Chap.XIIL Malabar and Goromandel. 
60 
channel very ftrait, with an intention 
to have another funk hard by it : Alhu- 
querque was no fooner advertifed thereof, 
but he calPd a Council of War, in which it 
was unanimoufiy agreed, that they fhould 
embark the next night, before they had 
ftopt up the whole Channel, that the 
Enemy mh^ht not intercept their Paflage. 
Accordingly they marchM out in the 
dead time of the night ; but having fet 
fire to their Magazine, they were difco- 
ver'd and attackM by the Enemy, fo that 
with much ado they got to their Ships, 
when they weigh'd their Anchors, and 
with incredible difficulty pafs'd through 
the narrow Channel at fome diftance from 
TheVoTtn- the Town : By which however they were 
guefes w not freed from their Mifery or Danger i 
firet continual windings of the Ri- 
• ver they were frequently expofed to the 
Enemy's Fire, and being deftitute of frelh 
Water, they were forc'd to drink fait 
corrupted Water ^ what Horfe-flefh they 
had left being alfo confum'd, they were 
reduced to feed upon Mice, Cats and 
Leather, which occafion'd a great Mor- 
tality among the Portuguefes : Add to this, 
that they were continually annoy'd with 
the Enemy's Cannon from the two before- 
mention'd Forts ( left by the Portuguefes 
for want of Men ) and faw no way how 
to pafs them without a mofl raanifeft ha- 
zard. 
Albuquerque being put to thefe ftraits, 
refolv'd upon a thing which at firfl: fight 
appear'd rather to be a madnefs than 
founded upon ferious Confiderations : but 
4 ^^^a,- Event ihew'd, that in Extremities the 
doui At- boldeft and moft hazardous Undertakings 
tempt of are often the beft. Both thefe Forts were 
the Portu- provided with good Garifons, but being 
guefco fenfible of the Mifery of the Portuguefes^ 
they regarded them fo little, that they 
fcarce thought it worth their while to 
guard their Pofts : Albuquerque having re- 
ceiv'd fome notice thereof, detatch'd 300 
chofen Men, whom he divided into two 
Troops J thefe being animated with great 
Promifes and Revenge, advanced to- 
wards the Forts at the fame time, and 
finding the Centrys afleep, kill'd them, 
and fo entring the Forts foon put the reft 
to flight, took pofieflion of the Fort, and 
carried off the Cannon aboard their Vef- 
fels. Hidalcan was fo furpriz'd at this 
bold Enterprize, that not thinking him- 
felf fecure in the place v/here he was, 
he order'd his Tent to be pitch'd at a 
greater diftance. 
The next thing the Indians attempted 
was, to endeavour to fet fire to the Por- 
tuguefe Fleet by means of dry Brufli- 
wocd and Faggots dipt in Pitch and P^o- "f"-^-^^ 
fin ^ to prevent which Albuquerque man'd 
out certain Boats to burn them before 
they could come near enough : This oc- 
cafion'd a fmart Engagement, wherein 
Anthony Noronia ( a brave young Gentle- Amhon^ 
man, declar'd Viceroy of the Indies after Noroni./ 
Albuquerque^ being dangcroudy wounded 
in the Knee, died a few days after. The 
Enemy's lofs was alio very confiderable 
but the Death of Noronia^ together with 
the manifold Miferies, Dangers, andDifH- 
culties they had daily to ftruggle with, The por- 
made the Portuguefes refolve to fail to tuguefe 
the Ifle of Anchediva to fet afhore their ^"^'^ 
fick Men, who ftood in great need of Re- ^"'^^^^'^ 
frefliments for their Recovery. 
Whilft Albuquerque was here rumina- 
ting with himfelf how to recover Goa^ 
a Squadron of 10 Portuguefe Men of 
War arriv'd in the Indies. Strengthened 
with this Succour, and having new mo- 
dell'd his Forces by purging them of 
fome mutinous Spirits, heembark'd 1500 
Land-Soldiers, and ■^oo Malabar s aboard 
34 VelTels •, and ftcering his courfe to 
the Ifle of Onor, he concerted new mea- 
fures with Timoja for the Recovery of 
Goa : and having engag'd him to lift as 
many Forces as poffibly he could, he fet 
fail immediately towards Goa with fuch 
an aftonifhing Confidence of fuccefs, that 
the Indians upon his approach deferted 
the Forts without firing a Cannon. 
Advancing from hence to the City, a Attack 
bloody Engagement enfued near the Roy- a fe- 
al Palace, which Hidalcan\ Soldiers pre- "'""^ 
tending to defend to the utmoft extremi- 
ty, but being routed, the reft threw down 
their Arm«, fome precipitating them- 
felves from the Walls into the Ditch, 
others feeking Refuge, or rather Death, 
among the Waves, whilft the reft difper- 
fed in the Ifland. This Engagement 
lafted above fix hours. Immediately 
after Timoja coming to the Afliftance of 
the Portuguefes^ they enter'd the City, 
where they made a moft miferable havock 
among the Moors^ whom they were re- 
folved to extirpate root and branch; 
7000 whereof arefuppofed to have been 
/lain in four days times; the Pagans 
themfeives being exafperated at them 
for having difpofiefs'd them of their 
Lands, cut many of them to pieces, and 
among the reft the Treafurer of Hidal- commit 
can^ in whofe Houfe they found a good gre^t Cm^ 
Booty, Such of the Mahometans as were ^l^'^^- 
taken Prifoners, Albuquerque order'd to be 
enclofed in a Turkif) Mofque, together 
with a certain RenegadoChnftian'^ who 
had deferred to Goa^ and to fet it on 
fire. 
1^ 
