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



year [1]625 he finished fortifying it strongly enough (as 

 we shall relate in its proper place) to be almost impregnable. 



The General's wish was to return to Columbo, when he 

 received information that the heretics of Denmark with five 

 large ships, assisted by the natives, were at anchor in the 

 harbour of Gotiar in the Bay of Triquilimale, and were erect- 

 ing a fortress, which, if they succeeded in doing, would be an 

 irreparable damage to us ; since, with the friendship and 

 alliance they had already obtained with the kings of Candia, 

 they had greatly increased the strength and audacity of the 

 Zingalas to deliver them from the Portuguese dominion 

 they hated so much. Their intercourse was as agreeable to 

 them as our yoke was hateful ; for they did not mingle 

 religious subjects in the trade they carried on with their 

 merchants for gain, but encouraged them in their idolatry, 

 in return for which they were allowed to pamper the vices 

 which pleased free strangers most, and in that manner gave 

 reins to their licentious appetites. There was no difference 

 between them, except in appearance and colour ; and the 

 heretics made themselves the companions of the Zingalas 

 against us who were the lords, and to whom they bore such 

 enmity because of our natural pride and arrogance. 



The General, when he heard this, immediately sent the 

 Captains Barreto and Cabral de Faria to Cottar in the only 

 ship that had put into the harbour from that port, so remote 

 from the others. He himself left for Triquilimale, where 

 in a brilliant action he repulsed the enemy, making them 

 re-embark in great disorder with great loss of men and two 

 ships, which were left on the coast, — an affair which did him 

 great credit for the rapidity and valour he displayed in 

 sending reliefs and thwarting such an enterprise. He 

 conquered the heretics, and punished the natives whom he 

 found guilty of being in league with them : he dismantled 

 the forts they had made, and finally liberated the islanders 

 from the new servitude into which the devil had drawn 

 them, converting them from idolators to heretics, in order 

 that they may be always under his power. 



