Though The
Harbour Of Chaul Was Then Occupied By A Considerable Number Of
Portuguese Galleys And Galliots, Catiproca And His Fleet Entered The
Harbour Under Night Without Opposition.
The Nizam was much pleased with
the arrival of this naval force, and having ordered a great number of
his small vessels named calemutes to join the Malabar fleet, he
prevailed on Catiproca to attack the Portuguese ships, which were
commanded by Lionel de Sousa.
They accordingly made the attempt, but
were so warmly received by De Sousa and his gallies as to be beat off
with considerable loss. The Nizam, who had witnessed this naval battle
from an adjoining eminence, used every argument to prevail upon
Catiproca to make another attempt, but to no purpose; for after
remaining twenty days in the harbour, he stole away one night, and got
away as fortunately as he had got in.
While on his return, Catiproca was applied to by the queen of Mangalore
to assist her in surprizing the Portuguese fort at that place, which she
alleged might be easily taken. Catiproca agreed to this, in hopes of
regaining the reputation he had lost at Chaul. He accordingly landed his
men secretly, and made an attempt under night to scale the walls. While
his men were mounting the ladders some servants of Antonio Pereyra, who
commanded in that fort, were awakened by the noise, and seeing the enemy
on the ladders threw out of a window the first thing that came to hand,
which happened to be a chest of silver; with which they beat down those
who were on the ladder.
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