e inferior ones from 150 to 200 pesos; and lastly, the cost of a
considerable store of ammunition and powder. In short, the sums of money
he laid out were beyond conception. By this expedition he not only
thought to render his majesty distinguished services, but he also hoped
to reach China, the Moluccas, or the Spice islands, by a western
passage, and either to make conquests there, or at least to open a trade
between these countries and the province of which he was governor; he
was therefore determined to stake both his life and the whole of his
property in the enterprise.

The armament being at length fully equipped, Alvarado took the chief
command himself, as captain-general, and ordered the imperial flags to
be hoisted. The number of troops he had on board amounted to 650 men,
including 200 horse, and after attending mass he set sail in the year
1538, but I forget in which month. He first of all shaped his course for
the harbour de la Purificacion, in the province of Xalisco, where he
took a further supply of water and provisions on board, besides a few
additional troops.

When the viceroy received intelligence that so vast an armament had been
fitted out at such a distance from Vera Cruz and Mexico, he was filled
with utter astonishment. He consulted the most experienced pilots and
cosmographers, and learnt from them, but particularly from his relative
Villalobos, who was a very skilful geographer and navigator, that it was
every way possible to reach China by sailing due west from the new
world. This created a great desire in him to share the expenses of the
expedition with Alvarado; for which purpose he first made the latter a
proposal by letter, and then despatched to him his major-domo Agostino
Guerrero and Don Luis de Castilla, to settle the terms of an agreement.
In consequence of this proposal an interview took place between the
viceroy and Alvarado in the township of Chiribitio, lying in the
province of Mechoacan, a commendary belonging to Juan de Alvarado. Here
both these distinguished personages inspected the armament, and then
travelled in company to Mexico, in order to select an officer as
captain-general of the whole expedition. Alvarado was desirous of
appointing his relative Juan de Alvarado, of Guatimala, who, however,
must not be confounded with the person of the same name just mentioned;
but the viceroy's choice fell upon his relative Villalobos. Alvarado
himself had been obliged to relinquish a