ands. Eleventh: there will be a supply of jars of biscuit and
flour. Twelfth: kidney beans, even better than Spanish lentils, are
common in the islands. Thirteenth: there will be made here a supply
of sandals of _anabo_, which is an herb like hemp, of which rigging
is made for ships. There is also a great deal of cotton. Fourteenth:
linen cloth for shirts, doublets, breeches, hose, and other things
wrought of linen, is very common and cheap here, both of domestic
and Chinese make. Fifteenth: in Cagayan there is abundance of wood
for all kinds of vessels that may be built; this is true as well of
all the other islands; and nearly all, or at any rate the greater
part of the Indians, are carpenters and smiths. Sixteenth: iron for
nails, which is brought from China, is plenty, and so cheap that five
arrobas (a Chinese quintal) are worth eight or ten reals. Seventeenth:
cast-iron cannon-balls for large and medium-sized guns are furnished
by the Chinese, who sell them at two or three reals apiece, while
the manufacture alone costs eight or ten reals here. Eighteenth: the
Indians of these islands are already very skilful in making ships and
fragatas with the assistance and labor of a few Spanish carpenters,
who furnish them with plans and a model; they make them so quickly and
cheaply that a vessel of five or six hundred toneladas can be built for
three or four thousand pesos, as some have already been. Nineteenth:
above all, if his Majesty wishes to take up this enterprise seriously,
the encomenderos of these islands will provide him with fragatas, men,
and money, as they have always done for the expeditions when occasion
offered; and this they have done and will do, so gladly and loyally,
that his Majesty is bound to make this expedition, since the readiness
and desire for it are as great as the result in spiritual and temporal
good which is hoped for, both for his Majesty and for the rest.

The route to be taken by the fleet

It should be known that there are four routes which may be
followed. First: from Sevilla to Nueva Espana, passing via Mexico
to the port of Acapulco. Second: coming from Sevilla to Nombre de
Dios and Panama. Third: coming by way of the Cape of Good Hope,
to Malaca, and thence by Macan to Cagayan. Fourth: by the Strait of
Magellan. This last, by the strait, is the best and shortest of all,
no unusual danger or obstacle being found on this passage. Have this
matter considered and conferred upon, wit