he towns of Repelim, to which he set fire. But on
the coming up of a great number of armed naires, he was forced to retreat
in great danger to his boats, having five of his men wounded, after
killing and wounding a great number of the enemy. On their return to
Cochin, the targets of our men were all stuck full of arrows, so great
was the multitude of the enemies who had assailed them. The rajah came to
visit Pacheco at the castle on his return from this enterprize, and
expressed his satisfaction at his success, which he considered as a
mighty affair, especially as the zamorin and so great an army was in the
island. Pacheco made light of the zamorin and all his force, saying that
he anxiously wished he would come and give battle, as he was not at all
afraid of the consequences, trusting to the superior valour of his own
men.

As the people of Cochin remained quiet, Pacheco now prepared for
defending the pass of Cambalan. Leaving therefore a sufficient force to
guard the castle, and twenty-five men in the caravel under the command of
Diego Pereira to protect the city and watch the conduct of the Moors,
taking with himself seventy-three men in one of the caravels and several
armed boats, he departed for Cambalan on Friday the 16th of April 1504[2].
On passing the city, Pacheco landed to speak with the rajah, whom he
found in evident anxiety; but making as if he did not observe his
heaviness, Pacheco addressed him with a cheerful countenance, saying that
he was just setting out to defend him against the zamorin, of whom he had
no fear of giving a good account. After some conference, the rajah
ordered 500 of his naires, out of 3000 who were in his service, to join
Pacheco, under the command of _Gandagora_ and _Frangera_ the overseers of
his household, and the caymal of _Palurta_, whom he directed to obey
Pacheco in all things as if he were himself present. On taking leave of
Pacheco, while he exhorted him to use his utmost efforts for defending
Cochin against the zamorin, he desired him to be careful of his own
safety, on which so much depended.

Pacheco arrived at the passage of Cambalan two hours before day, and
seeing no appearance of the zamorins approach, he made an attack on a
town on the coast of the island about the dawn, which was defended by 300
naires, all archers, and a small number armed with calivers, or
match-locks, all of whom were embarked in certain paraws, and endeavoured
to defend the entrance of the har