NIEUHOFF*S BRAZIL. 699 



fubftance be confumed. The feamen look upon them as a good omen, that the ftorm 

 is going to abate ; which proved true in effect, the fury of the winds beginning to allay 

 from that time ; and we had the good fortune to difcover two leaks near our forecaftle^ 

 which elfe might have proved of dangerous confequence. 



The 5th, we paiTed the Barrels, under the thirty-ninth degree ; where, according 

 to an ancient cuftom, every one, of what quality or degree foever, that has not paffed 

 there before, is obliged to be baptifed, or redeem himfelf from it. He that is to be 

 baptifed, has a rope tied round his middle, wherewith he is drawn up to the very top 

 of the bowfprit, and from thence three times fucceffively tumbled into the water. 

 There were fome who looked very blank upon the matter, but others went cheerfully 

 about it, and for a meafure of Spanilh wine fuffered themfelves to be rebaptifed for 

 the mafter and the merchant. But this cuftom is abolifhed of late years, by fpecial 

 orders from the governors of the company, to avoid broils and quarrels, which ufed 

 often to arife upon this occafion. 



The 6th, as we were fteering our courfe fouth-fouth-weft, with a frefh gale, we 

 defcried two velTels, making all the fail they could towards us, whom we fuppofed to 

 be Turkifli pirates (as indeed they proved afterwards) ; it was refolved to defend us till 

 the utmoft extremity. Accordingly orders were given to clear every thing upon the 

 deck, and to furnilh the feamen with mufquets, hangers, pikes, and other fuch like 

 weapons. Every one having taken his ftation, we put up the bloody flag, and ex- 

 peeled their coming under the found of our trumpets. The mafter of the ftiip, being 

 all that time very ill of fome wounds he had received formerly, which were now broken 

 up afrefli ; and the commiflary, Francis Zweers, not being in a condition, by reafon of 

 his great age, to remain upon deck, I was fain to undertake the whole management of 

 the ftiip, and encouraged them to fight bravely for their lives and liberty, ordering 

 them not to fire at all, till they were in their full reach, they being much better manned 

 than we. 



About noon we faw the Turks make up towards us, with orange-coloured flags, 

 which however they foon after changed for the bloody flags, and the biggeft of them 

 faluted us with two cannon-fliot out of his forecaftle, without doing us the leaft harm, 

 but the fecond time almoft fliot our foremaft in pieces. In the mean-while we were 

 come fo near to one another, that we fent them a good broadfide into their ftiip, which 

 the Turks repaid us immediately ; but it was not long before we obferved the biggeft 

 of the two had received a fliot betwixt wind and water, which made her keep at fome 

 farther diftance, till ftie had repaired her damage, which gave me opportunity to en- 

 courage our people with words, and a good proportion of wine, which they mixed 

 with fome gunpowder ; and I, to pleafe them, followed their example. 



By this time they returned both to the charge, and faluted us fo fiercely with their 

 cannon and fmall ftiot, that they took away the roof of our great cabin, and did us 

 fome damage in our rigging. I then changed my fcymetar for a mufquet, and dif* 

 charged continually upon the enemy, and I found myfelf fore feveral weeks after, by 

 the hurt I received from a mufquet of one that ftood hard by me, which being by a 

 cannon-ball forced out of his hands againft my body, I fell down, ftretched all along 

 upon the deck, without fenfe or motion ; but having after fome time recovered myfelf, 

 I returned to my poft. I then perceived the captain of the biggeft Turkifti ftiip with 

 a turbant on his head, in the ftern, encouraging his men, which made me order thofe 

 about me to aim at him with their fmall fliot, which, as I fuppofe, fucceeded according 

 to our hopes, it being not long before we loft fight of him. Notwithftanding this, 

 the heat of the fight increafed on both fides, many broadfides pafling betwixt us, 



4 u 2 accom- 



