230 A YEAR IN BRAZIL. 



the week, and to have prayers every night. Thus the 

 French took possession of the Bay of Rio de Janeiro, and 

 soon gained the affection and friendship of the indigenous 

 Tamoyos and Tupinambis who populated its shores. 



But King Joao IV., taking notice of this establishment 

 in a land which belonged to his crown, although he had 

 not taken possession of or colonized it, ordered Duarte da 

 Costa, Governor-General of Bahia, to inform himself 

 personally of the condition of the French Protestants. At 

 this time the monarch died. However, as news came to 

 the Court that the French colonists were increasing in 

 numbers and gaining more strength and more lands, the 

 Queen Regent ordered Men de Sd, successor to Duarte da 

 Costa, to expel them, sending for this purpose two war- 

 ships. The Governor augmented the squadron by other 

 vessels, which happened to be in port, and embarked 

 January lo, 1560, picking up volunteers on his passage 

 down the coast. 



Villegaignon, having quelled grave discords in his colony, 

 had left in a hurry for France, in October, 1559, and the 

 Governor-General of Bahia entered the Bay of Rio on 

 February 21. On the 15th of March he attacked the 

 fortress of Villegaignon, and fought all day, continuing 

 the fight at intervals during the night. The next day, in 

 spite of heavy fire from the fort, Men de Sd determined to 

 take the island, and, landing on the side of the Hill of Palms, 

 took it by main force. The fight lasted two days and two 

 nights, with many acts of valour on both sides. At length 

 the French, being without powder or water, were conquered, 

 and, retiring by night in their canoes, repaired to the main- 

 land. Over a thousand natives were allied with the French, 

 while the Portuguese numbered only a hundred and twenty, 

 with one hundred and forty natives. " If this victory did 



