pigafetta’s voyage round the world. 345

had lances as well as we, although they were only flicks of bamboo pointed at the end,a nd ftaves hardened in the fire. They merely requefled that they might not be at-tacked in the night, as they expedted reinforcements, and fhould then be better ableto cope with us : this they laid defignedly to induce us to attack them immediately, inhope that thus we fhould fall in the dykes they had dug between the fea and theirhoufes.

We accordingly waited day-light, when we jumped into the water up to our thighs,the boats not being able to approach near enough to land, on account of the rocks andShallows. The number which landed was forty-nine only, as eleven were left in charge°f the boats. We were obliged to wade fome diftance through the water before weReached the fhore.

We found the iflanders, fifteen hundred in number, formed into three battalions, whotmmediately on our landing fell upon us, making horrible fhouts ; two of thefe bat-talions attacked jus in flank, and the third in front. Our captain divided his companyinto two platoons. The mufqueteers and crofs-bowmen fired from a diftance the fpace“f half an hour without making the leaft impreffion on the enemy ; for though the“alls and arrows penetrated their bucklers made of thin wood, and even woundedthem at times in their arms, this did not make them halt, as the wounds failed of occa-sioning them inftant death as they expedted, on the contrary, it only made them morehold and furious. Moreover, trufting to the fuperiority of their numbers, theyfhowered on us luch clouds of bamboo lances, ftaves hardened in the fire, ftones, and.^ v en dirt, that it was with difficulty we defended ourfelves. Some even threw fpearsheaded with iron at our captain-general, who, to intimidate and caufe them to difperfe,ordered away a party of our men to fet fire to their houfes, which they immediately ef-fected. The fight of the flames ferved only to increafe their exafperation : fome ofjhem even ran to the village which was fet on fire, and in which twenty or thirtyhoufes were confumed, and killed two of our men on the fpot. They feemed mo-mently to increafe in number and impetuofity. A poifoned arrow ftruck the captain inthe leg, who on this ordered a retreat in flow and regular order; but the majority of° Ur men took to flight precipitately, fo that only feven or eight remained about theCa ptain.

1 he Indians perceiving their blows were ineffectual when aimed at our body or head,“P account of our armour, and noticing at the fame time that our legs were uncovered,* re £ted againft thefe their arrows, javelins, and ftones, and thefe in fuch abundance,“at we could not guard againft them. The bombards we had in our boats were of no_ . ty, as the levelnefs of the ftrand would not admit of the boats being brought ftjf-C1 ently clofe in fhore. We retreated gradually, ftill continuing to fight, and were nowm a bow’s-ffiot from the iflanders, and in the water up to our knees, when they renewed. eir attack with fury, throwing at us the fame lance five or fix times over as theyPicked it up on advancing. As they knew our captain, they chiefly aimed at him, foat his helmet was twice ftruck from his head; ftill he did not give himfelf up toj. e P a '* r , and we continued in a very fmall number fighting by his fide. This combat,^“unequal, lafted more than an hour. An iflander at length fucceeded in thrufting theho i 0 ^ lance through the bars of his helmet, and wounding the captain in the fore-’'■vith V Wh ° * rr * ta ted on the occafion, immediately ran the affailant through the bodyr m s lance, the lance remaining in the wound. He now attempted to draw his0rc b but was unable, owing to his right arm being grievoufly wounded. The In-him S ’ Wii ° P erceive d this, preffed in crowds upon him; and one of them having givena violent cut with a fword on the left leg, he fell on his face : on this they imme-° L * XI » y y diately