enemies to
the count, a _French_ engineer named Sebastian Tibao applied to the iron
bar during the night _a certain herb_ that has the quality of eating
iron, so that the statue fell down next night, and its quarters were
hung up in different parts of the city. On the day when the count was to
embark for his return to Portugal, a party of armed men went on board
before him, and hung up his effigy at the yard arm, made exactly like
him both in face and habit. Just as he was going on board they returned;
and on seeing the effigy he asked what it was, when someone answered,
"It is your lordship, whom these men have hung up." He made no reply,
but ordered the figure to be thrown into the sea and immediately set
sail; but two days afterwards had to return to port for a new stock of
fowls, as all these he took with him were poisoned. He was better
beloved by the elements than by those whom he had governed; for he went
all the way from India to Lisbon without once needing to furl a sail. By
the constant chafing of the yards on the masts, it was found impossible
to lower the yards in the usual way when the ship arrived at Lisbon,
insomuch that they had to be cut down. Sailing from Goa on the 25th
December 1600, he arrived at Lisbon on the 27th May 1601, having spent
only five months on the voyage.

During the administration of Ayres de Saldana, _Xilimixa_ king of
Aracan, who had possessed himself of the kingdom of Pegu, gave the port
of _Siriam_ to the Portuguese in grateful acknowledgment of their
services. That town and port is at the mouth of the river Siriam which
flows within a league of the city of _Bagou_, the capital of Pegu. This
grant was obtained by Philip Brito de Nicote, who proved false and
ungrateful to the king of Aracan, who had raised him from the lowest
rank to his favour and esteem. By his persuasion, Xilimixa erected a
custom-house at the entry to the river Siriam to increase his revenues;
which Brito meant afterwards to seize, and to build a fort there, on
purpose to give a footing for the Portuguese to conquer the kingdom.
Xilimixa accordingly built the custom-house, which he gave in charge to
one _Bannadala_ who fortified himself and suffered no Portugeuse to enter
there, except a Dominican named Belchior de Luz. Nicote, seeing his
purposes likely to be defeated by Bannadala, determined to gain
possession by force before the works were completed. He had along with
him at this time three Portuguese office