It Was The Intention Of The Zamorin To Stand On The Defensive
Only While The Portuguese Fleet Remained In India, And To Renew The War
Against Cochin After Their Departure.
But the admiral Suarez, by the
advice of all his captains, resolved to make an attack on Cranganor, a
town belonging to the zamorin, about four leagues from Cochin, whence the
enemy had often done much injury to the dominions of Trimumpara during
the late war.
For this purpose, Suarez took fifteen armed boats with
raised defences on their gunwales, and twenty-five paraws belonging to
Cochin, all armed with cannon, and accompanied by a caravel, the whole
manned with about 1000 Portuguese soldiers, and an equal number of nayres
from Cochin. The armament arrived before day at _Palypuerto_, where it
had to wait for daylight, not daring to attempt the passage of certain
shoals, as the boats were heavily laden. On arriving at Cranganor, the
fleet of Calicut was found drawn up ready to repel the Portuguese attack.
The Calicut commander was posted in the front, in two new ships chained
together, which were full of ordnance and well manned; chiefly by archers.
In the rear of these ships, and on both flanks, the paraws of Calicut
were arranged, all full of armed men.
On the arrival of the Portuguese flotilla, the battle immediately
commenced by the discharge of ordnance on both sides. Five Portuguese
captains who led the van, pushed on to attack the Calicut admiral in his
two chained ships, which they carried by boarding after a brave
resistance, in which that officer and two of his sons with many others of
the Malabars were slain. After the capture of these ships, the paraws
made little resistance, and soon took to flight. Suarez immediately
disembarked his troops, which soon put Naubea Daring to flight, who
commanded the land army of Calicut. The Moors and Malabars in their
flight, plundered the houses of Cranganor, which was immediately
afterwards set on fire by the Portuguese. Certain Christian inhabitants
of the place came to Suarez and prayed him not to burn their city,
representing that it contained several churches dedicated to the Virgin
and the Apostles, besides many Christian houses which were interspersed
among these belonging to the Moors and Gentiles. For their sakes, Suarez
ordered the conflagration to be stopped; yet many of the houses were
destroyed before that could be effected, as they were all of wood. After
the fire was quenched, our men plundered the houses belonging to the
Moors, many of whom had formerly dwelt in Cochin. The two ships, and
several paraws which had been taken in the before mentioned engagement,
were set on fire, and other three ships that were found drawn on shore.
At this time Suarez was joined by the prince of Cochin, who informed him
that Naubea Daring remained with his army at no great distance, and
intended to return to Cranganor after his departure. A considerable force
was therefore sent against Naubea Daring; but immediately on seeing their
approach, the troops of Calicut fled.
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