dominions of your Majesty.

97. It is necessary that two masters to build ships and galleys should
be sent from Nueva Espana--so that, if it were necessary, those here,
who are becoming lazy, might be changed. It is necessary to change them
and to keep them in two shipyards, as I have done, so that the expense
at Acapulco, in Nueva Espana, might cease. All the work done there is
thrown away; for the vessels from Nueva Espana alone detain the workmen
here in repairing them, and prevent them from building new ones. We
need commanders of galleys who know how to manage the lateen sail.

98. We have no lead here, but it abounds in Nueva Espana; it will be
necessary to order that more than five hundred quintals be brought
from that country, for this is our sustenance--besides three hundred
quintals of gunpowder, for present use. We need some weapons and
armor--some corselets, such as are used in Nueva Espana, and five
hundred lances, which should be brought from Nueva Espana. Those that
we had here were used up, through carelessness and in the encounter
with the corsair. Until now it was not understood that pikes were
necessary, because the natives are wont to flee. But now it has been
seen that the Chinese attack other men with these weapons, for fear
of their commander. Now as there are so few of us, and the country
breathes nothing but war, we have not ventured into the forests to see
if there is good wood for these lances. For the lack of these lances
here, we have no lance-practice, nor is there a squadron to train
the soldiers; although, because of the great need, I have contrived
to make some lances from poles and bamboo, with iron and steel from
China. I have made one hundred iron points. I do not dare to issue
orders for target-practice (which the young soldiers need especially),
not even for a day, in order not to use up my miserably small quantity
of powder and lead.

99. Because of the many hardships in this country, the soldier
must be ready at any moment to execute the commands of those in
authority. For this reason, we find the consignments of married men a
great inconvenience; for they are not of much use here, as they are
generally very poor and old. It seems to me that, for the present,
we do not require the services of married men, unless there might be
some one of the nobility, whose family would set a good example.

100. As the soldiers suffer so many hardships, they become sick; and
although many eve