In The South, Or On The Malabar Coast,
Antonio De Miranda Was Employed In Similar Service, Where, He Destroyed
Twelve Paraos.
Being joined by six brigantines and a galley, with 100
chosen men, commanded by Christopher de Melo, the united squadron took a
very large ship laden with pepper in the river Chale, though defended
by numerous artillery and 800 men.
Near Monte-Hermosa, they defeated
50 sail of vessels belonging to Calicut, taking three paraos with a
considerable number of cannon and many men. Hector de Sylveira, who had
been left on the coast of Cambaya, did much damage to the enemy. Going
up the river Nagotana of Bazain, he landed and burnt six towns
belonging to the king of Cambaya. The commander of Nagotana took the
field against him with five hundred horse and a large force of infantry,
endeavouring to intercept Sylveira on his way to reimbark. An engagement
took place, in which the enemy were repulsed with some loss, and
Sylveira was enabled to embark. Going afterwards to Bazain, on a
river, of the same name, he found that place well fortified and defended
by a considerable number of cannon. He entered the river however during
the night, and next morning stormed the fortifications of Bazain,
killing many of the defendents. After this success, he was unexpectedly
attacked by Alexiath at the head of 3500 men; but he bravely repelled
and defeated that vastly superior force with great slaughter, after
which he plundered and burnt the city of Bazuin. Terrified by these
exploits, the lord of the great city of Tana, not far distant,
submitted to become tributary to Portugal, and Sylveira retired to
Chaul.
While these things were doing on the coast of Hindostan, Simon de Sousa
Galvam, on his way to the Moluccas in a galley with seventy men was
driven by a storm to take shelter, in the port of Acheen. Several
vessels flocked immediately about him, on pretence of giving assistance,
but the natives were no sooner on board than they fell upon the seventy
Portuguese, with all kinds of weapons. Recovering from their first
surprise, the Portuguese bravely drove the enemy from their ship,
although not more than twenty were left that could stand to their arms.
The king of Acheen gave orders to his admiral to attack the Portuguese
galley next morning; when, after a desperate resistance, most of the
Portuguese were slain and Galvam among them; only those being spared who
were so severely wounded as to be unable to resist. Don George de
Menezes, who commanded at the Moluccas, sent a party to Tidore against
the Spaniards; but on the rout of that party, Menezes collected a
considerable allied force, consisting of the people of Ternate, the
Sangages, and the subjects of Cachil Daroez king of Bacham. With
these and a small number of Portuguese, Menezes landed in Tidore, where
he defeated the Spaniards and troops of Tidore, obliging the former to
retire into their fort after losing six men, two of whom were slain and
four taken.
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