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ce　to　the　front　were　all　the　other　captains　in　their　appointed　posts；　according　as　each　one　was　entrusted　and　ordered。　Outside　of　all　these　people；　in　a　camp　by　themselves；　were　the　scouts　of　whom　I　have　already　spoken；　whose　duty　it　is　to　patrol　all　night　through　the　camp　and　watch　to　see　if　they　can　catch　any　spies。　On　the　other　side　the　washermen；　（who　are　those　that　wash　clothes）　were　in　a　camp　by　themselves；　and　they　were　near　to　the　place　where　they　could　best　wash　clothes。

All　the　camp　was　divided　into　regular　streets。　Each　captain's　division　has　its　market；　where　you　found　all　kinds　of　meat；　such　as　sheep；　goats；　pigs；　fowls；　hares；　partridges　and　other　birds；　and　this　in　great　abundance；　so　much　so　that　it　would　seem　as　if　you　were　in　the　city　of　Bisnaga。　And　you　found　many　endless　kinds　of　rice；　grains；　Indian…corn；　vetches　（MINGUO）；＇546＇　and　other　seeds　that　they　eat。　Besides　these　things；　which　are　necessaries；　they　had　another　（market）　where　you　could　find　in　great　abundance　everything　that　you　wanted；　for　in　these　markets　they　sell　things　that　in　our　parts　are　sold　by　professional　hucksters。＇547＇　There　were　craftsmen；　also；　working　in　their　streets；　so　that　you　saw　made　there　golden　jewels　and　gewgaws；　and　you　will　find　all　kinds　of　rubies　and　diamonds　and　pearls；　with　every　other　kind　of　precious　stone　for　sale。　There　also　were　to　be　seen　sellers　of　cloths；　and　these　were　without　number　as　that　is　a　thing　so　many　want；　they　being　of　cotton。　There　were　also　to　be　seen　grass　and　straw　in　infinite　abundance。　I　do　not　know　who　could　describe　it　so　as　to　be　believed；　so　barren　a　country　is　this　Rachol　and　so　sandy。　It　is　a　mystery　how　there　should　be　an　abundance　of　everything　therein。　Any　one　can　imagine　what　grass　and　straw　would　be　required　each　day　for　the　consumption　of　thirty…two　thousand　four　hundred　horses　and　five　hundred　and　fifty…one　elephants；＇548＇　to　say　nothing　of　the　sumpter…mules　and　asses；　and　the　great　numbers　of　oxen　which　carry　all　the　supplies　and　many　other　burdens；　such　as　tents　and　other　things。　Indeed　no　one　who　did　not　understand　the　meaning　of　what　he　saw　would　ever　dream　that　a　war　was　going　on；　but　would　think　that　he　was　in　a　prosperous　city。　Then　to　see　the　numbers　of　drums　and　trumpets；　and　other　musical　instruments　that　they　use。　When　they　strike　up　their　music　as　sign　that　they　are　about　to　give　battle　it　would　seem　as　if　the　heavens　must　fall；　and　if　it　happened　that　a　bird　came　flying　along　at　the　time　when　they　made　such　a　terrific　noise；　it　used　to　come　down　through　terror　of　not　being　able　to　get　clear　of　the　camp；　and　so　they　would　catch　it　in　their　hands；　principally　kites；　of　which　they　caught　many。

But　I　cease　to　speak　more　of　this　because　I　should　never　finish；　and　so　I　turn　to　tell　of　the　battle。


CHAPTER　9


How　the　King　attacked　the　city　of　Rachol。

The　King；　being　as　I　have　said　at　the　siege　of　the　city　of　Rachol；　there　came　to　him　sure　news　that　the　Ydallcao　had　arrived　at　the　river　on　the　northern　side；　and　that　there　he　had　pitched　his　camp。　The　King　therefore　sent　his　spies　to　keep　watch　over　the　foe；　to　see　what　he　was　doing　and　to　send　word　of　his　every　movement。　With　the　coming　of　this　news　a　tumult　broke　out　in　the　camp；　principally　among　the　common　soldiers；　in　whose　minds　suspicion　was　never　wanting；　and　they　still　suffered　under　the　terror　inspired　from　old　time　by　the　Moors。　There　the　Ydallcao　halted　some　days　so　as　to　see　what　the　King　was　doing　and　whether　he　would　march　to　attack　him　there　in　his　camp；　for　it　was　thought　by　him　and　by　his　people　that　as　soon　as　the　King　should　learn　of　his　arrival　he　would　at　once　march　to　meet　him；　and　they　decided　that　he　could　defend　himself　from　the　King　in　the　place　where　he　was　better　than　in　any　other；　by　help　of　the　river。　For　there　was　no　other　ford　than　the　one　close　at　hand；　and　this　they　proposed　to　guard　so　well　that　none　should　take　it；　least　of　all；　they　thought；　men　who　（in　their　eyes）　were　only　blacks。

Although　the　King　heard　that　the　enemy　was　on　the　opposite　bank　of　the　river；　he　yet　made　no　move；　nor　did　he　do　anything；　and　the　Ydallcao；　seeing　that　he　made　no　advance；　took　counsel　with　his　officers；　and　at　this　council　the　advice　given　greatly　differed；　as　each　had　his　own　opinion　regarding　the　non…movement　of　the　King。　Many　said　that　this　was　because　the　King　held　his　foe　to　be　of　little　account；　and　wished　to　show　his　people　how　great　was　his　power；　and　they　said　that　he　was　only　waiting　for　them　to　cross　the　river　to　at　once　fall　upon　them。　The　principal　person　who　said　this　was　Amcostam；＇549＇　who　was　captain　of　Pomdaa　at　the　time　that　Dom　Guterre　was　captain　of　Goa。＇550＇　Others　said　no；　but　that　the　King　was　afraid；　thinking　of　times　past　and　the　many　conquests　that　the　Moors　had　gained　over　the　Hindus；　and　that　he　had　brought　with　him　some　veteran　soldiers　that　had　taken　part　in　those　wars。　The　advice　of　these　was　to　push　forward　and　pass　the　river。　It　was　not　well　（they　said）　for　the　Ydallcao　to　show　weakness；　and　the　longer　he　stayed　where　he　was　the　less　would　he　benefit　himself　and　harm　the　enemy；　and　although　they　were　not　so　many　in　number　as　the　Hindus；　yet　they　had　the　advantage　in　the　remembrance　of　the　former　battles　that　had　been　fought　between　them。＇551＇　In　the　end　the　Ydallcao　ordered　that　they　should　muster　the　forces；　and　said　that　after　this　was　ended　he　would　decide　what　was　best　to　be　done。　When　the　muster　was　made；　he　found　that　he　had　one　hundred　and　twenty　thousand　men　on　foot；　archers　and　musqueteers　and　men　with　shields　and　spearmen；　and　eighteen　thousand　cavalry；　and　one　hundred　and　fifty　elephants；　and　when　the　muster　was　over　and　he　had　seen　his　forces　for　himself；　seeing　also　the　great　strength　of　artillery　that　he　had；　he　said　that　with　his　artillery　he　would　seek　to　defeat　the　Rao　of　Narsymga。　He　therefore　ordered　them　to　make　ready；　since　he　desired　to　cross　the　river　at　once　and　advance　to　the　attack；　for　the　Ydallcao　believed　that　his　best　course　was　to　halt　on　the　farther　side　and　thence　send　his　troops　to　charge　the　camp　of　the　King；　and　that　in　so　doing　he　would　not　be　beaten　and　would　not　lose　Rachol。＇552＇

In　this　greedy　resolve　he　passed　the　ford　and　advanced　to　within　three　leagues　of　the　King's　camp；　and　he　caused　his　own　camp　to　be　strengthened　by　large　trenches；　and　commanded　all　his　artillery　to　take　post　in　front；　and　he　arranged　the　order　of　his　positions　and　the　manner　in　which　they　should　behave　if　they　were　attacked　by　the　enemy。　His　camp　extended　along　the　length　of　the　river　for　the　sake　of　the　water；　that　he　might　not　be　cut　off　from　it　by　the　enemy。

As　soon　as　they　brought　news　to　the　King　that　the　Ydallcao　had　passed　the　river；　he　commanded　all　to　make　ready；　but　that　no　movement　should　take　place　in　his　army　till　he　should　see　how　the　enemy　acted；　and　when　they　brought　him　further　news　that　the　enemy　had　pitched　his　camp　and　strengthened　his　position；　he　ordered　a　general　advance　of　all　his　forces。　He　divided　his　army　into　seven　wings。　Comarberya＇553＇　begged　from　him　（the　command）　of　the　van；　he　being　the　king's　father…in…law　and　a　great　lord；　he　is　King　of　Serigapatao　and　lord　of　a　large　state；　he　brought　with　him　thirty　grown…up　sons。　The　King　bade　him　pitch　his　camp　a　league　from　the　Ydallcao　and　ordered　all　to　arm　themselves　at　dawn；　as　he　intended　then　to　give　battle　to　the　enemy；　but　the　men　of　the　Council　said　that　that　day　was　an　unlucky　day；　and　begged　him　not　to　attack；　as　it　was　a　Friday；　and　they　asked　him　not　to　attack　till　Saturday；　which　they　hold　for　a　lucky　day。

When　the　King　had　left　Rachol；　those　inside　opened　a　gate；　and　one　of　the　captains　who　was　inside；　a　eunuch；　made　a　sally　with　two　hundred　horse；　certain　foot…soldiers　and　elephants；　he　kept　entirely　along　the　river…bank　on　the　King's　flank。　The　object　of　this　no　one　could　guess；　each　one　having　his　own　opinion。　As　soon　as　the　King　halted　he　also　did　the　same；　keeping　always　his　spies　in　the　King's　camp　to　see　what　passed　and　（what　would　be）　the　end　of　the　battle。　Since　both　armies　were　so　close；　each　to　his　foe；　they　never　put　aside　their　weapons　but　watched　all　the　night　through。

Seeing　that　the　dawn　of　Saturday　was　now　breaking；　the　drums　and　trumpets　and　other　music　in　the　King's　camp　began　to　sound　and　the　men　to　shout；　so　that　it　seemed　as　if　the　sky　would　fall　to　the　earth；　then　the　neighing　and　excitement　of　the　horses；　and　the　trumpeting　of　the　elephants；　it　is　impossible　for　any　one　to　describe　how　it　was。　But　even　if　told　in　simple　truth　it　would　hardly　be　believed　the　great　fear　and　terror　that　struck　those　who　heard　it；　so　that　even　those　very　men　that　caused　the　noise　were　themselves　frightened　at　it。　And　the　enemy　on　their　part　made　no　less　noise；　so　that　if　you　asked　anything　you　could　not　hear　yourself　speak　and　you　had　to　ask　by　signs；　since　in　no　other　manner　could　you　make　yourself　understood。　When　all　in　the　camp　had　gone　to　the　front　it　was　already　two　hours　after　sunrise；　and　the　King　ordered　an　advance　of　his　two　forward　divisions；　with　command　so　to　strike　home　that　they　should　leave　not　one　of　the　enemy　alive；　and　this　was　forthwith　done。　They　attacked　the　enemy　so　hotly　that　many　of　the　King's　troops　found　themselves　on　the　t