When　Hamet　el＇8＇Zegri　beheld　his　city　thus　surrounded　and　assailed；　he　called　upon　his　men　to　follow　him　and　cut　their　way　through　to　its　relief。　　They　proceeded　stealthily　through　the　mountains　until　they　came　to　the　nearest　heights　above　the　Christian　camp。　　When　night　fell　and　part　of　the　army　was　sunk　in　sleep；　they　descended　the　rocks；　and；　rushing　suddenly　upon　the　weakest　part　of　the　camp；　endeavored　to　break　their　way　through　and　gain　the　city。　　The　camp　was　too　strong　to　be　forced；　they　were　driven　back　to　the　crags　of　the　mountains；　whence　they　defended　themselves　by　showering　down　darts　and　stones　upon　their　pursuers。
  Hamet　now　lit　alarm…fires　about　the　heights：　his　standard　was　joined　by　the　neighboring　mountaineers　and　by　troops　from　Malaga。　　Thus　reinforced；　he　made　repeated　assaults　upon　the　Christians；　cutting　off　all　stragglers　from　the　camp。　　All　his　attempts　to　force　his　way　into　the　city；　however；　were　fruitless；　many　of　his　bravest　men　were　slain；　and　he　was　obliged　to　retreat　into　the　fastnesses　of　the　mountains。
  In　the　mean　while　the　distress　of　Ronda　increased　hourly。　　The　marques　of　Cadiz；　having　possession　of　the　suburbs；　was　enabled　to　approach　to　the　very　foot　of　the　perpendicular　precipice　rising　from　the　river　on　the　summit　of　which　the　city　is　built。　　At　the　foot　of　this　rock　is　a　living　fountain　of　limpid　water　gushing　into　a　great　natural　basin。　　A　secret　mine　led　down　from　within　the　city　to　this　fountain　by　several　hundred　steps　cut　in　the　solid　rock。　　Hence　the　city　obtained　its　chief　supply　of　water；　and　these　steps　were　deeply　worn　by　the　weary　feet　of　Christian　captives　employed　in　this　painful　labor。　　The　marques　of　Cadiz　discovered　this　subterraneous　passage；　and　directed　his　pioneers　to　countermine　in　the　side　of　the　rock；　they　pierced　to　the　shaft；　and；　stopping　it　up；　deprived　the　city　of　the　benefit　of　this　precious　fountain。
  While　the　marques　was　thus　pressing　the　siege　with　the　generous　thought　of　soon　delivering　his　companions…in…arms　from　the　Moorish　dungeons；　far　other　were　the　feelings　of　the　alcayde；　Hamet　el　Zegri。　　He　smote　his　breast　and　gnashed　his　teeth　in　impotent　fury　as　he　beheld　from　the　mountain…cliffs　the　destruction　of　the　city。　Every　thunder　of　the　Christian　ordnance　seemed　to　batter　against　his　heart。　　He　saw　tower　after　tower　tumbling　by　day；　and　various　parts　of　the　city　in　a　blaze　at　night。　　〃They　fired　not　merely　stones　from　their　ordnance；〃　says　a　chronicler　of　the　times；　〃but　likewise　great　balls　of　iron　cast　in　moulds；　which　demolished　everything　they　struck。　　They　threw　also　balls　of　tow　steeped　in　pitch　and　oil　and　gunpowder；　which；　when　once　on　fire；　were　not　to　be　extinguished；　and　which　set　the　houses　in　flames。　　Great　was　the　horror　of　the　inhabitants：　they　knew　not　where　to　fly　for　refuge：　their　houses　were　in　a　blaze　or　shattered　by　the　ordnance；　the　streets　were　perilous　from　the　falling　ruins　and　the　bounding　balls；　which　dashed　to　pieces　everything　they　encountered。　　At　night　the　city　looked　like　a　fiery　furnace；　the　cries　and　wailings　of　the　women　between　the　thunders　of　the　ordnance　reached　even　to　the　Moors　on　the　opposite　mountains；　who　answered　them　by　yells　of　fury　and　despair。
  All　hope　of　external　succor　being　at　an　end；　the　inhabitants　of　Ronda　were　compelled　to　capitulate。　　Ferdinand　was　easily　prevailed　upon　to　grant　them　favorable　terms。　　The　place　was　capable　of　longer　resistance；　and　he　feared　for　the　safety　of　his　camp；　as　the　forces　were　daily　augmenting　on　the　mountains　and　making　frequent　assaults。　The　inhabitants　were　permitted　to　depart　with　their　effects；　either　to　Barbary；　Granada；　or　elsewhere；　and　those　who　chose　to　reside　in　Spain　had　lands　assigned　them　and　were　indulged　in　the　practice　of　their　religion。
  No　sooner　did　the　place　surrender　than　detachments　were　sent　to　attack　the　Moors　who　hovered　about　the　neighboring　mountains。　Hamet　el　Zegri；　however；　did　not　remain　to　make　a　fruitless　battle。　He　gave　up　the　game　as　lost；　and　retreated　with　his　Gomeres；　filled　with　grief　and　rage；　but　trusting　to　fortune　to　give　him　future　vengeance。
  The　first　care　of　the　good　marques　of　Cadiz　on　entering　Ronda　was　to　deliver　his　unfortunate　companion…in…arms　from　the　dungeons　of　the　fortress。　　What　a　difference　in　their　looks　from　the　time　when；　flushed　with　health　and　hope　and　arrayed　in　military　pomp；　they　had　sallied　forth　upon　the　mountain…foray！　　Many　of　them　were　almost　naked；　with　irons　at　their　ankles　and　beards　reaching　to　their　waists。　　Their　meeting　with　the　marques　was　joyful；　yet　it　had　the　look　of　grief；　for　their　joy　was　mingled　with　many　bitter　recollections。　　There　was　an　immense　number　of　other　captives；　among　whom　were　several　young　men　of　noble　families　who　with　filial　piety　had　surrendered　themselves　prisoners　in　place　of　their　fathers。
  The　captives　were　all　provided　with　mules　and　sent　to　the　queen　at　Cordova。　　The　humane　heart　of　Isabella　melted　at　the　sight　of　the　piteous　cavalcade。　　They　were　all　supplied　by　her　with　food　and　raiment；　and　money　to　pay　their　expenses　to　their　homes。　Their　chains　were　hung　as　pious　trophies　against　the　exterior　of　the　church　of　St。　Juan　de　los　Reyes　in　Toledo；　where　the　Christian　traveller　may　regale　his　eyes　with　the　sight　of　them　at　this　very　day。*
  *Seen　by　the　author　in　1826。
  Among　the　Moorish　captives　was　a　young　infidel　maiden；　of　great　beauty；　who　desired　to　become　a　Christian　and　to　remain　in　Spain。　She　had　been　inspired　with　the　light　of　the　true　faith　through　the　ministry　of　a　young　man　who　had　been　a　captive　in　Ronda。　　He　was　anxious　to　complete　his　good　work　by　marrying　her。　　The　queen　consented　to　their　pious　wishes；　having　first　taken　care　that　the　young　maiden　should　be　properly　purified　by　the　holy　sacrament　of　baptism。
  〃Thus　this　pestilent　nest　of　warfare　and　infidelity；　the　city　of　Ronda；〃　says　the　worthy　Fray　Antonio　Agapida；　〃was　converted　to　the　true　faith　by　the　thunder　of　our　artilleryan　example　which　was　soon　followed　by　Cazarabonela；　Marbella；　and　other　towns　in　these　parts；　insomuch　that　in　the　course　of　this　expedition　no　less　than　seventy…two　places　were　rescued　from　the　vile　sect　of　Mahomet　and　placed　under　the　benignant　domination　of　the　Cross。〃
  CHAPTER　XXXI。
  HOW　THE　PEOPLE　OF　GRANADA　INVITED　EL　ZAGAL　TO　THE　THRONE；　　　　　AND　HOW　HE　MARCHED　TO　THE　CAPITAL。
  The　people　of　Granada　were　a　versatile；　unsteady　race；　and　exceedingly　given　to　make　and　unmake　kings。　　They　had　for　a　long　time　vacillated　between　old　Muley　Abul　Hassan　and　his　son；　Boabdil　el　Chico；　sometimes　setting　up　the　one；　sometimes　the　other；　and　sometimes　both　at　once；　according　to　the　pinch　and　pressure　of　external　evils。　　They　found；　however；　that　the　evils　still　went　on　increasing　in　defiance　of　every　change；　and　were　at　their　wits'　end　to　devise　some　new　combination　or　arrangement　by　which　an　efficient　government　might　be　wrought　out　of　two　bad　kings。　When　the　tidings　arrived　of　the　fall　of　Ronda；　and　the　consequent　ruin　of　the　frontier；　a　tumultuous　assemblage　took　place　in　one　of　the　public　squares。　　As　usual；　the　people　attributed　the　misfortunes　of　the　country　to　the　faults　of　their　rulers；　for　the　populace　never　imagine　that　any　part　of　their　miseries　can　originate　with　themselves。　A　crafty　alfaqui；　named　Alyme　Mazer；　who　had　watched　the　current　of　their　discontents；　rose　and　harangued　them。　　〃You　have　been　choosing　and　changing；〃　said　he；　〃between　two　monarchs；　and　who　and　what　are　they？　　Muley　Abul　Hassan　for　one；　a　man　worn　out　by　age　and　infirmities；　unable　to　sally　forth　against　the　foe；　even　when　ravaging　to　the　very　gates　of　the　city；　and　Boabdil　el　Chico　for　the　other；　an　apostate；　a　traitor；　a　deserter　from　his　throne；　a　fugitive　among　the　enemies　of　his　nation；　a　man　fated　to　misfortune；　and　proverbially　named　'the　Unlucky。'　　In　a　time　of　overwhelming　war　like　the　present　he　only　is　fit　to　sway　a　sceptre　who　can　wield　a　sword。　　Would　you　seek　such　a　man？　　You　need　not　look　far。　　Allah　has　sent　such　a　one　in　this　time　of　distress　to　retrieve　the　fortunes　of　Granada。　　You　already　know　whom　I　mean。　　You　know　that　it　can　be　no　other　than　your　general；　the　invincible　Abdallah；　whose　surname　of　El　Zagal　has　become　a　watchword　in　battle　rousing　the　courage　of　the　faithful　and　striking　terror　into　the　unbelievers。〃
  The　multitude　received　the　words　of　the　alfaqui　with　acclamations；　they　were　delighted　with　the　idea　of　a　third　king　over　Granada；　and　Abdallah　el　Zagal　being　of　the　royal　family；　and　already　in　the　virtual　exercise　of　royal　power；　the　measure　had　nothing　in　it　that　appeared　either　rash　or　violent。　　A　deputation　was　therefore　sent　to　El　Zagal　at　Malaga　inviting　him　to　repair　to　Granada　to　receive　the　crown。
  El　Zagal　expressed　great　surprise　and　repugnance　when　the　mission　was　announced　to　him；　and　nothing　but　his　patriotic　zeal　for　the　public　safety　and　his　fraternal　eagerness　to　relieve　the　aged　Abul　Hassan　from　the　cares　of　government　prevailed　upon　him　to　accept　the　offer。　　Leaving；　therefore；　Reduan　Vanegas；　one　of　the　bravest　Moorish　generals；　in　command　of　Malaga；　he　departed　for　Granada；　attended　by　three　hundred　trusty　cavaliers。
  Muley　Abul　Hassan　did　not　wait　for　the　arrival　of　his　brother。　Unable　any　longer　to　bu