Don Lorenzo
Immediately Dispatched Two Gallies And Three Caravels To Hinder The
Approach Of This Reinforcement To His Enemies, Which Executed Their
Orders So Effectually That Azz Was Obliged To Flee For Shelter To
Another Place.
The battle still continued between Lorenzo and Husseyn
till night again parted them, both endeavouring to conceal their loss
from the other.
In the evening after the cessation of the battle, the
Portuguese captains met in council on board the admiral to deliberate on
what was best to be done; and were unanimously of opinion that it was
rash to continue to defend themselves in the river of Chaul, especially
as Malek Azz was so near with such a powerful reinforcement, and
strongly recommended that they should go out to the open sea, where they
might fight with less disadvantage, and would have it in their power to
escape if circumstances rendered it necessary. But, remembering the
displeasure of his father for not having attacked the fleet of Calicut
in the river of Dabul, and fearing his retreat into the open sea might
be construed as flight, Lorenzo determined resolutely to await the
events of the next morning, only making some change in the disposition
of his force, in order to protect some ships belonging to Cochin which
were much exposed to the enemy.
Next morning, on observing the change of posture in the Portuguese
ships, Malek Azz conceived that they meant to retreat; he immediately
came out therefore from the place where he had taken shelter, and boldly
charged them, undismayed at the havock which was made among his small
vessels by the Portuguese cannon. Most unfortunately at this time the
ship of Don Lorenzo ran foul of some stakes in the bed of the river, and
let in so much water that she was in danger of sinking. The brave
Lorenzo exerted himself to the utmost in this perilous situation, till a
ball broke his thigh; then ordering himself to be set up leaning against
the main-mast, he continued to encourage his men till another ball broke
his back and killed him. His body was thrown below deck, where it was
followed by his page Gato, who lamented the fate of his master with
tears mixed with blood, having been shot through the eye by an arrow.
After a vigorous resistance, the Moors boarded the ship, and found Gato
beside his masters body. He immediately rose and slew as many of the
Moors as covered the body of Lorenzo, and then fell dead among them. At
length the ship sunk, and of above an hundred men who belonged to her
only nineteen escaped. In all the Portuguese ships an hundred and forty
men were slain, while the enemy lost upwards of six hundred. The other
captains got to Cochin, where the viceroy then was, and who received the
intelligence of his sons glorious death with wonderful resolution.
Soon after the defeat of the Portuguese fleet at Chaul, Almeyda received
a letter from Malek Azz.
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