re built and manned. You
will give the necessary care to the security of that coast and land,
keeping me informed of what is being done and of the coast which the
said galizabras or vessels appointed for that purpose will guard.

The said Don Francisco Tello says in the same letter that the province
of Mindanao was already pacified; but that some of the native chiefs
had given no pledge, and matters had not been thoroughly set in order,
and therefore it was necessary to keep there a garrison of two hundred
soldiers. He adds that, as the country is poor and has few sources of
wealth, he thought that the Indians would be unable to pay tribute;
but it was necessary to assure the safety and accessibility of that
post, because that was the landing-place where the Terrenatan landed
on his plundering expeditions against the Pintados, as he did in the
year 95. The said governor, as he had so few men and so little military
strength, decided to place a hundred soldiers in La Caldera, which is
near [the river of] Mindanao, in order to assure safety for that place
and to hold in check him of Terrenate. You will thoroughly inform
yourself of the state of affairs, and make the necessary provision
for them, taking special care to hold what is already pacified and to
have the gospel preached everywhere. As for the tribute to be imposed
upon the Indians you will do what may seem necessary, consulting the
prelates and observing my orders; you will see that those who have
been pacified and are subjected to me be safe, and receive no injury or
molestation from enemies. You will inform me of all that is being done.

The fiscal of the Audiencia of the said islands has written me
that since the Indians do not pay the eight reals tribute in kind,
as they were wont to do, but it has been left to their choice
instead, many difficulties have been and are being experienced,
detrimental to the newly-pacified Indians, to my exchequer, and to
the commonwealth; because, when they gave the produce of the land
in payment of the tribute, they cultivated and gathered it, and,
besides paying the tribute, there was left to them a large quantity
of produce, which they kept for their trade and crafts. The result
was that the community was well provided with abundance of supplies,
at little cost, and with cloth of various fabrics, with which they
clothed themselves. The encomenderos shipped these articles to Nueva
Espana, and the returns therefrom remained in