2© BARRETTO DE RESENDE’S ACCOUNT OF MALACCA, 
escaped after crossing the river, and taking refuge in the interior of 
the country. Mohameth, after passing through the country of 
Pam, intrenched himself at Bentam, whence he proposed to make 
expeditions against Malacca. But Albuquerque had by this time 
finished the work of fortification of this<town; his commanding 
position, his artillery and his powerful garrison made him the terror 
of the Malays and always maintained the authority and honour of 
the Crown of Portugal. Malacca was victorious in repelling 
numerous attacks by Malay Kings and other neighbouring rulers. 
The fortress forms a square each side of which measures 20 
yards, it is 80 yards high (sic), and is protected on the east by walls 
built of stone and plaster; and in the interior there is a spring of 
water. In time of war or disturbance the inhabitants can be given 
shelter and provision there. The castle, or the tower, is as high 
as the hills. It was not built on the hill because it was preferable 
to place it lower down, in the sea itself, to ensure re-victualling in 
ease of war. When this had been done, wooden walls were erected 
around the groups of Malay dwellings. 
Two walls, built of stcne covered with plaster, started from 
the angle formed by the sea to the west in two lines: they followed 
the shore and turned at right angles when they reached the height 
of the ground where the hospitals and the Brotherhood of Merey 
were built; and thence the two lines turned, the one to the North 
for a distance of 260 yards as far as the angle of the rampart of 
St. Peter, at the mouth of the river opposite the castle, and the 
other to the East for a distance of 150 yards at the turn of the 
coast by the gate and rampart of St. James. Another wall, which 
was built at the same time, extended from the rampart of St. Peter 
as far as the gateway of the Alfandega, and thence, for a distance 
of 300 yards, followed the river to the North East as far as the 
acute angle formed by the rampart of St. Dominic. From the 
gateway here, a wooden wall extended to the South East, for a 
distance of 200 yards, to the obtuse angle at the end of the Avenue 
of the Mother of God. Another wooden wall extended from the 
gateway of St. Anthony for a distance of 200 yards towards the 
South East beyond the rampart of the Virgins as far as another 
gateway on the rampart St. James. The total length of the walls 
was thus 1310 yards of five palms to the yard. In later days the 
architect in chief, Joao Baptista, by order of the King, prepared 
amended plans of the fortress. He made a new and enlarged plan 
of the walls in the South and in the waste land which stretches 
from the rampart of St. James to that of St. Dominic. His idea 
was to build new walls of stone and plaster instead of the wooden 
palisades, but his project was never carried out. Although there 
were four gateways pierced in the walls, two only, that of the 
Alfandega and that of St. Anthony, were generally used, and were 
open for ordinary traffic. In the interior of the enclosed area are 
the Castle, the Governor’s Palace, the Bishop’s Palace, the State 
Council Hall, the Hall of the Brotherhood of Merey, five Chur- 
Jour. Straits Branch 
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