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



[Vol. XX. 



fire had wrought great havoc among them ; for since they 

 were sure that the affair would be finished at the passage 

 of the bridge they did not wish to risk themselves ; but from 

 a distance they showered clouds of arrows upon our men, by 

 which almost all of them were hurt. In this wise they reached 

 the bridge, where the enemy attacked our men furiously ; 

 and such was the condition of affairs, that they considered 

 themselves lost. 



Here Antonio Moniz Barreto played the part of an ex- 

 perienced captain and brave soldier, doing such deeds with 

 his arm, as also all his comrades , that they ridded themselves 

 of the enemy, who had got even inside their ranks. 



Here a sudden and fortunate idea came to Antonio Moniz 

 Barreto, namely, to cut off the legs of the modeliar whom they 

 held prisoner, who was a leading personage ; and to leave him 

 in the road, in order that the enemjr should occupy themselves 

 with him, which they did 1 ; for following after our men they 

 came upon the modeliar in that state, and stopped to raise him 

 and send him to be cared for. Of this little space of time and 

 road our people took advantage in such fashion, that they 

 reached the bridge, though followed by some. Antonio 

 Moniz Barreto as soon as he gained it placed himself in the 

 rearguard with the strongest, and ordered the rest to pass 

 over, they keeping the enemy back with matchlock fire, 

 whilst the others passed over a few at a time ; and this they 

 did with infinite trouble, those that were already on the other 

 side keeping the passage clear with their harquebuses, which 

 played incessantly. Antonio Moniz Barreto, when he got to 

 the other side, ordered pa.rt of the bridge to be destroyed, so 

 that the enemy should not follow him, because that river was 

 so deep that it could not be forded in any part. In this way 

 our people were freed from trouble, and went marching with- 

 out hindrance to Triquinimalle 2 ; and thence they proceeded 

 to Ceitavaca, where that king received them and entertained 

 them very well, ordering them to be given everything they 

 needed 3 . 



Now let Titus Livius glorify his Decius , who when he was 

 besieged on Mount Gaums by the Samnites sallied forth in 

 the night with a few Romans through the midst of the enemy, 



1 Freire de Andrade says that the prisoner's legs were broken. 



2 Here the error is repeated. Perhaps we should read " Ruanelle " 

 (Ruvanvella). The river that had to be crossed may have been the 

 Ritigaha-oya at Kannattota. 



3 Mayadunne was at this time playing a double part ; but he soon 

 threw off the mask. 



