and has always continued so. He is a man skilful in war
with the Indians, as it is practiced here; but is of an irritable
temperament, and desirous of having his own way on occasion, without
obeying his superiors, of which there has been proof enough. When
I had fully recognized the enemy and knew that he was carrying
all his force on the flagship, I ordered the admiral in writing on
the day before the battle, what particularly must be done--namely,
that with both our ships we must engage the said flagship of the
pirates. Accordingly as soon as I discovered the enemy the next day,
I kept the almiranta near me, and grappled with the enemy and moored
to him. When the admiral arrived and should have done the same,
he shoved the tiller aside and, without my order, contrary to the
command which I had given him, went after the almiranta of the pirate,
which was sailing away; thus he left me unprotected and alone, for
which reason my commander's ship fared as recounted in the relation.

For this disobedience, and others of which he was guilty and of great
importance, immediately upon our entrance into the city the governor
arrested the said captain Juan de Alcega, and is proceeding against
him. Through the favor of the said auditor and his party, and various
measures which they have taken--especially with the licentiate Salazar,
fiscal of this Audiencia, who is openly of the said party--they
have shielded him in this case in such manner as might be expected
of a person who is so near losing his office, and to whom it is so
important not to make more enemies for his residencia. Accordingly
thus far there has been nothing done in the case, and I have no hope
that anything will be accomplished by the present proceedings.

This Captain Joan de Alcega was freighter of the ship "Santo Thomas"
[50] in the year 99, which left here for Nueva Espana in company with
two other vessels from this city. In the loading of this ship, so
great was the dishonesty and deceit on his part that it is understood
that your Majesty's exchequer was defrauded of more than a hundred
thousand pesos. The governor, in order to wash his hands of this
wrongdoing, began suit against them and condemned them to heavy
fines and penalties, as he must have informed your Majesty. The case
came on appeal to this Audiencia. On account of the said friendship
and partiality, the fiscal hushed up this case, as he has others,
without discussion upon it, and with no repara