772 
Baldaus. 
A Defcripiott 0/ C E Y L O N. 
Great 3for ■ 
tality at 
Columbo. 
The four 
14 Buf- 
The 1 6th we made a falfe Alarm to 
try whether every one would repair 
readily to his Poft : two new-lifted Sol- 
diers took this opportunity to defert, 
and being now deftitute of Men to work 
in our Mines, nobody was excufed from 
that Service, from the Governor to the 
private Centinel. 
The 1 7^fe the Enemy having fix'd ano- 
ther Cannon upon the Battery before the 
Gate of Rajuha^ they laid the Wall le- 
vel with the ground ; our People being 
fo weakned by Famine, that they were 
not in a condition to carry thither any 
Fafcines or Earth to repair it. At the 
fame time Manoel Fragofa a Reform'd 
Captain who had dene lignal Services in 
the Indies^ and efpecially in Ceylon, went 
over to the Enemy, becaufe his Pay 
(which was given to others who much 
lefs deferv'd it) was refufed him, nay 
he could not even get Suftenance for his 
Mony, which put him upon this defpe- 
rate Refolution two common Soldiers 
Natives of India defertcd at the fame 
time. There died fuch a vaft number 
every day in the Hofpital for want of 
Neceffaries, that many of the Soldiery 
chofe rather to abide with their Compa- 
nies, where they expir'd in fight of their 
Comrades. 
The Enemy receiv'd a Succour of two 
Ships, a Yacht and a Galliot, whereas 
the poor Befieged had not the leaft Relief 
in feven Months. 
The 1 2th Mr. Adrian van der Meyden 
Governor of Gale, fent us a Letter (their 
General being lately dead ) and to ter- 
rify us the more, prefented all his Forces 
in order of Battel betwixt his Trenches 
but our Men commanded by Alfonjo Coy- 
rea, John Ferraon d'Abreu, Manoel Pereira 
Matofo, Ignatio Fernandes, Simon Lopes de 
Bajto, and Father Damian Vieira, made a 
vigorous Sally the next following Night 
out of the Gate Rajuha, when Francifco 
Afca a Reform'd Captain took the op- 
portunity to defert us. 
The 1 9th Diego de Souz.a de Capo was 
fent with an Anfwer to the Governor's 
Letter and the Son of Manoel de Souz.a 
went over to the Enemy. 
The 10th a Soldier deferted from the 
Baftion of S.Crus, on which fide the Ene- 
my had attack'd us with the greateft 
fury ever fince their lofs fuftain'd there 
under the Command Cafpar d' Aranja 
Pereira, who fucceeded Manoel d' Ahreu 
Godinho, after his Poft was affign'd him, 
behind the Wall betwixt St. John's and 
S. Stephenh Baftion. The City Major 
having four Bufflers left which had 
drawn a Waggon for a confiderable time, 
had them kill'd for the ufe of the Gari- 
fon, who, after the Meat was confumed, 
feafted alfo upon the Hides, which they 
cut into fmall pieces. 
The 2iyJ the Enemy had drawn a Line a Bomb 
of Communication from the Battery near kjUs fivK 
the Gate of Rajuha to the Lake : At the ^^'J^-"'- 
fame time five Perfons were wounded 
by one of their Bombs, and Capt, Ma- 
noel Guerreiro mortally, who had kill'd 
many a brave Butch-man with his Fufee 
during this Siege. 
The 22d the Enemy having fet fire to 
our Countermine, the brave Joan Ferra- 
on d' Ahreu and Simon Lopes de Bajlo, were 
the chiefeft that gave their Afllftance in 
quenching of it amongft a ftiower of 
Bullets and Hand-granadoes. At the 
fame time a Topm went over to the Ene- 
my, the only one that deferted of that 
kind, tho we had a good number of them 
among us, who for the moft part died 
with the Portuguefes in the Defence of the 
City. 
The i^d Father Damian rieira, John 
d^ Ahreu, John Pereira ( Inhabitants of 
S. Tliomas ) Simon Lopes de Bafto, Manoel 
Peretra Matofo, Sebafiian Rodrigues, Igna- 
tio Fernandes, Jofeph Coelho and Manoel 
Fereira Gomes, got early in the morning 
crofs the Fens, in order to furprize one 
of the Enemy's Works, but were fo 
warmly received, that they were glad to 
retreat, and fight their way through the 
Dutch, who had enclofed them on all 
fides. 
The i4.th a Tony was fent to get Intelli- 
gence, the Enemy fir'd moft furioufly 
from their Battery againft S. Stephen's, 
Baftion and the Gate of Rajuha, where 
the Wall being laid level with the ground, 
the Houfes fuffer'd much by their Can- 
non. 
The 2 5 rfc the Enemy planted two pieces 
of Cannon at the extremity of their 
Trenches againft S. Stephen^ Baftion, and 
Raphael de Torres a Prifoner for Debt, 
efcaped out of Prifon. 
The 16th the Dutch continued to play 
without intermiflion upon the Baftions of 
S. John, S. Stephen and Madre de Deos, 
The fame day 9 Portuguefes were buried 
in one Pit or Grave, there being no place 
left to bury them in. A Candil of Rice 
was fold at that time for 2500 Seraphyns^ 
or Gilders, and a Candil of Wheat for 
3400 Gilders, and happy was he who 
could purchafe iti for you would fee 
Women throw their Babes into the Streets ^^^^ 
for want of Suck and other Suftenance, fyc^ity ks 
and others to part with their Jewels for CoJumbo. 
