dred and eighty other vessels, commanded by the king in
person, and supposed to be designed against Malacca. The situation of the
Portuguese was desperate. They could not expect to escape, and therefore
resolved to die like men. During three days they sustained a continual
attack, when, after having by incredible exertions destroyed forty of the
enemy's vessels, and being themselves reduced to the state of a wreck, a
second ship appeared in sight. The king perceiving this retired into the
harbour with his shattered forces.

It is difficult to determine which of the two is the more astonishing,
the vigorous stand made by such a handful of men as the whole strength of
Malacca consisted of, or the prodigious resources and perseverance of the
Achinese monarch.

1573.

In 1573, after forming an alliance with the queen of Japara, the object
of which was the destruction of the European power, he appeared again
before Malacca with ninety vessels, twenty-five of them large galleys,
with seven thousand men and great store of artillery. He began his
operations by sending a party to set fire to the suburbs of the town, but
a timely shower of rain prevented its taking effect. He then resolved on
a different mode of warfare, and tried to starve the place to a surrender
by blocking up the harbour and cutting off all supplies of provisions.
The Portuguese, to prevent the fatal consequences of this measure,
collected those few vessels which they were masters of, and, a merchant
ship of some force arriving opportunely, they put to sea, attacked the
enemy's fleet, killed the principal captain, and obtained a complete
victory.

1574.

In the year following Malacca was invested by an armada from the queen of
Japara, of three hundred sail, eighty of which were junks of four hundred
tons burden. After besieging the place for three months, till the very
air became corrupted by their stay, the fleet retired with little more
than five thousand men, of fifteen that embarked on the expedition.

1575.

Scarcely was the Javanese force departed when the king of Achin once more
appeared with a fleet that is described as covering the straits. He
ordered an attack upon three Portuguese frigates that were in the road
protecting some provision vessels, which was executed with such a furious
discharge of artillery that they were presently destroyed with all their
crews. This was a dreadful blow to Malacca, and lamented, as the
historian relates, w