on -revenge, pursued aridj «wértQâfcj them^d,^1*: pbdinate coldest'
csq^ued i but ; ; the Ceylqnesep; ae^âiddiig.c4n^.-gp$ea^ and
with the m o s t. furious determination ; from several quarters} ; at
ôticÇi-^Iie ^ôrl^ifisej-jitef^itet^fsthie^
in ih e J e n d overpowered* The- gre'ater- numher was. killed^ and;
thfilF^itei among whom were the young Empress .and the Por-t
tuguese général»', taken. priaoner|a. T|ï^^^eràl>f lie (Souza* dying
©j|, his : wounds». ■ recommended» his ^m 'to . 4hé ^proteotlbir of Bón
John, whö j|èütÿhimr to Columbo.. Don - Jotm .followed Up his
victory ;/ madë- himself master of; a ll, the forts .of- the. interior *
compelled the pripcesi tommies fop, mercy. on -thpif. knees ; j and
completed. his career by marrying ;Donna Çathârinai. then twelve
hears,öf age. -,
| Being mow acknowledged-by the. natives .as lawful Sovereign
©foithe, island, be . began ,toi sec are g khnjself against JJje Jfotqre
gtiacka of^the,JPpntugiiese, b y building forts, fe d atreifehbnmg
the passes.. The Portuguese : sometime afterwards marched to
"WaManee,with an intention ta smprise . Géndyy büt;.;.weBe
feated in ' their purpose by Don John» who, by the great superiority
of his numbers, compelled them, after a^seVere/en-
gagementi, to .retreat. The Portuguese here shewed »what disci-,
pline„and resolution j,nould ^effeet.; for although. .pressed cai^eVery
# by the* tro o p s.o l Don John, durmg.: æ .rétr^ t.'o |. five days
to Colombo, they still maintained their, tanks entire, a n d . entered
the fort in good order. They, hpwèyérÇ left many of
their men ; and their general, who , was wounded^ owed his
life to the King of Cotta, one of the petty princes., Don . John
how destroyed a. number o f forts which had been érected/.. b y
the Portuguese in the Jfo«|Èmd9^.-:aiBdf.-fïit(. allitftfegarasopfc to
pieces, Sometime afterwards the Portuguese, again penetrated
m
iatd thevi'Mhgdbm’iof | fof
iho the end- they w^tëhobligediSjfep save' themselves by q rsuddên
flîgMofeom iW,allaneês v-tëavâhg * behind their . arm! and 1 baggages
'fedl#*wdiéttÆ'e perpetual! > but - fruitless ■»-. contests which the
Portuguese ’ctenicd fevwith ite r hMivés,VifoHher purpose of db-
tainhagîïpasæssiériî o f ‘thé -'whole .island?; fed! by .thélfàtteri .for
fepellàag 'these« forieign ‘.oppressors, ‘ The. Portuguese, however»,
hdd early-seoiar^d;-the most important parteof it,vflié sea-coasts,
where the vakialble;epieeries wtene produced. Baader Albuquerque,
the1, successor of Alm'esydfe 'the ‘ rich lowlands around and fe. th e
sôUÉhwaoed ; of- ^ohufobt»' already formed a part.qïfr .their destria
n iom ,l^o d #fofea#svè$ from* th at - time ‘forward;, only obtained
.gwÿséÿsiôn /nfetfemj^uimng asrae fecidCtedifecursiansv;;
AlbuquerqueMwas, ah-excellent oommaiâdery and.* an accota-
fish e d pdlitieiani; but he was deeply featured tjufth tliit insatîaa
blé' fhirsfet’ofi‘'m ilita ^ glory; which dihtinguisteduhisxoUnbRymen
in th a t' fge ;f and dazzled byh' the ^lardt-af ). extensive .cohquéât;'
he i avi®£lasfcedi th e solid advafeageshto be derived3 from leach of
thefcpujatriei.ihc isubdued. #A<0éykm' In partiràlarnséèàa’èdtd'esignpd
by- nature :to sc ( m e the possessions, and extend the influence
of' the Portuguese ip thé ■ eastern world. * Its* ëséeîlént • harbour
of Trincomalee could a fford:., protection tô their ships at ail
times of the year, while there was no other station, j oh 'the
coasts of India, which: could at all periods, afford shelter to the
vessels;1 of 'any. other European power : the island was naturally
so' strong that it could be defended by a comparatively small
number of troops ; and its situation was s.o centrical, that troops
could, with thé utmost -ease and expedition, be : Sent from it
to any part- of India. Aihuqaaenque,! however j was too. much
engrossed with. ‘extending his- conquests over the coasts 'of India,