330 



JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [VOL. XX. 



of Mapano 1 , from which all our people drank, over which close 

 watch was kept, so much so, that those who came with that 

 object, having been detected and given a good beating, left 

 the poison and retreated ; and in order to dispirit our 

 people he gave every night signals for assaults, whereby 

 he made them remain all night with arms in their 

 hands ; several times sending some volunteers in tones, 

 in great silence, to cut the cables of the ship and to throw fire 

 on to the boats ; but every contingency was so provided for, 

 that all his designs were frustrated. And some of his people 

 having offered to go and fight our armada, he ordered his to be 

 got ready, which consisted of ten ships quite filled with picked 

 men ; and coming from the Matual side in the height of 

 midday 2 , and putting in to land, they made as if to disembark 

 with their banners, which they carried unfurled. Thome de 

 Sousa de Arronches, captain-major of that coast, who was in 

 his galley, ordered the anchor to be weighed, and went to 

 attack them, there going also with him in a foist Francisco da 

 Silva, alcaide mor, and Simao Botelho in another, there hasten- 

 ing to the shore the captains of the ships of the company of 

 Nuno Alvres Datouguia with their men in order to embark in 

 theirs. Thome de Sousa, who went out against the enemy, 

 discharged amongst them a bow-piece, and caught one in the 

 hind-castle , which completely shattered it with the rudder, 

 and killed some of the oarsmen : the captain-major of the 

 enemy set upon the galley and ran his prow right against it, 

 and endeavoured to get men aboard it, upon which there 

 ensued a fierce fight ; but nevertheless our people so mauled 

 them that they on their side had to cast off and retire. Thome 

 de Sousa, on account of some sandbanks 3 that were in front of 

 him, cast anchor, and the foists went following him ; and 

 getting in front of him they went athwart him in the channel 

 through which they had to pass, because now behind them 

 came the ships of Pero Rodrigues, Domingos Alvres, and Simao 

 Leitao, which were overhauling them rapidly and placing 

 them in the necessity of attempting the sandbank, which had 

 little water : and grazing the top of it they got to the other 



1 This is evidently the well shown in Ressende's plan inside the fort 

 near the gate of Mapane (another is shown near the ordnance maga- 

 zines), and it is also given in the plan in Le Grand's Ribeiro , but so badly 

 drawn, that it looks like a barrel. That Raja Sigha could poison a 

 well inside the fort does not appear probable ; and we may dismiss the 

 accusation (which is brought forward in every war) as groundless. 

 (See, however, infra, p. 347.) 



2 Probably in the hope of catching the Portuguese enjoying a siesta. 



3 Seep. 326, note 5 . 



