ips hither. They shall be secure from injury,
for I have ordered that none molest them; and you shall give him my
letter that you have with you. You shall give him a written permit,
so that his people may pass freely through our territory, if they
show the said letter to the people of this land.

Captain Esteban Rodriguez told me that the lord of Xolo had told him
that he would have two or three tame elephants for his Majesty's
tribute. You shall ask for them, and if he gives them, you shall
bring them here with the utmost care. For that purpose you shall take,
wherever you find it, such ship as is most suitable. If he has no tame
ones to give you, you shall tell him to have them, at all hazards,
next time the Castilians go thither. You shall ascertain the time
and manner in which they can be brought here.

You shall likewise show yourself very affable to the lord of Xolo. You
shall urge him to persevere in the pearl industry. Both from him and
from the inhabitants of Mindanao, you shall ascertain what things
they need from China, so that other methods failing, those articles
may be taken to them from here.

Inasmuch as Captain Esteban Rodriguez brought certain anchors and
pieces of artillery from that island, and did not sound the place where
a ship was lost in a storm from the north, if you have opportunity,
you shall be careful to do so, taking care to return before the season
for sailing is past. On your return you shall see whether Captain
Juan Lopez de Aguirre left any cinnamon because unable to bring it
in the vessels of his fleet.

_Item_: When you return by way of Cubu, you shall bring back all his
Majesty's vessels there, as well as all the artillery left there by
Esteban Rodriguez. You shall bring also a relation of present and
past occurrences there.

You shall try to ascertain whether there is any cinnamon in the
river of Mindanao. If so, you shall try to bring some of it. You
shall try to find out how to treat it, so that it may be of as good
quality as that in Castilla; for his Majesty has had us notified
that that sent from these districts has not been good. On your way
to Cubu, you shall send some one to pacify the tingues [hill-people]
of Butuan and to examine the towns reported by Juan Gutierres Cortes,
in order to discover the people and ascertain their number and their
location. You shall send a cautious man for this, who shall investigate
such matters as are necessary. When you leave Cubu, yo