(A large quantity of pitch and tar was taken.)
Tow. We have very little of it in this country.
(There were taken cxxxvii _arrobas_ of tow, and cvii _arrobas_ of
old rigging for the same purpose.)
Saltpetre. We shall send what we have from here.
(Six _quintals_, nine _libras_ were taken, because they need it there
only to refine the powder; likewise xi _arrobas_ of sulphur.)
Powder. We have it here.
(There were taken cl _quintals_ [38] and three _arrobas_.)
Two shipmasters to build ships and galleys. Shipmasters are not to
be found in this land.
(Only one carpenter was taken, for we could not supply more.)
Twelve carpenters for the same purpose. We shall look for them here
although it will be difficult to find any.
Twelve calkers. They also will be supplied from the merchant ships.
(Four were taken.)
Two overseers. They will be procured here.
(Enough men were sent for that purpose.)
Galley captains who know how to make lateensails. They are not to be
found in this land, unless some come on the merchant ships.
Fifty bombardiers. There are none here, except those who are in the
port. We shall try to send some.
(Five were taken, and these are sufficient; for Robles, who went there
as artillery founder after having served all his life in these royal
houses, will instruct enough of the soldiers going from here so that
they may serve whenever it is necessary.)
Two artillery founders.
(One went, Robles by name--he who is mentioned above.)
Two military engineers to fortify a stronghold. They are not to be
found in this land.
(Some of the soldiers who went there can make valuable suggestions
in that respect.)
Five hundred pikes. We shall send the iron heads from here, for
the wood can be found in the islands. (Three hundred pikes were
sent; for we heard afterward that the wood of that land was of an
inferior quality. Therefore may your Majesty be pleased to order
that a thousand pikes be sent us, for the wood of this country is
irreparably worm-eaten.)
Corselets. Any quantity. There are very few of them in our military
stores.
(None of them will be found here, unless your Majesty orders that
they be sent from España. It is not right that the military stores
of these royal households be left without corselets.)
Large artillery, six pieces, averaging forty _quintals_; and two
swivel-guns. We do not have them here, and it is very difficult to
transport them to the wharf; so that it will be better to cast them
in the islands.
(The governor wrote that he had there a number of pieces of artillery
which he had bought; and others that had burst, from which some might
be made. Eighty _arrobas_ of tin were taken; and now they are taking
cc _quintals_ of copper, for we had no time to extract it last year.)
A good arquebuse officer. He will not be easily found here.
(He was sent.)
Thin wrought iron for forelock plate-bolts. We shall send it from
here, although Valero said that it would be less expensive if it came
from España.
(Ninety-two _quintals_, two _arrobas_, and nine _libras_ were taken.)
Thin iron plates. We will send them also from here.
(The ninety-two _quintals_, two _arrobas_ and nine _libras_ contained
a quantity of iron plates.)
Fine steel for carpenters' axes and other tools. All of this that
comes in the merchant ships will be sent from here.
(Twenty _arrobas_ of steel were taken.)
Two pairs of bellows of the best kind. We have them here.
(Four pairs were taken.)
Two screws. We shall send them from here.
(They were taken.)
One anvil. It will be sent from here.
(One large anvil was taken.)
Two screw plates to make screws for arquebuses. We shall send them
from here.
(One was taken.)
Two grind-stones. They will be sent from here.
(Two were taken.)
Two dozen carpenters' axes. We will send them from here.
(They were taken.)
Six French saws. They shall be sent from here.
(They were sent.)
Oil. We must send some of that which comes in the merchant ships.
Lead. We have it.
(cc _quintals_ were taken. But this is the first time that we have
been asked for lead; for each time that soldiers go, they take with
them all the lead they wish; and it was never known that they needed
it there. The vessels here are leaded, but not there; for never until
now has any vessel been launched there, that has to sail on this course
[between the Philippines and New Spain].)
Tin. We must buy some of that which comes from España, for we have
none here.
(Eighty _arrobas_ were taken--those above-mentioned.)
Copper. We have it here.
(cc _quintals_ are being taken now; for it had not been extracted
when the ship sailed.)
Tallow.
(ccxix _quintals_ and three _arrobas_, less a small quantity used in
repairing the ship in the port, were taken; and more of it will be
taken this year.
Trumpeters and mechanics.
(At the time we had no Indians to send them, nor do we have any now.)
Indian workmen of all trades: tailors, shoemakers, carpenters, masons.
(At the time we had no Indians to send them, nor do we have them now.)
In addition to all the above the vessel took the founder who was
going to cast artillery.
One tulcapoté, to cover the clay mould for the artillery. Two
levels. One claw hammer. One medium sized saw. One _quintal_
of steel to make files, punches, and drills, for boring the
artillery. Twenty-nine _arrobas_ and ten _libras_ of wrought iron for
the manufacture of _animas_, sledge hammers, tongs, and hammers with
which to work the iron for the artillery. A screw-plate with seven
holes; and seven sledge-hammers. One anvil and forge. Another small
forge and three screws.
[_Endorsed_: "Without date or signature."]
[All these items apparently refer to articles subsequently added to
the list; for on the MS. each one is checked off.]
Memorandum of what we need in this camp of his Majesty which is
stationed and has its residence in the Western Islands, in addition
to the requests made in the letters and memoranda which have been
sent in the past. It is as follows:
_Bellows_: First of all we need four pairs of bellows--two pairs made
of dressed leather, and the other two of rawhide. They should be sent
wrapped in coarse frieze, and placed in their jars, so as not to be
gnawed by worms.
_Tubes_: Four pairs of bellows-tubes large enough for the forges.
_Axes_: One hundred Viscayan iron axes for the carpenters.
_Anvils_: An anvil weighing about one _quintal_ or six _arrobas_.
_Pitch_: Three hundred _quintals_ of pitch.
_Tar_: A large quantity of tar.
_Tallow_: Tallow in quantity, as may be needed, to be sent in suitable
skins or casks.
_Nails: Item_, nails one span in length, and for crosswise
timbers. _Item_, spikes and clinch nails.
_Sail-cloth:_ A quantity of sail-cloth.
_Paper_: A large bale of paper, for we have none.
_Books_: Twelve books of large paper, bound in parchment, for the
accountant.
_Twine and sail needles_: Some sailmaker's twine and long sail-needles.
_Saws_: A dozen carpenters' hand-saws.
_Steel_: Some good steel, for the kind we have here is worthless.
_Tacks and leather_: Tacks and some pieces of
tanned leather for the pump.
_Hoops, casks, and staves_: Casks and hoops suitable for this land,
because we have used a third of those brought here by the ships, in
repairs for the return, voyage. Let a large quantity of staves be sent.
_Coopers: Item_, two coopers.
_Carpenters: Item_, some ship-carpenters, provided they be good
workmen.
_Rope-maker: Item_, a rope-maker, for we are in great need of one to
make rigging here.
_Tarpauling-nails_: A quantity of tarpauling-nails.
_Grappling-irons_: Some grappling-irons, for the frigates have lost
those brought by Captain Juan de la Ysla in the year seventy. Let
some be of five _arrobas'_ weight, and the others from four to six
_arrobas_.
_Anchors_: Some anchors, of three or four _quintals_ each.
_Boilers_: Half a dozen pitch boilers, for we have none of them.
_Wine_: Wine for the sacrifice of the mass, and for the sick; also
some vinegar.
_Assayer: Item_, an assayer, for we are in much need of one.
_Negroes_: We are in great need of negroes for the labors of this
camp, so as to avoid the inconveniences that arise from [depending on]
the natives.
_Soap_: One or two _quintals_ of soap; we greatly need it for the
rigging which is being made in this land.
_Padlocks_: A dozen padlocks, for they are not to be found here.
_Mariner's compasses_: Half a dozen of mariner's compasses.
_Hour-glasses_: Twenty hour-glasses indicating one to one-and-a-half
hours.
_Screws_: Two good screws for filing arquebuses.
_Iron wire_: Six _libras_ of iron wire to repair arquebuse locks.
_Tin_: Two _libras_ of sheet-tin for the tinning of locks.
_Rigging_: All sorts of rigging.
_Sawyers_: Sawyers.
_Smiths_: A smith who knows how to make crowbars, adzes, axes, and
chisels, and how to sharpen tools.
_Gunpowder_: A large quantity of gunpowder.
_Sulphur and saltpetre_: Sulphur and saltpetre.
_Medicines_: Some medicines for the sick and wounded.
_Lead_: Lead, both in bars and in sheets.
_Gunners_: Gunners are much needed.
_Pickaxes, shovels_: Pickaxes and crow's-foot shovels.
_Kettles_: Large and small mess-kettles, for there are none.
_Balances_: Two new balances, one of them small.
_Weights and denominations_: Weights to weigh gold and silver,
graduated from two to four _libras_.
_Bells_: Small and large bells for churches.
_Measures_: Measures of one _arroba_, half-_arroba, azumbre_ and
_quartillo_.
_Half-hanega_: Two half-_hanegas_, one _celemin_, and one
half-_celemin_. [39]
_Fishing-nets and fishermen_: Two fishing-nets and a couple of
fishermen [_pescadores_], if they are to be found.
_Stamps for the tithes_: Stamps for branding the tithes, for those
which were sent are out of order; also a small anvil and hammers,
for marking the fifths. [40]
_Tow_: A large quantity of tow, for we have none.
_For the main church: Item_, we need a pair of chalices with their
silver pitchers, two missals, and some altar-cloths and linen for the
main church of this city. We need them because all that was sent us
was taken by the Augustinian religious, and we are unable to get any
of them.
_Andres Cauchela Salvador de Aldave_