In this matter of slavery there has recently arisen anew a great problem. This is that among these Indians there is a custom that while [in Spanish law] the child follows the womb, among them it likewise follows the father by half. Thus the son of a free mother and a slave father was half slave, like the son of a slave mother and a free father; so there were slaveries of the fourth and eighth part. The former Audiencia, regarding this as absurd, commanded that the rule should no longer be observed, and that the son of a free mother should hereafter be free. This decision, being accepted without difficulty, produced no opposition, and many were in the enjoyment of liberty who had been married as freemen, and were such. But now, in a late case, the Audiencia has decided that the old custom shall be observed. Hence much disquietude has resulted; for, in addition to the infinite number of suits as to freedom, there is now much trouble as to marriages. This race is very fickle in that matter; and some who were married as freemen are already talking of having their marriages annulled by saying that they are slaves. Since in all these years there has been no disturbance regarding this matter, I trust that your Majesty will ordain that the disposition of the former Audiencia may stand. On the death of Francisco Sarmiento, who held the office of government secretary of these islands, and on the renunciation of it by Gaspar de Azebo, who bought the office in the time of the former Audiencia, the governor, Don Pedro de Acuna, granted the office to Antonio de Ordas, who acted as his secretary. This was at a time when your treasury was in very great need, and suffered most urgent demands upon it, especially for the building of a ship to go to sea that year. The governor planned to sell this office, and for that purpose the said Antonio de Ordas surrendered it; but when they set about executing the governor's purpose this city interposed with objections, and presented a petition that it might not be sold but might be given as a grant. The basis of their contention was that your Majesty had commanded in one section of the instructions given to Gomez Perez as to the sale of clerical offices that they should be thus managed, and should be given as grants to the well-deserving. It was urged that this should be understood of all such offices, not only of government but of the court of the Audiencia. I opposed the city, and found a special decree to the effect that these two offices should be sold. This decree was issued in the time of the former Audiencia, and in conformity with it this office was sold. Alleging that the said Ordas, although he had already received that grant, renounced it so that the office might be sold, and a way be found for meeting urgent necessities, I succeeded in effecting the sale, which was made for seventeen thousand pesos to Gaspar Albares, who paid down that sum, with which many matters were attended to. It was distributed