230 VALENTYN’S ACCOUNT OF MALACCA. 
appointed from among the officers of the army and the fleet) 
Captain MIME WILLEMSSOON KAARTEKOE was approved as 
the Hon’ble Company’s Commander of the land and naval 
forces before Malacca (though I cannot understand why 
others more suitable than Heer KAARTEKOE, as, for instance, 
Heer LAMOTIUS and Captain FORCENBURG were oOver- 
looked). KAARTEKOE then, in conformity with the advice of 
the Council (which, at that time, was composed of experienced 
and valiant Captains and seamen) to prevent our army further 
dwindling away from the ever-increasing pestilence, resolved 
to storm the moribund town of Malacca (which now scarcely 
offered any resistance) and to compel its inhabitants in this 
manner to surrender. After having held a day of public 
prayers, preparations were made for the storming of the town 
on the morning of the 14th of January, and, by the grace of 
God, that rich and important town was taken in the following 
manner :— 
At daybreak of the 14th January, Sergeant-Major JOANES 
LAMOTIUS formed three columns of all our healthy troops 
(both soldiers and sailors), numbering about 650 men altoge- 
ther, of which Captain LAURENS FORCENBURG commanded 
the first column, Captain HURDT the second, and Captain 
NICOLAAS JANSSOON HOUTKOOPER the third. These troops, 
partly armed with muskets (the sailors carrying ladders), 
marched towards the Bastion “St. Domingo” and shouting 
the war cry “Help us God”’ they stormed that part of the 
town with irresistible courage. Fora time the enemy offered 
a brave and unexpected resistance, but after a fierce hand to 
hand fight we became masters of this point, drove the flying 
enemy from there along the skirts of the town to the point 
‘“ Madre de Dios,” took that also after a weak resistance, and so 
successively the points ‘Our Mille Virgines,” “St. Jago,”’(*) 
“Curassa’’ and the “ Hospital Bulwark.” Butatthe ‘ Forti- 
lessa Velha” our men met with such a brave resistance, that 
they had to retreat with a loss of twenty men to the said Hos- 
pital, where they were beyond the range of the enemy’s guns 
of heavy calibre and from where we could sweep them with our 
(1) This, from the plan, must have been near where the old gateway is, 
