point_. The voyages from Manila to Terrenate are three hundred
leguas, or a trifle more or less; and those from Manila to Malaca a
trifle more than four hundred.

_Fourth point_. The seasons required for those voyages are as follows:
To go from Espana to Philippinas it is advisable to sail from Espana
after the sun passes the equator in the direction of the Tropic of
Capricorn, namely, from September twenty-third on; for, since one must
mount to thirty-five degrees of latitude in the southern hemisphere,
it is advisable to be in that hemisphere when the sun by its presence
has put to flight the furies of the winds of those seas, since even
with that care that Cape of Buena Esperanca bears the reputation of a
stormy headland: In order to return, one would better, for the same
reasons, sail from Manila during the time when the sun is still in
the southern hemisphere, if he has to double the Cape.

The suitable time to sail from Manila to Terrenate is when the winds
in those seas are blowing from the north (because Manila lies almost
due north of Terrenate), namely, during November and December. The
same season is suitable to sail to Malaca, as Manila lies almost due
northeast of Malaca. For that voyage the brisas that set in in January
are also favorable. The return trips from Maluco and Malaca to Manila
are during the season of the winds from the south and the vendavals,
which generally begin, the winds from the south by the middle of May
on, and the vendavals during June, July, and August, etc.

I petition your Majesty to deign to honor this humble service as such,
by the benignity of your royal sight, so that I may gain strength to
serve you to the measure of my desires.

[_Endorsed_: "Juan de Sigura Manrrique. Have each point abstracted,
so that it may be attended to in the Council." _In another hand_:
"Abstracted." "Examined."]

Letter from Francisco de Otaco, S.J., to Father Alonso de Escovar

_Pax Christi, etc_.

I have been urging Father Figueroa about the efforts to be made in
regard to that grant of money, and he always replies with regret
that other measures must first be taken in Sevilla, as he has written
to your Reverence. For my part, I must bring this matter to a head;
for I have been much grieved by what your Reverence recently told me
to the effect that they will charge to that poor province the four
hundred ducados paid for provisioning the fathers. Your Reverence
may be assured that I