The Assailants Were
Beaten Off And Five Of Their Colours Taken Which They Had Planted On The
Work.
In this action Betancourt fought with his left hand, having
previously lost the right; and Dominic del Alama, being lame, caused
himself to be brought out in a chair.
April 1571 was now begun, and the
enemy were employed in constructing new works as if determined to
continue the siege all winter. Alexander de Sousa and Gonzalo de Menezes
were appointed to head a sally upon these new works, but their men ran
out without orders to the number of 200, and made a furious assault upon
the enemy, whom they drove from the works after killing fifty of them
and losing a few of their own number. The two commanders hastened to
join their men, and then directed them to destroy the works they had so
gallantly won. Perplexed with so many losses, the Nizam made a general
assault under night with his whole army, attacking all the posts at one
time, every one of which almost they penetrated; but the garrison
exerted themselves with so much vigour that they drove the Moors from
every point of attack, and in the morning above 500 of the enemy were
found slain in and about the ruined defences, while the Portuguese had
only lost four or five men. About this time the defenders received a
reinforcement of above 200 men from Goa, Diu, and Basseen, with a large
supply of ammunition and provisions; but at this time they were much
afflicted by a troublesome though not mortal disease, by which they
became swelled all over so as to lose the use of their limbs.
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