Into the town, in which example
he was followed by many of the principal inhabitants, whose wives were
brought in from their country-houses.
[Footnote 106: Dabul is on the coast of Canara, in lat. 17 deg. 46' N. in
that part usually called the Pirates coast, which is occupied by a
number of half independent Mahratta chieftains, who often plunder
defenceless trading ships, by means of armed grabs full of
desperadoes. - E.]
On the 30th of December 1508, the fleet entered the harbour, and the
troops immediately landed with the utmost promptitude, dividing into
three bodies to attack three several gates at once. The Moors made a
brave resistance at each attack, but the works being high, their shot
flew over the heads of the assailants, who were more obstructed by the
dead bodies than by the defenders or their works. Nunno Vaz Pereyra, who
was sent with a detachment to force an entrance at another place, put
the numerous troops who resisted him to flight after a brave resistance;
but they now fled in such haste towards the mountain, though pursued by
ten Portuguese only, that they tumbled over each other in their haste,
and retarded their own escape. In this fight, which lasted five hours,
fifteen hundred of the enemy were slain with the loss only of sixteen
Portuguese.
