In　the　mean　time　the　cloud　of　war　continued　to　gather　about　the　summits　of　the　mountains；　and　multitudes　of　the　fierce　warriors　of　the　sierra　descended　to　the　lower　heights　of　Bentomiz；　which　overhung　the　camp；　intending　to　force　their　way　to　the　city。　　A　detachment　was　sent　against　them；　which；　after　sharp　fighting；　drove　them　to　the　higher　cliffs；　where　it　was　impossible　to　pursue　them。
  Ten　days　had　elapsed　since　the　encampment　of　the　army；　yet　still　the　artillery　had　not　arrived。　　The　lombards　and　other　heavy　ordnance　were　left　in　despair　at　Antiquera；　the　rest　came　groaning　slowly　through　the　narrow　valleys；　which　were　filled　with　long　trains　of　artillery　and　cars　laden　with　munitions。　　At　length　part　of　the　smaller　ordnance　arrived　within　half　a　league　of　the　camp；　and　the　Christians　were　animated　with　the　hopes　of　soon　being　able　to　make　a　regular　attack　upon　the　fortifications　of　the　city。
  CHAPTER　XLVIII。
  HOW　KING　FERDINAND　AND　HIS　ARMY　WERE　EXPOSED　TO　IMMINENT　　　　　PERIL　BEFORE　VELEZ　MALAGA。
  While　the　standard　of　the　cross　waved　on　the　hills　before　Velez　Malaga；　and　every　height　and　cliff　bristled　with　hostile　arms；　the　civil　war　between　the　factions　of　the　Alhambra　and　the　Albaycin；　or　rather　between　El　Zagal　and　El　Chico；　continued　to　convulse　the　city　of　Granada。　　The　tidings　of　the　investment　of　Velez　Malaga　at　length　roused　the　attention　of　the　old　men　and　the　alfaquis；　whose　heads　were　not　heated　by　the　daily　broils；　and　they　endeavored　to　arouse　the　people　to　a　sense　of　their　common　danger。
  〃Why；〃　said　they；　〃continue　these　brawls　between　brethren　and　kindred？　　What　battles　are　these　where　even　triumph　is　ignominious；　and　the　victor　blushes　and　conceals　his　scars？　　Behold　the　Christians　ravaging　the　land　won　by　the　valor　and　blood　of　your　forefathers；　dwelling　in　the　houses　they　built；　sitting　under　the　trees　they　planted；　while　your　brethren　wander　about　houseless　and　desolate。　　Do　you　wish　to　seek　your　real　foe？he　is　encamped　on　the　mountain　of　Bentomiz。　　Do　you　want　a　field　for　the　display　of　your　valor？you　will　find　it　before　the　walls　of　Velez　Malaga。〃
  When　they　had　roused　the　spirit　of　the　people　they　made　their　way　to　the　rival　kings；　and　addressed　them　with　like　remonstrances。　　Hamet　Aben　Zarraz；　the　inspired　santon；　reproached　El　Zagal　with　his　blind　and　senseless　ambition。　　〃You　are　striving　to　be　king；〃　said　he；　bitterly；　〃yet　suffer　the　kingdom　to　be　lost！〃
  El　Zagal　found　himself　in　a　perplexing　dilemma。　　He　had　a　double　war　to　wagewith　the　enemy　without　and　the　enemy　within。　　Should　the　Christians　gain　possession　of　the　sea…coast；　it　would　be　ruinous　to　the　kingdom；　should　he　leave　Granada　to　oppose　them；　his　vacant　throne　might　be　seized　on　by　his　nephew。　　He　made　a　merit　of　necessity；　and；　pretending　to　yield　to　the　remonstrances　of　the　alfaquis；　endeavored　to　compromise　with　Boabdil。　　He　expressed　deep　concern　at　the　daily　losses　of　the　country　caused　by　the　dissensions　of　the　capital：　an　opportunity　now　presented　to　retrieve　all　by　a　blow。　　The　Christians　had　in　a　manner　put　themselves　in　a　tomb　between　the　mountainsnothing　remained　but　to　throw　the　earth　upon　them。　　He　offered　to　resign　the　title　of　king；　to　submit　to　the　government　of　his　nephew；　and　fight　under　his　standard；　all　he　desired　was　to　hasten　to　the　relief　of　Velez　Malaga　and　to　take　full　vengeance　on　the　Christians。
  Boabdil　spurned　his　proposition　as　the　artifice　of　a　hypocrite　and　a　traitor。　　〃How　shall　I　trust　a　man；〃　said　he；　〃who　has　murdered　my　father　and　my　kindred　by　treachery；　and　has　repeatedly　sought　my　own　life　both　by　violence　and　stratagem？〃
  El　Zagal　boiled　with　rage　and　vexation；　but　there　was　no　time　to　be　lost。　　He　was　beset　by　the　alfaquis　and　the　nobles　of　his　count；　the　youthful　cavaliers　were　hot　for　action；　the　common　people　loud　in　their　complaints　that　the　richest　cities　were　abandoned　to　the　mercy　of　the　enemy。　　The　old　warrior　was　naturally　fond　of　fighting；　he　saw　also　that　to　remain　inactive　would　endanger　both　crown　and　kingdom；　whereas　a　successful　blow　might　secure　his　popularity　in　Granada。　He　had　a　much　more　powerful　force　than　his　nephew；　having　lately　received　reinforcements　from　Baza；　Guadix；　and　Almeria；　he　could　march　with　a　large　force；　therefore；　to　the　relief　of　Velez　Malaga；　and　yet　leave　a　strong　garrison　in　the　Alhambra。　　He　took　his　measures　accordingly；　and　departed　suddenly　in　the　night　at　the　head　of　one　thousand　horse　and　twenty　thousand　foot；　and　urged　his　way　rapidly　by　the　most　unfrequented　roads　along　the　chain　of　mountains　extending　from　Granada　to　the　heights　above　Velez　Malaga。
  The　Christians　were　alarmed　one　evening　by　the　sudden　blazing　of　great　fires　on　the　mountains　about　the　fortress　of　Bentomiz。　　By　the　ruddy　light　they　beheld　the　flash　of　weapons　and　the　array　of　troops；　and　they　heard　the　distant　sound　of　Moorish　drums　and　trumpets。　　The　fires　of　Bentomiz　were　answered　by　fires　on　the　towers　of　Velez　Malaga。　　The　shouts　of　〃El　Zagal！　El　Zagal！〃　echoed　along　the　cliffs　and　resounded　from　the　city；　and　the　Christians　found　that　the　old　warrior…king　of　Granada　was　on　the　mountain　above　the　camp。
  The　spirits　of　the　Moors　were　suddenly　raised　to　a　pitch　of　the　greatest　exultation；　while　the　Christians　were　astonished　to　see　the　storm　of　war　ready　to　burst　upon　their　heads。　　The　count　de　Cabra；　with　his　accustomed　eagerness　when　there　was　a　king　in　the　field；　would　fain　have　scaled　the　heights　and　attacked　El　Zagal　before　he　had　time　to　form　his　camp；　but　Ferdinand；　more　cool　and　wary；　restrained　him。　　To　attack　the　height　would　be　to　abandon　the　siege。　He　ordered　every　one；　therefore；　to　keep　a　vigilant　watch　at　his　post　and　stand　ready　to　defend　it　to　the　utmost；　but　on　no　account　to　sally　forth　and　attack　the　enemy。
  All　night　the　signal…fires　kept　blazing　along　the　mountains；　rousing　and　animating　the　whole　country。　　The　morning　sun　rose　over　the　lofty　summit　of　Bentomiz　on　a　scene　of　martial　splendor。　　As　its　rays　glanced　down　the　mountain　they　lighted　up　the　white　tents　of　the　Christian　cavaliers　cresting　its　lower　prominences；　their　pennons　and　ensigns　fluttering　in　the　morning　breeze。　　The　sumptuous　pavilions　of　the　king；　with　the　holy　standard　of　the　cross　and　the　royal　banners　of　Castile　and　Aragon；　dominated　the　encampment。　Beyond　lay　the　city；　its　lofty　castle　and　numerous　towers　glistening　with　arms；　while　above　all；　and　just　on　the　profile　of　the　height；　in　the　full　blaze　of　the　rising　sun；　were　descried　the　tents　of　the　Moor；　his　troops　clustering　about　them　and　his　infidel　banners　floating　against　the　sky。　　Columns　of　smoke　rose　where　the　night…　fires　had　blazed；　and　the　clash　of　the　Moorish　cymbal；　the　bray　of　trumpet；　and　the　neigh　of　steed　were　faintly　heard　from　the　airy　heights。　　So　pure　and　transparent　is　the　atmosphere　in　this　region　that　every　object　can　be　distinctly　seen　at　a　great　distance；　and　the　Christians　were　able　to　behold　the　formidable　hosts　of　fires　gathering　on　the　summits　of　the　surrounding　mountains。
  One　of　the　first　measures　of　the　Moorish　king　was　to　detach　a　large　force；　under　Reduan　de　Vanegas；　alcayde　of　Granada；　to　fall　upon　the　convoy　of　ordnance；　which　stretched　for　a　great　distance　through　the　mountain…defiles。　　Ferdinand　had　anticipated　this　attempt；　and　sent　the　commander　of　Leon　with　a　body　of　horse　and　foot　to　reinforce　the　master　of　Alcantara。　　El　Zagal　from　his　mountain…height　beheld　the　detachment　issue　from　the　camp；　and　immediately　recalled　Reduan。　The　armies　now　remained　quiet　for　a　time；　the　Moor　looking　grimly　down　upon　the　Christian　camp；　like　a　tiger　meditating　a　bound　upon　his　prey。　　The　Christians　were　in　fearful　jeopardya　hostile　city　below　them；　a　powerful　army　above　them；　and　on　every　side　mountains　filled　with　implacable　foes。
  After　El　Zagal　had　maturely　considered　the　situation　of　the　Christian　camp；　and　informed　himself　of　all　the　passes　of　the　mountain；　he　conceived　a　plan　to　surprise　the　enemy　which　he　flattered　himself　would　ensure　their　ruin　and　perhaps　the　capture　of　King　Ferdinand。　He　wrote　a　letter　to　the　alcayde　of　the　city；　commanding　him　in　the　dead　of　the　night；　on　a　signal…fire　being　made　from　the　mountain；　to　sally　forth　with　all　his　troops　and　fall　furiously　upon　the　Christian　camp。　　The　king　would；　at　the　same　time；　rush　down　with　his　army　from　the　mountain；　and　assail　it　on　the　opposite　side；　thus　overwhelming　it　at　the　hour　of　deep　repose。　　This　letter　he　despatched　by　a　renegado　Christian；　who　knew　all　the　secret　roads　of　the　country；　and　if　taken　could　pass　himself　for　a　Christian　who　had　escaped　from　captivity。
  El　Zagal；　confident　in　his　stratagem；　looked　down　upon　the　Christians　as　his　devoted　victims。　　As　the　sun　went　down　and　the　long　shadows　of　the　mountains　stretched　across　the　vega；　he　pointed　with　exultation　to　the　camp　below；　apparently　unconscious　of　the　impending　danger。　〃Behold；〃　said　he；　〃the　unbelievers　are　delivered　into　our　hands；　their　king　and　choicest　chivalry　will　soon　be　at　our　mercy。　　Now　is　the　time　to　show　the　courage　of　men；　and　by　one　glorious　victory　retrieve　all　that　we　have　lost。　　Happy　he　who　falls　fighting　in　the　cause　of　the　Prophet！　he　will　at　once　be　transported　to　the　paradise　of　the　faithful　and　surrounded　by　immo