The Marquess Salinas murther’d for his Jewels.
About the same time eight Sail arriv’d at Reciffa from Holland, and Jonathan de Nekker, Cornelis Corneliszoon, alias Houte-been, and Reinier Peterszoon, set out with three Frigats from the Texel to the Isle Vacca, where with Hunting, Fishing, and gathering of Fruit, they refresh’d themselves, and afterwards Steer’d to the River Magdalena, discernable at three Leagues distance by the thick yellow Water it discharges into the Sea through three Mouths. Between the Western and middlemost Mouth lies an Isle in the middle of the River, behind which Houte-been came to an Anchor, whilest Nekker and Peterszoon kept Guard near Punto Verde; where though the Wind blew very fresh in the Night, yet the Water remain’d smooth: About Day-break Nekker discovering a Sail, made chase after the same, but not able to come up with her, lost her the following Night, and in the Morning saw a Barque, which running ashore was set on fire by Peterszoon; after which Nekker chased two other Ships, which likewise getting from him, he stood off at Sea out of sight of the Isles Zamba, which are low on the West, and Hilly at the East-end, where the Sea beats vehemently against a Promontory, and chased a Barque ashore, whither he sent a Boat with eight Men; which being beaten to pieces by the Waves, drowned four of them, and the rest getting ashore were kill’d by the Spaniards. Soon after which four Spanish Ships set Sail after Nekker and Peterszoon, and had not the Night favor’d them they had been but in a bad Condition; for they were not able to get their Sea-men aboard, who having taken some Wine ashore, had made themselves Drunk; about Day-break they descry’d the four Spanish Vessels, which were gotten so far from them, that they could but just discern them from the Main-top. Not long after they took two Barques, and came to an Anchor behind Zamba by Houte-been, who being driven by a Storm out of the River Magdalena to Jamaica, had chased a Barque ashore there, and a Ship with four hundred Negro’s against St. Martha, and since took a rich laden Barque near the River Magdalena. In like manner Nekker and Peterszoon took a Ship coming from Caraques, leaving Houte-been alone before Magdalena, who not long after discover’d eighteen Spanish Ships near the High-land St. Martha, which were Steering to Carthagena; one whereof belonging to Carthagena he made Prize of, but was forc’d to forsake her in a great Storm; after the ceasing of which he took another Frigat, the Men whereof inform’d him, That the Admiral Thomas de Caspure was going with eleven Ships from Cape Antonio to Porto Belo, to lade the Peruvian Silver there. The Ship with Angolan Negro’s, taken by Houte-been, he set free, but kept a Frigat laden with Tallow, Hides, Tobacco, and Flesh, which he had taken just before the Coast of Rio Grande; and thus he went Privateering up and down, when the Plate-Fleet from New Spain weighed Anchor from Juan de Lua, the like of which in Riches had never set Sail before, for it carry’d 2169340 Ryals of Eight for the Merchants, an unvaluable Treasure for the King, besides many rich Commodities which several bought upon their own Accounts, that were not entred in the Custom-house: all which Treasure, laden in nine Gallions, besides a considerable number of Frigats and small Vessels, was committed to the Charge of Miguel de Echacareta; but he dying before the Fleet set Sail, Manuel Serano de Ribera was chosen Admiral; but a dreadful Storm arising as they were Sailing before the Coast of Campeche in their Way to Havana, the whole Fleet was in a manner utterly destroy’d, with a most unvaluable Treasure: The Admiral, Vice-Admiral, Gallion Teresia, and several other Gallions, sunk, with at least two thousand Men, a great number of Persons of Quality, and amongst the rest the Marquess Salinas, who was most treacherously slain by thirty Persons, who made themselves Masters of a Sloop, into which he went for safety out of the sinking Admiral Juseppe: That which instigated them to this horrid Act, was the sight of a small Trunk of Jewels which he carry’d into the Sloop: Not long after falling out amongst themselves about dividing the Spoil, several of them were discover’d, apprehended, and put to death.
This Fleet weighed Anchor the day after their Admiral Miguel de Echacareta was buried, who dy’d so suddenly that he could make no Will. A few days after the departure of the Fleet, a hundred and seventy Houses were burnt at Juan de Lua. It appears that the Spaniards out of fear of the Netherlanders, set Sail on the tenth of October, notwithstanding it was at an inconvenient time, because about that Season the Hurricanes rage most terribly in the Bay of Vera Crux.
By a Letter from the Treasurer Franciscus Suarez it appears, that the two Regiments in the City St. Salvador, the one Commanded by Christopher Mexia Bocanegra, consisting of nine Companies, each of sixty Men, and the other Commanded by Vasco de Mascarennas, consisting of thirteen Companies, cost the King of Spain yearly 21515 l. to maintain them.
Walbeck’s Exploits.
The Netherland Council at Reciffa no way discourag’d by their successless Attempts made the last Year on Rio Grande, sent thirteen Companies of Soldiers aboard of seventeen Vessels, to build a Fort at the River Formosa, where the Portuguese being too weak to resist them, set fire on a Store-house with three hundred Chests of Sugar, and fled: Walbeck was Commander in Chief in this Design, who Landing on Formosa found no fit place to build a Fort in, because the Shore, not being above a Musquet-shot broad, was inclos’d with Woods, behind which lay high Mountains that Commanded the Shore; therefore marching to Serinhain he burnt several Houses and a new Sugar-Mill, near which in a Store-house he took twelve hundred Chests of Sugar, which for want of Carts he could not carry to his Ships. Also before Porto Calvo he burnt a Carvel, and took a great number of Cattel on Camarigibi, and return’d without any farther Exploits to Reciffa, where the Cruisers had brought in several Prizes during his absence.
The Council resolving not to sit idle, set out another Fleet of eighteen Ships under the Command of Martin Thyszoon, with a Regiment of fourteen Companies under Stein Callenfels.
The Expedition of Martin Thyszoon and Stein Callenfels.
This Fleet approaching Cape Augustin, they found a ridge of Rocks along the Shore, against which the Sea beat with great vehemency; at length they came before a small Inlet, at whose Mouth lay a small Fort from which the Enemy fir’d upon the Mann’d Boats which Row’d by the same: at some distance they discern’d two Breastworks, one rais’d above the other near the Shore; on which when the Hollanders thought to Land, three hundred Portugueses fir’d at once upon them; and on a Hill not far from thence appear’d more Men, which amaz’d the Council of War, for the Inlet was so narrow, that not above six Boats could Land at once; and it was evident, that though the Enemy should chance to be beaten from behind his Breastworks, yet the Hollanders would lie expos’d to the Enemy’s Guns from the Fort Nazareth built on the Mountain; besides, Nazareth, if gain’d, could scarce be defended, unless the whole Mountain were Intrench’d round, which would not onely be very chargeable, but also impossible, because of the red Earth, altogether unfit for Fortifications; and the barren Mountain afforded neither Wood, nor any thing else; besides, the Storming of it would be very dangerous: The Entrance into the Haven was difficult, because a stonie Bank before the same suffer’d no Passage but betwixt small Openings; the chiefest whereof was guarded by a WaterCastle, and farther within by the Fort Puntael. Along the Sea-shore their Landing was prevented by the violent beating of the Waves, and a great square Tower on the Way up to the Fort Nazareth, whose Church is seen at a great distance off at Sea. All which consider’d, they judg’d it best to draw off their Men again, and so they return’d without having effected any thing to the purpose, onely Captain Schuppe took two Carvels with five hundred Chests of Sugar in the River Formosa.
The City of Garasu surprised by the Hollanders.