The governor-general at Bahia, Mem de Sa, having been advised by his nephew of the critical state of affairs at Rio de Janeiro, hastily organized an expedition in Bahia and Espirito Santo for the relief of the infant colony. Much time was consumed in obtaining vessels and men, and it was not until January 18th, 1567, that the fleet, commanded by Mem de Sa in person, arrived off the entrance to the bay. Immediate preparations were made to attack the French position on the 20th, the feast day of St. Sebastian the Martyr who had been selected as the patron saint of the city. The Portuguese were everywhere successful, but they had the misfortune to lose their commander, Estacio de Sa, who was wounded in the face with a poisoned arrow early in the day, and died one month after. Driven from their fortifications on the mainland, the French took to their ships, which for some reason had not been attacked, and the Indians sued for peace. Thus ended the French occupation of the bay of Rio de janeiro. Had it not been for the bad faith of Villegagnon, or the energy and courage of Mem de Sa, Rio de Janeiro might have remained in the hands of the French Protestants, and the subsequent history of Brazil would have run in a widely different channel from that to which it was confined by the selfish colonial policy of Portugal. Immediately after his victory, Mem de Sa removed the colony from the site of Villa Velha to change the Morro do Castello, and the name of the bay was formally added to that of the former settlement, making it SA DE JANEIRO to which subsequent administrators have prefixed the honorary titles of “Muito Leal e Heroica Cidade.” The French, it may here be mentioned, had called their settlement La France Antartique, which name still appears in certain poetical effusions. The victory of the Portuguese is still commemorated by the illumination of all public, and many private buildings on the 17th, 18th and 19th of January, and by salutes from the forts on the same nights. On the 20th occurs the religious commemoration of St. Sebastian, whose image eight days thereafter is carried from the imperial chapel to his own church on Castle Hill, in which also rest the ashes of Estacio de Sa, the founder of the city. The Portuguese remained in peaceful possession of their new settlement until August 11th, 1710, when a French expedition commanded by Duclerc, comprising five vessels and about a thousand men, appeared at the bar and attempted an entrance into the bay. Failing in this, they went down the coast a few miles to Guaratiba, where a landing was effected. From this point a rapid advance was made on the city, and with such success that Duclerc had penetrated to the principal square and begun an attack on the governor’s palace before any effectual resistance was offered. A vigorous attack was then made on the invaders by the populace, which resulted in the defeat of Duclerc. He took refuge in a warehouse on the waterfront, and was there compelled to surrender, or have the building burned down over his head. The surrender occurred September 19th, and on March 18th of the following year two unknown individuals assassinated Duclerc in his own room at night. This defeat and assassination of Duclerc aroused a feeling of bitter resentment in France, and an expedition was at once fitted out for making reprisals composed of 18 vessels and a large number of men, which was commanded by no less personage than the celebrated Duguayi Trouin. The French fleet passed Fort Santa Cruz, not without loss, on September 12th, I711, and on the following day the Ilha das Cobras fell into their possession, from which commanding position preparations were made to storm the city.