1874.] T. W. H. Tolbort — Portuguese Settlements in India. 129 



that the outline of the two forts at the present day is quite or very nearly 

 the same as it was more than two hundred years ago. 



Entering by the Porta do Mar, the visitor has on his left the 

 ruins of the ancient church of the monastery of the Franciscans, 

 distinguished by its tall tower and by its numerous tomb stones, half 

 buried in the debris, half hidden by grass and weeds. Beyond this, 

 still keeping to the left or east of the centraj road, is the ancient 

 church of the Augustine Friars, now used as the barracks. Further on, near 

 the Porta da Terra, is the old monastery of the Order of St. John of God, a 

 lay fraternity who devoted themselves to the care of the sick. The building 

 retains the character of a hospital as in earlier days. Opposite this, on 

 the other, viz. the western side of the central road, are the Town Hall, the 

 Jail, and the modern Church with its attendant chapel to the Virgin. 

 Eeturning on the western side, the visitor passes the ruins of the Dominican 

 church and convent, and then those of the Jesuit establishment, the Church 

 of St. Paul, and the Santa Casa de Misericordia, Of the Jesuit buildings 

 mere traces are left, as tlieir suppression took place at an earlier date than 

 that of the other religious orders. 



In front of these ruins, facing the central road, are the Governor's 

 Palace and buildings appertaining to it. These of course are kept in good 

 repair and have undergone modifications suited to modern requirements. 

 The site, however, is the same as in 1634 ; but we find from Bocarro that at 

 that date the Governor's house, with the church and college of the Jesuits and 

 some other buildings, formed a fortress within the city, surrounded by a 

 brick wall, and that this fortress and wall had been built by the Muhamma- 

 dans before the Portuguese conquest. 



Daman had twenty-seven cannon in 1634, and many, if not most of 

 these, are still on its ramparts, though the Baluarte da Barra is the only bas- 

 tion now garrisoned. 



On the land side the fort is protected by a ditch, cut from the sea to 

 a small rivulet or ndlah flowing into the Daman Ganga. This nalaJi, which 

 is almost dry during the greater part of the year, is crossed by a drawbridge. 

 Beyond the ditch is a maidan, leading to the larger of the two native towns 

 of Daman. On it stand a few modern houses, belonging to Portuguese 

 residents, and a deserted chapel, opposite which is a cross. I was told that 

 the besiegers of Daman once came as far as this cross. Probably this tra- 

 dition refers to the Maratha attacks in the eighteenth century, though it 

 may have been handed down from the earlier siege by Aurangzib. For an 

 account of the latter see Tavernier, vol. 2, page 124. 



We now turn back to the small fort on the north side of the harbour, 

 all the localities hitherto described being on the south side. The small fort 

 is dedicated to St. Jerome. Its wall is somewhat higher than that 



