that your Majesty ought to reward their services, because until this
present assistance ordered to be sent them by your Majesty (which is
very helpful), they have had nothing but two almudes [21] of uncleaned
rice every Saturday (after cleaning which there remained but one),
without receiving any other gratification.

I came to this Nueva España to give information of the great need of
supplies there, and of some injuries done to the natives on account
of the extremities that the soldiers suffered, and of many other
things which seemed to me fitting for the service of our Lord and
of your Majesty. I have informed the viceroy of all those things;
so that, as he is nearer to those regions than is your Majesty,
he may remedy them. I believe that he will remedy them, because
he is a good Christian and conducts this business as earnestly as
your Majesty would desire. Some of these things I think it will be
necessary to submit to your Majesty's consideration, and I believe
that this has been done. They have ordered me to return immediately
to the islands, because they tell me that in so doing I shall fulfil
your Majesty's service.

In what concerns the conversion of the natives, nothing has as yet
been really done, until we know your Majesty's will, because so near
Çubu there are lands as great and as rich as this, which belong to
your Majesty--as China, Lequios, Jabas [Java], and Japan. We have
heard that you will order us to go to those places and leave these
other islands--which, although they have many mines and rivers of
gold, are very ordinary, in comparison with the former. The people
there are very barbarous, while those others are civilized. Now that
your Majesty's will is manifest to us, we will commence the work in
earnest, because hitherto, only about one hundred persons have been