MISCELLANEOUS NOTES, 263 



artillery, as a temporary outpost, to put a stop to the marauding 

 parties, which appeared almost daily right opposite Tranquera 

 gate, * continually alarming the inhabitants on that side of the 

 town. 



They had hardly passed the gate, when they received news that 

 the enemy were marching on the town with their whole force divi- 

 ded into two columns, one taking the road by Gevesteyn, the other 

 the main road direct from the Lazarus-house. 



The Captain then thought it better to operate against the enemy 

 with his troops, and force them into an engagement if they stood 

 firm. So he at once detached a column of 40 Europeans with 150 

 Chinese and Malays, all well-armed, towards G-evesteyn to attack the 

 enemy advancing from that side ; while he kept with him the other 

 40 Europeans with the Bugis of the garrison, 50 in number, and a 

 few natives, to meet the enemy coming along the road from the 



Lazarus-house. 



The party marching towards Gevesteyn met the enemy there, 

 more than 300 strong, at halt on a plain quietly taking their food ; 

 upon seeing which they quickly advanced and attacked them with 

 a well directed volley from their muskets. The enemy, not at all on 

 their guard, fled to the neighbouring jungle, picking up a few 

 things as they went, but in such a hurry and confusion, that they 

 left behind a great number of arms, bullets and sarongs. 

 Thence they fled to the jungle round the Lazarus-house, where 

 our troops could not follow them so easily, but they found the 

 jungle paths stained all over with blood, certain proof that many 

 of the enemy had been wounded. 



Our Captain and his troops arriving near the house of the Jenlif 

 (Tamil) Kisna, discovered the enemy on a large plain opposite the 

 Lazarus-house. When they saw our soldiers drawing near, they 



*0ne account says this was so named after a Portuguese man of note; 

 another states that there was a fierce elephant in the neighbourhood at 

 G-ajah Berang and hence the name and he would not come any nearer because 

 he saw the place was cleared, "Trangkera." "Tranquera" means "an obsta- 

 cle, " probably used to denote one of the outworks beyond the fortress. The 

 gate is at the end of Heeren Street, known to the natives asKampong Blanda, 



a quarter of a mile or so from the Stadt-house ; Tranquera itself extends to a 



mile or so from the Stadt-house. 



