January the seventeenth Huigens ventur’d a fourth Engagement between Rio Grande and Conyaou, where approaching the Spanish Fleet, a sudden Calm prevented him from coming within shot of them, till against the Evening the Wind began to rise, but the Night approaching, it was not judg’d worth while to Engage for so few hours, therefore they referr’d the bloody work till the next day; when about Daybreak Huigens ran through the midst of the Enemy’s Fleet, and fir’d so fiercely on Mascarenhas, that he Tacking about, stood away right before the Wind, and not being able to get beyond the Shelves Baxios de Rochas, nor to get Water on the Coast, because the Hollanders Ketches guarded the same, he Sail’d into the Offin towards the Line with a South-East Wind. After which Huigens lay eight days before Rio Grande to refresh and rest himself, and on the first of February he arriv’d at Reciffa, where Maurice caus’d a Thanksgiving Day to be kept for this wonderful Victory, whilest the Enemy was exceedingly abash’d.
Several Disadvantages occurr’d towards the overthrow of the Spanish Fleet; for first it was much weakned by the Disease which rag’d in the same on the Coast of Africa, insomuch that it lay still a whole year in Todos los Sanctos to gather fresh Forces, whilest Maurice put himself in a posture of Defence: Secondly, they lay becalm’d, and met with contrary Winds for several Moneths, whenas the Voyage between St. Salvador and Pernambuco is commonly not above twelve days; which tedious Passage occasion’d also a Distemper and faint-heartedness amongst the Spaniards, whilest divers Ships arriv’d at Reciffa from the Netherlands, without which it had been impossible to have Engag’d with the Enemy, in regard till then all manner of Ammunition and Provisions were wanting. Huigens also had continually the advantage or benefit of the Wind, and lost in the Engagement but two Ships, a hundred and twenty four Men, besides twelve wounded: Moreover, but twelve Ships onely of the Dutch Engag’d with this great Spanish Fleet, the rest never coming within shot; wherefore the two Commanders, John Coopman Ryk, and Peter Jacob, were condemn’d to be Beheaded; Cornelis Johnszoon and Peter Dirkszoon had their Swords broke over their Heads by the common Hangman; Cornelis Lucifer, Dirk Eger, and Jacob Clavor, were banish’d; and others came off by paying great Fines: but the Spanish Fleet lost in the four Engagements twenty Ships, and some thousands of Men, the Joseph alone having four hundred slain in her. Lastly, anchoring near the Island Margareta, the Portuguese Admiral Cosmo de Couto, and the Captain-General Francisco Pimentello, falling out, the Spaniards Steer’d to Tercera, and from thence to Cales, where there Landed but few Men, most of them dying of Hunger and Thirst in their Return home: Four Gallions, with two Pinks, got into the Spanish Harbors, the rest being either stranded before New Spain, sunk, or return’d to the Inlet Todos los Sanctos.
Cameron’s Forces and Barbalio’s put to flight by Coin.
Portugueses Plot against the Netherlanders discover’d.
Before the foremention’d Fleet weigh’d Anchor from St. Salvador, two thousand Portugueses, besides Tapuyans and other Brasilians, march’d under the Command of Cameron, Vidal, and Barbalio, with divided Forces into the Countrey, partly to get Provision, and partly to do what mischief they could to the Hollanders, far and near: their Orders were to joyn in the Village St. Laurence, seven Leagues beyond Paomarello, that there they might make way for the Seamen to Land, if the Netherland Forces should chance to guard the Sea-Coast thereabouts, and to joyn with them as soon as they were Landed. But Grave Maurice encourag’d by his late Victory at Sea, immediately sent the Field-Marshal Coin against Cameron, who dividing his Army into small Companies, had distributed them through the Woods; in which Coin follow’d his Example, and with divided Forces pursu’d Cameron’s Army, and overtook his Captain Tak and two hundred Men at Poyuca, (whereof Lopes Barbalio was Governor) who fled, notwithstanding he Commanded six hundred Men. Soon after which the Muster-master Mansveld met him near the Village St. Laurence, Engag’d him, and putting him to flight, found several Papers of Concern that he had left behind, and amongst others a Letter, in which Barbalio was commanded to spare neither Brasilians nor Netherlanders alive, but to kill all, without regard either to their Age or Quality, except the Portuguese. Moreover, Andries Vidal urg’d the Owners of the Sugar-Mills in the Netherlanders Brasile, immediately to take up Arms, to regain their ancient Freedom, as soon as Mascarenhas appear’d with the Spanish Fleet on the Coast of Brasile: Thus Vidal, by Letters and private Conferences, prevail’d so much, that most of the Portuguese were ready against their Oaths to root out the Netherlanders: The sign when they should be ready, was the burning of some Sugar-Mills, Vidal imagining thereby to have drawn the Netherlanders from the Sea-side, and so made the Sea-Coast free for the Spaniards to Land securely in. But the Garrison under Coin along the Sea-shore near Alexis, not ignorant of the Enemy’s Plot, kept their Stations, and suffer’d the Mills to burn. The like did Craey at the Promontory of St. Augustine, Picard at Paomarello, Captain Day at Cantolaria, and Donker on Goyana; Hoogstraet kept Guard up in the Countrey; Tourlon also sent out by Maurice against Francisco Sosa and Henrick Dias, who had pillag’d all the Countrey about the River Conajou, fell upon them in such a manner, that he destroy’d eighty seven of them, and wounded a considerable number more of them, made the rest flie to St. Salvador.
Two Moneths before the Spanish Fleet set Sail from Todos los Sanctos, three thousand Tapuyans came to Rio Grande with their Wives and Children, from an unknown Countrey remote from the Sea. Grave Maurice requested their King John de Wy, that he would please to keep Watch along the Sea-Coast, and prevent the Landing of the Spanish Seamen: Whereupon De Wy sent his Son to the Castle Ceulen, making solemn Protestations, that he was ready to lose his Life and Fortune for the Netherlanders, in helping them to drive the Portuguese out of Brasile. Maurice also joyn’d two thousand Brasilians, and Colonel Garstman with sixty Netherlanders, to the Tapuyans, that so he might train them up in Martial Discipline, whilest the Tapuyans Wives and Children were plac’d on the Island Tamarica.
About the beginning of the Year 1640. Houte-been and Lichthart brought a considerable Fleet from the Netherlands to an Anchor at Reciffa, where a Consultation was held, whither these Ships might be sent to do most Service: every one had an Eye on St. Salvador, not long since Storm’d in vain; but Maurice judg’d that they had not Forces enough to undertake so grand a Design, but thought it would be better to Land some fresh Forces near St. Salvador, that there they might burn the Sugar-Mills, and destroy all things they could find, in revenge of what the Enemy had done at Parayba. Whereupon Tourlon and Lichthart set Sail with twenty Ships, Mann’d with two thousand five hundred Men, to the Inlet Todos los Sanctos, where they burnt all the Portuguese Sugar-Mills, Houses and Villages; neither did their Swords spare any alive but Women and Infants: The Cattel which they found they carry’d aboard of their Ships, and burnt all other Provisions.
Capt. Brand taken Prisoner.
Coin unsuccessfully Storms Spirito Sancto.
In the mean time Houte-been and Coin fell upon Porto Franco, where they ruin’d all things, to no other end, but that the Enemy might call home his Forces out of the Netherlanders Brasile, to defend the Province Todos los Sanctos. But Captain Brand going up too far into the Countrey with his Army, was suddenly set upon, had a hundred of his Men slain on the Spot, and was himself taken Prisoner, together with many more. Also the Storming of the Town Spirito Sancto by Coin prov’d unsuccessful, because he led an undisciplin’d Company, and wanted little Vessels to Land in on a sudden; for the Enemy having had timely notice, immediately rais’d a Sconce about the Town, and with five Brass Guns fir’d stoutly on him, who endeavor’d to climb up the Hill, but was forc’d to sound a Retreat, his Men failing in their Courage; yet at last breaking into the Town, he set some of the Houses on fire, which being built of Stone, resisted the Flame; so burning onely four hundred and fifty Chests of Sugar, he left sixty Men kill’d, and brought back eighty wounded. Lichthart in the mean time made great havock about St. Salvador.