_ 292 _ to accept, you are to choose for this a person who seems best to you. With these men who are to stay guarding the city you are to leave five foists, which are to remain under the authority and command of the captain, and they must be the easiest in the fleet to row. Item: All the time you are anchored, you are to insist that the men do not sleep ashore, so that if there are any surprise attacks on you at night, the fleet will not be abandoned; as Indian fighting men cannot bear to be in sight of land without going ashore frequently and unnecessarily, you are to tell the captains that they may permit a quarter of the men in their ships to go ashore each day on condition that they return to sleep on board. Item: To pay the men who are to stay guarding the city, I am giving orders for such a large quantity of spices to be taken that it looks enough to last a year. These spices are to be handed over to the person on whom the Controller of Treasury decides, and as regards sales and payments, all this is to be done in accordance with the written instructions he will send for the purpose, and you are to see that they are carried out to the letter. One thing you are to do, which is of the greatest service to our lord, the King, and by which you can gain the
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