chronicle of the conquest of granada-第94章

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Granada。　　The　cavaliers　of　the　count　began　to　grow　restless　and　impatient；　fearing　that　the　enemy　might　have　taken　some　other　route　or　might　have　received　intelligence　of　their　ambuscade。　　They　urged　the　count　to　abandon　the　enterprise　and　return　to　Alcala。　　〃We　are　here；〃　said　they；　〃almost　at　the　gates　of　the　Moorish　capital；　our　movements　may　have　been　descried；　and　before　we　are　aware　Granada　may　pour　forth　its　legions　of　swift　cavalry　and　crush　us　with　an　overwhelming　force。〃　　The　count；　however；　persisted　in　remaining　until　his　scouts　should　come　in。　　About　two　hours　before　daybreak　there　were　signal…fires　on　certain　Moorish　watch…towers　of　the　mountains。　　While　they　were　regarding　these　with　anxiety　the　scouts　came　hurrying　into　the　ravine。　　〃The　Moors　are　approaching；〃　said　they；　〃we　have　reconnoitred　them　near　at　hand。　　They　are　between　one　and　two　hundred　strong；　but　encumbered　with　many　prisoners　and　much　booty。〃　　The　Christian　cavaliers　laid　their　ears　to　the　ground　and　heard　the　distant　tramp　of　horses　and　the　tread　of　foot…soldiers。　They　mounted　their　horses；　braced　their　shields；　couched　their　lances；　and　drew　near　to　the　entrance　of　the　ravine　where　it　opened　upon　the　road。

The　Moors　had　succeeded　in　waylaying　and　surprising　the　Christian　convoy　on　its　way　to　Baza。　　They　had　captured　a　great　number　of　prisoners；　male　and　female；　with　great　store　of　gold　and　jewels　and　sumpter　mules　laden　with　rich　merchandise。　　With　these　they　had　made　a　forced　march　over　the　dangerous　parts　of　the　mountains；　but　now；　finding　themselves　so　near　to　Granada；　fancied　themselves　in　perfect　security。　　They　loitered　along　the　road；　therefore；　irregularly　and　slowly；　some　singing；　others　laughing　and　exulting　at　having　eluded　the　boasted　vigilance　of　the　count　de　Tendilla；　while　ever　and　anon　was　heard　the　plaint　of　some　female　captive　bewailing　the　jeopardy　of　her　honor　or　the　heavy　sighing　of　the　merchant　at　beholding　his　property　in　the　grasp　of　ruthless　spoilers。

The　count　waited　until　some　of　the　escort　had　passed　the　ravine；　then；　giving　the　signal　for　assault；　his　cavaliers　set　up　great　shouts　and　cries　and　charged　into　the　centre　of　the　foe。　　The　obscurity　of　the　place　and　the　hour　added　to　the　terrors　of　the　surprise。　　The　Moors　were　thrown　into　confusion；　some　rallied；　fought　desperately；　and　fell　covered　with　wounds。　　Thirty…six　were　killed　and　fifty…five　were　made　prisoners；　the　rest　under　cover　of　the　darkness　made　their　escape　to　the　rocks　and　defiles　of　the　mountains。

The　good　count　unbound　the　prisoners；　gladdening　the　hearts　of　the　merchants　by　restoring　to　them　their　merchandise。　　To　the　female　captives　also　he　restored　the　jewels　of　which　they　had　been　despoiled；　excepting　such　as　had　been　lost　beyond　recovery。　Forty…five　saddle　horses　of　the　choice　Barbary　breed　remained　as　captured　spoils　of　the　Moors；　together　with　costly　armor　and　booty　of　various　kinds。　　Having　collected　everything　in　haste　and　arranged　his　cavalgada；　the　count　urged　his　way　with　all　speed　for　Alcala　la　Real；　lest　he　should　be　pursued　and　overtaken　by　the　Moors　of　Granada。　　As　he　wound　up　the　steep　ascent　to　his　mountain…city　the　inhabitants　poured　forth　to　meet　him　with　shouts　of　joy。　　His　triumph　was　doubly　enhanced　by　being　received　at　the　gates　of　the　city　by　his　wife；　the　daughter　of　the　marques　of　Villena；　a　lady　of　distinguished　merit；　whom　he　had　not　seen　for　two　years；　during　which　he　had　been　separated　from　his　home　by　the　arduous　duties　of　these　iron　wars。

We　have　yet　another　act　to　relate　of　this　good　count　de　Tendilla；　who　was　in　truth　a　mirror　of　knightly　virtue。　　One　day　a　Christian　soldier；　just　escaped　from　captivity　in　Granada；　brought　word　to　the　count　that　an　illustrious　damsel　named　Fatima；　niece　of　the　alcayde　Aben　Comixa；　was　to　leave　the　city　on　a　certain　day；　escorted　by　a　numerous　party　of　relatives　and　friends　of　distinguished　rank；　on　a　journey　to　Almunecar；　there　to　embark　for　the　African　coast　to　celebrate　her　nuptials　with　the　alcayde　of　Tetuan。　　This　was　too　brilliant　a　prize　to　be　neglected。　　The　count　accordingly　sallied　forth　with　a　light　company　of　cavalry；　and；　descending　the　defiles　of　the　mountains；　stationed　himself　behind　the　rocky　sierra　of　Elvira；　not　far　from　the　eventful　bridge　of　Pinos；　within　a　few　short　miles　of　Granada。　　Hence　he　detached　Alonso　de　Cardenas　Ulloa；　with　fifty　light　horsemen；　to　post　himself　in　ambush　by　the　road　the　bridal　party　had　to　travel。　　After　a　time　the　latter　came　in　sight；　proving　less　numerous　than　had　been　expected；　for　the　damsel　was　escorted　merely　by　four　armed　domestics　and　accompanied　by　a　few　relatives　and　two　female　attendants。　　The　whole　party　was　surrounded　and　captured　almost　without　resistance；　and　carried　off　to　the　count　at　the　bridge　of　Pinos。　　The　good　count　conveyed　his　beautiful　captive　to　his　stronghold　at　Alcala；　where　he　treated　her　and　her　companions　with　all　the　delicacy　and　respect　due　to　their　rank　and　to　his　own　character　as　a　courteous　cavalier。

The　tidings　of　the　capture　of　his　niece　gave　poignant　affliction　to　the　vizier　Aben　Comixa。　　His　royal　master；　Boabdil；　of　whom　he　was　the　prime　favorite　and　confidential　adviser；　sympathized　in　his　distress。　With　his　own　hand　he　wrote　a　letter　to　the　count；　offering　in　exchange　for　the　fair　Fatima　one　hundred　Christian　captives　to　be　chosen　from　those　detained　in　Granada。　　This　royal　letter　was　sent　by　Don　Francisco　de　Zuniga；　an　Aragonese　cavalier；　whom　Aben　Comixa　held　in　captivity；　and　who　was　set　at　liberty　for　the　purpose。

On　receiving　the　letter　of　Boabdil　the　count　de　Tendilla　at　once　gave　freedom　to　the　Moorish　maid；　making　her　a　magnificent　present　of　jewels；　and　sending　her　and　her　companions　under　honorable　escort　to　the　very　gates　of　Granada。

Boabdil；　exceeding　his　promises；　immediately　set　free　twenty　captive　priests；　one　hundred　and　thirty　Castilian　and　Aragonian　cavaliers；　and　a　number　of　peasant…women。　　His　favorite　and　vizier；　Aben　Comixa；　was　so　rejoiced　at　the　liberation　of　his　niece；　and　so　struck　with　the　chivalrous　conduct　of　her　captor；　that　he　maintained　from　that　day　a　constant　and　amicable　correspondence　with　the　count　de　Tendilla；　and　became　in　the　hands　of　the　latter　one　of　the　most　efficacious　agents　in　bringing　the　war　of　Granada　to　a　triumphant　close。*

*This　interesting　anecdote　of　the　count　de　Tendilla；　which　is　a　key　　to　the　subsequent　conduct　of　the　vizier　Aben　Comixa；　and　had　a　　singular　influence　on　the　fortunes　of　Boabdil　and　his　kingdom；　is　　originally　given　in　a　manuscript　history　of　the　counts　of　Tendilla；　　written　about　the　middle　of　the　sixteenth　century　by　Gabriel　　Rodriguez　de　Ardila；　a　Granadine　clergyman。　　It　has　been　brought　　to　light　recently　by　the　researches　of　Alcantara　for　his　History　of　　Granada　（vol。　4；　cap。　18）。



CHAPTER　LXXXVIII。

EXEPEDITION　OF　BOABDIL　EL　CHICO　AGAINST　SALOBRENA。　　　　　EXPLOIT　OF　HERNAN　PEREZ　DEL　PULGAR。


King　Boabdil　found　that　his　diminished　territory　was　too　closely　dominated　by　Christian　fortresses　like　Alcala　la　Real；　and　too　strictly　watched　by　vigilant　alcaydes　like　the　count　of　Tendilla；　to　be　able　to　maintain　itself　by　internal　resources。　　His　foraging　expeditions　were　liable　to　be　intercepted　and　defeated；　while　the　ravage　of　the　Vega　had　swept　off　everything　on　which　the　city　depended　for　future　sustenance。　　He　felt　the　want　of　a　seaport　through　which；　as　formerly；　he　might　keep　open　a　communication　with　Africa　and　obtain　reinforcements　and　supplies　from　beyond　the　sea。　　All　the　ports　and　harbors　were　in　the　hands　of　the　Christians；　and　Granada　and　its　remnant　of　dependent　territory　were　completely　landlocked。

In　this　emergency　the　attention　of　Boabdil　was　called　by　circumstances　to　the　seaport　of　Salobrena。　　This　redoubtable　town　has　already　been　mentioned　in　this　chronicle　as　a　place　deemed　impregnable　by　the　Moors；　insomuch　that　their　kings　were　accustomed　in　time　of　peril　to　keep　their　treasures　in　its　citadel。　　It　was　situated　on　a　high　rocky　hill　dividing　one　of　those　rich　little　vegas　or　plains　which　lie　open　to　the　Mediterranean；　but　run　like　deep　green　bays　into　the　stern　bosoms　of　the　mountains。　　The　vega　was　covered　with　beautiful　vegetation；　with　rice　and　cotton；　with　groves　of