Westward from the Malucas Islands, about twenty leguas distant, is an island called Macasar.  It is more than two hundred and fifty leguas around, and is very fertile and rich, being inhabited by the best people in those islands; their king is friendly, very peaceful, and glad to trade with the Spaniards.  He used to receive the Dutch, and let them provide themselves from his country with provisions for all their forts.  He does not now admit them, and has sent to ask for religious to preach the gospel; and two of the Society and two Dominicans have been sent to him.  The friendship of this king is very important for the preservation of Maluco.

Next, farther to the west, lies the island of Borney.  It is 400 leguas in circumference.  On the side which faces the south the Dutch maintain trade, and through it they obtain the finest diamonds.

In Greater Java, which is the island that forms a narrow strait with that of Samatra, they have a factory (without a fort), to which they bring the cloves and nutmeg and pepper which they buy there, which amounts to a large quantity.  They trade there, and a few years ago the Javans drove them out.  Since the English have become their allies, they are able to keep the natives in subjection, and are building a fortress.

They have other factories in the kingdom of Patan, at one of which they buy a great deal of pepper.  Patan lies more to the north of the strait of Sincapura (which others call the strait of Malaca); and further north lies the kingdom of Sian, which is very rich in many kinds of merchandise, and in rubies.  They have another factory there.  In the kingdom of Cambosea [sic; sc. Camboja] they have another, and still another in Cochinchina.  They are not allowed to enter China, but rather, on account of the robberies which they have perpetrated, they are held to be enemies of the country.  In the islands of Japon they have another factory, from which they procure supplies and military stores, and which is of much importance to them.  Of the other islands of this archipelago no mention is made, to avoid being prolix, although there are a great number of them.

Chapter IV.  Wherein are considered the riches of the spice trade of these Malucas Islands and the others.

These Malucas Islands give from year to year four thousand four hundred bares of cloves in clusters, which are called “selected,” according to the relation which is made and the information given by Don Juan de Silva, knight of the habit of Santiago, when he governed the Filipinas Islands.  Others say that there are eight thousand, and still others, six.  The first statement is the most accurate, and agrees with another note made by Captain Gregorio de Vidana, a citizen of Manila; he was a person very learned in manuscripts, who spent many years there, and sought to inquire into the matter out of curiosity.