The Jaigarh Fort and its cannon ...

[fernando]

I should ask for tolerance over approaching once more the tremendous ambiance that surrounds a combat of artillery; but i could not resist to quote the great historian and grammarian João de Barros (1496-1570), describing the (unsuccessful) attempt, by Nuno da Cunha, to take over the fortification of Diu in 1531 (India). Tolerance also requested for not being able to translate (interpreter) his fascinating words in the exact sense.

" Given as a signal from the skiff of by D.Vasco de Lima, a volley with a piece (cannon) that ours call espalhafato (fuss), due to being very furious, started the sea, the land and the air shaking and changing their quietness; because the sea boiled, its waters jumping over with the falling of volleys which came from town and the boats, where there was great number of musketry, in a way that the shots were like rain, and in the water and the air they met. The land was all put to dust, raised by our shots at beating the fortification. The air was a smoke of sulphur so dark and thick that asphyxiated men, and blinded them, and from it some sparks of fire, that looked like coming from hell. All was a darkness without any light, only a terror, an astonishment to the eyes, torment to their ears and a confusion of cheer, the men not knowing where they were and whether was a dream what they were seeing, or truth ".

.