor was stationed. "Not," says Mazariegos, "for the administration of justice, but rather to superintend his large and scandalous repartimientos and to collect tribute dues." This system of government by encomenderos was oppressive and exhausting to the country, and to it the ruin of the towns of Chiapas is to be attributed. The province was subject to the captain general and the audiencia of Mexico; but their control was exercised with little attention to the improvement of the system. This state of affairs lasted until 1544, when the audiencia of the Confines was established, and Chiapas was included in its jurisdiction.[XIII‑45] CHAPTER XIV. THREATENED DESTRUCTION OF THE INDIES. 1526-1543. DECREASE OF INDIAN POPULATION AT THE ISTHMUS—AND IN HONDURAS—TREATMENT OF SPANISH ALLIES IN GUATEMALA—TORTURE AND BUTCHERY OF HOSTILE NATIVES—TERROR INSPIRED BY ALVARADO—EARLY LEGISLATION—ITS NON-OBSERVANCE—THE NEW LAWS—THE AUDIENCIA OF PANAMÁ ABOLISHED—THE AUDIENCIAS OF LOS REYES AND LOS CONFINES ESTABLISHED—DISGUST CAUSED BY THE NEW CODE—THE FIRST VICEROY OF PERU ARRIVES AT THE ISTHMUS—HE TAKES CHARGE OF TREASURE ACQUIRED BY SLAVE LABOR—AND LIBERATES A NUMBER OF INDIANS. [Sidenote: THE VEXED INDIAN QUESTION.] The old Milanese chronicler, Girolamo Benzoni, mentions that during a journey from Acla[XIV‑1] to Nombre de Dios about the year 1541, his party entered some Indian huts to obtain a supply of provisions. The inmates thinking they were about to be enslaved attacked them savagely with hands and teeth, tearing their clothes, spitting in their faces, uttering doleful cries, and exclaiming guacci! guacci! which Benzoni translates as "the name of a quadruped that prowls by night in search of prey."[XIV‑2] Being at length pacified by signs they brought forth food, and one of them consenting to act as guide informed the travellers that there were no other Indian habitations on their line of route, for the Spaniards had either killed or made slaves of the entire population. * * * * * [Sidenote: SLAVERY AND DEATH.]