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



431 



the king of Huva 1 , in which there were nearly five thousand 

 men and went and took up his position in the Seven Corlas, 

 and from there dispatched a captain with part of the troops, 

 to go and be near to our frontier fortresses. Upon which the 

 general hastened and sent Salvador Pereira da Sylva with two 

 hundred Portuguese and two thousand lascarins, who w nt 

 marching along a river 2 that divides the Seven Corlas from the 

 kingdom of Cota and Ceitavaca ; and on the following day 

 he sent part of the troops across to the other side, to go and 

 reconnoitre the most suitable site for forming a camping 

 ground for the array al, whilst they cleared and felled the 

 jungle for it. Whilst our people were occupied with this work 

 the enemy attacked them in many places ; but as our men 

 were constantly on the watch, and always went with their 

 arms in their hands, they resisted them valorously ; and 

 after having a tolerable battle, they put the enemy to the rout, 

 killing and capturing many, from whom they learnt that the 

 king of Huva had come near to our arrayal, and was less 

 than a league from it, with the intention of barring to our 

 people the passage of the river, in order that they might not go 

 and encamp their army in the village of Adegalitota 3 , 

 whence they could do much harm. Our people immediately 

 advised the general of these things , who ordered all the rest of 

 the troops to move in great haste, and as captain of them 

 4 , who set off marching, and on the way captured 

 three tranqueiras, which the enemy had made in narrow parts, 

 and in them killed many of the enemy. And those that escaped 

 went and gave warning to the king of Huva, who at once 

 moved from the place where he was, and formed his army, 

 and took the open field to await our people, who thought to 

 find him unprepared. And when they appeared they found 

 themselves surprised and in confusion, because the enemy 

 at once attacked them with great fury ; and as our peopb 

 always went with their arms in their hands, they resisted 

 them with such valour and energy, that in a short space of 

 time they routed their vanguard, and drove them from the 

 field with a good deal of damage. And recognizing the victory 

 that God had given them, they went charging them, and 



1 This spelling with initial h makes no difference to the pronuncia- 

 tion, h being silent in Portuguese. 



2 The Maha-oya. 



3 I have failed to identify this place (the surmise, in C. A. S. Jl. xvi. 

 98, note, that it is Degalatiriya in Kanduaha pattu, cannot be correct). 

 En chap. iii. below it is called Galitota, and then Balitote. Possibly 

 Udagaladeniya, in Walgam pattu of Kinigoda korale is meant. 



1 In the printed editions the name is not given. 



