be　led　forward。　　Upon　this　Pero　Ruyz　de　Alarcon　put　himself　at　their　head；　and；　seizing　their　mantas　or　portable　bulwarks；　and　their　other　defences；　they　made　a　gallant　assault　and　fought　their　way　in　at　the　breach。　　The　Moors　were　so　overcome　by　the　fury　of　their　assault　that　they　retreated；　fighting；　to　the　square　of　the　town。　　Pero　Ruyz　de　Alarcon　thought　the　place　was　carried；　when　suddenly　Hamet　and　his　Gomeres　came　scouring　through　the　streets　with　wild　war…cries；　and　fell　furiously　upon　the　Christians。　　The　latter　were　in　their　turn　beaten　back；　and；　while　attacked　in　front　by　the　Gomeres；　were　assailed　by　the　inhabitants　with　all　kinds　of　missiles　from　their　roofs　and　windows。　　They　at　length　gave　way　and　retreated　through　the　breach。　　Pero　Ruyz　de　Alarcon　still　maintained　his　ground　in　one　of　the　principal　streets：　the　few　cavaliers　that　stood　by　him　urged　him　to　fly：　〃No；〃　said　he；　〃I　came　here　to　fight；　and　not　to　fly。〃　　He　was　presently　surrounded　by　the　Gomeres；　his　companions　fled　for　their　lives：　the　last　they　saw　of　him　he　was　covered　with　wounds；　but　still　fighting　desperately　for　the　fame　of　a　good　cavalier。*
  *Pulgar；　part　3；　cap。　42。
  The　resistance　of　the　inhabitants；　though　aided　by　the　valor　of　the　Gomeres；　was　of　no　avail。　　The　battering　artillery　of　the　Christians　demolished　their　walls；　combustibles　thrown　into　their　town　set　it　on　fire　in　various　places；　and　they　were　at　length　compelled　to　capitulate。　　They　were　permitted　to　depart　with　their　effects；　and　the　Gomeres　with　their　arms。　　Hamet　el　Zegri　and　his　African　band　rode　proudly　through　the　Christian　camp；　nor　could　the　Spanish　cavaliers　refrain　from　regarding　with　admiration　that　haughty　warrior　and　his　devoted　and　dauntless　followers。
  The　capture　of　Coin　was　accompanied　by　that　of　Cartama：　the　fortifications　of　the　latter　were　repaired　and　garrisoned；　but　Coin；　being　too　extensive　to　be　defended　by　a　moderate　force；　its　walls　were　demolished。　　The　siege　of　these　places　struck　such　terror　into　the　surrounding　country　that　the　Moors　of　many　of　the　neighboring　towns　abandoned　their　homes；　and　fled　with　such　of　their　effects　as　they　could　carry　away；　upon　which　the　king　gave　orders　to　demolish　their　walls　and　towers。
  King　Ferdinand　now　left　his　camp　and　his　heavy　artillery　near　Cartama；　and　proceeded　with　his　lighter　troops　to　reconnoitre　Malaga。　　By　this　time　the　secret　plan　of　attack　arranged　in　the　council　of　war　at　Cordova　was　known　to　all　the　world。　　The　vigilant　warrior；　El　Zagal；　had　thrown　himself　into　the　place；　put　all　the　fortifications；　which　were　of　vast　strength；　into　a　state　of　defence；　and　sent　orders　to　the　alcaydes　of　the　mountain…towns　to　hasten　with　their　forces　to　his　assistance。
  The　very　day　that　Ferdinand　appeared　before　the　place　El　Zagal　sallied　forth　to　receive　him　at　the　head　of　a　thousand　cavalry；　the　choicest　warriors　of　Granada。　　A　sharp　skirmish　took　place　among　the　gardens　and　olive　trees　near　the　city。　　Many　were　killed　on　both　sides；　and　this　gave　the　Christians　a　foretaste　of　what　they　might　expect　if　they　attempted　to　besiege　the　place。
  When　the　skirmish　was　over　the　marques　of　Cadiz　had　a　private　conference　with　the　king。　　He　represented　the　difficulty　of　besieging　Malaga　with　their　present　force；　especially　as　their　plans　had　been　discovered　and　anticipated；　and　the　whole　country　was　marching　to　oppose　them。　　The　marques；　who　had　secret　intelligence　from　all　quarters；　had　received　a　letter　from　Juceph　Xerife；　a　Moor　of　Ronda　of　Christian　lineage；　apprising　him　of　the　situation　of　that　important　place　and　its　garrison；　which　at　that　moment　laid　it　open　to　attack；　and　the　marques　was　urgent　with　the　king　to　seize　upon　this　critical　moment；　and　secure　a　place　which　was　one　of　the　most　powerful　Moorish　fortresses　on　the　frontiers；　and　in　the　hands　of　Hamet　el　Zegri　had　been　the　scourge　of　Andalusia。　　The　good　marques　had　another　motive　for　his　advice；　becoming　a　true　and　loyal　knight。　In　the　deep　dungeons　of　Ronda　languished　several　of　his　companion…　in…arms　who　had　been　captured　in　the　defeat　in　the　Axarquia。　　To　break　their　chains　and　restore　them　to　liberty　and　light　he　felt　to　be　his　peculiar　duty　as　one　of　those　who　had　most　promoted　that　disastrous　enterprise。
  King　Ferdinand　listened　to　the　advice　of　the　marques。　　He　knew　the　importance　of　Ronda；　which　was　considered　one　of　the　keys　to　the　kingdom　of　Granada；　and　he　was　disposed　to　punish　the　inhabitants　for　the　aid　they　had　rendered　to　the　garrison　of　Coin。　　The　siege　of　Malaga　therefore；　was　abandoned　for　the　present；　and　preparations　made　for　a　rapid　and　secret　move　against　the　city　of　Ronda。
  CHAPTER　XXX。
  SIEGE　OF　RONDA。
  The　bold　Hamet　el　Zegri；　the　alcayde　of　Ronda；　had　returned　sullenly　to　his　stronghold　after　the　surrender　of　Coin。　　He　had　fleshed　his　sword　in　battle　with　the　Christians；　but　his　thirst　for　vengeance　was　still　unsatisfied。　　Hamet　gloried　in　the　strength　of　his　fortress　and　the　valor　of　his　people。　　A　fierce　and　warlike　populace　was　at　his　command；　his　signal…fires　could　summon　all　the　warriors　of　the　Serrania；　his　Gomeres　almost　subsisted　on　the　spoils　of　Andalusia；　and　in　the　rock　on　which　his　fortress　was　built　were　hopeless　dungeons　filled　with　Christian　captives　carried　off　by　these　war…　hawks　of　the　mountains。
  Ronda　was　considered　as　impregnable。　　It　was　situated　in　the　heart　of　wild　and　rugged　mountains；　and　perched　upon　an　isolated　rock　crested　by　a　strong　citadel；　with　triple　walls　and　towers。　　A　deep　ravine；　or　rather　a　perpendicular　chasm　of　the　rocks；　of　frightful　depth；　surrounded　three　parts　of　the　city；　through　this　flowed　the　Rio　Verde；　or　Green　River。　　There　were　two　suburbs　to　the　city；　fortified　by　walls　and　towers；　and　almost　inaccessible　from　the　natural　asperity　of　the　rocks。　　Around　this　rugged　city　were　deep　rich　valleys；　sheltered　by　the　mountains；　refreshed　by　constant　streams；　abounding　with　grain　and　the　most　delicious　fruits；　and　yielding　verdant　meadows；　in　which　was　reared　a　renowned　breed　of　horses；　the　best　in　the　whole　kingdom　for　a　foray。
  Hamet　el　Zegri　had　scarcely　returned　to　Ronda　when　he　received　intelligence　that　the　Christian　army　was　marching　to　the　siege　of　Malaga；　and　orders　from　El　Zagal　to　send　troops　to　his　assistance。　Hamet　sent　a　part　of　his　garrison　for　that　purpose；　in　the　mean　time　he　meditated　an　expedition　to　which　he　was　stimulated　by　pride　and　revenge。　　All　Andalusia　was　now　drained　of　its　troops；　there　was　an　opportunity；　therefore；　for　an　inroad　by　which　he　might　wipe　out　the　disgrace　of　his　defeat　at　the　battle　of　Lopera。　　Apprehending　no　danger　to　his　mountain…city；　now　that　the　storm　of　war　had　passed　down　into　the　vega　of　Malaga；　he　left　but　a　remnant　of　his　garrison　to　man　its　walls；　and；　putting　himself　at　the　head　of　his　band　of　Gomeres；　swept　down　suddenly　into　the　plains　of　Andalusia。　　He　careered；　almost　without　resistance；　over　those　vast　campinas　or　pasture…lands　which　formed　a　part　of　the　domains　of　the　duke　of　Medina　Sidonia。　　In　vain　the　bells　were　rung　and　the　alarm…fires　kindled：　the　band　of　Hamet　had　passed　by　before　any　force　could　be　assembled；　and　was　only　to　be　traced；　like　a　hurricane；　by　the　devastation　it　had　made。
  Hamet　regained　in　safety　the　Serrania　de　Ronda；　exulting　in　his　successful　inroad。　　The　mountain…glens　were　filled　with　long　droves　of　cattle　and　flocks　of　sheep　from　the　campinas　of　Medina　Sidonia。　　There　were　mules；　too；　laden　with　the　plunder　of　the　villages；　and　every　warrior　had　some　costly　spoil　of　jewels　for　his　favorite　mistress。
  As　the　Zegri　drew　near　to　Ronda　he　was　roused　from　his　dream　of　triumph　by　the　sound　of　heavy　ordnance　bellowing　through　the　mountain…defiles。　　His　heart　misgave　him：　he　put　spurs　to　his　horse　and　galloped　in　advance　of　his　lagging　cavalgada。　　As　he　proceeded　the　noise　of　the　ordnance　increased；　echoing　from　cliff　to　cliff。　Spurring　his　horse　up　a　craggy　height　which　commanded　an　extensive　view；　he　beheld；　to　his　consternation；　the　country　about　Ronda　white　with　the　tents　of　a　besieging　army。　　The　royal　standard；　displayed　before　a　proud　encampment；　showed　that　Ferdinand　himself　was　present；　while　the　incessant　blaze　and　thunder　of　artillery　and　the　volumes　of　overhanging　smoke　told　the　work　of　destruction　that　was　going　on。
  The　royal　army　had　succeeded　in　coming　upon　Ronda　by　surprise　during　the　absence　of　its　alcayde　and　most　of　its　garrison；　but　its　inhabitants　were　warlike　and　defended　themselves　bravely；　trusting　that　Hamet　and　his　Gomeres　would　soon　return　to　their　assistance。
  The　fancied　strength　of　their　bulwarks　had　been　of　little　avail　against　the　batteries　of　the　besiegers。　　In　the　space　of　four　days　three　towers　and　great　masses　of　the　walls　which　defended　the　suburbs　were　battered　down　and　the　suburbs　taken　and　plundered。　Lombards　and　other　heavy　ordnance　were　now　levelled　at　the　walls　of　the　city；　and　stones　and　missiles　of　all　kinds　hurled　into　the　streets。　　The　very　rock　on　which　the　city　stood　shook　with　the　thunder　of　the　artillery；　and　the　Christian　captives；　deep　within　its　dungeons；　hailed　the　sound　as　a　promise　of　deliverance。
  When　Hamet　el＇8＇Zegri　beheld　his　city　thus　surrounded　and　assailed；　he　called　upon　his　men　to　follow　him　and　cut　their　w