chronicle of the conquest of granada-第66章

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*Zurita；　Mariana；　Abarca。



CHAPTER　LVII。

SIEGE　OF　MALAGIA　CONTINUED。STRATAGEMS　OF　VARIOUS　KINDS。


Great　were　the　exertions　now　made；　both　by　the　besiegers　and　the　besieged；　to　carry　on　the　contest　with　the　utmost　vigor。　　Hamet　went　the　rounds　of　the　walls　and　towers；　doubling　the　guards　and　putting　everything　in　the　best　posture　of　defence。　　The　garrison　was　divided　into　parties　of　a　hundred；　to　each　of　which　a　captain　was　appointed。　Some　were　to　patrol；　others　to　sally　forth　and　skirmish　with　the　enemy；　and　others　to　hold　themselves　armed　and　in　reserve。　　Six　albatozas；　or　floating　batteries；　were　manned　and　armed　with　pieces　of　artillery　to　attack　the　fleet。

On　the　other　hand；　the　Castilian　sovereigns　kept　open　a　communication　by　sea　with　various　parts　of　Spain；　from　which　they　received　provisions　of　all　kinds；　they　ordered　supplies　of　powder　also　from　Valencia；　Barcelona；　Sicily；　and　Portugal。　　They　made　great　preparations　also　for　storming　the　city。　　Towers　of　wood　were　constructed　to　move　on　wheels；　each　capable　of　holding　one　hundred　men；　they　were　furnished　with　ladders　to　be　thrown　from　their　summits　to　the　tops　of　the　walls；　and　within　those　ladders　others　were　encased；　to　be　let　down　for　the　descent　of　the　troops　into　the　city。　　There　were　gallipagos；　or　tortoises；　also　being　great　wooden　shields；　covered　with　hides；　to　protect　the　assailants　and　those　who　undermined　the　walls。

Secret　mines　were　commenced　in　various　places：　some　were　intended　to　reach　to　the　foundations　of　the　walls；　which　were　to　be　propped　up　with　wood；　ready　to　be　set　on　fire；　others　were　to　pass　under　the　walls；　and　remain　ready　to　be　broken　open　so　as　to　give　entrance　to　the　besiegers。　　At　these　mines　the　army　worked　day　and　night；　and　during　these　secret　preparations　the　ordnance　kept　up　a　fire　upon　the　city　to　divert　the　attention　of　the　besieged。

In　the　mean　time；　Hamet　displayed　wonderful　vigor　and　ingenuity　in　defending　the　city　and　in　repairing　or　fortifying　by　deep　ditches　the　breaches　made　by　the　enemy。　　He　noted　also　every　place　where　the　camp　might　be　assailed　with　advantage；　and　gave　the　besieging　army　no　repose　night　or　day。　　While　his　troops　sallied　on　the　land；　his　floating　batteries　attacked　the　besiegers　on　the　sea；　so　that　there　was　incessant　skirmishing。　　The　tents　called　the　Queen's　Hospital　were　crowded　with　wounded；　and　the　whole　army　suffered　from　constant　watchfulness　and　fatigue。　　To　guard　against　the　sudden　assaults　of　the　Moors；　the　trenches　were　deepened　and　palisadoes　erected　in　front　of　the　camp；　and　in　that　part　facing　Gibralfaro；　where　the　rocky　heights　did　not　admit　of　such　defences；　a　high　rampart　of　earth　was　thrown　up。　　The　cavaliers　Garcilasso　de　la　Vega；　Juan　de　Zuniga；　and　Diego　de　Atayde　were　appointed　to　go　the　rounds　and　keep　vigilant　watch　that　these　fortifications　were　maintained　in　good　order。

In　a　little　while　Hamet　discovered　the　mines　secretly　commenced　by　the　Christians：　he　immediately　ordered　counter…mines。　　The　soldiers　mutually　worked　until　they　met　and　fought　hand　to　hand　in　these　subterranean　passages。　　The　Christians　were　driven　out　of　one　of　their　mines；　fire　was　set　to　the　wooden　framework　and　the　mine　destroyed。　　Encouraged　by　this　success；　the　Moors　attempted　a　general　attack　upon　the　camp；　the　mines；　and　the　besieging　fleet。　The　battle　lasted　for　six　hours　on　land　and　water；　above　and　below　ground；　on　bulwark；　and　in　trench　and　mine；　the　Moors　displayed　wonderful　intrepidity；　but　were　finally　repulsed　at　all　points；　and　obliged　to　retire　into　the　city；　where　they　were　closely　invested；　without　the　means　of　receiving　any　assistance　from　abroad。

The　horrors　of　famine　were　now　added　to　the　other　miseries　of　Malaga。　　Hamet；　with　the　spirit　of　a　man　bred　up　to　war；　considered　everything　as　subservient　to　the　wants　of　the　soldier；　and　ordered　all　the　grain　in　the　city　to　be　gathered　and　garnered　up　for　the　sole　use　of　those　who　fought。　　Even　this　was　dealt　out　sparingly；　and　each　soldier　received　four　ounces　of　bread　in　the　morning　and　two　in　the　evening　for　his　daily　allowance。

The　wealthy　inhabitants　and　all　those　peacefully　inclined　mourned　over　a　resistance　which　brought　destruction　upon　their　houses；　death　into　their　families；　and　which　they　saw　must　end　in　their　ruin　and　captivity；　still；　none　of　them　dared　to　speak　openly　of　capitulation；　or　even　to　manifest　their　grief；　lest　they　should　awaken　the　wrath　of　their　fierce　defenders。　　They　surrounded　their　civic　champion；　Ali　Dordux；　the　great　and　opulent　merchant；　who　had　buckled　on　shield　and　cuirass　and　taken　spear　in　hand　for　the　defence　of　his　native　city；　and　with　a　large　body　of　the　braver　citizens　had　charge　of　one　of　the　gates　and　a　considerable　portion　of　the　walls。　　Drawing　Ali　Dordux　aside；　they　poured　forth　their　griefs　to　him　in　secret。　　〃Why；〃　said　they；　〃should　we　suffer　our　native　city　to　be　made　a　mere　bulwark　and　fighting…place　for　foreign　barbarians　and　desperate　men？　　They　have　no　families　to　care　for；　no　property　to　lose；　no　love　for　the　soil；　and　no　value　for　their　lives。　　They　fight　to　gratify　a　thirst　for　blood　or　a　desire　for　revenge；　and　will　fight　on　until　Malaga　becomes　a　ruin　and　its　people　slaves。　　Let　us　think　and　act　for　ourselves；　our　wives；　and　our　children。　　Let　us　make　private　terms　with　the　Christians　before　it　is　too　late；　and　save　ourselves　from　destruction。〃

The　bowels　of　Ali　Dordux　yearned　toward　his　fellow　citizens；　he　bethought　him　also　of　the　sweet　security　of　peace　and　the　bloodless　yet　gratifying　triumphs　of　gainful　traffic。　　The　idea　also　of　a　secret　negotiation　or　bargain　with　the　Castilian　sovereigns　for　the　redemption　of　his　native　city　was　more　conformable　to　his　accustomed　habits　than　this　violent　appeal　to　arms；　for；　though　he　had　for　a　time　assumed　the　warrior；　he　had　not　forgotten　the　merchant。　　Ali　Dordux　communed；　therefore；　with　the　citizen…soldiers　under　his　command；　and　they　readily　conformed　to　his　opinion。　　Concerting　together；　they　wrote　a　proposition　to　the　Castilian　sovereigns；　offering　to　admit　the　army　into　the　part　of　the　city　entrusted　to　their　care　on　receiving　assurance　of　protection　for　the　lives　and　properties　of　the　inhabitants。　　This　writing　they　delivered　to　a　trusty　emissary　to　take　to　the　Christian　camp；　appointing　the　hour　and　place　of　his　return　that　they　might　be　ready　to　admit　him　unperceived。

The　Moor　made　his　way　in　safety　to　the　camp；　and　was　admitted　to　the　presence　of　the　sovereigns。　　Eager　to　gain　the　city　without　further　cost　of　blood　or　treasure；　they　gave　a　written　promise　to　grant　the　condition；　and　the　Moor　set　out　joyfully　on　his　return。　As　he　approached　the　walls　where　Ali　Dordux　and　his　confederates　were　waiting　to　receive　him；　he　was　descried　by　a　patrolling　band　of　Gomeres；　and　considered　a　spy　coming　from　the　camp　of　the　besiegers。　They　issued　forth　and　seized　him　in　sight　of　his　employers；　who　gave　themselves　up　for　lost。　　The　Gomeres　had　conducted　him　nearly　to　the　gate；　when　he　escaped　from　their　grasp　and　fled。　　They　endeavored　to　overtake　him；　but　were　encumbered　with　armor；　he　was　lightly　clad；　and　he　fled　for　his　life。　　One　of　the　Gomeres　paused；　and；　levelling　his　crossbow；　let　fly　a　bolt　which　pierced　the　fugitive　between　the　shoulders；　he　fell　and　was　nearly　within　their　grasp；　but　rose　again　and　with　a　desperate　effort　attained　the　Christian　camp。　　The　Gomeres　gave　over　the　pursuit；　and　the　citizens　returned　thanks　to　Allah　for　their　deliverance　from　this　fearful　peril。　　As　to　the　faithful　messenger；　he　died　of　his　wound　shortly　after　reaching　the　camp；　consoled　with　the　idea　that　he　had　preserved　the　secret　and　the　lives　of　his　employers。*

*Pulgar；　Cronica；　p。　3；　c。　80。



CHAPTER　LVIII。

SUFFERINGS　OF　THE　PEOPLE　OF　MALAGA。


The　sufferings　of　Malaga　spread　sorrow　and　anxiety　among　the　Moors；　and　they　dreaded　lest　this　beautiful　city；　once　the　bulwark　of　the　kingdom；　should　fall　into　the　hands　of　the　unbelievers。　　The　old　warrior…king；　Abdallah　el　Zagal；　was　still　sheltered　in　Guadix；　where　he　was　slowly　gathering　together　his　shattered　forces。　　When　the　people　of　Guadix　heard　of　the　danger　and　distress　of　Malaga；　they　urged　to　be　led　to　its　relief；　and　the　alfaquis　admonished　El　Zagal　n