within reach on both sides of the river.  On this occasion one Gaspar de Monterroyo, going accidentally into a wood, killed a monstrous serpent thirty feet in length and of prodigious bigness, which had just devoured a bullock.  Thus victorious over men and monsters, Barreto returned to Chaul, whence he and Antonio Pereyra Brandam went and destroyed Dabul in revenge for the injury done by Adel Khan to the Portuguese possessions on the coast.

[Footnote 372:  On many occasions, as here, De Faria, or his translator, gives no intimation of the species of coin to which he alludes.—­E.]

In the year 1557, Nazer-al-mulk, the general of Adel Khan, invaded the districts of Salsete and Bardes with 2000 horse and 81,000 foot.  Francisco Barreto, the governor-general, went against him with 3000 Portuguese infantry, 1000 Canarins, and 200 horse, and defeated him in the plain country near Ponda.  In the district of Bardes, Juan Peixoto was opposed to another general of the enemy named Murad Khan, and being much incommoded by a Portuguese renegado who had fortified himself, assaulted and routed him twice with considerable slaughter.  As the governor-general had retired to Goa after his late victory, Nazer-al-mulk returned to the flat country and intrenched his army near Ponda.  About the same time an officer of Adel Khan waded the ford of Zacorla into the island of Choram with 500 men, and did considerable damage; but on the arrival of assistance from other parts was repulsed with considerable loss, and Francisco de Mascarenhas was left for the defence of the island with 300 men.  Being desirous to secure the promontory of Chaul, the governor asked leave to fortify that place from Nizam Shah[373], who not only refused permission, but sent 30,000 of his own men with orders to build there an impregnable fort.  On this the governor went there in person with 4000 Portuguese troops besides natives, and a pacific arrangement was entered into, but without liberty to build the fort.  A miracle was seen at this place, as the Moors had been utterly unable to cut down a small wooden cross fixed upon a stone, or even to remove it by the force of elephants.  Likewise about this time a Portuguese soldier bought for a trifle from a jogue in Ceylon, a brown pebble about the size of an egg, on which the heavens where represented in several colours, and in the midst of them the image of the holy Virgin with the Saviour in her arms; this precious jewel fell into the hands of Franciso Barreto, who presented it to Queen Catharine, and through its virtues God wrought many miracles both in India and Portugal.

[Footnote 373:  Named Nizamuxa in De Faria, and perhaps the same prince called Nizamaluco on former occasions, whom we have always designated Nizam al Mulk.  The Indian officers named in the text a little before Nazer al Mulk and Murad Khan, are called Nazar Maluco and Moatecan by De Faria, whose orthography of eastern names is continually vicious.—­E.]