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



extended along the portion of the wall that ran as far as 

 the couraga. 14 They all set up the ladders and ascended 

 them with great determination, in order to see if they could 

 make themselves masters of any of those positions, throwing 

 numbers of grenades ; but everywhere they were beaten back 

 by us, both sides fighting doggedly ; and those whom we 

 hurled from the ladders renewed the ascent with greater 

 fury, not being frightened at the large number who fell 

 dead by reason of the traverses and musketry ; nor did the 

 thousand who had gone to the Porta da Rainha and 

 bastion of S. Sebastiao work less hard. 15 The Captain-Major 

 Gaspar Figueira was assisting in the defence of the Porta 

 de S. Joao, and the casemate, where, in the midst of the 

 conflict, he was informed that the enemy had entered the 

 couraga of the seashore, and in order to cope with that danger 

 he ordered a captain, in whom he had confidence, to go to its 

 assistance. This he proceeded to do ; and thinking that the 

 soldiers would follow him, at the entrance he found only 

 one who followed him, and that place deserted by the 

 inhabitants who had been garrisoning it. The two attacked 

 those of the enemy who had already entered, and made them, 

 against their wills, jump back on to the seashore, opposing the 

 rest who were entering ; and the enemy, imagining that 

 those who had come were more in number, threw in numbers 

 of grenades, which set fire to the pots of gunpowder with 

 which all the bastions were provided in large quantity, so 

 that the captain did not escape being burnt. At this conflagra- 

 tion there hastened thither several soldiers and inhabitants 

 of those who had deserted that post, whom the shame of seeing 

 that two alone had driven the enemy out caused to return 

 to the defence. At the same time a report got about that the 

 enemy had entered into the city. This put everyone in great 

 trepidation ; no one, however, left his post, as all were busy 

 in defending it.] Antonio de Mello de Castro had under 

 his charge a hundred soldiers, and was with them in the 

 middle of the fortress, 16 in order to hasten whithersoever 

 necessity should require him. As soon as they told him 



