These marginal remarks and provisions offer a good example of the Spanish method of treating the communications received from royal officials.  They show a distinct business-like method, that sought to dispose of such communications in the briefest time.]

Relation and Description of the Phelipinas Islands

[This document (which, in the archives at Sevilla, is separated from the preceding one) is, although dated on June 8, 1577, partly a duplicate of Sande’s first report, dated June 7, 1576, which immediately precedes this one in the present volume.  We therefore omit such part of it as repeats matter contained therein, and present all that gives additional or new information.]

The natives are all very idle.  If they would but apply themselves to work a little of the time, they could have all they wanted; but as it is a hot country and they are barbarians, they go naked.  Nevertheless, all know how to raise cotton and silk, and everywhere they know how to spin and weave for clothing.  There is no need for anyone to spend any gold; for they catch the fish which they eat; the wine is made from the palms, which are very abundant; and from these same trees they obtain also oil and vinegar.  In the mountains there are wild boars, deer, and buffalo, which they can kill in any desired number.  Rice, which is the bread of the country, grows in abundance.  Therefore they are afflicted by no poverty, and only seek to kill one another, considering it a great triumph to cut off one another’s heads and take captives.

In this island there is much gold, in sheets, among the natives; and, although they trade but little, they understand the value of the gold, and know how to adulterate it by mixing it with silver, tin, copper, brass, and other metals brought from China.  They have established the value and qualities of gold as follows: 

There is a very base gold that has no name, with which they deceive; and a second grade, called malubai, which is worth two pesos.  Another quality, called bielu, is worth three pesos; and another, called linguingui, is worth four.  The quality called oregeras, for which the Chinese name is panica, is worth five pesos; and this is the best gold in which they trade.  It is of sixteen or even eighteen carats, and of this are made all their trinkets and jewelry.  The best gold obtained is another grade called guinogulan [12] which means “the lord of golds;” it weighs about twenty-two carats.  From this is made the jewelry which they inherit from their ancestors, with which they never part; and even should they wish to sell these ornaments, there is no one who would give for them more than five pesos in silver.  Neither will they give more, even for good gold; and they do not take it in exchange for supplies, or for the goods which they sell.  Consequently this is the reason that gold is so valued in this country.  It may