NIEUH0FF*S BRAZIL. 839 



this undertaking, fince by the coming of the Tapoyers into that captainfhip, they 

 fhould be difappointed of a confiderable part of thofe fupplies they received from 

 thence ; they lent word to Rudolph Barro to leave no flone unturned to draw the 

 Tapoyers by fair means back to their habitations ; but that if th6y would fend fome of 

 their commanders to the Receif, all imaginable fatisfadion iliould be given them con- 

 cerning the murder of Jacob Rabbi ; and the more to engage Barro to do his utmoft, 

 a prefent of wine, brandy, and fome toys, was ordered to be fent him. For as the 

 cafe then flood, it was abfolutely neceifary for us to remain maflers of Rio Grande, 

 till the arrival of the fuccours from Holland j the vafl nurtibers of Brazilians that were 

 fled to Itamarika, having confumed all forts of provifions there to that degree, that 

 that ifland could not only not fend any fupplies to the Receif, but moil of the women 

 and children of the Brazilians mud be fupplied out of the magazines there ; fo that 

 Rio Grande was the only place left from whence they received a confiderable quantity 

 of farinha and cattle ; which in fome meafure abated the fcarcity of provifions in the 

 Receif, and by the prudent condud of the council, was the chief means that the place 

 continued in tolerable good health till the arrival of the fuccours, which without it, 

 it would in all human probability have been impoffible to be done ; and no queflion 

 but this captain/hip might for a confiderable time after, having furnifhed the garrifons 

 to the fouth with neceflaries, had it not been for the following accident. 



The expeded fuccours from Holland being detained by the winter-feafon and con- 

 trary winds, the Brazilians of Goyana, who with their wives and children had fheltered 

 themfelves in Itamarika, were reduced to the greatefl extremity for want of food ; 

 for after they had confumed all what the ifland could afford for their fubfiflence, and 

 all the avenues by land being blocked up by the enemy, they had no other fupplies 

 but what they received from our magazines : thefe being now exhaufted to fuch a 

 degree, that each citizen had but one pound of bread allowed him per week (which 

 however at that rate would not hold out above fourteen days longer), the council was 

 under an abfolute neceffity to have it propofed to the Brazilians, to retire with their 

 wives and children (in all about twelve hundred) to Rio Grande, where they might 

 fubfifl fome time upon what the country afforded. Accordingly they writ to Mr. Dort- 

 mund the ifl of May, and fent Mr. Walbeck thither in perfon, to perfuade the Bra- 

 zilians to fend at leafl five hundred women and children, with a certain number of 

 their men, to Siara and Rio Grande, there being at that time in all near fifteen hun- 

 dred Brazilians, men, women, and children in that ifland, among whom were only 

 five hundred fit to bear arms, under the command of Cafpar Honyhoufe, who had 

 each fcarce a pound of bread allowed them per week. 



Provifions, as I told you before, growing daily fcarcer and fcarcer, by reafon the 

 fuccours from Holland were detained beyond all expectation, by contrary winds ; a 

 general council was called, where the three members of the great council, Mr. Hamel, 

 Mr. Bulleftraet, and Mr. Bas, being prefent, as likewife Admiral Lichthart, and the 

 two Majors Bayert and Pifloor, the following points were taken into debate. 



Firfl of all, the fending of the Brazilians from Itamarika to Rio Grande being 

 looked upon as unavoidable, immediate orders were given to get the neceffary tranfport 

 veffels ready for that purpofe. It was alfo taken into confideration, whether it were not 

 feafible to gather a fufficient force out of the forts, who in conjunction with the Bra- 

 zilians might attack fome place or other, from whence to provide ourfelves with 

 farinha ; but to this it was objeCled by the Majors Bayert and Piftoor, that the garri- 

 fons of the forts could not be weakened by any detachment, without running a great 

 hazard j befides that it was a hard matter to pitch upon any place where there was any 



ftore 



