counter afresh the annoyances and hindrances which had beset them
in Spain. Aduarte makes vigorous complaint about these difficulties,
and requests the government to make less rigorous rules and more
liberal allowances for the missionaries; this petition is partially
granted by the authorities.

While the Spanish expedition to the Moluccas is at Tidore, one of the
Dutch prisoners is interrogated (March 16, 1606), and his deposition
gives various interesting particulars as to the plans and actions
of the Dutch in the Spice Islands. He explains the treaty made by
them with the ruler of Tidore, the goods brought by the Dutch for
this trade, and their intention of establishing a colony in those
islands. Another account of the Chinese insurrection of 1603 is
here presented (at this point, because printed in 1606), written
by a soldier in the Philippines, but edited by one Maldonado. He
describes, in a plain and simple narrative, the circumstances of that
revolt; and many of these are not found in the official reports (see
_Vol_. XII). For instance, he relates that a great many religious
took part in the defence of Manila; he gives details of each battle
with the Chinese, and tells of their attacking the city with machines
which overtopped the walls; and describes the sack of the Parian,
the slaughter of the Chinese in the villages beyond, and the execution
of the ring-leaders. At the end of the narrative of the insurrection
some additional information is given. The governor sends an envoy to
China with the news of this tragic affair. The writer relates bits
of news which have come from China to Manila--of ravages occasioned
therein by floods, earthquakes, and a war with the Japanese.

In a letter dated July 6, 1606, the Audiencia informs Felipe III
of the death of Governor Acuna. New regulations for the commerce
of the islands have been received from Spain, of which complaints
are made. The amount of the Mexican trade has been limited to two
hundred and fifty thousand pesos, and the returns therefor to five
hundred thousand pesos; the citizens of the islands claim that this
restricts their profits too much, and that they should be permitted
to invest a larger sum. This liberty will tend to increase not only
their prosperity, but the number of new settlers in the islands. The
proposal to send on each ship from the islands fifty soldiers is
quite impracticable, as the ships are too small and crowded. Instead
of paying to the