632 
A Defcripion of the Coafts of 
B.ildaiis. 
Anticnt 
Churches 
and Con- 
vents of 
Cochin. 
The Mala- 
bar Co- 
chin. 
and mat Ihy Grounds j but abounds both 
in Fiih and Flefh, and its fituation is ex- 
tremely delightful, by reafon of the ma- 
ny Brooks, and adjacent little Iflands in 
the River, wherein many of the PoYtu- 
guefts have built themfelves very pleafant 
Summer Seats. 
The River runs on the back-fide of the 
befl; Houlesof the City, where they catch 
Fifh vjith Cafting-nets, at which the C/ji- 
ncj'cs inhabiting here are very dexterous. 
Formerly this City could boaftof divers 
ftaiely Churches, llnce demoliflied by the 
Dutch. I he Jefuits Church and College 
facing the Sea-lhore, had a lofty Steeple 
and a moft: excellent fet of Bells : The 
College,which was 3 Stories high, and con- 
tained about 20 or 30 Apartments, being 
furrounded with a ftrong Wall. The 
Cathedral was alfo a noble piece of Ar- 
chitedure, adorn'd with two rows of 
Pillars, and a lofty Steeple. 
The Church and Convent of tht Auflin 
Friers Hood upon the Bank of the River ; 
and the Church of the Dominicans with 
their Convents^ were two rare pieces of 
Workmanlliip, beautified with a double 
row of Pillars of moft excellent Stone. 
The Church and Monaftery of the Fran- 
cifcans is the only that remains Handing 
as yet, but has no more than two Brothers 
left, who are allowed the free exercifeof 
their Religion, 
The belt Houfes of Cochin have their 
Court-yards and Gardens belonging to 
them, enciofed with very thin, yet ftrong 
and high Walls, fo that the Neighbours 
can't overlook one another. The fituation 
of the City is much more in length than 
breadth, without any Channels in the 
Streets however that end towards the 
Sea- fide is much broader than the other, 
as may be feen by the annexed Draught, 
which alfo reprefenting an exadt view of 
its Fortifications, we will refer the Rea- 
der to it. 
The Malabar Cochinis feated fomewhat 
lower, and built after the Indian faftiion, 
with very broad Streets: it is very popu- 
lous, and the Royal Palace is built with 
Bricks and Mortar after the European way, 
with Apartments very fpacious and lof- 
ty i near which ftands the Pagodc^ with 
a very large Ciftern adjoining to it. 
jlnni) \ 66i, xnFehr. at the time of our 
firft landing before Coc/jm, the A^^i;m in- 
habiting hereabouts (notwithflanding we 
pofiriveiy declared we were no Enemies 
of the King, but only of the Portuguefes) 
alFembled in great Numbers in this Pa- 
lace and the Pagode^ and from thence af- 
fiiniccd our Forces^ which obliged us to 
drive them from thence, with the flaugh- 
ter of 400 on their fide, they fighting 4 ,0 Mai- 
very defperately, by reafon they had be- r s p^dn. 
forehand intoxicated their Brains with ^^-'^H^'-'en 
very large Dofes of Opium. The old «/ ^o'J'" 
Queen of Cochin being taken Prifoner in ^^^^ 
the Fray, by Hsnry -van Rhede an Enfign, 
was kept in fafe cuftody for forae time 
after. 
Afterwards we began to form our At- 
tacks againft the Portuguefe Cochin in three 
feveral places j that on the Land-fide 
near the Church of St. Thomas ( which 
ferved us for a Chappel and Hofpital ) 
being commanded by the General in Per- 
fon^ that along the Sea-fide hyTibrand 
Gotiken \ and the third near the River by ,/ 
the Commodore Roothaus. After fome 
time fpent in making of Trenches, and 
rafing of Batteries, it was thought ex- 
pedient to furprize the Enemy on that 
fide near the River. The firft Sunday in Fe- 
bruary being appointed for that purpofe^ 
Capt. Peter IVa/h was ordered to begin 
the Alfaultwitha certain Detachment at 
four a Clock in the Morning : but it be- 
ing after Sun-rifing before they could 
reach the Place, the Portuguefcs took the 
Alarum ^ and being timely fuftainM by 
frefli Troops drawn thither by the ring- 
ing of the Bells, gave fuch a warm Re- 
ception to the Hollanders, that after a 
molt obftinate Engagement, they were 
forced to found the Retreat, with the lofs 
of divers of their belt Men, and among 
them the beforemention'd Captain, who 
was kiil'd by two xMusket Bullets. The unfnc- 
General Ryetos van Goens^ and the Com- cefsjal Af. 
raodore Roothausj were alfo both in 
great danger, the firlt receiving feveral 
Shots through his Flair, the laft being like- 
ly to have been caft into a deep Well. 
Notwithftanding this Difappointment, 
the Trenches were carried on with alt 
imaginable fpeed, tho not without great 
difficulty , by reafon of the marlhy 
Grounds, which coft us a good tiumber 
of Men, more than we could convenient- 
ly fpare at that time, when our Forces 
were not a little weakned before j we 
having left at lealt 300 fick and wounded 
at Coulang, and a confiderable Garifoa 
at Cranganor, and in the Fort of New- 
Orange on the Point of the Ifle of ray- 
pin. We continued however to batter the 
Town incefiiantly with our great Artil- 
lery, and to omit nothing we thought 
might annoy the Enemy; till a whole 
Month being fpent in this Siege, and the 
Number of our Men reduced to 1400. 
we began to confider of the approaching 
Winter, the uncertainty of the Event, 
and 
