argo
was safely stowed at Recife. He therefore fitted five out of near thirty
small prizes to accompany him, and built a galley frigate to land with.
He was also reinforced by Captain Vernon with two ships, a pinnace, and
a prize, and then sailed direct for Recife, where they arrived in March,
1595. On Good Friday of that year the town was taken with little
resistance, and Lancaster permitted not the slightest disorder after the
place was taken. He fortified the sandy isthmus which connects Recife
with Olinda, and then proceeded at leisure to stow his ships with the
goods found in the town, and hired the Dutch vessels lying in the port
as store-ships. Some French privateers coming in, he also hired them
with part of the booty to assist in the defence of the place, till the
lading of the vessels should be completed. The Portuguese made several
attempts to burn Lancaster's ships, which were all baffled by his
prudence, and after remaining in possession of Recife twenty days he
prepared to sail. However, on the very last day of his stay, some of his
people, both English and French, having advanced too far in a sally
against the Portuguese, were killed, and the enemy claimed a victory,
which Lancaster being now ready for sea had no inclination to dispute.
And this was the last attack made by the English on the coast of Brazil.

But the French had renewed their attempts, and under Rifault and his
successor De Vaux had succeeded in forming a settlement in the island of
Maranham, 1611. And shortly afterwards Henry IV. sent Daniel de la
Touche, Lord of La Rivardiere[15], to examine the country, in order to
form a permanent colony. His report was favourable; and though on his
return to France Henry was dead, an expedition of three ships,
containing 500 men, was fitted out, and in 1612 they arrived on the
island, speedily conciliated the natives, and the colony promised to
thrive. But the court of Madrid quickly sent out orders to the governor
of Brazil to attack the intruders. Various accidents prolonged the
warfare, and it was not until 1618 that they were dislodged, and a
permanent Portuguese colony formed. Its distance from the seat of
government determined the court of Madrid to erect Maranham and Para
into a separate state, of which the capital was fixed at San Luiz, a
town and fort built by the French on the island.

[Note 15: In Barbosa Machado's curious collection of pamphlets, in
the library of Rio de Janeiro, is one b