342 SUMATRA, 
took place, in which the Achenefe were rcpulfed with great ilniighter, 
but nor until they had tleftroyed forty of the Pomiguefe. The king 
enraged at this dilappointment, ordered a fecond attack, threatening to 
have his admiral trampled to death by elephants if he failed of fuccefs. 
A boat was fent ahead of this fleet with a fignal of peace, and alTurances 
to De Sou fa, that the king, as foon as he was made acquainted with the 
injury that had been committed, had caufed the perpetrators of it to be 
piinillied, and now once more requeued him to come on fhore and truft 
to his honor. This propofal fome of the crew were inclined that he 
ihould accept, but being animated by a fpeech that he made to them, 
It was refolvcd that they ihould die with arms in their hands, in pre* 
ference to a difgraceful and hazardous fubmifBon, The combat was 
therefore renewed, with extreme fury on the one fide, and uncommon 
efforts of courage on the other, and the aiTailants were a fecond time re- 
pulfed ; but one of thofe who had boarded the veffel and afterwards 
made his cfcape, reprefented to the Achencfe the reduced and helplefs 
fituation of their enemy^ and frefh fupplies coming off, they were en- 
courged to return to the attack. De Sou fa and his people were at length 
almoft all cut to pelces, and thofe . who furvived, being defpe- 
ratcly wounded, were overpowered, and led prifoners to the king, who 
unexpectedly treated thcmwirh extraordinary kindnefs, in order to cover 
the defigns he harboured, and pretended to lament the fate of their 
brave commander* He dire<fted them to fix upon one of their compa- 
nions, who Ihould go in his name to the governor of Malacca, to defire 
he v;ould immediately fend to take polTeffion of the fliip, which he 
meant to reftore, as well as to liberate them. He hoped by this artifice 
to draw more of the Portuguefe into his power, and at the fame time 
to effect a purpofe of a political nature. A war had recently broke out 
between him and the king of Aru, the latter of whom had deputed 
embafiadors to Malacca, to folicit afiiftance, in return for his former 
fervices ^ and which was readily promifed to him* It was highly the 
intereft of Abraham to prevent this junction, and therefore, though de- 
termined to relax nothing from his plans of revenge, he haftened to dif- 
putch Antonio Caldeira, one of the captives, with propofals of accom- 
modation 
