Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 4.djvu/274

230 of Portugal by Pliilip II. changed the aspect of affairs. Brazil, believed to be inferior to the Spanish possessions in mines, was consequently abandoned in comparative neglect for the period intervening between 1578 and 1640, during which it continued an apanage of Spain. No sooner had Brazil passed under the Spanish crown, than English adventurers directed their hostile enterprises against its shores. In 158G Witherington plundered Bahia; in 1591 Cavendish burned S. Vincente ; in 1595 Lancaster took Olinda. These exploits, however, were transient in their effects. In 1612 the French attempted to found a permanent colony in the island of Maraj6, where they succeeded in maintaining themselves till 1618. This attempt led to the erection of Maranhao and Para into a separate Estado. But it was on the part of the Dutch that the most skilful and pertinacious efforts were made for securing a footing in Brazil ; and they alone of all the rivals of the Portuguese have left traces of their presence in the national spirit and institutions of Brazil. The success of the Dutch East India Company led to the establishment of a similar one for the West Indies, to which a monopoly of the trade to America and Africa was granted. This body despatched in 1624 a fleet against Bahia. The town yielded almost without a struggle. The fleet soon after sailed, a squadron being detached against Angola, with the intention of taking possession of that colony, in order to secure a supply of slaves The Portuguese, in the meanwhile, began to collect for the pur pose of expelling the permanent intruders, and the hearty co-operation of all the natives against the invaders having been obtained through the descendants of Caramaru, the Dutch were obliged to capitulate in May 1625. The honours bestowed upon the Indian chiefs for their assist ance in this war broke down in a great measure the barrier between the two races ; and there is at this day a greater admixture of their blood among the better classes in Bahia than is to be found elsewhere in Brazil. In 1630 the Dutch attempted again to effect a settle ment ; and Olinda yielded after a feeble resistance. They were unable, however, to extend their power beyond the limits of the town, until the arrival of Count Maurice of Nassau in 1630. His first step was to introduce a regular government among his countrymen ; his second, to send to the African coast one of his officers, who took possession of a Portuguese settlement, and thus secured a supply of slaves. In the course of four years, the limited period of his government, he succeeded in confirming the Dutch supremacy along the coast of Brazil from the mouth of the S, Francisco to Maranhao. He promoted the amalgamation of the different races, and sought to conciliate the Portu guese by the confidence he reposed in them. His object was to found a great empire ; but this was a project at variance with the wishes of his employers an association of merchants, who were dissatisfied because the wealth which they expected to see flowing into their coffers was expended in promoting the permanent interests of a distant country. Count Maurice was recalled in 1644. His suc cessors possessed neither his political nor his military talents, and had to contend with more energetic enemies. In 1640 the revolution which placed the house of Braganga on the throne of Portugal restored Brazil to masters more inclined to promote its interests and assert its possession than the Spaniards. It was indeed high time that some exertion should be made. The northern provinces had fallen into the power of Holland ; the southern, peopled in a great measure by the hardy descendants of the successive colonists who had issued on all sides from the central establishment of S. Paulo, had learned from their habits of unaided and successful enter- prize to court independence. They had ascended the waters of the Paraguay to their sources. They had ex tended their limits southwards till they reached the Spanish settlements on La Plata. They had reduced to slavery numerous tribes of the natives. They were rich in cattle, and had commenced the discovery of the mines. When, therefore, the inhabitants of S. Paulo saw themselves about to be transferred, as a dependency of Portugal, from one master to another, they conceived the idea of erecting their country into an independent state. Their attempt, how ever, was frustrated by Amador Bueno, the person whom they had selected for their king. When the people shouted &quot; Long live King Amador,&quot; he cried out &quot; Long live Jouo IV.,&quot; and took refuge in a convent. The multitude, left without a leader, acquiesced, and this important province was secured to the house of Braganga. Rio and Santos, although both evinced a desire of inde pendence, followed the example of the Paulistas. Bahia, as capital of the Brazilian states, felt that its ascendency depended upon the union with Portugal. The Government thus left in quiet possession of the rest of Brazil, had time to concentrate its attention upon the Dutch conquests. The crown of Portugal was, however, much too weak to adopt energetic measures. The tyranny of the successors of Nassau, by alienating the minds of the Portuguese and natives, drove them to revolt before any steps were taken in the mother country for the reconquest of its colonies. Joao Fernandes Vieyra, a native of Madeira, organized the insurrection which broke out in 1645. This insurrection gave birth to one of those wars in which a whole nation, destitute of pecuniary resources, military organization, and skilful leaders, is opposed to a handful of soldiers advan tageously posted and well officered. But brute force is unable to contend with scientific valour. Vieyra, who Lad the sense to see this, repaired to the court of Portugal, and discovering the weakness and poverty of the executive, suggested the establishment of a company similar to that which in Holland had proved so successful. His plan, notwithstanding the opposition of the priests, was approved of, and in 1649 the Brazil Company of Portugal sent out its first fleet. After a most sanguinary war, Vieyra was enabled in 1 654 to present the keys of Olinda to the royal commander, and to restore to his monarch the undivided empire of Brazil. After this, except some inroads on the frontiers, the only foreign invasion which Brazil had to suffer was from France. In 1710 a squadron, commanded by Duclerc, disembarked 1000 men, and attacked Rio de Janeiro. After having lost half of his men in a battle, Duclerc and all his surviving companions were made pri soners. The governor treated them cruelly. A new squadron with 6000 troops was intrusted to the famous admiral Duguay Trouin to revenge this injury. They arrived at Rio on the 12th September 1711. After four days of hard fight ing the town was taken. The governor retreated to a position out of it, and was only awaiting reinforcements from Minas to retake it ; but Duguay Trouin threatening to burn it, he was obliged on the 10th October to sign a capitulation, and pay to the French admiral 610,000 crusados, 500 cases of sugar, and provisions for the return of the fleet to Europe. Duguay Trouin departed to Bahia to obtain fresh spoils ; but having lost in a storm two of his best ships, with an important part of the money received, he renounced this plan and returned directly to France. After this the Portuguese governed undisturbed their colony. The approach of foreign traders was prohibited, while the regalities reserved by the crown drained the country of a great proportion of its wealth. The important part which the inhabitants of Sao Paulo have played in the history of Brazil has been already adverted to. The establishment of the Jesuit college had attracted settlers to its neighbourhood, and frequent 