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JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [VOL. XL 



fortified ourselves in such a way that they could never drive 

 us away. 



There were more heathens with us than Christians. As 

 our soldiers were very thirsty some ran to the wells to drink, 

 and as these were all poisoned, about thirty men died, some 

 natives amongst them ; whereupon everywhere guards were 

 placed near the wells. We had to be satisfied with water 

 from the river, but we forced seventy prisoners to drink 

 water out of the wells, and they all died. There were many 

 dead frogs in the water, and at the top it was quite blue as if 

 covered with a skin. In order that nobody more should 

 come to harm, all the wells were filled up with earth and sand. 



Four mortars and many bombshells were brought on shore 

 from our ships. Our sailors had nothing to do but to bring 

 iron hammers and break to pieces the great hard tombstones 

 in the churches and monasteries, and these pieces were daily 

 thrown into the town in great quantity along with the 

 grenades. After this had been done for some time many 

 Portuguese came over to us and reported that the bombshells 

 had not done so much damage as the stones, which in three 

 months and a half had killed two thousand six hundred 

 people. 



On the 3rd of September the Portuguese came out on the 

 side where our Commander was on land with half the army, 

 and wanted to capitulate. We on our side knew nothing 

 about it, and as we had instructions to damage them where 

 we could, and as at that time many people stood unprotected 

 upon the walls and ramparts, our head gunner, who had first 

 taken aim with a cannon, wanted to fire. At that moment an 

 arquebusier came running, and brought instructions to cease 

 firing, because they were in treaty with our Commander for 

 the capitulation, and were likely to hand over the castle in 

 two days. We were very glad, and sat down in the field near 

 our trenches and began to speak to them, and to tease them, 

 asking whether there were pretty women in the fortress. 

 They said we had killed all the pretty ones with stones, and 

 that the remainder were all ill. But as we knew that the 



