In The Course Of This
Siege, Some Say That Raju Lost 10,000 Men, While Others Restrict The
Loss To Half Of That Number.
Besides the destruction of many towns,
villages, and ships, burnt, plundered, and destroyed, the cannon,
prisoners, and booty taken during this siege from the enemy were of
considerable value.
By these losses, and his inability to gain
possession of Columbo with so large an army, Raju lost much reputation
among the neighbouring princes, who waited the success of his
preparations to declare for either side. The loss on the side of the
Portuguese during this siege, consisted of 140 men slain, 50 only of
whom were Portuguese; but 500 died of the sickness formerly mentioned.
On the day after the siege was raised, Don Paul de Lima came to Columbo
with a powerful reinforcement from the viceroy. Eight days were spent in
levelling the works which Raju had thrown up, after which the damage
done to the fort was repaired, and it was furnished with a garrison of
600 men, plentifully supplied with arms and ammunition. Soon after
receiving the joyful news of the glorious and successful defence of
Columbo, the viceroy, Duarte de Menezes, died of a violent sickness in
the beginning of May 1588, to whom succeeded Emanuel de Sousa Coutinno,
in virtue of a patent of succession, being every way well qualified for
the office by his singular bravery and thorough experience in the
affairs of India.
In the homeward fleet of this season Don Paul de Lima embarked for
Portugal in the ship called the St Thome, of which Stefano de Vega was
captain. While off the coast of Natal the ship sprung a leak in the
stern during a storm, and though all the rich commodities with which she
was freighted were thrown overboard, it was found impossible to keep her
afloat. In this extremity 120 persons took to the boat, and had hardly
put off when the ship was swallowed up by the waves. Finding the boat
overloaded, it was found necessary to throw some of the people into the
sea. At length the boat reached the shore, on which ninety-eight
persons landed, several of whom were men of note with their wives, and
some friars, one of whom after confessing the people who remained in the
ship wished to have staid with them that he might aid their devotions to
the last. After landing, the women put themselves into mens habits,
after the Indian manner, for the greater ease in travelling, and the
whole company set off on their march in good order, a friar going before
carrying a crucifix on high. The place where they landed was on that
part of the coast of Natal called by the Portuguese the country of the
Fumos, but by the natives the country of Macomates, being inhabited
by Kafirs of that name. It is in the latitude of 27 deg. 20' S. beyond the
river of Semin Dote, 50 leagues south of the bay of Lorenzo
Marquez[409]. All the lands of the Fumos belongs to the king of
Virangune[410], and extends 30 leagues into the interior, bordering on
the south with the country of Mocalapata, which again extends to the
river St Lucia, in lat. 28 deg. 15' S. and to the kingdom of Vambe,
which contains a great part of the Terra de Natal[411]. From thence
to the Cape of Good Hope, the natives have no king, being ruled only by
ancozes or chiefs of villages. Next to the kingdom of Virangune to
the north is that of Innaca, towards the N.E. to the point of the bay
of St Laurence, in lat. 25 deg. 45' S. opposite to which are two islands,
named Choambone and Setimuro, the latter of which is uninhabited,
and is the station of the Portuguese who resort to this bay to purchase
ivory. About this bay many great rivers fall into the sea, as those
named Beligane, Mannica, Spiritu Santo, Vumo, Anzate, and
Angomane[412]. Anzate runs long the edge of vast inaccessible
mountains, covered with herds of elephants, and inhabited by a gigantic
race of people[413]. In the latitude of 25 deg. S. the river De los Reyes,
or Del Ouro, likewise named the river Inhampura falls into the sea,
to the west of which in the interior are the kingdoms of Innapola and
Mannuco. From this place to Cape Corientes, the sea makes a great bay,
along which inhabit the Mocaranges, a nation much addicted to
thieving[414]. Opposite to Cape St Sebastian are the islands of
Bazaruto or Bocica, and not far from it the kingdom of Innabuze
which reaches to the river Innarigue[415]. After which is the country
of Pande, bordering on Monnibe, which last extends to Zavara in
the interior. Near these are the kingdoms of Gamba and Mocuraba,
which last is near Cape Corientes[416].
[Footnote 409: If the latitude in the text could be depended on, this
shipwreck seems to have taken place on the coast now occupied by the
Hambonaas, near the small river Bagasie, 85 miles south from the
entrance into Delagoa bay. The river of Semin Dote is probably that
now called Mafumo, which agrees with the country of Fumos in the
text; and the bay of Lorenzo Marquez may possibly be Delagoa, though
only 28 leagues north from the latitude of the text, but there is no
other bay of any importance for 400 miles farther along this coast. - E.]
[Footnote 410: In modern maps, the country along the south side of the
river Mafumo, is said to be the dominions of Capellah. - E.]
[Footnote 411: To the south of the Hambonaas at Delagoa bay, the coast
of Natal is inhabited by the Tambookies and Koussis. The river St
Lucia still remains in our maps in the latitude indicated, but the other
names in the text are unknown in modern geography. - E.]
[Footnote 412: Of these rivers only that of Manica, called likewise
Spiritu Santo, retains the name in the text.
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