No. 60.— 1908.] couto : history of ceylon. 



377 



posts, where it is much valued, because in the whole island 

 there is none 1 . 



From there they went foraying several ports until they 

 reached the deep sea, where they encountered the armada 

 and gave the captain-major a relation of the affairs of Columbo , 

 and of what they had done along the coast, and how the city 

 of Chilao was garrisoned and fortified 2 . Manoel de Sousa at 

 once proceeded to anchor in front of its port, and ordered 

 Bom Jeronimo Dazevedo with four hundred men and the 

 ar aches with their lascarins to disembark, which they did. 

 attacking two tranqueiras that the enemy had, with such 

 impetuosity that they straightway abandoned them with the 

 loss of several killed ; and our men penetrated four leagues 

 inland, making great havoc amongst them ; and when they 

 had completely hemmed them in they turned back again, on 

 the way falling upon many villages and hamlets, which they 

 burnt and destroyed, until they reached the city of Chilao, 

 which they put to fire and sword, not sparing anything, 

 without all this costing more than two of our lascarins. In 

 the river were more than fifty pagueis 3 and many tones, and 

 other vessels, to which they set fire, leaving nothing standing, 

 there being burnt both in the city and in the vessels much 

 goods ; and leaving all destroyed, laden with prizes they 

 embarked, the captain-major going in his ship's boat along 

 the shore, so that there might be no disorder in the with- 

 drawal. 



Leaving here, they arrived at Columbo on the 18th of Feb- 

 ruary, entering the bay with their whole armada beautifully 

 bedecked with flags, and saluting the city with all the artillery 

 and afterwards with the harquebusery several times, whereby, 

 although the number appeared very great, much greater did 

 it appear in the ears of the enemy, who, on seeing that armada 

 arrive, saw well that troubles were in store for him, because 

 now there also began to come ships of Dom Paulo's armada, 

 since two or three days previously there had arrived the 



1 That is, no natural or rock salt. The Dutch, by taking possession 

 of the saltpans at Puttalam and Hambantota, were able to bring pres- 

 sure to bear on the king of Kandy when he showed signs of hostility 

 (c/. Haafner in C. Lit. Reg. v. 93, 108). 



2 Since its destruction by the Ghristian king of Kandy in January 

 1565 (see supra, p. 235) the city had been rebuilt, and was now better 

 prepared to resist an attack. In 159 -7 D. Jeronimo de Azevedo 

 began erecting a fort here (see infra, p. 404). 



3 This is the plural of palgue, the Port, corruption of Mar. bagla (see 

 Hob. -Job. s.v. " Buggalow "). 



