828 ' nieuhoff's brazil. 



betwixt Bierbroin*s fugar-mill and Cafa de Sabrodo, upon each of which were to be 

 mounted three pieces of cannon, eight pieces having been brought for that purpofe 

 from Porto CalvOj among which were five of metal. Round about this fort the fol- 

 diers from the Bahia had their quarters afTigned them, except the company commanded 

 by John de Magehais, which was quartered in the Baretta, with four Dutch companies, 

 viz. the Dutch that were in the fugar-mill of Bierbrom, and thofe commanded by 

 Captain Peter Kavalkanti, and Anthony Jaconio, and two or three companies of the 

 Portuguefe come from the Bahia, in the fugar-mill Brito ; the reft: being Portuguefe, 

 mulats, and other idle fellows they had forced to follow them from the fouth. Thefe 

 were armed for the moft: part with fire-locks and mufquets, the reft with pikes. Andrew 

 Vidal, John Fernandes Vieira, and Major Hoogflraten, were at that time in the Cafa 

 de Sabrodo ; kll thefe confifted not in above fix hundred men. About the fugar-mill 

 of John de Mendonce were quartered three companies, two at the houfe of Sebaftian 

 Karvalho, and two more in the fugar-mill of Mengao. ,The reft were pofted in the 

 Salines, Baretta, and the city of Olinda. Some of Kamaron's troops were in the 

 fugar-mill of Van School, and in the houfe of John Kordero de Mendoje, upon the 

 bank of the river, being their advanced guard ; Henry Dias with his troops had his 

 poll in the houfe of Mr. Luffelen. The redoubts belonging to the city of Olinda were 

 manned only with feventeen foldiers. 



In November the great council received intelligence, both by letters from Paulo de 

 Linge out of Parayba, as alfo by feveral deferters, that the enemy had fent four hun- 

 dred men, two hundred of which were foldiers, the reft inhabitants, from Rio Grande 

 into Parayba, to make themfelves mafters of the open country, or at leaft to drive away 

 the cattle ; whereupon it was refolved, with confent of Colonel Garfman, to endeavour 

 to hinder the execution of the enemy's defign. 



The 1 2th of November, Captain Nicholas Nicholfon, a native of Amfterdam, came, 

 as we told you before, over to us to the Receif. Pie was among other prifoners of the 

 cape of St. Auftin, carried from thence to St. Antonio, where he took fervice among 

 the Portuguefe, but with no other intention than to defert them upon the firft opportu- 

 nity ; he being entrufted with a captain's commiffion, to command a company of Dutch 

 foldiers forced to lift themfelves from among the prifoners they had taken, was ordered, 

 at the recommendation of Hoogftraten, and Albert Geuitz Weddo, with the approba- 

 tion of Vidal and John Vieira, to he in ambufh for fome of our people in the Salines, 

 with a detachment of fixty men, out of the four Dutch companies in their fervice ; and 

 four more companies were ordered for a referve, to afTift him upon all occalions. The 

 fupreme command of tiie whole body being committed to him, he approached as near 

 as he could with his Dutch to the fort Bruin, where he took the opportunity to pafs 

 the river by break of day, and to go with them (they being all willing to follow) over 

 tons to the faid fort. Captain Nicholas Nicholfon had the command over the faid 

 company confirmed to him by the council, they being all willing to enter into their 

 fervice. But the enemy had no fooner notice of it, but they difarmed all the Dutch, 

 and under pretence of fending them to the Bahia, caufed them to be murdered by the 

 way, with their wives and children. 



The 2d of November, the council had received advice from Mr. Linge from Paray- 

 ba, that Andrew Vidal had entered that captainfliip with two hundred men, and that 

 Kamaron had by letters ftrongly foHcited Peter Potty, to defert our fervice with his 

 Brazilians, but had received a fmart refufal ; the council fent him two pieces of fine 

 linen cloth as a reward of his fidelity. For it ought to be obferved, that the Portuguefe, 

 when they firft began to take up arms againft the government, did with letters and 



7 great 



