The Enemy Still Pressing On, Don Christopher Ordered Emanuel
De Cuna To Face About With His Company, Which He Did So Effectually,
That He Obliged A Body Of Turks To Retire After Losing Many Of Their
Men.
The Turks rallied and renewed their attack, in which they
distressed De Cuna considerably, so that Don Christopher was obliged to
come in person to his relief, and fought with so much resolution that he
was for a considerable time unconscious of being wounded in the leg.
At
this time the king of Zeyla came on in person, thinking to put a
favourable end to the action, but it turned to his own loss, as many of
his men were cut off by the Portuguese cannon. Don Christopher was in
great danger of being slain, yet continued the action with great
resolution, till at length the tyrant was struck down by a shot which
pierced his thigh. His men immediately furled their colours and fled,
carrying him off whom they believed slain though he was still alive.
This victory cost the Portuguese eleven men, two of whom were of note.
After the battle, the queen herself attended Don Christopher and all the
wounded men with the utmost alacrity and attention.
After the respite of a week, the Portuguese army marched towards the
enemy, who came to meet them, the king of Zeyla being carried in an open
chair or litter. This battle was resolutely contested on both sides. A
Turkish captain, thinking to recover the honour which had been lost in
the former action, made a charge with the men he commanded into the
very middle of the Portuguese, and was entirely cut off with all his
followers.
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