_ 156 _ A man must always be prepared, and there cannot be harder work for one who has little money and few men and such meagre powers. This fortress greatly needs Your Lordship to provide powder, because it is used not only in the fortress here but in many others this kingdom has, and in many ships which it is necessary to send out every hour and every day. Besides powder, three or four new caturs are also needed, and many oared boats because there are only two of the foists and caturs that used to be here, of which one belongs to Antonio de Azevedo and the other to Belchior de Sousa, which Your Lordship ordered to be taken for the King. The others are all old and defective and of no use for anything. No repairs can be done to them that would not cost more than to move them new. Your Lordship must order the factor to sell them, for someone will buy them for the timber, and it will not cost His Highness anything to order them to be put under cover and guarded. So it is essential that Your Lordship send me three or four caturs, the best that can be found there, because it is something of which this fortress has great need. Your Lordship should not think of sending me soldiers with the monsoon of May. They can come from the Strait
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