NIEUHOFF*S BRAZlX. y^^ 



a fleet was equipping in the Bahia, to tranfport fome forces for the affiftance of our re* 

 bellious fubjefts ; to find out the bottom of this defign, we thought we could pitch upon 

 no better expedient than to fend thither Mr. Gilbert de Witt and Dirk Hoogftraten 

 with certain inftrudtions, of which we have inclofed the copy, who fet fail the 25th of 

 the laft month. Being further informed that a certain Portuguefe captain, with an en- 

 fign and three foldiers, have been lately difpatched from the Bahia to our captainfhips to 

 endeavour to ftir up our fubjeds to Rebellion, with affurance of fuccours from thence : 

 we have employed all neceffary means to find them out and get them into our hands. 

 We fhall not be wanting in any thing which, according as occafion prefents, may con- 

 tribute to the prefervation of this flate, -^ 



" Receif, 13th February 1645." 



The 4th, the great council were informed, by letter from Ifaac Rafiere and Captain 

 Blewbeck, written at Parayba, that a rumour was fpread thereabouts that Kamaron, 

 chief commander of the Brazilians in the Bahia, was on his march from Sertao to Siara 

 to join with the Brazilians inhabiting thereabouts, to attack with their united forces the 

 inhabitants of the captainlhip of Rio Grande. Whereupon the council fent orders to 

 Hans Vogel, governor of Seregippo del Rey, to get intelligence and fend them fpeedy 

 word whether Kamaron with his camp were flill in Rio Real ; and if not, whither he 

 had taken his march, or whither he intended to take it. They alfo fent word to the in- 

 habitants of Parayba that they fhould be very diligent in enquiring after the caufe of 

 this rumour, and fend them intelligence accordingly. 



The 15th of May they received an anfwer from Hans Vogel, dated the 25th of April 

 at Seregippo del Rey, wherein he told them, that purfuant to their orders he had fent a 

 ferjeant with fome foldiers to Kamaron's head-quarters, about ten leagues from Sere- 

 gippo del Rey, under pretence of looking for fome deferters ; who, after their return, 

 reported that his forces, confifting of two hundred Portuguefe and one thoufand two 

 hundred Brazilians, were ftill in the fame place, bufied for the mod part in cultivating 

 fome plantations, Kamaron himfelf being then in the Bahia, to afTift at the folemnity of 

 their Eafler, from whence they conjeftured that the rumour concerning his march was 

 only a fiction. But two days after the fame rumour was renewed by two paflengers 

 coming from Rio St. Francifco, and being landed by one John Hoen, a niafter of a veifel 

 near Kindelaria ; but upon a more flrid: inquiry made by the council, the faid mafter of 

 the veflel declared, that on the eighth of the fame month, when he left Rio St, Fran- 

 cifco, there was no news of Kamaron's march. 



The 30th of May 1645, a letter without a name was delivered to the great council by 

 one Abraham Markado, a Jew, fubfcribed only " Plus ultra.** This letter being tranf- 

 lated out of the Portuguefe the fame night, the contents whereof were, that three un- 

 known perfons gave them notice that a good body of troops were come from Rio Real 

 into Parayba, with an intention to join with a discontented party there, and to furprife 

 the Dutch forts ; with advice to feize upon the perfon of John Fernandes Vieira their 

 chief ring-leader. 



The letter is as follows : 



A Letter of intelligence to the Council, , 



" We fland amazed you are fa fecure, when it is reported that the Matta of Parayba 



is full of foldiers, come thither lately from Rio Real, whoxonfiiling of a good- number 



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