No. 39.-1889.] account of ceylon. 



313 



Portuguese cannot stand being teased about their women, 

 and that they sooner forgive a blow than being called cuck- 

 old, we teased them all the more, and said that if we came 

 inside we should cure their illness in a way which they 

 would like very much.* 



In the meantime the arrangements for the capitulation 

 were completed. The following day the soldiers marched 

 out ; on the second the clergy, or priests ; on the third the 

 citizens with their wives and children, but the women looked 

 like corpses, nothing but bones with skin over them ; on the 

 fourth day our Commanders and officers went into the castle 

 and plundered ; on the fifth we were allowed inside, but 

 without arms, and every one plundered as best he could, but 

 our officers had already pretty well cleared the place. I was 

 not lazy, either. I ran straight into the monastery, as I knew 

 it would not be quite empty, and found an old priest, who 

 was ill, and wanted to know from him where I could find 

 something. He was willing, and said that if I would give 

 him a share he would show me good booty, and then he 

 asked what countryman I was. I replied in Portuguese that 

 I was a High Dutchman. Then he began to talk to me in 

 High Dutch, and said that he was an Austrian from Corneu- 

 burg, and had lived thirty-six years in the monastery. He 

 showed me an old cushion. I cut it open and found five 

 hundred St Tliomce (that was money, and each of the value 

 of four Hollandish florins). But I did not remain in posses- 

 sion very long. 



The following day about six hundred of us were ordered 

 on board, and whilst we passed from the boat into the ship 

 we were searched. We were allowed to keep the goods, but 

 the money was taken away from us. If I had known that, I 

 should have sooner thrown it into the water ; on shore I 

 should certainly have known how to keep it, because I had 

 risked my life before the enemy for it, and there would have 



* Compare Ribeiro's description of the brutal treatment accorded to 

 the prisoners by the Dutch. 



