chronicle of the conquest of granada-第16章

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led　them　upon　another　inroad　to　lay　waste　the　Vega　of　Granada。



CHAPTER　XI。

HOW　MULEY　ABUL　HASSAN　MADE　A　FORAY　INTO　THE　LANDS　OF　　　　　MEDINA　SIDONIA；　AND　HOW　HE　WAS　RECEIVED。


Muley　Abul　Hassan　had　mustered　an　army　and　marched　to　the　relief　of　Loxa；　but　arrived　too　late；　the　last　squadron　of　Ferdinand　had　already　passed　over　the　border。　　〃They　have　come　and　gone；〃　said　he；　〃like　a　summer　cloud；　and　all　their　vaunting　has　been　mere　empty　thunder。〃　　He　turned　to　make　another　attempt　upon　Alhama；　the　garrison　of　which　was　in　the　utmost　consternation　at　the　retreat　of　Ferdinand；　and　would　have　deserted　the　place　had　it　not　been　for　the　courage　and　perseverance　of　the　alcayde；　Luis　Fernandez　Puerto　Carrero。　　That　brave　and　loyal　commander　cheered　up　the　spirits　of　his　men　and　kept　the　old　Moorish　king　at　bay　until　the　approach　of　Ferdinand；　on　his　second　incursion　into　the　Vega；　obliged　him　to　make　an　unwilling　retreat　to　Malaga。

Muley　Abul　Hassan　felt　that　it　would　be　in　vain；　with　his　inferior　force；　to　oppose　the　powerful　army　of　the　Christian　monarch；　but　to　remain　idle　and　see　his　territories　laid　waste　would　ruin　him　in　the　estimation　of　his　people。　　〃If　we　cannot　parry；〃　said　he；　〃we　can　strike；　if　we　cannot　keep　our　own　lands　from　being　ravaged；　we　can　ravage　the　lands　of　the　enemy。〃　　He　inquired　and　learnt　that　most　of　the　chivalry　of　Andalusia；　in　their　eagerness　for　a　foray；　had　marched　off　with　the　king；　and　left　their　own　country　almost　defenceless。　　The　territories　of　the　duke　of　Medina　Sidonia　were　particularly　unguarded：　here　were　vast　plains　of　pasturage　covered　with　flocks　and　herdsthe　very　country　for　a　hasty　inroad。　　The　old　monarch　had　a　bitter　grudge　against　the　duke　for　having　foiled　him　at　Alhama。　　〃I'll　give　this　cavalier　a　lesson；〃　said　he；　exultingly；　〃that　will　cure　him　of　his　love　of　campaigning。〃　　So　he　prepared　in　all　haste　for　a　foray　into　the　country　about　Medina　Sidonia。

Muley　Abul　Hassan　sallied　out　of　Malaga　with　fifteen　hundred　horse　and　six　thousand　foot；　and　took　the　way　by　the　sea…coast；　marching　through　Estiponia；　and　entering　the　Christian　country　between　Gibraltar　and　Castellar。　　The　only　person　that　was　likely　to　molest　him　on　this　route　was　one　Pedro　de　Vargas；　a　shrewd；　hardy；　and　vigilant　soldier；　alcayde　of　Gibraltar；　and　who　lay　ensconced　in　his　old　warrior　rock　as　in　a　citadel。　　Muley　Abul　Hassan　knew　the　watchful　and　daring　character　of　the　man；　but　had　ascertained　that　his　garrison　was　too　small　to　enable　him　to　make　a　sally；　or　at　least　to　ensure　him　any　success。　　Still；　he　pursued　his　march　with　great　silence　and　caution；　sent　parties　in　advance　to　explore　every　pass　where　a　foe　might　lie　in　ambush；　cast　many　an　anxious　eye　toward　the　old　rock　of　Gibraltar　as　its　cloud…capped　summit　was　seen　towering　in　the　distance　on　his　left；　nor　did　he　feel　entirely　at　ease　until　he　had　passed　through　the　broken　and　mountainous　country　of　Castellar　and　descended　into　the　plains。　　Here　he　encamped　on　the　banks　of　the　Celemin；　and　sent　four　hundred　corredors；　or　fleet　horsemen；　armed　with　lances；　to　station　themselves　near　Algeziras　and　keep　a　strict　watch　across　the　bay　upon　the　opposite　fortress　of　Gibraltar。　　If　the　alcayde　attempted　to　sally　forth；　they　were　to　waylay　and　attack　him；　being　almost　four　times　his　supposed　force；　and　were　to　send　swift　tidings　to　the　camp。　　In　the　mean　time　two　hundred　corredors　were　sent　to　scour　that　vast　plain　called　the　Campina　de　Tarifa；　abounding　with　flocks　and　herds；　and　two　hundred　more　were　to　ravage　the　lands　about　Medina　Sidonia。　　Muley　Abul　Hassan　remained　with　the　main　body　of　the　army　as　a　rallying…point　on　the　banks　of　the　Celemin。

The　foraging　parties　scoured　the　country　to　such　effect　that　they　came　driving　vast　flocks　and　herds　before　them；　enough　to　supply　the　place　of　all　that　had　been　swept　from　the　Vega　of　Granada。　The　troops　which　had　kept　watch　upon　the　rock　of　Gibraltar　returned　with　word　that　they　had　not　seen　a　Christian　helmet　stirring。　　The　old　king　congratulated　himself　upon　the　secrecy　and　promptness　with　which　he　had　conducted　his　foray；　and　upon　having　baffled　the　vigilance　of　Pedro　de　Vargas。

He　had　not　been　so　secret；　however；　as　he　imagined；　the　watchful　alcayde　of　Gibraltar　had　received　notice　of　his　movements；　but　his　garrison　was　barely　sufficient　for　the　defence　of　his　post。　　Luckily；　there　arrived　at　this　juncture　a　squadron　of　the　armed　galleys；　under　Carlos　de　Valera；　recently　stationed　in　the　Straits。　　Pedro　de　Vargas　prevailed　upon　him　to　take　charge　of　Gibraltar　during　his　temporary　absence；　and　forthwith　sallied　out　at　midnight　at　the　head　of　seventy　chosen　horsemen。　　By　his　command　alarm…fires　were　lighted　on　the　mountains；　signals　that　the　Moors　were　on　the　ravage；　at　sight　of　which　the　peasants　were　accustomed　to　drive　their　flocks　and　herds　to　places　of　refuge。　　He　sent　couriers　also　spurring　in　every　direction；　summoning　all　capable　of　bearing　arms　to　meet　him　at　Castellar。　　This　was　a　town　strongly　posted　on　a　steep　height；　by　which　the　Moorish　king　would　have　to　return。

Muley　Abul　Hassan　saw　by　the　fires　blazing　on　the　mountains　that　the　country　was　rising。　　He　struck　his　tents；　and　pushed　forward　as　rapidly　as　possible　for　the　border；　but　he　was　encumbered　with　booty　and　with　the　vast　cavalgada　swept　from　the　pastures　of　the　Campina　de　Tarifa。　　His　scouts　brought　him　word　that　there　were　troops　in　the　field；　but　he　made　light　of　the　intelligence；　knowing　that　they　could　only　be　those　of　the　alcayde　of　Gibraltar；　and　that　he　had　not　more　than　a　hundred　horsemen　in　his　garrison。　　He　threw　in　advance　two　hundred　and　fifty　of　his　bravest　troops；　and　with　them　the　alcaydes　of　Marabella　and　Casares。　　Behind　this　van…guard　followed　a　great　cavalgada　of　cattle；　and　in　the　rear　marched　the　king　with　the　main　force　of　his　little　army。

It　was　near　the　middle　of　a　sultry　summer　day　when　they　approached　Castellar。　　De　Vargas　was　on　the　watch；　and　beheld；　by　an　immense　cloud　of　dust；　that　they　were　descending　one　of　the　heights　of　that　wild　and　broken　country。　　The　van…guard　and　rear…guard　were　above　half　a　league　asunder；　with　the　cavalgada　between　them；　and　a　long　and　close　forest　hid　them　from　each　other。　　De　Vargas　saw　that　they　could　render　but　little　assistance　to　each　other　in　case　of　a　sudden　attack；　and　might　be　easily　thrown　into　confusion。　　He　chose　fifty　of　his　bravest　horsemen；　and；　making　a　circuit；　took　his　post　secretly　in　a　narrow　glen　opening　into　a　defile　between　two　rocky　heights　through　which　the　Moors　had　to　pass。　　It　was　his　intention　to　suffer　the　van…guard　and　the　cavalgada　to　pass；　and　to　fall　upon　the　rear。

While　thus　lying　perdu　six　Moorish　scouts；　well　mounted　and　well　armed；　entered　the　glen；　examining　every　place　that　might　conceal　an　enemy。　　Some　of　the　Christians　advised　that　they　should　slay　these　six　men　and　retreat　to　Gibraltar。　　〃No；〃　said　De　Vargas；　〃I　have　come　out　for　higher　game　than　these；　and　I　hope；　by　the　aid　of　God　and　Santiago；　to　do　good　work　this　day。　　I　know　these　Moors　well；　and　doubt　not　but　that　they　may　readily　be　thrown　into　confusion。〃

By　this　time　the　six　horsemen　approached　so　near　that　they　were　on　the　point　of　discovering　the　Christian　ambush。　　De　Vargas　gave　the　word；　and　ten　horsemen　rushed　upon　them；　in　an　instant　four　of　the　Moors　rolled　in　the　dust；　the　other　two　put　spurs　to　their　steeds　and　fled　toward　their　army；　pursued　by　the　ten　Christians。　　About　eighty　of　the　Moorish　van…guard　came　galloping　to　the　relief　of　their　companions；　the　Christians　turned　and　fled　toward　their　ambush。　　De　Vargas　kept　his　men　concealed　until　the　fugitives　and　their　pursuers　came　clattering　pell…mell　into　the　glen。　　At　a　signal　trumpet　his　men　sallied　forth　with　great　heat　and　in　close　array。　The　Moors　almost　rushed　upon　their　weapons　before　they　perceived　them；　forty　of　the　infidels　were　overthrown；　the　rest　turned　their　back。　　〃Forward！〃　cried　De　Vargas；　〃let　us　give　the　van…guard　a　brush　before　it　can　be　joined　by　the　rear。〃　　So　saying；　he　pursued　the　flying　Moors　down　hill；　and　came　with　such　force　and　fury　upon　the　advance…guard　as　to　overturn　many　of　them　at　the　first　encounter。　As　he　wheeled　off　with　his　men　the　Moors　discharged　their　lan