Page:Dos cartas en lengua apalachino y timuguana.djvu/25



We have always lived as Your Honor’s subjects, but now, wholeheartedly, we are living as Your Honor’s subjects. Thus we desire to speak to Your Honor.

Many white men’s chiefs have been sent here, but we have not seen anyone like Don Tiecu. And many other white men's chiefs live here, but we have not seen anyone like him. By this being so, because of God, we say we will be giving our thanks. We, all the chiefs and all the many subjects, have been covered in many clothes, and we live here with happiness. And had what the other white men's chiefs have done to us been like what is done to us, we would be many more Christians. We would be even more Christian. We have been spoken for with justice. His Honor has, during the great misery, visited Christian lands for us, yet the Mass was not abandoned by him because of this misery. He has become even more of a Saint; yes, we think this. And he has spoken to us of the Fathers that are to be honored; we live here with happiness. And he has finished teaching us of the Masses that are to be heard; we live here with happiness. And by this being so, because of God, we request of Your Honor this white man's chief living here. We want to say all this as well: may God give him life. We are speaking to Your Honor in San Mateo, January, the twenty-eighth day of the year 88.

By this, Don Francisco speaks, and Francisca Martine. Don Pedro, chief of San Pedro. Don Diego, chief of Machaua. Bentura, chief of Asile. Gregorio, chief of San Juan.