About the same time Dirk de Ruiter set Sail with six Ships, and Peter Ita with ten, to Cruise at Sea.
Ita being set upon by the Enemy, escapes very narrowly.
About the beginning of February, Lonque having put all things in good order, prepar’d to return home, and weigh’d Anchor with nine Ships. But Ita going from Reciffa to Olinda, to take his leave of the Council there, was suddenly surpris’d after a strange manner; he had ninety Musquetteers for his Guard, whose Matches were all put out, and their Arms all wet by a great shower of Rain, which they perceiving from their Ambuscades, immediately got cross the River, and kill’d thirty of the Netherlanders, the rest running away, left Ita to defend himself, which he did for some time with his Sword, but had absolutely been slain, had he not receiv’d Aid from Olinda.
Because the Portuguese made several Attempts upon the Netherlanders, not without damage on both sides, the West-India Company often sent Ships to their assistance; and likewise many Brasilians deserting the Portuguese, joyn’d with the Netherlanders, who built a five-corner’d Fort with Bulwarks about the Cloyster on Antonio Vaes; which to prevent, the Portuguese ventur’d many a Sally, though not without considerable loss on their part. They also reported, that Frederick de Toledo was making thither with a great Fleet, to drive the Netherlanders out of Brasile; at which they taking the Alarm, put themselves all into a posture of Defence, rais’d new Works about the Castle on Reciffa, whilest the Ships which Cruis’d on that Coast brought in several Prizes.
John Walbeek being chosen General by the West-India Company over Brasile, had a Design on the Promontory St. Augustine; but it came to no effect, because the Sea beat so vehemently against the Shore.
Great Supplies sent to Brasile by the Netherland West-India Company.
The Report of the great preparation of a Fleet which was making ready in Spain, mov’d the West-India Company to raise more Men, and to send out Admiral Paters with seventeen Ships, which all arriv’d safe, except the Black Lyon Frigat, which carrying the Lieutenant-Colonel Eltz and Captain Uitgeest, was never heard of.
Joost Bankart was also sent out in March with eight Ships to St. Helena, to Cruise there for the rich Carraks which us’d to Water there; but though he stay’d till August before this fruitful Island, yet saw not one Ship at Sea, nor a Man on the Island, but great numbers of Sea-pies, which are so tame, that they suffer themselves to be taken up with the Hand, or knock’d on the Head with Sticks.
Near this Isle Ita took a Ketch Prize, and rallying his whole Fleet together, Steer’d for the Caimans; the most Eastern Isle whereof being about three Leagues long, is full of Rocks, with a high Point on the East; the other part thereof is plain. Then dividing his Fleet into seven Squadrons, he made them all ready for an Engagement, when he was inform’d by an English-man before Corientes, that Frederick de Toledo had set Sail with eighty Ships from Havana to Spain, of which he had sent back eight Gallions to Carthagena: Hereupon bending his Course near Havana, he put the whole Countrey to an Alarm, burnt a rich laden Vessel, and another that carry’d a Flag on the Fore-top, and a third laden with Ballast.
Joachim Guysen being made Commander of the Dolphin Frigat, and sent to joyn with Admiral Pater’s Squadron, was driven below Jamaica, and at last strook against the great Caiman, where his Vessel was all shatter’d to pieces; but all his Men and Goods being sav’d, he spent sixteen Weeks in making a Ketch of the pieces of the Dolphin, and brought a hundred and twenty Men, four Brass, and two Iron Guns to the Fleet, having buried the rest on Caiman.