[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [Travellers (1500–1858)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel) › [Storia do Mogor](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci) › [Storia do Mogor (Irvine)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine) › 276 # Storia do Mogor 276: Ceylon and the Portuguese. Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 276 - **Language:** English ### Ceylon and the Portuguese. ### [276.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.276.1) The island of Ceilao (Ceylon) is very fertile, humid, and fresh, by reason of the rain which is always falling. It produces a quantity of fruit, cocos, and areca-palms, and the woods, for the greater part, are formed of fine canes, which the inhabitants use in their cooking. The mountains are full of crystals of many colours; the rivers are full of precious stones — rubies, sapphires, topazes, and other kinds. There are handsome elephants and an infinity of game. Although the Dutch are masters of some of the lands in that island, they enjoy no part of its riches beyond what they can acquire within reach of the sea. ### [276.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.276.2) Formerly the Portuguese were masters of most of the places now held by the Dutch, and always maintained a sufficient force, with a view of obtaining possession of the island, an attempt which they made several times. On one occasion they invaded the kingdoms in the interior, climbing mighty mountains and traversing formidable forests. On reaching the capital city, from which the king fled in terror, they sacked the town and the chief temple, removing the great treasures, and with them the tooth of a monkey which was worshipped by the natives of the country. They declare this to be the tooth of that monkey called Anont (Hanmat, Hanuman), who set on fire the enchanted city of Lanca (Lanka). The tooth was forwarded to Goa, and the viceroy kept it for conveyance to Portugal, to be shown to his king as proof that the people of India worshipped such foolishnesses. The King of Candia (Kandy), or Ceilao (Ceylon) — for thus he called himself — was little concerned about the wealth carried off by the Portuguese; but he and his people were deeply grieved at their taking away the holiest relic there was in the kingdom, and to recover it the king sent an ambassador to Goa to ransom the imagined relic, offering for it a very large sum of money, with some lands and other privileges. ### [276.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.276.3) The viceroy, to demonstrate that he had not been softened, scorned his money and his gifts, but, showing him the tooth, asked if he recognised it as the veritable one. The ambassador and those in his suite said it was the right one, and fell prostrate before it, paying it great veneration, and then rose to their feet and stood with their hands crossed, and showed every mark of devotion. The viceroy said to them: 'What you offer me as the ransom of this tooth is insufficient.' They said: 'Your Excellency has only to order, and all shall be complied with.' The viceroy took the tooth into his hand, and said to him: 'Do you imagine my king is in any want of money, that he has sent me to govern India for monetary considerations? This is not so; I have come to destroy idols, and prove that the faith of Christ is the only true one.' With these words he cast the tooth into the fire near by. The ambassador and his followers were overcome, beating their faces with their own hands, and left the palace with weeping and wailing, and returned to their own country. ### [276.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.276.4) In their desire to conquer this very fertile island, the Portuguese warred continually against this king, while he ever entreated them to leave him alone amidst his mountains. He offered to enter into a treaty of perpetual peace, and concede to them a territory of a considerable extent up to a certain boundary; that he would put up the arms of the King of Portugal in the greatest of his palaces, and recognise him as his suzerain. The Portuguese were not satisfied and entered his country. Finding himself thus attacked, the King of Kandy did what he could to have peace and avoid war. He displayed humility, and erected an altar in the middle of the road by which the Portuguese must pass. Upon it was a crucifix, and he begged them by this venerable sign not to go farther, and he would concede to them all that they had taken if they would leave to him what remained. Otherwise he was determined and prepared for defence, if he saw no other course. This demand was not acceded to. The Portuguese divided their troops into two forces, giving them orders to enter the mountains, one in one direction, the other in another. The object was that they might advance more quickly and without hindrance, for they could not march all together, the roads not being open; by this division of forces they would also divert the enemy's attention. ### [276.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.276.5) It happened that in the same night there fell a thunderbolt, which created a great light. The general in command was called D. Hyeronimo de Azvedo; the next to him was the chief captain, Constantino Sau. This officer imagined that the other force, being superstitious, upon seeing this sign from heaven would never march on that day, but stay where they were. But the general began his march, not to draw back from what he had said. He entered the hilly country, in reliance on the chief captain, who also would not fail to advance, as he supposed, and leave the altar in the rear. The King of Kandy sent to warn the Portuguese that he had already ordered the route to be blocked, and if they insisted on forcing a way, not one of them would ever escape. The Portuguese force paid no heed to these warnings, whereupon it was attacked and totally destroyed, the general losing his life. The chief captain \[441\], when this event was reported to him, tried to reinforce his fellow-countrymen, but it was already too late. The victorious enemy came against these reinforcements, and they, too, were routed, not one of them escaping. The king occupied once more the extensive territory of which he had been deprived. The Portuguese were forced to content themselves with the fortresses adjacent to the sea, but they never ceased to attempt the conquest of that island, for which purpose reinforcements came to them from Portugal and Goa. ### [276.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.276.6) The king, aware that the Portuguese would come to no terms and meant to continue their attacks, sent secret overtures to the Dutch, who at the time were actually at war with the Portuguese, promising that if they would come and make war he would assist them. In effect, they did come with a fleet of twelve vessels, under a Dutch captain of sea and war called Riclof, manned by six thousand Europeans, mostly of French nationality, commanded by a general named Tuf de Barbon, a Dutchman, and other valiant leaders, such as Arriam Vandermuis Coquinto, and others like him. With the help of the king \[of Ceylon\] they took some places and fortresses from the Portuguese. Finally they occupied the town of Colombo, the principal fortified place within the island. But both sides lost heavily before it was reduced. It surrendered in the year 1656, on the 12th May, and to this day \[? 1699\] it is held by the Dutch. A few months before the Portuguese lost these territories there were signs from heaven, for it rained blood in various places. The blood congealed in pieces the size of cowries, and from it came insects with wings, which, if they touched any animal — a buffalo, cow, goat, or human being — it at once fell dead. This plague lasted some days. There were other portents, such as the falling of fire from heaven, which burnt woods, villages, and houses in many directions. ### [276.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.276.7) It seems to me all this was God's punishment for the fearful tyranny exercised in those lands. Many times the Portuguese stormed the stockades and villages within the king's boundary \[442\], sparing no single creature. Other captives they would send out to the road, and put them on spits on both sides of it for the distance of a league. There were other cruelties and oppressions which I have no wish to relate, in order not to anger the reader. Their losses of territory in India itself were due to the same causes. --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.276](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.276) · Pramāṇa