^2. WESTERN HINDOOSTAN. 



P-ortuguefe, and periflied in the fiege. His fucceflbr called in the 

 "Turks, and, with an army of twenty thoufand men, renewed 

 the fiege. The gallant governor, MenefeSy repelled all their 

 affaults, and obliged them to retire with great lofs. In 1546 it 

 underwent a third fiege, and with the fame ill fuccefs. After 

 this? every attention was paid to a place of fuch importance. 

 Jts fortifications were efteemed the fineft in India, to which it 

 was deemed the key; they were feated on a rock, and had a 

 vaft fofs cut through the live ftone. It became a place of im- 

 menfe trade, and was the harbour in which the fleets were laid 

 lip during winter. The fpkndor of the buildings, and the lux- 

 ury of the inhabitants, were unfpeakable. Surat was deftroyed 

 to favor its commerce, but when that city was reftored, the 

 former declined fall:, fo that at prefent it has not only quite loft 

 its former confequence, but, according to Nicholfon, is in a 

 manner a heap of ruins. 



The governor, Don John Mafcarenbas, was, after a moft 

 gallant defence, reduced to great diftrefs. He was relieved by 

 Don John de ^^ great Don John de Caflro., governor of the Indies, then at 

 Castro. Goa, who firft fent his fon Ferdinand, with fuch force he could 



fpare, to ftrengthen the garrifon : After which, collecting all 

 the troops he could in Afia, followed his fon, landed his 

 army, and joined the befieged. He refolved to attack the 

 enemy, numerous as they were. He fallied forth, and gained a 

 complete vi<5lory . 



The manner in which the fortrefs of Diu was reftored, is 

 fingular. Cajiro was pofleffed of little more than his fword and 

 his helmet. He tried every method to raife money, but in 

 vain. At length he offered to depofit, as pledges for the fum, 

 the bones of his fon Ferdinand, who had fell during the fiege. 



His 



