NO. 41. — 1890.] REBELION DE CEYLAN. 



545 



the Moors were, who were not only the inveterate enemies 

 of our religion, but also our mortal foes ; who not only tried 

 to convert the Gentiles, but to be masters of the seas as well 

 as of the many great and vast provinces within the East. 



It is not possible to ascertain the exact number of these 

 barbarians who were expelled by Constantino de Sa. We 

 only know that he carried out the royal commands with 

 skill and with greater success than he had anticipated. It was 

 a deed worthy of great praise, and for which His Majesty 

 expressed himself well pleased and beholden. 



The King of Candia, who invariably watched all our actions 

 in order, to make use of them when convenient, now wished 

 to keep us more than ever in continual fear and anxiety. 

 He gave shelter to the exiled Moors, as they were enemies of 

 the Portuguese, and admitted them into the principal posts of 

 his kingdom, placing in that of Batecalou a garrison of 4,000 ; 

 giving to understand by^ this disposition the fear he had of 

 what we had done in these parts by that other fortress of 

 Triquilimale which had completely closed the kingdom of 

 Candia from all provisions and supplies ; so that he was as 

 it were blockaded and shut up within his own territories, 

 whilst the Portuguese remained masters of all the seaports 

 in the Island. 



More than once had His Majesty given orders to the 

 Captains-General of Ceylon to erect a fortress at Batecalou, 

 but finding that harbour to be shallow and incapable of 

 sheltering any large vessel, and no eminence or commanding 

 site whereupon they could erect a battery, they had deferred 

 a work which was most important for the carrying on of the 

 conquest. 



Constantino de Sa had received the same orders but more 

 pressing, and seeing the difficulties in the way were false, he 

 desired above all things to carry them out, although he had 

 suspended them so as not to disobey what His Majesty had 

 also ordered, namely, not to be the first to break the 

 treaties of peace and declare war. But the King of Candia 

 had broken through almost every clause of them, and 



