Storia do Mogor 334.12

334.12

The fortress of Vellore is large and well built. It has lateral supporting walls, and the ditch is large, about fifty cubits in width, and filled by springs rising in it. The water is full of crocodiles, and if by misfortune anyone falls in, he is at once torn to pieces and eaten up by them. Out of curiosity I went quite close to the ditch ; these animals, seeing on the water the shadow of human beings, opened their jaws. I threw them a goat, which they tore to pieces at once and ate, snatching the pieces out of each other's jaws. I observed that at the noise these made other crocodiles rushed from different parts of the ditch. They were in such great numbers, and there was such great confusion, that they could not be counted. They kept their heads out of the water and their jaws wide open. As a pastime I threw them several goats in pieces ; they fell upon the pieces, and without any chewing swallowed them at one mouthful. At another place I made the men throw in some heads of goats with large horns. But no sooner had they been thrown in than the crocodiles with a toss of the head had at once swallowed them, for these animals are monstrous. It can also be said that they render the fortress stronger, and defend it from any assault that might be delivered. But what protection [153] are they against the high hills surrounding the place, from the summit of which the walls could be knocked down by pieces of artillery ?