chronicle of the conquest of granada-第67章

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f；　and　the　alfaquis　admonished　El　Zagal　not　to　desert　so　righteous　and　loyal　a　city　in　its　extremity。　His　own　warlike　nature　made　him　feel　a　sympathy　for　a　place　that　made　so　gallant　a　resistance；　and　he　despatched　as　powerful　a　reinforcement　as　he　could　spare　under　conduct　of　a　chosen　captain；　with　orders　to　throw　themselves　into　the　city。

Intelligence　of　this　reinforcement　reached　Boabdil　el　Chico　in　his　royal　palace　of　the　Alhambra。　　Filled　with　hostility　against　his　uncle；　and　desirous　of　proving　his　loyalty　to　the　Castilian　sovereigns；　he　immediately　sent　forth　a　superior　force　of　horse　and　foot　under　an　able　commander　to　intercept　the　detachment。　　A　sharp　conflict　ensued；　the　troops　of　El　Zagal　were　routed　with　great　loss　and　fled　back　in　confusion　to　Guadix。

Boabdil；　not　being　accustomed　to　victories；　was　flushed　with　this　melancholy　triumph。　　He　sent　tidings　of　it　to　the　Castilian　sovereigns；　accompanied　with　rich　silks；　boxes　of　Arabian　perfume；　a　cup　of　gold　richly　wrought；　and　a　female　captive　of　Ubeda　as　presents　to　the　queen；　and　four　Arabian　steeds　magnificently　caparisoned；　a　sword　and　dagger　richly　mounted；　and　several　albornozes　and　other　robes　sumptuously　embroidered　for　the　king。　　He　entreated　them　at　the　same　time　always　to　look　upon　him　with　favor　as　their　devoted　vassal。

Boabdil　was　fated　to　be　unfortunate；　even　in　his　victories。　　His　defeat　of　the　forces　of　his　uncle　destined　to　the　relief　of　unhappy　Malaga　shocked　the　feelings　and　cooled　the　loyalty　of　many　of　his　best　adherents。　　The　mere　men　of　traffic　might　rejoice　in　their　golden　interval　of　peace；　but　the　chivalrous　spirits　of　Granada　spurned　a　security　purchased　by　such　sacrifices　of　pride　and　affection。　　The　people　at　large；　having　gratified　their　love　of　change；　began　to　question　whether　they　had　acted　generously　by　their　old　fighting　monarch。　　〃El　Zagal；〃　said　they；　〃was　fierce　and　bloody；　but　then　he　was　faithful　to　his　country；　he　was　an　usurper；　it　is　true；　but　then　he　maintained　the　glory　of　the　crown　which　he　usurped。　　If　his　sceptre　was　a　rod　of　iron　to　his　subjects；　it　was　a　sword　of　steel　against　their　enemies。　　This　Boabdil　sacrifices　religion；　friends；　country；　everything；　to　a　mere　shadow　of　royalty；　and　is　content　to　hold　a　rush　for　a　sceptre。〃

These　factious　murmurs　soon　reached　the　ears　of　Boabdil；　and　he　apprehended　another　of　his　customary　reverses。　　He　sent　in　all　haste　to　the　Castilian　sovereigns　beseeching　military　aid　to　keep　him　on　his　throne。　　Ferdinand　graciously　complied　with　a　request　so　much　in　unison　with　his　policy。　　A　detachment　of　one　thousand　cavalry　and　two　thousand　infantry　was　sent　under　the　command　of　Don　Fernandez　Gonsalvo　of　Cordova；　subsequently　renowned　as　the　grand　captain。　With　this　succor　Boabdil　expelled　from　the　city　all　those　who　were　hostile　to　him　and　in　favor　of　his　uncle。　　He　felt　secure　in　these　troops；　from　their　being　distinct　in　manners；　language；　and　religion　from　his　subjects；　and　compromised　with　his　pride　in　thus　exhibiting　that　most　unnatural　and　humiliating　of　all　regal　spectacles；　a　monarch　supported　on　his　throne　by　foreign　weapons　and　by　soldiers　hostile　to　his　people。　　Nor　was　Boabdil　el　Chico　the　only　Moorish　sovereign　that　sought　protection　from　Ferdinand　and　Isabella。　　A　splendid　galley　with　latine　sails　and　several　banks　of　oars；　displaying　the　standard　of　the　Crescent；　but　likewise　a　white　flag　in　sign　of　amity；　came　one　day　into　the　harbor。　　An　ambassador　landed　from　it　within　the　Christian　lines。　　He　came　from　the　king　of　Tremezan；　and　brought　presents　similar　to　those　of　Boabdil；　consisting　of　Arabian　coursers；　with　bits；　stirrups；　and　other　furniture　of　gold；　together　with　costly　Moorish　mantles：　for　the　queen　there　were　sumptuous　shawls；　robes；　and　silken　stuffs；　ornaments　of　gold；　and　exquisite　Oriental　perfumes。

The　king　of　Tremezan　had　been　alarmed　at　the　rapid　conquests　of　the　Spanish　arms；　and　startled　by　the　descent　of　several　Spanish　cruisers　on　the　coast　of　Africa。　　He　craved　to　be　considered　a　vassal　to　the　Castilian　sovereigns；　and　that　they　would　extend　such　favor　and　security　to　his　ships　and　subjects　as　had　been　shown　to　other　Moors　who　had　submitted　to　their　sway。　　He　requested　a　painting　of　their　arms；　that　he　and　his　subjects　might　recognize　and　respect　their　standard　whenever　they　encountered　it。　　At　the　same　time　he　implored　their　clemency　toward　unhappy　Malaga；　and　that　its　inhabitants　might　experience　the　same　favor　that　had　been　shown　toward　the　Moors　of　other　captured　cities。

The　embassy　was　graciously　received　by　the　Christian　sovereigns。　They　granted　the　protection　required；　ordering　their　commanders　to　respect　the　flag　of　Tremezan　unless　it　should　be　found　rendering　assistance　to　the　enemy。　　They　sent　also　to　the　Barbary　monarch　their　royal　arms　moulded　in　escutcheons　of　gold；　a　hand's…breadth　in　size。*

*Cura　de　los　Palacios；　c。　84；　Pulgar；　part　3；　c。　68。


While　thus　the　chances　of　assistance　from　without　daily　decreased；　famine　raged　in　the　city。　　The　inhabitants　were　compelled　to　eat　the　flesh　of　horses；　and　many　died　of　hunger。　　What　made　the　sufferings　of　the　citizens　the　more　intolerable　was　to　behold　the　sea　covered　with　ships　daily　arriving　with　provisions　for　the　besiegers。　　Day　after　day　also　they　saw　herds　of　fat　cattle　and　flocks　of　sheep　driven　into　the　camp。　　Wheat　and　flour　were　piled　in　huge　mounds　in　the　centre　of　the　encampments；　glaring　in　the　sunshine；　and　tantalizing　the　wretched　citizens；　who；　while　they　and　their　children　were　perishing　with　hunger；　beheld　prodigal　abundance　reigning　within　a　bow…shot　of　their　walls。



CHAPTER　LIX。

HOW　A　MOORISH　SANTON　UNDERTOOK　TO　DELIVER　THE　CITY　OF　　　　　MALAGA　FROM　THE　POWER　OF　ITS　ENEMIES。


There　lived　at　this　time　in　a　hamlet　in　the　neighborhood　of　Guadix　an　ancient　Moor　of　the　name　of　Ibrahim　el　Guerbi。　　He　was　a　native　of　the　island　of　Guerbes；　in　the　kingdom　of　Tunis；　and　had　for　several　years　led　the　life　of　a　santon　or　hermit。　　The　hot　sun　of　Africa　had　dried　his　blood；　and　rendered　him　of　an　exalted　yet　melancholy　temperament。　　He　passed　most　of　his　time　in　caves　of　the　mountains　in　meditation；　prayer；　and　rigorous　abstinence；　until　his　body　was　wasted　and　his　mind　bewildered；　and　he　fancied　himself　favored　with　divine　revelations　and　visited　by　angels　sent　by　Mahomet。　　The　Moors；　who　had　a　great　reverence　for　all　enthusiasts　of　the　kind；　believed　in　his　being　inspired；　listened　to　all　his　ravings　as　veritable　prophecies；　and　denominated　him　〃el　santo；〃　or　the　saint。

The　woes　of　the　kingdom　of　Granada　had　long　exasperated　the　gloomy　spirit　of　this　man；　and　he　had　beheld　with　indignation　this　beautiful　country　wrested　from　the　dominion　of　the　faithful　and　becoming　a　prey　to　the　unbelievers。　　He　had　implored　the　blessings　of　Allah　on　the　troops　which　issued　forth　from　Guadix　for　the　relief　of　Malaga；　but　when　he　saw　them　return　routed　and　scattered　by　their　own　countrymen；　he　retired　to　his　cell；　shut　himself　up　from　the　world；　and　was　plunged　for　a　time　in　the　blackest　melancholy。

On　a　sudden　he　made　his　appearance　again　in　the　streets　of　Guadix；　his　face　haggard；　his　form　emaciated；　but　his　eyes　beaming　with　fire。　　He　said　that　Allah　had　sent　an　angel　to　him　in　the　solitude　of　his　cell；　revealing　to　him　a　mode　of　delivering　Malaga　from　its　perils　and　striking　horror　and　confusion　into　the　camp　of　the　unbelievers。　The　Moors　listened　with　eager　credulity　to　his　words：　four　hundred　of　them　offered　to　follow　him　even　to　the　death　and　to　obey　implicitly　his　commands。　　Of　this　number　many　were　Gomeres；　anxious　to　relieve　their　countrymen　who　formed　part　of　the　garrison　of　Malaga。

They　traversed　the　kingdom　by　the　wild　and　lonely　passes　of　the　mountains；　concealing　themselves　in　the　day　and　travelling　only　in　the　night　to　elude　the　Christian　scouts。　　At　length　they　arrived　at　the　mountains　which　tower　above　Malaga；　and；　looking　down；　beheld　the　city　completely　invested；　a　chain　of　encampments　extending　round　it　from　shore　to　shore　and　a　line　of　ships　blockading　it　by　sea；　while　the　continual　thunder　of　artillery　and　the　smoke　rising　in　various　parts　showed　that　the　siege　was　pressed　with　great　activity。　The　hermit　scanned　the　encampments　warily　from　his