598 



JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [^OL. XI. 



fire to it, spending the night in preparing themselves for the 

 feast they expected on the following day. There was not 

 one who, in imitation of their General, did not confess more 

 than once that they were determined to sell their lives dearly, 

 and show the enemy that the Portuguese, with the same 

 valour they disregarded life, despised death. The General, 

 glad to see such fidelity and courage in his men, after he 

 had spoken to each of his Captains in turn, exhorted those 

 Zing alas who still remained faithful, but whose numbers 

 he could not tell. All that is known is that they were very 

 few who feared to die, since it was the means to reap the 

 reward for all the toil and trouble they had suffered to 

 preserve the faith in that Island, in whose defence they were 

 to die like true martyrs of Christ. 



Day was beginning to dawn when the traitors, the safer 

 to carry out their wicked plans, came up to the General, still 

 presuming to deceive him, and asked him that they might 

 be allowed to lead the vanguard from the camp in order to 

 display their courage in receiving the first onslaught of the 

 enemy at the foot of the mountain ; and as they were in 

 such numbers he did not think it prudent to refuse them 

 what they asked. It now being about the eighth hour of 

 the morning he raised camp and commenced his march in 

 the following order. 



Don Cosmo led the van, and after him followed his 

 three companions, Don Alexo coming last with the rest of 

 the lascarins. The Portuguese formed one squadron, their 

 flanks covered by a few of the most reliable Zing alas ; 

 and the General, without keeping to one post, went about 

 from one division to another, exposing himself wherever 

 there was most danger. The enemy seeing us come down 

 prepared to receive us in such numbers and with such 

 impetuosity that it was necessary for the Christians to keep 

 well together so as not to throw the whole into confusion. 



Don Cosmo then seeing what was passing, so as to 

 throw all doubt of his treachery to the winds, killed a 

 Portuguese named Fulano Bernades, who happened to be 



