São João Bautista was attacked by two English ships, the
Treasurer and
White Lion. They were sailing with letters of marque, which provided official sanction from foreign governments to prey on Spanish and Portuguese ships, stealing valuable cargo. When it arrived in Vera Cruz, the
São João Bautista carried only 147 slaves, having lost 203 along the way. Many of these people likely died from disease; others may have taken their own lives or been killed in the English ships’ attack. The remainder—between forty-five and fifty enslaved Africans—had been stolen by the
Treasurer and
White Lion. The two ships promptly sailed for Virginia, with the