what they came for, they might be permitted to return to their own land.  But it profited neither them nor me to say this, for they went on that expedition and have not yet returned.  From this another injury has come to us all.  For since those who went in the galley, and others sent afterward, were fishermen, the fish that formerly was sold in the streets in great quantities, and for a trifling sum, now cannot be obtained at a high price.  Next, they sent another vessel, loaded with rice as provision for the fleet, and ordered a like number of Sangleys to accompany it.  In order to avoid going, each hunted up whomsoever he could find; and he who had no slave to send gave ten pesos to some other man to act as his substitute.  These and other wrongs have caused two hundred Sangleys, who came this year to settle here, to return; and of those who were living here two hundred and more have gone away.  There used to be a very prosperous settlement of them on the other side of the river, but now there appears to be almost no one—­as your Majesty will see by the letter written to me by the vicar of the Sangleys, who is an Augustinian friar.

Another wrong is done to the Indians—­not to all in general, but to many; it is, to hold them as slaves.  This clause also concerns the failure of the governors to obey your Majesty’s decrees and writs; for so many of these are issued, commanding that Indians must not be held as slaves of the Spaniards anywhere in the Yndias—­either in the islands or on the mainland, in lands discovered or to be discovered.  This applies, in whatever way the Spaniards may have obtained them:  whether it be in just war; or if the Indians themselves have sold them to the Spaniards, saying that they are slaves; or even if among them these are actually slaves; or by any other means, and in any manner whatsoever.  By the ship in which I came the Augustinian fathers brought a new decree from your Majesty, ordering with much rigor, and in strong terms, that the Spaniards shall at once liberate the slaves whom they may hold, under whatever circumstances they may have obtained them.  This was presented to the governor, for I talked with him about it.  But, to show that what I say above is true—­that no decree in favor of the Indians is ever enforced—­since this decree was presented the Indians are still in the same servitude as formerly, and some of them are even worse treated than in the past.  The governor did not so long delay to enforce the decree (if there be one) relative to taking a fifth of the gold; for the first thing that he did on entering his office was to demand the fifth, while the decree regarding liberty is yet to be executed.  I have passed over many things in this connection which, if written here, would be annoying to your Majesty.  A document in behalf of the city is being prepared which proves the great necessity in this country for servitude.  It states that the Spaniards undergo much toil, and most of them many hardships, and that there is much