566 



JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). 



[Vol. XL 



Thereupon the Count-Admiral sent the votes of the Ceylon 

 Captains to the King, and on the part of Her Majesty ordered 

 Constantino de Sa with great urgency to erect a fort as soon 

 as possible at the port of Batecalou, which had been already 

 chosen. For after the King of Gandia had entrenched himself 

 in that town and garrisoned it, as already mentioned, the fort 

 was not only useful, but absolutely necessary, requiring fewer 

 ships than was wanted for the coast of Triquilimale, and 

 much less expense for preventing reinforcements to the 

 Gandian's allies and friends. 



Constantino de Sa replied to the Viceroy that it was more 

 important before erecting a fort at Batecalou to throw up one 

 first at Manicravare, the usual standing camp of our army, 

 which would not only serve to secure it, but be a protection 

 against any sudden attack ; for being on the borders and 

 frontier of Gandia it remained exposed to the first onslaught, 

 where it was very probable that the Gandian would begin 

 the war, angry as he would be at our fortifying Batecalou, 

 the most useful port he had. 



To carry out so important an affair he wanted money, the 

 most necessary thing for all their resolutions, for Ambrose 

 de Freitas, in this year of 1627, still occupied the post of 

 Veedor de hazienda, and it was he who placed impediments 

 in the way, because of the expenses, which in some respects 

 were perhaps exceeded. 



Constantino de Sa, however, with the approval of the 

 Count-Admiral, and helped by the liberality and valour of 

 his soldiers, raised three thousand, and being the first in the 

 work to show the most zeal and vigilance, he made the 

 fortifying of Manicravare so easy, that in a few days it was 

 finished. 



On the way he repaired the fort at Malhana, which was 

 almost in ruins and without protection'; on this work he 

 spent, according to his will, 10,000 xarafinsr 



He made this a stepping stone to the fortification of 

 Batecalou, the most capacious maritime port in the Island, 



* Xarajin, a coin worth 300 reis, Portuguese. 



