About the middle of August, 1734, this powerful fleet entered the Paraguay, and having navigated a month without encountering an enemy, they one morning discovered at day-break various fires at the bottom of a bay, apparently difficult of access, towards which, however, they proceeded in great silence, without being observed, till they arrived almost within gun-shot. The Indians, perceiving themselves thus surprised and surrounded, raised a most horrible yell, to which the Portuguese responded by a discharge of upwards of four hundred muskets, which occasioned great havoc amongst them. Two hundred and ninety-two were made prisoners, including wounded and children, who could not follow the fugitives to the woods. The whole were shortly afterwards baptized. In 1735, after the return of this armament from the Paraguay, and the arrival of a fleet from St. Paulo, consisting of one hundred and twelve canoes, the mines were divided which Fernando de Barroz (a Sorrocabano) had discovered three years before, a short distance from the present site of Villa Bella, the capital of this province, and where the new colonists died in great numbers from a malignant fever, caused by some neighbouring stagnant pools. In the following year the numerous fleet from St. Paulo was attacked by an Indian armada, considerably superior, at the situation of Caranda, on the day of St. Joze. The conflict lasted several hours, in which were killed, amongst others, their brave commandant Pedro de Moraes and Frey Antonio Nascentes, a Franciscan friar, whose extraordinary powers and intrepidity had acquired him the by-name of Tiger. Many others distinguished themselves more fortunately in this conflict, from which they issued conquerors, having caused a horrible carnage amongst the savages. None, however, displayed more bravery than a mulatto, from Pindamonhangaba, called Manuel Rodriguez, and, vulgarly, Manduassu, Manuel the Great, in consequence of his immense stature, strength, and courage. This gigantic man, who commanded his own canoe, in which he was accompanied by his wife, of the same colour, and various slaves, being attacked by two Indian war canoes, defended himself with such valour and dexterity that neither were able to board him; at one time he discharged a musket, which his wife successively loaded for him, at another he wielded a _vara_, (a long pole for impelling the canoe,) the strokes of which were fatal to all those who came within his reach. On his arrival at Cuiaba he was presented with the commission of a captain.