came forward with a fresh squadron, and gave a proud onset,
commanding his paraws to lay the caravel on board; but the Malabars had
not resolution to put this order into execution, and held off at some
distance. The zamorin also approached with the land army, doing his
utmost to force the passage of the ford; but all their efforts were in
vain, although this second battle was more fiercely urged than the first.
Though the battle continued from daybreak to almost sunset, the enemy
were able to make no impression, and were known to have lost 350 men
slain outright, besides others, which were above 1000.[5] Some of our men
were wounded, but none slain; for the balls of the enemy, though of cast
iron, had no more effect than as many stones thrown by hand. Yet our
barricades of defence were all torn to pieces, and one of our boats was
very much damaged, which was entirely repaired during the night.

The rajahs and other chiefs who were allied with the zamorin, lost all
hope of ever being able to get the victory over the Portuguese, and were
sorry for having joined in the war so greatly to their own dishonour.
Being afraid the captain-general might burn and destroy their towns and
houses, which were all situated on the banks of rivers, they were anxious
to leave the army of the zamorin, and to give over making war on the
Portuguese. Some among them withdrew privately from the camp of the
zamorin to the island of Vaipi with all their men, and reconciled
themselves with the rajah of Cochin: These were _Maraguta, Muta_ Caymal,
his brother and cousins. The zamorin was exceedingly mortified by the
discomfiture of his people, and severely reprimanded his chiefs for their
pusillanimous conduct, in allowing themselves to be defeated by such a
handful of men. The two Italian deserters, while they acknowledged the
valour of the Portuguese in the late action, represented that it would be
impossible for them to continue to bear up long against such vast odds
without reinforcements, and recommended the frequent reiteration of
assaults, under which they must necessarily be at last overthrown. All
those rajahs and chiefs who were for continuing the war, joined in
opinion with the Italians. The zamorin made a speech, in which he
recapitulated the defeats they had sustained and the defection of some of
his allies, who had entered into treaty with the rajah of Cochin. He
stated how short a period of the summer now remained for continuing the
o