omfort (because the Indians, having seen that they would soon have to
yield, refuse to come down from the mountains), you shall try to make
yourself as comfortable as possible, paying special attention to the
health and welfare of your troops. And you shall carefully study the
country in general, and its water and food-products, so that you may
inform yourself better, in order if possible, to preserve health,
which is the principal desideratum. In order to guard the health
of your men, I charge you specially that you take good care of your
sick. You shall put a soldier of good temper in charge of them who
shall minister to them. From whatever gold or other property of
his Majesty's you may have, the sick shall be provided with fowls
or whatever is necessary. You shall especially forbid the soldiers
to eat bananas or sugar-cane, or other harmful things, and see that
they live decently.

You shall find out from the Indians of that land whether they sail
or go to Maluco. You shall ask them whether there are any Christians
there; and if there is any Cafre or Christian in Bindanao, you shall
secure him.

Having completed matters at Bindanao, you shall return to the port
of Cavite. [36] Thence, with what men you deem advisable and with
interpreters from Taguima, you shall go to the island of Jolo,
where Captain Esteban made an agreement with the king of that place
to pay tribute to his Majesty. You shall tell that king that I left
Borney for certain reasons, and that I send this other fleet there
for the purpose of telling him that he should abide by his obedience,
in order not to receive more harm.

You shall ask tribute from the lord of Jolo, but this shall be paid at
his pleasure and be very light, inasmuch as he has rendered obedience
to his Majesty but recently, and because of the good will he has
shown in his Majesty's service, in sending a letter and returning
eight slaves that he had there who were taken from the island of Cubu,
who were vassals of his Majesty. However, in return for that, Pedro
de Oseguera wrote me that two men from Jolo, who had been captured
by the men of Cubu, had been given up. If there are any more Joloans
there, you may take them, first seeing whether they are Christians
and whether they go of their own free will. The priest at Cubu shall
declare what it will be right to do in this. You shall tell the said
lord of Xolo also that, if he wishes to ask anything else of me,
he shall despatch sh