350 SUMATRA.. 
^'ith dead bodies. This was cfteemed one of the moft defperate and 
honorable fieges the Fortuguefe experienced in India, their whole force 
confi fling of but fifteen hundred men, of whom no more than two hun- 
dred were Europeans,** 
In the following year a veffel from Acheen bound to Java, with em- 
baffadors on board to the queen of Japara, in whom the king wiflicd to 
raife up a new enemy againft the Fortuguefe, was met in the ftraits by 
a vefl'el from Malacca, who took her and put all the people to the 
fword* It appears to have been a maxim in thefe wars never to give 
quarter to an enem}^, whether refirting or fubmitting. In 1569 a fingle 
ihip^ commanded by Lopez Carrafco, paffing near Acheen, fell in with 
a fleet coming out of that port, confifting of twenty large gallics, and 
an hundred and eighty other veiTels, commanded by the king in perfon, 
and fuppofed to be defigncd againft Malacca. The fituation of the For- 
tuguefe was defperate. They could not expert to efcapc, and therefore 
refolved to die like men. During three days tliey fuflained a continual 
attack, when after having by incredible exertions, deftroyed forty of 
the cnemy^s vciTels, and being themfelves reduced to theftate of a wreck, 
a fecond fliip appeared in fight. The king perceiving this^ retired into 
the harbour with his fhattered forces. 
It is difficult to determine which of the two is the more afloniiliing ; 
the vigorous ftand made by fuch an handf ul of men as the whole flrengrh 
of Malacca conCfted of; or the prodigious refources and perfeverence 
of the Achenefe Monarch. In 1573, after forming an alliance with 
the queen of Japara, the object of which was the deftruftion of the 
European power, he appeared again before Malacca with ninety veflcls, 
twenty five of them large gallies, with feven thoufand men, and great 
ftore of artillery. He began his operations by fending a party to fet 
fire to the fuburbs of the town, but a timely fliower of rain prevented it's 
taking effect. He then refolved on a different mode of warfare, and 
tried 
