S48 NIEUHOFF*S BRAZIL. 



of the old council for their faithful fervices during the prefent inteftine war, and then 

 returned their thanks to them for the prudent management of the government. 



The 13th of September, the letters written by the Portuguefe colonel the nth of 

 September, in anfwer to ours of the 6th, were read in the great council, filled with un- 

 truths and fiftions of their own invention. They pretended that they were prevented by 

 the inhabitants from retiring to the Bahia ; befides, that they wanted tranfport veffels, 

 their fhips being detained in the bay of Tamandare, and that they muft exped the 

 King's orders for that purpofe. 



They took alfo a great deal of pains to magnify their ftrength. The 12th and 1 3th 

 of September feveral letters were difperfed abroad by the Portuguefe, direded to Juliice 

 Daems, to Matthew Bek, Balthafar de Fonfeca, Duarte Sarayva, Cafpar Francis de 

 Cofla, being all merchants, and written' by John Fernandes Vieira, in which they again 

 exaggerated their own number, and fpoke very defpicably of ours, threatening that, in 

 cafe they fhould be forced to quit the country, they would deflroy all with fire and 

 fword, as they had already done in fome parts of Parayba. The contents of thefe let- 

 ters were as follows : 



A Letter from Vieira tofofne Merchants in the Dutch Brazil. 



" Experience has, without queftion, convinced you fufficiently of the reafons that 

 moved us to undertake this war, and the fuccefs we have met with is an ample teftimo-. 

 ny that God was pleafed to inflid this punifhment upon our enemies for the many out- 

 rages committed againft the inhabitants of this country. This is, however, in a great 

 meafure to be attributed to the general confent of the faid inhabitants, who having now 

 forced themfelves from the tyrannical yoke of their oppreflbrs, ought to expe6l from 

 me, who, though unworthy, an. appointed the chief manager of this war, to be backed 

 in fo brave a relblution. I would not have you be ignorant of our ftrength, which, in 

 comparifon of yours, exceeds all that can be faid upon that head ; I will only tell you 

 that, as by our quitting the captainfhips of Parayba and Goyana, we are confiderably 

 increafed in number ; fo it is moft evident from thence that the inhabitants chofe rather 

 to lofe their poflefllons than to endure any longer the indignities that were put upon 

 them, which was the true caufe of their infurredion, and not, as it is given out among 

 you, becaufe they were unable to fatisfy their creditors ; becaufe they left more than 

 what would have paid their debts. But if it fhould happen fo, that the feid inhabitants 

 fhould not be able to maintain themfelves by force of arms, they are refolved to lay all 

 the other captainfhips defolate in the fame manner. 



" Having, therefore, well weighed the reafons which feem to promife us a good ifTue 

 of this war, I thought myfelf obliged, as a friend, to advife you, that that party is 

 backed by reafon, and the unanimous refolution of many thoufands ; for, I can allure 

 you, we are at leafl fourteen thoufand ftrong, befides the negroes and Tapoyers, dif- 

 perfed in feveral places, from Rio Grande as far as Rio St. Francifco. Kamaron com- 

 mands fix hundred mufqueteers, flenry Dias eight hundred negroes, two hundred 

 Minos, and feven hundred Tapoyers ; and thofe of the Sertan are at our devotion, 

 whenever we are pleafed to call for them ; but, above all the reft, we have God on 

 our fide. We are not ignorant, that before the arrival of Mr. Sigifmund Schoppe, 

 yourwhole force confifted not in above fix hundred men, and that the fuccours come 

 along with him do not amount to above one thoufand two hundred more ; moft of which 

 are boys, and th€ reft either dead or fick. You fee I am well acquainted with your 

 ftrength, having killed and taken prifoners about two thoufand fix hundred of your 



8 beft 



