Chapter IX: A. D. 1662-1670 107

Alonzo Aranqui y Cortez reports the auditing of accounts and condition of the Royal Treasury--Finding of large nuggets in a hill, supposed to be a silver mine--Goes to investigate--Report of Juan Cebadilla to his Majesty of having sent out the King’s orders concerning who shall keep the keys of the Royal chest--Administration of the negroes--Harshness shown the Royal employees--Francisco Guerra Vega reports a Captain of the Garrison for indecency and offense to his superiors, for which same he was reprimanded and imprisoned as a warning--Afterward given his liberty--The King to the Captain-General of Provinces of Florida--Instructions as to the continuance of the passage to Marcana Guale--Founding of the town of Santiago--As to the performance of certain duties by soldiers, for which money shall be paid--Soldiers shall be permitted to raise their crops, and not employed in personal work for the Governor--The Governor shall look after the wants and needs of his people--By order of the King, 1670.

CHAPTER X--A. D. 1671-1673 112

Pedro Menendez received the title of Governor by right of conquest, and Captain-General and Commander of the Fleet by conference of his Majesty for faithful, valorous service--Don Martin Menendez receives the title of perpetual Governor by right of inheritance--Important papers burned at Simancas--Manuel De Mendoza reports to his Majesty as to the designs of the English enemy--Discovery of the South Sea--Condition of this Garrison and other Provinces--Implores aid in completing fortifications--Report to his Majesty by Francisco De La Guerra y Vega concerning an Englishman taken prisoner in the Province of Guale--One of a crew sent out from a settlement of English at St. Elena--This man who was second in authority was confined in prison on soldiers’ rations--An effort made to break up the English settlement, which was unsuccessful.

CHAPTER XI--A. D. 1675 121

Letters to the King from the Governor Pablo Ita Salazer--Oath of office administered in the tower of the old Fort which is rapidly going into ruins--The Garrison needing supplies and ammunition--No warehouses, and owing to the distance and frequency of storms delaying supplies, the people are forced to hunt in the woods for roots to appease their hunger--The Fort in danger from pirates--Ammunition and guards exposed to the fatalities of the weather--Pleads for more money to complete the Castle--Its great importance--A pentagonal shape recommended--The Viceroy of Spain fails to send the ten thousand dollars--One hundred men needed to guard the Castle--Great danger from pirates--Two hundred leagues from Havana and five hundred from New Spain.

CHAPTER XII--A. D. 1675 130

An effort made to dislodge the English from Santa Elena--Governor ordered to complete the Castle and defense of the Garrison--Yucatan families--Master weavers asked for to settle in Florida--Appalache considered the best Province for settlement--Supplies sent from New Spain--Barracks to be made in the Fort for the soldiers--Money sent to finish the new Castle, also supplies for the soldiers--The neighbors to assist in building the new Castle--Repairs on the bulwarks of Guale--Increase of troops for St. Augustine--A fortress ordered built at Appalache.