Letter

Document Extracts regarding the Luna Settlement and Hurricane. Transcribed and translated by John E. Worth. Extract from Viceroy’s letter, Oct. 25, 1559, regarding the storm: “The [letters] that Your Grace wrote me with Luis Daça on August 24 from the port of Santa Maria de Ochuse I received on September seventh, and on the 12th I had the news of your arrival at the port, which gave me as much contentment as misery on seeing that which Your Grace wrote me with Felipe Boquin on September 28. The bark in which he and the rest of the masters and pilots came arrived in six days from that port to that of San Juan de Ulua, and yesterday, the 13th of the present [month] I received that which Your Grace wrote me. Before I express my sentiment, I will respond to the first [letters]…at the hour that Luis Daza arrived, I provided that the galleon in which he came should be repaired, in conformity with the opinion of Gonçalo Gayon, the pilot, who returned immediately to the port to inquire about this, and also another medium-sized ship has been taken so that with the two they can carry the supplies that Your Grace requests with all possible brevity…By the [letter] that Your Grace wrote me on September 28, it seems that there were lost five topsail ships, with the galleon of Andonaguin, and one of the three barks. The hurricane must have been fierce since it did such destruction.” “Las q[ue] V.S. me escrivio con Luis Daça en XXIIII de Agosto del puerto de Santa Maria de Ochuse rescivi en siete de Setiembre y a los XII tuve la nueva de su llegada al puerto que me dio tanto contentami[ent]o como pena de ver la que V.S. me escrivio con Felipe Boquin a XXVIII de Septiembre. La barca en q[ue] vinieron el y los demas maestres y pilotos llego en seis dias dende ese puerto al de San Juan de Ulua y ayer XIII del p[r]esente rescivi la que V.S. me escrivio y antes que diga my sentimiento rrespondere a las primeras…a la ora que Luis Daza llego provey q[ue] se rreparase el galeon en que vino conforme al paresçer de Gonçalo Gayon piloto el qual bolvio luego al puerto a entender en ello y tambien se tomo otro navio mediano p[ar]a que los dos con la presteza posible lleven los bastimentos q[ue] V.S. pide…Por la q[ue] V.S. me escrivio a XXVIII de Septiembre paresçe que se perdieron cinco navios de gavia con el galeon de Andonaguin y la una de las tres barcas bravo debio ser el huracan pues en tan buerto hizo tal rriza.”