The day before this eminent Castle was to be deliver’d up to the Enemy, Admiral Lichthart obtain’d a brave Victory at Sea; for the Portuguese Fleet (consisting of seventeen Sail, the rest being gone with Bonavides to Portugal) anchoring before Tamandera, were valiantly set upon by Lichthart, who Engag’d with them on the ninth of September 1645. with the Utrecht, being the Admiral Ship, the Zealand, Ter Veer, Over-Ysel, the Pinks Salt-Land and Leyden, a Dogger and three Barques. In the Hole of the Haven Tamandera three Portuguese Carvels kept Watch, and near a Battery full of Guns lay three Barques, and the other Ships a little farther nigh the Shore. The Enemy at first shot very fiercely from the Battery, whilest the Ships drove to the Shore, and the Men leaping overboard swam ashore, onely the Admiral Jeronymo Serao de Payva made some resistance, but at last surrendred up his Ship, the Netherlanders in their Barques killing above seven hundred Portugueses in the Water. Lichthart burnt the whole Fleet, except the Admiral and Vice-Admiral, which he carry’d to Reciffa.
But this Victory was not comparable to the Loss which the East-India Company sustain’d by the selling of the Promontory of St. Augustine, and the taking of the Forts Porto Calvo and Rio Francisco; to the last whereof the Barques coming too late to carry the Soldiers off, they were all made Prisoners by the Portuguese, as also the Planters, in all to the number of five hundred.
Bouilloux put to Death by the Governor of Parayba.
Vidal marching to Tamarica, Storm’d Schuppen-stadt, but found such resistance from George Garstman (who supply’d the Prisoner Hous his Place) that he lost three hundred Men: After which he endeavor’d by means of Fernandes Bouilloux, to purchase the Fort Margareta for 1500 l. Sterl. of the Governor of Parayba, who immediately without any farther Examination, caus’d Bouilloux that proffer’d the Money to be put to death.
A Dutch Sergeant in Olinda dealt very treacherously; for he sold the Fort to a Portuguese Ensign for 100 l. and also most basely betray’d all his Soldiers Lives to the merciless Enemy.
The distressed Condition of Reciffa.
By these means Reciffa was round about in jeopardy, as also within; for the great Thirst of the Inhabitants under a scorching Climate, augmented by the Hollanders salt Meat, could not be quench’d with brackish Water, for fresh was not to be had; Famine also increas’d daily, insomuch that the Poor threatned to fall upon the Rich, which made the Magistrates go Arm’d from House to House, to enquire what Store every one had, which being writ down was carry’d away and put into the Store-houses, where each receiv’d alike share, without respect of Persons. Fewel also grew very scarce, which made many eat their Meat raw, or half dress’d. In the interim every one that was able, was forc’d to work at the Forts of Reciffa, which were beaten down by the Rains; and the Soldiers continually alarm’d by the Enemy, were forc’d to be Night and Day up in Arms. The People dy’d more and more daily, when two Fly-Boats arriv’d there with Provisions, and News, that a Fleet was coming to their assistance.
The Captains Rhynbag and Montagne went in the Night, each with a Company, to fall upon the Enemy, who being two thousand five hundred strong, drove them back, and pursu’d them within shot of the Afogados, where forty Portugueses were kill’d.
About the same time a Terra Neuf Sailor, laden with the dry’d Fish Bocraillo, came to Reciffa.
In Parayba three hundred Netherlanders Sallying out of the Forts, fell so valiantly upon nine hundred Portugueses, that they forc’d them to flye, not without a considerable loss. After which a Party of Brasilians surpris’d eighty Portugueses, as they were at Mass in Andreas Diez de la Figuereda’s Sugar-Mills, where they spar’d none but Figuereda’s Daughter, whose Beauty so charm’d them, that they comforted her mourning for her Father’s Death, and deliver’d her undefil’d to the Governor of Parayba.