a galley. I have
met with much opposition from the archbishop and from the licentiate
Don Antonio de Rivera Maldonado, auditor of this royal Audiencia. If
I had had to follow the opinion of either of them so that they could
restrain my hand, the first stick of wood would still have to be
worked. God knows what I have had to undergo in this, and what I am
still undergoing; and He knows the evil results which follow from such
a state of things in a region so distant from your Majesty, when those
persons undertake to correct matters of war, and to meddle with them,
who do not understand them and have nothing to do with them.

I expect to take with me on the expedition four of these galleys,
and a vessel which has arrived here just now from Acapulco, which
was made here and has capacity to carry a large amount of troops
and provisions; it is of seven hundred toneladas. This vessel I will
have fitted and put in good order. I expect also to take another of
moderate size, of two hundred and fifty toneladas, which I have had
built in the province of Camarines. I shall have three Moro ships
from Peru. These will be very light, the largest being of a hundred
and fifty toneladas, and the other two of a hundred and thirty each,
more or less. Thus in all there will be five, in addition to seven
brigantines and five lorchas, vessels built after the fashion of
China and Japon. These are very good with both oar and sail, and have
greater capacity and accommodation for carrying provisions than any
other kind of vessels with which oars are used.

I expect that this expedition will include the foregoing vessels and
galleys on account of your Majesty; and that in addition there will go
seven or eight other ships belonging to private encomenderos and other
persons. These will be ships of moderate size, with a high freeboard,
in which their owners will take a quantity of biscuit, rice, wine,
meat, and other supplies; these will be of great assistance, since a
number of volunteers will go. This provision made by private persons
is of considerable usefulness, and on that account I have had it
made. To induce them to go it is absolutely necessary to encourage
them to it, and to urge upon them the service which they will render
to your Majesty. This I have had to undertake, since in view of the
losses and misfortunes which they have suffered, they are poor and
discouraged. They finally volunteered to go with a good will, and their
going will