Coming To Anchor Here, The General Sent Coello On Shore With An Armed
Escort, To Examine The Country, And To See If There Were Any Convenient
Place For New-Graving Their Ships Bottoms, As They Had Been Long At Sea
And Had A Long Run Before Them.
Every thing being found convenient, and
the measure approved of by all the captains, it was determined to lay
their ships successively aground for this purpose.
The ship called the
Berrio was first laid on shore; and while occupied in repairing and
cleaning her bottom, many of the natives came off from the continent to
sell victuals to our people. While this was going forwards two small
brigandines were seen rowing towards our ships, ornamented with flags and
streamers on their masts, beating drums and sounding trumpets, and filled
with men who plied their oars. At the same time, five similar vessels were
seen creeping along shore, as if lying by to help the others if needful.
The Malabars who supplied our people with provisions, warned the general
to beware of these vessels, which belonged to pirates who roamed about in
these seas, robbing all they met under pretence of peace[66]. The general
believed he might have taken these two vessels, if he had allowed them to
come close up with his ships, but did not choose to run any risk;
wherefore, as soon as they came within gun-shot, he ordered all the cannon
belonging to the two ships which remained afloat to be fired at them; on
which, calling out in a loud voice, _Tambarane!
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