Whilst _Olinda_ remained closed, the trade between the province of _Pernambuco_ and Portugal passed for the most part through a port, about seven leagues to the north of _Recife_, called _Pontal de Nazareth_, so named from a celebrated church on a mountain, possessing a miracle-working image of the Virgin. It was fortified with four guns, and had a garrison of nearly two hundred men. On this place the Dutch directed their next attempt; but, not liking its appearance, they coasted along, meaning to land in a creek some distance beyond. It so happened that they were received by a sharp fire from a party of soldiers who were escorting some treasure, and whose numbers were concealed by the thicket. Thinking that a strong party had been sent thither from _Nazareth_, the Dutch commander now doubled back on that place. He was, however, mistaken, and his attack on it was repulsed with a loss of seventy men. [Sidenote: 1632.] The Dutch had now been for two years at _Recife_; but their conquests were confined to the possession of that place and to a fort on the island of _Itamaraca_. A gleam of good fortune, however, now awaited them. A mulatto named Calabar, a native of _Pernambuco_, for some reason not known, deserted to the invaders. He was possessed of such sagacity and enterprise, and moreover was so well acquainted with the country, that his assistance was invaluable. Although he had been the first to desert, he was soon the means of inducing others to follow his example. His earliest exploit was to lead the Dutch on an expedition to _Garrasu_, which place he surprised whilst the inhabitants were at mass. They plundered and burnt the town, treating the people with much cruelty. Before the alarm occasioned by the fate of _Garrasu_ had cooled down, Calabar next led the Dutch on a second expedition to the south, where they destroyed another settlement. He then guided them to the river _Fermoso_, and surprised five ships nearly laden. On the Portuguese building a little fort here to prevent the recurrence of a similar disaster, Calabar once more attacked the place, when the commander and nineteen out of the twenty men of the garrison fell in its defence. Indeed, Calabar completely embarrassed his late commander, whose every plan was thwarted, and who was utterly at a loss what to do. His measures were so uniformly unsuccessful that he did not escape from his countrymen the suspicion of treachery, though he may be acquitted of anything further than incapacity.