chronicle of the conquest of granada-第64章

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and　battlement；　tell　the　deadly　warfare　that　was　waging。

〃At　night　the　scene　was　far　more　direful　than　in　the　day。　　The　cheerful　light　of　the　sun　was　gone；　there　was　nothing　but　the　flashes　of　artillery　or　the　baleful　gleams　of　combustibles　thrown　into　the　city；　and　the　conflagration　of　the　houses。　　The　fire　kept　up　from　the　Christian　batteries　was　incessant：　there　were　seven　great　lombards　in　particular；　called　the　Seven　Sisters　of　Ximenes；　which　did　tremendous　execution。　　The　Moorish　ordnance　replied　in　thunder　from　the　walls；　Gibralfaro　was　wrapped　in　volumes　of　smoke　rolling　about　its　base；　and　Hamet　and　his　Gomeres　looked　out　with　triumph　upon　the　tempest　of　war　they　had　awaked。　　Truly　they　were　so　many　demons　incarnate；〃　concludes　the　pious　Fray　Antonio　Agapida；　〃who　were　permitted　by　Heaven　to　enter　into　and　possess　this　infidel　city　for　its　perdition。〃



CHAPTER　LIV。

SIEGE　OF　MALAGA。


The　attack　on　Malaga　by　sea　and　land　was　kept　up　for　several　days　with　tremendous　violence；　but　without　producing　any　great　impression；　so　strong　were　the　ancient　bulwarks　of　the　city。　　The　count　de　Cifuentes　was　the　first　to　signalize　himself　by　any　noted　achievement。　　A　main　tower；　protecting　what　is　at　present　called　the　suburb　of　Santa　Ana；　had　been　shattered　by　the　ordnance　and　the　battlements　demolished；　so　as　to　yield　no　shelter　to　its　defenders。　Seeing　this；　the　count　assembled　a　gallant　band　of　cavaliers　of　the　royal　household　and　advanced　to　take　it　by　storm。　　They　applied　scaling…ladders　and　mounted　sword　in　hand。　The　Moors；　having　no　longer　battlements　to　protect　them；　descended　to　a　lower　floor；　and　made　furious　resistance　from　the　windows　and　loopholes。　　They　poured　down　boiling　pitch　and　rosin；　and　hurled　stones　and　darts　and　arrows　on　the　assailants。　　Many　of　the　Christians　were　slain；　their　ladders　were　destroyed　by　flaming　combustibles；　and　the　count　was　obliged　to　retreat　from　before　the　tower。　　On　the　following　day　he　renewed　the　attack　with　superior　force；　and　after　a　severe　combat　succeeded　in　planting　his　victorious　banner　on　the　tower。

The　Moors　now　assailed　the　tower　in　their　turn。　　They　undermined　the　part　toward　the　city；　placed　props　of　wood　under　the　foundation；　and；　setting　fire　to　them；　drew　off　to　a　distance。　　In　a　little　while　the　props　gave　way；　the　foundation　sunk；　and　the　tower　was　rent；　part　of　its　wall　fell　with　a　tremendous　noise；　many　of　the　Christians　were　thrown　out　headlong；　and　the　rest　were　laid　open　to　the　missiles　of　the　enemy。

By　this　time；　however；　a　breach　had　been　made　in　the　wall　of　the　suburb　adjoining　the　tower；　and　troops　poured　in　to　the　assistance　of　their　comrades。　　A　continued　battle　was　kept　up　for　two　days　and　a　night　by　reinforcements　from　camp　and　city。　　The　parties　fought　backward　and　forward　through　the　breach　of　the　wall　and　in　the　narrow　and　winding　streets　adjacent　with　alternate　success；　and　the　vicinity　of　the　tower　was　strewn　with　the　dead　and　wounded。　At　length　the　Moors　gradually　gave　way；　disputing　every　inch　of　ground；　until　they　were　driven　into　the　city；　and　the　Christians　remained　masters　of　the　greater　part　of　the　suburb。

This　partial　success；　though　gained　with　great　toil　and　bloodshed；　gave　temporary　animation　to　the　Christians；　they　soon　found；　however；　that　the　attack　on　the　main　works　of　the　city　was　a　much　more　arduous　task。　　The　garrison　contained　veterans　who　had　served　in　many　of　the　towns　captured　by　the　Christians。　　They　were　no　longer　confounded　and　dismayed　by　the　battering　ordnance　and　other　strange　engines　of　foreign　invention；　and　had　become　expert　in　parrying　their　effects；　in　repairing　breaches；　and　erecting　counter…works。

The　Christians；　accustomed　of　late　to　speedy　conquests　of　Moorish　fortresses；　became　impatient　of　the　slow　progress　of　the　siege。　　Many　were　apprehensive　of　a　scarcity　of　provisions　from　the　difficulty　of　subsisting　so　numerous　a　host　in　the　heart　of　the　enemy's　country；　where　it　was　necessary　to　transport　supplies　across　rugged　and　hostile　mountains　or　subjected　to　the　uncertainties　of　the　sea。　　Many　also　were　alarmed　at　a　pestilence　which　broke　out　in　the　neighboring　villages；　and　some　were　so　overcome　by　these　apprehensions　as　to　abandon　the　camp　and　return　to　their　homes。

Several　of　the　loose　and　worthless　hangers…on　that　infest　all　great　armies；　hearing　these　murmurs；　thought　that　the　siege　would　soon　be　raised；　and　deserted　to　the　enemy；　hoping　to　make　their　fortunes。　They　gave　exaggerated　accounts　of　the　alarms　and　discontents　of　the　army；　and　represented　the　troops　as　daily　returning　home　in　bands。　　Above　all；　they　declared　that　the　gunpowder　was　nearly　exhausted；　so　that　the　artillery　would　soon　be　useless。　　They　assured　the　Moors；　therefore；　that　if　they　persisted　a　little　longer　in　their　defence；　the　king　would　be　obliged　to　draw　off　his　forces　and　abandon　the　siege。

The　reports　of　these　renegados　gave　fresh　courage　to　the　garrison；　they　made　vigorous　sallies　upon　the　camp；　harassing　it　by　night　and　day；　and　obliging　every　part　to　be　guarded　with　the　most　painful　vigilance。　　They　fortified　the　weak　parts　of　their　walls　with　ditches　and　palisadoes；　and　gave　every　manifestation　of　a　determined　and　unyielding　spirit。

Ferdinand　soon　received　intelligence　of　the　reports　which　had　been　carried　to　the　Moors：　he　understood　that　they　had　been　informed；　likewise；　that　the　queen　was　alarmed　for　the　safety　of　the　camp；　and　had　written　repeatedly　urging　him　to　abandon　the　siege。　　As　the　best　means　of　disproving　all　these　falsehoods　and　destroying　the　vain　hopes　of　the　enemy；　he　wrote　to　the　queen　entreating　her　to　come　and　take　up　her　residence　in　the　camp。



CHAPTER　LV。

SIEGE　OF　MALAGA　CONTINUED。OBSTINACY　OF　HAMET　EL　ZEGRI。


Great　was　the　enthusiasm　of　the　army　when　they　beheld　their　patriot　queen　advancing　in　state　to　share　the　toils　and　dangers　of　her　people。　　Isabella　entered　the　camp　attended　by　the　dignitaries　and　the　whole　retinue　of　her　court　to　manifest　that　this　was　no　temporary　visit。　　On　one　side　of　her　was　her　daughter；　the　infanta；　on　the　other；　the　grand　cardinal　of　Spain：　Hernando　de　Talavera；　the　prior　of　Prado；　confessor　to　the　queen；　followed；　with　a　great　train　of　prelates；　courtiers；　cavaliers；　and　ladies　of　distinction。　　The　cavalcade　moved　in　calm　and　stately　order　through　the　camp；　softening　the　iron　aspect　of　war　by　this　array　of　courtly　grace　and　female　beauty。

Isabella　had　commanded　that　on　her　coming　to　the　camp　the　horrors　of　war　should　be　suspended　and　fresh　offers　of　peace　made　to　the　enemy。　　On　her　arrival；　therefore；　there　had　been　a　general　cessation　of　firing　throughout　the　camp。　　A　messenger　was　at　the　same　time　despatched　to　the　besieged；　informing　them　of　her　being　in　the　camp；　and　of　the　determination　of　the　sovereigns　to　make　it　their　settled　residence　until　the　city　should　be　taken。　　The　same　terms　were　offered　in　case　of　immediate　surrender　that　had　been　granted　to　Velez　Malaga；　but　the　inhabitants　were　threatened　with　captivity　and　the　sword　should　they　persist　in　their　defence。

Hamet　el　Zegri　received　this　message　with　haughty　contempt；　and　dismissed　the　messenger　without　deigning　a　reply；　and　accompanied　by　an　escort　to　prevent　his　holding　any　communication　with　the　inhabitants　in　the　streets。　　〃The　Christian　sovereigns；〃　said　Hamet　to　those　about　him；　〃have　made　this　offer　in　consequence　of　their　despair。　　The　silence　of　their　batteries　proves　the　truth　of　what　has　been　told　us；　that　their　powder　is　exhausted。　　They　have　no　longer　the　means　of　demolishing　our　walls；　and　if　they　remain　much　longer　the　autumnal　rains　will　interrupt　their　convoys　and　fill　their　camp　with　famine　and　disease。　　The　first　storm　will　disperse　their　fleet；　which　has　no　neighboring　port　of　shelter：　Africa　will　then　be　open　to　us　to　procure　reinforcements　and　supplies。〃

The　words　of　Hamet　el　Zegri　were　hailed　as　oracular　by　his　adherents。　　Many　of　the　peaceful　part　of　the　community；　however；　ventured　to　remonstrate；　and　to　implore　him　to　accept　the　proffered　mercy。　　The　stern　Hamet　silenced　them　with　a　terrific　threat：　he　declared　that　whoever　should　talk　of　capitulating　or　should　hold　any　communication　with　the　Christians　should　be　put　to　death。　　The　Gomeres；