said this to your Lordship, but we agreed together that I should
decide this matter, as I remember it. There is no reason why I should
give your Lordship a report on the persons who can be appointed,
because it is my business to appoint them, and to determine their
salaries--not only by commission from his Majesty, but it is also my
due on account of my office. But I have not dared, and do not dare,
to appoint anyone--not because I do not wish to and have tried to,
but because I know that there is no one in whom we can trust without
great harm to the Indians and very little benefit; because those who
could go and be of service to the Indians do not wish to, and those
who wish to are not suitable. Thus your Lordship will see how right
I was in saying that to appoint many alcaldes-mayor and lieutenants
is a greater harm to the Indians, and this is not a fancy of mine
but a common saying in all the land.

It is very amusing to me that your Lordship places to my account the
coming of so many Indians to me that I may favor them, just as if
I called them, or were a party to driving them away. It is evident
that your Lordship knows but little of the Indians, since you say
this. In order that I may tell you some truths, as your Lordship
wished to tell me, please know that the Indians are much dissatisfied
and complain that you receive them very ungraciously and roughly, and
thus many do not dare to appear before you. This can but be a great
obstacle to what is needed to be done in this country. If my meeting
them with a friendly aspect and treating them kindly is the cause of
their coming to me, I do not think that I shall mend my ways in this,
because I know what they need. As far as being protector is concerned,
that obstacle has been removed, for it is some time since I abandoned
the office of protector; and by no means would I take it up again, for
I do not wish to know more sorrow than I have known, without any other