ary which I owe to your Majesty, as I was forced to
make use of it for my living. Although all will not be pleased at the
inspection, I assure you that, if it could be general for all classes,
there would be found plenty of things to be regulated, and much more in
the man who thinks that he is the one most secure therefrom. With this
I will end this letter, leaving it in this state until it is time to
seal it, in case anything should occur to be added. [_In the margin_:
"Have this clause taken to the fiscal." "It has been done."]

When I had written this, and the despatch of these vessels was so far
along that they would, with the help of God, pursue their way when
moon and weather should favor the voyage, His Divine Majesty (to whom
be thanks!) was pleased to rejoice and encourage this land by bringing
safely to a port of this country, near the point of Balinao, in this
neighborhood, the capitana "San Andres" which was expected from Nueva
Espana. Although thus far we do not know how much money comes in her on
your Majesty's account for the maintenance of affairs here, with it in
this country, however little it may be, things will go much better than
without it, and with the anxiety over its delay. [_In the margin_: "It
is well, and we thank our Lord for this news, and hope in His Divine
Majesty that we shall have other and better news from those islands."]

The reenforcement of soldiers is so scant that, even if all went to
Terrenate, there would not be many; for the enlistments of those who
came in two companies do not amount to a hundred and ten, besides
seventy convicts [_forcados_] who come for service, and I know not
how many galley-slaves. The number of those who die here ordinarily
is very great, as I have already explained, whereby the lack of
troops--which is what we most suffer from here, and can least be
supplied--becomes every day greater; and in the same degree my labor
and anxiety increase, adding to this and my obligations the fulfilment
of so many duties as this government entails, with so little means
to carry them out, and with so much as must be done to carry on
war with so many enemies as there are in these regions. With this,
and the knowledge of the misfortune and loss of the fleet which
was coming to help us, we have already ceased to consider what we
may have to bear. But nevertheless, with the help of God, I hope
that the enemy, when they come here as they have hitherto done, may
lose more tha