and now I am doing the same with what has since been observed. In the
first place the country is healthful, as has been clearly shown; for
if the want, hardships, and privations which the troops have suffered
here in mid-winter had occurred in that city, not a man would have
lived through it. The climate is incomparably better than that of
that island [Luzón]; for in the whole year there are not six days
of extreme heat, and the evenings, nights, and mornings are usually
cool. Gold is found in all parts, although not in large quantities,
but it must exist where there are traces of it. Throughout the whole
island there is a great deal of wax and much tortoise-shell. Rice
is sowed in all parts, and in some places in great quantities. They
raise fowl, goats, and swine in all the villages, and wax they do
not save. There is a great quantity of wild game, which is excellent,
growing larger than in other places.

There are a great many nipa and other palms, although more than twenty
thousand palm-trees have been destroyed. The people of the tingues are
farmers and stock-raisers, and would plant a great deal if directed
to do so; accordingly, four hundred or five hundred Spaniards could
be very bountifully supplied here, and even more. They are in an
excellent position for trade, for they are at a very few days' journey
from all the islands of Maluco, Xlatheo [Matheo?], Borney, and Xaba,
and they lie on the route of the galleons which ply between Yndia,
Malaca, and Maluco, and which anchor at La Canela. The only thing to
be feared is that the men from these galleons will enter the island,
doing damage, and making a bad name for us. It would take a miracle
to lose it. The worst thing that I see is that it should be divided
into encomiendas, as otherwise the soldiers will work willingly and
even without further recompense than what they may happen to get. And
accordingly it seems but just that the masters should come and give us