The Remaining Garrison Was Much Weakened By A
Swelling In Their Gums, Accompanied By Their Teeth Becoming So Loose
That
They were unable to eat what little food remained in the stores.
Yet the brave garrison continued to fight in
Defence of their post, as
if even misery and famine were unable to conquer them. Even the women in
the fort exerted themselves like heroines. Donna Isabella de Vega, the
wife of Manuel de Vasconcelles, had been urged by her husband to go to
her father Francisco Ferram at Goa, lest the fort might be taken and she
might fall into the hands of the Turks; but she refused to leave him.
During the distress of the garrison, as many of the men were obliged to
work in repairing the works, this bold-spirited lady called together all
the women who were in the fort, and exhorted them to undertake this
labour, as by that means all the men would be enabled to stand to their
arms. The women consented to this proposal, and continued for the
remainder of the siege to perform this duty. She was even outdone by Ann
Fernandez, the wife of a physician, who used to visit the most dangerous
posts by night, and even appeared at the assault to encourage the
soldiers. Her son happening to be slain in one of the attacks, she
immediately drew away his body, and returned to the place of danger, and
when the fight ended she went and buried her son.
Perceiving that the Turks were undermining the bulwark which he
commanded, Gasper de Sousa made a sally with seventy men to prevent that
work and made a great slaughter of the enemy. When retreating he missed
two of his men and returned to rescue them; but being surrounded by the
enemy they cut the tendons of his hams, after which he fought upon his
knees till he was overpowered and slain. The mine was countermined; but
the continual labour to which the besieged were subjected became
insupportable, and they were utterly unable to repair the many breaches
in their works. At this conjuncture, four vessels arrived from the
viceroy Don Garcia, and landed only a reinforcement of twenty men.
Solyman was much concerned at this relief though small, and was
astonished the fort should hold out against so many assaults, more
especially as Zofar had assured him he might carry it in two. At the
beginning of the siege the garrison consisted of six hundred men, many
of whom were slain and several of the cannon belonging to the fort had
burst; yet Solyman began to lose confidence, and looked anxiously to the
sea, fearful of the Portuguese fleet which he had learnt was coming
against him. This induced him to press the siege more vigorously,
especially against the sea bulwark where Antonio de Sousa commanded,
which was furiously attacked by fifty barks, two of which were sunk by
the Portuguese cannon. The Turks made several attempts to scale this
bulwark, in all of which they were repulsed with great slaughter, yet
returned repeatedly to the charge with similar bad fortune. Sousa sent
off his wounded men from the rampart to have their wounds dressed. Among
these was a person named Fernando Ponteado, who waiting his turn heard
the noise of a fresh assault, and forgetting the dressing ran
immediately to his post where he received a fresh wound. Going back to
get dressed, a third assault recalled him before the surgeon had time to
attend to his wants, and he was a third time wounded, and at length
returned to get all his three wounds dressed at once.
By this time, out of the original garrison of 600 men, only 250 remained
that were able to stand to their arms. Solyman was almost in despair of
success, yet resolved to make a desperate effort to carry the place. In
hopes of putting Sylveira off his guard, and to take the place by
surprise, he sent twelve of his gallies to sea, as if he meant to raise
the siege; but Sylveira was not to be lulled into security, and
continued to exert the utmost vigilance to provide against every danger.
One night some noise was heard at the foot of the sea-wall of the
castle, where it appeared that the enemy were applying great numbers of
scaling ladders. Every effort was made to oppose them during the
darkness of the night, and when morning broke, the place was seen beset
all round by at least 14,000 men. The cannon of the fort was immediately
directed against the assailants, and the garrison mounted the walls in
every part, but chiefly near the governors house where the defences were
weakest, but where Sylveira had placed such people as he could most
rely upon. Being repulsed from thence with great slaughter, the enemy
made an attempt on an adjoining bulwark, where Gouvea commanded, and
poured in prodigious showers of bullets and arrows. Fourteen gallies
came up against this bulwark, which they battered with their cannon; but
Gouvea obliged them to draw off, having sunk two of the gallies and
killed many of their crews. At length 200 Turks forced their way into
the bulwark and planted their colours on its rampart. Scarcely thirty
Portuguese remained to oppose them, yet they charged the enemy with
great fury, who were so thick that every shot told, and they were driven
out with much loss. Fresh men succeeded and regained the bulwark, on
which they planted four standards. Many Portuguese who were wounded and
burnt by the fireworks of the enemy ran and dipped themselves in jars of
salt water, where seeking ease they perished in dreadful torment.
Sylveira went continually from place to place, encouraging all to do
their duty manfully and supplying reinforcements where most needed. The
enemy had much the better in the second assault on the bulwark commanded
by Gouvea, on which several gentlemen rushed upon them.
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