NIEUHOFF*S BRAZIL. 803 



Major Hoogftraten fent advice by his letters on the 13th of Auguft, to the council, 

 that the garrifon and volunteers of St. Antonio being fafely arrived on the cape of St. 

 Auflin, they were now about two hundred and eighty ftrong, viz. two hundred and 

 feventeen foldiers and gunners, and fixty-three volunteers. That immediately after 

 our garrifon had left St. Antonio, Kamaron and Henry Dias had ported themfelves 

 with their troops in the fugar-mill Algodais, near that place, where they expected to 

 be joined by Martin Soare*s and Andrew VidaFs forces, fafely arrived from the Bahia. 

 That he expefted every day to be befieged, and feared nothing fo much as want of 

 frefli water, the fpring being cut oif by the enemy. Hereupon immediate orders were 

 given by the council to fend thither thirty barrels of water, fome ammunition and prd- 

 vifion, and what elfe fhould be requifite for a vigorous defence of the place, which 

 was fufficiently provided before with foldiers. The next following day they received 

 intelligence from Major Hoogftraten, Mr. Ley, and Mr. Heck, that the enemy's troops 

 had taken poft in the fugar-mill Salgado Zuvifiaque and other circumjacent places. The 

 council relied much upon the bravery and fidelity of the officers within the fort, 

 from whom they promifed themfelves a very vigorous defence, they being all perfons 

 who had advanced themfelves in their fervices, and were in expeftation of better pre- 

 ferments, viz. Major Hoogftraten, Cafpar Vender Ley, formerly a captain of horfe, 

 John Hick, and Albert Gerritfon Wedda, an old captain belonging to the company : 

 but their unfaithfulnefs and covetous temper over-balanced all thefe confiderations ; for 

 the faid Major Hoogftraten, commander-in-chief, with the confent of Cafpar Vander 

 Ley, and Albert Gerritfon Wedda, treacheroufly and villainoufly fold and furrendered 

 the laid fort to the Portuguefe, the 23d of Auguft, for the fum of eighteen thoufand 

 gilders, befides fome other rewards promifed them upon that account. They went 

 over with the whole garrifon to the enemy, who made Hoogftraten colonel of a Dutch 

 regiment, raifed out of thefe and other foldiers of feveral nations, that had deferted 

 our fervice. Thus this ftrong hold was betrayed to the Portuguefe, by a perfon who 

 owed his whole fortune to our company. 



Martin Soares Moreno gave the following account of the furrender of this fort to 

 the governor, Antonio Telles de Sylva, in his letter, dated from the hill of Nazareth, 

 Auguft 26, 1645 • 



A Letter to the Governor of the Bahia, concerning the taking of the Cape of Puntael. 



" Sunday the 23d of this month, God Almighty, through his mercy, has put us 

 into the poffeflion of the fort of the cape of Puntael, which was befieged by Andrew 

 Vidal de Negreiros : the next day we were rejoiced with the money fent us by Your 

 Lordfhip, and the wine prefented to me in particular, part of which I have beftowed 

 upon entertaining fome of our friends, who are merry with me at this time. 



" We have made an excellent bargain : for, befides the importance of the place and 

 its artillery, we have got the very flower of their foldiers ; befides that, this will be 

 like a fignal to the reft to follow their footfteps. 



" John Femandes Vieira has raifed, on Saturday laft, the fum of four thoufand 

 ducats for our ufe, though not without force, but it was very welcome to us at this 

 time, when we were upon ftriking up the bargain for the better fortifying of this place, 

 the harbour of which is not inferior to that of the Receif : but I will not trouble Your 

 Lordftiip any longer with this point. 



" Not long after the furrender of the fort, a bark appeared in fight, fent to its 

 relief from the Receif. We fent Captain Barreiros, *with a well-armed bark, out 



5 K 2 againft 



