NOTES ON BRAZIL. 



553 



toward those of the Ibicuy. Along the course of the latter river, in 

 one of the finest parts of this country, the site of the old Missions, the 

 enemy was posted in force. It seems to have been his intention to cross 

 the Serro, and descend by the Jacuy, or Pardo, upon Porto Alegro, 

 the capital of the province. On the I6lh of October, however, a battle 

 was fought, in which the Portuguese were victorious, who drove him 

 from the whole territory of the Missions, and obliged him to cross the 

 Uruguay. Yet fearful that his original purpose might be resorted to, 

 the Portuguese General still led his troops Northwards, while the 

 crafty enemy dispersed his followers, and did not appear in force again 

 until the latter end of December, when he marched in two bodies upon 

 the town of Rio Grande ; — one of them arrived, along the coast from 

 the Southward, as far as the Northern end of the Lake Mirim, while 

 the other passed by the West of the Lake, and captured the important 

 post of Serro Largo. There was, however, a want of combination in 

 these movements ; the two bodies could not support each other, and 

 neither succeeded in drawing the Portuguese troops off from St. Pedro 

 do Sul. Had that town fallen, the consequence would have been a want 

 of provisions in the capital of Brazil, and perhaps also in Bahia. The 

 Serro Largo was retaken on the third of January, 1817, and at the same 

 time Lecor, who had remained nearly five months in Maldonado, left 

 Artigas in his rear, marched upon Monte Video, and received the sur- 

 render of that place on the 19th of January. Thus the Portuguese 

 power was completely established upon the Northern bank of the Plata ; 

 and the whole country East of the Uruguay, after much skirmishing, 

 which has continued ever since, has been added to the Crown of Brazil. 



During the progress of this war, some interesting traits of courage 

 were manifested, which ought not to be forgotten. On the 17th of 

 May, 1817, a party of prisoners, consisting of six officers, twenty-seven 

 soldiers, and nine countrymen, who had been confined in St. Domingos 

 Suriano, at the mouth of the Rio Negro, broke through the walls of 

 their prison, seized a transport, on board of which were eighteen pieces 



of albs, with one hundred and thirty balls adapted to their calibre, 200 



4 A 



