chronicle of the conquest of granada-第17章

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n　many　of　them　at　the　first　encounter。　As　he　wheeled　off　with　his　men　the　Moors　discharged　their　lances；　upon　which　he　returned　to　the　charge　and　made　great　slaughter。　The　Moors　fought　valiantly　for　a　short　time；　until　the　alcaydes　of　Marabella　and　Casares　were　slain；　when　they　gave　way　and　fled　for　the　rear…guard。　　In　their　flight　they　passed　through　the　cavalgada　of　cattle；　threw　the　whole　in　confusion；　and　raised　such　a　cloud　of　dust　that　the　Christians　could　no　longer　distinguish　objects。　　Fearing　that　the　king　and　the　main　body　might　be　at　hand；　and　finding　that　De　Vargas　was　badly　wounded；　they　contented　themselves　with　despoiling　the　slain　and　taking　above　twenty…eight　horses；　and　then　retreated　to　Castellar。

When　the　routed　Moors　came　flying　back　upon　the　rear…guard；　Muley　Abul　Hassan　feared　that　the　people　of　Xeres　were　in　arms。　　Several　of　his　followers　advised　him　to　abandon　the　cavalgada　and　retreat　by　another　road。　　〃No；〃　said　the　old　king；　〃he　is　no　true　soldier　who　gives　up　his　booty　without　fighting。〃　　Putting　spurs　to　his　horse；　he　galloped　forward　through　the　centre　of　the　cavalgada；　driving　the　cattle　to　the　right　and　left。　　When　he　reached　the　field　of　battle；　he　found　it　strewed　with　the　bodies　of　upward　of　one　hundred　Moors；　among　which　were　those　of　the　two　alcaydes。　　Enraged　at　the　sight；　he　summoned　all　his　crossbowmen　and　cavalry；　pushed　on　to　the　very　gates　of　Castellar；　and　set　fire　to　two　houses　close　to　the　walls。　Pedro　de　Vargas　was　too　severely　wounded　to　sally　forth　in　person；　but　he　ordered　out　his　troops；　and　there　was　brisk　skirmishing　under　the　walls；　until　the　king　drew　off　and　returned　to　the　scene　of　the　recent　encounter。　　Here　he　had　the　bodies　of　the　principal　warriors　laid　across　mules；　to　be　interred　honorably　at　Malaga；　the　rest　of　the　slain　were　buried　on　the　field　of　battle。　　Then；　gathering　together　the　scattered　cavalgada；　he　paraded　it　slowly；　in　an　immense　line；　past　the　walls　of　Castellar　by　way　of　taunting　his　foe。

With　all　his　fierceness；　old　Muley　Abul　Hassan　had　a　gleam　of　warlike　courtesy；　and　admired　the　hardy　and　soldier…like　character　of　Pedro　de　Vargas。　　He　summoned　two　Christian　captives；　and　demanded　what　were　the　revenues　of　the　alcayde　of　Gibraltar。　　They　told　him　that；　among　other　things；　he　was　entitled　to　one　out　of　every　drove　of　cattle　that　passed　his　boundaries。　　〃Allah　forbid；〃　cried　the　old　monarch；　〃that　so　brave　a　cavalier　should　be　defrauded　of　his　dues！〃

He　immediately　chose　twelve　of　the　finest　cattle　from　the　twelve　droves　which　formed　the　cavalgada。　　These　he　gave　in　charge　to　an　alfaqui　to　deliver　to　Pedro　de　Vargas。　　〃Tell　him；〃　said　he；　〃that　I　crave　his　pardon　for　not　having　sent　these　cattle　sooner；　but　I　have　this　moment　learnt　the　nature　of　his　rights；　and　I　hasten　to　satisfy　them　with　the　punctuality　due　to　so　worthy　a　cavalier。　　Tell　him；　at　the　same　time；　that　I　had　no　idea　the　alcayde　of　Gibraltar　was　so　active　and　vigilant　in　collecting　his　tolls。〃

The　brave　alcayde　relished　the　stern　soldier…like　pleasantry　of　the　old　Moorish　monarch。　　He　ordered　a　rich　silken　vest　and　a　scarlet　mantle　to　be　given　to　the　alfaqui；　and　dismissed　him　with　great　courtesy。　　〃Tell　His　Majesty；〃　said　he；　〃that　I　kiss　his　hands　for　the　honor　he　has　done　me；　and　regret　that　my　scanty　force　has　not　permitted　me　to　give　him　a　more　signal　reception　on　his　coming　into　these　parts。　　Had　three　hundred　horsemen；　whom　I　have　been　promised　from　Xeres；　arrived　in　time；　I　might　have　served　up　an　entertainment　more　befitting　such　a　monarch。　　I　trust；　however；　they　will　arrive　in　the　course　of　the　night；　in　which　case　His　Majesty　may　be　sure　of　a　royal　regale　in　the　dawning。〃

Muley　Abul　Hassan　shook　his　head　when　he　received　the　reply　of　De　Vargas。　　〃Allah　preserve　us；〃　said　he；　〃from　any　visitation　of　these　hard　riders　of　Xeres！　　A　handful　of　troops　acquainted　with　the　wild　passes　of　these　mountains　may　destroy　an　army　encumbered　as　ours　is　with　booty。〃

It　was　some　relief　to　the　king；　however；　to　learn　that　the　hardy　alcayde　of　Gibraltar　was　too　severely　wounded　to　take　the　field　in　person。　　He　immediately　beat　a　retreat　with　all　speed　before　the　close　of　day；　hurrying　with　such　precipitation　that　the　cavalgada　was　frequently　broken　and　scattered　among　the　rugged　defiles　of　the　mountains；　and　above　five　thousand　of　the　cattle　turned　back　and　were　regained　by　the　Christians。　　Muley　Abul　Hassan　returned　triumphantly　with　the　residue　to　Malaga；　glorying　in　the　spoils　of　the　duke　of　Medina　Sidonia。

King　Ferdinand　was　mortified　at　finding　his　incursion　into　the　Vega　of　Granada　counterbalanced　by　this　inroad　into　his　dominions；　and　saw　that　there　were　two　sides　to　the　game　of　war；　as　to　all　other　games。　　The　only　one　who　reaped　real　glory　in　this　series　of　inroads　and　skirmishings　was　Pedro　de　Vargas；　the　stout　alcayde　of　Gibraltar。*

*Alonzo　de　Palencia；　1。　28；　c。　3；　MS。



CHAPTER　XII。

FORAY　OF　SPANISH　CAVALIERS　AMONG　THE　MOUNTAINS　OF　MALAGA。


The　foray　of　old　Muley　Abul　Hassan　had　touched　the　pride　of　the　Andalusian　chivalry；　and　they　determined　on　retaliation。　　For　this　purpose　a　number　of　the　most　distinguished　cavaliers　assembled　at　Antiquera　in　the　month　of　March；　1483。　　The　leaders　of　the　enterprise　were；　the　gallant　marques　of　Cadiz；　Don　Pedro　Henriquez；　adelantado　of　Andalusia；　Don　Juan　de　Silva；　count　of　Cifuentes　and　bearer　of　the　royal　standard；　who　commanded　in　Seville；　Don　Alonso　de　Cardenas；　master　of　the　religious　and　military　order　of　Santiago；　and　Don　Alonso　de　Aguilar。　　Several　other　cavaliers　of　note　hastened　to　take　part　in　the　enterprise；　and　in　a　little　while　about　twenty…seven　hundred　horse　and　several　companies　of　foot　were　assembled　within　the　old　warlike　city　of　Antiquera；　comprising　the　very　flower　of　Andalusian　chivalry。

A　council　of　war　was　held　by　the　chiefs　to　determine　in　what　quarter　they　should　strike　a　blow。　　The　rival　Moorish　kings　were　waging　civil　war　with　each　other　in　the　vicinity　of　Granada；　and　the　whole　country　lay　open　to　inroads。　　Various　plans　were　proposed　by　the　different　cavaliers。　　The　marques　of　Cadiz　was　desirous　of　scaling　the　walls　of　Zahara　and　regaining　possession　of　that　important　fortress。　　The　master　of　Santiago；　however；　suggested　a　wider　range　and　a　still　more　important　object。　　He　had　received　information　from　his　adalides；　who　were　apostate　Moors；　that　an　incursion　might　be　safely　made　into　a　mountainous　region　near　Malaga　called　the　Axarquia。　　Here　were　valleys　of　pasture…land　well　stocked　with　flocks　and　herds；　and　there　were　numerous　villages　and　hamlets；　which　would　be　an　easy　prey。　　The　city　of　Malaga　was　too　weakly　garrisoned　and　had　too　few　cavalry　to　send　forth　any　force　in　opposition；　nay；　he　added；　they　might　even　extend　their　ravages　to　its　very　gates；　and　peradventure　carry　that　wealthy　place　by　sudden　assault。

The　adventurous　spirits　of　the　cavaliers　were　inflamed　by　this　suggestion：　in　their　sanguine　confidence　they　already　beheld　Malaga　in　their　power；　and　they　were　eager　for　the　enterprise。　　The　marques　of　Cadiz　endeavored　to　interpose　a　little　cool　caution。　　He　likewise　had　apostate　adalides；　the　most　intelligent　and　experienced　on　the　borders：　among　these　he　placed　especial　reliance　on　one　named　Luis　Amar；　who　knew　all　the　mountains　and　valleys　of　the　country。　　He　had　received　from　him　a　particular　account　of　these　mountains　of　the　Axarquia。*　　Their　savage　and　broken　nature　was　a　sufficient　defence　for　the　fierce　people　who　inhabited　them；　who；　manning　their　rocks　and　their　tremendous　passes；　which　were　often　nothing　more　than　the　deep　dry　beds　of　torrents；　might　set　whole　armies　at　defiance。　Even　if　vanquished；　they　afforded　no　spoil　to　the　victor。　　Their　houses　were　little　better　than　bare　walls；　and　they　would　drive　off　their　scanty　flocks　and　herds　to　the　fastnesses　of　the　mountains。

*Pulgar；　in　his　Chronicle；　reverses　the　case；　and　makes　the　marques　　of　Cadiz　recommend　the　expedition　to　the　Axarquia；　but　Fray　Antonio　　Agapida　is　supported　in　his　statement　by　that　most　veracious　and　　contemporary　chronicler；　Andres　Bernaldez；　curate　of　Los　Palacios。


The　sober　counsel　of　the　marques；　however；　was　overruled。　　The　cavaliers；　accustomed　to　mountain…warfare；