_ 147 _ of the fortress, D. Gonçalo de Menezes, how to punish the King of Lar.(A) Once D. Jerónimo had been informed of the situation, the result of which for us was that “the roads were blocked to the caravans, which had ceased to come to Ormuz, with consequent considerable loss to the customs-house”(B), it was agreed in council with the King of Ormuz that they should attack the King of Lar with all available forces, and for this the King of Ormuz offered himself with four or five thousand men. At the beginning of August the expedition went to the mainland. It consisted of D. Gonçalo with eight hundred Portuguese, the King, the Queen and almost three thousand men.(C) They made for [Xamel] and camped in its neighbourhood. The fortress was, however, situated on the top of the hill, which made it naturally impregnable, and the assault mounted by our men for fifteen days had little effect. Finally they aimed some artillery at one of the bulwarks above the gate, managed to hit it, and one day at dawn attacked it and took it after a hard fight. Once the artillery had been moved to the bulwark, for (A) Barros, Década X, part 1, pp. 180, 215-6. (B) Barros, Década X, Part I, p. 217. (C) Ásia Portuguesa, Faria e Sousa, Vol. III.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTg0NzAy