and yet I do not believe that they will interest themselves in secular affairs.  Now that I have written the customs and practices of the natives of these islands, I shall make a few remarks on the Indians of China, for I had begun to state them before.  I said that they come to trade with the natives and the Spaniards of this island of Luzon as well as to all the islands in this region, to import and sell silk stuffs, very good cotton robes, and other small articles, very neat and similar in make and style to those worn by them.  As I began to say above, both men and women are vigorous and light complexioned.  I say women, for some are to be found living in this island of Luzon.  These Chinese live among these natives because they have fled from their own country, on account of certain events which took place there.  They brought their wives with them; all of them, both men and women, number about one hundred and fifty.  They became Christians after coming here.  They are a very unassuming and modest people; they clothe themselves with long robes of cotton cloth and with silk.  They wear wide breeches, and sleeves and stockings, like the Spaniards.  They are a very ingenious and cleanly people.  This, is in brief what we have seen.  They wear their hair very long, men as well as women, tied up and well arranged upon their heads.  I have treated thus far of various matters; I come now to speak of the fertility of these islands, of what is gathered and sown in them, mainly with regard to those in which I have been.

The island of Mindanao is very large and poorly populated, at least in the part in which I have been, which is from the river of Butuan to the cape of Calamita, about eighty leagues along the coast.  It is an extremely rough country.  The natives there obtain very pure gold, for the mines are numerous and very rich.  The cape of Caahuite, located in this island, and where cinnamon is gathered, lies in five degrees of latitude, and is toward the southeast.  It is a very unhealthy country.  As I remarked above, I have been at that cape.  From the cape to the river Grande de Mindanao, the distance is about sixty leagues.  We were very near this river of Mindanao with the small boat of the flagship which was lost in the Ladrones.  Up to the present day none of the Spaniards of our number who were in that ship, have been in that river.  Near this cape there is an island called Taguima, [46] and between the island and the said cape the vessels of the Portuguese pass on their way to Maluco for cloves.  Therefore if the king our lord take Maluco for his own (for people say that his Majesty has a right to it), the ships sent out will be able to carry out two commissions in one voyage, taking on a cargo of cloves and of cinnamon, for Maluco lies in the course, and is a very good port, where they must of necessity touch.  I have called attention to what I have seen in this island.  Finally, I shall now speak of all the others which are on terms of peace, at least as far