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JOURNAL R.A.S. (CEYLON). 



[Vol. XX. 



of the city of Goa 1 , and Salvador Pereira da Sylva, field 

 captain. The enemy, in order to fortify themselves, selected 

 a very elevated site 2 , where they sat down, and fortified it 

 at their will, like one who was in his own country, and they 

 had many pioneers and material. And so in a few days they 

 erected a tranqueira of wood with six bastions and ditches- 

 around, and enclosed with many pointed stakes and impedi- 

 ments, an affair very defensible, more by the site than by art, 

 although they were not wholly wanting in this, since it could 

 not be battered by artillery, nor could any be carried above, 

 on account of having to pass many marshes. And from there 

 they determined to dominate those territories, and make 

 them rebel against our people, they being under our obedience : 

 and like men of guile they took in hand to get the lascarins to 

 desert from our arrayal, with whom they carried on a secret 

 correspondence, promising them many things, in order thus, 

 having effected this, to defeat our people more at their ease. 



Of this expedition and design Doin Jeronimo d'Azevedo 

 was promptly advised : whereupon with great speed he 

 dispatched Simao Pinhao 3 with six hundred native lascarins 

 and some Portuguese, with an order to take another hundred 

 soldiers from the fortress of Galle 4 , whereby were made up 

 one hundred and fifty Portuguese and two thousand lascarins, 

 which was a force sufficient to attack that fort. Dom Fernan- 

 do modeliar, as soon as this force joined him, proceeded forth- 

 with to attack the enemy ; and when he reached the top they 

 were already on the alert, and. retired inside the fort with one 

 thousand fiielockmen, leaving ambushed in the jungle two 

 thousand lascarins with the most trusty modeliares, with 

 orders to fall upon our people in the rear, when they were most 

 occupied with the assault. Dom Fernando did not seek to 

 delay the business, but rather at once with great determination 

 attacked the enemy, for which purpose he had already brought 

 many pavises, mantelets, and ladders ; and in the storming of 

 the tranqueiras they came upon the pointed stakes, in which 

 they became entangled, and halted, remaining exposed to the 

 matchlock fire of the enemy, who made very fair practice 



1 When he was granted this post, 1 cannot ascertain. A royal letter 

 of 28 March 1613 (Doc. Rem. i. 440) refers to his having served in 

 that captaincy, and as then occupying that of Chaul. 

 „ 2 Judging by the distance (24 miles) mentioned above, we may sur- 

 mise that the Kandyan position was at Katuwana, where the Dutch 

 subsequently built a fort, the remains of which still exist (see view and 

 description of it in Heydt, 217, 218). 



3 Regarding this man see C. A. S. Jl. xvi. 84-114. 



1 See supra, p. 404, note 3 . 



