chronicle of the conquest of granada-第69章

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Every　little　while　some　stately　galley　or　gallant　caravel　would　stand　into　the　harbor；　displaying　the　well…known　banner　of　some　Spanish　cavalier　and　thundering　from　its　artillery　a　salutation　to　the　sovereigns　and　a　defiance　to　the　Moors。　　On　the　land　side　also　reinforcements　would　be　seen　winding　down　from　the　mountains　to　the　sound　of　drum　and　trumpet；　and　marching　into　the　camp　with　glistening　arms　as　yet　unsullied　by　the　toils　of　war。

One　morning　the　whole　sea　was　whitened　by　the　sails　and　vexed　by　the　oars　of　ships　and　galleys　bearing　toward　the　port。　　One　hundred　vessels　of　various　kinds　and　sizes　arrived；　some　armed　for　warlike　service；　others　deep　freighted　with　provisions。　　At　the　same　time　the　clangor　of　drum　and　trumpet　bespoke　the　arrival　of　a　powerful　force　by　land；　which　came　pouring　in　lengthening　columns　into　the　camp。　This　mighty　reinforcement　was　furnished　by　the　duke　of　Medina　Sidonia；　who　reigned　like　a　petty　monarch　over　his　vast　possessions。　He　came　with　this　princely　force　a　volunteer　to　the　royal　standard；　not　having　been　summoned　by　the　sovereigns；　and　he　brought；　moreover；　a　loan　of　twenty　thousand　doblas　of　gold。

When　the　camp　was　thus　powerfully　reinforced　Isabella　advised　that　new　offers　of　an　indulgent　kind　should　be　made　to　the　inhabitants；　for　she　was　anxious　to　prevent　the　miseries　of　a　protracted　siege　or　the　effusion　of　blood　that　must　attend　a　general　attack。　　A　fresh　summons　was　therefore　sent　for　the　city　to　surrender；　with　a　promise　of　life；　liberty；　and　property　in　case　of　immediate　compliance；　but　denouncing　all　the　horrors　of　war　if　the　defence　were　obstinately　continued。

Hamet　again　rejected　the　offer　with　scorn。　　His　main　fortifications　as　yet　were　but　little　impaired；　and　were　capable　of　holding　out　much　longer；　he　trusted　to　the　thousand　evils　and　accidents　that　beset　a　besieging　army　and　to　the　inclemencies　of　the　approaching　season；　and　it　is　said　that　he；　as　well　as　his　followers；　had　an　infatuated　belief　in　the　predictions　of　the　dervise。

The　worthy　Fray　Antonio　Agapida　does　not　scruple　to　affirm　that　the　pretended　prophet　of　the　city　was　an　arch　nigromancer；　or　Moorish　magician；　〃of　which　there　be　countless　many；〃　says　he；　〃in　the　filthy　sect　of　Mahomet；〃　and　that　he　was　leagued　with　the　prince　of　the　powers　of　the　air　to　endeavor　to　work　the　confusion　and　defeat　of　the　Christian　army。　　The　worthy　father　asserts　also　that　Hamet　employed　him　in　a　high　tower　of　the　Gibralfaro；　which　commanded　a　wide　view　over　sea　and　land；　where　he　wrought　spells　and　incantations　with　astrolabes　and　other　diabolical　instruments　to　defeat　the　Christian　ships　and　forces　whenever　they　were　engaged　with　the　Moors。

To　the　potent　spells　of　this　sorcerer　he　ascribes　the　perils　and　losses　sustained　by　a　party　of　cavaliers　of　the　royal　household　in　a　desperate　combat　to　gain　two　towers　of　the　suburb　near　the　gate　of　the　city　called　la　Puerto　de　Granada。　　The　Christians；　led　on　by　Ruy　Lopez　de　Toledo；　the　valiant　treasurer　of　the　queen；　took　and　lost　and　retook　the　towers；　which　were　finally　set　on　fire　by　the　Moors　and　abandoned　to　the　flames　by　both　parties。　　To　the　same　malignant　influence　he　attributes　the　damage　done　to　the　Christian　fleet；　which　was　so　vigorously　assailed　by　the　albatozas；　or　floating　batteries；　of　the　Moors　that　one　ship；　belonging　to　the　duke　of　Medina　Sidonia；　was　sunk　and　the　rest　were　obliged　to　retire。

〃Hamet　el　Zegri；〃　says　Fray　Antonio　Agapida；　〃stood　on　the　top　of　the　high　tower　of　Gibralfaro　and　beheld　this　injury　wrought　upon　the　Christian　force；　and　his　proud　heart　was　puffed　up。　　And　the　Moorish　nigromancer　stood　beside　him。　　And　he　pointed　out　to　him　the　Christian　host　below；　encamped　on　every　eminence　around　the　city　and　covering　its　fertile　valley；　and　the　many　ships　floating　upon　the　tranquil　sea；　and　he　bade　him　be　strong　of　heart；　for　that　in　a　few　days　all　this　mighty　fleet　would　be　scattered　by　the　winds　of　heaven；　and　that　he　should　sally　forth　under　the　guidance　of　the　sacred　banner　and　attack　this　host；　and　utterly　defeat　it；　and　make　spoil　of　those　sumptuous　tents；　and　Malaga　should　be　triumphantly　revenged　upon　her　assailants。　　So　the　heart　of　Hamet　was　hardened　like　that　of　Pharaoh；　and　he　persisted　in　setting　at　defiance　the　Catholic　sovereigns　and　their　army　of　saintly　warriors。〃



CHAPTER　LXI。

SIEGE　OF　MALAGA　CONTINUED。DESTRUCTION　OF　A　TOWER　BY　　　　　FRANCISCO　RAMIREZ　DE　MADRID。


Seeing　the　infatuated　obstinacy　of　the　besieged；　the　Christians　now　approached　their　works　to　the　walls；　gaining　one　position　after　another　preparatory　to　a　general　assault。　　Near　the　barrier　of　the　city　was　a　bridge　with　four　arches；　defended　at　each　end　by　a　strong　and　lofty　tower；　by　which　a　part　of　the　army　would　have　to　pass　in　making　an　attack。　　The　commander…in…chief　of　the　artillery；　Francisco　Ramirez　de　Madrid；　was　ordered　to　take　possession　of　this　bridge。　The　approach　to　it　was　perilous　in　the　extreme；　from　the　exposed　situation　of　the　assailants　and　the　number　of　Moors　that　garrisoned　the　towers。　　Francisco　Ramirez　therefore　secretly　excavated　a　mine　leading　beneath　the　first　tower；　and　placed　a　piece　of　ordnance　with　its　mouth　upward　immediately　under　the　foundation；　with　a　train　of　powder　to　produce　an　explosion　at　the　necessary　moment。

When　this　was　arranged　he　advanced　slowly　with　his　forces　in　face　of　the　towers；　erecting　bulwarks　at　every　step；　and　gradually　gaining　ground　until　he　arrived　near　to　the　bridge。　　He　then　planted　several　pieces　of　artillery　in　his　works　and　began　to　batter　the　tower。　　The　Moors　replied　bravely　from　their　battlements；　but　in　the　heat　of　the　combat　the　piece　of　ordnance　under　the　foundation　was　discharged。　The　earth　was　rent　open；　a　part　of　the　tower　overthrown；　and　several　of　the　Moors　were　torn　to　pieces；　the　rest　took　to　flight；　overwhelmed　with　terror　at　this　thundering　explosion　bursting　beneath　their　feet　and　at　beholding　the　earth　vomiting　flames　and　smoke；　for　never　before　had　they　witnessed　such　a　stratagem　in　warfare。　　The　Christians　rushed　forward　and　took　possession　of　the　abandoned　post；　and　immediately　commenced　an　attack　upon　the　other　tower　at　the　opposite　end　of　the　bridge；　to　which　the　Moors　had　retired。　　An　incessant　fire　of　crossbows　and　arquebuses　was　kept　up　between　the　rival　towers；　volleys　of　stones　were　discharged；　and　no　one　dared　to　venture　upon　the　intermediate　bridge。

Francisco　de　Ramirez　at　length　renewed　his　former　mode　of　approach；　making　bulwarks　step　by　step；　while　the　Moors；　stationed　at　the　other　end；　swept　the　bridge　with　their　artillery。　　The　combat　was　long　and　bloodyfurious　on　the　part　of　the　Moors；　patient　and　persevering　on　the　part　of　the　Christians。　　By　slow　degrees　they　accomplished　their　advance　across　the　bridge；　drove　the　enemy　before　them；　and　remained　masters　of　this　important　pass。

For　this　valiant　and　skilful　achievement　King　Ferdinand　after　the　surrender　of　the　city　conferred　the　dignity　of　knighthood　upon　Francisco　Ramirez　in　the　tower　which　he　had　so　gloriously　gained。*　The　worthy　padre　Fray　Antonio　Agapida　indulges　in　more　than　a　page　of　extravagant　eulogy　upon　this　invention　of　blowing　up　the　foundation　of　the　tower　by　a　piece　of　ordnance；　which；　in　fact；　is　said　to　be　the　first　instance　on　record　of　gunpowder　being　used　in　a　mine。

*Pulgar；　part　3；　c。　91。



CHAPTER　LXII。

HOW　THE　PEOPLE　OF　MALAGA　EXPOSTULATED　WITH　HAMET　EL　ZEGRI。


While　the　dervise　was　deluding　the　garrison　of　Malaga　with　vain　hopes　the　famine　increased　to　a　terrible　degree。　　The　Gomeres　ranged　about　the　city　as　though　it　had　been　a　conquered　place；　taking　by　force　whatever　they　found　eatable　in　the　houses　of　the　peaceful　citizens；　and　breaking　open　vaults　and　cellars　and　demolishing　walls　wherever　they　thought　provisions　might　be　concealed。

The　wretched　inhabitants　had　no　longer　bread　to　eat；　the　horse…　flesh　also　now　failed　them；　and　they　were　fain　to　devour　skins　and　hides　toasted　at　the　fire；　and　to　assuage　the　hunger　of　their　children　with　vine…leaves　cut　up　and　fried　in　oil。　　Many　perished　of　famine　or　of　the　unwholesome　food　with　which　they　endeavored　to　relieve　it；　and　many　took　refuge　in　the　Christian　camp；　preferring　captivity　to　the　horrors　which　surro