These three fore-mention’d Frigats, as also the Walcheren and South-star from Zealand, joyn’d with Pater’s Fleet, when he receiv’d Information, that a considerable number of Spanish Ships were suddenly expected from Campeche: Whereupon Paters divided his Fleet into three Squadrons, whereof the Forlorn consisted of three Sail, the Reserve of the like number, and the Admiral kept five under his own Command: Thus divided, they stood to and again before Cape Corientes, when Captain John Stapel brought three, and John van Hoorn four Netherland Ships to their assistance.
Hoorn’s Expedition.
Hoorn having set Sail from the Texel about the latter end of April, was beaten off from Granada with poyson’d Arrows, and took a Prize before the Promontory St. Anthony, the Men whereof inform’d him, that the Governor Gabriel de Chaves Osorio, an old Soldier, had great trouble in repairing the Walls, Forts and Houses in the City, which two years before had been blown down by a great Storm, and that six great Ships were lading to go for Carthagena with the Gallions for Spain, because they durst not Steer by Porto Rico for fear of the Netherlanders; moreover, that abundance of Ginger was spoyl’d for want of Vessels to carry it away; and that the Citizens were in great want for Stuffs, none having come in a long time from Spain; in like manner there went none but Copper Coin, so that nothing was to be got there. The Silver and Gold Mines were not look’d after, the Spaniards not caring to work, and the old Natives were long since cut off, insomuch that if the Imperial Court was not kept in St. Domingo, to which belong’d Cumana and Coro, that City and Island, and Hispaniola it self, would soon be left desolate. Hoorn therefore Sail’d by the Promontory St. Cruiz, being a low Point overgrown with Trees, into the Bay, twenty Leagues from the Mouth whereof lie the Isles Jardin de la Reyna. Before Corientes he took a Barque with three hundred and six Guns, sent from Havana, the Men whereof inform’d him, That the Governor of Havana, call’d Laurence de Cabrera, having Intelligence of the Dutch Fleets approach, rais’d many Men, and gave notice to the Ships in all the Harbors thereabouts; after which he took another rich Prize, and joyn’d at last with Paters Fleet, which now consisted of twenty Sail, with which he Steer’d for the Soundings of Tortugas, where the Fleet met with a dreadful Tempest, wherein a Thunderbolt splitting the Main-Yard of the Hunter Frigat, fell down by the Mast, and rowl’d out at one of the Port-holes, kill’d the Purser, and wounded two more in the Head: great showers of Rain fell daily, when Samuel Lucas and Captain Outger Minne brought seven Sail of Ships more to the Fleet, with which Paters put in for fresh Provisions into the spacious and secure Haven De Cabannas, where several Isles lie, formerly inhabited by Shepherds and Carpenters.
From hence Paters Sail’d by Havana, mended the Port-holes of his lower Deck, and took off the Top-gallant Masts, because in September the usual Storms begin here; and seeing that he could not do any Exploit with so great a Fleet, he sent nine Ships home, and with the rest went to Barbados, where at that time there were about fifteen hundred English that Planted Tobacco.
Paters Sailing from hence, ran to the Main Continent of America, inspected the River Oronoque, where he quenched the Town St. Thomas, that had been set on fire by the fled Inhabitants, and brought aboard all what they had left.
Henrick Lonque’s Expedition.
Takes Olinda.
During his fruitless Expedition, the West-India Company Rigg’d out twenty seven Sail under the Command of Henrick Lonque, Peter Ita, and Joost Bankart; the Land-Soldiers being Commanded by Diederick Van Waerdenberg. Lonque coming to St. Vincent, stay’d a long time at Anchor there; for in regard the Spaniard in the Low Countreys rang’d on the Veluwe, and had taken Amersfoort, the States of the United Netherlands were forc’d to keep those Men in their Service which the West-India Company had rais’d; but so soon as Wesel was re-taken, and the Hartogen-Bosch won by Frederick Henrick, Prince of Orange, thirty six Sail were sent to Lonque’s assistance; of which some came sooner to him than others at St. Vincent, where he had stay’d four Moneths without doing any remarkable Exploit. On St. Steven’s Day he set Sail with fifty two Ships, thirteen Sloops, and two Prizes, all Mann’d with seven thousand Men, which meeting with contrary Winds and Calms, lay a great while under the Line, the Scurvey began to encrease amongst them daily, insomuch that above twelve hundred lay sick, and three hundred dy’d since they set Sail from St. Vincent; yet at last Lonque getting sight of Olinda, sent Waerdenberg on the fourth of February with sixteen Ships, carrying three thousand Men to Pavo Morello, a Wood, lying two Leagues Northward from Olinda, where he suddenly Landed, notwithstanding the Portuguese guarded the Shore with two thousand Men, whom Waerdenberg, after a short Skirmish, putting to flight, was the whole Night in Arms, and the next day became Master of Olinda, by breaking in on the North at the same time, when Colonel Schutte Storm’d on the South. Moreover, the Enemy surrendred the two Forts on Reciffa, and forsook the Island.
About the middle of March nine Ships which were wanting to make up Lonque’s Fleet, came to an Anchor by him, having brought him above six hundred Soldiers, many Guns, all manner of Ammunition under the Command of Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Seton, and the three Adjutants John de Bruine, Philip Serooskerken, and Horatius Calandryn, who immediately order’d the Cloyster on Antonio Vaes to be fortifi’d, and built a Fort with four Bulwarks at the Entrance of Pozo in the Countrey Reciffa. Seton also set fire on the Suburbs of Olinda, in which the Enemy had Lodg’d the Night before, and endeavor’d to poyson the fresh Water on Antonio Vaes, when on a sudden the Netherlanders fell upon them; two which drank of the Water dy’d, and others fell into great Fits of Sicknesses, and it wanted little but that the Admiral Lonque, with a Company of fifty Musquetteers, had been kill’d returning from Reciffa to Olinda, he being unawares set upon by two Companies of Portugueses and Brasilians, who kill’d above thirty six of his Men, and dangerously wounded six more, so that he brought off but eight Men unhurt. The like Misfortune befell the Wood-cutters on Antonio Vaes, surpris’d by the Portuguese from an Ambuscade.
Whilest Affairs stood thus about Olinda, there first arriv’d two Ships from the United Netherlands at Reciffa, not long after four more, Commanded by John Walbeek, and eight more under the Admiral Dirik Van Uitgeest, who was follow’d by the Noahs Ark.