ministers for the conversion of those natives. This said island lies
to the south. It produces a great quantity of cinnamon, which, if
cultivated, will prove a source of great profit to the royal exchequer
of your Highness. This island is quite near those of Maluco, and the
occupation of it will be very advantageous, because of what is said
of the trade and commerce of the said Malucas Islands, of which we
would thus gain practical knowledge.

2. The island of Leyte lies in the same southern region. It is sixty
leguas in circumference. It is apportioned to eight encomenderos,
who have about five thousand Indians as tributarios. The latter have
up to this day never seen ministers of the gospel, and they have been
paying tribute for over twenty years. It is advisable, for the relief
of the conscience of those encomenderos and the royal conscience of
your Highness, that ministers be furnished. For the conversion of those
natives, ten ministers will be needed, counting one minister to each
five hundred tributarios. These latter will amount to ten thousand
souls, but more rather than less, counting the women and children.

3. The island called Negros, which has been so called by the Spaniards
because in this island there are more than the usual proportion of
a race called Negrillos; they are not, however, as black as those of
Guinea. They live separate from the natives of the island, which is
something like one hundred leguas in circumference. Four thousand
five hundred Indians pay tribute in this island, which is allotted
to eight encomenderos. These, as well as the encomenderos of Leyte,
above mentioned, have repartimientos of Indians in other places. For
the conversion of these natives, nine or ten more ministers of the
gospel will be needed. According to the above report, there are some
twenty thousand souls there.