to see that so good a desire is realized. There are a number of other
things which your Lordship can examine and consider in the letters
sent by the bishop of Malaca, and those of the religious who remain
in Ssian. Beside this there would result an important entrance onto
the mainland whence great increase and wealth might result. As to the
doubt which exists as to the state in which the king of Canvoja is,
I will say that at the time when I was about to leave the city of
Ssian there arrived some Sianese soldiers of the number who were in
the garrison in Canvoja; and they said that the king thereof had come
down from the mountains where he was, and had killed and captured all
the Sianese who were there, except some few who had escaped into the
mountains; and that they had killed his brother, who had favored the
Sianese in Canvoja so that the natives should come to him. The virrey
which had remained there had surrendered to the king of Canvoja, who
was already possessed of all his lands. This was quite generally known
in Ssian, and the king learned of it; and, fearing lest he of Canvoja
should come to that country by sea, while he had no troops, he sent
three oared vessels to act as sentinels at the mouths of the rivers,
to see if he of Canvoja should come, and to advise him thereof. At the
time when I went down the river the other three vessels went down,
and at the mouth met a Sianese ship which was coming from Canvoja,
and they told me that the king thereof was lord of his land and sea,
and that they had escaped with much difficulty. They said that there
was not at present a Sianese in Canvoja who was not captured. With
this second news they confirmed that in the city. When this was
learned by the people in the three ships who were acting as sentinels,
they went back to tell the king of it, that he might send more men
to the sentinel ships, so that they should not be easily overcome,
since the king of Canvoja was lord of his lands. I have no doubt that
if the king of Sian were gone with all his army, he of Canvoja would