All this causes me great distress as I should be obliged to repair to the field and I have no resources possible with so few people. Notwithstanding, I propose, with the help of God, to improve it, and thus will the conversions advance and secure the road to Mexico. It is expedient to run the English out of that land, and there are not two hundred firearms in the armory nor among the soldiers and natives. If the thirty lancers and hundred infantry I sent for three years ago had come, things would be in a different shape. With a hundred families to protect, a good deal of aid is needed as speedily as possible and your Majesty will send them promptly as to the interest of your service. God protect you. PABLO ITA SALAZAR. St. Augustine, Fla., May 14th, 1680. * * * * * A. D. 1682. _Sire_: Don Juan Marquez Cabrera, your Governor and Captain-General of the Provinces of Florida, gives you an account of how since last February of this year they have experienced many hostilities in these Provinces from two French and English fleets who, since they discovered and settled with ten vessels they brought on these coasts towards the south, have taken and settled all the entrances and Ports, having seized seven vessels that were coming and going to the City of Havana, entered and plundered the Fort of Matanzas with no resistance from those within, and on another occasion in the same place, where there were forty-five Spaniards, captains, lieutenants and soldiers, there came four hundred Indians with firearms and arrows to one of the trenches at the edge of the two rivers at the foot of the Fort and this time they did not discharge a single shot, but set fire to the Fort and burned it, being of wood. I am again rebuilding it in the shape of a bonnet or cap with its inclinations bias, which it did not have before, with twenty-five stone houses, so that twelve or sixteen soldiers can defend it. On retiring they entered the River of Point Martin in Laungara, eighteen leagues inland and forty from this Garrison; thirty-five Frenchmen entered and plundered the estate Lachua, imprisoning the owner and some of his slaves and other persons and their servants. They were assisted in this by three of the neighbor Casiques, with sixteen Indians. As they retired they were met by an ambush who liberated the owners of the estate with the loss of one Indian. Although there were five Spaniards, with the degree of Captain who enjoy the rank and pay, excused themselves on the occasion because they feared if they had any one to encourage them the enemy would not have left one. As soon as I received the news, although I am very scarce of people for the defense of the Castle, I made every effort possible to send the Sergeant-Major of this Post with forty soldiers as quickly as possible. Finding the enemy already embarked, I ordered him to obstruct the river, seeing the danger to this Province, not having had any orders from you to keep it open.