Loando taken by Houte-been.
Grave Maurice likewise observing what great Profit proceeded from the Angolan Negro’s, and that the Spanish Sugar-Mills could not work without them, undertook to ingross that Trade wholly into the West-India Companies hands; to which purpose Loando St. Paulo being judg’d a fit Place for a Factory, Houte-been was sent thither with twenty Ships, Mann’d with nine hundred Seamen, two thousand Land-Soldiers, and two hundred Brasilians: the Land-Men were Commanded by Hinderson, who arriving with the Fleet on the twenty fourth of August 1640. before Loando St. Paulo, ran in between the Enemy’s Castles, St. Crux, Bento, Sibylla, Vincent, Velho, and against five Batteries along the Water side, all full of Guns, and fir’d so vehemently upon the Enemy, that being forc’d to leave his Works, he made room for Hinderson to Land; who immediately march’d to the Town, which Peter Cæsar Meneses defended with nine hundred Portugueses, and some thousands of Negro’s, who stood the first Onset; but Hinderson falling upon them again, so affrighted them, that they fled; which Meneses perceiving, soon follow’d, and left him Master of the City, in which he found onely a few drunken Soldiers, decrepid old People, twenty nine Brass Guns, besides several Iron ones, and great plenty of Provisions and Ammunition. Mean while Houte-been took thirty Ships hal’d near the Shore.
Description of the City.
This City is built on a Hill, and hath several fair Buildings and Cloysters, amongst which the Jesuits and Capuchins are the best. Along the Sea-shore at the foot of the Mountain, stands also a long Row of Houses, near which Hinderson immediately cast up Bulwarks against any Assault, and likewise two Sconces, the biggest whereof is on the utmost Point of Loando near the Fort Sibylla.
Meneses in vain Expostulates.
Twelve companies being left here in Garrison, quite contrary to Meneses his expectation, who thinking that the Netherlanders came onely for Booty, and not to take or keep the City by force of Arms, made his Complaints therefore by Letters to Houte-been, alledging, That there was Peace made between the King of Portugal and the United Netherlands, and that the former Acts of Hostility were chang’d to friendly Correspondencies. But Houte-been answer’d, “That he knew not of any such Agreement between Portugal and the Netherlands; and if he had known it, how should he be sure whether Meneses held with the Castilians or Portugueses? If Meneses knew of this Agreement, and was of the Portuguese Party, why did he receive those as Enemies, whom he must acknowledge as Friends? His Complaints were now too late, since the Hollanders had obtain’d the Victory with the loss of their Blood.”
Meneses therefore seeing no hopes to regain Loando, either by Complaints or Force, desir’d eight days Cessation of Arms, that in that time he might fit himself to go from thence to another Place; which the Netherlanders in Garrison would not hearken to, but commanded him to march away immediately sixteen Leagues from Loando.
Great Profit of the Negro-Trade.
Mean while the Angolan Princes joyning with the Netherlanders fell upon the Portuguese where-e’re they met them. Moreover, several Citizens return’d to Loando, and proffer’d half their Negro’s, if they might but have liberty to be Transported to St. Salvador with the other half; but it was judg’d more convenient to keep them, and by fair means also to invite the rest, because it appear’d by the Angolan Accounts, that the profit of the Negro-Trade amounted yearly to sixty six Tuns of Gold, the Charges of the Garrison, and fitting out of the Ships being deducted from it. The Spanish King had yearly above fifteen thousand Negro’s from hence to employ in his American Mines.
The Isle of St. Thomas taken by Houte-been.