chronicle of the conquest of granada-第80章

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nders　were　seen　rising　above　the　groves。　　Suddenly；　toward　evening　the　tents　sank　and　disappeared；　the　outposts　broke　up　their　stations　and　withdrew；　and　the　whole　shadow　of　an　encampment　was　fast　vanishing　from　their　eyes。

The　Moors　saw　too　late　the　subtle　manoeuvre　of　King　Ferdinand。　Cid　Hiaya　again　sallied　forth　with　a　large　force　of　horse　and　foot；　and　pressed　furiously　upon　the　Christians。　　The　latter；　however；　experienced　in　Moorish　attack；　retired　in　close　order；　sometimes　turning　upon　the　enemy　and　driving　them　to　their　barricadoes；　and　then　pursuing　their　retreat。　　In　this　way　the　army　was　extricated　without　much　further　loss　from　the　perilous　labyrinths　of　the　gardens。

The　camp　was　now　out　of　danger；　but　it　was　also　too　distant　from　the　city　to　do　mischief；　while　the　Moors　could　sally　forth　and　return　without　hindrance。　　The　king　called　a　council　of　war　to　consider　in　what　manner　to　proceed。　　The　marques　of　Cadiz　was　for　abandoning　the　siege　for　the　present；　the　place　being　too　strong；　too　well　garrisoned　and　provided；　and　too　extensive　for　their　limited　forces　either　to　carry　it　by　assault　or　invest　and　reduce　it　by　famine；　while　in　lingering　before　it　the　army　would　be　exposed　to　the　usual　maladies　and　sufferings　of　besieging　armies；　and　when　the　rainy　season　came　on　would　be　shut　up　by　the　swelling　of　the　rivers。　　He　recommended；　instead；　that　the　king　should　throw　garrisons　of　horse　and　foot　into　all　the　towns　captured　in　the　neighborhood；　and　leave　them　to　keep　up　a　predatory　war　upon　Baza；　while　he　should　overrun　and　ravage　all　the　country；　so　that　in　the　following　year　Almeria　and　Guadix；　having　all　their　subject　towns　and　territories　taken　from　them；　might　be　starved　into　submission。

Don　Gutierre　de　Cardenas；　senior　commander　of　Leon；　on　the　other　hand；　maintained　that　to　abandon　the　siege　would　be　construed　by　the　enemy　into　a　sign　of　weakness　and　irresolution。　　It　would　give　new　spirits　to　the　partisans　of　El　Zagal；　and　would　gain　to　his　standard　many　of　the　wavering　subjects　of　Boabdil；　if　it　did　not　encourage　the　fickle　populace　of　Granada　to　open　rebellion。　　He　advised；　therefore；　that　the　siege　should　be　prosecuted　with　vigor。

The　pride　of　Ferdinand　pleaded　in　favor　of　the　last　opinion；　for　it　would　be　doubly　humiliating　again　to　return　from　a　campaign　in　this　part　of　the　Moorish　kingdom　without　effecting　a　blow。　　But　when　he　reflected　on　all　that　his　army　had　suffered；　and　on　all　that　it　must　suffer　should　the　siege　continueespecially　from　the　difficulty　of　obtaining　a　regular　supply　of　provisions　for　so　numerous　a　host　across　a　great　extent　of　rugged　and　mountainous　countryhe　determined　to　consult　the　safety　of　his　people　and　to　adopt　the　advice　of　the　marques　of　Cadiz。

When　the　soldiery　heard　that　the　king　was　about　to　raise　the　siege　in　mere　consideration　of　their　sufferings；　they　were　filled　with　generous　enthusiasm；　and　entreated　as　with　one　voice　that　the　siege　might　never　be　abandoned　until　the　city　surrendered。

Perplexed　by　conflicting　counsels；　the　king　despatched　messengers　to　the　queen　at　Jaen；　requesting　her　advice。　　Posts　had　been　stationed　between　them　in　such　manner　that　missives　from　the　camp　could　reach　the　queen　within　ten　hours。　　Isabella　sent　instantly　her　reply。　　She　left　the　policy　of　raising　or　continuing　the　siege　to　the　decision　of　the　king　and　his　captains；　but；　should　they　determine　to　persevere；　she　pledged　herself；　with　the　aid　of　God；　to　forward　them　men；　money；　provisions　and　all　other　supplies　until　the　city　should　be　taken。

The　reply　of　the　queen　determined　Ferdinand　to　persevere；　and　when　his　determination　was　made　known　to　the　army；　it　was　hailed　with　as　much　joy　as　if　it　had　been　tidings　of　a　victory。



CHAPTER　LXXIII。

SIEGE　OF　BAZA　CONTINUED。HOW　KING　FERDINAND　COMPLETELY　　　　　INVESTED　THE　CITY。


The　Moorish　prince　Cid　Hiaya　had　received　tidings　of　the　doubts　and　discussions　in　the　Christian　camp；　and　flattered　himself　with　hopes　that　the　besieging　army　would　soon　retire　in　despair；　though　the　veteran　Mohammed　shook　his　head　with　incredulity。　　A　sudden　movement　one　morning　in　the　Christian　camp　seemed　to　confirm　the　sanguine　hopes　of　the　prince。　　The　tents　were　struck；　the　artillery　and　baggage　were　conveyed　away；　and　bodies　of　soldiers　began　to　march　along　the　valley。　　The　momentary　gleam　of　triumph　was　soon　dispelled。　　The　Catholic　king　had　merely　divided　his　host　into　two　camps；　the　more　effectually　to　distress　the　city。

One；　consisting　of　four　thousand　horse　and　eight　thousand　foot；　with　all　the　artillery　and　battering　engines；　took　post　on　the　side　of　the　city　toward　the　mountain。　　This　was　commanded　by　the　marques　of　Cadiz；　with　whom　were　Don　Alonso　de　Aguilar；　Luis　Fernandez　Puerto　Carrero；　and　many　other　distinguished　cavaliers。

The　other　camp　was　commanded　by　the　king；　having　six　thousand　horse　and　a　great　host　of　foot…soldiers；　the　hardy　mountaineers　of　Biscay；　Guipuscoa；　Galicia；　and　the　Asturias。　　Among　the　cavaliers　who　were　with　the　king　were　the　brave　count　de　Tendilla；　Don　Rodrigo　de　Mendoza；　and　Don　Alonso　de　Cardenas；　master　of　Santiago。

The　two　camps　were　wide　asunder；　on　opposite　sides　of　the　city；　and　between　them　lay　the　thick　wilderness　of　orchards。　　Both　camps　were　therefore　fortified　by　great　trenches；　breastworks；　and　palisadoes。　The　veteran　Mohammed；　as　he　saw　these　two　formidable　camps　glittering　on　either　side　of　the　city；　and　noted　the　well…known　pennons　of　renowned　commanders　fluttering　above　them；　still　comforted　his　companions。　　〃These　camps；〃　said　he；　〃are　too　far　removed　from　each　other　for　mutual　succor　and　cooperation；　and　the　forest　of　orchards　is　as　a　gulf　between　them。〃　　This　consolation　was　but　of　short　continuance。　　Scarcely　were　the　Christian　camps　fortified　when　the　ears　of　the　Moorish　garrison　were　startled　by　the　sound　of　innumerable　axes　and　the　crash　of　falling　trees。　　They　looked　with　anxiety　from　their　highest　towers；　and　beheld　their　favorite　groves　sinking　beneath　the　blows　of　the　Christian　pioneers。　The　Moors　sallied　forth　with　fiery　zeal　to　protect　their　beloved　gardens　and　the　orchards　in　which　they　so　much　delighted。　　The　Christians；　however；　were　too　well　supported　to　be　driven　from　their　work。　　Day　after　day　the　gardens　became　the　scene　of　incessant　and　bloody　skirmishings；　yet　still　the　devastation　of　the　groves　went　on；　for　King　Ferdinand　was　too　well　aware　of　the　necessity　of　clearing　away　this　screen　of　woods　not　to　bend　all　his　forces　to　the　undertaking。　　It　was　a　work；　however；　of　gigantic　toil　and　patience。　The　trees　were　of　such　magnitude；　and　so　closely　set　together；　and　spread　over　so　wide　an　extent；　that；　notwithstanding　four　thousand　men　were　employed；　they　could　scarcely　clear　a　strip　of　land　ten　paces　broad　within　a　day；　and　such　were　the　interruptions　from　the　incessant　assaults　of　the　Moors　that　it　was　full　forty　days　before　the　orchards　were　completely　levelled。

The　devoted　city　of　Baza　now　lay　stripped　of　its　beautiful　covering　of　groves　and　gardens；　at　once　its　ornament；　its　delight；　and　its　protection。　　The　besiegers　went　on　slowly　and　surely；　with　almost　incredible　labors；　to　invest　and　isolate　the　city。　　They　connected　their　camps　by　a　deep　trench　across　the　plain　a　league　in　length；　into　which　they　diverted　the　waters　of　the　mountain…streams。　　They　protected　this　trench　by　palisadoes；　fortified　by　fifteen　castles　at　regular　distances。　　They　dug　a　deep　trench　also；　two　leagues　in　length；　across　the　mountain　in　the　rear　of　the　city；　reaching　from　camp　to　camp；　and　fortified　it　on　each　side　with　walls　of　earth　and　stone　and　wood。　　Thus　the　Moors　were　enclosed　on　all　sides　by　trenches；　palisadoes；　walls；　and　castles；　so　that　it　was　impossible　for　them　to　sally　beyond　this　great　line　of　circumvallation；　nor　could　any　force　enter　to　their　succor。　　Ferdinand　made　an　attempt　likewise　to　cut　off　the　supply　of　water　from　the　city；　〃for　water；〃　observes　the　worthy　Agapida；　〃is　more　necessary　to　these　infidels　than　bread；　making　use　of　it　in　repeated　daily　ablutions　enjoined　by　their　damnable　religion；　and　employing　it　in　baths　and　in　a　thousand　other　idle　and　extravagant　modes　of　which　we　Spaniards　and　Christians　make　but　little　account。〃

There　was　a　noble　fou