regal　spectacles；　a　monarch　supported　on　his　throne　by　foreign　weapons　and　by　soldiers　hostile　to　his　people。　　Nor　was　Boabdil　el　Chico　the　only　Moorish　sovereign　that　sought　protection　from　Ferdinand　and　Isabella。　　A　splendid　galley　with　latine　sails　and　several　banks　of　oars；　displaying　the　standard　of　the　Crescent；　but　likewise　a　white　flag　in　sign　of　amity；　came　one　day　into　the　harbor。　　An　ambassador　landed　from　it　within　the　Christian　lines。　　He　came　from　the　king　of　Tremezan；　and　brought　presents　similar　to　those　of　Boabdil；　consisting　of　Arabian　coursers；　with　bits；　stirrups；　and　other　furniture　of　gold；　together　with　costly　Moorish　mantles：　for　the　queen　there　were　sumptuous　shawls；　robes；　and　silken　stuffs；　ornaments　of　gold；　and　exquisite　Oriental　perfumes。
  The　king　of　Tremezan　had　been　alarmed　at　the　rapid　conquests　of　the　Spanish　arms；　and　startled　by　the　descent　of　several　Spanish　cruisers　on　the　coast　of　Africa。　　He　craved　to　be　considered　a　vassal　to　the　Castilian　sovereigns；　and　that　they　would　extend　such　favor　and　security　to　his　ships　and　subjects　as　had　been　shown　to　other　Moors　who　had　submitted　to　their　sway。　　He　requested　a　painting　of　their　arms；　that　he　and　his　subjects　might　recognize　and　respect　their　standard　whenever　they　encountered　it。　　At　the　same　time　he　implored　their　clemency　toward　unhappy　Malaga；　and　that　its　inhabitants　might　experience　the　same　favor　that　had　been　shown　toward　the　Moors　of　other　captured　cities。
  The　embassy　was　graciously　received　by　the　Christian　sovereigns。　They　granted　the　protection　required；　ordering　their　commanders　to　respect　the　flag　of　Tremezan　unless　it　should　be　found　rendering　assistance　to　the　enemy。　　They　sent　also　to　the　Barbary　monarch　their　royal　arms　moulded　in　escutcheons　of　gold；　a　hand's…breadth　in　size。*
  *Cura　de　los　Palacios；　c。　84；　Pulgar；　part　3；　c。　68。
  While　thus　the　chances　of　assistance　from　without　daily　decreased；　famine　raged　in　the　city。　　The　inhabitants　were　compelled　to　eat　the　flesh　of　horses；　and　many　died　of　hunger。　　What　made　the　sufferings　of　the　citizens　the　more　intolerable　was　to　behold　the　sea　covered　with　ships　daily　arriving　with　provisions　for　the　besiegers。　　Day　after　day　also　they　saw　herds　of　fat　cattle　and　flocks　of　sheep　driven　into　the　camp。　　Wheat　and　flour　were　piled　in　huge　mounds　in　the　centre　of　the　encampments；　glaring　in　the　sunshine；　and　tantalizing　the　wretched　citizens；　who；　while　they　and　their　children　were　perishing　with　hunger；　beheld　prodigal　abundance　reigning　within　a　bow…shot　of　their　walls。
  CHAPTER　LIX。
  HOW　A　MOORISH　SANTON　UNDERTOOK　TO　DELIVER　THE　CITY　OF　　　　　MALAGA　FROM　THE　POWER　OF　ITS　ENEMIES。
  There　lived　at　this　time　in　a　hamlet　in　the　neighborhood　of　Guadix　an　ancient　Moor　of　the　name　of　Ibrahim　el　Guerbi。　　He　was　a　native　of　the　island　of　Guerbes；　in　the　kingdom　of　Tunis；　and　had　for　several　years　led　the　life　of　a　santon　or　hermit。　　The　hot　sun　of　Africa　had　dried　his　blood；　and　rendered　him　of　an　exalted　yet　melancholy　temperament。　　He　passed　most　of　his　time　in　caves　of　the　mountains　in　meditation；　prayer；　and　rigorous　abstinence；　until　his　body　was　wasted　and　his　mind　bewildered；　and　he　fancied　himself　favored　with　divine　revelations　and　visited　by　angels　sent　by　Mahomet。　　The　Moors；　who　had　a　great　reverence　for　all　enthusiasts　of　the　kind；　believed　in　his　being　inspired；　listened　to　all　his　ravings　as　veritable　prophecies；　and　denominated　him　〃el　santo；〃　or　the　saint。
  The　woes　of　the　kingdom　of　Granada　had　long　exasperated　the　gloomy　spirit　of　this　man；　and　he　had　beheld　with　indignation　this　beautiful　country　wrested　from　the　dominion　of　the　faithful　and　becoming　a　prey　to　the　unbelievers。　　He　had　implored　the　blessings　of　Allah　on　the　troops　which　issued　forth　from　Guadix　for　the　relief　of　Malaga；　but　when　he　saw　them　return　routed　and　scattered　by　their　own　countrymen；　he　retired　to　his　cell；　shut　himself　up　from　the　world；　and　was　plunged　for　a　time　in　the　blackest　melancholy。
  On　a　sudden　he　made　his　appearance　again　in　the　streets　of　Guadix；　his　face　haggard；　his　form　emaciated；　but　his　eyes　beaming　with　fire。　　He　said　that　Allah　had　sent　an　angel　to　him　in　the　solitude　of　his　cell；　revealing　to　him　a　mode　of　delivering　Malaga　from　its　perils　and　striking　horror　and　confusion　into　the　camp　of　the　unbelievers。　The　Moors　listened　with　eager　credulity　to　his　words：　four　hundred　of　them　offered　to　follow　him　even　to　the　death　and　to　obey　implicitly　his　commands。　　Of　this　number　many　were　Gomeres；　anxious　to　relieve　their　countrymen　who　formed　part　of　the　garrison　of　Malaga。
  They　traversed　the　kingdom　by　the　wild　and　lonely　passes　of　the　mountains；　concealing　themselves　in　the　day　and　travelling　only　in　the　night　to　elude　the　Christian　scouts。　　At　length　they　arrived　at　the　mountains　which　tower　above　Malaga；　and；　looking　down；　beheld　the　city　completely　invested；　a　chain　of　encampments　extending　round　it　from　shore　to　shore　and　a　line　of　ships　blockading　it　by　sea；　while　the　continual　thunder　of　artillery　and　the　smoke　rising　in　various　parts　showed　that　the　siege　was　pressed　with　great　activity。　The　hermit　scanned　the　encampments　warily　from　his　lofty　height。　　He　saw　that　the　part　of　the　encampment　of　the　marques　of　Cadiz　which　was　at　the　foot　of　the　height　and　on　the　margin　of　the　sea　was　most　assailable；　the　rocky　soil　not　admitting　ditches　or　palisadoes。　Remaining　concealed　all　day；　he　descended　with　his　followers　at　night　to　the　sea…coast　and　approached　silently　to　the　outworks。　He　had　given　them　their　instructions：　they　were　to　rush　suddenly　upon　the　camp；　fight　their　way　through；　and　throw　themselves　into　the　city。
  It　was　just　at　the　gray　of　the　dawning；　when　objects　are　obscurely　visible；　that　they　made　this　desperate　attempt。　　Some　sprang　suddenly　upon　the　sentinels；　others　rushed　into　the　sea　and　got　round　the　works；　others　clambered　over　the　breastworks。　　There　was　sharp　skirmishing；　a　great　part　of　the　Moors　were　cut　to　pieces；　but　about　two　hundred　succeeded　in　getting　into　the　gates　of　Malaga。
  The　santon　took　no　part　in　the　conflict；　nor　did　he　endeavor　to　enter　the　city。　　His　plans　were　of　a　different　nature。　　Drawing　apart　from　the　battle；　he　threw　himself　on　his　knees　on　a　rising　ground；　and；　lifting　his　hands　to　heaven；　appeared　to　be　absorbed　in　prayer。　　The　Christians；　as　they　were　searching　for　fugitives　in　the　clefts　of　the　rocks；　found　him　at　his　devotions。　　He　stirred　not　at　their　approach；　but　remained　fixed　as　a　statue；　without　changing　color　or　moving　a　muscle。　　Filled　with　surprise；　not　unmingled　with　awe；　they　took　him　to　the　marques　of　Cadiz。　　He　was　wrapped　in　a　coarse　albornoz；　or　Moorish　mantle；　his　beard　was　long　and　grizzled；　and　there　was　something　wild　and　melancholy　in　his　look　that　inspired　curiosity。　　On　being　examined；　he　gave　himself　out　as　a　saint　to　whom　Allah　had　revealed　the　events　that　were　to　take　place　in　that　siege。　　The　marques　demanded　when　and　how　Malaga　was　to　be　taken。　　He　replied　that　he　knew　full　well；　but　he　was　forbidden　to　reveal　those　important　secrets　except　to　the　king　and　queen。　　The　good　marques　was　not　more　given　to　superstitious　fancies　than　other　commanders　of　his　time；　yet　there　seemed　something　singular　and　mysterious　about　this　man；　he　might　have　some　important　intelligence　to　communicate；　so　he　was　persuaded　to　send　him　to　the　king　and　queen。　　He　was　conducted　to　the　royal　tent；　surrounded　by　a　curious　multitude　exclaiming　〃El　Moro　Santo！〃　for　the　news　had　spread　through　the　camp　that　they　had　taken　a　Moorish　prophet。
  The　king；　having　dined；　was　taking　his　siesta；　or　afternoon's　sleep；　in　his　tent；　and　the　queen；　though　curious　to　see　this　singular　man；　yet　from　a　natural　delicacy　and　reserve　delayed　until　the　king　should　be　present。　　He　was　taken；　therefore；　to　an　adjoining　tent；　in　which　were　Dona　Beatrix　de　Bovadilla；　marchioness　of　Moya；　and　Don　Alvaro　of　Portugal；　son　of　the　duke　of　Braganza；　with　two　or　three　attendants。　　The　Moor；　ignorant　of　the　Spanish　tongue；　had　not　understood　the　conversation　of　the　guards；　and　supposed；　from　the　magnificence　of　the　furniture　and　the　silken　hangings；　that　this　was　the　royal　tent。　　From　the　respect　paid　by　the　attendants　to　Don　Alvaro　and　the　marchioness　he　concluded　that　they　were　the　king　and　queen。
  He　now　asked　for　a　draught　of　water：　a　jar　was　brought　to　him；　and　the　guard　released　his　arm　to　enable　him　to　drink。　　The　marchioness　perceived　a　sudden　change　in　his　countenance　and　something　sinister　in　the　expression　of　his　eye；　and　shifted　her　position　to　a　more　remote　part　of　the　tent。　　Pretending　to　raise　the　water　to　his　lips；　the　Moor　unfolded　his　albornoz；　so　as　to　grasp　a　scimetar　which　he　wore　concealed　beneath；　then；　dashing　down　the　jar；　he　drew　his　weapon　and　gave　Don　Alvaro　a　blow　on　the　head　that　struck　him　to　the　earth　and　nearly　deprived　him　of　life。　　Turning　then　upon　the　marchioness；　he　made　a　violent　blow　at　her；　but　in　his　eagerness　and　agitation　his　scimetar　caught　in　the　drapery　of　the　tent；　the　force　of　the　blow　was　broken；　and　the　weapon　struck　harmless　upon　some　golden　ornaments　of　her　head…dress。*
  *Pietro　Martyr；　Epist。　62。
  Ruy　Lopez　de　Toledo；　treasurer　to　the　queen；　and　Juan　de　Belalcazar；　a　sturdy　f