St. Augustine was a poor and isolated market with little to export. Its seaways were beset by corsairs in summer and storms in winter. No merchant could risk one of his ships on that dangerous journey without an advance contract guaranteeing the sale of his cargo at a profit of 100% to 200%. [Note 42: Francisco Menendez Marquez and Pedro Benedit Horruytiner 2/6/1647.] Citizens sometimes tried to circumvent the high cost of imports by going in together to order a quantity of goods, making sure that anyone they entrusted with money had local ties to guarantee his return. But the price of bringing goods to Florida was still prohibitive. A single frigate trip to the San Juan de Ulua harbor and back cost 400 ducats. [Note 43: Cargo manifest on the Nuestra Senora del Rosario out of Seville 1607; Alonso de Caceres report (Havana) after 12/12/1574; Juan de Cueva, Juan Menendez Marquez, and Francisco Ramirez 1/27/1617.] (Bushnell KC)