chronicle of the conquest of granada-第43章

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e　was　kindled　at　the　thoughts　that　the　possessions　of　the　Church　should　thus　be　at　the　mercy　of　a　crew　of　infidels。　　It　was　the　urgent　counsel　of　the　bishop；　therefore；　that　the　military　force　thus　providentially　assembled　in　the　neighborhood；　since　it　was　apparently　foiled　in　its　attempt　upon　Moclin；　should　be　turned　against　these　insolent　castles　and　the　country　delivered　from　their　domination。　　The　grand　cardinal　supported　the　suggestion　of　the　bishop；　and　declared　that　he　had　long　meditated　the　policy　of　a　measure　of　the　kind。　　Their　united　opinions　found　favor　with　the　queen；　and　she　despatched　a　letter　on　the　subject　to　the　king。　　It　came　just　in　time　to　relieve　him　from　the　distraction　of　a　multitude　of　counsellors；　and　he　immediately　undertook　the　reduction　of　those　castles。

The　marques　of　Cadiz　was　accordingly　sent　in　advance；　with　two　thousand　horse；　to　keep　a　watch　upon　the　garrisons　and　prevent　all　entrance　or　exit　until　the　king　should　arrive　with　the　main　army　and　the　battering　artillery。　　The　queen；　to　be　near　at　hand　in　case　of　need；　moved　her　quarters　to　the　city　of　Jaen；　where　she　was　received　with　martial　honors　by　the　belligerent　bishop；　who　had　buckled　on　his　cuirass　and　girded　on　his　sword　to　fight　in　the　cause　of　his　diocese。

In　the　mean　time；　the　marques　of　Cadiz　arrived　in　the　valley　and　completely　shut　up　the　Moors　within　their　walls。　　The　castles　were　under　the　command　of　Mahomet　Lentin　Ben　Usef；　an　Abencerrage；　and　one　of　the　bravest　cavaliers　of　Granada。　　In　his　garrisons　were　many　troops　of　the　fierce　African　tribe　of　Gomeres。　　Mahomet　Lentin；　confident　in　the　strength　of　his　fortresses；　smiled　as　he　looked　down　from　his　battlements　upon　the　Christian　cavalry　perplexed　in　the　rough　and　narrow　valley。　　He　sent　forth　skirmishing　parties　to　harass　them；　and　there　were　many　sharp　combats　between　small　parties　and　single　knights；　but　the　Moors　were　driven　back　to　their　castles；　and　all　attempts　to　send　intelligence　of　their　situation　to　Granada　were　frustrated　by　the　vigilance　of　the　marques　of　Cadiz。

At　length　the　legions　of　the　royal　army　came　pouring；　with　vaunting　trumpet　and　fluttering　banner；　along　the　defiles　of　the　mountains。　They　halted　before　the　castles；　but　the　king　could　not　find　room　in　the　narrow　and　rugged　valley　to　form　his　camp；　he　had　to　divide　it　into　three　parts；　which　were　posted　on　different　heights；　and　his　tents　whitened　the　sides　of　the　neighboring　hills。　　When　the　encampment　was　formed　the　army　remained　gazing　idly　at　the　castles。　　The　artillery　was　upward　of　four　leagues　in　the　rear；　and　without　artillery　all　attack　would　be　in　vain。

The　alcayde　Mahomet　Lentin　knew　the　nature　of　the　road　by　which　the　artillery　had　to　be　brought。　　It　was　merely　a　narrow　and　rugged　path；　at　times　scaling　almost　perpendicular　crags　and　precipices；　up　which　it　was　utterly　impossible　for　wheel　carriages　to　pass；　neither　was　it　in　the　power　of　man　or　beast　to　draw　up　the　lombards　and　other　ponderous　ordnance。　　He　felt　assured；　therefore；　that　they　never　could　be　brought　to　the　camp；　and　without　their　aid　what　could　the　Christians　effect　against　his　rock…built　castles？　　He　scoffed　at　them；　therefore；　as　he　saw　their　tents　by　day　and　their　fires　by　night　covering　the　surrounding　heights。　　〃Let　them　linger　here　a　little　while　longer；〃　said　he；　〃and　the　autumnal　torrents　will　wash　them　from　the　mountains。〃

While　the　alcayde　was　thus　closely　mewed　up　within　his　walls　and　the　Christians　remained　inactive　in　their　camp；　he　noticed；　one　calm　autumnal　day；　the　sound　of　implements　of　labor　echoing　among　the　mountains；　and　now　and　then　the　crash　of　a　falling　tree　or　a　thundering　report；　as　if　some　rock　had　been　heaved　from　its　bed　and　hurled　into　the　valley。　　The　alcayde　was　on　the　battlements　of　his　castle；　surrounded　by　his　knights。　　〃Methinks；〃　said　he；　〃these　Christians　are　making　war　upon　the　rocks　and　trees　of　the　mountains；　since　they　find　our　castle　unassailable。〃

The　sounds　did　not　cease　even　during　the　night：　every　now　and　then　the　Moorish　sentinel　as　he　paced　the　battlements　heard　some　crash　echoing　among　the　heights。　　The　return　of　day　explained　the　mystery。　Scarcely　did　the　sun　shine　against　the　summits　of　the　mountains　than　shouts　burst　from　the　cliffs　opposite　to　the　castle；　and　were　answered　from　the　camp　with　joyful　sounds　of　kettledrums　and　trumpets。

The　astonished　Moors　lifted　up　their　eyes　and　beheld；　as　it　were；　a　torrent　of　war　breaking　out　of　a　narrow　defile。　　There　was　a　multitude　of　men　with　pickaxes；　spades；　and　bars　of　iron　clearing　away　every　obstacle；　while　behind　them　slowly　moved　along　great　teams　of　oxen　dragging　heavy　ordnance　and　all　the　munitions　of　battering　artillery。

〃What　cannot　women　and　priests　effect　when　they　unite　in　council？〃　exclaims　again　the　worthy　Antonio　Agapida。　　The　queen　had　held　another　consultation　with　the　grand　cardinal　and　the　belligerent　bishop　of　Jaen。　　It　was　clear　that　the　heavy　ordnance　could　never　be　conveyed　to　the　camp　by　the　regular　road　of　the　country；　and　without　battering　artillery　nothing　could　be　effected。　　It　was　suggested；　however；　by　the　zealous　bishop　that　another　road　might　be　opened　through　a　more　practicable　part　of　the　mountains。　　It　would　be　an　undertaking　extravagant　and　chimerical　with　ordinary　means；　and　therefore　unlooked　for　by　the　enemy；　but　what　could　not　kings　effect　who　had　treasure　and　armies　at　command？

The　project　struck　the　enterprising　spirit　of　the　queen。　　Six　thousand　men　with　pickaxes；　crowbars；　and　every　other　necessary　implement　were　set　to　work　day　and　night　to　break　a　road　through　the　very　centre　of　the　mountains。　　No　time　was　to　be　lost；　for　it　was　rumored　that　El　Zagal　was　about　to　march　with　a　mighty　host　to　the　relief　of　the　castles。　　The　bustling　bishop　of　Jaen　acted　as　pioneer　to　mark　the　route　and　superintend　the　laborers；　and　the　grand　cardinal　took　care　that　the　work　should　never　languish　through　lack　of　means。*

*Zurita；　Anales　de　Aragon；　lib。　20；　c。　64；　Pulgar；　part　3；　cap。　51。


〃When　kings'　treasures；〃　says　Fray　Antonio　Agapida；　〃are　dispensed　by　priestly　hands；　there　is　no　stint；　as　the　glorious　annals　of　Spain　bear　witness。〃　　Under　the　guidance　of　these　ghostly　men　it　seemed　as　if　miracles　were　effected。　　Almost　an　entire　mountain　was　levelled；　valleys　were　filled　up；　trees　hewn　down；　rocks　broken　and　overturned；　in　short；　all　the　obstacles　which　nature　had　heaped　around　entirely　and　promptly　vanished。　　In　little　more　than　twelve　days　this　gigantic　work　was　effected　and　the　ordnance　dragged　to　the　camp；　to　the　great　triumph　of　the　Christians　and　confusion　of　the　Moors。*

*Zurita


No　sooner　was　the　heavy　artillery　arrived　than　it　was　mounted　in　all　haste　upon　the　neighboring　heights：　Francisco　Ramirez　de　Madrid；　the　first　engineer　in　Spain；　superintended　the　batteries；　and　soon　opened　a　destructive　fire　upon　the　castles。

When　the　alcayde；　Mahomet　Lentin；　found　his　towers　tumbling　about　him　and　his　bravest　men　dashed　from　the　walls　without　the　power　of　inflicting　a　wound　upon　the　foe；　his　haughty　spirit　was　greatly　exasperated。　　〃Of　what　avail；〃　said　he；　bitterly；　〃is　all　the　prowess　of　knighthood　against　these　cowardly　engines　that　murder　from　afar？〃

For　a　whole　day　a　tremendous　fire　kept　thundering　upon　the　castle　of　Albahar。　　The　lombards　discharged　large　stones　which　demolished　two　of　the　towers　and　all　the　battlements　which　guarded　the　portal。　If　any　Moors　attempted　to　defend　the　walls　or　repair　the　breaches；　they　were　shot　down　by　ribadoquines　and　other　small　pieces　of　artillery。　　The　Christian　soldiery　issued　from　the　camp　under　cover　of　this　fire；　and；　approaching　the　castles；　discharged　flights　of　arrows　and　stones　through　the　openings　made　by　the　ordnance。

At　length；　to　bring　the　siege　to　a　conclusion；　Francisco　Ramirez　elevated　some　of　the　heaviest　artillery　on　a　mount　that　rose　in　form　of　a　cone　or　pyramid　on　the　side　of　the　river　near　to　Albahar　and　commanded　both　castles。　　This　was　an　operation　of　great　skill　and　excessive　labor；　but　it　was　repaid　by　complete　success；　for　the　Moors　did　not　dare　to　wait　until　this　terrible　battery　should　discharge　its　fury。　　Satisfied　that　all　further　resistance　was　in　vain；　the　valiant　alcayde　made　signal　for