NIEUHOFF*S BRAZIL. 857 



the city, caufed fuch a confternation, as is not eafy to be expreffed, mofl: people 

 fheltering themfelves in vaults, to avoid the fury of the enemy's cannon. Of this 

 I faw a moft miferable fpedacle in a certain young lady, a niece of the late Admiral 

 Lichthart, who being come to vifit one of her acquaintance lately married, had both 

 her legs fhpt off by a cannon bullet, which at the fame time killed the new-married 

 woman upon the fpot. At the outcry of thefe miferable wretches I ran thither inftantly, 

 my houfe being jufl by, where I was an eye-witnefs of their mifery, the poor young 

 lady grafping my legs with fuch an agony, that fhe could fcarce be pulled off with all 

 the flrength I had ; it being a moft doleful fpedacle for me to fee the floor covered 

 with the legs and arms of thefe miferable wretches ; the poor young lady died likewife 

 within three days after. It was not long after that I narrowly efcaped the fame misfor- 

 tune ; for whilft I was talking with fome of the inhabitants of the city, as I was going 

 the rounds, two of them were killed by a cannot bullet, and another had both his hands 

 fhot off as he was lighting his pipe. Nay, we were forced to remove all the fhips out 

 of the harbour for fear of being funk. Colonel Schoppe, in the meanwhile, had made 

 himfelf mafter of and deftroyed Taperika, 2,000 Portuguefe only having faved them- 

 felves by flight ; but by the many unfuccefsful encounters we had with the Portuguefe, 

 our forces decreafing daily, whereas theirs increafed. Colonel Schoppe was ordered to 

 command Colonel Hinderfon to leave Rio St. Francifco, and to join him in Taperika ; 

 but this flood us but in little ftead, being not long after oblige^ >j leave likewife 

 Taperika for the relief of the Receif. All our force confifting of about 1,800 men, 

 being now come to the Receif, (where they had not provifions for above feven months 

 left) it was feveral times taken into confideration, what was beft to be done at this 

 jundlure. Colonel Schoppe, with fome other officers, were of opinion not to hazard an en- 

 gagement, our forces being fo much inferior to the enemy, but to ftay for a more fa- 

 vourable opportunity ; but it was carried by the majority to venture a general fally for 

 the relief of the Receif, the chief command thereof being given to Colonel Brink, be- 

 caufe Colonel Schoppe was not as yet cured of his wounds he had received in a late en- 

 counter. Ouf forces marched towards evening as far as Guerapes, a place fatal to us 

 the year before by the defeat of our people, the fields thereabouts being as yet covered 

 with their bones. The Portuguefe no fooner perceived us to be upon the march, but 

 they left the fort Altena, of which we having got notice, polfeffed ourfelves of it imme- 

 diately,, and thus drew the thorn out of our foot. But t^ie i6th of May proved the 

 moft fatal of all we had feen for many years before in Brazil, For though our forces 

 attacked the enemy with bravery, and maintained the fight with great obftinacy for fome 

 time, yet the enemy, flufhed with their number and late fuccefs, with 2,500 of their 

 beft men, at laft forced our men to give way, and afterwards to fly, being purfued by 

 150 Portuguefe horfe ; fo that both in the fight and flight, we lofl above 1,100 men, 

 among whom were Colonel Brink, and almoft all the reft of our commanders : we lofl 

 alfo nineteen colours, and all our cannon and ammunition we had carried along with us. 

 It was not till five days after before leave could be obtained to bury our dead, which 

 began to corrupt and ftink moft naufeoufly, by reafon of the burning heat of the fun. 

 This was the laft effort we were likely to make in the field ; all our future care being 

 for the prefervation and defence of the Receif, unlefs we fhould be fupplied with frefh 

 fuccours from Holland : but the fame arriving but flowly, moft people began to fear, 

 that, in cafe God Almighty did not fend us fome unexpected relief, we fhould be at laft 

 forced to leave that place likewife to the mercy of the enemy ; the great council laying 

 the fault of our late misfortunes upon the council of war, and thefe again upon them, 

 alledging that the foidiers were ill-provided for, and wanted their pay. As for myfelf, 

 VOL. XIV. 5 R being 



