History of Ceylon: presented ... to the king of Portugal, in 1685 / translated from the Portuguese, by the Abbé Le Grand. Re-translated from the French ed., with an appendix ... by George Lee.

  • Ribeiro, João, 1622-1693
Date:
1847
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: History of Ceylon: presented ... to the king of Portugal, in 1685 / translated from the Portuguese, by the Abbé Le Grand. Re-translated from the French ed., with an appendix ... by George Lee. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    a very difficult road, approached the sea-side. We arrived fatigued and way-worn at Bolitotte,* where we hoped to be able to take rest, but there wre saw the Dutch ships in full sail for Colombo, and re¬ ceived orders to advance in the same direction, keeping sight of the enemy’s flotilla and proceeding by the sea-side to the mouth of the Pantura river. Here our march was stopped for some time; the ene¬ my came with boats full of men who poured a discharge of musquetry on us to prevent our advance, whilst we detached one company to entrench themselves on the sea-side to hinder the boats from coming sufficiently close to land their men, and this detachment, by sustain¬ ing the enemy’s fire nearly a whole day, gave our troops an oppor¬ tunity to cross the river. On the next day, their flotilla came in sight of Colombo almost at the same time as we approached by land, and we found that the Governor, having had good information of what was going on, had also ordered Antonio Mascarenhas to break up his camp at Manicavary and to march to Negombo. He had already arrived there, when we reached Colombo, and as there was no doubt but the Dutch would attempt a landing there, as they knew the place well, Don Antonio de la Motte Galvaon was sent there also with six companies, whilst Don Pedro da Souza, who commanded our van, remained with the general to be employed wherever circumstances might render necessary. CHAPTER XIV. How the Hollanders made good their landing at Negombo, cut the Portuguese to pieces and hilled their two Field Marshals Antonio Mascarenhas and Antonio de la Motte Galvaon. On the 3d of January 1644 the Dutch flotilla appeared off Ne¬ gombo. The Portuguese force there consisted of sixteen companies, making 500 men, commanded by Antonio Mascarenhas, and Antonio de la Motte Galvaon, two of our best general officers. Very early on the morning of the 4th the Hollanders disembarked without opposition at a half league distance from the fort. The two generals advanced against them with all the troops then at Negombo, and gave intelli¬ gence to the captain-general that they were resolved to die or to force the enemy to re-embark. The captain-general, to encourage them in this resolution, despatched Pedro da Souza to their assistance with 300 Portuguese and some natives. The enemy wras set in order of battle, having seven battalions each of 600 men. As they had to pasfr * ? Bentotte. L,