reception to friends, and maintain amicable relations with them, keeping the ports and frontiers of the said islands in the necessary security, and taking special care that the expenses to be met by my royal exchequer in the precautions to be taken, the manning of vessels for searching out and punishing pirates, and the rest, be no more than are absolutely necessary—­since you see the many things which need attention; and, above all, the limited resources of these islands.

When you informed me that in order to punish the pirates who resort to the coast of the Philipinas Islands, it would be well to arm and man some galleys, I granted you by my letter bearing the date of April 8 of this year, that if you saw that the galleys could be of service and usefulness you might cause them to be built and manned.  But through a letter of July 12 in the said year, 1599, the said Don Francisco Tello informs me that since the galleys are not suited for those seas—­as they had learned by experience, on account of the swift current and their inability to enter a bay while pursuing the enemy—­and on account of the difficulties which the religious oppose to his collecting rowers, and as those whom they get possess little skill, he had decided to build four galizabras; these were already being built, and when well armed and equipped would, with three galliots, constitute a sufficient force for the clearing and pacification of those seas.  It is therefore desirable that you carefully note all these matters, and after you have examined and considered them thoroughly, you will see whether or not it will be advisable to keep the said galizabras and galliots in case they are 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.