762 NIEUHOFP'S BRAZIL. 



land, and all about to the fouth, befides that, the fort on the faid cape could not, but 

 with great difficulty, be fupplied with water from the river. 



The 30th of June, a Brazilian arrived very early in the morning in the Receif ; his 

 errand to the council was, that he being fent by John Blaar, from Porto Calvo, with 

 letters to the great council, was fet upon by thofe of Pojuka, near Kamboa, who took 

 from him the faid letters, and killed his companion. For the reft he told them, that 

 Kamaron was ported in the diftrift of Porto Calvo, and that Captain John Blaar was 

 in the fort. A council being called, to confider of the beft means to fecure the Dutch 

 Brazil againft any attempts of the enemy, the firft thing that fell under debate was, 

 whether, according to the general advice of thofe of the inhabitants, who Avifhed well 

 to our government, it were not moft expedient for our defence, to form a camp to 

 make head againft the enemy in the field ; who, if once mafter of the open country, 

 would force the inhabitants to join with him, and cut off our provifions, without which 

 we could not fubfift long. The next thing to be taken into confideration was, where 

 to find forces for this camp, the garrifons being fo weakly manned, as not to be able 

 to fpare any, and the body under Captain Wiltfchut confifting only of one hundred 

 and twenty men, befides the three hundred Brazilians, to be joined with him. Con- 

 fidering, therefore, that the whole force in the Alegoas confifted only of two com- 

 panies, under the command of Mucheron, a number not any ways proportionable to 

 the extent of fo large a tra£t of ground ; it was judged moft convenient to make a 

 virtue of necefTity, and to draw them fr6m thence to the Receif, as indeed they had 

 been ordered before. But their way by land being cut off by the rebels of Pojuka, a 

 veffel, which lay ready to go out a cruifmg, was ordered to Porto Francifco, with 

 others to Mucheron, to embark forthwith thofe forces aboard her, without having any 

 regard to the baggage ; but the reft, which could not be put aboard the veffel, fhould 

 be fent by land to Rio Francifco, to reinforce Captain Koin, for the better defence of 

 that place. Captain Fallo was likewife ordered to march with the garrifon of Serinham 

 to St. Antonio, it being not likely that the troops in Serinham fhould be able to make 

 head there, after the coming of Kamaron into Porto Calvo, it being an inland 

 country. 



The fame day, forty new-lifted foldiers were fent to Tamarika, under command of 

 Captain Peter Seuliin, mafter of the fugar-mill Harlem ; becaufe this ifland was of the 

 greateft confequence to us ; and the garrifons of the fort Orange, and the town of 

 Schoppe, confifting each of one company, were very weak, and the armed inhabitants 

 did not amount to above one company more. 



The fame day Mr. Bas and Mr. Van de Voerde, counfellors of the court of juftice, 

 were ordered to examine Gafper Pereira, the public notary, concerning his drawing of 

 the inftrument of affociation ; as likewife John Kariero de Maris, Francifco Dias Del- 

 gado, mafters of fugar-mills, in the diftrid of Pojuka, and Sebaftian Karvalho, con- 

 cerning what they knew of the intended confpiracy. 



Karvalho declared a fecond time, at the houfe of Lieutenant-colonel Haus, that 

 fome days ago (he could not remember exadly which), a certain Portuguefe fervant, 

 whom he knew not, did come to him in the name of John Fernandes Vieira, with a 

 letter, in which the faid Vieira defired him to fign the inclofed writing, drawn in form 

 of an affociation, to take up arms againft the government,* as foon as they fhould 

 receive any fuccours from the Bahia ; which at that time was fubfcribed only by John 

 Fernandes Vieira and Lewis da Cofta Sepulpeda ; but, as he fuppofed, was to be carried 

 to moft of the inhabitants. He further declared, that he refufed to fign the faid 

 writing upon the bare letter of John Fernandes Vieira, and the hand-writing being un- 

 known 



