Firishta's History (Gulshan-i Ibrāhīmī) 175: TOME II. PART III. CHAP. VIII.

175

Jan. 1570. The kings of Ahmudnuggur, Beejapoor, and Calicut, resolve to attack the Portuguese in all parts simultaneously. Ally Adil Shah descends into the Concan by the Poonda Ghat with an army of one hundred thousand foot, thirty-five thousand horse, two thousand one hundred and forty elephants, and three hundred and fifty pieces of cannon. He marches without opposition to Goa, and invests it on three sides by land. The Portuguese have only one thousand six hundred soldiers and thirty pieces of cannon to defend the outworks. They make several successful sallies on the enemy's works. Sooliman Agha, at the head of five thousand men, gains footing on the island of Goa. Is attacked and expelled by the Portuguese, and loses his life. The viceroy, Luis de Ataida makes overtures to Noor Khan, a Beejapoor general, to assassinate Ally Adil Shah, on promise of his being supported by the Portuguese in ascending the throne. The treachery is discovered and prevented. The Rana of Onore, aided by two thousand Adil Shahy troops, attempts to recover the fort of Onore, but is repulsed. Ally Adil Shah raises the siege of Goa in the month of August, after an attack of ten months' duration; having lost twelve thousand men, three hundred elephants, four thousand horses, and six thousand head of oxen, part by the sword, and part by the weather.