232 A YEAR IN BRAZIL. 



Men de Si, hearing of the embarrassed position of his 

 nephew and his need of speedy help, prepared a new- 

 expedition, and sailed with it from Bahia in November, 

 I S66. In passing Espirito Santo, he gathered there two 

 hundred natives, commanded by the celebrated Azaryboia, 

 who, after his baptism, was called Martim Affonso de 

 Souza, and arrived at Rio January i8, 1567. His presence 

 gave great pleasure to the forces under Estacio de Si, who 

 were in want of ammunition and food. On the 20th of 

 January, being the feast of the patron saint of the city. 

 Men de Sd began his operations. 



On that day he took the stronghold of Urusumirim, 

 but during the battle a poisoned arrow entered the face 

 of Estacio, who died a month afterwards from the wound. 

 " Thus he lost his life," says Varnhagen, " in the same 

 manner as the patron saint of the city he founded, on whose 

 day he was wounded, and the symbols of whose martyrdom 

 became its insignia." 



After the first victory followed the attack on the island 

 of Paranapukuy (now do Governador), which was also 

 conquered ; the Portuguese then occupied the whole bay, 

 the French fled on board their ships, the Tamoyos lost 

 their freedom and became quiet. " Never was there a 

 war," says Southey, " from which, such small forces being 

 engaged on each side, such important results followed. 

 Had Men de Sa or Nobrega (one of his captains) been 

 less able, this city, to-day the capital of Brazil, would be 

 French, and not Portuguese." After this heroic feat of 

 arms, the Governor-General removed the nucleus of the 

 city from the neighbourhood of the Sugar-loaf to the 

 Morro do Castello, still under the patronage of St. Sebas- 

 tian, but added to that name " of Rio de Janeiro." He 

 appointed Salvador Correa de Si, another nephew, chief 



