be opened.  On opening it, we found your Majesty’s grant to Don Geronimo de Silva of an appointment as captain-general, on sea and land, in these islands and in Terrenate.  He was at Terrenate engaged in his duties there, for Don Juan de Silva’s statement to your Majesty, saying that he was ordering Don Geronimo to Manila to act as master-of-camp, and was sending Lucas de Bergara Gabiria to Terrenate, had not been carried out.  With all possible haste I sent a galley to advise him of the grace bestowed upon him by your Majesty.  In the boat I sent ten thousand pesos in reals, four thousand five hundred pieces of cloth, and what wine and rice it could carry for their sustenance going and returning, besides a quantity of jars of powder.  Within twenty days I despatched the three pataches that were at the port of Cavite, since the enemy had now left the entrances to this bay; and with them I sent Don Gaviria to serve in the offices held by Don Geronimo de Silva.  They carried more than three thousand baskets of rice, with wine, and meat; a quantity of clothing; six thousand pesos in reals; four eighteen-pounders, and a number of jars of powder; and balls, and many other things for the sustenance of those forts.  The occupants of the forts have reported that that was the most substantial help that has been sent them for many years.  May God be praised that He provided help for the great necessity of that presidio at a so needy time.  Another royal decree was also received, in which your Majesty orders that pilots be sent by more than one way, so that they may go to await the royal fleet that is to come by way of the cape of Buena Esperanza, and give the general of it orders to go to Terrenate or to Manila—­whichever place may be more suitable for his effective despatch.  Having called a council of war, it was decided, the Audiencia concurring, that the fleet should come to Manila—­because it would thus find accommodation in ports that furnish docking, shipyards, and materials—­and join the galleons here; and chiefly because there is the means here for their sustenance, which cannot be had in Terrenate.  Shortly after the twentieth of March, a galliot and a patache were despatched in which two pilots sailed, those most experienced in navigation.  They came from Espana with General Rrui Goncalez de Sequeira, and had gone to the strait of Sincapura with Don Juan de Silva, one of them as his chief pilot.

The said Don Geronimo de Silva reached the port of Cavite May seven, after I had had charge of the office of captain-general for fifteen months.  These islands enjoyed during that time the greatest peace and quiet for many years, except for the war of the enemy—­as disinterested persons will relate, to whom credit must be given.  I hope that they will continue in that condition, and improve with the coming of that cavalier.  I find certain objections [to him] in accounts, emanating from Terrenate, of the trouble experienced by the infantry because of