In the year 1622 a new governor-general brought with him some Jesuits; but the appearance of these Fathers in Maranham excited a tumult against them; for, much to the credit of their order, it had set itself in systematic opposition to the iniquitous conduct of the Portuguese towards the natives. A compromise had to be arrived at, by which the Jesuits agreed, under pain of banishment and the confiscation of their property, not to interfere with the domesticated natives. As a wide belt of desolation had been placed round the Portuguese settlements by Maciel, it was somewhat difficult for the Fathers to find any other natives to exercise their influence upon. About this time much was done to explore the region of the Lower Amazons, in which service it is to be admitted that Maciel, who was now captain of Pará, was as energetic as he was ever savage in his bearing towards the Indians. At the river Curupá some of his people found Dutch, English, and French adventurers, who had made trenches for their defence, and had enlisted natives to assist them. From this post they were driven by Maciel, who destroyed their factories both on the Curupá and on the island of Tocujuz.
Having effected this congenial work, he returned to Belem, now called Parâ. His new conquests were considered at Madrid to be of such consequence as to deserve to be erected into a separate government, partly on account of the difficulty of communication between Maranham and Pernambuco. But the days were at hand when the natives were to be avenged by the arm of another European nation for the wrongs which they had suffered from Maciel and his like.
Note.—Chapters V., IX., XV. and XVI. of vol. I. are founded on “History of Brazil;” by Robert Southey. Longman. 1810.
On “The History of Paraguay;” Charles A. Washburn. Lee and Shepard. New York. 1871.
On “Noticia Biografica De Fernando de Magallanes;” by Navarrete.
On “Lettres Édifiautes et Curienses,;” écrites des Missions Étrangères. Nouv. edit.; par Querbeuf.
On “La Plata;” Etude Historique; par Santiego Arcos. Paris. 1865.
On “History of the Indies;” by J. de Acosta; Hakluyt Society. 1880.
On works previously referred to.
And on “Voyage dans l’Amérigue Méridionale;” par Don F. de Azara. 4 vols. 8vo. 1809.