chronicle of the conquest of granada-第79章

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　the　multiplicity　of　towers　and　petty　edifices；　gave　greater　advantages　to　the　Moors；　who　were　on　foot；　than　to　the　Christians；　who　were　on　horseback。　　The　Moors；　too；　knew　the　ground；　with　all　its　alleys　and　passes；　and　were　thus　enabled　to　lurk；　to　sally　forth；　attack；　and　retreat　almost　without　injury。

*〃Illi　（Mauri）　pro　fortunis；　pro　libertate；　pro　laribus　patriis；　pro　　vita　denique　certabant。〃Pietro　Martyr；　〃Epist。　70。〃


The　Christian　commanders；　seeing　this；　ordered　many　of　the　horsemen　to　dismount　and　fight　on　foot。　　The　battle　then　became　fierce　and　deadly；　each　disregarding　his　own　life；　provided　he　could　slay　his　enemy。　　It　was　not　so　much　a　general　battle　as　a　multitude　of　petty　actions；　for　every　orchard　and　garden　had　its　distinct　contest。　　No　one　could　see　farther　than　the　little　scene　of　fury　and　bloodshed　around　him；　nor　know　how　the　general　battle　fared。　　In　vain　the　captains　exerted　their　voices；　in　vain　the　trumpets　brayed　forth　signals　and　commands：　all　was　confounded　and　unheard　in　the　universal　din　and　uproar。　　No　one　kept　to　his　standard；　but　fought　as　his　own　fury　or　fear　dictated。　　In　some　places　the　Christians　had　the　advantage；　in　others　the　Moors；　often　a　victorious　party；　pursuing　the　vanquished；　came　upon　a　superior　and　triumphant　force　of　the　enemy；　and　the　fugitives　turned　back　upon　them　in　an　overwhelming　wave。　　Some　broken　remnants；　in　their　terror　and　confusion；　fled　from　their　own　countrymen　and　sought　refuge　among　their　enemies；　not　knowing　friend　from　foe　in　the　obscurity　of　the　groves。　　The　Moors　were　more　adroit　in　these　wild　skirmishings　from　their　flexibility；　lightness；　and　agility；　and　the　rapidity　with　which　they　would　disperse；　rally；　and　return　again　to　the　charge。*

*Mariana；　lib。　25；　cap。　13。


The　hardest　fighting　was　about　the　small　garden…towers　and　pavilions；　which　served　as　so　many　petty　fortresses。　　Each　party　by　turns　gained　them；　defended　them　fiercely；　and　were　driven　out；　many　of　the　towers　were　set　on　fire；　and　increased　the　horrors　of　the　fight　by　the　wreaths　of　smoke　and　flame　in　which　they　wrapped　the　groves　and　by　the　shrieks　of　those　who　were　burning。

Several　of　the　Christian　cavaliers；　bewildered　by　the　uproar　and　confusion　and　shocked　at　the　carnage　which　prevailed；　would　have　led　their　men　out　of　the　action；　but　they　were　entangled　in　a　labyrinth　and　knew　not　which　way　to　retreat。　　While　in　this　perplexity　Juan　Perea；　the　standard…bearer　of　one　of　the　squadrons　of　the　grand　cardinal；　had　his　arm　carried　off　by　a　cannon…ball；　the　standard　was　wellnigh　falling　into　the　hands　of　the　enemy；　when　Rodrigo　de　Mendoza；　an　intrepid　youth；　natural　son　of　the　grand　cardinal；　rushed　to　its　rescue　through　a　shower　of　balls；　lances；　and　arrows；　and；　bearing　it　aloft；　dashed　forward　with　it　into　the　hottest　of　the　combat；　followed　by　his　shouting　soldiery。

King　Ferdinand；　who　remained　in　the　skirts　of　the　orchard；　was　in　extreme　anxiety。　　It　was　impossible　to　see　much　of　the　action　for　the　multiplicity　of　trees　and　towers　and　the　wreaths　of　smoke；　and　those　who　were　driven　out　defeated　or　came　out　wounded　and　exhausted　gave　different　accounts；　according　to　the　fate　of　the　partial　conflicts　in　which　they　had　been　engaged。　　Ferdinand　exerted　himself　to　the　utmost　to　animate　and　encourage　his　troops　to　this　blind　encounter；　sending　reinforcements　of　horse　and　foot　to　those　points　where　the　battle　was　most　sanguinary　and　doubtful。

Among　those　who　were　brought　forth　mortally　wounded　was　Don　Juan　de　Luna；　a　youth　of　uncommon　merit；　greatly　prized　by　the　king；　beloved　by　the　army；　and　recently　married　to　Dona　Catalina　de　Urrea；　a　young　lady　of　distinguished　beauty。*　　They　laid　him　at　the　foot　of　a　tree；　and　endeavored　to　stanch　and　bind　up　his　wounds　with　a　scarf　which　his　bride　had　wrought　for　him；　but　his　life…blood　flowed　too　profusely；　and　while　a　holy　friar　was　yet　administering　to　him　the　last　sacred　offices　of　the　Church；　he　expired；　almost　at　the　feet　of　his　sovereign。

*Mariana；　P。　Martyr；　Zurita。


On　the　other　hand；　the　veteran　alcayde　Mohammed　Ibn　Hassan；　surrounded　by　a　little　band　of　chieftains；　kept　an　anxious　eye　upon　the　scene　of　combat　from　the　walls　of　the　city。　　For　nearly　twelve　hours　the　battle　raged　without　intermission。　　The　thickness　of　the　foliage　hid　all　the　particulars　from　their　sight；　but　they　could　see　the　flash　of　swords　and　glance　of　helmets　among　the　trees。　　Columns　of　smoke　rose　in　every　direction；　while　the　clash　of　arms；　the　thundering　of　ribadoquines　and　arquebuses；　the　shouts　and　cries　of　the　combatants；　and　the　groans　and　supplications　of　the　wounded　bespoke　the　deadly　conflict　waging　in　the　bosom　of　the　groves。　　They　were　harassed；　too；　by　the　shrieks　and　lamentations　of　the　Moorish　women　and　children　as　their　wounded　relatives　were　brought　bleeding　from　the　scene　of　action；　and　were　stunned　by　a　general　outcry　of　woe　on　the　part　of　the　inhabitants　as　the　body　of　Reduan　Zafarjal；　a　renegado　Christian　and　one　of　the　bravest　of　their　generals；　was　borne　breathless　into　the　city。

At　length　the　din　of　battle　approached　nearer　to　the　skirts　of　the　orchards。　　They　beheld　their　warriors　driven　out　from　among　the　groves　by　fresh　squadrons　of　the　enemy；　and；　after　disputing　the　ground　inch　by　inch；　obliged　to　retire　to　a　place　between　the　orchards　and　the　suburbs　which　was　fortified　with　palisadoes。

The　Christians　immediately　planted　opposing　palisadoes；　and　established　strong　outposts　near　to　the　retreat　of　the　Moors；　while　at　the　same　time　King　Ferdinand　ordered　that　his　encampment　should　be　pitched　within　the　hard…won　orchards。

Mohammed　Ibn　Hassan　sallied　forth　to　the　aid　of　the　prince　Cid　Hiaya；　and　made　a　desperate　attempt　to　dislodge　the　enemy　from　this　formidable　position；　but　the　night　had　closed；　and　the　darkness　rendered　it　impossible　to　make　any　impression。　　The　Moors；　however；　kept　up　constant　assaults　and　alarms　throughout　the　night；　and　the　weary　Christians；　exhausted　by　the　toils　and　sufferings　of　the　day；　were　not　allowed　a　moment　of　repose。*

*Pulgar；　part　3；　cap。　106；　107；　Cura　de　los　Palacios；　cap。　92；　　Zurita；　lib。　20；　cap　31。



CHAPTER　LXXII。

SIEGE　OF　BAZA。EMBARRASSMENTS　OF　THE　ARMY。


The　morning　sun　rose　upon　a　piteous　scene　before　the　walls　of　Baza。　The　Christian　outposts；　harassed　throughout　the　night；　were　pale　and　haggard；　while　the　multitudes　of　slain　which　lay　before　their　palisadoes　showed　the　fierce　attacks　they　had　sustained　and　the　bravery　of　their　defence。

Beyond　them　lay　the　groves　and　gardens　of　Baza；　once　favorite　resorts　for　recreation　and　delight；　now　a　scene　of　horror　and　desolation。　　The　towers　and　pavilions　were　smoking　ruins；　the　canals　and　water…courses　were　discolored　with　blood　and　choked　with　the　bodies　of　the　slain。　　Here　and　there　the　ground；　deep　dinted　with　the　tramp　of　man　and　steed　and　plashed　and　slippery　with　gore；　showed　where　had　been　some　fierce　and　mortal　conflict；　while　the　bodies　of　Moors　and　Christians；　ghastly　in　death；　lay　half　concealed　among　the　matted　and　trampled　shrubs　and　flowers　and　herbage。

Amidst　these　sanguinary　scenes　rose　the　Christian　tents；　hastily　pitched　among　the　gardens　in　the　preceding　evening。　　The　experience　of　the　night；　however；　and　the　forlorn　aspect　of　everything　in　the　morning　convinced　King　Ferdinand　of　the　perils　and　hardships　to　which　his　camp　must　be　exposed　in　its　present　situation；　and　after　a　consultation　with　his　principal　cavaliers　he　resolved　to　abandon　the　orchards。

It　was　a　dangerous　movement；　to　extricate　his　army　from　so　entangled　a　situation　in　the　face　of　so　alert　and　daring　an　enemy。　　A　bold　front　was　therefore　kept　up　toward　the　city；　additional　troops　were　ordered　to　the　advanced　posts；　and　works　begun　as　if　for　a　settled　encampment。　Not　a　tent　was　struck　in　the　gardens；　but　in　the　mean　time　the　most　active　and　unremitting　exertions　were　made　to　remove　all　the　baggage　and　furniture　of　the　camp　back　to　the　original　station。

All　day　the　Moors　beheld　a　formidable　show　of　war　maintained　in　front　of　the　gardens；　while　in　the　rear　the　tops　of　the　Christian　tents　and　the　pennons　of　the　different　commanders　were　seen　rising　above　the　groves。　　Suddenly；　toward　evening　the　tents　sank　and　disappeared；　t