Four thousand four hundred bares of cloves, each bare containing 640 libras, amount to 2,816,000 libras—­which at one ducado, the price at which they are sold [in Europe] will bring the same number of ducados.  All this can be bought for a hundred thousand ducados. [55] It is not bought with money, but with cloth purchased in India and in China; and what in those countries costs ten is sold in the Malucas at fifty.  This profit is at present possessed by the Dutch, who buy on the coast of Caramendel, and from the Chinese in Cochinchina and Java, whence they take the merchandise which they trade for cloves in Maluco.  The nutmeg, according to Don Juan de Silva, is worth 500U ducados, when transported to these parts.

The cloves gathered in the island of Ambueno amount to a great deal, although I have no exact account of the quantity.

The pepper which is taken from Greater Java is much, although I do not know the exact quantity.  They likewise have a factory and a treaty friendship with the king of Achen, in the island of Samatra, where there is much merchandise.  He is an enemy of ours, as well as he who attacked Malaca in the year 16, and burned a galleon of the four which were awaiting Don Juan de Silva.  Soon afterward seven Dutch galleons arrived to aid him, and burned the other three.  Malaca is a very important place, and it is very necessary that your Majesty should preserve it, as it is the passage to all the kingdoms and districts of that archipelago of San Lacaro, where there is so much wealth.

Chapter V. Of the expense incurred by your Majesty to maintain the fortified posts of Tidore and Terrenate in the Malucas Islands.

I said in the second part of this relation that the reenforcements of money and men which are brought from Nueva Espana to the Filipinas were not to preserve those islands, but were occasioned by the war with the Dutch.  I shall now set down here a memorandum of the expenses of those forts, without the many other requisites.

Relation of the salaries and expenses which your Majesty has to pay in the Malucas Islands

Pesos

A warden and commander of the troops, with two thousand ducados of salary each year, which at eleven reals to the ducado, makes 2757 pesos, 2 tomins, and 9 granos 2U757

Seven captains of Spanish infantry, with 990 pesos of salary a year, amounting to. 6U930

Seven alferezes of these companies, with 412 pesos, 4 tomins of salary each per year. 2U887

Seven sergeants, with 206 pesos, 2 tomins, apiece each year, amounting to. 1U443

Fourteen drummers, at 171 pesos each per year, amounting to. 2U394

Seven fifers, at 165 pesos a year, amounting to. 1U155