844 nieuhoff's brazil. 



river, where they were to make a falfe attack, whilft the troops landed at the Baretta 

 afTaulted them from before ; the admiral, with his tranfport veflels, to lay ready all this 

 while to receive them, and to fecure their retreat upon all occafions. This propofition 

 being approved of by the council, partly to animate our foldiers, partly to get at leaft 

 fome provifions for the fick, it was refolved to be put in execution the next day, but 

 the wind proving contrary, and afterwards the tides being unfeafonable for the conve- 

 nient landing of our men, this projeft was laid afide, efpecially when inftead of one 

 hundred volunteers fcarce twenty-five offered themfelves for this fervice, notwithftanding 

 the council gave them all imaginable encouragement, by promifmg them to receive the 

 fame treatment as the other fervants of the company had, in cafe they Ihould be wound- 

 ed or come to fome other misfortune. 



In the meanwhile, the enemy having been informed by fome of our deferters, that 

 by the departure of the Brazilians from Itamarika the garrifons there were much weak- 

 ened, they thought fit to lay hold of this opportunity, to land fuch a force there, as 

 fhould be beyond our power to drive from thence. The 1 ^h of June, with the break 

 of day, they furprized our fpy-fhip there, called the Sprew, with feveral barks and boats 

 at the entrance called Paflbos (Markers) ; they got three prifoners, the reft efcaping with 

 the lofs of two of their comrades killed. 



The fhip before Tapafima was fet on fire by our own people, leaving the galiot that 

 lay hard by, to the enemy, after they had taken out all her men, who went aboard the 

 yacht called the Golden-Doe, lying before the north entrance. They landed with about 

 two thoufand men in fhalops and other tranfport veflels, and Andrew Vidal and John 

 Ferdinand Vieira wrote the fame night the following letter to Mr. Dortmund, com- 

 mander-in-chief of Itamarika, which they fent by a boy they had taken prifoner in the 

 Sprew : 



'Their Letter to Mr, Dortmund. 



" Moft honourable and moft brave, 



" You are doubtlefs not unacquainted with the refolution of the inhabitants of this 

 country to retrieve their former liberty ; to effeft which they neither want power nor 

 any other means ; but their chief aim being to encompafs their defign without effufion 

 of blood, we thought fit to let you know that we are ready to attack you in this ifland 

 with all our forces, unlefs you will prevent it by a treaty. For being fenfible that you 

 are pafled all hopes of relief, we were willing to advife you to treat with us, according 

 to the cuftom of war ufed in fuch cafes ; that in cafe hereafter things fhould hll out 

 contrary to our expectation, by the fury of the conquering fword, you may not lay the 

 fault thereof at our doors ; for which reafon it is, that we offer to you and the reft of 

 the commaiiders there, all their arrears due to them from the company. Whereupon 

 we expert your anfwer to-morrow. 



*' From our head quarter, June 15, 1646. Andrew Vidal de NEGREtRos. 



John Fernandes Vieira." 



The 1 7 th of June the council received advice from Mr. Dortmund of their landing, 

 defiring prompt fuccours, without which he would not be in a condition to maintain the 

 ifland againft them. It was therefore taken into debate, whether it were poifible for us 

 to bring together fuch a force, as without much hazard might be able to force the ene- 

 tmy from thence ; but it was carried in the negative. 



I o For 



