_ 213 _ which kept flying in their direction not to mention their artillery fire. Once they had taken the water they would return to the stockade, killing many of the enemy. All the same this proved very costly because every time they went to fetch water many were wounded and some killed. Since we were so few, the loss of one of our men was much more serious than the loss of fifty to the enemy, since they were very numerous and it suited them to see our numbers dwindling. Matters were made worse by the fact that our men had to go to the well every day, and since this was extremely dangerous, they were not able to get much water each time. As a result, the captain had to impose a strict system of rationing and everyone was thirsty, which made them want to fight the enemy so that they kept asking the captain to let them go out. Owing to the danger involved he would not allow it and they would disobey him. He therefore had to give them more freedom, although he was very upset that lives were lost as a result. After the siege had lasted for one month our men realized that if the situation continued as it then stood until winter was over, as they expected it would, none of them would survive. They tried to think of a solution to the problem. The captain thought that with God's help Tomas Fernandes, who was
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