Company, but private persons have to
pay six-pence for each cask-full, which is brought to their houses
at that price. Still, however, both Dutch men and women are sometimes
afflicted with this disease, and no means have hitherto been found
out for prevention or cure. The old legend imputes this disease to the
curse laid by St Thomas upon his murderers and their posterity, as
an odious mark to distinguish them: But St Thomas was slain by the
_Tilnigue_[3] priests at Miliapoor in Coromandel, above four hundred
miles from this coast; and the natives there have no touch of this
malady.

[Footnote 3: This word ought assuredly to have been Telinga.--E.]

Cochin is washed by the greatest outlet on this coast, and being
near the sea, its situation is strong by nature, but art has not been
wanting to strengthen it. As built by the Portugueze, it was a mile
and a half long by a mile in breadth. The Dutch took it in 1662, when
Heitloff van Chowz was commander of the forces by sea and land. The
insolence of the Portuguese had made several of the neighbouring
princes their enemies, who joined with the Dutch to drive them out of
that country, and the king of Cochin in particular assisted them with
twenty thousand men. Not long after the Dutch had invested the town,
Van Chowz received notice of a peace having been concluded between
Portugal and Holland, but kept the secret to himself and pushed on the
siege. Having made a breach in the weakest part of the fortifications,
he proceeded to a furious assault, which was kept up for eight days
and nights incessantly, relieving the assailants every three hours,
while the Portuguese were kept on continual duty the whole time, and
were quite worn out with fatigue. Finding the city in danger of being
taken by storm, the Portuguese at length capitulated and gave up the
place. There were at this time four hundred topasses in the garrison,
who had done good service to the Portuguese, but were not comprehended
in the capitulation. On discovering this omission, and knowing the
cruel and licentious character of the Dutch soldiery in India, they
drew up close to the gate at which the Portuguese were to march out,
and the Dutch to enter, declaring, unless they had equally favourable
terms granted them with the Portugueze, they would massacre them all,
and set fire to the town. The Dutch general not only granted them all
they asked, but even offered to take those who had a mind into the
Dutch pay, to