NIEUHOFF^S BRAZIL. Sjl 



dated In the fort St, Margaret, the i ith of January, who fent alfo one Mr. Steenhuifen 

 to the council, he having deferted the enemy when they began to kill the Dutch in 

 their fervice. This Steenhuifen brought advice to the council, that Kamaron, with 

 five hundred well-appointed foldiers, was marched out of Parayba into Rio Grande to 

 be maflers of the field there ; and, confequently, to keep our garrifons from being 

 fupplied with cattle and farinha from thence. He further added, that the enemy were 

 in want of meat, oil, and other neceffaries ; but that the inhabitants flattered themfelves,. 

 that, for want of provifions, we fhould Ihortly be obliged to furrender our forts into 

 the hands of the Portuguefe. This being likewife confirmed by Mr. Linge's letter, 

 dated the loth of January, a council was called againfl the 13th of January, Dirk 

 Hamel and Mr. Bulleftraet being prefent, both members of the great council, befides 

 the afleflbr Walbeck, as likewafe Lieutenant-Colonel Garfman, Mr. Raetsfield, Mr. de 

 Witt, Aldrich, Volbergen, and Sans, in order to deliberate concerning the prefent 

 exigency, confidering, that in cafe we Ihould, by the enemy's being maflers of the 

 field, be bereaved of the fupplies of cattle and farinha of Rio Grande, at a juncture 

 when Itamarika and Parayba are clofely befet by their troops, it would be next to an 

 impoflibility to maintain ourfelves in the poffefTion of the Dutch Brazil, till the arrival of 

 the expefted fuccours from Holland. It was therefore taken into confideration, whether 

 this captainfhip might be beft fecured by a powerful diverfion, or by endeavouring to 

 drive him from thence. But being fenfible that the enemy were fo powerful near the 

 Receif, Parayba, and Itamarika, as not to be attacked in any of thefe places, without 

 expofing the whole Dutch Brazil to an imminent danger, it was refolved, that in order 

 to attempt the relief of the captainfhip of Rio Grande, Mr. Dortmund fhould be or- 

 dered to fend fixty foldiers under the command of Captain Welling, and one hundred 

 Brazilians, in the barks fent him for that purpofe, from Itamarika to Rio Grande : 

 at the fame time, orders were difpatched to Mr. I-inge, commander in the fort St. Mar- 

 garet in Parayba, to fend the fame number of foldiers under Lieutenant Brefman, and 

 of Brazilians, to Rio Grande, to join with the refl that were to rendezvous there. 

 Thefe forces, confifling of one hundred and twenty foldiers and two hundred Brazili- 

 ans, fet fail the 19th of January for Rio Grande, and were thought fufficient to oppofe 

 the enemy's defigns on that fide. 



Mr. Dortmund and William Lambartz, by a letter dated the 15th of January, gave 

 notice to the council, that they had fent a body of fixty foldiers and one hundred Bra- 

 zilians abroad, as far in the Aldea by Oubus, and from thence to the fugar-mill Arra- 

 ripe, but did not meet with any enemies in that part of the country, though they had 

 feveral guns difcharged at them from among the woods ; fo that they returned to Ita- 

 marika by the way of Tapafima. 



Mr. Linge, not long after, fent advice by his letter dated the 2 2d of January, at the 

 fort of St. Margaret in Parayba, to the council, that Peter Potty with, one hundred and 

 fifty Brazilians, had attacked the enemy four hundred flrong in the Aldea of Magr^bbe,, 

 and put them to flight with the lofs of twenty killed, and many wounded, whereas they 

 loft but one Brazilian. 



The 29th of January, it was refolved in council, to bring the fhips the Elias, Orange- 

 tree, Deventer, Omiandia, and the Swan, into the road of the Receif, to be ready 

 upon all occafions, in cafe the enemy fliould again appear at fea. 



Mr. Bas, purfuant to his letter from the caftle of Keulen,. in Rio Grande, dated the 

 23d of January, could not, by reafon of a tempeft, land his forces at Kunhao, in order 

 to join them with thofe under Captain Rhineburgh ; but was forced to land his forces 

 the 14th and 15th near Peringi. In the meanwhile, Kamaron having found means to. 



6 break 



