On the twenty-fourth of the past month, there came to this port a ship of about one hundred and twenty toneladas. It was sent by your viceroy of Nueva España, but it contained no reënforcements, nor has he yet despatched them. This country cannot make progress if a year passes without reënforcements, since it depends upon colonists for its settlement and growth. Moreover, the commerce cannot be increased by sending, from year to year, a ship so small that after the departure of two ships (and one of them more than four hundred toneladas) this year, half of the goods remain in this city for lack of a ship. Moreover, this settlement is not provided with a doctor or apothecary, who are greatly needed on account of the insalubrious nature of this country. There was a scarcity of everything except provisions; this fact the royal Audiencia [of Mexico] sent against me, with only false accounts and petty information obtained from the followers of Doctor Francisco de Sande, my predecessor--whose residencia I had taken, and, as a result thereof, had deprived him of all royal office. Nevertheless, he was received in that royal Audiencia as auditor; and, as a consequence, persons with grievances may well lose hope of obtaining justice. It is just that complaints against me as subjecting him to indignities, be heard, and that justice be done in that tribunal; but I also believe that your Majesty will be pleased to guard the dignity of an office as important as mine, and the servant in whom your Majesty has placed so much confidence. I say this because from Mexico they meddle with my government--giving me orders as to the corregidors whom I am to keep, and addressing private individuals in regard to the supplies, directing them to keep watch over that matter. This gives much occasion for those who are here to lose respect for me. The most serious thing is, that no matter how small the affair may be, they do not listen to me, or to my side of the story. They impose grave penalties upon me and threaten that I will be obliged to defray the expenses of the judge. I send some copies of the commands to your Majesty so that the royal council may consider and provide what is most fitting for your royal service.