Next Day Francisco Made A Fresh Assault On The Same Island
With Six Hundred Men, And Was Opposed By The
Caymal or governor for the
zamorin, with a force of two thousand nayres, part of whom were spearmen,
but the
Greater number armed with bows and arrows, and some with swords
and targets. After some resistance, but in which none of them were hurt,
our people made good their landing, and galled the Indians so sore with
their cross-bows, that they soon fled. The Portuguese pursued quite across
the island, and forced their enemies to continue their flight across the
water, leaving many of their men behind both killed and wounded. Having
now no enemy to oppose them in the island, the Portuguese laid it entirely
waste, and burnt all the towns and villages it contained.
Adjoining to this island there lay another, named _Charanaipin_[1], which
belonged to a caymal who was subject to the rajah of Cochin, but had
revolted to the zamorin at the commencement of the war. From some spies
employed by the rajah of Cochin, it was understood that this caymal had a
force of three thousand nayres, seven hundred of whom were archers, and
forty were, armed with matchlocks[2]; besides which all their towns were
well fortified with trenches. He had likewise several paraws provided with
ordnance, with which he was supplied by the zamorin, and these were
stationed in one of the harbours of the island, to defend it against the
Portuguese.
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