IS'^ 



NIEUHOFF*S BRAZIL. 



tancies likely to be committed by the covetous officers and rapacious foldiers, would be 

 forced to join with them againft us. After the departure of His Excellency for Hol- 

 land, thofe cabals have inftead of divine things increafed every day ; they have been 

 very diligent in getting information concerning the ftrength of all our garrifons, with an 

 intent to carry on their defigns before we could be reinforced with fupplies of men and 

 provifions from Holland ; to effefl: which they have, by meifen^ers fent to Bahia, fo- 

 licited for fuccours of men and arms, of which, as it feems, they have no fmall hopes. 

 There is great reafon to believe that the journey of Andrew Vidal from the Bahia hither, 

 in Auguft laft, undertaken under pretence of taking his leave before his return to Por- 

 tugal, in order to ferve the King there, was founded upon no other motive than to inform 

 himfelf moft narrowly concerning the true ftate of affairs here, in order to give a verbal 

 account thereof in the Bahia, and afterwards in Portugal ; as likewife to found the in- 

 clinations of the inhabitants, and to animate fuch as he found well difpofed for his in- 

 tereft, with hopes of fpeedy fuccours from the Bahia : we having fmce received fecret in- 

 telligence that he has been prefent at feveral of thefe cabals. But though they were 

 greatly encouraged with thefe hopes of good fuccefs, by reafon of the diminution of our 

 forces, and fcarcity of provifions, they were not very forward in venturing upon this en- 

 terprize, being fenfible that their defign having taken vent, we made all neceffary pre- 

 parations againfl them ; befides that many of the Portuguefe inhabitants being beyond 

 their expectation well fatisfied with the government of the great council, did rather 

 chufe to live quietly and fecurely, than to engage in fo dangerous an enterprize. So 

 that things remained without any confiderable alteration at prefent ; and, as matters fland 

 now, we are not able to find out fufficient caufe to fatisfy ourfelves whether they proceed 

 in the fame defign. Their chief defign, as we are credibly informed, was laid againfl 

 the Receif, which they intended to furprife, upon a certain day appointed for the fale of 

 negroes, when the inhabitants of the country flocking thither in great numbers, they 

 did not doubt but, with the afTiftance of our own negroes, who are for the mofl part 

 papifls, to rqake themfelves mafters of the place, not queilioning but if this fucceeded, 

 the refl would foon be forced to yield. But in this they were prevented by the flrong 

 guards we took care to poft in the Receif on thofe fair-days. The chief ring-leaders, as 

 they are fpecified to us, are John Fernandes Vieira, and his father-in-law Francifco Be- 

 ringel, with feveral others, whom we would have committed to prifon, if we could have 

 had more certain information againfl them ; but though we left no flone unturned to 

 find out the truth, yet we could not meet with fufficient motives to induce us either to 

 imprifon them, or to proceed again to the general difarming of the inhabitants, we 

 having received certain intelligence, that fo foon as vve fhould attempt it, we mufl ex- 

 pe(5l no lefs than a general infurre6lion, which, confidering our own magazines and 

 florehoufes were fo ill provided, and no fufficient force could be drawn out of the garri- 

 fon to fecure the open country, would have drawn after it very ill confequences for our 

 nation, efpecially thofe living at fome diflance from our forts, who thereby, as we had 

 reafon to fear, might have been expofed to the danger of being maffacred by the Portu- 

 guefe. It is evident, from the information given to your lordfliips in Holland, and 

 tranfmitted to us, that the fubjeCls of the King of Portugal themfelves are encouraged 

 and animated againfl us ; wherefore it will be abfolutely neceffary to be very cautious, 

 and to haflen the fupplies we fo often have requefled at your hands. Upon the firfl in- 

 formation we received, that toward the fouth of the Receif the Portuguefe intended to 

 land fome men or arms, we fent the 13th of Odober a yacht, the Enckhuyfen, with 

 another galliot and chaloop, to cruife thereabouts, but they returned after fome time 

 without being able to difcover any fuch thing. The next intelligence we had was, that 



a fleet 



