must be sent hither from Spain. They need good seamen and workmen. The
king is requested to allow them to make use of any workmen in the other
provinces of "these parts of the Indies," paying them their just wages;
likewise to take what things they need, paying the just price. It
is advised that the necessary trees for shipbuilding be planted near
the ports, and that ranches be established near by to furnish food.

The second section of this document treats of the navigation to
the Western Islands: and Urdaneta maps out various routes which
should be followed, according to the time of the year when the fleet
shall depart on its voyage of discovery. These routes all have to do
primarily with New Guinea as the objective point of the expedition,
the Philippines being considered as only secondary thereto. Speaking
of the Ladrones and their inhabitants, Urdaneta says: "The islands
of the Ladrones are many, and thirteen [42] of them are said to
be inhabited. The inhabitants are naked and poor. They eat rice,
have many cocoa palms, and use salt. They fish with hooks made from
tortoise-shell, being destitute of articles made from iron. They
place a counterweight in one end of their canoes, and rig on them
lateen-like sails made of palm-mats. It is quite important to explore
this island thoroughly, or any of the others, in order to discover
and ascertain accurately the navigation that has been made up to
that point, and their distance from Maluco and the Filipinas Islands
... Those islands are somewhat less than three hundred and seventy
leagues from Botaba [one of the Ladrones]." The "modern maps that have
come to this Nueva España," are in his opinion incorrect, as certain
coasts are drawn more extensive than is actually the case. Calms
must be avoided and the trade winds caught, in order to facilitate
navigation. The errors of former expeditions must be avoided, as well
as a protracted stay at the Philippines--"both because of the worms