26o The VOYAGES of Book l 
riot marked in the "Chart \ and that they Were Inhabitants 
of Rid Janeiro , which lay about eight Mile's off. The 
Dutch endeavoured to perfuade them to go on board their 
Yefiels ; but they refilled, fearing that they might be Pi- 
rates. This, to fay .the Truth, was no unreafonable Sup- 
position-, fince fuch V effels frequently appear on the Coaft ; 
and, under Pretence of getting frelh’ Water, land and pil- 
lage any of the little Towns that are near the Sea. About 
fix Months before their Arrival there had beeen one there, 
the Crew of which were preparing to make aDefcent *, when ;, 
unluckily for them, a French Ship of Fdrce arrived; and 
with one Broadfide funk her to the Bottom. It was be- 
lieved fhe had near feven Millions on board her •, and; as 
fhefunk in thirteen Fathom Water, they had fent for Divers 
from Portugal, in order, if poflible, to recover Part of her 
Treafure. Another, riot long after, had the fame Fate 
upon that Coaft : However, with the warmeft Intreaties, 
and the ftrongeft Affurances poffible, two of them were 
prevailed upon to go on board the Dutch Ship, where they 
were very kindly received, had Prelents made them of 
Cloaths, which induced them to promife they would carry 
the whole Squadron into a fafePort •, and txhey were as good 
as their Words, which was extremely acceptable to Men 
in their Condition, almoft worn out with Fatigues, and, in 
a manner, deftroyed for want of Liquids. 
5. This Harbour of Porto affords good Anchorage , 
from fix to eight Fathom Water. In entering it on the 
South- weft, they had the Main-land on the Right, and a 
large Hand on the Left. All the Coaft, along which they 
failed, appeared to be very high Land, intermingled with 
Mountains and Valleys overgrown with Shrubs. Porto 
lies in a pleafant Situation, but there were no Inhabitants 
there at this time. The Fifh and Tortcifes can oh t here 
were of an exquifite Tafte, and very nourifhing •, fo that 
moft of the People, who were ill of the Scurvy, which, 
at the Time of their Arrival there, might be about forty, 
recovered very faft. After flaying there two Days, in 
which Time they fupplied themfelves w T ith Wood and 
Water, they weighed Anchor, and continued the fame 
Courfe to the South-weft ; After failing about fix Leagues, 
and feeing many fmall Hands at a Diftance, they found 
themfelves in the Road of St. Sebafiian. At the very In- 
ftant they entered the Mouth of the River, there arofe a 
Storm, which blew with fuch Violence, that, for fear cf 
being driven on the Rocks, they were forced to drop their 
Anchors, and wait the Return of the Tide. The next 
Day they weighed, entered the Port, and came to an An- 
chor before the Town ; which they faluted thrice, with fe- 
ven, five, and three Pieces of Cannon, but without re- 
ceiving the leaft Anfwer, either becaufe the Portuguefe 
Guns were not in Order, or becaufe the People were not 
very well pleafed with their Arrival, as fhrewdly fufped- 
ing, notwithftanding they hoifted a Dutch Flag, that they 
were very little better than Pirates. In order to remove 
thefe Doubts, the Commodore wrote a Letter to the Go- 
vernor ; informing him who they were, and defiring that 
he would furniih them with Cattle, Herbs, Fruits, Wood, 
and Water, for ready Money. He like wife defi red, as a 
Matter of Favour, that his Excellency would be pleafed 
to allow them a few Huts on fhore, for the Refrefhment 
of their fick Men. The Governor returned for Anfwer, 
that nothing of this Sort was in his Power, as he was fub- 
ordinate to the Governor of Rio de Janeiro ; that, how- 
ever, he would difpatch an Exprefs thither immediately, 
and hoped they would allow him Time to learn the Senfe 
of his fuperior Officer. The Dutch Commodore was very 
far from, being fatisfied with this Anfwer; and gave the 
Portuguefe Governor to underftand, that, as he was very 
willing to deal with him for Money, fo, if he could not ob- 
tain what he wanted by fair Means, he ffiould be obliged 
to take it by foul, how much foever againft his Inclination ; 
but, having learned that there was a Francifcan Monaftery 
in the Town, at the fame time that he difpatched this Mef- 
liige, he fent to acquaint the Fathers with his Arrival, ac- 
companied with a Prefent. 
It happened very luckily for them, that, in this Mo- 
naftery, there was one Father Thomas, a Native of Utrecht , 
who immediately came aboard with feveral of the Monks. 
This honeft Father was fo delighted at the Sight of his 
Countrymen, that he declared he ihould now die in Peace, 
having, for twenty-two Years, earnestly wiffied to enjoy 
this Satisfaction. The Commodore made him exceed- 
ingly welcome, and gave them whatever they, defi red for 
the Ufe of their Monaftery. The Prior, who was of 
the Number of thofe that came on board, defined the Com- 
modore to have Patience a little, till the Return of the Ex- 
prefs from Rio de Janeiro ; and prcmifed that he would 
ufe his utmoft Intereft with the Governor, -in order to en- 
gage him to comply with the Commodore’s Demands; fo 
that they parted on both Sides very well fatisfied with each 
other. In the mean time, the Portuguefe. came down in 
great Bodies, well armed; to the Coaft ; and polled them- 
felves particularly in thofe Places where it was believed 
the Dutch Shallop might attempt to put her Men on fhore. 
On the Approach of the Shallop, the Portuguefe thought 
fit to fire upon them, by which one of the Dutchmen was 
dangeroufly wounded in the Shoulder 1 Thereupon the 
Boat’s Crew returned the Compliment, by a general Dif- 
charge of their fmall Arms, by which two of the Portu- 
guefe. were laid on the Ground ; at the Sight of which, the 
reft made a precipitate Rqtfeat, and the Dutch, landing 
immediately, filled what Water they had Occafion for, 
and then returned on board. 
On the Report of what had happened, the Commodore 
made the neceffary Difpoiitions for the Attack of the 
Place, and ftationed his Ships accordingly ; 1 he fmalleffc 
was ordered in as neartne Town as poflible; the Tienho^eit 
was ordered to watch the Coaft ; and the Commodore an- 
chored as near as could be to the Convent, as if he had 
intended to fet it on Fire, or beat it down to the Ground : 
All this, however, was defigned only to fright the Portu- 
guefe into a better Behaviour ; and it had the defigned EL 
feci ; for the Deputy-Governor foon after came on board,, 
and entered into a Treaty, by which the Portuguefe granted 
all that had been defired ; but, at the fame time, expreSed 
a great Diffidence of their being paid for what they fur- 
ni Hied ; becaufe, having lately treated with a French Ship 
in the fame manner, the Captain, at his Departure, threat- 
ened to beat the Town about their Ears, in cafe they in- 
fifted on being paid according to his Promifes when he 
came in. The Sick, being landed on the Eland, were fur- 
nifiied daily by the Portuguefe with Beef, Mutton, Fowl, 
Herbs, Fruits, and whatever elfe they wanted. The 
Ship’s Company alfo, having Leave to go afiiore, foon con- 
trailed Acquaintance among the Portuguefe , from whohi 
they obtained Sugar, Tobacco, Brandy, and whatever elfe 
they defired, in Exchange for European Goods, notwith- 
ftanding the Governor had prohibited any kind of Com- 
merce, on the fevereft Penalties. Thus, in a very fhort 
time, the Scene was effeblually changed, and the Portu- 
guefe fo well fatisfied as to the Honefty and good Inten- 
tions of the Dutch , that they brought back, of their own 
Accord, all the rich Effedts that had been carried out of 
the Town, when their Ships firft appeared before it. The 
Portuguefe, however, complained bitterly of the Ufage they 
met with from the French ; who, according to their Ac- 
counts, frequently came before the Place with their Ships, 
took whatever they pleafed by Force, and plundered the 
Houfes, in which they were permitted to lodge their Sick ; 
which induced the Portuguefe to believe, that all the Euro- 
peans would treat them in the fame manner. 
The Town of St. Sebajlian is fituated in the Latitude 
of 24% and in the Longitude of 6o° ; it is a Place of 
moderate Extent, indifferently fortified, being fur rounded 
with Palifadoes, and furnifhed only with a few Pieces of 
Cannon. The Church, however, is a very beautiful Build- 
ing, the Palace of the Governor very magnificent, and the 
Houfes of the Inhabitants, fuch as are commonly met with 
in the Indies. The Francifcan Monaftery Hands on the 
South Side of the Town, and is the Habitation of about 
thirty Monks, who live there very commodioufly, and 
behave themfelves as become Perfons of their Profeffion. 
The Prior file wed the Commodore, and the reft of the Of- 
cers, an Idol, which had been worfiiipped by the ancient 
Inhabitants of the Place. This was the Statue of a Crea- 
ture half Tyger, half Lion, about four Feet high, and 
one and an half about. They were told, that this Statue 
was of maffy Gold ; but the Author fu fuelled, that it was 
only 
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