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STAY AT CAPITANIA, 



flesh, and by their warhke spirit : they have hitherto made an obsti- 

 nate resistance to the Portuguese. If they sometimes appeared at. 

 one place with all the demonstrations of friendly sentiments, they 

 committed hostilities and excesses at another; and hence there has 

 never been a lasting good understanding with them. Many years 

 ago, a military post of seven soldiers was stationed eight or ten 

 leagues up the Rio Doce, at the spot where the Povoafao of Linhares 

 is now built ; and this post was provided with one piece of cannon to 

 cover the intended new road to Minas. At first the savages were 

 frightened away by it, but when they had gradually become better 

 acquainted with the Europeans and their weapons, their fears sub- 

 sided. They once made a sudden attack on the station, killed one 

 of the soldiers, and would have overtaken and massacred the others, 

 who fled, had they not sought their safety in the river, and escaped in 

 the boat, which happened to be just then coming with the relief. As 

 the savages could not reach them, they filled the cannon with stones, 

 and then retired into their woods. 



After this event, the late minister of state. Count de Linhares, 

 formally declared war against them, in a well-known proclamation : 

 by his orders, the military stations already established on the Rio 

 Doce were reinforced and increased in number, to secure the settle- 

 ments of the Europeans, and the communication with Minas up the 

 river. Since that time no mercy has been shewn to the Botocudos : 

 they have been extirpated, wherever they have been found, without re- 

 spect to age or sex; and only now and then, on- particular occasions, 

 some very young children have been spared and brought up. This war 

 of extermination was prosecuted with the more inveteracy and cruelty, 

 as it was firmly believed that they killed all their enemies who fell into 

 their hands, and devoured them. When it was farther known that 

 in some places, on the Rio Doce, they had expressed pacific disposi- 



