NO. 42. — 1891.] SIEGE OF COLOMBO. 



81 



generally excellent summary is marred by a number of errors 

 in names of places, &c. For any future attempt of this kind I 

 hope that the following translation will be found of service. 



In the two chapters preceding those which I have 

 translated, Ribeiro records the arrival at Galle in September, 

 1655, of General Hulf t's fleet ; the siege of the fort at Kalutara 

 and its capitulation on October 14 ; the disastrous defeat of the 

 Portuguese under Gaspar Figueira on the seashore at 

 Moratuwa three days later ; the retreat of the survivors to 

 Colombo ; and the advance of the victorious Hollanders on 

 the doomed city.* 



Chapter XXIII.t 



Of the Siege which the Hollanders laid to the City of Colombo, 

 and an Assault which they made on it. 



That dayj the enemy encamped in N. Senhora da Yida, 1 § 

 a post which lay at little more than a cannon shot from the 

 city. The Captain-General on the following day, the 18th, 

 formed into companies those who had escaped from the 

 battle ; and seeing that the bastion of S. Joao was the one in 

 closest proximity to the enemy, and the space therein very 

 limited, [owing to its being old-fashioned, and octagonal, 

 and that it was not capable of resisting the batteries,] 2 he 

 ordered it to be overlaid with earth and fascines on the 

 outer part, 3 and in order that the enemy might not hinder 

 this work, they having a garrison 4 in the houses that stood 

 in S. Thome [ 5 where they had made a commencement at 

 once, to this end he ordered a captain, who was stationed at 

 the same bastion, being in command of five companies, to 

 garrison it, and the gate of the city and the casemate. 

 These occupied the seashore which lay between the enemy 



* For a translation of chapter XXVI., describing- the siege and capitu- 

 lation of Mannar and Jaffna in 1658, see Ceylon Literary Register. 

 vol. V., p. 202. 



f This and the two following chapters form chapter XXI. in Le Grand's 

 translation, with the heading " Siege of Colombo." 



% October 17, 1655. " V 1 ; 



§ The small figures refer to " Notes " at page 104 et sea. 



98—91 G 



