A Chingalese Who Carried Intelligence Of The
Approach Of Cesar To Nicapeti, Was Ordered To Be Impaled, The Tyrant
Declaring There Were No Portuguese In Ceylon; But He Was Soon
Undeceived, As The Van Guards Of The Two Armies Came In Sight Of Each
Other.
Nicapeti immediately took possession of a hill with 7000 men,
where he entrenched himself; but his works were soon carried, 1000 of
his men slain, and the usurper was forced to flee into the woods, laying
aside his regal ornaments for better concealment.
The rest of the
insurgent army immediately fled on seeing their chief defeated, and the
morning after the battle 500 of the Chingalese deserted from the enemy
and joined the victors.
At this time a native Chingalese of low birth, named Antonio Barreto,
who had been a Christian and in the service of the Portuguese, but had
gone over to the king of Candy, who appointed him general of his forces
with the title of prince and governor of the kingdom of Uva, took
advantage of the revolt of Nicapeti to seize upon the Portuguese fort of
Safragan, which he got possession of by treachery and slew the
Portuguese garrison. This was a severe but just retribution upon the
Portuguese, as they had slain an ambassador sent by the king of Candy to
treat of an accommodation, that they might jointly carry on the war
against Nicapeti. After this the king of Candy marched against the
Portuguese fort of Balane, which he reduced; yet immediately sent a
message to the general Pereyra, offering to treat of peace.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 807 of 809
Words from 220590 to 220854
of 221361
