chronicle of the conquest of granada-第58章

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arrisoned　by　a　chosen　force　under　Don　Fadrique　de　Toledo。　　Other　trenches　were　digged　round　the　city　and　from　the　suburbs　to　the　royal　camp；　so　as　to　cut　off　all　communication　with　the　surrounding　country。

Bodies　of　troops　were　also　sent　to　take　possession　of　the　mountain…　passes　by　which　the　supplies　for　the　army　had　to　be　brought。　　The　mountains；　however；　were　so　steep　and　rugged；　and　so　full　of　defiles　and　lurking…places；　that　the　Moors　could　sally　forth　and　retreat　in　perfect　security；　frequently　swooping　down　upon　Christian　convoys　and　bearing　off　both　booty　and　prisoners　to　their　strongholds。　Sometimes　the　Moors　would　light　fires　at　night　on　the　sides　of　the　mountains；　which　would　be　answered　by　fires　from　the　watch…towers　and　fortresses。　　By　these　signals　they　would　concert　assaults　upon　the　Christian　camp；　which　in　consequence　was　obliged　to　be　continually　on　the　alert。

King　Ferdinand　flattered　himself　that　the　manifestation　of　his　force　had　struck　sufficient　terror　into　the　city；　and　that　by　offers　of　clemency　it　might　be　induced　to　capitulate。　　He　wrote　a　letter；　therefore；　to　the　commanders；　promising；　in　case　of　immediate　surrender；　that　all　the　inhabitants　should　be　permitted　to　depart　with　their　effects；　but　threatening　them　with　fire　and　sword　if　they　persisted　in　defence。　　This　letter　was　despatched　by　a　cavalier　named　Carvajal；　who；　putting　it　on　the　end　of　a　lance；　reached　it　to　the　Moors　on　the　walls　of　the　city。　　Abul　Cacim　Vanegas；　son　of　Reduan；　and　alcayde　of　the　fortress；　replied　that　the　king　was　too　noble　and　magnanimous　to　put　such　a　threat　in　execution；　and　that　he　should　not　surrender；　as　he　knew　the　artillery　could　not　be　brought　to　the　camp；　and　he　was　promised　succor　by　the　king　of　Granada。

At　the　same　time　that　he　received　this　reply　the　king　learnt　that　at　the　strong　town　of　Comares；　upon　a　height　about　two　leagues　distant　from　the　camp；　a　large　number　of　warriors　had　assembled　from　the　Axarquia；　the　same　mountains　in　which　the　Christian　cavaliers　had　been　massacred　in　the　beginning　of　the　war；　and　that　others　were　daily　expected；　for　this　rugged　sierra　was　capable　of　furnishing　fifteen　thousand　fighting…men。

King　Ferdinand　felt　that　his　army；　thus　disjoined　and　enclosed　in　an　enemy's　country；　was　in　a　perilous　situation；　and　that　the　utmost　discipline　and　vigilance　were　necessary。　　He　put　the　camp　under　the　strictest　regulations；　forbidding　all　gaming；　blasphemy；　or　brawl；　and　expelling　all　loose　women　and　their　attendant　bully　ruffians；　the　usual　fomenters　of　riot　and　contention　among　soldiery。　　He　ordered　that　none　should　sally　forth　to　skirmish　without　permission　from　their　commanders；　that　none　should　set　fire　to　the　woods　on　the　neighboring　mountains；　and　that　all　word　of　security　given　to　Moorish　places　or　individuals　should　be　inviolably　observed。　　These　regulations　were　enforced　by　severe　penalties；　and　had　such　salutary　effect　that；　though　a　vast　host　of　various　people　was　collected　together；　not　an　opprobrious　epithet　was　heard　nor　a　weapon　drawn　in　quarrel。

In　the　mean　time　the　cloud　of　war　continued　to　gather　about　the　summits　of　the　mountains；　and　multitudes　of　the　fierce　warriors　of　the　sierra　descended　to　the　lower　heights　of　Bentomiz；　which　overhung　the　camp；　intending　to　force　their　way　to　the　city。　　A　detachment　was　sent　against　them；　which；　after　sharp　fighting；　drove　them　to　the　higher　cliffs；　where　it　was　impossible　to　pursue　them。

Ten　days　had　elapsed　since　the　encampment　of　the　army；　yet　still　the　artillery　had　not　arrived。　　The　lombards　and　other　heavy　ordnance　were　left　in　despair　at　Antiquera；　the　rest　came　groaning　slowly　through　the　narrow　valleys；　which　were　filled　with　long　trains　of　artillery　and　cars　laden　with　munitions。　　At　length　part　of　the　smaller　ordnance　arrived　within　half　a　league　of　the　camp；　and　the　Christians　were　animated　with　the　hopes　of　soon　being　able　to　make　a　regular　attack　upon　the　fortifications　of　the　city。



CHAPTER　XLVIII。

HOW　KING　FERDINAND　AND　HIS　ARMY　WERE　EXPOSED　TO　IMMINENT　　　　　PERIL　BEFORE　VELEZ　MALAGA。


While　the　standard　of　the　cross　waved　on　the　hills　before　Velez　Malaga；　and　every　height　and　cliff　bristled　with　hostile　arms；　the　civil　war　between　the　factions　of　the　Alhambra　and　the　Albaycin；　or　rather　between　El　Zagal　and　El　Chico；　continued　to　convulse　the　city　of　Granada。　　The　tidings　of　the　investment　of　Velez　Malaga　at　length　roused　the　attention　of　the　old　men　and　the　alfaquis；　whose　heads　were　not　heated　by　the　daily　broils；　and　they　endeavored　to　arouse　the　people　to　a　sense　of　their　common　danger。

〃Why；〃　said　they；　〃continue　these　brawls　between　brethren　and　kindred？　　What　battles　are　these　where　even　triumph　is　ignominious；　and　the　victor　blushes　and　conceals　his　scars？　　Behold　the　Christians　ravaging　the　land　won　by　the　valor　and　blood　of　your　forefathers；　dwelling　in　the　houses　they　built；　sitting　under　the　trees　they　planted；　while　your　brethren　wander　about　houseless　and　desolate。　　Do　you　wish　to　seek　your　real　foe？he　is　encamped　on　the　mountain　of　Bentomiz。　　Do　you　want　a　field　for　the　display　of　your　valor？you　will　find　it　before　the　walls　of　Velez　Malaga。〃

When　they　had　roused　the　spirit　of　the　people　they　made　their　way　to　the　rival　kings；　and　addressed　them　with　like　remonstrances。　　Hamet　Aben　Zarraz；　the　inspired　santon；　reproached　El　Zagal　with　his　blind　and　senseless　ambition。　　〃You　are　striving　to　be　king；〃　said　he；　bitterly；　〃yet　suffer　the　kingdom　to　be　lost！〃

El　Zagal　found　himself　in　a　perplexing　dilemma。　　He　had　a　double　war　to　wagewith　the　enemy　without　and　the　enemy　within。　　Should　the　Christians　gain　possession　of　the　sea…coast；　it　would　be　ruinous　to　the　kingdom；　should　he　leave　Granada　to　oppose　them；　his　vacant　throne　might　be　seized　on　by　his　nephew。　　He　made　a　merit　of　necessity；　and；　pretending　to　yield　to　the　remonstrances　of　the　alfaquis；　endeavored　to　compromise　with　Boabdil。　　He　expressed　deep　concern　at　the　daily　losses　of　the　country　caused　by　the　dissensions　of　the　capital：　an　opportunity　now　presented　to　retrieve　all　by　a　blow。　　The　Christians　had　in　a　manner　put　themselves　in　a　tomb　between　the　mountainsnothing　remained　but　to　throw　the　earth　upon　them。　　He　offered　to　resign　the　title　of　king；　to　submit　to　the　government　of　his　nephew；　and　fight　under　his　standard；　all　he　desired　was　to　hasten　to　the　relief　of　Velez　Malaga　and　to　take　full　vengeance　on　the　Christians。

Boabdil　spurned　his　proposition　as　the　artifice　of　a　hypocrite　and　a　traitor。　　〃How　shall　I　trust　a　man；〃　said　he；　〃who　has　murdered　my　father　and　my　kindred　by　treachery；　and　has　repeatedly　sought　my　own　life　both　by　violence　and　stratagem？〃

El　Zagal　boiled　with　rage　and　vexation；　but　there　was　no　time　to　be　lost。　　He　was　beset　by　the　alfaquis　and　the　nobles　of　his　count；　the　youthful　cavaliers　were　hot　for　action；　the　common　people　loud　in　their　complaints　that　the　richest　cities　were　abandoned　to　the　mercy　of　the　enemy。　　The　old　warrior　was　naturally　fond　of　fighting；　he　saw　also　that　to　remain　inactive　would　endanger　both　crown　and　kingdom；　whereas　a　successful　blow　might　secure　his　popularity　in　Granada。　He　had　a　much　more　powerful　force　than　his　nephew；　having　lately　received　reinforcements　from　Baza；　Guadix；　and　Almeria；　he　could　march　with　a　large　force；　therefore；　to　the　relief　of　Velez　Malaga；　and　yet　leave　a　strong　garrison　in　the　Alhambra。　　He　took　his　measures　accordingly；　and　departed　suddenly　in　the　night　at　the　head　of　one　thousand　horse　and　twenty　thousand　foot；　and　urged　his　way　rapidly　by　the　most　unfrequented　roads　along　the　chain　of　mountains　extending　from　Granada　to　the　heights　above　Velez　Malaga。

The　Christians　were　alarmed　one　evening　by　the　sudden　blazing　of　great　fires　on　the　mountains　about　the　fortress　of　Bentomiz。　　By　the　ruddy　light　they　beheld　the　flash　of　weapons　and　the　array　of　troops；　and　they　heard　the　distant　sound　of　Moorish　drums　and　trumpets。　　The　fires　of　Bentomiz　were　answered　by　fires　on　the　towers　of　Velez　Malaga。　　The　shouts　of　〃El　Zagal！　El　Zagal！〃　echoed　along　the　cliffs　and　resounded　from　the　city；　and　the　Christians　found　that　the　old　warrior…king　of　Granada　was　on　the　mountain　above　the　camp。

The　spirits　of　the　Moors　were　sudd