He Penetrated To The City Of _Uva_ With Very Little
Opposition, Which He Destroyed; But Was Met On His Return
By the king of
Candy with a considerable army, to whom the greatest part of the
Christian Chingalese immediately deserted,
And aided him in battle
against the Portuguese, now reduced to 400 of their own troops and 200
Chingalese who remained faithful. De Sa and his inconsiderable army
fought against prodigious odds during three entire days, but the general
being slain, the Portuguese troops fell into disorder, and were all
slain or taken prisoners.
Immediately after this victory, the king of Candy laid siege to Columbo
with an army of 50,000 men, while the garrison under Launcelot de Leixas
did not exceed 400, even including the priests and monks. The garrison
was reduced to extreme distress, and even threatened with famine, when a
ship from Cochin brought them a relief of provisions and ammunition;
after which five ships came from San Thome and one from Goa. Though not
mentioned by De Faria, it appears that the siege was now raised; as at a
subsequent period, after the natives had reduced almost the whole of the
island, the kings of Candy, Uva, and Matale again laid siege to Columbo
with an army of 20,000 men. At this time five ships came from Goa to
carry off the cinnamon to Portugal, on which the enemy raised the siege,
believing these ships had come to relieve and reinforce the garrison.
The viceroy now appointed Don George de Almeyda to the command in
Ceylon, who sailed from Goa for that place on the 19th of February 1631,
in the great galley taken by Botello when he destroyed the fleet of
Acheen: But encountering a storm off Cape Comorin, the galley was ready
to founder, on which Almeyda took to the boat with 29 persons, and
reached one of the Maldive islands after four days of incredible
distress. Going over from thence to Cochin, he received a reinforcement
of some Portuguese troops, with 500 kafrs and 800 Canarin lascars, and a
supply of money, ammunition, and provisions. Having raised some more men
at Cochin, Almeyda sailed again for Ceylon, where he arrived on the 21st
October 1631, and landed at Columbo. He marched immediately against the
enemy, though then the rainy season, and was soon forced to desist, as
the country was mostly overflowed, and at this season the trees swarm
with _leeches_, which drop down upon the men as they pass, and bleed
them to death.
On the return of fine weather, Almeyda marched again on the 5th January
1632, though with much difficulty, as the waters were still out, so that
the men had often to wade up to their breasts. Being opposed by the
enemy near the fort of _Tranqueyra Grande_, many of them were slain, as
the general gave three or four pistoles for every head that was brought
him. At another pass, the enemy were defended, to the number of 6000
men, by some works, but on being attacked, and many of them killed, the
rest fled, destroying every thing they could not carry away.
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