Finding
greater resistance than he expected, and fearing lest the caymal might
attack him in the rear, while engaged in front with the nayres of Calicut,
Francisco detached a part of his troops under Nicholas Coello, assisted by
Antonio del Campo and Pedro de Tayde, to assault the residence of the
caymal, who was slain bravely fighting in its defence. At this place one
of our men was slain and eighteen wounded. In the mean time, Francisco de
Albuquerque and Duarte Pacheco defeated the reinforcements from Calicut,
and forced them to take refuge on board their paraws, leaving many of
their men slain and wounded on the shore. After this signal victory, by
which the greater part of the three thousand nayres belonging to the
caymal and many of those from Calicut were slain, Francisco de Albuquerque
conferred the honour of knighthood on several of his officers who had
signalized themselves on the occasion. He then wasted the whole island
with fire and sword.

Francisco determined in the next place, to attack the country of the lord
of Repelim, for which purpose he departed with his troops by water from
Cochin, and reached a town in that territory, four leagues from Cochin,
about eight o'clock next morning. Near two thousand nayres, five hundred
of whom were armed with bows and arrows, were stationed, on the beach of
the isle of Repelim to repel this attack; but were soon forced by our
ordnance to retire into a grove of palms, on which Francisco landed with
his troops, the van being led by Nicholas Coello. The enemy resisted for
some time under the shelter of the trees, and wounded some of our people;
but were at length forced to take to flight, after losing a good many of
their men, who were shot by our cross-bows and _calivers_[3]. Our troops
followed the nayres, who took refuge in the towns of the island, in which
much greater slaughter was made of the enemy than in the field, as they
were crowded together and more exposed to our shot. On taking possession
of the town, Francisco gave it up to be plundered by the nayres of Cochin,
who assisted him on this expedition, that they might not consider the
conduct of the Portuguese on this occasion proceeded from any inclination
for plundering the country, but from a desire to revenge the injuries
which had been done to their own rajah.

On his return from this victory, Francisco was joyfully received by the
rajah of Cochin, who desired him to desist from any farther operations
ag