Page:The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 (Volume 10).djvu/129

who, with love and zeal for the glory of God, care for and desire His service and that of your Majesty, the welfare and increase of these lands, and the reputation of our nation. Of a certainty this last is being ruined and lost more and more daily. The remedy for these evils is the increase of the pay, and provision for additions to it; and a decree by your Majesty that the one hundred and fifteen pesos be regarded as a gratuity provided until the arrival of the soldiers at Cavite. Only the half of this sum should be given the soldiers in Mexico for their clothes, while the other half should be kept back until their arrival at the said port, without giving them any of it. This will be of much greater utility than giving them all the pay in Mexico; for, if all is given them, most of it goes in gambling, and whatever is left is lost and wasted at sea. The captain of the vessel and crew becomes rich by means of the quantities of playing-cards and other schemes to drain the poor wretches of all their money. On this account they are wont to arrive at the port, naked, ragged, and in such a condition that it is a pity, shame, and grievous thing to see them. And if, beside this, they do not receive any pay for many months, let your Majesty consider and examine the tendency of such things, so that God and your Majesty may be served, this country increased and settled, and our nation esteemed. As things are now the rule is quite to the contrary; and matters are in such a state that respectable and honorable men have no desire to become soldiers, but only mestizos and the scum of the people enlist. In the year ninety-four a great many of these latter came hither. Would to God that they had not come in so great numbers, on account of both their