Calamba
He sends him money — Paciano is planning to abandon Pansol — Asks Rizal to send him a remedy for malaria.
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Calamba, 23 May 1886
DEAR BROTHER,
Enclosed you will receive a draft for ₱188 against the Hong Kong Bank, in accordance to what you told me in your preceding letter. It turns out more costly than in another bank for here the discount does not exceed 2 1/2% while in that bank it is six.
I finished the milling on the 18th of this [month] and in spite of the low price of sugar, I’m very much satisfied for having finished this work, because at last I can rest at home after having spent five months away from it. It is true that this rest will not be for more than a couple of months, after which I shall have to attend to the preparations for the coming harvest, but after all, it is months of relaxation from work. Our harvest was more than ordinary.
This year, if things turn out well for me, I shall try to have my own land, giving Pansol either to Silvestre or to anybody else or return it to the Estate, because it is not possible for a farmer to support himself in these lands which are over loaded with rent, considering the bad price of sugar. The land where I’m planning to go has the worst sanitary conditions — it is malaria — but it does not matter, we are all mortals. The only thing that I would regret is if I should be caught by this disease at the beginning of my work, because then they would say the lands of the Estate are very much better than one’s own by any means, a saying, as you will understand, which is highly prejudicial. If you know of an effective remedy against this disease, it would not be superfluous for you to send it to me.
The whole family is in good health, except for one thing or other that I refrain from telling you to save you one more displeasure.
PACIANO
03-154 [Reformists]