execution which his fire-ships and cannon had done. All the vessels
within the port were either burnt or disabled. And the rain which
immediately fell, served not so much to extinguish the flames, as the
violent wind which then arose contributed to kindle them. Those of Achen,
proud of that action, appeared next morning on their decks, letting fly
their pompous streamers, and shouting, as if already they were
victorious. But their insolence was soon checked; the cannon from the
fortress forced them to retire as far off as the isle of Upe. In the mean
time, seven poor fishermen, who had been out all night about their
employment, and were now returning to the town, fell into an ambuscade of
the Infidels, were taken, and brought before the general. After he had
cut off their ears and noses, he sent them back with a letter, directed
to Don Francisco de Melo, governor of Malacca, of which these were the
contents:

"I Bajaja Soora, who have the honour to carry in vessels of gold the rice
of the Great Souldan, Alaradin, king of Achen, and the territories washed
by the one and the other sea, advertise thee to write word to thy king,
that, in despite of him, I am casting terror into his fortress by my
fierce roaring, and that I shall here abide as long as I shall please. I
call to witness of what I declare, not only the earth, and all nations
which inhabit it, but all the elements, even to the heaven of the moon;
and pronounce with these words of my mouth, that thy king is a man of no
reputation nor courage; that his standards, now trampled under foot,
shall never be lifted up again without his permission who has conquered
him; that, by the victory already by us obtained, my king has under his
royal foot the head of thine; that from this day forward he is his
subject and his slave; and, to the end, that thou thyself mayest confess
this truth, I defy thee to mortal battle, here on the place of my abode,
if thou feelest in thyself sufficient courage to oppose me."