. xr ■ JL T* ^ -" VO r S fetorp of Brazil; 6? ^att tfie Jttat ^rfntrti for Honsman, l?tn#t, ieu#, ana flDrmt, ^atemosfttMttto* 1810. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from Research Library, The Getty Research Institute http://archive.org/details/historyofbrazil01sout TO THE REVEREND HERBERT HILL THIS HISTORY IS INSCRIBED, BY HIS NEPHEW ROBERT SOUTHEY, AS A MEMORIAL OF GRATEFUL AND RESPECTFUL AFFECTION. PREFACE, Something more than the title promises, is com- prized in the present work. It relates the foun- dation and progress of the adjacent Spanish Pro- vinces, the affairs of which are in latter times in- separably connected with those of Brazil. The subject may therefore be considered as including the whole track of country between the rivers Pla- ta, Paraguay, and Orellana or the Amazons, and extending Eastward towards Peru, as far as the Portugueze have extended their settlements or their discoveries. The only general History of Brazil is the Ame- rica Poiiugueza of Sebastiam da Rocha Pitta, a mea- gre and inaccurate work, which has been accounted valuable, merely because there was no other. There are many copious and good accounts of the Dutch war. Earlier information is to be gleaned from books where it occurs rather incidentally,, PREFACE. than by design. Authorities are still scarcer for the subsequent period, and for the greater part of the last century, printed documents almost en- tirely fail. A collection of manuscripts not less extensive than curious, and which is not to be equalled in England, enables me to supply this chasm in history. The collection was formed dur- ing a residence, of more than thirty years in Portu- gal, by the friend and relation to whom this work is inscribed. Without the assistance which J have received from him, it would have been hopeless to undertake, and impossible to compleat it. A critical account of all the materials which have been consulted, will be appended to the conclud- ing volume. The map also is delayed, for the purpose of rendering it as full, and as little incor- rect as possible, though a far better than any which has yet appeared might have been given at present. Should any person who may see this volume be in possession of any of the boohs enumerated below, he would greatly oblige and serve me by consigning it to Messrs. Longman and Co. for my use,'a?id he may rely upon its being speedily and carefully returned. R. S. Literse Annuse Provincial Paraguariae, &c. Any volumes of the Jesuits' Annual Letters or Relations, except those from 1551 to 1558, and those for the years 1601, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. Montoya, Conquista Espiritual de Paraguay. Lozano, Hist, de Paraguay. The Latin translation of Charlevoix's Hist, du Paraguay. Venice^ 1779- Fasti Novi Orbis. Venice, 1777- a work published under the name of Cyriacus Morelli, by the Jesuit P. Domingo Muriel. P. Sim. de Vasconcellos. Vida do P. Joam de Almeida. O Valeroso Lucideno. Eel. diaria do sitio do Recife. Lisbon, 1654; or the Italian trans- lation. Anchiela's Brazilian Grammar.. c CONTENTS. Page INTRODUCTION. Nature of this History - - 1 CHAPTER I. Vicente Yanez Pinzon discovers the Coast of Brazil and the River Maranbam. Voy- age of Cabral. He uames the country Santa Cruz. Amerigo Vespucci sent to survey the coast. His second voyage. The first settlement made by him. The country obtains the name of Brazil. Voyage of Pinzon - - - -4 The line first crost, and Cape St. Augustines first seen - - - - ib. Discovery of the River Maranbam or Orel* lana - - - 5 Hyger or Bore on the Meary - -7 Voyage of Cabral - - - - 9 He is driven to the Coast of Brazil - - 10 Appearance of the natives - - -11 Porto Seguro discovered - - - 12 The first mass performed - - - ib- Possession takeii for the Crown of Portugal - 13 Voyage of Amerigo Vespueci - - 14 Cannibalism of the natives - - - 15 Second voyage of Vespucci- - - 18 First settlement in the country - -20 ]t obtains the name of Brazil - » 21 Criminals sent to setve there - "23 Page CHAPTER II. Voyage of Pinzon and Solis. Discovery of the Rio de la Plata. The French trade to Brazil. History of Caramuru. Brazil di- vided into Captaincies. St. Vicente. The Goaynazes. St. Amaro and Tamaraca. Paraiba. The Goaytacazes. Espirito Santo. The Papanazes. Porto Seguro. The Tupiniquius. Captaincy of the II- heos. Bahia. Revolutions in the Re- concave. Expulsion of the colonists there. Pernambuco. The Cahetes. The Tobayares. Siege of Garassu. Expedi- tion of Aires da Cunha to Maranham. Voyage of Pinzon and Solis - - 25 Discovery of the Plata - - • 26 Death of Solis - - - - 27 Trade of the French to Brazil - - 28 Bahia discovered - - - - 2£) Adventures of Caramuru - - - 30 Brazil divided into Captaincies - - 32 St. Vicente - - - - 33 The Goaynazes - - - - 34 First sugar canes planted - - - 35 St. Amaro and Tamaraca » - - 36 Paraiba - - • - - 37 The Goaytacazes ... ^ Espirito Santo - - - - 38 The Papanazes - - - '39 Poi to Seguro .... ,$._ CONTENTS. . . Pa s< The Tupmiquins - - - 39 Captaincy of the Ilheos - - - 40 Bahia - - - - - 41 Revolutions in the Reconcave - - 42 Expulsion of Coutinho - - - 43 Pernambuco - - - - 44 The Cahetes - - - ib. The Tobayares - - - - 45 Hans Stade arrives in Brazil - -46* Siege of Garassu or Iguarac.u - - ib. Expedition of Aires da Cunha, and the sons of Barros to Maranbam - . - 48 CHAPTER III. Voyage of Sebastian Cabot. He names the river Plata, and remains there five years. D. Pedro de Mendoza obtains a grant of the conquest. Foundation of Buenos Ayres. War with the Quirandies. Fa- mine. Buenos Ayres burnt by the Sav- ages. Buena Esperanza founded. The Timbues. Mendoza sets sail for Spain, and dies upon the passage. Ayolas ascends the Paraguay. The Carios. The Spaniards u in their settlement, and call it Asump- cion. The Agaces. Ayolao goes iu search of the Carcarisos, a people who were said to have gold and silver. Yrala waits for hiua as long as possible, and then returns to Asumpcion. Misconduct of Francisco Ruyz. Buena Esperanza besieged and abandoned. Reinforcements sent out under Cabrera. Yrala marches in search of Ayo- las. The death of that Commander ascer- tained. The Payagoaes. The Spaniards abandon Buenos Ayres, and collect all their force at Asumpcion. Voyage of Sebastian Cabot- - - 51 He goes up the Plata and enters the Para- guay - - - - - 53 Voyage of Diego Garcia - - - 54 The river Plata obtains its present name - 55 Cabot driven out by the Guaranies - 50' Expedition of Mendoza - - - 57 Buenos Ayres founded - - - 58 War with the Quirandies - '- - 60 Famine at Buenos Ayres - - - 6l Buenos Ayres burnt by the Savages - 62 Mendoza returns to Spain and dies on the voyage - - - - - 62 Ayolas ascends the Paraguay - - 64 The Carios - - - - 65 Page 66 67 if,. 66 70 72 72 73 74 ib. 75 The Spaniards win a settlement of the Carios, which they call Asumpcion The Agaces - Ayolas hears of gold and silver among a peo- ple called Carcarisos, and goes in search of them - . _ Yrala returns to Asumpcion Misconduct of Fr. Ruyz at Buena Esperanza Reinforcements sent out under Cabrera Hulderic Schmidel escapes from shipwreck - Yrala marches in search of Ayolas - Whose death is ascertained The Payagoaes - ... Buenos Ayres abandoned ... CHAPTER IV. Expedition of Diego de Ordas. Gonzalo Pi- zarro sets out. in quest of El Dorado. Voyage of Orellana. Attempt of Luiz de Mello to settle at Maranbam. Diego de Ordas obtains a grant of conquest He attempts to ascend the Amazons, and then the Orinoco - Expedition of Gonzalo Pizarro in search of El Dorado .... Orellana joins him- ... Cruelty of G. Pizarro - Sufferings of his people - They build a brigantine ... In which Orellana is sent forward. He en- ters the Napo, and resolves to proceed down the stream - - - 82 Reports of a nation of Amazons - - S5 The Encabellados - - - - 87 The Savages attack the Spaniards - - 88 Psalming the wounded - - - 89 The Amazons - - - - 94 They reach the sea - - -99 Orellana undertakes the conquest of his dis- coveries - - - ib. And dies while attempting it - - 101 Reasons for restoring his name to the river - 102 CHAPTER V. Cabeza de Vaca succeeds Mendoza in the Plata. He marches overland from S. Cata- lina. Advances from Asumpcion up the Paraguay, and marches into the country towards Peru in search of gold. The Spaniards return for want of food, . . mu- tiny against him, and send him prisoner to Spain. 79 77 78 79 SO 81 ib. CONTENTS. XI Page Cabeza de Vaca succeeds Mendoza as Ade- laiitado - - - - - 104 His ship saved by means nf a Grillo - 105 He marches overland from the coast - 107 Flour from the stone pine - 10.9 Grubs eaten - - - - ib. Falls of the Yguazu - - - 11- Passage of the Parana - 113 He arrives at Asumpcion -• - -114. Danger of the sick, and their escort -115 Orders given to re-found Buenos Ayres - 116 Treatment of prisoners among the Guaranies ib. The Agaces - - - -117 The Guaycurus - ib- Cabeza de Vaca marches against them - 119 Courage of this tribe ... 121 The Palometa . . a fish more formidable than the American crocodile - 122 Peace made with the Guacurus - - ib. Buenos Ayres a second time abandoned - 126 Ducks kept to devour the crickets - - 127 Faction formed against C. de Vaca, who un- dertakes an expedition into the interior - 128 The Payagoaes offer to restore what they had taken from Ayolas - ib. Garcia the Portugueze - - - 129 Aquatic tribes .... 130 Lake of Xarayes - 132 Vampire bat - - - -134 Plague of ants ... - 135 Fashion of extending the ears - - ib. Farther accounts of Garcia- - - 136 Messengers sent to the Xarayes - - 137 The Artaneses ... ib. Settlement of the Xarayes - 138 Great expedition of the Guaranies towards Peru - - - - 140 Cabeza de Vara follows their route - - 141 He finds a family which had escaped from the wreck of their nation - - 143 His people compel him to return - - 145 Scarcity at Puerto de los Reyes - ib. Mendoza seut in search of food - - 146 Ribera returns - - - 147 Some of Garcia's followers discovered - 149 The Spaniards return to Asumpcion - 151 Mutiny against C. de Vaca- - - 152 Who is seut prisoner to Spain - - ib. CHAPTER VI. Expedition of Hernando de Ribera; he hears of the Amazons and marches in quest of them over the flooded country. Disturb- Or ances at Asumpcion. Yrala conquers the Carios, and attempts a second lime to march across the country. He reaches the confines of Peru, makes his own terms in secret with the President, and then re- turns. Diego Centeno appointed Gover- nor ; he dies, and Yrala remains with the government. Ribera marches in quest of the Amazons over a flooded country - Fables which he heard or reported - They return - Yrala subdues the Carios ... He enters the country ... And reaches the Spanish settlement on the side of Peru ... He makes a secret agreement with Gasca and returns - Disturbance at Asumpcion - Expedition of Senabria with which Hans Stade goes out .... CHAPTER VII. Hans Stade sails with Senabria for Paraguay, and reaches St. Catalina. Shipwrecked on St. Vicente. He is made Gunner at St. Amaro, and taken prisoner by the Tupi- nambas. Their ceremonies towards a prisoner; superstition and weapons. He effects his escape. Hans reaches St. Catalina . . . One of the ships wrecked there He sails for St Vicente and is wrecked there State of that Captaincy ... He accepts the office of gunner And is caught by the Tupinambas . Who carry him home to be eaten . Description of their villages Ceremonies of receiving a prisoner - The aprasse, or dance of the prisoner The Maraca - He pleads that he is not a Portugueze, and therefore not liable to be eaten - The plea referred to a French interpreter who decides against him Konyan Bebe, the Tupinamban Chief His master and his family fall sick, and im- pute it to his prayers - - . Mode of trading during war He swims oft to a French boat, and the crew refuse to take him in - Ceremonies before they go to war - Their Payes or Jugglers - Their weapons - 157 159 100 161 103 - i6s 16'9 171 173 175 177 178 179 ISO 1S1 1S5 ib. 186 187 ib. - 188 ib. 191 194 198 200 201 202 20.4 xu CONTENTS. Hans is transferred to another master And obtains his libeity Page 209 210 CHAPTER VIII. Thome de Sousa appointed Governor Gene- ral of B'azil. He takes out with him the tir9t Jesuits to America. City of at. Salva- dor founded. The Jesuits begin the attempt of converting the -natives. Obstacles to that atteniDt. Cannibalism. Language, and ?tate of the Tupi tribes. Evils of the existing system in Brazil - 212 Thome de Sousa appointed Governor General 213 Zeal of the King for the conversion of the Brazilians - if,. The Jesuit Mission appointed - -214 First Jesuits go out to S. America - ib. 1'oundation of the City of St. Salvador - 215 Conduct of the Jesuits - 217 Cannibalism - ib. Ceremonies observed with a captive - 21S Consequences which the Savages deduce from their theory of generation - - il>. Passion of revenge among these Savages . 223 Customs of the Tupi Tribes » - ib. Their language - U>. Their Payes - 227 St. Thomas the Apostle said to have visited Brazil ----- 229 The mandioc or cassava ... 230 Their fermmted liquors - - -233 Acayaba tree - 235 The natives nice in their choice of water - 236' Their reputed knowledge of poisons - 237 Ceremonies at their births ... 238- Their names . 239 Harmony in which they lived - - 24.0 Their marriages ... jb. Fashions of the women ... 241 Condition of women among them . . 242 Their pottery .... 243 Canoes ..... 244 And fishing .... ib. Their domestic animals ... 2-15 Their treatment of strangers - . 240' And of the sick .... 247 Mode «>f burial - - - - 248 Their longevity .... 249 Their frequent change of place - - 250 Cause why tiiey were not farther advanced - 251 Conduct of the Jesuits - 252 And opposition of the Settlers - - 257 The first Bishop of Brazil ... 259 CHAPTER IX. D. Dii.irte da Costa Governor. Anchieta comes out. Brazil erected into a Jesuit Provisce. School established at Piratin- inga. Death of Joam III. Mem de Sa Governor. Expedition of the French un- der V'iHegagnon to Rio de Janeiro. Their island is attacked and the works destroy- ed. War with the Tamoyos. Nobrega and Anchieta effect a peace with them. The French finally defeated at Rio de Janeiro, and the City of St. Sebastian founded. Anchieta comes out to Brazil . . 261 Establishment of the Jesuits at Piratininga 262 Employment of Anchieta there . -264 He is attacked by the Savages . . 265 Disputes between the Governor and the Bishop .... 266 The Bishop killed by the Cahetes - - 2(">7 Mem de Sa Governor - 208 Outcry against his attempts in behalf of the natives .... ib. Villegagnon's expedition to Brazil - - 270 He names it France Anlarctique - . -272 Conspiracy against him .... 273 I lis conduct towards the Savages - - 275 Jean de Lery goes to Brazil - - ib. Treachery of V'iHegagnon - - - 277 Expedition against the French at Rio de Ja- neiro ..... 2~9 The Ay mores - - - - 281 Defeated by Mem de Sa - - - 283 The Tamoyos .... 284 They ravage Espirito Santo - - 2S6" Nobrega and Anchieta go to treat for peace 287 Anchieta is left with the Savages . - 290 Peace with the Tamoyos ... 293 Pestilence and famine ... 294 Board of Conscience ... fa Estaciq de Sa goes against the French - 296 Nobrega prevents him from abandoning the attempt .... 297 He expels the French, and is mortally wound- ed - - - - - 301 City of St. Sebastian founded - - 302 A Protestant. put to death ... 303 The French driven from Paiaiba - . 305 CHAPTER X. Luiz de Vasconcellos appointed Governor. Martyrdom of the foity Jesuits. Vascon» CONTENTS. XI] I Page cellos killed. Death of Nobrega and of JMem de Sa. Luiz de Brito, Gom- nor. The Colonies ne elected. Division of Brazil into two Govci mnrnts, and le-union. Fi- nal Defeat of the Tamoyos. Expedition in starch of Alices. Portugal usuiped by Felipe II. State of Brazil. at that time. Martyrdom of u.efoiU Jesuits - - 308 Miracles invcn.ed for the occasion - - 309 Deaths of No: ega and Mem de Sa - 310 The colony neglected - . .311 Brazil dn ;.icd into two governments - ib. .Final defeat of the Tamoyos - - 312 Expeditions of Tounnho and Adorno iu search of mines - - ib. .Settlement at Rio Real made and abandoned 314 The two governments reunited . - 315 Brazil offered to the Duke of Braganza - ib. Attempt of Antonio the Prior upon Brazil - 3 It) Styite of Brazil at this time - - ib. St. Salvador and the Reconcave . - 317 Tea and coffee indigenous there - - 320 Culture of ginger prohibited - - ib. .Leafless parasite plants - - - 321 Fishery at Bahia - - - - 322 Mermaids ----- 323 Rumours of emerald mines - - ib. People of Bahia - - • - ib. Pernambuco - - - - 321 St. Vicente - - - - 325 Lspinto Santo - 326 Porto Seguro ~ » ... ib. Diseases ----- -3^7 CHAPTER XI. Disputes on the frontier of Brazil. Asump- cion made a Bishopric. Expedition of Chaves. The Chiquitos. Death of Yrala. March of Vergara to Peru, and his Do- position. Death of Cbaves. The Itatines. .Caceressent home Prisoner. Zarate sails ■from Spain to take the Government : mis- .conduct and sufferings of his Armament. Deposition and Death of his successor Mendieta. Buenos A} res founded for the third and last time. Settlement formed from Paraguay in Guayra 331 Asumpcion made a Bishoprick - - 332 The Chiquitos - - - - 333 Death of Yrala - 336 S. Cruz de la Sierra founded - -- 337 Vergara marches to Peru - 338 And is there superseded - ib. Page Chaves killed - - - - 339 Thx Itatines .... ib. Disputes at Asumpcion - 342 Zarate sails for Paraguay - 343 Famine at St. Catilina - 344 Misconduct and death of Zarate - - 347 Buenos Ayrss a thitd time founded - 348 First hides sent to Europe - - - 3 19 CHAPTER XII. The French driven from Paraiba. 'Die Pitu- goares. Intercourse of the English with Brazil. Fenton's Expedition. Commence- ment of hostilities. Withrington ravages the Reconcave. Death of Barreto. D. Francisco de Sousa Governor. Search after Silver Mines. Expedition of Caven- dish. He takes Santos, burns St. Vicente, is repulsed at Espirito Santo, and dies of a broken heart. Lancaster takes Recife. Raleoh diverts adventurers towards Gui- ana. El Dorado. The Pitagoares • - 350 The French expelled by Flores - - 351 Intercourse of the English with Brazil - 352 Fenton's voyage - 355 Hostilities with the English - - ib. Withrington's voyage - 356' Roberio Diaz offers to discover silver mines 358 Cavendish's last voyage - - . 359 He takes Santos, and burns S. Vicente 360 Is repulsed at Espirito Santo - - 363 And dies broken hearted - 36l Lancaster's voyage - - - ik. He takes Recife - 3t6 Ralegh diverts adventurers from Brazil - .3/1 El Dorado - tf. CHAPTER XIII. Attempts on the side of Marunham. The Tapuyas. Success, of the Jesuits, and di- minution of the natives. The Aymores pacified. Settlement formed at Seara. French expedition to the lale of IWaran- ham. They are expelled by .leronvmo de Albuquerque, Foundation of tie Captain- cy of Para, and the City ot Belem. Settle- ments of .the Dutch and other nations at the mouth of the Orellana destroyed. Villainy of Pedro Coelho - 376 Serra de Ibiapaba - - - - 377 The Tapuyas - 378 Jesuits at the Sierra de Ibiapaba - - 382 The Pitagoares brought agaiust the Aymores 333 XIV CONTENTS. Pi-e Ravages of the Aymores ... 3S5 They are conciliated by Alvaro Rodriguez in Bahia .... ,/,. And at llheos by the Jesuits - - 3S7 Success of the Jesuits ... 339 Settlement at Seara ... 391 French expedition to Maranham - - 3J/2 Foundation of S. Luiz ... 397 Rasilly returns to France ... 399 Caspar de Sousa ordered to colonize towards tbe Orellana .... 400 First expedition of Jeronymo de Albuquerque ib. Diogo de Campos sent out - - - 401 Martim Soares driven to Europe - - 402 Second expedition of Jeronymo - -403 His junction with Diogo ... 404 They reach the Island of Peria - - 406 Irresolution of Jeronymo ... 408 Diogo advises that they lortify themselves on the Island - - - 409 Rangel sent out to reconnoitre . - ib. They remove to Guaxenduba - - 411 Information obtained from a prisoner - 412 Treachery of the French - - - 413 Jeronymo duped Lv his prisoners - - 414 Three ships taken by the French - - 415 Conspiracy communicated to Diogo - ib. The Fiench invest tbe Portugueze - - 41/ And are defeated ... - 418 Ravardiere opens a correspondence with Je- ronymo - - - - - 419 Terms concluded greatly to the advantage of the Portugueze ... - 420 Tbe TupmanAas suppose they are to be di- vided as slaves between the two contracting powers ---. - 422 Instructions to the Portugueze Commissioners 423 Treaty broken by the Portugueze - - 424 Fresh forces come out from Lisbon - - ib. St. Louis surrendered unconditionally - 426' Expedition of Caldeira to Para - - 427 Foundation of Belem - ib. Teixeira burns a Dutch vessel - - 423 Insurrection of the Tupinambas - - 429 Death of Jeronymo ... 430 Disturbances at Belem ... ib. Caldeira deposed by the people - - 431 The mutineers sent to Portugal - - 432 Cruelty of Benlo Maciel ... ib. Colonists from the Azores arrive at Maran- ham ..... 433 Maciel Captain of Para ... 435 Expedition to the Curupa and the mouth of tbe Orellana - ib. Pat' Maranham and Para formed into a State in- dependent of Brazil ... 437 CHAPTER XIV. Establishment of a West Indian Company in Holland. St. Salvador taken by the Dutch, and recovered by tbe Spaniards and Portu- gueze under D. Fadrique de Toledo. Af- fairs of Maranham. The Dutch send out a second expedition, and obtain possession of Olinda and Recife. Establishment of the Dutch West India Com- pany - . - . _43 8 A fleet equipped against Brazil - - 440 St. Salvador taken by the Dutch - - 441 They strengthen the city ... 442 The Portugueze rally under the Bishop . 443 Y'andort slain .... 444 Expedition of Heyne against Angola - ib. Measures of the Spanish Government . 445 And zeal of the P01 tugueze . . ib. Death of the Bishop ... 447 Arrival of the combined fleets . - 448 The Dutch make an unsuccessful sally . 449 Their troops mutiny and they capitulate - 450 Difficulty of sending them to Europe . 451 Arrival of a Dutch fleet ... 452 Disasters of the Portugueze on their return to Europe. .... 453 Effect of these losses in Holland . - 454 Brazil s:iil neglected by Spain . . 454 Oliveira Governor . . . - ib. Exploit of Heyne at Bahia . . 456 Affairs of Maranham ... 458 Attempts of the Dutch in these parts . 459 Cruelty of Maciel - ... 45*0 Oppressive conduct of the Pol tugueze - ib. English settlers expelled ... 462 Mathias de Albuquerque sent out - . 40'3 State of Olinda .... t b. Arrival of the Dutch fleet ... 465 And capture of Olinda ... 40$ Mathias abandons Recife ... ib. Attack of the Forts ... 469 And arrival of reinforcements from Holland. 471 CHAPTER XV. Camp of Bom Jesns formed. Calabar de- serts to the Dutch, and turns the fortune of the War. Negroes of the Palmares. Tbe Island of Itamaraca. Rio Grande, Pa- raiba, Tamaraca, the Camp, and Nazareth,, reduced. CONTENTS. XV Page The Portuguezc rally - . . 472 Bush companies formed ... 473 Distress of both parties ... 474 Some Colonists incline to submit . - 475 Expedition against Isle Ilamaraca - - 476 A fleet sent out under Oquendo - - 477 Naval action and death of the Dutch Admiral 478 Olinda burnt by the Dutch - - 479 Paraiba attacked ... - 4S0 Lichthart lays siege to Fort Cabedello - 481 The Dutch break up the siege - - 482 Unsuccessful attack upon Rio Grande - ib. Importance of the port of iVazareth - 483 Calabar deserts to the Dutch - - 4S5 He surprizes and sacks Garassu, and Rio Fer- moio ----- 486 Indecision of Bagnuolo ... 487 The Dutch send out Commissaries - - ib. They assault the Camp and are repulsed - 4S8 Isle of Itamaraca reduced, and Garassu aban- doned ----- 4SJ) Attempt to besiege the Camp - - 490 Expedition of Calabar to the Lagoas - 491 Fate of the succours under Vasconcellos - ib. Rio Grande reduced ... 493 Fidelity of an Indian Chief - - 494 The Palmares .... 49-5 Attempt to surprize Recife - - 497 Nazareth attacked ... ib. The Dutch pass the batteries, and win the town ----- 498 Calabar brings the launches in - - 499 And gets the ships out ... 500 Reinforcements arrive from Holland - ib. Paraiba again attacked - - - 501 Siege of Fort Cabedello ... 502 The Fort surrenders and Paraiba falls - 504 Treachery of Sylveira - . - 505 Siege laid to the Camp, and to Nazareth - 507 The Camp capitulates ... tb. Nefarious conduct of the Dutch - - 50S Attempts to relieve Nazareth - . 509 Bagnuolo abandons Porto Calvo, and retreats to the Lagoas .... 510 Heroism of Maria de Sousa - - 511 Nazareth taken - - - - 5 1 2 CHAPTER XVI. Emigration from Pernambuco. Porto Calvo recovered, and Calabar put to death. Succours sent out under Roxas, who is de- feated and slain. Bagnuolo succeeds to the command, and carries on a harrassing warfare with success. Maurilz Count oi' Pagt Nassau arrives as Governor General oi the Dutch; his wise measures : he pursues the Portugueze to the River St. Francisco, and Bagnuolo, abandoning the Captaincy of Seregipe, retreats to Bahia. Emigration from Pernambuco - - 514 Treachery of Souto towards the Dutch - 515 Porto Calvo recovered - - - 516 Calabar put to death ... 517 Mathias retreats to the Lagoas - -5 IS Alarm of the Spanish Court - - ib. Roxas sent out with reinforcements - 520 Rashness of the new General - - 521 He is defeated and slain - 522 Bagnuolo succeeds to the command - . 524 Porto Calvo reoccupied by the Portugueze - 525 Cruelty of the Dutch ... ib. Predatory system of warfare - - 52(> Second emigration from Pernambuco - 527 The Count of Nassau sent out - - ib. His first measures- ... 529 He marches against Porto Calvo, and Bag- nuolo abandons it - - - 530 Porto Calvo surrenders ... 532 Bagnuolo abandons the Lagoas, and is pur. sued to the San Francisco - - 533 River San Francisco . . ib. Fort Mauritz erected ... 535 Reforms at Recife ... 537 The Dutch seek for mines - - ib. Wise measures of Nassau - - 538 Deliberation concerning the seat of Govern- ment .... 540 Captaincy of Seregipe ... ib. Souto ravages the conquered provinces - 541 Bagnuolo abandon! Seregipe, and retreats to Bahia - - - - 542 CHAPTER XVII. St. Jorge da Mina attacked and taken by the Dutch. Seara tttken. Nassau be- sieges St. Salvador unsuccessfully. The Dutch throw open the trade. State nf their Captaincies. A new city built by Recife. Count da Torre comes out ; he loses great part of his men by sickness, and after four indecisive actions at sea, is blown off the coast. Wonderful retreat of Vidal and Barbalbo. Marquis de Monte Alvam, Viceroy. Revolution in Portugal. The ■ Viceroy deposed. St. Jorge da Mina taken by the Dutch - 545 Seara taken .... 546 Proceedings at Recife - 547 XVI CONTENTS. Page Preparations against Bahia . . 549 Bagnuolo marches to S. Salvador . - ib. Exploit of Souto ... 550 The Dutch enter the Bay - - 55 1 Tumults in the City ... ib. Four of the Forts surrendered . - 553 Pedro da Sylva resigns the command to Bag- miuio .... ib. Exc'i^nge of prisoners - - .554 Consternation of the townsmen - - ib. 'J he City well supplied ... 555 The Dutch open their batteries - - ib. Letters intercepted ... 556 Battle in the trenches, and death of Souto - 557 Cruelty of the Dutch ... 558 They raise the siege - - - 559 Representations of Nassau to the Company - 500 They throw open the trade of Brazil . 5oT Expedition of Jol in quest of the Mexican fleet 562 Cameron negociates with the Dutch - 563 Arms given to the Dutch Captaincies . 26. Artisjoski comes out, and returns to Hol- land in disgust ... 564 State of the Dutch Captaincies - - ib Want of Colonists ... 565 The Jews .... ib. The Savages .... ib. Dutch Missionaries ... 567 Force of the Dutch . - - ib. Nassau builds a Palace ... 568 And the city of Mauritias - - 569 The Conde de Torre comes out . • 570 Four naval actions • - .571 Retreat of Vidal and Barbalho - - 573 The Reconcave laid waste ... 574 The Marquez de Monte Alvam conies out as Viceroy .... ib. Revolution in Portugal .... 575 The Viceroy sent home prisoner . - 577 CHAPTER XVIII. Affairs of Maranham. Some Missionaries from Quito flying down the Napo, trust themselves to the river, and reach Belem. Teixeira sent up the Orellana. Acufia re- turns with him, and surveys its course. Attempts of the English in Para - - 578 Page Death of Coelho ... 580" Raimttndo intrudes into the succession - ib. Mission from Quito to- the Indians upon the Abuarice ... 531- The Missionaries driven away, embark on the river, and redch Para - - ib. Teixeira ;-ent to exploie the Orellana up to Quito - 582 He is ordered by the Viceroy of Peru to re- turn and survey the river - - 584 Sources of the Orellana ... 585 Teixeira reembarks, and Acuna with him - ib. The Encabellados "*— ... 585 The Omaguas .... 587" Gum elastic - 589 The Tucunas and Mayurunes - - 590 Rivers lea and Yutas ... 59T And Yurua - ~ - - 592 The Curiciraris .... ib. River Jupuraor Gran Caqueta - - 594- Rive'rs Tefe and Acaricoara - - 596> The Jurimauas - — - ib. River Penis ..... 597 The Caripunas and Zurinas — - 598 River Negro ..... ib* Communication between the Orellana and Orinoco known at that time by ibe natives 599 The Portuguese want to make slaves - 600- Rivers Madeira and Saraca - - 601 Tupinambas of the River ... 602 Fables reported by them ... ib. The Amazons ... 604' Testimonies of their ex-istenc* » - ib. Probability of it ... 60S River dos Trombetas ... 609 River dos Topajos ... ib. Kidnapping expedition of Young Maciel - 611 River-Curupatuba ... 6T2 River Mapau ..... 613 They reach Belem ... ib. Extent and magnitude of the Orellana - 614 Food of the tnbes on its banks - - 615 Plague of insects - - - - 618 Number of Tribes -. 619 The Throwing stick ... 620 Their Idols .... ib. Their Conjurors -.*-.- S21 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. The history of Brazil is less beautiful than that of the mother country, and less splendid than that of the Portugueze in Asia ; but it is not less important than either. Its materials differ from those of other histories : here are no tangles of crooked policy to unravel, no mysteries of state iniquity to elucidate, no revolutions to record, nor victories to celebrate, the fame of which remains among us long after their effects have past away. Discovered by chance, and long left to chance, it is by individual industry and enterprize, and by the operation of the common laws of nature and society, that this empire has risen and flourished, extensive as it now is, and mighty as it must one day become. In the course of its annals disgust and anger will oftener be felt than those exalted feelings which it is more grateful for the his- torian to excite. I have to speak of savages so barbarous that little sympathy can be felt for any sufferings which they en- dured, and of colonists in whose triumphs no joy will be taken, because they added avarice to barbarity ; . . ignoble men, car- rying on an obscure warfare, the consequences of which have been greater than were produced by the conquests of Alexander B % HISTORY OF BRAZIL. or Charlemagne, and will be far more lasting. Even the few higher characters which appear have obtained no fame beyond the limits of their own religion, scarcely beyond those of their language. Yet has the subject its advantages : the discovery of extensive regions ; the manners and superstitions of uncivilized tribes ; the efforts of missionaries, in whom zeal the most fanatical was directed by the coolest policy ; the rise and the overthrow of the extraordinary dominion which they established ; and the pro- gress of Brazil from its feeble beginnings, to the importance which it now possesses, these are topics of no ordinary interest. CHAPTER I. Vicente Yanez Pinzon discovers the Coast of Brazil and the River Maranham. — Voyage of Cahral. — He names the country Santa Cruz. — Amerigo Vespucci sent to survey the coast. — His second voyage. — The first settlement made by him. — The country obtains the name of Brazil. The first person who discovered the coast of Brazil was Vi- CHAP, cente Yanez Pinzon, who had sailed with Columbus * on his v^-v^ 1499- » The Pinzons were natives of Palos, excellent seamen, and among the first people of the place. Vicente Yanez supplied an eighth of the expences of this expedition, in which two of his brothers embarked also, one as captain, the other as master of the Pinta. Herrera, 1.1.10. Oviedo knew Vicente Yaiiez well, and was in habits of friendship with him till his death, in 1514. This historian says that there were not wanting persons who affirmed that Columbus was disheartened on his first voyage, and would have turned back if it had not been for these brethren. Probably he heard this from his friend ; . . and by what he says this report seems to have occasioned some judicial proceedings. These are his words. " Pero aveys de saber que por el contrario dizen ulgunos lo que aqui se ha dicho de la constancia de Colon ; que ami qfirman que el se lornara de su voluntad del camino, y no le concluyera , si estos hermauus Pincoues no le Jizieran yr adelante : y dizen mas que por causa del/os se hizo el descubrimienlo, y que Colon ya ciava y queria dar la buelta. Esto sera mejor remetirlo a tin laigo processo que ay entre el Almirante y el Fiscal, donde a pro y a contra ay inuchus cosas alegadas; en lo qual yo no me entiemeto, porque como sean cosas de justicia y por e/la se ha de discidir, que dense para el Jin que tuvieren ; pero yo he dicho en lo una y en lo otro ambas las opiniones ; el lector tome la que mas le ditare su buen juyzio." L. 2. C. 5. Voyagt of Pinion. 4 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP, first voyage, as commander and master of the Nina. Seven v-^v^ years afterwards he and his nephew Arias obtained a commis- T 49-9- s i on t go m search of new countries, and trade in any which Columbus had not previously appropriated. The Pinzons were wealthy men, and the former voyage had added to their wealth ; they fitted out four caravels at their own cost, and set sail from Palos in December, 1499? made the Cape de Verds, then steered to the south-west, and were the first Spaniards who crost the line and lost sight of the north star. After suffering intolerable heat, and storms which drove them on their way, a.d.1500, they saw land on January 26, 1500, in lat. Si" S. to which Vicente gave the name of Cape Consolation ; . . but which is now called Cape St. Augustines. They landed, cut the names of the ships, and the date of the year and day upon the trees and rocks, and took possession of the country for the crown of Castille. No natives were seen that day, but they perceived footsteps upon the shore. During the night they saw many fires, and in the morning sent forty well-armed men towards them to treat with the people. About an equal number of the natives ad- vanced to meet them, armed with bows and lances ; it was in vain to make friendly gestures, and hold up bells, beads, and looking-glasses, the savages seemed determined to drive these strangers out of their country, and the Spaniards were intimi- dated at their appearance. They affirmed that they were taller than the tallest Germans, and not waiting to judge more accu- rately of their stature upon a nearer view, retired to their boats. The next day no natives were to be seen ; the Spaniards landed again, and convinced themselves that they had had good reason for their fear, by finding or fancying that they found the footstep of a giant, which was twice as long as would have been made by the foot of an ordinary man. They supposed these people to be a wandering race like the Scythians. HISTORY OF BRAZIL. 5 From hence they coasted along toward the North till they CHAP, came to the mouth of a great river: there was not sufficient depth v^>„, of water for the ships to enter, so they sent four boats to land. 1 -^Q- A party of natives were assembled upon a hill near the shore, and one of the Spaniards who was well armed, advanced singly toward them. They came to meet him, suspecting and at the same time intending evil. The Spaniard made all the friendly signs he could devise, and threw to them a hawks-bell, for which they threw clown a piece of gold 2 ; he stoopt for it, and they sprang forward to seize him. This however was not so easy as they had expected ; though neither large nor robust he defended himself with sword and shield to the admiration of his comrades, Avho hastened to his assistance, and succeeded in rescuing him, but with great loss. The savages with their deadly archery slew eight, wounded many more, and pursued them to their boats. Not satisfied with this success, they attacked the boats. It was then that, being naked, they felt the edge of Euro- pean swords. But nothing deterred them ; they rushed on like wild beasts, despising wounds and death ; followed the boats even when they had put off, dived after them, and fairly won one, having slain its captain, and driven out the crew. Scarcely a man got off without a wound, and had the arrows of the natives been poisoned, scarcely one could have escaped. Continuing to coast along after this unlucky action, they Discovery y came to what they called a sea of fresh water, where they filled their casks. This they accounted for by supposing that the ve- hement course of many rivers, descending from the mountains, the Maran- ham. » Una bara de dos palmos dorada, Herrera says : and Gomara also says it was a gilt wand. A better bait could not have been thrown out ; but it. does not appear that the Brazilians made any use of gold, and still less is it likely that they should be acquainted with the art of gilding. Q HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP, had freshened the sea : they were in the mouth of the great river v^r^^, Maranham 3 as they afterwards discovered. Here they found 1500. many islands, which appeared to be fortunate and fruitful, and the inhabitants received them hospitably and unsuspiciously, for which Pinzon made a villainous return, ..for finding no other merchandize, he seized about thirty of these unoffending people, and carried them away to sell for slaves 4 . His ships were once in as much danger here as Columbus had endured in the Bocas del Dragon. That phenomenon which in our Parret and Severn is called the Bore or Hyger, is found off this part of the Brazilian 5 The origin of this name has given occasion to some discussion. P. Manuel Rodriguez (L. 1. C. 5.) supposes it was given in memory of the mar anas, the vil- lanies, committed there by Lope de Aguirre, . . forgetting that the river was so called before that wretch had ever been heard of. Afterwards (L. 2. C. 14.) he sports an etymology with which no doubt he was hetter pleased. When the Israelites in the desart tasted the bitter waters, he says, they cried out Mara, hecause of the bitterness or saltness, and the water retained that name. So when the sailors tasted the water of this great river, their companions asked if it were not salt, Sunt maia, or maria, . . is it the sea? . . to which they replied No, mow, . . and so Mara-non it was called. Bernardo Pereira de Berredo (L. l.§ 8 — 1 I.) was satisfied with this quaint deri- vation, till he discovered Marafion to be an old Spanish name, and then he suppos- ed the first person who discovered it on the side of Peru was so called. He afterward found authority for this in the Relacam Summaria of Simam Estacio da Silveira, and in Fr. Christovatn de Lisboa's manuscript History of Maranham and Para. Zarale (L.4. C. 4.) who says the same, is earlier authority than either. But it is proof decisive against them, that the word is used by Pietro Martire, iu the oldest account extant of Pinzon's voyage. Probably therefore it was named after some person in that expedition, . . the man who first tasted its waters, . . or who first ascertained that they were in a river. • The name by which, as they understood, the natives called their own country, was Mariatambal; the country on the eastern side of the river they called Camo- morus, and that on the western Paricora. They also understood that there was plenty of gold in the interior. P. Martire. HISTORY OF BRAZIL. J coast. Twenty leagues off the entrance of the river Meary , the CHAP, conflict between its strong current and the sea occasions an up- roar which may be heard for leagues around. The natives call it Pororoca. "When it subsides the tide rushes in, and in less than fifteen minutes gives back as great a body of water as had been nearly nine hours on the ebb : the flow continues about three hours with almost inconceivable rapidity. Violent as the flux is, there are parts of the river which are not affected by it ; the Por- tugueze call them esperas, or resting places : the boats which navi- gate the Meary wait there till the force of the Hyger is past, and are seldom endangered by it 5 . The Araguari is subject to the Bernardo same phenomenon in a still greater degree. It must have been Berredoi.it off the mouth of one of these rivers that Pinzon and his squa- dron were endangered. Escaping however from thence, he recrossed the line, and continuing his course till he came to the Orinoco, then made for the islands, and sailed homeward, los- ing two of his three ships by the way 6 . A river in G uiana is still named after him 7 . s Bernardo Pereira speaks from his own knowledge. He had crost the great river on an expedition against the Indians. Thomas, the Baptist missionary, des- cribing the Hyger in Bengal says, ' There are places enough in the river where the hank is steep and the water deep ; there you are sate.' He adds, with his characte- ristic vividness of mind, ' I have seen this bore coming along against a brisk wind with a fearful noise, and from its white frothy brow the wind blew a streamer that would be flying many yards long behind it.' Periodical Account*. 1. 221. 6 Herrera says that Diego de Lepe sailed after Pinzon in the same month, from the same port, and made the same land at the same place. This is not proba- ble, . . besides, he says that Lepe's men found a tree which sixteen men could not grasp ; now P. Martire relates this of Pinzon's voyage, saying there were many such. An expedition, according to this earlier author, sailed upon Pinzon's return and this is perhaps the one of which Htrrera speaks. ' Lat. 1» 30' N. The Wiapoc of the French, . . but Pinzon's name ought to 3 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. Pinzon was convinced that the land which he had visited was not an island, . . he believed that it was India beyond the Ganges, lj M- and that he had sailed beyond the great city of Cathay. When these navigators were asked if they had seen the south pole, they answered that they saw no star like the north star, which could be discerned about the point ; . . but that they saw ano- ther set of stars, and that a thick mist, rising from the horizontal line, greatly impeded their sight. They were of opinion that there was a great rising in the middle of the earth, and that till this was past the south pole could not be seen. He brought home specimens of cinnamon and ginger, not very good, but this was accounted for by supposing that they had been taken before they were fully seasoned with the heat of the sun : cassia- fistula, unripe, but thought to be of no less goodness than what was administered for ague ; gum-anime, then held a preci- ous medicine for rheums and heaviness of the head ; stones «re! r z>« a i. which were thought to be topazes, sandal wood, and a large Grl' n ■- . . a general discharge. Vasco da Gama himself had not taken a more solemn departure ; and it is extraordinary that this second expedition to India should accidentally have procur- ed for Portugal a wider and more important empire than the first. The fleet could not leave the Tagus that day because the Zl'fBra. wind was against them : on the following they sailed. They made for the Cape de Verd Islands, to water there, then stood to the westward to avoid those calms which Diaz and Gama had met with, thinking thus to double the Cape of Good Hope more easily. They experienced however a continuance of bad weather which drove them still farther west, and on the 24th of April fell in with land. America was now no longer to be concealed from Europe, and its discovery would thus have been effected by the agency of the elements, if Columbus had not secured that glory for human intellect. It was at this time universally believed that no continent ( y nhuil dri- t en to the HISTORY OF BRAZIL. J \ existed to the west of Africa : the Pilot therefore affirmed that CHAP, this must be a large Island, such as those which Columbus had <^->^, discovered, and they coasted along a whole day expecting to find ^ 5®0. it so. When the boat approached the shore the natives came down to the beach, armed with bows and arrows, being ready for defence, but not intending hostility. They were of a dark oe„erM aa . ptarauce of copper complexion ; their lank black hair was cut straight on thusraaU. 11 ° an savages the forehead to a line with the ears, and from thence falling at right angles to the shoulder, was there cut straight also. Their coronals were of upright feathers of the brightest hues, the fea- thers being reversed on the hinder part, so as to hang down. Their noses were flattened, their beards, eycbiows, and eyelashes eradicated; their naked bodies painted of many colours: they wore white bones for pendants in their ears ; their cheeks were bored also, and in like manner ornamented with bones ; the under lip was slit longitudinally, and had a great stone set in the open- %&;. ins:, • • d that was wanting, it was the fashion from time to time to '• b.c. e. put the tongue through. The Portugueze seeing them so unlike all other men, put back in wonder to report what monsters they had discovered. Upon this Cabral drew nearer with his ship, and sent the boat to shore, with orders to catch some of the natives if possible, but not to tire a gun, nor terrify them. They however when they perceived that the strangers were about to land, fled to an eminence and there gathered together. A negro boy called out to them in his language : they were then tried in Arabic n , but they understood neither, and to the more intel- " When Columbus went his fourth voyage, he requested thai he might have with him three or four men who spoke Arabic, . .for it was always his opinion that if he could find a strait, and get beyond the new continent, he should find some of the Great Khan's people, or others who spoke that language, . . en que no era fuera de camino, says Herrera. 1. 5. 1. 12 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP, ligible medium of signs they made no return. Thus it was not ^v^> possible to establish an} r communication with them that day ; J ^ *' in the night the wind came off shore, and drove the ships from their anchorage, and they then kept coasting on to the south- ward, in search of a good road-stead. PortoSeguro At length they discovered a fine haven in latitude 16° 30' S. discovered!* Cabral anchored, and named it Porto Seguro, signifying safe harbour. The boats Avere sent again to shore, and presently returned with two natives whom they had caught in a canoe, fishing. No information could be obtained from them ; either they M r ere too much terrified to comprehend signs, or had made up their minds for death, and would not answer them. Cabral had them drest in Portugueze finery, ornamented them with bracelets of brass, gave them bells and looking-glasses, and set them ashore. This expedient succeeded. A friendly inter- course was soon established, and pulse, fruits, maize, and flour of the mandioc root, exchanged for baubles, of which the ships of discovery carried good store ia to traffic with upon the African coast. v,e fim The next day being Easter Sunday, Cabral landed ; an altar famed. was erected upon the beach under a large tree, and mass per- formed by Frey Henrique de Coimbra, who with seven other Friars Minorite was going on the first mission to India. It was celebrated with every possible solemnity, all the chaplains of the fleet assisting, and every person who could sing. Frey Hen- rique preached. The natives assembled at the ceremony, knelt '* Herbert mentions prisms as carried out in his time for this purpose; . . " triangular glasses," he calls them, " or fools paradise " In De Bry's prints to Hariot's account of Virginia, (plate 7,) an English doll of Elizabeth's age is seen in one hand of a savage boy, and a curious rattle in the other. HISTORY OF BRAZIL. 13 when they saw the Portuguese kneel, and imitated the congre- CHAP, gation in every thing, as if they thought to gratify them by ^-^, joining in the same forms of devotion. When the strangers * ^ <)() - returned to their ships they accompanied them to the boats, singing and dancing and clapping their hands, sounding horns, shooting up arrows into the air, and lifting up their hands to heaven for joy that such visitors were come to them. Some fol- lowed them into the water till it was breast high, others went out to the fleet in canoes, and many swam after them, both men and women, moving in the water with the same ease as if it had been their natural element. The Portugueze ships of discovery had hitherto taken out pos.**;*. stone pillars with the arms of Portugal engraved thereon, to set cramtf up in the lands Avhich they might find, and by this act secure them for King Emanuel. Cabral was not provided with these pillars, because his destination was to follow the track of Gama; possession had been taken a]l the way which he was to steer, and no discovery of new countries was expected from him. He erected a stone cross instead 13 , and took possession of the whole province for the crown of Portugal, naming it Santa Cruz, or the Land of the Holy Cross. Caspar de Lemos was then dispatched to Lisbon with the tidings ; and one of the na- tives was embarked with him, as a sample for Emanuel of his new subjects. Cabral remained some days taking in water and provisions, left two criminals on shore, who as usual had been f." 3 'o " heda - sent in the expedition that they might be exposed upon any f.'Z" $ u dangerous service, and proceeded on his way to India. One of c^T'st 15 This Cross, or its representative, is still shown at Porto Seguro, and the inhabitants of that town pride themselves because it is the spot where Brazil was taken possession of for Portugal and Christianity. Lindley's Narrative. 888* |4 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP, these men lived to return, and afterwards u served as interpreter n^v 1 ^. in these parts. 1501- The King of Portugal immediately fitted out three ships to 'Jmef^y explore the country which Cabral had discovered, and gave the bZjl 1 " command to Amerigo Vespucci, whom he invited from Seville for that purpose. They sailed about the middle of May in the ensuing year, and after a three months voyage, during four and forty days of which they suffered one continued tempest, made land in latitude 5° S. when all their provisions were just failing them, and their strength exhausted. Boats were sent ashore, who came back with tidings that they had seen no inhabitants, but that the country was evidently well peopled. On the fol- lowing day they landed to lay in wood and water, and .procure provisions if possible. A party of naked natives were by this time assembled upon the summit of a hill. They could not by any gestures be persuaded to come near the Portugueze, who therefore having provided themselves with water, though with no- thing else, left bells and looking-glasses upon the shore, and re- turned at evening to the ships. As soon as they were at safe dis- tance the savages came down to collect these treasures, and the boats were not so far off but that the men in them could perceive their tokens of admiration. On the morrow they collected in greater numbers, and kindled fires on all sides, which the Portu- gueze understood as inviting them to land ; but when they went to shore the natives still kept fearfully at a distance. They made signs however for some of the strangers to accompany them to 14 Como veremos em sen higar, says Barros; but the work in which it should have appeared either was not written, or has been lost. It is plain from this expression that this great historianlhad collected materials concerning Brazil, of which no trace is now to be found. HISTORY OF BRAZIL. 25 their habitations. Two sailors volunteered upon this adventure, CHAP, thinking they should discover whether the land produced gold ^-v^> or spice. They took with them some of the proper currency for *^" • such traffic as they expected, appointed that the ships should wait for them five days, then joined the savages, and were led into the interior.' Five days past, and the sixth also without their return. On the seventh the Portugueze landed : the na- tives had now brought their women with them, which they had not done before, and sent them forward apparently as negocia- tors, an office which was not undertaken by them without mani- fest unwillingness. The Portugueze seeing their reluctance to advance, thought it best to send only one to meet them ; . . a young man of great strength and activity was chosen, and the rest returned to their boats. The women surrounded him, handling and examining him OmnOaUm with evident curiosity and wonder. Presently there came down tavaga. another woman from the hill, having a stake in her hand, with which she got behind him, and dealt him a blow that brought him to the ground. Immediately the others seized him by the feet and dragged him away, and the men rushing to the shore discharged their arrows at the boats. The boats had grounded upon a sand bank ; this unexpected attack dismayed the Portu- gueze ; they thought rather of escape than of vengeance, till remembering at length that the best means of securing them- selves was by displaying their power, they discharged four guns at the savages, who tied to the hills. There the women had dragged the body ; they cut it in pieces, held them up in mockery to the boats, broiled them over a huge fire which had been kindled as it seemed for this purpose, and devoured them with loud rejoicings in sight of the Portugueze, to whom they intimated by signs that they had in like manner devoured their two countrymen. At this abominable sight forty of the crew |5 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP, would have landed to revenge their comrades, but they were not ^>^v>_/ permitted to do this 13 : and if they were not provided with defen- 1501- sive armour, it was wise to prevent them from exposing them- selves to the arrows of the savages. From this unfortunate place the ships proceeded, coasting on till they had got to latitude 8° S. without seeing any natives with whom it was possible to communicate. At length a large body came down to the shore, disposed for friendly intercourse, which was soon established between them ; and here they remained five days, and brought away three of the natives, with their own consent. They continued to coast on, stopping from time to time as they thought good. The people now welcomed them every where, and they were thus enabled at leisure to fulfil the object of their expedition, by examining the nature of the coun- try and its productions. The natives were excellently well made, and would have been a comely race if they had not so painfully deformed themselves ; but the men seemed to consider their faces as made for nothing but to hang ornaments in ; lips, nostrils, ears, and cheeks, were all perforated and studded. One man in particular had seven holes in his face, each big enough to hold a damascene plumb, and the stones which he carried in them weighed sixteen ounces. The privilege of thus decorating themselves Avas confined to the nobler sex, and the women were not allowed to bore any thing except their ears. They made the most of this permission ; a finger might be put through the hole, 15 The Navipmtor, or Navipraceptor, forbade thern. Vespucci complains of hirn ; he says, et ita tarn magnam ac tarn gravem injuriam passi, cum malevolo animo et grandi opprobrio nostro, efficiente hoc Navipraceplore nostro, impunitis illis abscessimus. There seems therefore to have been some person in the squa- dron whose authority controlled Vespucci. Gryiuzus, P. 156. HISTORY OF BRAZIL. ]7 and they wore bones in it which reached down to the shoulder, CHAP, and were sometimes as long as an ordinary candle ; . . by this v^v^> constant weight the ears were greatly elongated, and with these 1501. pendants, looked at a little distance like the ears of a spaniel. Lery.a-7. The Portuguese were well pleased with their probity and their extreme innocence 16 : they had however sufficient proof that they were cannibals; human flesh, salted 17 and smoaked, was hanging up in their houses, and when their visitors expressed their astonishment that they should kill men and eat them, they expressed equal astonishment at learning that the Portu- gueze killed men and did not eat them. Human flesh, they said, was good, . . so good that it gave them appetite. One man among them boasted that he had partaken of the bodies of three hundred enemies. But it was a stronger passion than hunger which gave to these accursed banquets their highest relish. The land was beautiful, and abounded with whatever the heart of man could desire : the splendid plumage of the birds delighted the Europeans ; the trees diffused an inexpres- sible fragrance, and distilled so many gums and juices, that they thought if their virtues were but rightly understood, there would be nothing to prevent man from enjoying health to ex- treme old age. If the terrestrial Paradise were upon this round world, they fancied that surely it could not be far from hence. Finding however no precious metals, which were the main ob- 1502. ject of their hopes, when they had advanced as far as latitude Feb ' 13 ' ,6 After giving them this praise, Vespucci adds in the same page, that in their lust and in their hunger no relationship, however sacred, was regarded. This is false. Man has never yet been discovered in such a state of depravity. 17 This is not likely to be true. D 18 1502. Apr. 2. Alb. tcsp. Am. J'tsp. Navig. i. in Grynaus. 1503. May 10. Second voyage of Vespucci, and first set- tlement in Brasil. HISTORY OF BRAZIL. 32°, they agreed to leave the coast and strike out to sea. The ships were still fit for a six months voyage, and by Vespucci' s advice they laid in wood and water for that time, and stood to the southward till they had advanced as high as 52 , Vespucci all the while carefully noting down the stars of this new hemi- sphere. Here they found bad weather, and were driven under bare poles by the Lebeccio, the S. W. wind, till they came again within sight of land. They could find no port, and saw no in- habitants ; and the country seemed to them to be uninhabitable, because of the severe and intolerable cold. It was now thought expedient to return : they made the coast of Africa, burnt one of their ships at Serra Leoa, and reached Lisbon in safety with the other two, after a voyage of sixteen months, during eleven of which they had sailed by the south star. Amerigo Vespucci has usurped the fame of Columbus ; . . but how nearly had he anti- cipated the work of Magalhaens ! The season of the year seems to have been the onty thing which prevented him from reach- ing: the South Sea 18 before Vasco Nunez de Balboa had seen it! In the spring of the ensuing year Amerigo sailed again from Lisbon, with six ships. The object of this voyage Avas to dis- cover a certain island called Melcha 19 , which was supposed to lie west of Calicut, and to be as famous a mart in the commerce of the Indian world, as Cadiz was in Europe. They made the 18 He had conceived the intention. Hasit mihi cordi rursum peragrare earn orbis partem, qua spec-tat meridiem ; et huic operi jam navando in expedito sunt liburuiaz du«, armamentis ac commeatibus ubertim communita. Dum igitur pro- ficiscar in orientem, iter agens per meridiem, Nolo nehar vento, quo cum devene.ro, plura abs me Jient in deem et gloriam dei, necnon patria emolumentum, et mei nominis aternitatem, et in primis in senectutis mea, qua jam prope appetit, hono- rem et levamen. Alb. Vesp. 114. " Malacca must have been meant. HISTORY OF BRAZIL. JQ Cape de Verds, and then, contrary to the judgment of Vespucci CHAP, and of all the fleet, the Commander persisted in standing for Serra Leoa. Just as they were in sight a heavy gale came on, blowing off shore, and drove them three degrees beyond the line, where they discovered an island 20 . He describes it as high and admirable, not exceeding two leagues in length, nor one in breadth, and as bearing no marks that it had ever been in- habited. It abounded with wood and water, and with both land and sea fowl. Four leagues off this island the Commander struck upon a rock : the others came to his help, and he ordered Vespucci to leave his own ship, which with nine men on board was assisting him, and go in a smaller to the island in search of a harbour, where he would join him, and where he should resume the command of his vessel. Vespucci took half his crew, and soon found an excellent port, where he remained eight days, in vain expecting the squadron. At length, when his men had given up all hopes, they saAv one vessel, and put out to meet her. The news which they received proved to be, that the Commander's ship, which was of three hundred tons, and in which the strength of the expedition consisted, was totally lost, and every thing in her, except the men. With these tidings they went back to the island, took in wood and water, and knocked down as many birds as they pleased ; then stood towards the coast of Santa Cruz (as it was then called) according to their instructions. After a run of three hundred leagues, made in *° The island of St. Matthews answers in latitude to this description, but is much farther from the coast of Brazil. There is a small island near that of Fernam de Noronha, which also corresponds in latitude, but is as much too near the coast. This insuperable difficulty is overlooked by the author of the Elogio Isiorico, who affirms it to be the Isle of Noronha. 20 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP, seventeen days, they reached the main land 21 , and found a port ^ry^ which they named All Saints 22 , where they waited above two 1503. months in vain expectation of being joined by the rest of the squadron. Having lost all hope of this they coasted on for two hundred and sixty leagues, to the Southward, and there took port again in 18° S. 35° W. of the meridian of Lisbon. Here they remained five months, upon good terms with the natives, with whom some of the party penetrated forty leagues into the interior : and here the}^ erected a fort, in which they left four and twenty 150-t. men who had been saved from the Commander's ship. They gave them twelve guns besides other arms, and provisions for six months; then loaded with Brazil, sailed homeward, and returned in safety, being welcomed at Lisbon with exceeding joy, as men who had been given up for lost. None of the other ships were ever heard of. Vespucci says they were destroyed by the pre- jg^iglT sumptuous folly of the Commander, for which he prays God to p. 158. give him his reward 23 . s ' It is remarkable that Vespucci still calls it an Island, though he had previ- ously discovered such a prodigious length of coast. ** This should seem to be Bahia, . . though that discovery is afterwards ascribed to Christovam Jaques. " Simple drowning then he did not think punishment sufficient. There can be little doubt that the Commander of whom he speaks with so much asperity was Gonzalo Coelho. He went in 1 303 to Santa Cruz with six ships, of which four were lost on account of their ignorance of the coast. The others returned laden with Brazil-wood, monkeys, and parrots, being all the articles of commerce from that country which were as yet known. This is the whole account which Damiam de Goes gives, (l. 6.5.) Agreeing as it does in the date, in the number of ships which went out, and the number which were lost, I have no hesitation in iden- tifying it with Amerigo Vespucci's second voyage to Brazil. Antonio Galvam men- tions Vespucci's voyage, hut not Coelho's, which confirms this opinion. Rocha Pitta speaks of both ; but his authority upon any doubtful point is nothing. HISTORY OF BRAZIL. .j , The honour therefore of having formed the first settlement in CHAP. • I this country, is due to Amerigo Vespucci. It does not appear v>^>^ that any farther attention was at this time paid to it. No gold 1504. had been found, and it produced no articles of commerce which T !\ e c " I "'' r " I obtains thr could be thought worthy the notice of a government, whose cof- n ^,°l fers were overflowing with the produce of the spice trade, and the riches of the African mines. But the cargo of Brazil which Vespucci had brought home, tempted private adventurers, who were content with peaceful gains, to trade thither for that valua- ble wood ; and this trade became so well known, that in conse- quence the coast and the whole country obtained the name of Brazil ", notwithstanding the holier appellation which Cabral Simam de Vasconcellos {Chron. da Comp de Jesu do Estado do Brazil, L. I. das Nut. antecedentes $ 19.) errs greatly in his account ; he says, that Coelho returned with four ships, having carefully examined the coast, .and set up pillars along it, and that he did not return till after Emanuel's death. The author of the M.S. Elogio htorico calls the commander 17 Ma«o-i and accuses him of endeavouring to destroy Amerigo; the intention is as imagi- nary as the name. 81 As we say the Gold Coast, the Slave Coast, the Sugar Islands, &c. This alteration of a name so solemnly imposed, has made Barros more angry than usual, and far less reasonable. He attributes it directly to the agencv of the Devil, and adjures all his readers by the Cross of Christ, since he has no other means of avenging himself upon the Devil, to call the country Santa Cruz, on pain of being accused at the day of judgment by that Cross. Moreover, he adds, it is a name of better sound, to prudent ears, than Brazil, . . that being a name given without consideration by the vulgar, who are not qualified to name the pos- sessions of the Crown. 1. 5. 2. Simam Vasconcellos also regrets the change. Yet Santa Cruz is so common a name, and Brazil luckily of so sweet a sound itself, and in its derivatives that both for the sake of geography and euphony it is rather to be rejoiced at. The name perhaps was more easily affixed, because the geographers had already set it afloat, and seem to have been as much puzzled how to dispose of it, as they 22 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP, had given it. Parrots and monkeys also were brought home were of the famous title Prester John. Hervas (T. 1. P. 109) mentions a map in the Library of St. Mark at Venice, made by Andres Blanco in 1439 ; in which, at the extremity of the Atlantic, an island is laid down with this name, Is. de Brazil; another called Is. de Antilla ; and a third, about the position of Cape St. Augustine in Florida, with the strange appellation Is. de la man de Satanaxio. This Island of Brazil he supposes to be one of the Terceras. Don Chris tobal Cladera, in his reply to the Memoir of M. Otto concerning the discovery of America, describes five charts drawn by Juan Ortis, in Valen- cia, which he shows by fair reasoning could not have been made earlier than the year 1496, nor later than 1509- The fourth of these contains the coasts of Spain, of France from Bayonne to Antwerp, Holland, England, Scotland, and Ireland, with their adjacent Isles ; and an Island is laid down in 52 N. divided by a great river, and called Brazil. Cladera infers from this that the chart was made after the discovery of Brazil by Cabral, in 1500, and very soon after it, or it would not have been so erroneously laid down. If Brazil were meant, is it possible that it could have been laid down so erro- neously ; and would it at that time have been laid down by that name ? In the Novus Orbis of Grynaeus, is a Nova et inlegra Universi Orbis Des- criptio, drawn as it should seem by a certain Orontius F. Delph, and engraved at the e.xpence of Christian Wechel. The author says it is in the shape of a human heart; but it more nearly resembles a kidney. This was drawn in July 1531. It marks a river Brazil in 20° S. and 328° E. from the Azores : but that name is not given to the province, nor indeed is any province named. In 25° S. Brasielie Regin is marked in the Terra Australis, . . an imaginary place in an imaginary country. The Irish believe that they can see an enchanted Island called O Breasil*, or O Brazil, from the isles of Arran, . . which General Valiancy, in his usual wild way, identifies with the Paradise of Irem. I have elsewhere advanced a guess that some such phenomenon as that of the Fata Morgana's works occasionally * The Harleian Catalogue gives this title, 8277, O Brazile, or the inchanted Island, being a perfect relation of the late discovery of an island on the North of Ireland, 4to. It may save trouble to some future enquirer if I add, that the inchanted Island is only men- tioned in a dream, and that the bulk of this thoroughly worthless pamphlet consists of a stingless satire upon the Welsh. HISTORY OF BRAZIL. gg for the ladies". It was convenient for these traders to have agents CHAP. living among the natives, and adventurers would not be wanting yj^y^ who would willingly take up their abode with friendly savages, in a plentiful and delightful country, where they were under no restraint. These were not the only colonists. Portugal had taken possession of Brazil, and meant to maintain it. It was cnminak the system of the Portugueze government to make its criminals lewdon. of some use to the state ; a wise system, if wisely regulated : in that kingdom it obviously arose from the smallness of its territory, and lack of population to support its extensive plans of am- bition. Hitherto they had been degraded 26 to the African fron- tier, and more recently to India also. In these situations they certainly served the state ; yet this service was not without heavy disadvantages. The usual offences which were thus punished, occurs there, and has given rise to the superstition. Be that as it may, this fabu- lous island I suspect to be the Brazil of the Valencian chart ; . . because it is laid down near Ireland, and because, as none of the West Indian Islands are marked in any of those charts, nor the continent of America ; it is reasonable to suppose that Juan Ortis knew nothing of the discoveries. Assuredly he could not have heard of Cabral's voyage, and been ignorant of Columbus's. His charts are probably earlier than Cladera imagines; and the flags which mark the Spanish conquests may easily be supposed to have been inserted by another hand, when those conquests were made. The Braslelie Regio of Orontius, shows that geo- graphers were possessed with the belief of an imaginary country so called. " I cannot tell where Herrera has found that Joshua had for his arms three green parrots, 6. 3. 11. Boccacio, in his tale of the Parrot's feather, which was shown for one of the Angel Gabriel's, dropt by him in the Virgin's Chamber at the Annunciation, says, the imposition might well be believed, because the effemi- nacies of Egypt which have since flowed in upon us, to the ruin of our country, had not yet reached Tuscany, and the people had not even heard of a parrot ! In his time these birds therefore seem to have been common. Gio. 6. Nov. 10. ,0 1 follow literally the Portugueze term, degradados. g4 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP, were those of blood and violence: ferocious propensities, which ■^^ were not likely to be corrected by placing the offenders in situ- ations where they might indulge them with impunity, and con- sider the indulgence as meritorious. This system was immedi- ately extended to Brazil : . . the first Europeans who were left ashore there were two convicts. In Africa or in India the exile Avas sent to bear arms with his countrymen, who would not regard him as disgraced, because they were obliged to associate with him. To be degraded to Brazil was a heavier punishment; the chance of war could not enrich him there, and there was no possibility of returning home with honour for any signal service. They were in one point of view better disposed of, inasmuch as in new colonies ordinary men are of greater value than they can be elsewhere, . . but they became worse subjects 27 . Their num- bers bore a greater proportion to the better settlers ; and they were therefore more likely to be encouraged in iniquity than re- formed by example ; to communicate evil than to learn good. Their intercourse with the savages produced nothing but mis- chief: each made the other worse; the cannibals acquired new means of destruction, and the Europeans new modes of barbarity. The Europeans were weaned from that human horror at the bloody feasts of the savages, which ruffians as they were they had at first felt, and the natives lost that awe and veneration for a superior race which might have been improved so greatly to their own advantage. " Always has this plague persecuted Brazil, and the other conquests of this kingdom, says Balthazar Tellez. Chron. da Comp. 3. Q. § 2. CHAPTER II. foyage of Pinzon and Solis. — Discovert/ of the Rio de la Plata. — The French- trade to Brazil. — History of Caramuru. — Brazil divided into Captaincies. — St. Vicente. — The Goaynazes. — St. Amaro and Tamaraca. — Paraiba. — The Goaytacazes. — Espirito Santo. — The Papanazes. — Porto Seguro. — The Tupi- viquins. — Captaincy of the Ilheos. — Bahia. — Revolutions in the Reconcave. — Expulsion of the colonists there. — Pernambuco. — The Caketes. — The Tobayares. — Siege of Garassu. — Expedition of Aires da Cunha to Maranham. Soon after his last voyage Amerigo Vespucci returned to the CHAP. King of Castille's service, and that King thought it advisable to ^j^ take possession of the coast which this great navigator had sur- 1508. veyed when under the flag of Portugal. For this purpose he Vm , agt „ sent out the two ro} r al pilots Vicente Yanez Pinzon, and Juan si™"" Diaz de Solis, between whom it is evident that some dissention was expected, from the precautions which were taken to pre- vent it. The course which they should steer was to be decided by Solis, who Avas however to consult concerning it with Pinzon, and with the best pilots and seamen in the expedition. The ships were ordered to speak each other morning and evening, or at least in the evening without fail 1 , according to custom. The reason was this. Inferior Captains were sometimes ambitious of E HISTORY OF BRAZIL. Solis was to carry the light, and before they departed they were to agree upon their signals before a public notary. When they 1508. came to shore Pinzon was to take the command. They were not to tarry in any port, till they had pursued their discovery as far as should be found expedient; then on their return to trade, and form establishments wherever it seemed best. A salvo was added, that they were not to touch upon any island i. 7. i. or continent which belonged to the Kins; of Portugal 2 . They made Cape St. Augustines, the same land which Pinzon had first discovered ; and coasted southward to about 40% taking possession and erecting crosses wherever they landed. The dissentions which had been foreseen broke out, and they returned without doing any thing farther. In consequence of this misconduct an inquiry was instituted to discover who had been in fault, and Solis was pronounced to be the offender. TIerrera. __ -it-. 1.7.9. He was sent to the court prison, and Pinzon was rewarded. Dkcovcnj of The King of Portugal complained of this voyage as an the Riode . ° .... ~ i " Li Plata, infringement upon his limits. These two Powers, between whom Alexander VI. had so liberally divided all the undiscovered parts of the world, seemed to agree that his line of demarcation held good against all except themselves. Hitherto Portugal had reaped most advantage from the division ; and the main object making discoveries by themselves, and sometimes disposed to run away from the hardships of the expedition, . . and therefore wilfully parted company. Instances are frequent in the history of maritime discovery. * No person was to trade with the Indians till the Veedor and Escrivano had finished trading for the King; then individuals might make their market, but half their profits were to go to the Fisco,. .the Exchequer. The chests which the men were permitted to take with them were not to exceed five palms in breadth, nor three in depth. Herrera. 1. 7. I. HISTORY OF BRAZIL. q-j at which Castillo still aimed, was to partake in the prodigious CHAP, profits of the spice trade. The hope on which Columbus ^J^j originally proceeded, of reaching India by a western route, had 1.515. never been laid aside. Vespucci also was of opinion that such a route was to be found, and had the fins weather continued a few days longer when he was on his first voyage for Emanuel, it is more than likely that the straits of Magalhaens would now have borne his name. The South Sea had now been discovered ; this renewed the desire of finding a passage to it ; and in 1515 the King of Castille dispatched Solis upon another expedition in its search, accelerating his departure as much as possible that the Portugueze might have no time to prevent his voyage. Solis was now acknowledged to be the most skilful of any man living in his art. He discovered what he at first supposed to be a sea of fresh water: it was the river now called Rio de la Plata, though he then gave it his own name : that name it ought to have retained ; . . it is hard that the place where he lost his life should neither have afforded him a grave nor a monu- ment. The natives invited him to shore, and he landed with a boat's crew, intending to catch one of them and carry him to Spain. Their intention was worse than his, and better executed. They had stationed a party in ambush, who rose suddenly upon them, seized the boat, broke it to pieces in an instant, and slew every man with clubs. Then they took the bodies upon their shoulders, carried them to a spot which was out of reach of the Spaniards, but within sight, and there dismembered, roasted, ^ and devoured them. Having thus lost their commander, the ships put back to Cape St. Augustines, loaded with brazil, and returned to Spain. Emanuel immediately demanded that the cargoes of these ships should be given up to him, and that the crew should be Herrere. ».t.7. Pietro J far- tire, 3. 10. Q3 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP, delivered into his hands to be punished as interlopers •. It was \>-v^> replied, that the place whereat they had loaded was within the 15*"- demarcation of Castillo, and that seven Castillians whom the Portugueze had made prisoners on that coast, were also trading within their own limits, and therefore wrongfully detained. Berrera. The business terminated in exchansina - these prisoners for eleven 1.2.8. O O I Portugueze who had been arrested at Seville. These repeated remonstrances were not however without effect. When Magah- haens, three years afterwards, touched at Rio de Janeiro upon his way, he would purchase nothing of the natives, except provisions, that he might give no cause for complaint. A slave was offered for a hatchet ; . . the natives then had already been taught a slave-trade. Eight or nine fowls were given for the Berrera. . . 2.4.10. King of Clubs, or any of his pictured companions. nc French The French began very early to claim a share in the wealth trade to . . , . Brazil. f the Discoveries. Their usual method of obtaining it was by pirating against the homeward-bound ships from India.; 5 Damiam de Goes says, that a Portugueze pilot, by name Jam Diaz Golis> who for some offences had fled his country, persuaded some Caslillian merchants that it would be a good speculation to fit out two ships on a trading voyage to Santa Cruz do Brazil. He made the voyage, and returned in 1517. Emanuel complained to Charles V, who gave orders that the persons concerned should be punished as breakers of the peace between the two kingdoms ; and this was done with great rigour. Chronica del Rei Dom Emanuel. 4. 20. The Portugueze Chroniclers have so neglected the affairs of Brazil, that I cannot help suspecting this to relate to the voyage of Solis. Solis, according to Pietro Martire (2. 10.) was born in Nebrissa, 'which bringeth forth many learned men.' He calls him Astur Ovetemis, otherwise named Johannes Dias de Solis. As this means an Asturian of Oviedo, he con- tradicts himself, unless the old translator has made a blunder, which for want of the original, I have not been able to ascertain. These Solises and Pinzons, says Antonio Galvam, (P. 47,) were great discoverers in these parts, till they spent in them at last both life and property. HISTORY OF BRAZIL. gQ and these acts of piracy were sometimes followed by the most CHAP, execrable cruelty. In vain was remonstrance after remon- v^^i strance made by the Kings of Portugal ; Portugal was too weak 1516. and too distant to enforce its remonstrances, and no other redress was to be had than what could be taken. The French expeditions to Brazil were of a more honourable character. That nation, which lias never acknowledged any other law than that of the strongest, nor suffered any opinion or any principle to stand in the way of ils ambition or its interest, has always treated the Papal authority either with respect or contempt, just as has suited its own immediate views. France had neglected to ask a share of the undiscovered world when Alexander VI. partitioned it, who would as willingly have drawn two lines as one; and because it derived no advantage from that partition, refused to admit its validity. French vessels soon went in quest of the woods, the parrots, and monkies of Brazil. Two of these traders discovered a magnificent bay, one of the fmest in the world, and which no navigator had yet entered. Unfortunately for them, a Portugueze squadron under the command of Chris- tovam Jaques entered it about the same time : he named it All Saints bay * . . . Bahia de Todos os Santos ; and coasting along its shores and exploring all its creeks and coves, in one of them he discovered these Frenchmen, and proceeded to capture them as interlopers. They resisted, and he sunk them s. dense. both, with crew and cargo. After this he established a factory cJH^u farther North, on the main land, near the bar of the Itama- ha$ P arde M. de Dies. raca. v- e. 4 More probably after the custom of Portugueze navigators, because he discovered it on that day, than for the reason assigned by Vasconcellos, that he thought it like Paradise. 1 have in a former note intimated a suspicion that this bay was first entered and named by. Vespucci. 3Q HISTORY OF BRAZIL. The first settler in Bahia was Diogo Alvarez, a native of Yiana, young and of noble family, who with that spirit of enter- 1510 s . prize which was then common among his countrymen, embarked ^venture* to seek his fortune in strange countries. He was wrecked upon wrezTorCa- the shoals on the North of the bar of Bahia 6 . Part of the crew were lost, others escaped this death to suffer one more dreadful ; the natives seized and eat them. Diogo saw that there was no other possible chance of saving his life, than by making himself as useful as possible to these cannibals. He therefore exerted himself in recovering tilings from the wreck, and by these exer- tions succeeded in conciliating their favour. Among other things he was fortunate enough to get on shore some barrels of powder and a musket, which he put in order at his first leisure, after his masters were returned to their village ; and one day when the opportunity was favourable, brought down a bird before them. The women and children shouted Caramuru ! Caramuru ! which signified, a man of fire ! and they cried out that he would destroy them;.. but he told the men, whose astonishment had less of fear mingled with it, that he would go 1 Herrera (5. 8. 8.) establishes the date. A ship from Simon de Alcazova's expedition, put back to Brazil after the mutiny and the murder of the comman- der, and entered Bahia in great distress for provisions, when, he says, it was re- lieved by a Portugueze who had lived twenty-five years among the Indians, having been wrecked there. This was in 1535. Herrera says there were eight others with him, and evidently implies that he had some authority in the land. This must have been after Coutinho's death. The Portugueze writers are doubtful whether he was bound for India or not at the time of his shipwreck. If this date be right he was not ; for of the three outward bound fleets for India in that year, there was none which suffered any loss in this part of the world. • The native name for them is Mairagiquiig. HISTORY OF BRAZIL. with them to war r and kill their enemies. Caramuru was the name which from thenceforward he was known by. They marched against the Tapuyas ; the fame of this dreadful engine went before them, and the Tapuyas fled. From a slave Cara- muru became a sovereign. The chiefs of the savages thought themselves happy if he would accept their daughters to be his wives ; he fixed his abode upon the spot where Villa Velha was afterwards erected, and soon saw as numerous a progeny as an old Patriarch's rising round him. The best families in Bahia trace their origin to hirm At length a French vessel came into the bay, and Diogo ammum resolved to take that opportunity of once more seeing his native Swl country. He loaded her with brazil, and embarked with his favourite wife Paraguazu, . . the Great River. The others could not bear this abandonment, though it was only to be for a time ; some of them swam after the ship in hopes of being taken on board, and one followed it so far, that before she could reach the shore again her strength failed and she sunk. They were received with signal honour at the court of France. Paragu- azu was baptized by the name of Catharina Alvarez, after the Queen, and the King and Queen were her sponsors. Her marriage was then celebrated. Diogo would fain have proceeded to Portugal, but the French would not permit him to go there. These honours which they had shown him were not to be gratui- tous, and they meant to make him of use to them in his own dominions. By means however of Pedro Fernandez Sardhiha (then a young mdn who had just compleated his studies in Paris, and afterwards the first Bishop of Brazil) he sent the information to Joam III. which he was not permitted to carry, and exhorted him to colonize the delightful province in which his lot had been so strangely cast. After some time he covenanted with a wealthy merchant to take him back, and leave him the artillery 32 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP, and ammunition of two ships, with store of such things as were ^l^, useful for traffic with the natives, in return for which he under- 1 J 10- took to load both vessels with brazil. The bargain was fairly sim.derasc. performed, and Diopr> having returned to his territories, fortified cowp. i. § hig little capital. fil'i— iC But the Portugueze government, wholly occupied with the Progress of a ff airs of India, thought little of a country .in -which, whatever thecohmsts. p ro fits were to be acquired, must come from agriculture, not from commerce with the inhabitants ; for commerce was what they sought as eagerly as the Spaniards hunted for gold. Brazil was left open like a common 7 , and all the care which the Court bestowed upon it was to prevent the French from trespassing there, by representations of their ambassador at Paris, that were never regarded, and by treating them as enemies whenever they met them. Individuals meantime being thus left to themselves, settled in the harbours and islands along the coast ; and little towns and villages were growing up. Bra'Mdivu- For about thirty years after its discovery the country appears tainXs. " p ~ to have been thus neglected ; it had then become of sufficient importance to obtain some consideration at court, and in order to forward its colonization, the same plan was adopted which had succeeded well in Madeira and in the Azores, . . that of dividing it into hereditary Captaincies, and granting them to such persons as were willing to embark adequate means in the adventure, with powers of jurisdiction, both civil and crimi- nal, so extensive as to be in fact unlimited. This method was thought to be the easiest, and least expensive to government. 7 Vieyra, in his Letters, mentions a received tradition, that Emanuel ordered all the spice plants to be rooted up, least the Indian trade should be injured, and that ginger was the only spice which escaped, .. because it was under ground. He does not appear to have recollected the impossibility of carrying such an order into effect, upon a continent. HISTORY OF BRAZIL. 33 The difference between desert islands and a peopled continent, CHAP had not been considered. The Captains of the Islands might v^-y^ easily settle lands in which there could be no opposition, and 1-510- easily at any time assist each other with supplies ; if their means failed they could even borrow from Portugal, those places being so near that they were regarded almost as things within the country. But when Joam divided the coast of Brazil into great Captaincies, each extending along fifty leagues of coast, large tribes of savages were in possession of the country; Por- Mamas* tugal was far distant, and the settlements so far asunder, that fla-fa. vue 11 • 1 1 «? 1 1 rft 3 0ttm de one could not possibly attord assistance to another. a«rr«.p. is • The first person who took possession of one of these Captain- Captaincy^ cies was Martini Alfonso dc Sousa, whose name frequently occurs in the history of Portugueze India, where he was after- Avards Governor, and who is famous in Catholic history for having carried out St. Francisco Xavier to the East. He and his brother Pero Lopes de Sousa having each obtained a grant, fitted out a considerable armament, and went to explore the country and form their settlement in person. He began to survey the coast somewhere about Rio de Janeiro, to which he gave that name because he discovered it on the first of January ; 1531". and he proceeded South as far as the Plata, naming the places i-ii 11 i* 1 Annats de which he surveyed on the way, from the days 9 on which the *«<>*:>- . neiro. MSS. several discoveries were made. c. 1. • The discovery is usually dated a year later ; but Fr. Gaspar da Madre de Deos has ascertained it from a letter of the King. Memorius para a Hist, de Cap. deS. Vicente. 1. § 16. » These names correspond in order, and in probable distance of time. Rio de Janeiro, on the 1st. Ilha Grande dos Magos, on the 6th. Ilha de S. Sebastiarm on the 20th. S. Vicente on the 2'2nd. Flumen Genabara, a similituditie lacus sic appeHatum, says Mc Bane. T 34 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. Having well examined the coast he fixed upon one of these Islands for his settlement, which, like Goa, are separated from the main land by an elbow of the sea. Its latitude is 244. ° S. and its native name was Guaibe, so called from a tree which grew there in great abundance. When the Indians of the ad- joining country saw that he was beginning to build there, they collected together that they might expel the invaders, and sent to Tebyreca, a chief who possessed the plains of Piratininga and who was the most powerful of his tribe, to come and assist them. It happened that a shipwrecked Portuguese, by name Joam Ramalho, had lived many years under the protection of this Royalet, who had given him one of his daughters. Ramalho immediately concluded that the new comers must be his country- men, . . probably a fleet bound for India, and driven here by stress of weather. He persuaded his protector to assist them instead of attacking them, . . went to Martini Alfonso, and con- . eluded a treaty of perpetual alliance between him and the M«t?M. Goa y nazes - This tribe differed in many material circumstances from their The Goay- J wau. savage neighbours. They were not cannibals, but made their prisoners slaves. They lived in underground caves, where they Thuanus uses the same words, writing, I believe, with these letters before him. De Lery gives the true reason of the name, and says the savages called it Ganabara. I should not wonder to find the former etymology founded upon this Brazilian corruption, adduced to prove that the French were the first discoverers of this place. Vasconcellos says the natives called it Nilhero. Vida do P. Jnchieta. L. 2. C. 1. $ 2. A pillar which Martim Affonso erected on the Island of Cardoso, opposite the Island of Cananea,'was discovered in 1767, by Colonel Aft'. Botelho de Sampaio e Souza, who was surveying the place for the purpose of erecting a fort there. Caspar da M. de Deos. 1. § 52. II [STORY OF BRAZIL. 35 kept fires burning day and night; concealment therefore does CHAP, not appear to have been their motive for preferring these uncom- v^v^ fortable habitations. They slept upon skins and beds of leaves, 1 o3 1 ■ not in hammocks. They raised no food, trusting wholly to fish- ing, the chase and wild fruits. The Carios could understand their language : it was entirely different from that of the Tamoyos, and they were at war Avith both. The v were a simple-hearted wfcWot* J J l Brazil MSS. race, ready to believe any thing, and as they treated the Portu- '■ »■ c - 63 - gueze kindly wherever they met them, it may fairly be inferred that the first settlers behaved well to them. The spot Avhich had Gasparda been chosen for the new town was not found convenient, and the i.\ ss. colonists round removed to the adjoining isle of St. Vicente, R*"" d " f an _ from which the Captaincy derives its name. jUSS " c ' 10- r J Not. do Bra- Martim Alfonso made an unsuccessful expedition southward **-'*&.*• into the interior, in search of mines, from which he returned with sm ,uvate. the loss of eighty Europeans. In all other respects his colony 6i. ' was fortunate. Here the first sugar-canes were planted 10 , here r*e/r«tw- -— - pay i^flW^S' the first cattle were reared, and here the other Captaincies stock- pumttd. ed themselves with both. Whether the honour of having intro- duced them into Brazil be due to the founder of the colony is not stated ; . . a battle or a massacre would have been recorded. He who thus benefits mankind in a savage age is deified; in an enlight- ened one he receives his due tribute of praise ; but in all the inter- mediate stages of barbarity and semi-barbarity, such actions are overlooked. The King after some time recalled Martim Affonso, and sent him to India ; but when he returned to Portugal he watched over the welfare of his Captaincy, sending out supplies and settlers; and it descended in a flourishing condition to his son. Wheat and barley w r ere little used here, because the food of the country was liked so well ; what little wheat was raised was auslmk 1 They were brought from Madeira. 36 > HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP, for delicacies, and for the wafer. Marmalade was made here ^^^ and sold to the other Captaincies. Oysters of such a size 1)31. are found here, that their shells are used for dishes, . .and once when a Bishop of Bahia visited this province, they washed his feet in one, as in a bason. The whole coast abounds with shell-fish, which the natives came down from the interior to catch at certain seasons : they built their huts upon some dry spot amid the mango groves, fed upon fish Avhile the fishery lasted, and dried them to carry home. So long had this prac- tice been continued, that hills had accumulated of the shells, soil collected on them, and trees taken root there and grown to maturity. These hills, which are called Ostreiras, have supplied all the lime that has been used in the Captaincy, from its foun- dation to the present day. In some of them the shells are formed into lime-stone ; in others they are unchanged ; tools and broken pottery of the Indians are frequently found in them, and bones Caspar da of the dead ; for they who died during the fishing season, were laid on these heaps, and covered over with shells. Pero Lopes de Sousa was less fortunate than his brother. He chose to have his fifty leagues of coast in two allotments. The one which obtained the name of St. Amaro adjoined St. Vicente, and bordered so close upon the main settlement, the towns being only three leagues asunder, that if they had not belonged to two brothers, the settlers would have but ill agreed. As long as this Avas the case the neighbourhood was advantageous to both ; but when the property devolved to other possessors, between whom there were not the same ties, it became an endless cause of litiga- r, pitta. 2. tion. Tamaraca, the other division, lay between Pernambuco and Paraiba, many degrees nearer the line. Here he had some hard mucua. conflicts with the Pitiguares, who besieged him in his town ; but " S \ S *. ii. he succeeded at length in driving them from the neighbourhood. Soon afterwards he perished by shipwreck. M. de Deos. I. § -29. SO, St- Amaro and Tama- raca. H. Telle:. C. C. 3.1.S HISTORY OF BRAZIL. $J Afidalgo, by name Pedro de Goes, had been one of the com- CHAP, panions of Pero Lopes, and had suffered shipwreck with him in «^->A-y the Plata, . . but neither this, nor the disastrous fate of his friend * 53 1 ■ disheartened him. He became fond of Brazil, and asked for a iwim. Captaincy when the King was disposing of them in such prodi- gal grants. It seems that he had no great interest at court, for his grant was restricted to thirty leagues of coast, between the Captaincies of St. Vicente and Espirito Santo ; if the space between them did not extend to so much, he nas to take it such as it was. Goes embarked the Avhole of his property upon the adventure, and many thousand crowns were advanced by a certain Martini Ferreira, who proposed to have sugar-works established there upon their joint account. The expedition sailed to the River Paraiba, and there Goes fortified himself, and remained two years at peace with the Goaytacazes. After that time war broke out between them, and continued five years to his great loss : peace was made, and soon broken by the savages, . . there is no reason to suspect the Portugueze of being the aggressors in this instance, it Avas too much their interest to keep the treaty. The colonists were weak and utterly dispirited : they became clamorous to quit the unlucky settle- ment, and Goes was obliged to yield to their clamours and eva- cuate it. Vessels were obtained from Espirito Santo to bring 1 ° Noticias. them away. ms - '• **• The tribe which expelled Goes were probably of the same neGoayta. stock as the Goaynazes ", and like them did not devour their eas " prisoners. They were fairer than the other savages, and their language, it is said, more barbarous, . . which may be understood " I should have supposed them to be the same, if they had not on another occasion been both enumerated. Besides this reason for admitting them to be different, there is the fact that the Goaytacazes did not burrow. 38 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. to mean that some of its sounds were more difficult. They were a braver race, and fought not in woods and ambushes, but in open 1531. field. They would swim offshore with a short stick in the hand, sharp at both ends ; with this they would attack a shark, thrust it into his open mouth and gag him, then drown him, drag him a/.ss. 45. ashore, eat the flesh, and head their arroAvs with his teeth. Espirito The Captaincy of Espirito Santo was at this time next to St. Santo. . Amaro; for Kio de Janeiro was not settled till a later period. This was asked and obtained by Vasco Fernandes Coutinho, a fidalgo, who having spent the best years of his life in India and amassed a fortune there, ventured and lost the. whole in this scheme of colonization. His limits were to begin Avherc those of Porto Seguro ended on the South. He fitted out a great expedi- tion, in which not less than sixty fklalgos and men of the royal household embarked. Don Simam de Castello-branco, and Don Jorge de Menezes, were sent with him as degradados, that is to Noiidas say, banished men. This latter is called He of the Moluccas^ MSS L 1. c m. ' ' where he had been Governor. Of all shocking tyrannies, that of the Portugueze in the spice islands stands among the foremost in atrocity, and Don Jorge de Menezes in the first rank of their tyrants for diabolical cruelty. Indeed in an age when the cru- elties of Vasco da Gama and the great Alboquerque were re- corded without one word of reprehension, as doubtless they were without one feeling of humanity, it may well be supposed when a man of family and fortune was banished for such offences to Brazil, what the measure of those offences must have been. They had a prosperous voyage to their place of destination, and began a town, to which they gave the name of Our Lady of Victory, . . before the battle had been fought. The title was for awhile sufficiently verified, and the Goaynazes, the first enemies Noticias. with whom they had to deal, Avere, like all savages, defeated in the c.bi'.' first engagements. The building Avent on with spirit; canes HISTORY OF BRAZIL. 39 were planted, four sugar-works established, and Coutinho seeing CHAP, every thing thus prosperous, went to Lisbon to collect more y^^ colonists, and procure stores and implements for an expedition 15:31. into the country, in search of mines. The coast of this and the next Captaincy had been possessed by nepapm. act's'. the Papanazes, but they were now driven back by the Goaytaca- zes and the Tupinicpuns. The language of the Papanazes was scarcely understood by these enemies, notwithstanding their long wars. They were hunters and fishers, and slept upon the ground on leaves. If one of them killed another, he was deli- vered up to the relations of the dead, and in the presence of all the kindred of both parties, immediately strangled and interred. All parties lamented loudly at the execution ; they then feasted and drank together for many days, and no enmity remained. Even if the deed was accidental, the punishment was the same. Should the offender have escaped, his son, his daughter, or the nearest of his blood, was given up in his stead ; . . but the substi- tute, instead of suffering death, remained a slave to the nearest relation ot the slain. mss.i.ag. The adjoining Captaincy of Porto Seguro was allotted to Pon sc S u. Pedro de Campo Tourinho, a native of Viana da Foz de Lima, "' of noble family, and an excellent navigator. He sold all that he possessed in Portugal to embark it in this expedition, and set sail with his wife and family, and a large body of colonists; . . B.Teikz. good colonists they are called ; and if, as is probable, he raised $** 3 ' *' them in his own province, they would deserve to be called so. They landed in the harbour where Cabral had taken possession of Brazil, and there fortified themselves upon a spot which retains the name of Porto Seguro, given it by that discoverer, and which still remains the capital of the Captaincy. The Tu- ncTupuu- piniquins made some opposition at first. They possessed the ? country from the river Camamu to the river Circare, an extent 40 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP, of nearly five degrees; and the first settlers in this and the two adjoining Captaincies had to maintain their ground against them. Peace however was soon made, and the Tupiniquins observed it faithfully. The} 7 were sometimes at Avar with the Tupinacs, . . but these tribes being of the same stock, did not regard each other as regularly and naturally enemies, and their quarrels were considered as mere accidental circumstances, which were to leave no hatred behind : the two tribes blended at last into one. Of all the Brazilians, these are said to have been the most domestic and the most faithful, indefatigable, and excellently brave. Their manners and language resembled those of the Tupinambas ; but it was so long since they had branched apart, that all memory of the common stock was lost, and there was a deadly enmity between them. The Tupinambas were the most powerful ; prest by them on the one side, by the dreadful Aymures on the other, and profiting less by the friendship of the Portuguese than they suffered from their tyranny, they gradually forsook the country. Good men were never wanting who lifted up their voices against this tyranny and oppression ; but the guilt was so general that it has become a national imputation. Tourinho is not implicated in this guilt; he had influence enough over the natives to collect many of them into villages, and this is proof that he dealt towards them well and wisely. Sugar works were established, with such success that they pro- duced a considerable quantity for exportation to the mother country. No kine could be kept in this colony, because of an herb Avhich is said to have occasioned haemorrhoids, whereof they died ; yet horses, asses, and goats, were not affected by it. fissT.se. The disease was probably imputed to a Avrong cause. ih, iihco. The Captaincy of the Isles OAves its inapplicable name to the Rio dos Ilheos, a river so called because there are three islands HISTORY OF BRAZIL. 4 J just at its bar. Jorge dc Figueiredo Correa, Escrham da Fa- CHAP. zenda to Joam III, was the first Donatory. The office which v_ v l»/ he held prevented him from going himself to take possession 1^31 of his grant ; he therefore deputed a Castillian knight, by name 1540. Francisco Romeiro. Romeiro anchored in the harbour of Tin- " hare, and began his new town on the height, or Morro de St. Paulo, from whence however he found it expedient to remove it to its pi'esent situation. It was first called St. Jorge, in com- pliment to the Lord of the land ; but the same improper appel- lation which had been given to the Captaincy, extended to its capital. The Tupiniquins soon made peace with the settlers, and being of all the Brazilian tribes the most tractable, lived with them on such friendly terms that the colony soon became prosperous. The son of the original proprietor sold the Cap- muim. taincy to Lucas G iraldes : he expended considerable wealth in improving it, and it flourished so well that there were in a short sim. of the settlers. This is the first Avar between the Portugueze 1^4-B. and the savages of which any detail has been preserved, and the detail is curious. It is related by Hans Stade, the first person avIio wrote any account of Brazil. iu«$ stade. Hans, whose after adventures will form an interesting part of this history, was the son of a good man at Homberg, in the Hessian territory. He was minded to seek his fortune in India, and with that intent sailed from Holland in a fleet of merchant- men, going to Setubal for salt ; but when he reached Portugal, the Indian ships were gone, so he accepted the post of gunner in a vessel bound for Brazil, on a trading voyage, and carrying out convicts to Pernambuco. There was a smaller ship in com- pany : they were well provided with all kinds of Avarlike stores, and had orders to attack all Frenchmen Avhom they might find trading in those parts. They made Cape St. Augustines in Jan. 28. eighty-eight days, early in 1548, and entered the port of Per- nambuco 14 . Here the Captain delivered his convicts to Coelho,. meaning to proceed and traffic Avherever it might be found most convenient. It happened hoAvever that just at this time the natives rose against the Portugueze, and Avere about to besiege the settlement of Garassu, Avhich Avas not far distant. Coelho could spare them no support, because he expected to be attack- ed himself; he therefore requested these ships to assist him, and Hans Avas sent Avith forty men in a boat to their succour. siege of Ga- Garassu Avas built in the Avoods, upon a creek which ran about rassu. 14 Hans calls the town here Marino, and the Commander Artus Coelho. He may have mistaken Duarte for this, which was to him a more familiar name : or Duarte may have had a kinsman in command so called. Marim appears to have been the name of a settlement of the natives, upon the spot where Olinda was afterwards built. B. Freire. § 326. HISTORY OF BRAZIL. 47 two miles inland ; its garrison, including this reinforcement, con- sisted of ninety Europeans, and thirty slaves, some of whom were negroes, others natives. The force which attacked them was com- l^*"- puted at eight thousand, probably an exaggerated number. There were no other fortifications than the palisade, which the Portu- gueze had adopted from the Brazilians. The besiegers piled up two rude bulwarks of trees, within which they retired at night for security against any sudden attack. They dug pits, in which they were safe from shot by day, and from which they frequently started at different times, and rushed on, hoping to win the place by surprize. "When they saw the guns aimed at them, they fell upon the ground. Sometimes they approached the palisade, and threw their javelins over, for the chance there was that some wound might be inflicted by their fall : they shot fire arrows, headed with waxed cotton, at the houses, and whenever they drew nigh it was with loud threats that they would devour their enemies. The Portugueze soon began to want food, because it was the custom to dig the mandioc, of which their bread was made, every day, or at farthest on the alternate days ; and now they were blockaded and could not go out to perform this neces- sary work. Two boats were sent for food to the island of Itamaraca, which is at the entrance of the creek, and where there was another settlement; and Hans was of the party. The creek is narrow in one place, and there the savages endeavoured to obstruct the navi- gation by laying great trees across: this obstacle the Portugueze removed by main force ; but while they were thus delayed, the tide was ebbing, and before the boats could reach Itamaraca they were left dry. Instead of attacking them the savages raised a heap of dry wood between the boats and the shore, set fire to it, and threw into the flames a species of pepper which grows there abundantly, and produces a pungent smoke, by which they thought to suffocate, or otherwise annoy them. A breath of 48 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP. wind from the opposite quarter would defeat this artifice: . . it failed in this instance because the wood did not burn, and when /°48. t } ie t jd e flowed them, the Portugueze proceeded to Itamaraca, and were there supplied with what they sought. Meantime the savages cut two large trees nearl3 r through, which grew beside the narrowest part of the creek, and fastened to them the long and limber shoots of a plant which they called sippo, . . these shoots resemble the hop plant, except that they are thicker. When they in the boats drew nigh and perceived this, they called out to their fellows in the fort, to come and help them, for the place was within hearing, though the wood con- cealed it from sight ; the savages knew what this meant, and as soon as they began to shout, shouted also, and effectually drowned their words. All therefore that the Portugueze could do, was for one part of them to endeavour to confuse the enemies attention, while the rowers pulled up for their lives. This suc- ceeded ; one of the trees went down in a slant direction on the bank, the other fell behind one of the boats, and brushed it in its fall l5 . The siege had alread}' lasted a month ; the savages saw themselves thus disappointed in the hope of reducing Garassu by famine ; their perseverance was exhausted, and they made peace and broke up. The Portugueze had not lost a single man, and the besiegers not many. After this easy war h. stade, the colony continued to prosper during the remainder of Duarte p.i.c.8— i. Coelho's life. Eipeduion Joam de Burros, the great historian, obtained the Captaincy cunhato" of Maranham. His means were not large, and for the sake or increasing the capital, he divided his grant with remain Alvares de Andrada, father of the Chronicler, and with Aires da The Payagoaes still use this stratagem. Lettn-s Edif. T. 8. 266. HISTORY OF BRAZIL. '49 Cunha. They undertook a scheme of conquest as well as of colo- nization, and their armament was upon a far more extensive scale than any former one to Portugueze America. Nine hundred men ' -^9- were raised, of whom one hundred and thirteen were horsemen, ten ships equipped ; Aires da Cunha took the command, and two sons of Barros accompanied him. The whole fleet was wrecked upon some shoals, which they supposed to be in the mouth of the great river, but which are above one hundred leagues South of it, off the island to which the survivors escaped, and which is now known by the name of Maranham ,e , in conse- quence of their error. They made peace with the Tapuyas, who then inhabited it, and while they waited there for relief, sent up the adjoining labyrinth of islands, channels, and rivers, to traffic for food, . . from which it appears that some of their effects must have been saved. Aires da Cunha was one of those who perished. The survivors remained long time in great misery before they could make their situation known to the nearest settlement. Barros sent to relieve them as soon as he heard the disaster, . . but the relief came too late. They had left the island, and both his sons had been slain in Rio Pequeno by the Pitaguares. The father behaved as was to be expected from so great a man ; he paid all the debts for Avhich Aires da Cunha and the others who B „ ni _ had perished were bound ; and remained in debt himself to the mid™. crown for artillery and stores, something about six hundred mil- ^ffi. 1, reas, . . which after many years were remitted to him by Sebas- riZndTde Bwros. tian, . . an act of liberality so tardy, that it can scarcely be called p- >» ... , J J J Ant. Gal- liberal. v am . v . ;«. One man from this expedition remained among the savages. " There is no doubt that this is the origin of the name,. . though half a cen tury after this event it was called Ilha das Vacas t . . Cow-Island. H 50 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. He was a blacksmith, of all trades the most useful in such a situation ; and from the pieces of wreck which were cast ashore, 1539- he extracted iron enough to make himself a great personage, and obtain the daughters of many neighbouring Chiefs for his wives. From him they called the Portugueze Peros ,; , supposing it to be their common appellation, and this gave rise to a fable, that there existed a warlike tribe between the rivers Mony and Ita- 4™siu^,° picuru, descended from the survivors of this great shipwreck, te'Gwia- who wore beards like their fathers, and remembered them by that laiura,thcrc quoted. name. Bencdo 1.^48 — 50. " I have sometimes suspected, that this name has a different origin, and that the Brazilians meant to call their enemies dogs, perron. CHAPTER III. foyagt of Sebastian Cabot. — He names the I'iver Plata, and remains there Jive years. — D. Pedro de Mendoza obtains a grant of the conquest. — Foundation of Buenos Ayres. — War with the Quirandies. — Famine. — Buenos Ayres burnt by the Sa- vages. — Buena Esperanto founded. — The Timbues. — Mendoza sets sail for Spain, and dies upon the passage. — Ayolas ascends the Paraguay. — The Carios. — The Spaniards win their settlement, and call it Asumpcion. — The Agaces. — Ayolas goes in search of the Carcarisos, a people who were said to have gold and silver. — Yrdlct waits for him as long as possible, and then returns to Asumpcion.— Misconduct of Francisco Ruyz. — Buena Esperanza besieged and abandoned. — Reinforcements sent out under Cabrera. — Yrala marches in search of Ayolas. — • The death of that Commander ascertained. — The Payagoaes. — The Spaniards abandon Buenos Ayres, and collect all their force at Asumpcion . Meantime the Spaniards had taken possession of the great CHAP river which Juan Diaz de Solis had discovered. The expedition "*■ which effected this was fitted out for a different purpose. Of 1525. the ships which sailed with M agalhaens, one had returned, laden ;%«?«./ with spice, from the Moluccas ; and at the sight of this precious Cabo™ commodity, the difficulties and dangers of thus procuring it were overlooked. Some merchants of Seville resolved to fit out an adventure for this new track, and persuaded Sebastian Cabot to accept the command, who, having left England, Avas at this time 53 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP. Chief 1 Pilot to the King of Spain. A twentieth part of the profits v^-v-O of the voyage was to be given for the redemption ot captives ; one 1525. of the most ordinary and most beneficial modes of charity in countries which are exposed to the piratical states. He was to go in quest of Tarsis and Ophir, Cathaia, and Marco Polo's Cipango. Early in April, 1525, he set sail with four ships, under the most unfavourable circumstances. The Deputies, or Committee of Merchant-Adventurers, were already dissatisfied with him, and would have displaced him, if they could have done it without delaying the expedition. Many of those on board also were disposed to undervalue his abilities and thwart his measures. It is said, that, in consequence of his improvidence, provisions failed before he reached Brazil; now Cabot's talents as a navi- gator had before this been tried and proved; it is impossible that stores, which Avere laid in for a voyage to the Moluccas, could, by any improvidence, have been consumed before the ships reached Brazil; but it is exceedingly probable that those persons who laid them in had taken especial care that they should fail, or that they were wilfully destroyed by the men on board, who were determined not to proceed to the Straits. Cabot touched at an island on the coast, called Ilha dos Patos, or Duck Island, and there took in supplies; requiting the good will which the natives had manifested with the usual villainy of an old discoverer, by forcibly carrying away four of them. The discontent of his people continued to increase, and in hopes of subduing it, he left three of the chief persons in the fleet upon a desert island. But this act of cruelty was not sufficient to restore subordination; and after he had reached the River Plata, or Solis, as it was then called, he was compelled to give Amerigo Vespucci was probably dead. HISTORY OF BRAZIL. 53 up all thoughts of proceeding to the South Sea. He had not CHAP, sufficient provisions to make the attempt, neither would his men v>^Li go with him: when he had yielded to them in this point, they 1525. seem contentedly to have obeyed him. Cabot was not a man to return without havins; done some- caut »„« _ up l/ie tiring. He entered the great river, and advanced thirty leagues Plata > up till he came to a little island about half a league from the Brazil side, which he named St. Gabriel. Here he anchored, and proceeding seven leagues farther with his boats, discovered a safe station for the ships, in a river on the same side, which he called St. Salvador. The ships Avere brought there and un- loaded, the mouth not being deep enough to receive them other- wise. He built a fort, left men enough to defend it, and ad- vanced Avith the rest in boats and in a caravel rasee, thinking that although the main object of his expedition had been frus- trated, he might still make it of some utility by exploring this river. Thirty leagues farther up he came to the mouth of the Carcarana ; the natives Avere friendly, and he built another fort there, Avhich he called Santespirito, or Fort Holy Ghost, but Avhich retained his OAvn name. Still he Avent on till he came to the junction of the rivers Paraguay and Parana ; the latter ap- peared to lead in a direction towards Brazil ; he left it, therefore, and proceeded four and thirty leagues up the Paraguay 2 , Avhere md enter, he first found an agricultural people. But as these people cul- euoy."™ tivated their lands, so also they knew hoAV to defend them. ' " Paraguay," saysTecho, " signifies the Crowned River, so called because the natives on each side of it wear coronets made of feathers." It seems rather to be the same word as Paraguazu, the Great River. The Guarani and Tupi languages are radically \he same ; and the same word fox a river is found from the Para to the Parana. HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP. Property had produced patriotism : they had something to fight for ; and so well did they tight, that having slain five and twenty 15 f 37« of Ins men, and taken three, they prevented him from ad- Htrrera. vaiicing. 3.9.3. © row* fc "* ' These treasures, were »ot the growth of the country ; they proved how- ever a destructive bait to many an unhappy adventurer, tantam eitim aninis ilk vano suo inanique nomine de se expectationem excitarat, says Peramas. Prol. ad Sex Sacerd. 56 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP, which as it was the first that had yet been seen in America* III ^v-n-/ made them name the River Rio de la Plata, supplanting the 1527- memory of Solis bj r this erroneous appellation. Specimens of this metal, of the natives, and of whatever else he had pro- cured, Cabot now sent to Castille, praying the King to send him reinforcements, and grant him powers to settle there. His application was favourably received, and the merchants who had fitted out the former expedition were called upon to bear part in the expences of another ; but this they refused to do, chusing rather to lose the whole of their first expence than risk a second. The Court then resolved to take the adventure upon itself. In such things governments are more dilatory than indi- viduals ; and weeks and months are wasted before supplies are sent to new colonists, who are daily expecting them, and starving during the delay. t;« Guara. Cabot had behaved well to the Guaranis, the tribe nearest his "a" 's'p here, being crippled by a contraction of the sinews, appointed Juan Osorio to command in his stead. Having made tins arrangement they proceeded to the place of Fnmdatim their destination, anchored at isle St. Gabriel within the Plata, Ayra. and then on its southern shore, and beside a little river, Don Pedro de Mendoza laid the foundation of a town, which because of its healthy climate he named Nuestra Seiiora de Buenos Ay res. It was not long before he was made jealous of Osorio by certain envious officers, and weakly lending ear to wicked accusations, he ordered them to fall upon him and kill him; then drag his body into the Plaza, or public market place, and proclaim him for a traitor 7 . This murder was perpetrated, and thus was the expedition deprived of one who is described as an honest and generous good soldier. Experience had not yet taught the Spaniards that any large body of settlers in a land of savages, must be starved, unless they are well supplied with food from other parts, till they can raise it for themselves. The Quirandies, who possessed the country round about this new settlement, were a Avandering tribe, who, in places where there was no water, quenched their thirst by eating a root which they called cardes, or by sucking the blood ' Schmidel calls hirn Hs brother; brother-in-law he might have been, .. but the case is atrocious enough without this aggravation. f)0 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CH Ap - of the animals whom they slew. About three thousand of these v^L/ savages had pitched their moveable dwellings some four leagues l^Sfr. from the spot which Mendoza had chosen for his city. They cu7™S. e were wel1 Phased with their visitors, and during fourteen days brought fish and meat to the camp ; on the fifteenth they failed, >and Mendoza sent a few Spaniards to them to look for provi- sions, who came back empty-handed and wounded. Upon this he ordered his brother Don Diego, with three hundred sol- diers and thirty horsemen, to storm their town, and kill or take prisoners the whole horde. The Quirandies had sent away their women and children, collected a body of allies, and were ready for the attack. Their weapons were bows and arrows and tarcles, which were stone-headed tridents about half the length of a lance. Against the horsemen they used a long thong, having a ball of stone at either end. With this they were Avont to catch their game : they threw it with practised aim at the legs of the animal ; it coiled round and brought him to the ground 8 . In all former wars with the Indians the horsemen had been the main strength, and often the salvation of the Spaniards ; this excellent mode of attack made them altogether useless : they could not defend themselves ; the Commander and six hidalgos were thrown and killed, and the whole body of horse must have been cut off, if the rest had not tied in time and been protected by the infantry. About twenty foot soldiers were slain with tardes. But it was not possible that these s The Peruvians used a weapon of the same kind but with three thongs, ac- cording to Herrera, who says they invented it against the horse ( 5. 8. 4.). He elsewhere (5. 2. 10.) speaks of it by the same name, Aytlos, but describes it differ- ently, as long spears or rods, with certain cords attached to them, to catch men as in a net, or snare. Ovalle (3. 7.) says that what the Pampas used had the stone bullet at one end only, and at the other a ball of leather, or other light substance, by which the Indian- held it, while he whirled the other round his head, taking his aim. The stone bullet is perfectly round and polished. amine at £ actios HISTORY OF BRAZIL. g J people, brave as they were, could stand against European CHAP, weapons, and such soldiers as the Spaniards : they gave way at ^^_, last, leaving many of their brethren dead, but not a single pri- 1 -53.5. soner. The conqueror found in their town plenty of flour, fish, and what is called fish-butter, otter skins, and fishing nets. They left an hundred men to fish with these nets, and the others returned to the camp. Mendoza was a wretched leader for such an expedition. lie n seems improvidently to have trusted to the natives for provision, &*■ and unnecessarily to have quarrelled with them. Very soon after his arrival six ounces of bread had been the daily allow- ance ; it was uoav reduced to three ounces of flour, and every third day a fish. They marked out the city, and began a mud wall for its defence, the height of a lance, and three feet thick ; it was badly constructed, . . what was built up one day fell down the next ; the soldiers had not yet learnt this part of their occu- pation. A strong house was built within the circuit for the Adelantado. 'Meantime their strength began to fail for want of food. Rats, snakes, and vermin of every eatable size were soon exterminated from the environs. Three men stole a horse to eat it. Mendoza was cruel enough to hang them for this ; thev were left upon the gallows, and in the night all the flesh below the waist was cut from their bodies. Of all miseries famine is the most dreadful. One man ate the dead bodv of his brother; some murdered their messmates, for the sake of receiving their ratios as long as they could conceal their death, by saying they were ill. The mortality was very great. Mendoza seing that all must perish if they remained here, sent George Luchsan, one of his German or Flemish adventurers, up the river with four brigantines, to seek for food. Wherever they came the natives fled before them, and burnt what they could not carry fj^f" / Herrera. 5.9. 10. 62 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP- awa\ r . Half the men were famished to death, and all must ^.,-L, have died if they had not fallen in with a tribe, who gave them 1-535. j us t maize enough to support them during their return. bm»os The Quirandies had not been dismayed by one defeat ; . . they hhheSa- prevailed upon the Bartenes, the Zechuruas, and theTimbues to join them, and with a force which the besieged in their fear estimated at three and twenty thousand, though it did not probably amount to a third of that number, suddenly attacked the new city. The weapons which they used were not less ingeniously adapted to their present purpose than those which had proved so effectual against the horse. They had arrows which took fire at the point as soon as they were discharged, which were never extinguished till they had burnt out, and which kindled whatever they touched. With these devilish im- plements they set fire to the thatched huts of the settlers, and consumed them all. The stone house of the Adelantado was the only dwelling which escaped destruction. At the same time, and with the same weapons, they attacked the ships and burnt four ; the other three got to safe distance in time, and at length drove them off with their artillery. About thirty Spaniards 1536. were slain. B,una e*. The Adelantado now left a part of his diminished force in the peranza ... fowtded. ships to repair the settlement ; giving them stores enough to keep them starving for a year, which they were to eke out how they could : he himself advanced up the river with the rest, in the brigantines and smaller vessels. But he deputed his autho- rity to Juan de Ayolas, being utterly unequal to the fatigue of command ; . . in fact he was at this time dying of the most loathsome and dreadful malady that human vices have ever yet cTTtL brought upon human nature. About eighty-tour leagues up they came to an island inhabited by the Timbues, who received HISTORY OF BRAZIL. (Jg them well. Mendoza presented their Chief, Zchera 9 Wasu, CHAP with a shirt, a red cap, an axe, and a few other trifles, in return v^y^ for which he received fish and game enough to save the lives of 1 536'. his people. This tribe trusted wholly to fishing and to the Thtrmb,,,*. chase for food. They used long canoes. The men were naked, and ornamented both nostrils with stones. The women wore a cotton-cloth from the waist to the knee, and cut beauty- slashes in their faces. Here the Spaniards took up their abode, and named the place Buena Esperanza, signifying Good Hope. One Gonzalo Romero, who had been one of Cabot's people, and had been living among the savages, joined them here. He told them there were large and rich settlements up the country, and it was thought advisable that Ayolas should proceed with i©_ ll' the brigantmes in search of them. s. 10.15. Meantime Mendoza, who was now become completely a lw™ cripple, returned to Buenos Ay res. He waited awhile in hopes s P 2" of hearing some good tidings from Ayolas, and at length sent Juan de Salazar with a second detachment in quest of him. His health grew daily worse, and his hopes fainter ; he had lost his brother in this expedition, and expended above forty thou- sand ducats of his substance, nor did there appear much proba- bility of any eventual success to reimburse him ; so he deter- mined to sail for Spain, leaving Francisco Ruyz to command at Buenos Ayres, and appointing Ayolas Governor, if he should return, and Salazar in case of his death. His instructions were, that as soon as either of them should return he was to examine what provisions were left, and allow no ratios to any persons ' So Schinidel writes the name : . . his own German mouth might perhaps articulate it. By the word Wasu, great, it appears that this tribe was of the same stock as the Tupinambas. 64 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. 1537. CHAP. who could support themselves, nor to any women who were not employed either in washing or in some other such necessary service : that he should sink the ships or dispose of them in any other manner, and if he thought fit, proceed across the continent to Peru, where if he met with Pizarro and Almagro he was to pro- cure their friendship in the Adelantado's name ; and if Almagro was disposed to give him one hundred and fifty thousand ducats for a resignation of his government, as he had given to Pedro de Alvarado, he was to accept it, or even one hundred thousand, unless it should appear more profitable not to close with such an offer. How strong must his hope of plunder have been, after four years of continued disappointment and misery ! . . Moreover, he charged his successor, if it should please God to give him any jewel or precious stone, not to omit sending it him, as some help in his trouble. And he instructed him to form a set- tlement on the way to Peru, either upon the Paraguay or else- where, from whence tidings of his proceedings might be trans- mitted. Having left these directions, Mendoza embarked, still dreaming of gold and jewels, and died upon the voyage. Ayolas meantime advanced up the river with four hundred men in search of the Paraguay, and the rich countries of which he had heard, where maize and apples were said to grow in abun- dance, and roots of which the natives made wine ; where there was plenty of fish and flesh, and sheep as big as mules. On their way they found upon the banks of the river, a serpent worthy to have stopt a second army ; it was forty five feet long, in girth the size of a man, black, and spotted with red and tawny ; they slew it with a ball. The natives said they had never seen a larger, and that such serpents were very destructive, coiling round them in the water and dragging them doAvn, and de- them. They cut it in pieces, and ate it boiled or roast- Schmidcl. J 4. Herrera. 6. 3. 17 — 18. Ayolas as- cends the Paraguay. vounng HISTORY OF BRAZIL. Q$ ed 10 , but it does not appear that the Spaniards were at this time CHAP, hungry enough to partake of the banquet. Before Ayolas reached y^v^, the Paraguay he lost one of his ships : it was impossible to take 1 536- the men out of it on board the other, so they were compelled to proceed by land, where they suffered so much from want of food, and from crossing marshes, lakes, and lagoons, that if a friendly tribe had not given them provisions and canoes, they must all have perished. Thus sometimes at peace, sometimes fighting their way, and suffering all the extremes of fatigue and hunger, the}' ad- vanced nearly three hundred leagues up this river, till they came to a tribe called the Carios ", Avho though as ferocious as their TheCarws, neighbours, were in some respects less savage. They cultivated maize ; they planted the sweet potatoe l % and a root 13 which had the taste of the chesnut, from which they made an intoxicat- ing liquor, as they did also from honey, boiling it. And here the Spaniards found the swine, ostriches, and sheep as big as mules, of which they had heard. The people were little, but stout : they were naked, and wore a long lip-stone. They devoured all their prisoners except one woman, and if she ever refused to prostitute herself they ate her also. These Carios had a town called Lampcre, on the eastern bank of the river, four leagues above the place where the main branch of the Pilco_ mayo falls into the Paraguay. It was surrounded with two pali- sadoes about as high as a man could reach with his sword. The 10 This is a dainty among the Indians, and also among the Mamalucos. Notician. MSS. 2. 46. 11 Herrera (5. 10. 15.) says* these are the people who in other parts of the Indies, are called Caribs. But it is probable that the Islanders applied this name indiscriminately to all the cannibal tiibes. u Schmidel calls them Padades, and says they taste like apples. " Maiidioc/ipobion Schmidel calls the root, and the liquor Maiideboere. K 66 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP, stakes were as thick as a mail's waist, and set about twelve paces <^*v^, asunder ; . . it is difficult to guess of what use they could have *° J "- been, being so far apart , . . possibly the fortification had not been compleated. They had dug pit-falls, planted sharp stakes in them, and covered them over, as a stratagem against these invaders, whom they were resolved to resist. neSpani. When Ayolas advanced against the town, he found them nmn^Zd drawn up ready for battle. They sent to him, bidding him Asumpcion. return to his ships, and to his own country as soon as possible, for which, they said, they would supply him with provisions, and every thing necessary. But the Spaniards were not come as visitors ; they had now hungrily subsisted four years upon fish and meat, and having at length reached a cultivated country, they were determined to take and keep possession of it. This they explained to the Carios, and assured them that they came as friends ; the natives would listen to no such friendship ; but when the guns were discharged, terrified at seeing their people fall without a blow, and wounded so dreadfully, they knew not how, they fled precipitately, and many of them in their flight fell into the pits which they had dug for the enemy. Still they de- fended their town, and killed sixteen of the Spaniards ; but on the third day they sued for peace, because their women and children were with them. They promised to obey the conque- rors in all things ; presented Ayolas with six stags and seven girls, and gave two women to each of the soldiers. Having made peace upon these terms, the Catholic Spaniards named the town Asumpcion in honour of the Virgin Mary, and in memory of the day upon which they took possession of it 14 . Schmidel. c. 15— SI. 14 It is remarkable, that Herrera says nothing of the capture of this town, nor of the settling there, though when he next treats of this country, he speaks of it as of a well known place. HISTORY OF BRAZIL. Qj The first service in which the Carios were employed, was in CHAP, building a fort of wood, earth, and stones, to secure their own \Jv^ subjection. They then offered to assist the Spaniards against the 1536. Agaccs ,s , . . a way of asking assistance from them against an old enemy. The Agaces were a tribe of hunters and fishers, who ne ^ aeet painted their skin with an indelible blue die, extracted from a root. Their settlements were about thirty leagues lower down the stream ; they fought better by water than by land, and had annoyed the Spaniards on their way, and slain fifteen of them. Ayolas therefore willingly indulging his own resentment, and that of his new subjects at the same time, descended the river and fell upon them suddenly before day-break. The Carios, according to their custom, spared not a soul alive. They took about five hundred canoes, and burnt every settlement they came to. A few of the tribe happened to be absent, and thus escaped the slaughter : about a month afterwards, when they returned, they put themselves under the protection of the Spaniards, which Ayolas conceded, the laws of the Conquests not permitting him to declare them slaves, till they had rebelled, as it was called, three times. The Cueremagbas, who were the nearest tribe to these, c . .. , wore a parrot's feather through the nose. M - "• Ayolas remained six months at Asumpcion. The Carios jyiugots informed him that beyond their track of territory, which extend- rt*?• Meantime Juan de Sahizar had set out in search of Ayolas, as \5r>r. Mendoza had instructed him. He came first to the Island of comes to Buena Esperanza, where the Timbues continued on friendly terms with the Spanish settlers, and had taught them their method of fishing, so that they were enabled to provide for themselves better than formerly. Salazar went on some way, but the difficulty of subsisting was such, that he turned back without reaching Asumpcion, and returned to Buenos Ayres. Upon this Francisco Ruyz, Avhom Mendoza had left there in com- mand, determined to go upon the same search himself with a stronger force : and he began his expedition with two hundred men, on board six vessels, upon the miserable ratio of six ounces of maize per day. After grievous sufferings, they reached Asumpcion at a time when Yrala and the Carios Avere living by plunder; and so little plunder was to be had, that men were lying dead along the ways, having perished for want. This was no station for two hundred starving adventurers. They prepared to return, but Yrala requested Francisco Ruyz, as his own vessels were now so rotten as to be unserviceable, to leave him one wherein he might again go to Candelaria, in hopes of meeting his commander. Francisco said he would do so, if Yrala would acknowledge himself to be under obedience to him. It was manifest from this that he designed to usurp the government Yrala had in his possession the deed by which Ayolas had appointed him to the command during his absence; but his "JO HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP, force was inferior to that of these new comers, and he wisely forbore to produce it. Had he been less prudent, it is said that Francisco Ruyz would assuredly have slain him, . . for the Spanish discoverers held the lives of each other as cheap as they did those of the Indians. He avoided the danger by saying, that if the other could show any powers from Ayolas which vested the authority in him, undoubtedly he would yield obedience. This seems to have been thought satisfactory : the vessel was given him, and Francisco returned to Buena Esperanza. e. 3. is. Ktucmduot There this man destro} r ed the friendship which had so long subsisted between the settlers and the natives. He, with the aid of a priest and a secretary, from what motive does not appear, treacherously and wickedly tortured and put to death some of the Timbues ; . . then leaving a garrison of one hundred and twenty men in a little fort, called Corpus Christi, these Avretches departed, and escaped the vengeance which fell upon their coun- trymen. A Chief of the Timbues, who had lived upon terms of great intimacy with the Spaniards, warned him not to leave one of them behind, for it was determined to cut them off, or drive them out of the land. This warning only produced a promise from him to return speedily ; but it proved the means of beguil- ing the garrison. For, a few days afterwards, the brother of this Chief came and requested of them that they would send a few men to escort him and his family, saying it was his wish to come and settle among them. Six men were all he asked for; the Captain, more prudently as it Blight have been supposed, sent fifty har- quebusseers, w r ell-armed, and instructed to be upon their guard. They were welcomed with much apparent good-will; but no sooner had they sate down to eat, than the Timbues fell upon them ; large parties rushed out from the huts where they had been concealed, and so well was the slaughter planned and ex- ecuted, that only one of the fifty escaped. Immediately the HISTORY OF BRAZIL. J f eonquerors beset the fort, and assaulted it night and day for CHAP, fourteen days. On the fourteenth they set fire to the dwellings. .J^w/ The Captain sallied, and was entrapped into an ambuscade, where 1.537- he was surrounded and killed by a party armed with long lances, Bu e,m e s - in which the swords were set which they had taken from the ue^Tmd slain. Luckity for the Spaniards, the besiegers had not sufficient store of provisions to continue the blockade, and were therefore obliged to retire and provide themselves anew. Meantime Fran- cisco Ruyz, forboding the consequences of his conduct,, sent two brigan tines to their assistance, in which they embarked for ?- 3 - 18 - Buenos Ay res, and abandoned the station. 27 - 28 - When the ship, on board which Mendoza died, arrived at Rc;n f" r "- i J mtnts sent Seville, two vessels were lying there ready to set off with rein- %£££ forcements for him, pursuant to the terms of his contract, and the arrangements which he had made for fulfilling it. These vessels the King ordered to sail under Alonso de Cabrera, grant- ing them permission to proceed on a trading voyage through the Straits, if they should find the settlements in the Plata forsaken. He sent also a galleon laden with arms and ammunition. The first orders from the Court were, that if the Adelantado had not appointed a successor, the soldiers should chuse one ; but when it was understood that he had named Ayolas, that nomination was confirmed. Six Franciscans went out in this expedition : they carried with them the King's pardon for those Spaniards who, having eaten human flesh from extreme hunger during the famine, had fled among the savages to escape punishment for it; it was thought a less evil to pardon them, than that they should B thus be cut off from all christian communion. 0.3.1s. One of these ships reached Buenos Ayres about a fortnight after l5;iS the evacuation of Buena Esperanza : its companion, with two hun- dred men on board, had put into the island of St.Catalina, on the n HISTORY OF BRAZIL. coast of Brazil, where a small vessel was dispatched to look tor her, and to load with rice, mandioe flour, maize, and whatever other T-3-_>H. provisions the island afforded. This vessel, on its return, was wrecked in the river, and six only of the crew escaped by cling- ing to the mast. Iluklerick Schmidel was one of the six, a Ger- „ , , , man adventurer: who went out with Mendoza, and who wrote SehmtaeL 29. 30. ti ie history of these transactions. marches in The Franciscans set out to preach among the natives, and jgaba." Cabrera, with Francisco Ruyz, and the main body of the Spa- niards, proceeded to Asumpcion. No tidings had yet been heard of Ayolas ; there could now be little doubt of his death ; the question of the succession was to be settled, and Yrala now produced his powers, being encouraged by Cabrera, who hoped to share in them, and therefore lent his influence against Fran- cisco Ruyz. But when Cabrera found that Yrala was not dis- posed to admit an equal, he instigated the officers of the crown to require that farther search should be made for Ayolas. Yrala needed no compulsion for tins service; with nine ships and four hundred men, a stronger force than they had ever before had so far inland, . . he once more advanced to Candelaria. Here nothing was to be learnt : the Spaniards proceeded farther up the river, till they met six Indians in a canoe, who gave them to understand, by signs, that their countrymen were in the in- terior, dwelling in a strong house which they had built, and employed in digging gold and silver. Upon this good news, about two hundred set out to join them, taking these Indians for their guides. After the first day's march the ways became bad, for the inundations were beginning ; they had to wade through water, always up to the waist, and sometimes breast high ; and frequently no spot of dry land was to be found where they « e "!T might uc down at night. At length both their provisions and HISTORY OF BRAZIL. 73 strength began to fail, and they gave up this desperate at- CHAP, tempt, having wasted a month in it before they rejoined the sJ-v^L, brigantines. 158.9. Two days after their return an Indian came to them, and The death of j4 ij alas as- gave the first information of the fate of Ayolas and all his men. renamed. lie belonged, he said, to the tribe of the Chanes, by whom the Spaniards had been friendlily received, and where they had learnt that the Chemeneos and Carcaraes 17 , who resided still farther inland, used the precious metals. Towards their country they proceeded; they reached it, and saw its riches; but meeting with resistance, turned back, thinking to come again with a greater force. The Chief of the Chanes then gave them much gold and silver, and Indians to carry it, of whom he who related this was one. They arrived at Candelaria, where Yrala had been appointed to wait for them, . . but it was long after the time appointed, and they were greatly exhausted by a long march through a waste country. Here the Pa} r agoaes wel- comed them, and as the brigantines were not there, invited them to be their guests till Yrala should return. The Spaniards trust- ed these people, were decoyed by them into a marsh, and there slain to a man, with all their Indians, this being the only one who escaped. Yrala could not take vengeance now because of the inunda- The Pay,,. tions, nor were the Payagoacs 18 at any time easily to be chastised Herrera. 6. 7. 5. Schmidd. •2 5. goaes. 17 Probably the same name as Carcarisos. •• Schmidel always calls them the Paiembos. It is difficult to account for his exceeding inaccuracy in dates and names. All other authors write Payagoaes, a word which certainly has a more Paraguayish appearance. They are spoken of in a manuscript account of the Lake of Xarayes, as infesting those parts in 17U6, with canoes of remarkable swiftness. L 74 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP. This nation, which continued for two centuries to be the curse of v^^w Paraguay, is divided into two tribes, the Sarigues and Tacam- 153.9. bus: the former infest the river above Asumpcion, for more than two hundred leagues up, as far as the Lake of Xarayes ; the latter carry their depredations to a still greater distance below it, and into the Parana. No fresh-water pirates have ever been so daring and destructive as these almost amphibious savages. Sometimes they would approach a vessel in the darkness, and so turn it that it should run aground, for they knew every shoal and sand-bank in the stream. Sometimes they would swim to the vessel un perceived, . . head only above water, . . and in an instant board her on all sides. Their canoes usually carried three persons, were exceedingly light, and of beautiful work- manship; when they were pursued and overtaken, they upset them, and used them in the water as pavaises against the wea- pons of their pursuers ; . . as soon as the danger was over, righted them with a touch, and went again upon their way. They were not less insidious by land than by water. Hunters they decoy- ed into ambush by imitating the cry of whatever game they were questing, whether bird or beast ; stronger parties they be- trayed by offering to be their guides, giving them food and fruits, and so enticing them on till they had them in their power, and could fall upon them unawares. Even during the last century the Paraguay could not be navigated without infinite danger from these savages. They dwelt chiefly in the islands, or in the bays and creeks, and there lurking under cover of the trees, lay in wait for prey. Their women are handsome, but of low stature, and with feet so remarkably small, that they have been likened to the Chinese women. This is supposed to be occasioned by their peculiar mode of life, passing so much time in their narrow canoes, and never travelling in any other Jolit. a e. An. ». manner. HISTORY OF BRAZIL. 75 It was impossible, during the inundation, to chastise these CHAP. Payagoaes for tire murder of Ayolas and his companions, and vJ-^L, Yrala could do nothing but return. Some time afterwards two 1-539- of the tribe were made piisoners by the Carios: he tortured *"™" ian them till, whether guilty or innocent, they confessed the fact, d< "" d - and then, with the true barbarity of a discoverer, he roasted them alive ! . . But these discoverers were as enterprizing as they were cruel; the gold and silver which Ayolas had collected, though they had only heard of these treasures, encouraged their cupidity, and being determined to tread in his steps, and pro- secute ' their discoveries in the heart of the continent, they thought it advisable to abandon Buenos Ayres, and collect their whole force at A sumption. This accordingly was done, Yrala commanding, by virtue of the powers which Ayolas had vested in him, and the stronger title of the people's choice ; for he had always, says Hulderick Schmidel, shewn himself just and benevolent, especially to the soldiers. . . There is reason to believe that all his justice and benevolence was confined to c.^e."*" ,i Herrera. them. s.7.5. CHAPTER IV. Expedition of Diego de Ordas. — Gonzalo Pizarro sets out in quest of El Dorado.' Voyage of Orellana.— -Attempt of Luiz de Mello to settle at Maranham. CHAP. The Maranham, which had proved so fatal to Joam de Bar- IV v^v-^ ros, was destined to be, for many years, the scene of adventure 1530. and mishap. One adventurer had already failed there before Expedition his disastrous expedition. This was Diego de Ordas, he who Ordasf e has left a memorable name in Mexican history for having ascended the burning mountain Popoca tepee. But neither the glory which he had thus gained, nor his share of the spoils of Mexico contented him, for it is at once the nature and the punishment of ambition to be never at rest. He applied for a commission to conquer and settle the country from Cape de la Vela eastward, two hundred leagues ; and it was granted, on condition that he should endeavour to explore the coast as far onward as the Maranham, . . but not trespass upon the limits of the King of Portugal. The title of Governor was given him, with a salary of 725,000 maravedis, from which he was to pay an Alcalde Mayor, a Physician, Surgeon, and Apothecary, thirty Foot-soldiers, and ten Esquires. He was, moreover, IltSTORY OF BRAZIL. 77 appointed Adelantado and Captain General for lite, and the CHAP, wand of Alguazil Mayor given him for life also ; and he had permission to erect four fortresses in such places as he should think convenient : these were to be erected at his own expence, but the command of them was vested in him and his heirs, with the ordinary appointments ;. he was also to have one thousand ducats yearly during life, in aid of his expences, and a twentieth of the royal rights in his conquests, provided it did not exceed one thousand ducats more. He was privileged to retain his possessions in New Spain, though he did not reside upon them. Five and twenty mares, and as many horses, were to be given him from the King's stock at -Jamaica ; he had permission to take fifty slaves, and a grant of 300,000 maravedis towards the cost of artillery and ammunition ; and he had leave to establish a hospital, and alms given him towards it. Terms so advantageous would hardly have been conceded had it not been for the high reputation which Ordas had already gained. ".To.™. Pour hundred men Avere raised for this enterprize. He set issi. sail from Seville early in 1531, and atTeneriffe he engaged three brethren of the name of Silva to follow him with two hundred more : the Spanish Canarians are an active and adventurous race, and have ever supplied the colonies with their most useful subjects. Ordas went on to the Maranham. There he caught a canoe with four natives. They had two stones with them, which the Spaniards supposed to be emeralds; one of them was as large as a man's hand; and the account they gave was, that some days distance up the river there was a whole rock of such stone. They had also two cakes of flour, resembling soap, and seeming as if they had been kneaded with balsam ; which they said, they gathered from the boughs of incense trees, of which there was a wood about forty leagues up the stream. Ordas attempted to make his way up; but he found the navigation far Herrera. 73 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. too difficult ; and after having; been in imminent dang-er anions the shoals and currents, and losing one of his ships, he resolved 1531. to try his fortune elsewhere. First he went to Paria, and there interfered with the conquests which had already been taken possession of by another. Then having received a severe repri- mand from Madrid, with orders to chuse his two hundred leagues either beginning from Cape de la Vela towards the Maranham, or from the river towards the Cape, he entered the Orinoco, then called the Yiapari, from a Cazique whose terri- i3o-:. tories lay upon its banks. This attempt proved as unfortunate as the former; he however persevered in wintering in the river, Hnrera.4. till at length having lost great part of his men by slripwreck 5.1. ii. and other mishaps, he abandoned the enterprize, set sail for P. Simon. i i • l • l l ' i a.c.17— 16. Spain, and died either on the voyage, or soon after lus arrival. This expedition took place a few years before that of Aires da Cunha and the sons of Barros ; . . a few years after it the Maranham was navigated from the mountains of Quito to the Sea. 154.1. When Pizarro had secured, as he imagined, the authority of ffGwllk his family in Peru, by the execution of his old friend and com- JarcTrfEi rade and benefactor, he gave the government of Quito to his brother Gonzalo, a man even more bloody and more infamous in history than himself. Eastward of that city there was said to be a rich country, which abounded with cinnamon ; and Gon- zalo, as soon as he reached his government, prepared to take possession of this land of spice, and then proceed and conquer El Dorado, thinking to anticipate Belalcazar, who was gone to Spain to solicit a grant of these parts. There was no lack of adventurers for such an enterprize. He set out with about two hundred foot-soldiers, one hundred horse, four thousand Indians, to be used as beasts of burthen for the army, and about four thousand swine and Indian sheep. HISTORY OF BRAZIL. jq He entered first the province of the Quixos, the last people CHAP, whom the Incas had subdued. They opposed the Spaniards, hut finding their inferiority fled in the night, and removed their women and children, so that not one was to be seen. While the army halted here, a violent earthquake happened, which threw down the Indian dwellings, and cleft the earth in many places. This was but a prelude to Avhat they were to suffer from the ele- ments. Violent storms of thunder and lightning followed, with such rain, that a river beyond which they Avere wont to procure provisions, was no longer fordable, and they began to be in want. At length quitting this station, they crost a branch of the Cordilleras, where many of their Indians were frozen : they threw away their provisions here, and abandoned their live stock, that they might hasten on and save themselves. The country into which they descended was unpeopled. They cut their way through the woods, till they reached the valley of Zumaque, which lies along the foot of a volcano, thirty leagues from Quito. Here they found habitations and food, and here they were joined by Francisco de Orellana, a knight of Truxillo, with thirty horse. He had set out after them from Quito, and suf- fered even more upon the road, for they had devoured the coun- try before him. Gonzalo appointed him his Lieutenant-General; and leaving the main body of his people in Zumaque, advanced with seventy foot-soldiers towards the East, to reconnoitre the land of spice. He found the spice trees ' ; their produce resembled the cin- namon of the East in taste, but was of inferior quality ; in shape it is described as like an acorn cup, but deeper, thicker, and of cuZt!io. 1 A missionary is at this time endeavouring to introduce the culture of the cinnamon among the Indians of Manoa. Mercurio Peruano. N. 153. gO HISTORY OF BRAZIL. C H A P. darker colour, approaching to black ; they were in abundance, and those which were cultivated produced better spice than such as grew wild. The natives carried on a considerable trade in it with all the adjoining country, exchanging it for provi- sions, and the few articles of clothing which they used. They were a poor, unoffending people, contented with little. Their poverty at once disappointed and provoked Gonzalo ; he en- quired of them if these trees grew in any other country except their own. They replied that they .did not, and this they knew, because other tribes came to them for the produce. But when he asked what countries lay beyond them, and they could give no intelligence of El Dorado, the golden kingdom which he coveted, . . with the true spirit of a Pizarro, . . a name never to be uttered without abhorrence, . . he tortured them to extort a confession of what they did not know, and could have no motive to conceal ; burnt some alive, and threw others alive to his dogs, . . blood-hounds, which were trained in this manner to feed upon human flesh ! During the night a river on whose banks he had taken up his lodging rose so suddenly that he and his men hardly escaped from the inundation. He then returned to Zumaque. For two months that the Spaniards had remained there, it rained day and night, so that they Avere never dry, and their garments rotted upon them. The natives, who were aware of this inconvenience, went naked, which they could well do in a climate excessively hot. Gonzalo soon found the evil effects of his accursed cruelty. The tidings had spread from tribe to tribe, and when he enquired for the rich countries of which he was in search, the poor na- tives, not daring to contradict his hope, deluded him and sent him on. They came at length to the banks of a deep and wide river, along which they proceeded. In one place it made a fall of some hundred feet, and about forty leagues farther on, it was HISTORY OF BRAZIL. 81 contracted to the breadth of twenty feet, between two precipices. CHAP. The rocks were of tremendous height, . . they guessed it at two s^v-^ hundred fathoms ; but for fifty leagues which they had now _ tracked the river, there had been no place where they could possibly cross, and they resolved to throw a bridge from rock to rock. The natives who attempted to impede them on the oppo- site side, were soon put to flight. It was with infinite difficulty that the first beam was laid across ; when that was done the rest was comparatively easy. One soldier turned giddy on the height, and fell. But severe as their sufferings had beeninthe mountainous coun- lay, and in the woodland, there was now yet more to sutler. They had marshes to wade through, lagoons and lakes and flooded sa- vannahs to pass, and again to endure excessive rains. By this time their provisions were nearly expended, and they had begun upon their war-dogs. It was determined to build a brigantine which should carry the sick, and ferry them across the river whenever the way appeared more practicable on the opposite shore, or the country more abundant. They built huts before they could make charcoal, on account of the rain ; they eked out what iron they had taken with them, with the bits and stirrups of the horses, which had been slaughtered as dainties for the sick ; they gathered gum which served for pitch, and for oakum they used their own rotten garments. This was a work of great labour and difficulty for soldiers to perform, and when the vessel was compleated and launched they thought their troubles were at an end. Still those troubles Avere very great. They had still to cut their way through thickets on the hill-side, and canes in the flat ground, and to traverse inundated fields where oftentimes man and horse were fain to swim, they in trie brigantine anchoring from time to tune, that the stream might not carry them on M 82 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP, faster than their comrades could proceed on shore. Gonzalo, with his wonted tyranny, carried with him as prisoners all the Caziques on whom he could lay hands, whether their tribes had fled from him, or received him with friendly welcoming, making only this difference, that he put those in irons whom he suspected of wishing to escape. These prisoners, partly from fear, partly with a design to rid their own territories of such guests, affirmed that rich and plentiful lands lay before him, a report in which all the natives agreed for the same reasons. They said that he would come into this better country by following the stream till it was joined by a larger river. One day these Caziques, who had long watched for the opportunity, leapt into the water fet- tered as they were, swam across, and eluded all pursuit. They utrrera.0. were then, according to the account of the natives, about eight}' zfrZel' leagues from the junction of the two rivers, and the famine Gomar~ among them was by this time excessive. Above a thousand of Garciiussn. their Peruvians had already perished. As the best means of Jen™ m obtaining; relief which could be devised, Gonzalo ordered Orel- El Maraiion y /»«. lana to proceed in the brigantine with fifty men- to the fertile pizarwy country at the point of junction, load there with provisions, and ™ a Jrl?i return as speedily as possible to meet and relieve the army. The stream being joined by many others from the South side, earned them rapidly down. On the second day they struck upon a stump, which stove one of the planks of the vessel : they haled her ashore and repaired the damage. It was on the Coca that they were embarked, and in trnee days they reached the place where it joins the Napo ; the eighty computed leagues of the Indians they judged to be more than a hundred. The country through which they had past was uninhabited, neither were there any signs of culture or of population here. What was to be done? To return against that strong stream was almost impossible, with that vessel, and weak as they were for HISTORY OF BRAZIL. Q3 want of sufficient food ; and if they waited for the arm}', what HA P. could they expect, already sinking with famine, but to perish ? w^v<-> this would be to destroy themselves without benefitting their 1°41- fellows. Orellana urged this to his men ; the plea M r as strong and reasonable ; and he had conceived the adventurous hope ot following this great river through the continent, and making his way to Spain, there to ask the conquest of the countries through which he should pass. Fray Gaspar de Carvajal, a Dominican, and Hernan Sanchez de Vargas, a young knight of Badajoz, opposed his project, representing to him the distress which the army would endure when they should arrive at the appointed place of meeting, and find that their last reliance had failed them. Orellana set this latter ashore between the rivers, alone, and in a desert country, to wait for the army, and probably to perish 2 with hunger long before they could reach him. He then renounced the commission which Gonzalo Pizarro had given him, and received the command anew from the election of his men, that so he might make discoveries for himself, and not, holding a deputed authority, in the name of another. Fray Caspar's opposition had been less strenuous than that of Hernan Sanchez, . . perhaps it was not so sincere : . . this is to be sus- pected because he lent his testimony to all the falshoods which Orellana afterwards reported. The Friar now said mass according to the form appointed for mariners at sea, and they committed themselves to the stream. It was upon the last day of December 1541, that this voyage was begun, one of the most adventurous that has ever been enterprized. The little stock of provisions with which they had : He was found alive when the army reached the junction, . . having" subsisted upon herbs. g4 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP, parted from the army was already exhausted, and they boiled v^v-s^ their leathern girdles and the soles of their shoes with such herbs . • as seemed most eatable. On the eighth of January, when they had almost given up all hope of life, they heard before day-light an Indian drum, . . a joyful sound, for be the natives what they would, this they knew, that it must be their own fault now if they should die of hunger. At day-break, being eagerly upon the look- out, they perceived four canoes, which put back on seeing the bri- gantine ; and presently they saw a village where a great body of the natives were assembled, and ready to defend it. The Spani- ards were too hungry to negociate. Orellana bade them land in good order and stand by each other ; they attacked the Indians like men who were famishing and fought for food, put them pre- sently to the rout, and found an immediate supply. While they were enjoying the fruits of their victory, the Indians took to their canoes and came near them,' more to gratify curiosity than resent- ment. Orellana spake to them in some Indian language, which they partly understood ; some of them took courage, and approached him ; he gave them a few European trifles, and asked tor their Chief, who came without hesitation, was well pleased with the presents which were given him, and offered them any thing that it was in his power to supply. Provisions were requested, and presently peacocks, partridges, fish, and other things were brought in great abundance. The next day thirteen Chiefs came to see the strangers ; they were gaily adorned with fea- thers and gold, and had plates of gold upon the breast. Orellana received them courteously, required them to acknowledge obe- dience to the Crown of Castille, took advantage as usual of their ignorance to affirm that they consented, and amused them with the ceremony of taking possession of their country in the Emperor's name. The account which Orellana and Fray Gaspar gave of their HISTORY OF BRAZIL. Q5 Voyage is in some respects palpably false, as wiB presently be CHAP, seen. Their object was to aggravate the riches of the provinces ^vO which they had discovered. It is not probable that these tribes 1542. had any gold, . . none of the tribes on the Maranham were so far advanced as to use it. Wherever the American Indians used gold, stationary habitations were found, habits of settled life, a regular government, a confederated priesthood, and a ceremo- nial religion. Wandering tribes will pick up a grain of gold, like a coloured stone, and wear it for its beauty ; but they must cease to be erratic before they fabricate it into trinkets or uten- sils. One of these Chiefs, according to the Friar, informed them that there was a rich and powerful nation inland, and that farther down the river they would come to another rich country, which was inhabited by Amazons. Seven Spaniards died here in consequence of the hunger which they had endured. Their Captain, who was not deficient in any quality which his des- perate enterprise required, thought that as they were on such good terms with the natives, this was a fit place to build a better brigantine than the frail one in which they were embarked, and which would be unserviceable when they reached the sea. Two men who had never before tried the smith's trade undertook the iron work ; a third undertook to make the charcoal, and they contrived a bellows out of some buskins which had luckily escaped the stew-pan. All fell to work, Orellana being the first at any exertion that was required. In twenty days they made two thousand nails 3 , and having done this they proceeded, ' This was waste of iron as well as of time : tree-nails would have answered the purpose better. It does not appear how the iron was procured, and this is remarkable, since Gonzalo Pizarro had such difficulty in finding enough for the first vessel. 86 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP, not thinking it prudent to wear out the hospitality of their v^v>^ friends. The delay was injudicious, for nails might have been , " made at the same time as the brigantine, and in these twenty days their new stock of provisions was consumed. Twenty leagues onward a smaller river fell from the North into the great stream : it came down with a fresh, and raised such a commo- tion of waters at the junction that the Spaniards thought them- selves lost. From hence they advanced, according to their com- putation, two hundred leagues, encountering many difficulties and dangers on the way, through an uninhabited country. At last they came again in sight of habitations. Orellana sent twenty men ashore, ordering them not to alarm the natives; they found a friendly people, who admired the strangers, and gave them tortoises and parrots for food : on both sides of the river they were supplied with equal willingness. The countiy was now well peopled as they proceeded. Four canoes came off to meet them next day ; gave them tortoises, good par- tridges, and fish, and were so well pleased with what they re- ceived in return, that they invited the Commander to land and see their Chief, Aparia. Orellana landed and made a speech to this Chief upon the Christian Religion, and the Kings of Castille, to which he and his subjects are said to have listened with much attention. Aparia told them if they went to see the Amazons, whom he called Coniapuyara, or the. mighty Chieftains *, they would do well to bear in mind how few they were themselves, and that this was a numerous nation. Orellana then requested "Z" a ' that all the Chiefs of the province might be convened ; twenty • This name seems to be ill translated, and to afford some support to the story of the Amazons, . . for Cunha (in our orthography Coonia) is the Tupi word for woman. The mighty, women, therefore, is its more probable meaning. HISTORY OF BRAZIL. gj assembled, to whom he repeated his former topics, and con- CHAP eluded by saying, that as they were all children of the Sun, it behoved them all to be friends. They were delighted with this acknowledgement of brotherhood, and not less so at see- ing the Spaniards erect a cross and perform the ceremony of taking possession of the land. And here Orellana finding the people hospitable, and food in plenty, built his new brigantine. There was a carver among the crew, who proved singularly serviceable in this coarser but more useful occupation. They caulked it with cotton ; the natives supplied pitch, and in five and thirty days the vessel was launched. "While they were thus employed, four Indians arrived, who were clothed and ornamented, and were of great stature ; their £ n &' hair hung down to the waist. They must therefore have be- L. e.w- longed to a tribe whom the Spaniards afterwards named E/ica- bellados, from the great length of their hair, both men and women letting it grow as long as it would, . . in some instances below their knees. They came to Orellana, and with much reverence placed food before him, saying they were sent by a powerful Chief to enquire who these strangers were, and whither they were going. He gave them the usual edifying account of the Christian religion, the authority of the Pope, and the power of the King of Castille, and .dismissed them with presents. Lent was over before the Spaniards departed. Fray Gaspar and another Priest who was in the expedition, shrieved all the party, preached to them, and exhorted them to go bravely through all their difficulties to the end. On the 24th of April they once more embarked ; for eighty leagues the banks were peopled by friendly tribes ; then the course of the river lay be- tween desert mountains, and they were fain to feed upon herbs and parched maize, not even finding a place where they could fish. On May 6th they came to a place which seemed to have 88 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP, been inhabited formerly, and here they halted for the purpose of TV s^rv^, fishing. The carver saw an yguana, which is a large animal of 1542. the lizard kind, upon a tree near the river ; he took aim at it with a cross-bow, and the nock of the bow fell into the water ; a large fish was presently caught, and the nock was found in its inside. In six days more they came to the populous province of Ma- chiparo, which bordered upon the land of a Chief called Aoraa- 2ua. Orellana has here mistaken the name of the tribe for that of the Chief, for the Omaguas were then settled in these parts 5 ; and he has probably fallen into a contrary error respecting the former appellation, because Machiparo is afterwards stated to be the name of the Cazique. One morning a fleet of canoes was seen coming to attack them : the Indians carried shields made of the skins of the alligator, or the manati, or the anta, ' Condauiine wrongly supposes that they had fled here from the Kingdom of New Granada, before the Spaniards, . . the conquest of that kingdom had not yet taken place : and on the contrary it is still a tradition among the Omaguas of Quito, that their stock was upon the Marafion, but that many of their tribes fled at sight of Orellana's vessels, some to the low lands of the river, others by the Rio JSegio towards the Orinoco, and the new kingdom of Granada. (Hervas, quoting a letter from Je/usco. T. i. P. 266.) Condamine is also wrong respecting their language, which he says bears no resemblance either to the Peruvian or Brazilian. It is radically the same as that of the Guaranis and Tupis. (Hervas. T. 1. P. 30. 121.) Acuiia confirms the au- thority of Hervas by calling them in his marginal note, " nacion deKtndiente de los Qui.vos." El Marafioii y -lmazones. L. 2. C. 10. The etymology of their name is variously given. Acufia says O/tuigiuis, itn- propio noinbre, que les pusierou, qiutandoles el Natibo, poi su habitat ion, qui es a la parte de afuera, que esw quiere dezir Aguas. (El Maranon y Amazohas. L. 2. C. 10.) Condamine says it means flat-heads in the language of Peru. e The province of Machifaro is mentioned in. the subsequent voyage of Orsua. HISTORY OF BRAZIL. 3g they came on with beat of tambour and with war-shouts, threat- CHAP, cning to devour the strangers. The Spaniards brought their v- J! y ^L, two vessels close together, that they might better defend them- 1-342. selves ; but when they came to use their powder it was damp ; they had nothing but their cross-bows to trust to, and plying these as well they could, they continued to fall down the stream, fighting as they went. Presently they came to an Indian town ; a large body of inhabitants were upon the shore ; half the Spaniards landed to attack it, leaving their companions to maintain the fight upon the water. They drove the Indians before them to the town, but seeing that it was a large place, and that the natives Avere so numerous, the commander of the party returned to Orellana and made his report. A reinforce- ment of thirteen men was sent ; they won the town and loaded themselves with provisions, but above two thousand Indians, as they guessed them to be, attacked them as they were bearing off their spoil, and it was not till after a hard battle of two hours, that they could regain the brigantines. Eighteen of the party were wounded, of whom Pedro de Ampudia died. They had neither surgeon nor any remedy for the rest: nothing could be done for them except psalming, that is, repeating some verses of the psalms over the wound : this mode of treatment was not unusual, and it was so much more reasonable than the methods which were ordinarily in use, that it is no wonder if it generally proved more successful 6 . ' A soldier in Hernando de Soto's expedition had effected great cures by the help of oil, wool, and psalming ; but all the oil had been lost in their retreat, and he had given over practice, as being of no avail without it. However at last he was wounded himself; and as he had sworn not to submit to the surgeon's cruelty, he took lard instead of oil, unravelled an old cloak to supply the place of wool, and psalmed himself. In four days he was well 5 . . he then declared that N 90 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. As soon as they had embarked their booty, they pushed off. By this time the whole country was upon them. The shore 1540. was covered with thousands, who, though they could not reach the Spaniards themselves, encouraged those in the canoes by joining in their war-cry. All night the canoes followed them ; in the morning the pursuit was relaxed, and the adven- turers, weary with the exertions of the day and night, landed upon an island to rest, and dress their food ; they could not do this upon either shore, for both were peopled, and both hostile; and they were not permitted to be at peace here. The canoes came on again, and Orellana perceiving that they were landing to attack hhn, hastened to his vessels. Even there it required all his efforts to save himself. It seemed as if the whole force of the province had been collected against him, with all their canoes. On they came, beating their rude drums, sounding cornets and trumpets, and with tremendous war- whoops. Four or five Conjurors were among them, whose bodies were coated over with some unction, and who spit ashes from their mouths at the Spaniards, and scattered water towards them, in a manner which they likened to the ceremony of sprinkling holy-water with the hyssop. Their aim was to board the brigantines ; but the Spaniards had now dried some powder, and one of their harquebusseers, whose name was Cales, getting a steady mark at the Chief of the Indians, shot him in the breast : his people gathered round him, and while they were thus occupied, the brigantines got a-head. The pursuit was the whole virtue lay in the words of scripture, and begged pardon for having let 60 many perish, through a fond persuasion that oil and dirty wool were necessary to the cure. Herrera (7. 7. 5.) has the same faith as this psalmer, and concludes this story by saying, era este hombre easto, buen Christiana, tcmeroso de Dios, gran ayudador de todos, y curioso en otras tales virtudes. HISTORY OF BRAZIL. Qj not however discontinued for two days and nights, till they had CHAP, got beyond the territories of this powerful Chief Machiparo. When Orellana saw that the enemies no longer followed him, he determined to land and rest. They put to shore, drove the inhabitants from a little village, and remained there three days. Bimra. J 6. 9. *. The distance from the territories of Aparia to this place, they estimated at three hundred and forty leagues, of which two hundred were uninhabited. Many roads branched off from this village, which indicated a state of government more for- midable than they were prepared to cope with ; they did not, therefore, deem it safe to tarry longer ; so putting on board good store of fruit, and of biscuit made from maize and from mandioc, the spoils of the place, they reimbarked on the Sunday after Ascension. About two leagues on, the river was joined by another of considerable magnitude, which they named Rio de la Trinidad, because it had three islands at its mouth. The country was well peopled, and abounded with fruits; but so many canoes came out, that they were fain to keep the middle of the stream. The next day, seeing a little settlement de- lightfully situated, they ventured to land, and easily forced the place; they found there plenty of provisions; and in a sort of pleasure-house, some jars and jugs of excellent pottery, with other vessels, glazed, and well painted. They also found gold and silver, and the Indians told them there was plenty of all these things in the country. Here were two idols, made of platted palms, after a strange fashion; they were of gigantic size, and round the thicker part of the arms and legs were broad circles of a funnel shape, like the guard of a spear. There were two high roads leading from this place ; Orellana went about half a league along each of them, . . and seeing that they widened as he went on, thought it not safe to remain a 92 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. night on shore in such a country. He and his people were not to think of enriching themselves now, but of saving their l'^-- lives, and discovering what they might return to conquer. For above a hundred leagues further they sailed on through this populous track, keeping alway the middle of the stream, to be at safe distance from the land. Then they entered the domi- nions of another Chief, called Paguana, where they were re- ceived as friends; the land was. fertile, and the people had the Peruvian sheep. On the day of the Holy Ghost they past in sight of a large settlement, which had many streets, all opening upon the river ; from these the inhabitants got into their canoes to attack the brigantines, but soon retreated when they felt the effect of fire- arms and cross-bows. The next day brought them to the last place in Paguana's territories, and they entered into another country belonging to a warlike people, whose name they did not learn. On the eve of Trinity they stormed a settlement where the inhabitants used large pavaises for their defence. A little below this a river from the South joined the main stream : its waters, they said, were as black as ink, and for more than twenty leagues after the junction, formed a dark line, keeping them- selves unmingled. They past by many small settlements, and stormed one in search of food ; it was surrounded with a wooden wall, the gate of which they were obliged to win ; . . this can mean nothing more than the common palisade circle. The river was now so broad, that when they were near one bank they could not see the other. In another place they found several dresses of feathers ; . . an Indian whom they took said that these dresses were worn at festivals, and that they were now in the land of the Amazons. Wherever they past the peo- ple on the shore called out to them, as if defying them to battle. On the 7th of June they landed at a village without opposition, HISTORY OF BRAZIL. q<* none but women being there; they took good store of fish at CHAP. this place ; and Orellana, yielding to the importunity of the soldiers, consented to pass the night ashore, because it was the eve of Corpus Christi. At evening the men of the village returned from the fields, and finding such guests, attempted to drive them out. The Spaniards soon put them to flight ; but Orellana wisely insisted upon embarking, and getting off imme- diately. A gentler people dwelt beyond these ; then they came to a. large settlement, where they saw seven pillories as they call them, with human heads set upon spikes ; there were paved roads from hence, with rows of fruit trees on either side. The next day they came to another such place, and were necessitated to land there, for want of food : the natives seeing their design, lay in ambush for them and attacked them furiously ; but their Chief was slain by a cross-bow-shot, and the Spaniards carried off a supply of maize, tortoises, ducks, and parrots. With this seasonable supply they made off to an island, to take food and refresh themselves. A woman of comely appearance, whom they carried off from this place, told them there were many men like themselves in the interior, and that one of the native Chiefs had got two white women, whom he had brought from the country lower down the river. These women were probably survivors from the wreck of Aires da Cunha's expedition. During the next four days, which was while their provision lasted, they never attempted to land ; in that time they past b}^ a settlement from whence, the woman told them, was the way to the country where the white men were. At the next place where they foraged maize was found, and oats, from which the inhabitants brewed a sort of beer : . . they found what they called an ale- house for this licmor, good cotton cloth, and an oratory in which arms were hung up, and two coloured head-dresses, resembling g^ HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP, episcopal mitres in shape. They slept upon the opposite shore, on a hill, and were disturbed by the Indians in canoes. On the 22d of June" they saw many large settlements on the left bank, but the current was so strong that they could not cross to them. Villages, inhabited by fishers, were now always in sight. On turning an angle of the river they saw the country far before them, and many large places, the people of which had been apprized of their coming, and were collected apparently with hostile intentions. Orellana proffered to them trinkets, at which they scoffed; he persisted in making towards them, to get food either by persuasion or by force. A shower of arrows was kept up from the shore, which wounded five of the Span- iards, and Fray Gaspar among them. They nevertheless landed, and a brave battle ensued, wherein the Indians appeared not to be dismayed by the slaughter which was made among them. Fray Gaspar affirmed that ten or twelve Amazons 1 fought at the head of these people, who were subject to their nation, and maintained the fight thus desperately, because any one who fled in battle would be beaten to death by these female tyrants. He described the women as very tall and large-limbed, white of complexion, the hair long, platted, and banded round the head ; their only article of dress was a cincture, and they were armed with bows and arrows. The Spaniards slew seven or eight of them, and then the Indians fled. A trumpeter whom they made prisoner gave them much information concerning the interior ; such bodies however were pouring in from all sides, that Orellana hastened to embark, without obtaining any booty. By » It is amusing to observe how this story was magnified where it was known only by tradition. In the Noticias do Brazil it is said that Orellana fought with a great army of women. 1. C. 4. HISTORY OF BRAZIL. Q5 this time, according to their computation, they had voyaged four- CHAP. teen hundred leagues. ^JvO At safe distance from this perilous place they came to another 1542. large settlement, and the men seeing no natives urged their leader to land. He told them that if the people did not appear they were certainly lurking in ambush, and so it proved. The moment the brigantines were near enough, up they started, and discharged a flight of arrows. The brigantines had been pa- vaised since they left Machiparo's country/ or they must have suffered severely now : as it was, Fray Caspar lost one of his eyes, . . it would have been to his credit if he had lost both before he saw his white Amazons. The towns or villages on the South bank were nowhere more than half a league apart, and they were told that the country inland was equally populous. As Orellana had entered the province on St. John's day, he called it after his name the Province of S. Juan. Its extent he estimated at a hundred and fifty leagues of inhabited coast ; he observed it with especial care, as a country which he hoped one day to make his own : it was high land, with many savan- nahs, and forests of corks and oaks of sundry species. In the middle of the river were many islands, at which he meant to land, supposing them to be uninhabited ; but suddenly about two hundred canoes sallied out from them, each carrying from thirty to forty men, some of whom raised a loud discord with tambours, trumpets, three-stringed rebecks, and instruments which are described as mouth-organs, while they attacked the brigantines. The Spaniards, though they repelled these ene- mies, were so harrassed that they could not take in provisions at any of these islands. The land in them seemed to be high, fertile, and delightful, and they judged the largest to be fifty leagues in breadth. When the canoes had given over pursuit, Orellana landed in an oak-forest, and there by means of a QQ HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP, vocabulary which he had made, interrogated a prisoner. He ^v-L^ learnt from him that this country was subject to women, who 1542. \{ vec \ a fter the manner of the Amazons of the antients, and who possessed gold and silver in abundance. There were in their dominions five temples of the Sun, all covered with plates of gold ; their houses were of stone, and their cities Availed. It is justly remarked by Herrera, that Orellana could not possibly in the course of his voyage have made a vocabulary 8 by which such an account as this could have been understood. The truth is that, like Ralegh, having found a country which he thought Avorth conquering and colo'nizing, he invented just such falshoods about it as Avere most likely to tempt adventurers to join him in his projected enterprizc. A feAV Avomen had been seen fighting with boAvs and arroAvs ; this had often been seen in America ; . . his temples of the Sun Avere borroAved from Peru, and concerning them it should be observed, that he affirmed they Avere there, be- cause he hoped and expected to find them there ; . . cupidity and credulity made him a liar. Here they thought again to enter upon an uninhabited coun- try, but presently they saw upon the left bank large and goodly settlements, seated upon high ground. Orellana Avould not go near them, for he wished to avoid danger Avhenever it Avas to be avoided. The natives got into their canoes, and -pushed off even into the middle of the river, to look at the brigantines, not offering to attack them. Their prisoner said that this province extended above a hundred leagues, and belonged to a Chief called Caripuna, avIio had much silver. At length they came to • Condamine prepared a vocabulary before he began his A r oyage down the Tiver. He set down all the questions which it could be necessary for him to ask, but he forgot to put any answers. P. 111. HISTORY OF BRAZIL. 97 a village at which they thought themselves strong enough to call CHAP, for food. The inhabitants stood upon their defence, and slew v^v~L> Antonio de Carranza ; . . it was soon discovered that they used 134 -- poisoned arrows. The Spaniards anchored under a forest, and made barricadoes to protect themselves against these dreadful weapons : . . here they thought they could perceive the tide °. After another day's voyage they came to some inhabited islands, and to their infinite joy saw that they had not been deceived, for the marks of the tide here were certain. Two squadrons of canoes issued from a small branch, of the river and fiercely assailed them : the barricadoes were now of excellent service, and they repelled the assailants. Caspar de Soria received a slight arrow-wound, and died within four and twenty hours, such was the force of the poison. This land upon the right shore belonged to a Chief called Chipayo. The canoes attacked them a second time; but a Biscayan, by name Perucho, brought down their Chief by a well aimed shot, and this as usual put an end to the action. The Spaniards then stood across the river to the «.a 5. •North shore, the South side being too populous. This other was uninhabited, but it was plain that the interior was peopled. They rested here three days, and Orellana sent some of his men a league in, to explore the country ; their report was that they had seen many people avIio seemed to be hunting, and that the land was good and fertile. From this place the country was low, and they could never 9 Fray Caspar said that a bird who bad followed them a thousand leagues, crying huis, Ituis, which signified houses, whenever they were near habitations, here cried out hut/, huy, (which the good Friar has not explained) and then left thein. Cuenta otras cosas maravillosas, says Herrera, who seems to have had the narrative of this veracious Dominican before him. O 93 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. venture to land except upon the islands, among which they sailed, as they supposed, about two hundred leagues, the tide coming up with great force. These islands were inhabited. One day as they were about to land at one, the small brigantine struck upon a tree, which stove in one of her planks, and she filled. They however landed to seek for provisions : the inha- bitants attacked them in such force that they were compelled to retire, and when they came to their vessels they found that the tide had left the only serviceable one dry. Orellana immediately ordered half his men to fight, and the other half to thrust her into the water ; that done they righted the old brigantine, and fastened in a new plank ; all winch was compleated in three hours, by which time the Indians were weary of fighting, and left them in peace. They then embarked what stores they had won, and pushed oft' into the middle stream, for security during the night. The next day they found a desert place, where Orellana halted to repair both vessels. This took them eighteen days, for it was necessary to make nails : during that time they suffered much from hunger ; . . a dead anta which they drag- ged out of the river proved a seasonable supply. As they drew near the Sea they halted again for fourteen days, to pre- pare for their sea-voyage ; made cordage of herbs, and sewed the cloaks on which they slept into sails : while they were thus employed they lived upon shell-fish. On the 8th of August they proceeded once more, anchoring with stones when the tide turned, though it sometimes came in with such strength as to drag these unstable anchors. Here the natives were happily of a milder mood than those whom they had lately dealt with ; from them they procured roots and maize, and having laid in what store they could, they made ready to enter upon the Sea in these frail vessels, with their miserable tackling and insufficient food, without pilot, compass, or any knowledge of the coast. HISTORY OF BRAZIL. gg It was on the 26th of August that they sailed out of the river, CHAP. f v passing between two islands, which were about four leagues asun- ^^^ der ; . . the whole length of the voyage from the place where they 1542. had embarked to the Sea, they computed at eighteen hundred leagues. Thus far their weather had been always favourable, and it did not fail them DOW. They kept along the coast to the northward, just at safe distance. The two brigantines parted company in the night : they in the larger one got into the gulph of Paria, from whence all their labour at the oar for seven days could not extricate them. During tins time they lived upon a sort of plum called hogos, being the only food they could find. At length they were whirled through those tremendous currents which Columbus called the Bocas del Dragon, and reached the island of Cubagua on September the 11th, not knowing where they were. The old brigantine had arrived at the same place two days before them. Here they were received with the wel- come which their wonderful adventure deserved, and from hence Orellana proceeded to Spain to give the King an account of his dHerrera. iscovenes in person. 6 . «.e. The excuse which he made for having deserted his Commander onihna was admitted. He solicited a grant of the conquest of the countries *?£!?£* winch he had explored, offering to take out an hundred horse, two hundred foot-soldiers, eight religioners, and materials for build- ing brigantines at his own cost: this also was granted. The name of Nueva Andalusia was given to the province which he was to govern ; the Islands were not to be within his jurisdiction ; he was to convert the islanders if he could, to traffic with them if he would, but not to conquer or form any settlement among them: and he was instructed not to trespass upon the Portu- gueze limits. Every thing promised fairly ; he raised funds and adventurers for the expedition, and. even found a wife who was willing to accompany him. In May 1544, he set sail from San Lucar with four ships, and four hundred men l0 . 100 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. But the tide of Orellana's fortune had turned. He stopt three months at Teneriffe, and two at the Cape de Verds, where 1 J 44. ninety-eight of his people died, and fifty were left behind as invalided. They proceeded with three ships, and met with con- trary winds, which detained them till their water was gone ; and had it not been for heavy rains all must have perished. One ship put back in this distress with seventy men and eleven horses on board, and Avas never heard of after. The remaining two reached the river. They procured food at some islands near the mouth, and would have landed there to refresh themselves and the horses, but Orellana would not permit this, saying the country was well peopled. Having ascended about a hundred leagues, they stopt to build a brigantine : provisions were scarce here, and fifty-seven more of the party died. These men were not, like his former comrades, seasoned to the climate, and habituated to the difficulties of the New World. One ship was broken up here for the materials ; the other, when they had ad- vanced about thirty leagues higher, broke her cable ; she was then no longer serviceable, and they cut her up, and made a bark of the timbers. This was the labour of thirty perons for ten "VT wccks - While they were thus employed Orellana endeavoured to dis- cover the main branch of the river, which it had been easy to 10 A heavy charge has been raised against Orellana ; that Gonzalo Pizarro had embarked a great treasure in gold and emeralds in the brigantine, and that he appropriated them to his own use. This is every way improbable. Gonzalo had found no gold and no jewels on the expedition, and for what possible motive could he take any with him ? Pizarro y Orellana makes no mention of this charge, which he certainly would have done had it been well founded. This wretched writer delivers it as his opinion, that nothing but the desertion of the brigantine prevented his great-uncle Gonzalo from conquering as rich an empire as had yet been discovered in America. Varones Ihtstres del Nuevo Mundo. Vida de G. Pizarro. C. 2. HISTORY OF BRAZIL. JQJ keep when carried clown by the stream, but which he now sought CHAP, in vain for thirty days, among a labyrinth of channels. When he v-41. acorns 4 . The monkies fed upon these nuts; they climbed the jwwo tree, swung themselves by the tail, and then with hands, or feet, ttonepine. threw down the fruit ; but the wild boars understood this, and used to assemble underneath and eat the nuts, while the mon- kies chattered at them from aloft. In this place, which was called Tugui, the Adelantado halted a few days in honour of Christmas ; at other times, though often urged to let the men rest, he had refused ; and they now perceived, from the ill effects _ of a few days remission, how necessary exercise was to preserve Jj 9 - them in health. 7 - 2,9 - A winding river, Avhose banks were beautifully clothed with cypress and cedar, gave them much trouble in crossing and re- crossing it for four days. The potatoes in this country were of three sorts, white, yellow, and red, all large and excellent : there was also plenty of honey. With the new year they entered 154?. again upon a desert, and for the first time were in want of food. They found however a good resource in what European pre- judice would at another time have rejected. A large white Agmbvua J'orfotd. * The translator of Techo, in Churchill's Collection, absurdly calls them pine- apples. These trees, according to that author, shed their boughs, so that only the signs of them appear, and the knots which they leave are so hard, that wheu polished, they resemble bone rather than wood. The Guaranies of the Reduc- tions turn beads of them for rosaries, and make images of the larger; by laying them at some distance before a fire, the resin which they contain diffuses itself over the surface, and at once dies them red and varnishes them. The native name of the tree is Cnriyeh, . . the last syllable of this word is aspirated ; this being pre- mised, there is no occasion of a new character to express the sound. Dobrizhofer. T. 1. P. 401 . HO HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP, grub, about the size of a man's little finger, is bred between v-rv ^_, the joints of a certain species of cane ; these grubs are fat 1542. enough to be fried in their own grease 5 ; the Indians eat them, and the Spaniards being now forced to make the proof, ad- mitted that they were savoury. Other canes grew there, which contained good water. In six days they came again to habi- tations. It was necessary here to reprimand the two Fran- ciscans ; they had brought with them, in defiance of the Ade- lantado's orders, a useless train of converts, old and young ; 8 Antonio de Ulloa, in his Noticias Americanas (Entretenimiento. 6. §. 11.) says this grub has the singular property of producing rnilk in women, antique no esten en positura de tenerla. The Argentina (Canto 3.) adds a stranger fable, . . that they first became butterflies, and then mice. There are two sorts of these, says D. Martin — De los unos y de otros he comido ; En muy poco defieren sits sabores, Estando el nno y otro derretido ; Manteca fresca a mi me parescia, Mas sabe Dios la hambre que tenia '. In Ponto et Phrygid vermes albos et obesos,qui nigello capite sunt, et nascuniur in lignorum curie, pro magnis reditibus paterfamilias exigit, et quo modo apud nos attagen et Jicedula, mullus et scarus in deliciis computantur, ita apud illos ivXoQxyot comedisse luxuria est. St. Hieron. ad Jovin. L. C. quoted in Hole's Remarks on the Arab. Nights Ent. p. 94. The Spaniards of Santiago in Tucuman, when they go seeking honey in the woods, cleave certain palm-trees upon their way, and on their return find large grubs in the wounded trees, which they fry as a delicious food. Dobiizhofer. T. 1. P. 410. The caterpillar, or maggot of the palm-tree snout beetle, (curculio palmarum) is served up at all the luxurious tables of West Indian epicures, particularly of the French, as the greatest dainty of the western world. U interbottom's Account of the Sierra Leone Africans, Vol. 1.314. note. dmeniai ios HISTORY OF BRAZIL. X 1 1 and with these they thought proper to advance before the army, CHAP, and eat up the provisions. The Spaniards would have driven v^v^ them and their retinue away, if Cabeza de Vaca would have 154*. permitted. He contented himself with strictly forbidding them to pursue this conduct ; they regarded this as little as , they had done his former prohibition ; here, however, they ventured to leave him and take a road by themselves. He had the humanity to send after them, and compel them to come back; otherwise they would soon have met with the fate which they seem to have deserved. On the 14th they came again to the banks of the Yguazu, a river Which is described to be as broad as the Guadalquivir. The inhabitants here were the richest in all these parts; and this word is applied to them in its wisest and truest meaning; they lived in the most fruitful country, and every man partook of the abundance. From hence Cabeza de Vaca sent two Indians forward with letters to Asumpcion, informing the Spaniards of his approach, and here he left four of his men who were unable to proceed, with Francisco Orejon, who was lamed by the bite of a dog. The tidings of his coming ran before him, and his people every Avhere experienced the good effects of their good order. The natives came out to meet them, and made the ways ready when they drew nigh ; and the old women received them with great joy, . . a thing of no little consequence, for old women were unaccountably held in high veneration here, which old men were not. On the last day of January they came to the same river Yguazu, a branch of which, bearing the same name, they had crost so long before. This river, known also by the name of Rio Grande de Curituba, falls into the Parana. A party of Portugueze, whom Martini Aftbnso de Sousa had sent to explore the country, had been cut off by the natives while crossing- it. The Adelantado was informed that the tribe which bordered Comentarios 10. 11. J 12 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. upon the river Pequeri, was preparing to cut him off in like manner; and in consequence of this information he determined to go with a part of the army doAvn this river, while the rest marched along its shore, till they reached the Parana. Canoes were purchased of the natives, and he embarked in them with eighty men. They had hardly began their voyage before they were whirled away by the current. It seems as if the natives had wished for their destruction, for they were near the tremen- dous falls of the Yguazu. Faiuofthe This river, which flows tranquilly through forests of gigantic rgum. . s a ° trees, preserving in its course an uniform breadth of about a mile, takes a Southern direction some three miles before it reaches the fall, its contracted width being four hundred and eighty-two fathoms, its depth from twelve to twenty feet, and its banks little elevated. As it approaches the descent several small islands, and many reefs and detached rocks on the left hand side, confine its channel and direct it a little to the West- ward. Not far below them the waters of the middle channel begin their descent. The shallower branch makes its way along the Eastern bank among reefs and rocks, where it falls some- times in cataracts, sometimes in sheets, till being confined on that side by the shore, it makes its last descent from a small projection, two hundred and eighty fathoms from the point where it began. The waters fall first upon a shelf of rock jutting about twenty feet out, then precipitate themselves into the great bason, which is eight and twenty fathoms below the upper level. The Western branch seems to rest after its broken course in a large bay, formed by the projecting point of an island, then pours itself by a double cataract into the great bason. The breadth of this Western branch is thirty-three fathoms, and from the point where the descent begins on this side to its last fall is a distance of six hundred and fifty-six. On the fall the water HISTORY OF BRAZIL. l|g rises during the floods five feet, and below it five and twenty. CHAP. The breadth of the channel opposite the island is forty fathoms, and sixty-five a league below the fall, to which distance the waters still continue in a state of agitation. Enormous trunks of trees are seen floating down, or whirled to the edge of the the bason, or entangled among the reefs and broken rocks, or caught by the numerous islands which lie in the midst of the stream, and some in the very fall itself, dividing and subdividing its waters into an infinity of channels. From the bason the col- lected river flows with a force which nothing can resist, through rocks, eighty or a hundred feet in height, of hard stone, in some places brown, in others of a deep red colour inclining to purple. No fish, it is said, can endure to approach this dreadful place. A thick vapour rises ten fathoms high in a clear day, twenty at morning, when the sky is overcast. This cloud is visible from the Parana, and the sound of the fall is distinctly heard there, . . a distance of twelve miles in a right line 6 . Aware of danger from the increased rapidity of the stream, and hearing the sound of the Falls, the Spaniards got to shore in time, carried the canoes half a league over land with great difficulty, then re-embarked, and both parties reached the point of junction in safety. The Parana, which they were now to cross, was a long Pamgetf . , . . . . the Parana. bow-shot in width, and the stream ran with great strength. A - large body of Guaranies were assembled on the banks, their bodies painted of many colours, and smeared with oker : their coronals were of parrots feathers ; . . it was a pleasure, says the journalist, 8 Tins description is from a manuscript account of the Falls, in the Spanish language. The author remained eight days on the spot for the purpose of making observations ; he was well qualified to be correct in his measurements, and the account is to be relied on. The exact situation of the Falls is in latitude 25° 42' 20" S. : longitude 3° 47' 50" East of Buenos Ayres. Q 214 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP, to behold the show they made. Cabeza dc Vaca sent his inter- preters to conciliate them, and making presents to their Chiefs he won their good will, and they helped him in his passage. Rafts were made for the horses by fastening two canoes toge- ther. There were many whirlpools in the river. One canoe was upset, and one Spaniard carried down by the stream and lost. Here the Adelantado expected to have found brigantines from Asumpeion awaiting him, to secure this passage where he might have been so greatly annoyed by the Guaranies, and to take on board such of his people as were now disabled by the fatigue of so painful a march. None however appeared ; there were about thirty sick men who could not proceed, and it was not safe to tarry with them among a tribe suspected to be hos- tile, and known to be treacherous. It was resolved to send them upon these same rafts down the Parana to the care of Francisco* a converted Indian who lived upon its banks. A Chief, by name Yguaron, undertook to conduct them there ; the place was four days distance, and fifty men were sent to protect Cementarios. . ii—i3. them. Arrimi at The land march which still remained to be performed was umpuon. com p U j- e( j t be a journey of nine days. Cabeza de Vaca per- formed the ceremony of taking possession of the Parana, a cere- mony which he seems to have omitted no opportunity of per- forming, . . and then proceeded. The ways were worse because of the number of rivers and marshes which lay between ; but the people were still of the same language, and continued to be friendly. The country between the Parana and the Paraguay is divided by a chain of mountains. Towards the South they slope gradually, and all the streams which they discharge into the former river are clear ; on the North they are precipitous ; the Ttchom waters roll down into a marshy muddy land, and render the cwui/. p ara g Ua y turbid. A messenger from Asumpeion met him. He HISTORY OF BRAZIL. jj/j reported that the Spaniards there were in such distress, that CHAP, although they had received his letters, they could scarcely give credit to tidings so joyful till they had seen him with their own eyes. From this man the Adelantado learnt of the evacuation of Buenos Ayres ; he learnt also that the Spaniards repented having evacuated it, because vessels which might arrive would have no place to shelter in, and therefore they had lost all hope of receiving succours. This intelligence made him quicken his march, that he might send to relieve the ships, which he knew must needs be in great distress in consequence of the desertion of that settlement. As he drew nearer the Guara- nies came out to meet him, and clear the way for his coming; they supplied him plentifully, and brought their wives and children with them, the surest pledge of amicable intentions. Many among them addressed him in good Spanish. At length, on the eleventh of March, he reached Asumpeion, where he produced his powers, and was received as Governor. The wands of justice were resigned into his hands ; he appointed new officers, and there seemed to be general joy at his arrival. rZflt Meantime the sick and their escort had been in great danger, amgervf As soon as the Adelantado was departed, and the Indians had tkeWnSh. nothing more to fear from his power, nor to hope from his liberality, they attempted to cut off this detachment. One party pursued them in canoes; another assailed them from the banks, striving to drag the rafts to shore with long hooks ; could they have effected this, the Spaniards must soon have been over- powered by numbers. Day and night this harrassing warfare was continued for fourteen days : all that the Spaniards could do was to keep the mid stream, shield themselves as well as they could, and let the current carry them down. The whirlpools frequentl}' endangered them, and had it not been for their ut- most exertion, must have driven them to shore, where their des- 116 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP, truction would have been inevitable. At length the Indian V a* Francisco having heard of their approach, came to their assist- 154-. ance, and took them to an island which he possessed, where their wounds were healed, and they recovered from their fatigue and hunger. Cabeza de Vaca sent brigantines to bring them Commt. u. from hence, and they reached Asumpcion thirty days after him. Ordmgiven Immediately on his arrival he had dispatched two brigantines (o re -settle Buenos to Buenos Ay res, to relieve the ships, and ordered two others to be built as speedily as possible, that they might follow them and re-establish that important place, without which auy settle- ments in the interior must always be insecure. For not only did vessels after the voyage from Europe need a port where they could find supplies, and land their sick, but it was necessary also to build brigantines before they could proceed up the river ; and how was this to be done where there were no provisions, and the natives hostile? He provided this detachment with a skin of wine for the ceremony of the mass : and gave them strict orders coment. i». neither to provoke nor injure the Indians on their way. The Gtiara- The Guarauics who dwelt in the immediate vicinity of Asump- cion differed from the Brazilian tribes in their mode of killing a captive. The women fattened him. He was then tricked with all their adornments of plumery and strings of bone, and led out to dance for an hour. Then a warrior felled him by a blow on the loins and another on the shins, given with the macana, or wooden sword, which was held in both hands. When he had thus been felled, three boys, about six years old, were put to hammer at his head with little hatchets 7 , their parents and kinsmen standing by, and telling them to be valiant, and tnes. 1 Of copper, it is said in these Commentaries; but this must be erroneous, for there is no metal of any kind found in this part of the country. HISTORY OF BRAZIL. jj- ]eam bow to kill their enemies. It is. said that the skulls of CHAP, these people were so thick, that though one blow with the ^v^, macana would fell an ox, it required five or six to bring one of 1542. them down. He who struck the first blow at one of these but- cheries, took from that time the name of the victim. Cabeza de Vaca assembled these Guaranies, and told them that as vassals of the King of Spain they must leave off such abominations, and come to the knowledge of God and the Christian faith. com™, is. The Paraguay was infested by a hunting and fishing tribe, ThcA S „<- e ,. called Agaces, avIio were the pirates, or free-booters of the country, and exceeded the Payagoaes in cruelty. It was their practice when they had taken any prisoners with their flying squadrons of canoes, to carry them from time to time back to their places of abode, and when their kinsmen, wives, or chil- dren came out to treat for their ransom, torture them till pro- visions were given to purchase a remission of cruelty. They usually killed them at last, and tixed their heads upon stakes, on the shores of the river. This accursed race were terri- fied at the Adclantado's arrival, and came to request peace. He granted it on condition of their giving up all the prisoners who were then in their power, and promising never more to offend cither the Spaniards or their allies, nor even to enter that part of the river which ran through their territories, except by daylight. Coma* 17. The allies of the Spaniards complained also of the injuries TheGu*j- which they suffered from the Guaycurus, a tribe of whom they stood in great fear. The Guaycurus were hunters, and had therefore no tixed habitations. The mats of which they made their tents were easily removed from one place to another, when they had exhausted the game round about ; few beasts escaping them, . . for if their arroAvs failed they could run down the swiftest. In November they gathered the pods of the Algarroba, or carob 118 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP, tree, which they preserved in flour j and of this they made a ^•v^ strong drink. Each Cazique had his limits of wandering ; they f->^2. sometimes overpassed them in hunting or fishing, and this license was permitted to all of the same nation, but not to borderers of a 7<,»«.c. p.' different stock. They paid singular honours to a Chief; when Tcchoin he was about to spit, thev who were near held out their hands to Churchill. • i • 1- p. 32. receive his saliva. Before a Guaycuru can be admitted to the rank of warrior, lie must give proof of his courage by showing that he can endure pain as if he were insensible to it. This they do by cutting and piercing themselves in the tenderest parts. Boys are trained up to glory in these exhibitions of fortitude, and to engage in mock wars with real fury. Their attacks were usually made by night, and the darkest nights were chosen. The rank which an indi- vidual had attained was distinguished by the fashion in which the hair was cut. The men are naked, but in some degree dis- guise nakedness by painting their bodies. Such among them as would be coxcombs in Europe wear a net upon the head. The women are decently clothed from the waist with skins, or cloth : above it they tattoo themselves. When a Chief is buried, some slay themselves to bear him company, others are killed. They erect huts in their cemeteries for the dead, and repair them when needful ; and here they lay food, clothing, and whatever they think the spirit can require. The Enacagas, one of the tribes into which this nation is divided, are held in abhor- rence by the others, because they make no scruple of opening the graves for the sake of what has been buried with the dead. It is their belief that the souls of the wicked pass into the bodies of wild beasts. They destroy all deformed children, all illegitimate ones, and all twins, probably from a notion that they must needs be feeble. A custom yet more barbarous, and far more singular. Coment. 19. Techo in Churchill. p. 32. HISTORY OF BRAZIL. 119 is, that a mother rears 8 only one child; either procuring abor- CHAP, tion, or killing the rest as soon as born. The one which they save is indulged in every want and wish, however capricious. A sort of monogamy is established among them : with respect to the men, it is merely having many wives in succession, instead of many at once ; because they change as often as they chuse ; jet this custom is better than poly gam y ; the women are not enslaved by it, and it is probably owing to this cause that they are treated with respect. Jn this remarkable and important point the Guaycurus differed from most other savages ; and if the women of their enemies fell into their power, they never detained them prisoners, nor injured them in any way. a.iL Cabeza de Vaca investigated the truth of the complaints cabeza against this nation with ridiculous formality. He examined vL-cZl witnesses to prove the actual fact of hostility committed by the Juoycunu, Guaycurus, and required the Friars to pronounce sentence of war against them, as capital enemies. Two Spaniards who un- derstood their language were then sent, with a priest in com- pany and a sufficient guard, to summon them to make peace with the Guaranies, and yield obedience to the King of Castille, which summons they were to repeat three times. The messen- gers were received with scorn, and driven back by force, and the Adelantado with two hundred men and twelve horse began his march against them. So large a body of Guaranies assem- bled for this expedition, that they were eight hours crossing the river in two hundred canoes. When the passage was effected and they were about to enter the enemies country, they asked permission of the Adelantado to make him the customary pre- sent on such occasions. Every Chief gave him a painted bow, * Probably only one of each sex is meant: the tribe would otherwise have soon been extinct, as every generation must have halved it. IQQ HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP, and a painted arrow winged with parrots feathers, and every ^ man gave an arrow : the whole afternoon was employed in this 1 ^3- ceremony. These allies were smeared with oker and painted with divers colours. They wore white beads upon the neck, coronals of the richest plumery, and a plate of burnished cop- per upon the forehead, which they said, was meant to dazzle the eyes of their enemies, and confuse them. Hitherto they had brought in store of venison and of ostriches to the army ; 20— "i. but now that they were in the country of the Guaycurus, they 7 e. >4.' no longer hunted, for they hoped to fall upon them by surprize. The Spaniards had little confidence in their allies, and thought it as necessary to keep watch against them as against the ene- my. The second night a jaguar, the tyger of South America, got into the camp among the Guaranies ; an uproar arose, and the Spaniards immediately suspecting treachery, beat to amis, set up the cry of Santiago, and attacked them. They instantly lied : as soon as the cause of the disturbance was discovered, Cabeza de Vaca went to them, and with great difficult}- suc- ceeded in convincing them of the mistake, and reconciling them. He himself had narrowly escaped in the confusion ; two mus- quet balls had grazed his face ; and this he imputed to design, hot to accident; for he thought that Yrala regretted the authority of which he had been dispossessed by his arrival, and that he come*. s4. would scruple at no means of regaining it. Just as order was restored, one of the scouts arrived with intelligence that the Guaycurus, who had been on the move, were pitching their tents about three leagues off". It was now about midnight ; the Adelantado set out immediately, that he might fall upon them at day-break, and he ordered a white cross to be made with plaister upon the backs and breasts of the allies, that they might not be hurt by mistake. They reached the place while it was yet dark, and waited till it should be HISTORY OF BRAZIL. 121 lMit enough for the attack: there were about twenty of their CHAP. . V matted tents, it tents they may be called, each about five lum- *— ^-^ tired paces in length. The number of fighting men in the horde ^' ) '^- was estimated at four thousand 9 . Cabeza de Yaca gave orders to leave a way by which the enemy might escape, his object being to intimidate, not to destroy them. The mouths of the horses, bridled and bitted as they were, were filled with grass, to prevent them from neighing. Amid these precautions the Guaranics were trembling with fear; even the presence of such allies could not give them any confidence against so formid- able a tribe, iioav that the hour of trial was come. While Cabeza de Yaea was exhorting them to take courage and attack their enemies, the Guay cuius began their morning song and beat of tambour ; it was a song of exultation ; . . they called upon all nations to come against them if they dared, . . for though we are t'vw, said they, we are braver than all other people, and are lords of the earth, and of all the venison of the woods, and of the rivers, ami of all the fish therein. Every day this was their song just before the dawn; and when the break of morning appeared, it was their custom to come out, and fall upon the ground, . . probably in adoration of the rising sun. According to this cus- tom they came out now, holding torches in their hands ; they saw the lighted matches of the harquebusseers, and soon disco- vered the army which was come against them ; but instead of running back in alarm, they bravely demanded what men Mere bold enough to come to their tents. A Guarani Chief made answer, I am Hector (it was the name by which he had been 9 There must surely be some great exaggeration in this account; what with old and young women, each dormitory must have contained at least five hun- dred persons upon this computation. Such tents must be as long as a Bazar, and would be more troublesome to erect than many smaller ones. R 122 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAT, christened) and I am come with my people to take exchange for those whom ye have slain. This was their phrase to signify re- bH2. venge. You come in a bad hour, replied the Guaycurus, for you will fare after them; and throwing their torches at the Spaniards they Avent in for their arms, and in an instant rushed out and at- tacked them, as if they had the utmost contempt for their assailants. The Guaranies drew back, and would have fled if they dared. By this time the horses poitrals, which were hung with bells, had been put on, and Cabeza de Vaca charged at their head. At this unexpected mode of attack, and the sight of animals which they had never seen before, they instantly took to flight, and set fire to their tents. The smoke secured their retreat, and taking advantage of this they slew two Spaniards and twelve Indians, and bore away their heads as trophies. This mode of killing and beheading at the same time was effected with sin- gular and barbarous dexterity; they clenched the foe by the hair, . sawed round his neck, and twirling the head at the same time, it came off with inconceivable facility. The instrument with which they performed this was the jaw of the Palometa. No other animal so small is furnished Avith such formidable teeth as this fish ; for though its ordinary Aveight does not exceed two or three pounds, and it is half as Avide as it is long; it attacks men Avhen sAvimming, and is far more dreaded in this part of South America than the crocodile. Each jaAv contains fourteen teeth, so sharp that the Abipones shear their sheep Avith the pair 10 . One of these brave Indians, like Eleazar with the elephant, *• Dobrizhoffer. T. 1. P. 370. Binos inilites Hispanos, says this author, qui nantes injiumine nantes equos sequebantur, perfectissime eviratos a paiometis nori. They will bite a man's foot half through. This is doubtless the pery of Surinam, against which Stedman was cautioned by the negro old Caramaca. Narrative of an Exped. to Surinam. T. 1. P. 151. 157. HISTORY OF BRAZIL. 123 was determined to sec what the horses were, and whether CHAP, they were vulnerable ; he caught one by the neck and ran three v-^v^ arrows clean through it, nor could the Spaniards make him quit 1 ^ 4 -- his hold, till they had slain him. But in general it was the custom of these people when thev r found themselves so utterly overpowered as to have no hope of victory, to yield themselves and not attempt any unavailing resistance. Perhaps they thought it more honourable to be slain at a feast, than to die in battle. The Spaniards made about four hundred prisoners, as— 26. men, women, and children, and then began their march home- ward. It required all their vigilance to protect the Guaranies, for when one of those allies had laid hold of a feather, an arrow. a piece of one of the tent-mats, or any thing belonging to the enemy, oft' he set with it to his own country as a trophy of victory. This folly threw many into the hands of the Guaycurus, who lost no opportunity of harrassing them on their return. AVhen the Adclantado reached Asumpcion, he found six n t rapt Yapirues detained there as prisoners. Their tribe were of gigantic stature, hunters and fishers, and enemies both of the Guaranies and Guaycurus, . . of which latter they stood greatly in fear; and having heard that the Spaniards were going against them, sent these deputies to otter their alliance and assistance ; but Gonzalo de Mendoza, who had been left in command, suspected they were come as spies, and had therefore detained them. Cabeza de Yaca conversed with them through an in- terpreter, found that their intention was friendly, and dismissed them with a favourable reply. In a few days the Chiefs of the tribe came to Asumpcion, and left some of their sons and daughters as hostages, whom the Adelantado ordered to be in- structed in the Christian religion. He would fain have sent some of the Religioners to convert these people, but they said it was impossible to do any good among them, and declined the Comentarifls 27. 124- HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP, mission. The truth was, that lie had a worthless set of Friars, v^-v^- who had neither zeal nor honesty, and who were far more willing 154- ; - t share in the spoils of the Indians, than to make any effort for their benefit. Peace vM He then set at liberty one of the Guayeurus, told him that cum. none of the prisoners were to be made slaves, and bade him go bring his countrymen that they might establish peace. The whole horde came to the invitation in perfect confidence, and sent twenty men across the river as their representatives, while the rest remained with the women and children on the other shore. The deputies seated themselves upon one foot, as was their maimer, and said that hitherto they and their forefathers had been wont to conquer all enemies ; but that as the Spa- niards had now conquered them, a thing which they never expected, they were willing to serve their conquerors. Ca- beza de Vaca received them affably, and explained to them the right of the King of Castille to all that country ; they better un- derstood his presents, and the liberation of their countrymen, not only from the Spaniards, but also those whom their old enemies the Guaranies had taken. From this time the Guay- eurus were long the most useful allies of the Spaniards, proving themselves as faithful in peace, as they were courageous in war. Every eight days they brought provisions to sell, consisting of game which they had preserved by the Bouean, here called the Barbacoa, fish, and some kinds of butter, which must either mean lard or inspissated oil. They brought also dressed skins, and cloth made of a species of thistle, and stained of many colours. For these they received, from the Guaranies, maize, mandioc, and mandubis, a sort of earth-nut, the product of their agriculture. These markets, or rather fairs, delighted them as much as Avar had done. They strove which could pass the river first with their laden canoes, of which there were usually about HISTORY OF BRAZIL. J 95 two hundred ; frequently they ran against each other and upset; CHAP, such accidents were matter of mirth to the parties, as well as to ^v>^, the beholders. They were as vociferous in trade as in battle, l->49. but all past on in the best humour. How soon would the Romans have made such a people as civilized as themselves " ! s^'l!"* During the Adclantado's absence upon this expedition the Agaccs had broken the peace. No sooner was he departed than the women whom they had left as hostages at Asumpcion fled, and told them the town was left defenceless. They at- tempted to set fire to it, but were discovered by the centinels in time ; they then wasted the fields, and carried off many pri- soners. Process was made against them as soon as Cabcza de Vaca returned, war denounced with fire and sword ; and about a dozen of them who were prisoners, were sentenced to be hung. But these savages who were to suffer for the offences of their tribe, concealed some knives, and when the officers went to bring them out to execution, stood upon their defence, and wounded several of them. Assistance came in time to save them ; two of the Agaccs were slain in prison, and the rest executed U'omentnviQt according to their sentence. 2 «"- " Jolis divides the Guaycurus, or Mbayas as they are frequently called, into seven tribes, 1. the Guetiadegodis, or inhabitants of the mountain, which divides their territory from the Cbiquitos; 2. 3. two branches both called-Cadiguegodis, a a name taken from the little river Cadiguegui, near which they lived ; 4. the Li- chagotegodeguis, inhabitants of the Red Land; who dwell about the river Tareiri ; 5. the Apaehodegoguis, inhabitants of the plain of the Ostriches ; C. the Eyibego- deguis, or Northerns, who are also called the Enacagas, or the Hidden Ones. This latter name Jolis supposes to be derived from their belief that they formerly lived under the earth, till a dog made way out for them. They live upon the river Mbo- imboi. 7. the Gotocoguegodeguis, they who dwell among the canes. Their ter- ritory lies between the rivers Mboimboi and Iguarii. L.6. Art. 1], Either these names have been written carelessly, or barbarous as they are, they seem to imply a singular rule of mutation in compound words. The Guaycu- rus are now an equestrian nation. Buenos shires a Second time abandoned* 126 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. • Meantime the ships which carried the remainder of the arma- ment from St. Catahna to the River Plata reached Buenos Ayres, j ^42. where instead of finding a settlement of their countrymen, and the relief which they expected, they saw a high pole with these words cut upon it, ' here is a letter!' The letter was buried under- neath in an earthen pot ; it stated that the Spaniards had aban- doned the place and removed to Asumpcion. This occasioned them great distress and great danger. The natives harrassed them, they were in want of food, and a party of five and twenty took the boat and fled to Brazil, to escape famine ; . . it is no wonder that famine was dreaded at Buenos Ayres! Had the suc- cour which the Adelantado sent, reached them a day later, they r must all have perished; for, on the very night of its arrival, the ! ndians attacked them in great force, and set fire to their camp, nor was it without much difficulty, reinforced as they were, that they were able to repulse them. They began to rebuild the town, but to no purpose ; it was the wrong season, and the walls 1543. were washed down as fast as they built them up. At length they gave up the attempt, and proceeded to Asumpcion. That settlement caught fire early in the ensuing year ; two hundred houses -were consumed ; fifty escaped, being divided from the other by a brook. The Spaniards lost most of their apparel and stores in this conflagration. They immediately however began to rebuild the town, and bv the Adelantado's orders made their dwellings of clay instead of wood, that this calamity might r-38. not befall them a second time. It was not doubted that Ayolas had found gold in the interior, before he was cut off by the Payagoaes. Cabcza de Yaca pre- pared to folloAv his steps and pursue the discovery. He ordered a caravel to be built which he might send with dispatches to Spain, and ten brigantines for the river; and he sent Yrala up the stream to learn in what direction the country might most HISTORY OF BRAZIL. 127 easily be penetrated. At the same time two detachments went CHAP, by land upon the same service; both these returned with un- ^-v^ satisfactory intelligence ; one party had been deserted by their 1.54*3. Indians, the other Avandered in a wilderness till the}' thought it hopeless to wander longer ; and subsisted as they returned upon a species of thistle, with no other liquid than the juice which they expressed from herbs. Yrala meantime ascended the river from October 20, to the 6th of January, when he came to a people called Cacocies Chancses, who cultivated the ground and had domesticated ducks for an odd purpose. Their houses c^w to devour were infested with a species of cricket which bred in the thatch "> e «■«*<*»■ and ate all their skins and other articles of clothing, unless they Avere secured from them in closed earthen vessels; and the ducks were kept to devour these vermin. Here Yrala saw gold ; he went a little way into the country, and having seen no better place from whence to begin their march, returned with this tidings to Asumpcion. 34—39. Before the Adelantado could commence his expedition, a Action faction was formed against him, which was abetted by the two Adelantado. Franciscans whom he had brought from Brazil. These va^a- bonds undertook to return to St. Catalina by their former route, and carry complaints against him to Spain. They chose also to take with them five and thirty young women, daughters of the Chiefs of the land, by whom the}' had been given as hos- tages. The girls were unwilling to go, and complained to their fathers ; the fathers complained to Cabeza de Vaca, when the party had just set out ; he sent after them, and they were over- taken and brought back. The Friars escaped punishment as beino- churchmen, the sheeps-cloathing in such cases saving the wolf; but some of the King's officers, who Mere implicated, were thrown into prison, and left there. It would have been better for the Adelantado if he had acted with more decision, and sent Cment. 43. them all prisoners to Spain. [ omentarios 128 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP. He now set forth. Two hunched men and twelve horses went ^X^j by land ; as many more with six horses by water. The flotilla 154.3. consisted often brigantines and a hundred and twenty canoes, cob C :a rfc w hich carried twelve hundred Indians. At a place called Vacaunder- takes ane t . Ypananie thev found a Guarani who had been some years a ■pedition into I * ^ a« inurhr. s ] avc among the Payagoaes, and therefore understood their lan- guage. This man willingly consented to go with them as inter- preter, and they proceeded to Puerto dc la Candelaria, where Ayolas had been slain. Hitherto it ws an expedition of plea- sure ; they who were on shore had plenty of game ; the river abounded with fish, and with Capiiguaras, or river-pigs, which live in the water by day, and go on shore during the night; they are gregarious, and the noise they make resembles the braying of an ass. Six canoes were necessary to hunt these animals. When they saw one rise for breath, one half the party stationed themselves above the spot, and the other below it, at good distance ; when he rose again they fired, and this they 1.331. J r continued to do as often as their prey appeared, till the dead Com. 44 — ill i is. bodv floated. TkePayag* A few Payagoaes came to the banks. The interpreter was ""til' r:h*t sent to them, and they enquired if these were the same people they had (a- ll- y-v i • ken/rom who had tormerlv entered their countrv. On bems; assured that they were new comers, one of them was persuaded to go on board the Adelantado's brigantinc. He told him their Chief had deputed him to say he desired to be the friend of the Spaniards, and that all which had been taken from Ayolas was safely re- served for them : it consisted of sixty man-loads, which the Chanes had earned, in plates, bracelets, crowns, hatchets, and little vessels of gold and silver; all tins the Chief offered to restore, requesting that what had been done might be forgiven, as having happened in war, and that he might be received into their alliance. The Chief of this horde of fishers exercised a HISTORY OF BRAZIL. 129 degree of power seldom known among the savages of America. CHAP. If one of his people offended him, he took a bow,- and arrowed v^-v^ him till he was dead ; then he sent for the wife of the slain and 154S. gave her a bead-string, or a couple of feathers, to satisfy her for the loss of her husband. When he chose to spit, the same loathsome mark of reverence was shown as among the Guay- curus. A favourable answer Avas given to the envoy, and he promised to return with his Chief on the morrow. That morrow and another morrow past without their appearance. The inter- Tiw/ig im* preter said they were a crafty tribe, and had only proposed peace for the sake of gaining time to remove with their women and children : he thought they would not stop till they came to the Lake of the Mataraes, a tribe whom they had destroyed, and whose country they had won. Upon this probability the Adelantado proceeded : he found traces of the Payagoaes all along the banks, and when on the eighth day he entered the Lake, there he discovered their sunken canoes, but no people were to be seen. As he advanced up the river he past a grove of cassia-fistula. Higher up was the tribe of the Guaxarapos : Cabeza de Vaca, apprehensive lest he might offend or alarm them by appearing with his whole force, went forward with half of it, leaving Gonzalo de Mendoza to follow him slowly with the rest. This tribe received him in peace. They were settled near oardathe to the place where a river which was then called Yapaueme ,2 Jvmnnr. Com. 49 — 50. 14 The mouth of this river he places in lat. J0° 3'. I should have supposed that this Yapaneme is the Paraguay itself, and the other, to which he gives that name, the Cuyaba ; but this supposition cannot be reconciled with his after course. The original passage is subjoined, en uquel parage do el Governador estaba con los Indios, estaba otro Rio que venia por la Tierra adentro, que seria tan ancho, como la mitad del Rio Paraguay, mas corria con tanta fuerza que era espanto, y este Rio S 1 30 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP. f a ll s into the Paraguay, carrying into it a stream half as ^-,^w broad as its own, and running with surprizing force. Here it ^ -^3. Avas, old people told him, that Garcia a Portugueze had en- tered the country, fighting his way, at the head of an Indian army : he had only five Christians with him ; there was a mulatto named Pacheco in his compan} r , who turned back to the land of a certain Chief called (iuazani, and was killed by him. Garcia they said returned to Brazil, but not by that rout ; many of his people had remained behind him, and it was likely that the Spaniards might meet with some of them, and obtain intelligence from them concerning the land which they Li/e of the sought. Farther up the Adelantado found another tribe of the tribes. same stock, whose canoes were so small as to carry only two paddles ; but they plied them so excellently well that it seemed as if they fled upon the water ; the swiftest twelye-oared brigan- tine, though carrying sail at the same time, and built of cedar, the lightest of all wood, could not overtake them. When the Pa- raguay flows in its ordinary channel, these aquaticfP tribes build their huts upon its banks, and live upon fish, singing and dancing through the fair season, day and night, like people Avhose food is provided for them, and who have no need to take thought for the morroAv. In January the inundations begin, and the whole lowlands for a hundred leagues into the country, are flooded like a sea. They have large canoes ready, each of Avdiich has an earthen fire-place; and every family commits itself in one of these arks to the Avaters of the flood. The hut is embarked also ; about three months they live in this manner, finding store of food by going to the high grounds as the inundation rises, desaguaba en el Paraguay, que venia de acia el Brasil. There is no other means of explaining the difficulty than by supposing that the author's recollection had io far failed, as to make him mistake his right hand for his left. HISTORY OF BRAZIL. J3J and slaughtering the animals who have retreated there. When CHAP, the waters have returned to their channel, they go back to their v^v^ wonted places of abode, set up their houses again, and dance 1543. and sing through another season of tine weather. So many fish are always left behind by the flood, that while the earth is drying, the atmosphere is pestilential to the natives as well as to strangers ; but they recover in April. These people have no Chief. They make the cordage of their hammocks of a thistle, which they bruise, macerate in water for fifteen days, and then dress it with a sort of cockle shell, when it is as white as Com. 50— S3. snow. Above their settlements the river is contracted between rocks, and runs with more rapidity than in any other part ; the brigan- tines however made way against the stream 13 . Higher up the Oct. 25. river divided, or rather three branches met ; the one was from a great lake, called by the natives the Black River; its course was from the north : the other two soon united ; but the Ade- lantado shortly afterwards came to a labyrinth of streams and lakes, where he lost the Paraguay. This river rises among the mountains of what the Portuguese soureeoftht call the District defczo dos Diainantes, the prohibited diamond ""' i '"" J '' country, in latitude 14° S. longitude 322° E. from the meridian of Paris. Its waters, during then" course among the serras, have a harsh and saltish taste, though beautifully clear; and they cover their banks with a strong incrustation, so that the tree-roots on their margin look like rock-work. Having received " The dorados were in such abundance here that one man caught forty. Broth made of this fish and taken as diet, was said to cure any scorbutic or leprous complaint. The writer adds that it is a very pretty jish to eat, . . mny hermoso pescado para comer. J32 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. the Cipotuva 14 , which is the most northerly source of the Plata, the Cabacal, and the Jauru, the Paraguay leaves the moun- 1343. tains in 16° 43' South 14 . And here it enters upon that vast track Lake of x»/ with twice that number of Guaranies, he left to guard the bri- 154J. gantines, under Juan Romero. The natives about the Puerto de los Reyes had begun to be discontented with their guests. Gonzalo de Mendoza, who had now joined the Adelantado with the remainder of his force, had been attacked on the way by the Guaxarapos ; one of his own people provoked the quarrel, and five Spaniards were slain in it. The Guaxarapos regarded their death as a victory, and called upon their friends, the Sacocies, to take courage and destroy these strangers, who were not valiant, and whose heads were soft. Nothing seems to have en- couraged these tribes so much as the discovery that the Spaniards heads were not so hard as their own : they did not recollect that Coment. 80. 58 - an iron cap was harder. Nov. 26. The first day's journey lay through pleasant woods, where uardtPm. there was a track, though but little trodden; they slept beside some springs. On the morrow it was necessary to clear their way before them, and the farther they advanced the thicker they found the woods : they were also greatly impeded by a close grass, Avhich grew to an exceeding height. Their second night's lodging was beside a lake, wherein the fish were so abun- dant that they caught them by hand. The guide was' ordered to climb trees and ascend eminences as they went on, that he might survey the road well ; and he maintained that they were in the right way. Honey was found in the trees, and there was plenty of game, but the noise of their march scared it, so that they profited little by this resource. Of all the fruits which they ate, only one proved unwholesome ; it was the berry of a tree resembling the myrtle. The palms produced a fruit of which (unlike the date) the kernel, and not the pulp, Avas eaten, the shell, as of the pistachio, being divided ; it is likened to the sweet almond ; the Indians made from it a flour of excel- ctmem.ci. lent quality. HISTORY OF BRAZIL. J 43 On the fifth day of their march they came to a little river of CHAP. hot water, issuing from a mountain. The water Avas clear and good, and there were fish in it notwithstanding its heat. Here 1543. the guide confessed that he was at fault ; the old road marks were gone ; it was many years since he had been there, and he knew not which w r ay to go. The following morning, however, as they still advanced, cutting their path, two Guaranies ven- tured to approach them. These people were some of those who had escaped from the great overthrow which the guide had related, and retired into the wildest part of the w r oods and mountains to hide themselves. Their hut was near, and the whole of this wreck soon made their appearance, consisting of only fourteen persons, the eldest of whom appeared to be about five and thirt} r . They were children, they said, at the time of the great destruction of their nation, and they knew that some of their race dwelt near the Xarayes, and made war upon them. Two days journey on there was another family consisting of ten persons, the head of whom, this man told them, was his brother-in-law, and he knew the way to the country for Avliich the Spaniards enquired, for he had often been there. Cabeza de Vaca made these people happy by distributing among them a few presents. His business was now to find out tins second family, where he was sure of a guide. He sent forward an interpreter, Avith tAvo Spaniards and trwo Indians, to make en- quiry there concerning the road and the distance, and proceeded sloAvly after them the next day. On the third he met one of the Indians returning with a letter, stating that from the Guarani's hut, where it had been Avritten, it Avas the journey of sixteen days, through thickets and close high grass, to a lofty rock called Tapuaguazu, from the top of Avhich much cultivated country could be seen. The road to this habitation Avas so bad, that they had been obliged to craAvl great part of it, and the 244 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP, master of the Cuarani family said it was worse beyond. He »«^v^> was however enuring with the interpreter, to tell the Adelantado l^U- all he knew. Upon this Cabeza de Vaca retired to the huts which had been set up for the last niojit's lodsjine:, and there Com. 03— * . & Ob' ■»• waited for them, till they arrived, on the following afternoon. The Guararii said he w r as well accjuainted with the way to Tapuaguazu, having often gone there for arrows 19 , of whieh there were plenty there. The smoke of the inhabited country was visible from thence, but he had now for some time ceased to go, because on his last journey he had seen smokes on this side the rock, whereby he knew that they were returning to inhabit this country, which since the great invasion had been left desolate. It would be the journey of sixteen days, the road very bad, and a way to be opened through the woods. He was asked if he would go as guide, and replied, willingly, though he greatly feared the people of that land. Upon this Cabeza de Vaca assembled as usual his Clergy and Captains, and asked their opinion, what was to be done. They answered, the troops had relied too confidently on the guide's assertion that they should reach the inhabited country in five days, and had in consequence husbanded their provisions so ill that most of them had expended all, though each man had taken with him two arrobas 20 of flour. The stores only contained enough for six days. It was well knoAvn how little the reports of the Indians could be trusted ; instead of sixteen days journey, the distance might prove far greater, and the whole party might perhaps * Whether this means that they had heen left upon the ground after the destruction of his tribe, or only that reeds grew there, is not explained. " About half a hundred weight. HISTORY OF BRAZIL. \^r y perish for hunger, as had often happened in these discoveries. They therefore judged it best to return to Puerto de los Reyes, where they had left the brigantines, and there provide them- 1543. selves for the expedition, now that they were better enabled to calculate what provision it required. Cabeza de Vaca repre- sented to them that it was impossible to procure provisions there, the maize was not yet ripe, nor had the natives where- with to supply them ; moreover they should remember what had been told them, that the inundations Avould soon begin. They persisted in their opinion ; it was not easy to determine which evil was the least, to return or to advance, and he found it pru- dent to yield as the general wish was against him. Francisco de Ribera however, and six others, offered to go with the Gua- rani and eleven Indians to Tapuaguazu ; these Indians were charged on pain of severe punishment not to leave them, till they had returned together and joined the Adelantado, . . and they went their Avay upon this adventure. «— es. Cabeza de Vaca returned in eight days to Puerto de los scarcity a Reyes, where he found that the natives, influenced by the Rtyu. " Guaxarapos, were beginning to manifest their ill will ; they had ceased to supply the Spaniards with food, and threatened to attack them. He assembled their Chiefs, gave them red caps, and pacified them with gentle words and fair promises; and they on their part declared that they would be the friends of the Christians, and drive out the Guaxarapos and all then - enemies. The want of food was not so easily remedied ; there was none iioav except what was on board the brigantines, and that would not suffice him and his Indians for above twelve days, however sparingly distributed. The interpreters were sent round to all the adjoining settlements to purchase more ; but none was now to be purchased, for food was at this time so scarce as to be above all price. He enquired of the principal natives where it u J 46 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP, was to be found. They told him that the Arianicosies had ,^*-> plenty, a tribe who inhabited the shores of some great Jake 1543. about nine leagues off. He called his council again, and laid their situation before them ; his men he said were ready to disperse themselves about the country and take provisions Avhere\ r er they could find them. What was to be done? They replied, that there was no other remedy than to send the greater part of the people to those places where there was food, which they were to buy if the natives would sell it, and to take by force if they would not; for in case of famine it was lawful to take it from the altar. Gonzalo de Mendoza therefore was sent to the Arianicosies with onehundred and twenty Spaniards and six hundred Indian archers. The natives whom Cabeza de Vaca consulted had also informed him that as the waters were beginning to rise, the brigan tines could now go up the river Ygatu to the land of the Xarayes, who had food. There were also many large and winding rivers which fell into the Ygatu, and on the banks of these were tribes who were plentifully stored. Accordingly Hernando de Ribera was dispatched with fifty-two men in a brigantine to the Xa- rayes, there to make enquiry concerning the country farther on, and then to proceed and explore the waters. Orders were given that neither he nor his men should land, but only the interpreter and two companions, that all occasion of quarrel might if possible Comtnt. 1 • i i 65—68. be avoided. Mend™ When Mendoza arrived at the land of the Arianicosies, he sent to the . . . . , . Arimicoaa sent an interpreter with beads, knives, hshing-hooks, and iron in search of i i • i • l r 1 food. wedges, winch were in great request, as samples of the treasures that he had brought to barter with them : but they replied, they would give the Spaniards nothing, and ordered them to leave their country or they would kill them all ; the Guaxarapos, who had already killed Christians would assist them ; and they bade the interpreter tell the Spaniards they knew they had soft heads. HISTORY OF BRAZIL. 247 Mendoza tried a second embassy, which hardly escaped from CHAP, them. He then landed with all his force, and being received with the same hostility, shot two of them : the rest fled, and he carried off store of maize, mandioc, mandubies, and other roots and herbs from their houses. He dismissed a prisoner, to bid them return to their habitations and he would pay for all that had been taken ; but they were not to be conciliated. They attacked his camp, set fire to their houses, and summoned all their allies to assist them. Mendoza sent to the Adelantado for instructions how to act, and was directed still to use every means to pacify them. c " me "<- 58 - Eight of the Guaranies who had been sent with Francisco de 1544. Ribera on his adventure to Tapuaguazu were now returned, and R»umofF. . . de Kiber.a. Cabeza de Vaca had given up him and the rest of his compa- nions for lost. But on the 20th of January they arrived ; they were all wounded, and this was the account which they gave. One and twenty days they and their guide travelled Westward, through a country so nearly impassable that sometimes they could only get on a league a day through the thickets, and on two days not half as much. Antas and venison and wild boars were in great abundance, whom their Indians shot with arrows ; and smaller game was so numerous that they knocked it down with sticks : there was also plenty of honey, and of fruit, so that if the army had proceeded they would have been in no want of food. On the twenty-first day they came to a river which ran Westward, and according to their guide passed by Tapuaguazu : soon afterwards they saw the track of hunters, and came into some maizals, from which the maize had just been gathered. Here before they could conceal themselves an Indian met them ; he had golden ear-rings, and wore a silver ornament in his under lip. They did not understand his language ; but he took Ribera by the hand, and made signs to him and his companions 148 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP, to come with him. He led them to a large house, built of wood ^v^ and straw ; the women Avere emptying it ; but when the Span- _^4- ^ iards came in, they broke a hole through the straw side, out of which they threw the things, rather than pass by the strangers. Among the things which they -were removing were many orna- ments and utensils of silver, taken out of large jars. Their host made his guests be seated, and gave them maize-beer to drink, served in gourds from large earthen vessels which were buried to the neck in the floor. Two slaves, Orejones by nation, waited upon them, and made them understand that there were some Christians about three days journey off, among a people called Payzunoes. They showed them also the high rock Tapuaguazu, in sight. By this time the Indians began to assemble round the door, gaily painted and plumed, and bearing bows and arrows as if prepared for war. Their host upon this took bow and arrow himself, and messages passed backward and forward, by which the Spaniards suspected that the country was rising to cut them off; and presently he warned them to hasten back by the way which they had come, before a greater multitude should be collected. About three hundred had already gathered toge- ther, and attempted to stop them ; they made their way through, but when they were about a stone's throw distant, the Indians set up a cry, discharged their arrows at them, and followed them till they got into the woods, where they de- fended themselves, and their assailants turned back, thinking, the Spaniards supposed, that they had companions there to assist them. Every one of the party was wounded ; the road however was now opened, and though they had been one and twenty days going from the place where they had left the Ade- lantado, they returned the whole way to Puerto dc los Reyes in twelve, which they estimated to be about seventy leagues. A lake which they had forded when they went, and found only HISTORY OF BRAZIL. 149 knee-deep, was so swoln on their return that it had spread CHAP, above a league beyond its banks, and with great difficulty and ^-v^ danger they crost it upon rafts. This was all that they had dis- lo4-4 '- covered, except that the people from whose country they had been thus rudely expelled were called Tarapecocies, and that they had abundance of tame ducks and fowls. Cement. 70. This information led to farther knowledge. There were some Thes P ~A«< peans to have raised an army, and penetrated more than half j^j*gj* way through the continent of South America : and the respect in which his memory was held, shows that as in prudence and courage he must have equalled the greatest men among the dis- coverers, so it is probable that he exceeded them hi humanity. These people were immediately enquired for ; one of the arrows which Ribera had brought back with him was shown them ; their countenances brightened at the sight, and they said it came from their country. Cabeza de Vaca asked them why their nation should have attempted to kill his messengers, Avho went only to see them, and converse with them. They replied that their nation were not enemies to the Christians, but on the contrary regarded them as friends since Garcia had been there and bartered with them. The reason why they had now at- tacked the Spaniards must have been because they saw Guara- nies in their company, whom they hated, inasmuch as that race had formerly invaded them, and wasted their borders. But if his messengers had taken an interpreter, they would have treated them well, for it was never the manner of their nation to receive as enemies those who came as friends : and they would have given them food, and gold and silver, ,Avhich they got from the nations beyond them. It was asked from whom they got this country and return. The Essayist calls him a Portuguezc of Paraguay, and says that his name, like that of Erostratus, deserves to remain for ever in oblivion. It would be difficult to prove that Garcia was worse than the Spanish con- querors, and it is manifest from what he atchieved, that in ability as well as in enterprize he must have been equal to the greatest of them. The Mercurio refers to no authority, and is probably wrong in dating the expedition after the conquest of Pern, as it assuredly is in saying that Garcia and his army spared neither Spaniard, Indian, nor Mestizo ;.. for there could have been no Mestizo there to slay, even if there were any Spaniards. HISTORY OF BRAZIL. 151 gold and silver, and for what? They replied, in exchange for CHAP, bows and arrows, and slaves, from the Payzunoes, who were three days journey from them, and who themselves procured 1544. these metals from the Chaneses, Chimenoes, Carcaraes, and Candirees, tribes who had abundance. They were shown a bright brass candlestick, and questioned whether the yellovf metal of which they spake was like that : no, they replied, it was yellower and softer, and had no such unpleasant smell ; a gold ring was then produced, and that they said was the same. In like manner, when a tin vessel was shown them they said their white metal was whiter and harder and without smell, and when they saw a silver cup, declared that in their country they had bracelets and crowns and hatchets of the like. CwBe »«- *•■ This intelligence made the Adelantado resolve upon attempt- They mum ing the march again, and he sent for Gonzalo de Mendoza to «*»• return with all his people that they might prepare for it. But the sickly season was begun, and agues soon prevailed so gene- rally that there were not sound men enough to keep guard. The natives seized the opportunity. They began by laying hands on five Spaniards, who with some fifty Guaranies were fishing about a stone's throw from the camp ; they cut them in pieces, and distributed the flesh among the Guaxarapos and their other allies. They then boldly attacked the Spaniards in their camp, and slew nearly three score before they could be repulsed. Weak however as the Europeans were they soon took vengeance for this, and kept them again in awe. Hernando de Ribera now returned from his expedition, but he found the Adelantado too ill to hear his report. Three months they con- tinued in this miserable state ; less in want of food indeed than formerly, for Mendoza had brought supplies ; but the sickness rather increased than abated, and the mOsquitos were now become a more intolerable plague than the ague. At length, Comen*. 71—73. 152 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP, worn out with sufferings, it was agreed to return to Asumpcion. v^v^-/ The stream carried them down in twelve da}^s, and well it was JJ**-k that the stream was in their favour, for they had no strength to roM r , nor could they have defended themselves. Had it not been for the guns which they carried in the brigantine, they would hardly have escaped from the terrible Guaxarapos. Btutba, Cabeza de Vaca had offended some of his people because he i?»!XVac«. would not permit them to bring away a hundred Indian girls who had been given them by their parents, as the means of con- ciliating their favour. On all occasions he had endeavoured to suppress the infamous practice of taking the men for slaves and the women for concubines, and this made him very unpopular. He asserts that Yrala and the chief persons of his party designed to make themselves independent of Spain, and that this was the main reason why they abandoned Buenos Ay res. The accusa- tion is not very probable ; but it is certain that their distance from any efficient authority encouraged them to pay little respect to the King's edicts. A fortnight after their return, a party of the chief officers seized the Adelantado, who was con- lined by sickness to his chamber, put him in irons, and pro- claimed Yrala governor. Cabeza de Yaca had still friends, who Contrived to communicate with him by means of a female slave, 1 hough whenever she visited him she was searched, stark naked. The slip of paper which she carried was rolled up, covered with black bees wax, and fastened with two black threads between the ball oi the foot and the toes. They offered to release him by force, but he forbade this, for he had been threatened with in- stant death if any attempt was made to rescue him, and the ?*— 77- threat would, beyond all doubt, have been executed. ikis,e,u This sedition was the cause of great disorders. Many of the spam. natives who relied upon his protection, and were beginning to adopt the religion and language of the settlers, fled. Above HISTORY OF BRAZIL. 153 fifty Spaniards who were attached to the Adelantado set off by CHAP. land to Brazil, to escape the intolerable insults and injuries which they endured from the triumphant faction. The Friars took the same road, meaning to get from thence to Spain, and present complaints against him; and they carried with them their female pupils, without any opposition from the new governors. At last, after having kept him in confinement eleven months, his enemies sent him prisoner to Spain. Alonso Cabrera the Veedor, and Garci Vanegas the Treasurer, went to be his accusers. According to the usual delay of justice in that country, Cabeza de Vaca was detained about the Court eight years, before his cause was adjudged, during which time one of his accusers died miserably, and the other became raving mad. He was then acquitted of all the charges which had been brought against him, but was neither reinstated in his government, nor in any way indemnified for the losses he had sustained. Unfortunately for him, the Bishop of Cuenca, at that time President of the Council of the Indies, died soon after his arrival, otherwise summary justice would ha\ e been inflicted upon his enemies ; for that minister had said that such offences as these must now be punished capitally, iZ—Z'. Hcri-CTC. and no longer by fines 2I . 7. 0. 13. M The history of Cabeza de Vaca's transactions in Paraguay is related by two authentic writers ; Pedro Fernandez, who was with bim in that country, and wrote the Commentaries by the Adelantado's order, from the materials which he supplied, and from his own knowledge ; and Schmidel, an eye-witness also, who writes more summarily, and with an ill will towards the Governor against whom he had mutinied : there is no difference in matter of fact between the two accounts, and it cannot be supposed that any thing of importance should remain unnoticed by both. Techo however relates a story in many respects different. He says -that one of Cabeza de Vaca's first measures was to send to the tribe who dwelt upon the banks of the Ipana, desiring them to restore Garcia's son, whom they X |54 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP, still detained in captivity : that they put all his messengers to death except one, y^ who was sent back with a defiance : that he dispatched his nephew Alonso Ri- quelme against them, and they were defeated with the loss of four thousand slain and three thousand taken: after this victory the deliverance of so interesting a prisoner might have been expected ; but he had never been spoken of before, neither is he ever mentioned afterwards. That the Adelantado on his way up the river punished the murderers of Ayolas, and having advanced two hundred and fifty leagues came to an island thirty miles long and nine broad, enjoying an equal temperature throughout all seasons, watered by so many springs of sweet water, and abounding with such exquisite fruits, game so plentiful, and honey in such profusion, that the Spaniards called it Paradise, and forgetting all their dreams of gold and of conquest, would fain have settled there. It was inhabited bv the Orejones, a people so friendly and so gentle, that their minds seemed to have been moulded by the influence of the benignant region which they possessed. Cabeza de Vaca had some difficulty in forcing his men from this delicious island; he reproached them for their ba=e desire of rest, asking them whether they had come from Spain only to settle in a delightful country, or to enrich themselves. Having at length made them advance, they marched onward in a northerly direction, till they came to a town containing eight thousand houses, which was deserted at their approach. In the middle of the great market- place there was a round tower made of large timber ; the top was pyramidal, and covered with palm-tree bark : within this temple was a serpent, twenty-five feet in length, and about as big as an ox, with two rows of teeth sticking out of its jaws, like sickles. This monster was fed with the bodies of men slain in war, and the Devil used it as his mouth-piece to deliver oracles. The Spaniards killed it, but then a dispute arose concerning the division of the spoils, and in con- sequence they returned to Asumpcion. This account Charlevoix chuses to follow in preference to that which was written under Cabeza de Vaca's own eye, and to Herrera; Schmidel's book he does not appear to have seen; ..and his reason for this preference is, that Techo, writing in Paraguay, might have derived his information from some person who had been in the expedition, and that it is difficult to believe he would have asserted any thing for which he had not good authority, in a work which he dedicated to the Royal Council of the Indies. Charlevoix ought to have remembered, that no person who had been in the ex- pedition could be better authority than Cabeza de Vaca himself, and that Techo did not write till more than a hundred years after it took place. But all these circumstances are manifestly false. No savages ever left four thousand men upon the field of battle. (The Peruvians and the people of New Spain were not HISTORY OF BRAZIL. J55 lavages.) No 9avage town ever contained eight thousand houses. As for the CHAP. Island of the Orejones, which has found a place in De Lisle's maps, there is no V. such island in existence; . .the Paulistas have repeatedly traversed all that part of the country. In the last year of the Jesuits continuance in Paraguay, P. Joze Sanchez made his way to the Chiquito missions by this route, which had before been vainly attempted ; ..he past over the ground which this Paradise ought to have occupied, and found it in the same dreadful state as the rest of that eountry, swarming with all the curses of a rank and, uncultivated soil. Dobrizhoffer* Peramas, Vita Petri Joaimis Andreu. §. 54. 55, CHAPTER VI. Expedition of Hernando de Ribera; he hears of the Amazons and marches in guest of them over the flooded country. — Disturbances at Asumpcion. — Yrala conquers the Carios, and attempts a seco?id time to march across the country.— He reaches the confines of Peru, makes his own terms in secret with the Pre- sident, and then returns. — Diego Centeno appointed Governor ; he dies, and Yrala remains with the government. CHAP. It has been said that when Hernando de Ribera returned from his expedition, the Adelantado was too ill to listen to his report v^vw 1543. an( j n0 measures were taken in consequence of it. Ribera how- xxpeditwn ever sent home to Spain an account of his adventures, and Hul- ffHtr.de . Mero. derick Schmidel, who was one of his company, published another in Germany. The tale which they relate is another instance of the hopes, the credulity, and the desperate perseverance of the discoverers. Ribera departed on December 20, from Puerto de los Reyes, in a brigantine with eighty men, on his way to the Xarayes. He found a tribe called Achkeres, who took their name from the Cayman, an animal of which they stood in strange fear : they believed that it killed with its breath, that the sight of one was deadly, and that it could be destroyed in no other manner HISTORY OF BRAZIL. i$j than by holding a mirror 1 before it, that it might kill itself with CHAP, the reflection of its basilisk eye. They gave Ribera guides, and v^-C sent with him eight canoes, which by fishing and hunting sup- 1344. plied him abundantly with food. He had been nine days in reaching them, and was as many more proceeding six and thirty leagues farther to the Xarayes. Old Camire came out with a great body of his people to meet them about a league from his settlement, on a wide plain. A way Avas made for him some eight paces broad, from whence every straw and pebble was cleared awav, and nothing but flowers and fresh herbage left. Musicians attended him, playing upon a sort of flute, like the German schalm. As soon as he had bidden the Spaniards wel- come, he entertained them with hunting, and about fifty stags and ostriches were presently brought down. The Spaniards Mere quartered two and two in the town, and remained there four daj's; Camire then asked them what they were in search of: they were in a land of plenty, and seem to have forgotten the wants of the Adelantado and their countrymen, and their an- swer was, gold and silver. Upon this he gave Ribera a few silver * trifles, and a little plate of gold, saying this was all he ™. had, and that he had won it from the Amazons. 35—37. Perhaps there did exist a tribe in South America, whose name n<- P o,-ttfthe bore some resemblance in sound to the word Amazonas, at which the Discoverers eagerly caught in their ignorance and credulity. But most of the accounts which they obtained concerning them can only be explained by supposing that the natives always return?- 1 Had they then stone minors like the Mexicans, (C/aiigero. L 7. § 56.) or was their pottery so glazed as to answer this purpose? 8 The little silver which the Spaniards found in these parts, had been traf- ficked from one tribe to another, from the country about Potosi. Pedro de Cieca. Clio. j 58 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP, ed such answers as they perceived were most agreeable, and that \s~v~L* they themselves furnished in the shape or questions the infor na- 1544. tion which they fancied they received in reply, the Indians assenting to what they understood but imperfectly, or not at all; a custom this of which the Missionaries often complain. Thus it must probably have been that they heard from Camire how the Amazons cut off the right breast, how their male neighbours visited them thrice or four times in the year, how they sent the boys to thfeir fathers, and retained the girls ; that they lived in a large island which was in a huge lake, and that they got gold and stives in great abundance from the main land. How could they get at them, was the next question, by land or water? Only by land, was the reply, but it was a two months journey, and to reach them now would be impossible, because the country was inundated. This they did not regard, but asked him for In- dians to carry their baggage ; he gave the Captain twenty, and each of the men five ; and these desperate adventurers set off on their march over a flooded country ! March Eight days they travelled through water up to their knees, and sometimes up to their middle: had they not learnt the use of the hammock such a journey must have been utterly imprac- ticable. Before they could make a fire to dress their food they were obliged to raise a rude scaffolding, and this was unavoidably so insecure, that frequently the fire burnt through, and food and all fell into the water. They then came to the Siberis, a tribe having the same language and customs as the Xarayes, who told them they would have four da3 r s more to travel through the water, and then five by land, after which they would reach the Urtueses ; but they advised them to turn back, for they were not numerous enough for such an expedition. Here they ob- tained guides, and proceeded another week over the flooded country, the water being so hot as to be unpalateable, and the rain incessant. On the ninth day they came to the Urtueses : . . deeded rttuntiy. HISTORY OF BRAZIL. J £q how far was it to the land of the Amazons? . . a month's jour- CHAP, ney, and still through floods. But here they found an insu- ^^ perable obstacle. The locusts during two successive years had 1544. devoured every thing before them, and plague had followed the famine which they occasioned. No food was to be had ; but the Spaniards thought this plague was their preservation, for that else they should hardly have escaped from the most numerous tribe that they had yet discovered. - »7. Here some Indians of the adjoining tribes came to see the strangers* They wore coronals after the fashion of Peru, and plates of a metal which in Ribera's report is called chafalonia. Of these people the Spaniards renewed their enquiries after the Ammi** Amazons. Ribera solemnly swears that he faithfully reports the information they gave, and that it was not obtained from them by queries, but spontaneously given. He swears that they told him of a nation of women, governed by a woman, and so war- like as to be dreaded by all their neighbours : they possessed plenty both of Avhite and yellow metal ; their seats and all the utensils in their houses were made of them. They lived on the AVestern side of a large lake, which they called the Mansion of the Sun, because the sun sunk into it. On this side their country was a nation of little people, on whom they made war ; beyond it a race of negroes with long beards, who wore clothes, lived in houses of clay and stone, and had also the white and yellow metals in abundance. To the West-South- West there were also large settlements of a rich and civilized people, who used a fleece-bearing animal for burthen and in agriculture, and among them there were Christians. . . How did the}' know this ? . . They had heard from the tribes beyond them that a white and bearded people, riding upon large beasts, had been in the deserts which lay in that direction, from whence for want of water they had been forced to return. All the Indians of that country, they ^ deRibc - jgQ HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP, said, communicated with each other, and they knew that far wv-0 away, beyond the mountains, there was a great salt water, on 1544. which there Averc great ships. This account, when divested of fable, is sufficiently remarkable. The fact that in the centre of South America any knowledge was found of its shores, evinces an internal iaiercourse which it is not easy to explain. Theyntum 'j'he Caziquc of the Urtueses o-ave Ribera four lar^e bracelets to the Xa- l ° ° ruxjit. of silver, and lour golden frontlets, which were worn as marks of distinction ; for which he received in return a present of knives, beads, and such toys as were manufactured at Nuremberg. Having thus taken a friendly departure, the Spaniards marched back, because they could have got no food had they proceeded. On their way they were reduced to live on palmitoes and roots ; and in consequence of this diet, and of having travelled so long half under water, the greater number of them sickened as soon as they reached the Xarayes. Here they were well nurst, and the men carried on so good a trade for silver and the fine cotton webs which the Xaraye women manufactured, that Schmidel estimates their profit at not less than two hundred ducats each. "When they returned to Puerto de los Reyes, the Adelantado, ill as he was, was exceedingly incensed that Ribera should, in contempt of orders, have proceeded upon an expedition of dis- covery, leaving the army in such distress, and in expectation of relief from him. He ordered him to be put in irons, and took from the soldiers all that they had gained by the adventure. A sort of mutiny was the consequence, and Cabeza de Vaca thought it best to yield. It is to Ribera's honour that he did not resent this deserved anger, and bore no part in the insur- rection against the Adelantado. Of eighty men ho accompa- nied him upon this dreadful march, only thirty recovered from its effects. Schmidel contracted a dropsy, but fortunately for history W-S8. ' as well as for himself, it did not prove fatal. HISTORY OF BRAZIL. Jg| The sedition against Cabcza de Vaca threw every thing into CHAP, contusion. Thus far Yrala and the King's officers had gone v^v^ hand in hand ; they quarrelled concerning their usurped autho- 1 -5 ^ rity, for when these officers elected him Governor, it Was with ™»"<'^< •> ' of the Spa- the intention of being Governors over him. This struggle be- niards - fcween the civil and military power's took place in almost all the Conquests, before the scheme of colonial legislation was fully formed. The Spaniards at Asumpcion were divided into parties, and both parties acted as mischievously as possible. The par- tizans of either side were allowed to treat the Indians as they pleased, and the Indians were indulged in their accursed can- nibalism, the leaders permitting any thing to strengthen their own faction. Frequently they were on the point of deciding the quarrel by arms : from this it is probable that the civil officers were withheld by their fear of Yrala's popularity among the soldiers, and Yrala by a wise unwillingness to weaken the gene- ral strength. The Carios and Agaces seeing these dissentions, united to fall upon the Spaniards and rid the country of them. This danger intimidated the civil faction, and Yrala was now w..* suffered to exercise that power, which could not be in abler c«rhl hands. He made an alliance with the Jeperos and Bathacis, tribes who could muster about five thousand men; and with one thousand of them and about three hundred Spaniards, so distri- buted as that every Spaniard should be assisted by three natives he marched against the Carios, a large army of whom had assembled under their Cazique Machkarias. They advanced within half a league of the enemy, and then halted for the night, being weary with a inarch through incessant rain. At six in the morning they proceeded to the attack ; after a battle of three hours the Carios lied to their strong hold called 3 Fremi- • This is Schmidel's word, . . but the F is not used by any of these tiibes. IQQ HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP, diere, leaving many hundreds on the field, whose heads the v—v-^ Jeperos carried off that they might skin them and hang up the 154-4. w hole mask as trophies. The post to which they retired was fortified with three palisadoes, and with pit-falls, and it was so well defended that Yrala besieged it three days in vain. He then made four hundred pavaises of anta-skin 4 , under cover of which he sent as many Indians with pick-axes to level the pali- sade, and between every two went a harquebusseer. This mode of attack succeeded ; after a few hours the assailants entered the place, massacring women and children before them, and making a great slaughter. The greater number however escaped, and fled to another strong hold called Carieba, whither the con- querors, having received a reinforcement of two hundred Spani- ards and five hundred allies, pursued them. This hold was for- tified in the same manner as the last ; and the Carios had also contrived machines which, according to Schmidel's description, were like rat-traps, and each of Avhich had it taken effect would have caught twenty or thirty men. Four days the Spaniards besieged them, without success. A Cario then, who had for- merly been Chief of the town, came privately out and offered to betray it, if they would promise not to set fire to it. He then discovered to them two paths in the wood which led into the place, and they by this means surprised it. The women and children had previously been hidden in the woods, the former massacre having taught them this precaution. They who 1 4 I am reminded by a friend, that this word may to many persons require explanation. The Anta is that amphibious animal which i9 sometimes called the Tapiir, sometimes the Hippopotamos of South America, sometimes the Great Beast. Dobrizhoffer strangely confounds it with the Elk. The prints of this animal differ from each other, and I have seen a drawing, probably more authentic than any, which differs materially from all. HLSTORY OF BRAZIL. jg^ escaped from this second slaughter tied to a Cazique called CHAP. Dabero, and wasted the country before them to prevent pursuit. But upon this the Spaniards returned to Asumpcion, and from thence went down the river against them with fresh forces : the Chief who had betrayed Carieba joined them with a thousand of his people, and Dabero, after one defeat, submitted again to a Schmid(;l yoke which it was impossible to shake off. 41—43. After this Avar was terminated the Spaniards remained at peace «««*» ,.,.,. m the country, and at rest lor two years, during which time no succours arrived from Spain. Yrala then, that they might not longer continue idling, as this quiet life was termed, proposed to them to renew the attempt in which his two predecessors had failed, and to ascertain whether gold and silver were to be founcNor not. , Such a proposal was joyfully accepted. He left Don Francisco de Mendoza to command during his absence, and departed with three hundred and fifty Spaniards, and two thousand of the lately conquered Carios. They went up the river in seven bri- gantines and two hundred canoes ; such of the expedition as could not go by watePfor want of sufficient embarkations, pro- ceeding with two hundred and fifty horses by land. The place of meeting was in sight of the high round mountain called St. Fernando : the same, it may be presumed, by which the Gua- rani had guided Cabeza de Vaca. Fifty Spaniards were left in two brigantines, with a charge to be more wary than Ayolas had been ; the other vessels were sent back, and Vrala began his , Schmidcl. march. 44. Eight days they went on without finding any inhabitants. On the ninth, when they were about six and thirty leagues beyond the mountain St. Fernando, they came to the Meperos, a tall and robust race of hunters and fishers. Four days afterwards TheMapti,. they found the Mapais, a tribe far more advanced towards ser- vitude and civilization. The people were compelled to serve IQ£ HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP, their Chiefs, like the peasants in Germany, they were eultiva- (^v-L/ tors ; they made a sort of mead, and had tamed the llama. The '•^ : women were handsome, and were exempt from that hard labour which savages usually force upon the weaker sex ; their only employments were to spin and weave cotton, and to prepare food. These Mapais came out to welcome the Spaniards, and presented Yrala with four silver coronets, four frontlets of the same metal, and three girls. The Spaniards set their guard and went to rest. In the middle of the night Yrala missed the girls ; immediately he suspected treachery, and ordered the men to be under arms. They were presently attacked, but being thus pre- pared, -repelled the assailants with great slaughter, and pursued them two days and nights, never resting more than four or five hours. On the third day, still following the pursuit, the Spa- niards fell in with a large horde of the same nation, who, not suspecting hostility, were surprized, and suffered for the offence of their countrymen. All who were not slaughtered fell into the hands of the Spaniards, and the prisoners were so numerous that nineteen were included in Schmidel's share of the spoil s . Alter this victory, if such it may be called, they rested eight da\s, 44—45. having plenty or provisions. iheZAmie. They came next to the Zehmie, a sort of Helots to the last tribe. This was a fine country for an army of such adventurers to traverse ; the maize ripens there in all seasons, and wherever ThtTohan- they went they found maizals fit for gathering. Six leagues farther were the 'lohannas, a tribe also in vassalage to the Mapais, whose dominion seems to have extended in this direc- ThtPeionu, tion as far as the inhabited country. They now passed over an • There were women among them., says this German adventurer, aaflt' vciy old ones. HISTORY OF BRAZIL. Jfi5 unpeopled track of fourteen leagues, and then reached the CH A P. Peionas. The Caziquc came out to welcome them, and earnestly entreated Yrala not to enter his village, but pitch his tents upon the spot. Yrala gave no regard to this entreaty, but marched in, and quartered himself there for three days. The land was very fertile, though there was a scarcity of water, and of gold and silver, which Schmidel thus links with it as articles of equal necessity. The Spaniards thought it politic not to enquire fof these precious metals, lest the tribes before them, hearing of what they were in search, should hide their treasures and rly. They took a guide from hence, A\ho led them by a route where Thtiuup- there was water, \o a tribe, four leagues distant, called the Maiegoni : with them they remained a day, and then obtaining The Mam. an interpreter and another guide, went on eight leagues farther ""' to the Marronos, a populous nation. Here they rested two days. n ( p w Their next halt was with the Parobios, four leagues on : there Avas a scarcity of food here ; Yrala and his marauders however remained a day there, to devour what there was. The next r^si™™.. people, who were twelve leagues distant, and were called the Simanos, stood upon their defence. Their settlement Avas upon an eminence, Avell fortified with a hedge of thorns. When they found themselves unable to resist fire-arms, they set fire to their dwellings and fled ; but the country Avas cultivated, and the Spa- niards found food in the fields. * 5 After marching four days at the rate of four league's a day, ti- b„tc»- they came suddenly upon a settlement of the Bareonos. The * inhabitants Avould have fled, but were persuaded not to be alarmed at strangers avIio had no hostile intentions : having been thus conciliated they brought poultry, Avater-fowl, sheep, (the llama or vicuna is meant,) ostriches, and stags, in great abun- dance, and were Avell pleased at having the Spaniards four days for their guests. They departed laden with provisions, and in n* u^a- IQQ HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP, three days, at their usual journey of four leagues, came to the ^vO Leyhanos, with whom they made only a night's stay, because !548. the locusts had stripped their fields. In four days more, tra- TheCarchu- veiling at the same rate, they came to the Carchuonos, who had •MM. Ill suffered from the same plague, though not so severely ; and here they learnt that in the next thirty leagues they would find no water. Had this information been concealed, it is probable that they must all have perished. They therefore took water from hence, and began a march which continued six da3 r s ; some Spaniards died of thirst notwithstanding the supply which they carried, and many more would have been lost had they not found a plant growing there, which retained the rain and dew in its leaves, as in a reservoir; each holding about a quarter ThcSubwis. of a pint. At last they reached the settlement of the Suboris; it was night, and the people began to fly, till they were assured by an interpreter of the peaceable intention of the strangers. Little relief did the Spaniards find here. The Suboris and their neiohbours were often at war for Avater. There had been a three months drought, so that the stock of rain-water which they used to reserve, was exhausted. *The greater part of the people had no other drink than the juice of the mandepore root, which was white as milk. When Avater was to be had, they made a fermented liquor from this root, . . iioav they were fain to support life Avith the simple juice. There Avere no running streams, and only one Avell in the place. Schmidel Avas stationed as centinel OA r er this, to distribute it by measure : gold and silver were now no longer thought of; . . all the cry was for Schmidel. . 4c. water. Here the hearts of the adventurers failed them : they deliber- ated whether to proceed or turn back, and determined the doubt by casting lots. The lot Avas for advancing. They remained two days at the cost of the Suboris Avell, and then began a HISTORY OF BRAZIL. ^Qj march of six days more, taking guides, who said there were two CHAP, running streams in the way. The guides fled during the first «^v-s^ night ; they were however fortunate enough to find the road, 1-543. and came to the Peisenos, according to the information which ".« ftta- they had procured. This tribe received them as enemies, and would listen to no persuasions. They were soon put to flight ; but their sufferings did not end with their defeat. Some prison- ers who were taken in the action told the Spaniards, that Ayolas had left three of his men sick in this place, where they had been put to death only four days ago, at the instigation of the Suboris. Yrala remained there fourteen days, inquiring where these people had fled, in order to take vengeance upon them ; and having at length discovered part of them in the woods, attacked them, killed many, and made slaves of the rest. *o. e ' The Maigenos were the next tribe, a people four days journey t^ M a ; S c- distant. Their town was on a hill, and surrounded with a thorn hedge about as high as a man could reach with his sword. They refused to admit the Spaniards, and killed twelve of them, besides some of the Carios, before the place could be forced : then they set fire to their houses and fled. The loss which they sustained here provoked the Carios, who served the Spaniards more resolutely than they had resisted them ; they thirsted for vengeance, and five hundred of them secretly set off to take it, thinking to prove that they needed no assistance from the strangers, their fire-arms, and their horses. When they had got about three leagues from the camp they fell in with a large body of the Maigenos; a desperate battle ensued, and it was not till three hundred of the Carios had fallen, that they sent for succour, for they were beset on all sides, and could neither advance nor retreat. The Maigenos fled as soon as the horsemen appeared in sight, and the surviving allies returned to the army perfectly well pleased with their exploit. 47."" '' j 58 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. They remained here twelve days, having found plenty of provisions. Then they marched thirteen days without inter- mission, during which time those of the party who under- stood the stars computed that they had advanced two and Cfoiin. fifty leagues. A tribe of the Carcokies were settled here. In nine days more they came to a track of country covered with salt, so that it appeared like snow : they halted two days, in doubt how to proceed, then struck to the right, and in four more came to another horde of the same nation. Fifty Spaniards and as many Carios were sent forward to the town to procure lodging and food ; when they entered it they were alarmed at finding a more populous place than they had ever seen before in that country, and sent with all speed to Yrala, desiring him to advance and support them. The sight of this force made the inhabitants submissive. Both sexes here wore lip-stones; the women were habited in sleeveless garments of cotton ; they spun, and were employed in household affairs ; agriculture was the work of the men. The Spaniards took guides from this place, who deserted them on the third day. They proceeded without them, and came to a river which is called Machcasies 8 , and is described as being half a league wide. Rafts of stakes and basket-work were made for this dangerous passage ; each carried The y reach two persons \ . . four men were lost in crossing. There was a Omquuu. settlement four leagues beyond the river, from whence some Indians came out to meet them, and welcomed them in Spanish. The} r belonged to a Spaniard named Pedro Ansures. And here, SchmideL •7—48. having reached the Spanish settlements on the South side of the 6 Probably the Pilcomayo. Schmidel has written his proper names with exceeding inaccuracy; there is however in many cases no alternative but to follow him. All that is to be wondered at is that such an adventurer should have written at all. HISTORY OF BRAZIL. 169 continent, the adventurers halted, after a march of three liun- CHAP, dred and seventy-two leagues, according to their oavii calcula- ^v^ tion. Intelligence of their arrival was immediately dispatched * 548. to the seat of government. The Licentiate Pedro dc la Gasca was at this time President stcmagra- dent of Peru. He had iust defeated Gonzalo Pizarro, and put him j^™* •' l the Preside and the bloody leaders of his party to death. The arrival at /'' "•■ such a time of a body of men so long accustomed to be lawless he justly considered dangerous, and sent orders to Yrala not to advance, but wait where he was for instructions. He appre- hended that if a new insurrection had broken out, these adventu- rers would have joined with the partizans of Pizarro, . . as Schmidel says, they certainly would have done. Yrala deputed Nuflo de Chaves to confer with the President; and that wise Governor, well knowing what the lure was which had brought this usurper so far, sent him gold enough to induce him to return content- edly. The soldiers kneAv nothing of these dealings ; . . if we had, says Schmidel, we would have bound him hand and foot, and sent him to Peru. All that was publicly known was, that they were ordered to return by the same route, for the sake of marking it distinctly. c. 48. The province which they had reached was more fertile than any r™to re- other that they had seen even in this fertile country. Scarcely a tree could be cleft, but fine honey flowed from the aperture 7 , a species of small and stingless bee was so numerous. Yrala's men would have desired no better fortune than to help themselves in this land ; the natives had silver vessels ; they eyed these with avidity, 1 This honey was the chief diet of the famous Francisco de Caravajal, who when he was put to death at about eighty years of age, had all the vigour and activity of youth. He drank it like wine. Pedro de Cieca. C. 99. z 170 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. but did not dare touch them, because these people were subject to the Spaniards. Their Commander had now effected his purpose, 1548. and gratified both ambition and avarice. lie had opened a communication with Peru, had ascertained that there were no golden kingdoms to be plundered in the intermediate regions, and had secretly secured what he was in quest of. There was another cause which induced him to return with as little delay as possible. Diego Centeno was designated by the President to be Governor on the Plata, and of all the countries from thence to the frontiers of Cuzco and Charcas. When therefore Yrala was ordered to return by the same route, he was perhaps willing to obey in this instance, that he might prepare to support his usurpation. Accordingly he contrived to keep his men short of provisions, and ignorant of Centeno's appointment ; Schmidel declares they Avould not have left the province if they had known is. it, but they Averc duped and starved into obedience. When they came again to the Carcokies, they found the vil- lage abandoned. Yrala sent to invite the natives back : their reply was, that if the Spaniards did not speedily leave the place, they would drive them out. Many of his men advised him not to resent this, for if it was intended to establish a communica- tion between the Plata and Peru, any hostilities here would be impolitic, inasmuch as supplies would no longer be procurable upon;thc road. lie thought otherwise; either being determined to strike terror into the tribe, or perhaps designing to bring about the mischief which they apprehended, and thus impede the mareh of his successor. lie made a great slaughter of these Indians, captured about a thousand of them, and remained two months in their town. This was the only event occurring upon their return. The whole expedition occupied a year and half, 40. and the Spaniards brought back with them about twelve thou- HISTORY OF BRAZIL. jyj sand slaves 8 , men, women and children .. evidence enough of CHAP, the devastation they must have made upon their march. VI - On reaching the brigantines they learnt that Diego de Abrego 1540. had usurped the government, and publicly beheaded Francisco DiHurh _ de Mendoza. This hidalgo had left Spain With his kinsman "™;j iw Don Pedro, because in a fit of jealousy he had murdered his wife and his domestic chaplain. The divine vengeance was upon him, and upon the anniversary of the murder he himself suffered a violent and undeserved death. He made a public confession of his crime upon the scaffold, and expressed a hope and trust that God, who had thus inflicted due punishment upon him in this world, would remit it in the next. When the Spaniards approached Asumpcion Abrego refused them ad- mittance, and Yrala immediately besieged him. Whatever may curUvi*. have been the misdeeds of this intrepid adventurer, he was po- pular in his government ; and Abrego finding that the people were beginning; to desert him, fled with fifty followers, and con- tinued a sort of banditti warfare, till his troop was hunted doAvn. He himself was found in the woods, alone and blind, and the Alguazil who discovered him put an end to his miseries with so."" the stroke of a fisherman's harpoon. Yrala's history has been written by his enemies. They accuse him of many enormities, . . of which few or none of the con- querors have been innocent ; but it is manifest even from their account that he was a man of great enterprise and great pru- dence. After having effected the journey to Peru, and thus opened" a communication between the two sides of South Ame- rica, he sent Nuflo de Chaves to put a stop to the wars upon the confines of Brazil, in which the Indians who were subject to 8. a. 8 Scbmidel hail fifty to bis share. 172 Herrera. «. 2. 17. HISTORY OF BRAZIL. the different crowns had now begun to engage as borderers. This was done, and the limits between the Spanish and Portu- eiieze Golonies for the first time defined. He divided the land into repartimienfos, as in the other Conquests, . . a mode by which the country and its native population were portioned out among their European masters, as Europe itself had formerly been under its Gothick and Slavonick conquerors ; with this difference, that in America the slavery was more intolerable, and that the gulph between master and slave has hitherto been found impassable. By the Castillian laws these repartimienios were restricted to Spaniards : Yrala, feeling how feeble his European force was, ventured to break this restriction, and gave them indiscriminately to adventurers of all nations. This act of wisdom is imputed to him as a crime, and a device for con- firming himself in his usurpation. He has crimes enough to answer for, nor does it appear that his ambition extended farther than the wish of remaining Governor ; . . a post in which, as no mines had yet been discovered in the province, he thought it little likely that he should be superseded. So far from attempting to make himself independent, he requested the Court to send visitors who might enquire into his conduct ; . . aware perhaps that the request would be the best means of preventing the measure. The settlers meantime went on in those habits of lasciviousness and cruelty which characterize the Creoles of every stock whatsoever. He made little or no attempt to check them, perhaps because he knew that any attempt would be ineffectual, . . perhaps because he thought that all was as it should be, . . that the Creator had destined the people of colour to serve those of a whiter complection, and be at the mercy of their lust and their avarice. Every thing favoured Yrala. Centeno, who was appointed HISTORY OF BRAZIL. I73 by the President Gasca to supersede him, died just as he was CHAP, preparing to set out and take possession of his government, v^I^, His death was a calamity to Paraguay, for he was loyal, ho- 1549. nourable, and humane, a man of tried worth and talents, one of the best of the conquerors.- About the same time Juan de Senabria accepted the same command in Spain, prepared an expedition, and died when it was ready. His son Diego ac- ceded to the terms which his father had made, and set sail. He lost his ships, and only a few of his people reached Asump- cion by a march over land from the mouth of the Plata. To those however who investigate the history of Brazil this was an important voyage, for Hans Stade, one of the persons who were deluded by lying reports of the riches of the country to embark in the expedition, settled in Brazil after being ship- wrecked. His adventures lead us back to the Portugueze co- lonies, and supply the earliest and best account of the native &***. 8 4. 12. savages. »• s. :. CHAPTER VII. Hans Stade sails with Senahria for Paraguay, and readies St. Catalina, — Ship- wrecked on St. Vicente. — He is made Gunner at St. Amaro, and taken prisoner by the Tupinambas. — Their ceremonies towards a prisoner; superstition end weapons. — He effects his escape. CHAP. Hans Stade was at Seville when Senabria was nttino- out his VII • • - r> r t v^ expedition for Paraguay. They who were interested in procur- 15^9- ing adventurers spread about lying reports of the riches which abounded in that happy country, and Hans, like many others, swallowed the gilded bait. The vessel in which he sailed soon parted company from the squadron, and then, through the igno- rance of the pilot, they lost themselves. At length, after a wretched voyage of six months, they made land in 28° S. not knowing where they were ; they kept in shore, searching for a port, and a storm arose from which they expected nothing but destruction, Nov. 24. for it blew directly upon the land. In such circumstances they did the wisest thing that could be done ; filled their barrels with powder, fastened them down as closely as possible, and tied musquets to them, that they who should escape to shore might have a chance of finding arms there. There was a reef of rocks •HISTORY OF BRAZIL. J 75 a-head, lying about four fathom under water; all their efforts to CHAP. • • VII keep oft" were unavailing; the wind and tide carried them right >^rv>L< on, when, just as they thought themselves driving upon the lo4f). reef, one of the crew espied a harbour, and they got safely in. A boat which saw them entering, immediately made off" and got out of sight behind an island ; but they, without pursuing it, dropt anchor, and gave thanks to God tor their merciful de- liverance. In the evening a party of natives boarded, who could not make themselves understood, but returned Avell pleased with a few knives and fishing hooks. Another boat came off soon afterwards with two Portuoueze. These men told them their Pilot must be wonderfully skilful to enter that port in such weather, . . well acquainted as they were with the place, they durst not have attempted it. They were inhabitants of St. Vicente, which was eighteen leagues distant, and this harbour was called Suprawai ; the reason why they had fled in the morning on seeing the ship, was because they supposed her to be French. The Spaniards then enquired how far they were from the Island of St. Catalina, or Catharine, which they meant to make for, that being their appointed place of rendezvous. It lay thirty leagues South, and they were warned to beware of the Carios there. The natives here were Tupiniquins, from whom they had nothing //. stad* , ■■ in De Bru. to apprehend. p . s . c . 0.7. For St. Catalina therefore they made sail ; they overshot it, -n,™ ««<-/. being ignorant of the coast, were driven back by a gale from the South, and when the wind abated, could not find the port which they had left. They found however another delightful harbour, where they anchored, and the Captain went in the boat to explore it. The river widened as the boat advanced ; they looked round in hope of seeing smoke, but in vain; at length they perceived some huts in a solitary valley between the hills; they went up to them and found them deserted and in ruins. By this 17(3 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP, time night was coming on; there was an island in the river, and ^^rv having ascertained as well as they could that it was uninhabited, they landed, kindled a fire, cut down a mountain cabbage-tree l , supt upon its top, and past the night there. In the morning they renewed their search: one of the party fancied he saw a cross upon a rock ; others thought this impossible ; they drew nearer to see, and there the} r found a large wooden cross firmly built into the crag, with half the head of a barrel suspended from it, bearing an inscription which appeared to be illegible. How- ever they took it with them, and as they went on one of the crew continued to pore over it, till letter by letter he made out these words, Si veil por Ventura aqui la armada de su Majestad, tiren un tiro y averan recado. . . " If his Majesty's ships should come here, let them fire a gun and they shall know more." Back they went to the cross and fired off a falconet, then got into their boat again. Presently five canoes full of savages were seen making towards them, and they pointed their guns in apprehension of an attack. As the canoes drew nearer, they distinguished a man among the Indians who was cloathed and had a beard, by which they knew him to be a Christian, and called out to him to stop. He then advanced in his canoe. Their first question was, where were they? Schirmirein, he replied, was the native name of the port, but they who discovered it called it St. Catalina. They then gave thanks to God for having found the place which they sought, confidently believing that it was in consequence of their prayers, because it happened to be St. Ca- c."».V' 2 tharine's day. This man had been sent from Asumpcion three ' The cabbage-tree, and all of its kind, would probably have been extirpated it' it had not been so laborious to cut it down. It was the hard work of half a day for a man with an axe to get the tree down and cut off its head. Pedro de Cieca. ff. 19- HISTORY OF BRAZIL. I77 years ago to live herewith the Carios, and persuade them to CHAP, cultivate mandioc, that when Spanish ships bound for the Plata touched here they might find provisions ; another instance this of Yrala's wisdom. Hans was now sent in one of the canoes to bring the vessel up. "When the sailors saw him among the savages they called out to know where bis comrades were, and why he came without them. To these questions he gave no reply, the Cap- tain having told him to put on a sorrowful countenance that he might see how the ship's company would act. They cried out that bejond a doubt the rest had been slain, and this was a de- vice to decoy them, and they ran to arms. Hans then laughed at the success of his stratagem, got on board, and sent the canoe back. He carried the ship in, and here they waited for the other two vessels. The name of this settlement of the Carios was Acutia; the Spaniard who lived with them, and who may be considered as the first settler in St. Catalina, was Juan Hernan- dez of Bilbao. Here they procured fish and mandioc flour in abundance, for which they bartered fishing-hooks. c. 10. The ship with Senabria on board, arrived three weeks after o„ e „/-(>,, them ; the other was never heard of. They took in stores for six t/"" months, but just when they were about to proceed on their voy- age the store-ship was Avrecked in the port. The Carios supplied them well with food till they were sufficiently rich in hooks, knives, and other such real treasures, then they migrated, and left the Spaniards to support themselves upon shell-fish, lizards, dormice, and whatever thev could catch. After having struggled two years with these difficulties, they came to a resolution, which might as well have been taken at first, that the greater part of them should march overland to Asumpcion, and the rest follow them in the remaining vessel. The land party set out, and all who did not die on the way of hunger, reached the place 2 A |^g HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHA|P. of destination; . . when the other party came to embark it was v^iL found that the ship was not capable of carrying them. What 1552. was to be done? St. Vicente was about severity leagues off; thither they determined to send and procure a larger ship, in which they might all proceed to the Plata. None of the party knew the navigation ; one Roman however thought he could Stade. p. 2 c. 11. 12. Tha/tmdto Hans was one of the crew. On the second day they came to St / icenU, J J pilot them. Hans wa ui!!!t *'"'' * ne ^ ma °- os Alcatrazes, where contrary winds compelled them to anchor. They found fresh water here, deserted houses, and broken pottery ; knocked down as many as they pleased of the poor birds from whom the island took its name, and feasted upon them and their eggs after their long famine. But when the feast was over, a gale from the South arose, and they put off in immi- nent danger. At day-break they were out of sight of the island; other land soon appeared ; Roman thought it was St. Vicente, and they made towards it ; but it was so thick with mist and clouds that it was impossible to ascertain whether this was the place which they were seeking. Meantime the gale con- tinued, . . the sea ran tremendously high, . . when Ave were on the top of a wave, says Hans, it seemed as if there were a precipice under us, and the ship laboured so much, that they threw over- board whatever they could to lighten her, still holding on in hopes of hitting the port. The clouds cleared and Roman affirmed it was in sight, but that they were going straight upon the rocks which lay before it. There was no port ; but concerning the inevitable destruction of the ship he was not mis- taken. The wind drove her right upon shore, and nothing was left then but to commit themselves to the mercy of God. At the first shock she went to pieces. Some of the crew leapt into the water, others clung to pieces of the wreck, and all got safe Stade. p 2. , , en. to land. HISTORY OF BRAZIL. jyg Here they were, wet, shivering, without food, without fire, CHAP, without the means of procuring either, not knowing where they v^v-O were, and in dread of the Savages. A lucky Frenchman, who 15.52. was of the party, took a run to warm himself, and saw some- n™ »i« 11 i /-*i • • i to shore near thing through the woods which looked like Christian houses; s.nmte such a sight made him run the faster. It proved to be a Portu- gueze settlement called Itanhaem 2 . As soon as the inhabitants heard his story they went to the sufferers, brought them in, and gave them clothes and food. They were on the main land, two miles only from St. Vicente ; there they went as soon as they had recovered strength, and there thev were received as men ought to be in such circumstances, and supported at the public expence while they looked about them to find some means of supporting themselves. The remainder of the party, who were ■ • ci n r> Stade. waiting at St. Catalina, were sent for. • p-*-c 13- There were at this time two fortified settlements upon the state of st. Isle of St. Vicente, and several sugar works. The Tupiniquins 3 , who inhabited the neighbouring coast, were in alliance with the Portugueze, but this friendlj r tribe were at war with the Carios on the South, and with the Tupinambas on the North ; and these last were active and dreadful enemies, not only to them but to the Portugueze also. There is an island called Bertioga, about five miles from St. Vicente, half way between the main land and St. Amaro. This was the place where the Tupinambas used to ren- dezvous before they made their attack ; five brethren, the sons of Diogo de Braga and of a Brazilian woman, determined there- fore to secure it, and they and their native friends made a set- * If Fray Gaspar da Madre de Deos had perused these Travels he would have seen that there was a settlement at this place in 1555, .. which he denies. 3 It seems that the Goaynazes had left the country. 180 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP, tlement there, about two years before Hans was shipwrecked, v^v^J which they fortified after the manner of the natives. These brethren had learnt both languages in their infancy, and were perfectly well acquainted with every thing relating to the na- tives, which, as they considered themselves to be Portugueze, statement made them excellent subjects for the colony. A few colonists, 'Berthga. when they saw a settlement formed here, removed to it, for the situation had many advantages. It could however have none stadc. sufficient to counterbalance the evil of its vicinity to the Tupin- ■p. 'i. d 14. p.3.c. is. ambas, whose borders were little more than a league distant. a fort bum One morning before day-break (as usual in their expeditions) atJBtnioga, ° i ■ seventy canoes of these savages attacked the place. The five brethren and the other Christians, who were about eight in num- ber, defended themselves successfully in a mud house. The Tu- piniquins were not 1 so fortunate ; they fought bravely as long as their strength lasted, but were overpowered. The conquerors set fire to the houses, devoured their prisoners upon the spot, and returned in triumph. Bertioga had been found of too much use to be quietly resigned ; the Portugueze rebuilt it, and forti- fied it better. They now became too confident in the protection which it afforded them, . . and it was found necessary to secure Mdaitoat St. Amaro also, which lay opposite, by the water-side. A fort was begun, but it had been left unfinished, because nobody would ven- ture to undertake the post of gunner, who was the commander in these little forts. The settlers seeing that Hans was a German, and knew something of gunnery, prest him to take the situation, offering a good salary, and promising the royal favour ; for the King, they said, never failed to requite those who were useful in namuf. these colonies. Hans agreed to take charge of it for four p uitited months, by which time Thome de Sousa, the first Governor- General of Brazil, was expected to arrive. For this post had fit'ic! 3 * been deemed so essential to the security of these establishments, HISTORY OF BRAZIL. JQl that application had been made to the Court concerning it, and CHAP, it was understood that when the Governor arrived a stone fortress was to be erected there. 1352. It was a service of no little danger to defend half-finished works of mud and timber, with only two comrades. The Savages made some attempts to surprize them by night. They however kept good watch; the Governor came, inspected the place, ap- proved the situation, and gave the expected orders for erecting a stone fort. Hans would now have given up his situation, the term for which he had engaged having expired; the Governor requested him to retain it, the neighbouring settlers urged him also, and he engaged anew for two years, receiving a written assurance from the Governor, which the Gunners in the King's service were entitled to demand, that at the end of that time he should be permitted to return in the first ship to Portugal, and receive the price of his sendees. It was necessary to be especi- ally vigilant twice in the year. In August the fish, which the natives called Bratti, and the Portugueze Lysses, ascended the rivers ; the Savages then laid in store of them, which they dried over a fire, and preserved either whole or in powder. Just before this time, when their stock began to grow short, they Avere accus- tomed to attack their neighbours for the sake of plundering their provisions. The danger was still greater in November, when the fruit of the anati * ripens, from which they make one of their in- toxicating liquors. This Avas the carnival of the Brazilian Savages, and always Avhen it Avas near they made an expedition to procure prisoners tor the teast. r- 3 c. 17. Hans had a German friend settled at St. Vicente as overseer of He u cough. by the Tu- • jiinambas- * Probably the Acayaba of Piso and Marcgraff, which bears the acajou, or cashew nut. j Q2 HISTORY OF BRAZIL. CHAP, some sugar-works, which belonged to Giuseppe Adorno s , a Ge- noese. His name was Heliodorus, and he was son of Eoban, a German Poet of great celebrity in his day ; he was from the same country as Hans, and had received him into his house after the shipwreck, with that brotherly kindness which every man feels for a countryman when they meet in so remote a land. Tnis He- liodorus came with another friend to visit Hans in his Castle. There was no other market where he could send for food to regale them except the woods, but this was well stocked. The Avild boars were the finest in the whole country, and they were so numerous that the inhabitants killed them for their skins, of which they made a leather that was preferred to cow-hides for boots and chair bottoms. He had a Cario slave who used to hunt for him, and whom he never feared to accompany to the chase ; him he sent into the woods to kill game, and went out to meet him the next day, and see what success he had had. The war whoop was set up, and in an instant he was surrounded by the Tupinambas. He gave himself up for lost, and exclaimed, Into thy hands O Lord do I commit my spirit. The prayer was hardly ended before he was knocked down ; blows and arrows fell upon him from all sides ; but he received only one wound, in the thigh. Their first business was to strip him ; hat, cloak, jerkin, shirt, were presently torn away, every one seizing what he could get. To this part of the prize possession was sufficient title ; but Stade. p. 4. c. IS. • Ornio, he writes the name. Three brothers of the Adornos were among the first settlers here. One removed to Bahia, and married a daughter of Caramuru. Giuseppe lived to be more than a hundred, . . the story which S. Vasconcellos tells, (C. da Comp. L. 1. §. 76.) is known to relate to him. The descendants of these brothers are very numerous. Gaspar da M. de Deos. P. 52. HISTORY OF BRAZIL. ^33 Hans's body, or carcase, as they considered it, was a thing of CHAP. V IF more consequence. A dispute arose who had first laid hands on ^ him, and they who bore no part in it amused themselves by 1552. beating the prisoner with their bows. It was settled that he be- longed to two brethren; then they lifted him up and carried him off as fast as possible towards their canoes, which were drawn ashore, and concealed in the thicket. A large party who had been left in guard advanced to meet their triumphant fellows, showing Hans their teeth, and biting their arms to let him see what he was to expect. The Chief of the party went before him, wielding the Iwara Pemme, the club with which they slaughter their prisoners, and crying out to him, Now Pero (as they called the Portugueze) thou art a most vile slave ! now thou art in our hands ! now thou shalt pay for our countrymen whom thou hast slain ! They then tied his hands ; but another dispute arose, what should be done with him. The captors were not all from the same dwelling place ; no other prisoner had been taken, and they who were to return home without one, exclaimed against giving him to the two brethren, and were for killing him at once. Poor Hans had lived long enough in Brazil to understand all that was said, and all that was to be done ; he fervently said his prayers, and kept his eye upon the slaughter-club. The Chief of the party settled the dispute by saying, We will carry him home alive, that our wives may rejoice over him, and he shall be made a Kaawy-pepike 6 ; that is, he was to be killed at the great drinking feast. Then they tied four cords round his neck, fastened them to the ends and sides of a canoe, and pushed off". p.*.'c. i». There was a little island near, in which the sea fowl called raa