They Even Attempted To Poison The
Portuguese Army, And Some Of The Men And Horses Actually Died In
Consequence; But The Cause Being Discovered By One Of The Moors, They
Were All Put To The Sword, Their Chiefs Being Blown From The Mouths Of
Cannon, The Informer Only Being Pardoned.
After this Barreto sent an
embassy to the king, desiring permission to march against the chief of
the Mongas, who was then in rebellion, and from thence to continue his
march to the mines of Butua and Mancica.
The first of these requests
was a piece of flattery to obtain leave for the other, as the province
of the Mongas lay between Sena and the mines, and it was necessary to
march thither by force of arms. The king gave his consent to both
requests, and even offered to send 100,000 of his own men along with the
Portuguese; but Barreto declined any assistance, wishing to have the
whole honour of the war to himself, and thinking by that means to gain
favour with the king. He accordingly marched with 23 horse and 560 foot
armed with muskets; and after a march of ten days, mostly along the
rapid river Zambeze, in which the troops suffered excessively from
hunger and thirst, the enemy were descried covering the hills and
vallies with armed men. Though the multitude of the enemy was so great
that the extremity of their army could not be seen, Barreto marched on
giving the command of the van to Vasco Fernandez Homem, while he led the
rear in person, the baggage and a few field pieces being in the centre.
On coming up to engage the cannon were removed to the front and flanks.
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