$o8 nteuhoff's brazil. 



Major Hoogftraten> Mr. Heck, and Ley, fent an anfwer to this letter immediately, 

 containing in fubftance, that they were not in the leaft concerned in the outrages 

 committed by the Tapoyers againft the Portuguefe, and feemingly refufed to treat with 

 De Mello. It runs thus ; 



His anfwer to them, 



*' We have received your letter fent by John Guomes de Mello, out of which we 

 imderftand, that you are come to St. Antonio. We are extremely well fatisfied, that 

 the governor Antonio Telles de Sylva has undertaken to appeafe the tumults arifen in 

 thefe parts, and do not quellion but that your prefence will contribute much towards 

 the accomplifliment of it. The affronts and outrages you fpeak of by the Tapoyers 

 and Dutch foldiers put upon the inhabitants, as they were committed forely againft our 

 will, fo I can aflure you, that nobody, not fo much as the leaft child, has been 

 fuffered to be mifufed upon our accounts, fo that thefe complaints muft not be made to 

 us, but ought to be referred to the council. The treaty you propofe with Captain 

 John Guomes de Mello, and Lieutenant Francis Guomes, is beyond our province and 

 power, fo that we earneftly defire you not to ufe any further folicitations to us upon 

 that account. So we kifs your hands, recommending you to God*s protection. We reft 



'' Your fervants and good friends, 



, Casper Vander Ley. 



D. Van Hoogstraten. 



John Heck. 



Major Hoogftraten took care to fend thefe two letters, together with their anfwer, 

 to the council, with repeated affurances of their conftant fidelity ; whereupon the great 

 council confirmed Hoogftraten in his government, and exhorted Ley and Heck to per- 

 fevere in their brave refolution, which they would in due time take care to reward with 

 better preferments. This difcovery of the enemy's letters being looked upon as an un- 

 deniable proof of Mr- Hoogftraten's fincere intentions, had fuch an influence upon the 

 generality of the people, that there was fcarce any body but what thought himfelf fe- 

 cure of his fidelity and duty. Neverthelefs, as thefe temptations could not but raife 

 fome jealoufy in the minds of the council, they thought fit to fend Colonel Haus to the 

 Receif, to order him to the Cape of St. Auftin. 



The council in the meanwhile being, by Vidal's letters to Hoogftraten, fufficiently 

 convinced, that the intended recalling of the rebellious troops were nothing but amufe- 

 ments, fent immediate orders to their admiral Lichthart, that, for the future, he Ihould 

 treat all the Portuguefe fhips he could meet with as enemies. 



The 15th of Auguft, Colonel Haus being come to the Receif, propofed to the coun- 

 cil, that he judged it abfolutely necelfary for the fervice of the ftate, that fmce by the 

 fuccours come from the Bahia to the affiftance of the rebels under Martin Soares Mo- 

 reno and Andrew Vidal, they were grown very ftrong and numerous, the troops en- 

 camped in the field Ihould be drawn into the Receif, becaufe they being, befides the 

 Brazilians, not above three hundred ftrong, they might eafily be cut off in a place 

 where they could not be feconded in the Receif, where they were wanting for the de- 

 fence of that place, which being the capital of the whole Dutch Brazil, would, in all 

 likelihood, be attacked with the "utmoft vigour by the enemy. 



Againft this opinion many reafons were alleged too. 



L By 



