first voyage would yield them just as much as would the traffic of Arabia Felix as far as Mecca, as I wrote to their Highnesses by Antonio de Tomes in my reply respecting the repartition of the sea and land with the Portuguese; and afterwards it would equal that of Calicut, as I told them and put in writing at the monastery of the Mejorada.

“The news of the gold that I said I would give is, that on the day of the Nativity, while I was much tormented, being harassed by wicked Christians and by Indians, and when I was on the point of giving up everything, and if possible escaping from life, our Lord miraculously comforted me and said, ’Fear not violence, I will provide for all things:  the seven years of the term of the gold have not elapsed, and in that and in everything else I will afford thee a remedy.’

“On that day I learned that there were eighty leagues of land with mines at every point thereof.  The opinion now is that it is all one.  Some have collected a hundred and twenty castellanos in one day, and others ninety, and even the number of two hundred and fifty has been reached.  From fifty to seventy, and in many more cases from fifteen to fifty, is considered a good day’s work, and many carry it on.  The usual quantity is from six to twelve, and any one obtaining less than this is not satisfied.  It seems to me that these mines are like others, and do not yield equally every day.  The mines are new, and so are the workers:  it is the opinion of everybody that even if all Castile were to go there, every individual, however inexpert he might be, would not obtain less than one or two castellanos daily, and now it is only commencing.  It is true that they keep Indians, but the business is in the hands of the Christians.  Behold what discernment Bobadilla had, when he gave up everything for nothing, and four millions of tenths, without any reason or even being requested, and without first notifying it to their Highnesses.  And this is not the only loss.

“I know that my errors have not been committed with the intention of doing evil, and I believe that their Highnesses regard the matter just as I state it:  and I know and see that they deal mercifully even with those who maliciously act to their disservice.  I believe and consider it very certain that their clemency will be both greater and more abundant towards me, for I fell therein through ignorance and the force of circumstances, as they will know fully hereafter; and I indeed am their creature, and they will look upon my services, and will acknowledge day by day that they are much profited.  They will place everything in the balance, even as Holy Scripture tells us good and evil will be at the day of judgment.

“If, however, they command that another person do judge me, which I cannot believe, and that it be by inquisition in the Indies, I very humbly beseech them to send thither two conscientious