The inhabitants of Caraga revolted, as I stated in my last despatch, after killing the captain and commander, with twenty soldiers, in an expedition that he made. Thinking that they could gain the fort with that force, they came to it, but it did not fall out as they imagined. The greater part of the province rose, and killed four discalced Recollect religious. A severe punishment was inflicted on them in the month of September; and recently, in the month of May just passed, another fleet went there to punish and to reduce them. I trust, our Lord helping, that they will remain quiet, although they are not Christians; for there is little confidence to be placed in them. The four pataches which were sent to Terrenate arrived there safely; and the enemy were unable to overtake them, although they came with hopes of doing much more here than usual, and searched for the ships from dawn until four o'clock in the afternoon. Pedro de Heredia is somewhat disconsolate at seeing that your Majesty does not withdraw him. He sent no news of importance, except that the enemy is not so powerful as formerly. During the coming year I intend to send a greater reenforcement than usual, in order to see whether we can capture the enemy's ship which prowls thereabout. There will be considerable opposition, and there are very few men for what is necessary, but I shall do what is possible. Nueva Espana aids me with very little money; for this year not more than two hundred and thirty-four thousand pesos has come for the expenses of the treasury, and during all the past years aid came in almost the same way. The viceroy thinks that he is doing his duty in not sending more. I would like him to have charge of affairs here, to see whether he could maintain armed fleets, infantry, friars, ministers of justice, the extraordinary expenses of presidios, and many other expenses--which will be seen there from the reports which your Majesty asked, and which are sent this year--with so little cloth. He also sent me only ninety soldiers as a reenforcement, for whom, I am assured, twenty warrants were given. The best of all is that I am told very positively that the levy will begin very early, just as if that had the tune that was to attract many men. If the captains who raise the men were the ones who had to bring them, they would make men. But as they are not the ones to bring them, and as the matter is reduced to three companies who have to come here, and the captains of these come to obtain the men on the wing--that is, on the road or at the very port of Acapulco--they find that already the men have deserted to the other captains. Many of them die here, and there is but a low birth rate in this country. Thus the garrisons at Terrenate and the other presidios lack men, although the visitor thinks it all too much. I am not surprised at that, for his desire is the same as mine, namely, to cut short your Majesty's expenses. But it