266 



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



[Vol. XX. 



went to get ashore, and at the place where the Portuguese set 

 foot on land they found a large body of men, who had hastened 

 to prevent their disembarkation, with whom they engaged 

 in a very fine and hazardous battle, because the enemy were 

 many more and fought for the defence of their houses and 

 goods. The ar aches with their lascarins disembarked at 

 another part ; and finding no defence, they went and reached 

 a bridge that the enemy would have to pass if they went 

 fleeing from our people, the which was on the side towards 

 the pagode of Tanavare ; and in order that none might escape 

 they destroyed it ; and turning aside into some palm-groves, 

 they burst forth upon the rear of the enemy, who were closely 

 engaged in battle with our people, and rushing upon them 

 with great fury and outcry they killed and laid low many, 

 and all the rest, as they were taken by surprise, they discom- 

 fited and put to flight. Our people went following them on one 

 side and the araches on the other until they drove them into 

 the town 1 , both forces causing great havoc amongst them ; 

 and in order not to have disorder, which always happens in 

 these cases, the captains commanded to set fire to the houses, 

 which were covered with straw and palm-leaves, which caught 

 alight so furiously, that in a short time all was reduced to dust 

 and ashes 2 , because there were burnt many shops filled with 

 cloth, opium, oils, butters, cinnamon, and other things that 

 greatly augmented the fierceness of the fire, all of which was 

 for loading for Meca, Achem, Masulipatao 3 , Pegu, and other 

 places, this river being a great staple for all 4 . Having done 

 this, they set fire to the ships that they found both on land 

 and on sea, which were twenty-five small ones and a galleon 

 that had belonged to Portuguese 5 , which had gone ashore on 

 that coast, and which was already fitted to go to Meca ; only 

 the pardos of the Malavares escaped, through being three leagues 

 up the river at a part to which our people could not get 6 . 



1 Apparently Weligama. 



2 The town must have been rebuilt soon, for in X. x. xv. (p. 37 1) we read 

 of its again being burnt four years later by Thome de Sousa de Arronches. 



3 The manuscript has " Mazaruputao." 



4 Weligama was a considerable trading port long before the Portu- 

 guese came to the East, its bay affording safe and quiet anchorage to 

 vessels except during the south-west monsoon (see Malidv. lxxv. 46). 



5 The manuscript has " had gone from Portugal." I cannot say 

 which is the correct reading, as I have found no information regarding 

 the wreck of this galleon. 



6 Perhaps at Denepitiya (see infra, p. 371). According to the 

 Rdjdvaliya (86), a combat took place there in circa 1558 between the 

 Portuguese-Kotte forces and those of Mayadunne (see supra, p. 205, 

 note 1 ). 



