rout；　when；　fortunately；　the　adelantado　of　Murcia　threw　himself　with　a　large　body　of　horse　and　foot　between　the　pursuers　and　the　pursued；　covering　the　retreat　of　the　latter　and　giving　them　time　to　rally。　　The　Moors　were　now　attacked　so　vigorously　in　turn　that　they　gave　over　the　contest　and　drew　back　slowly　into　the　city。　　Many　valiant　cavaliers　were　slain　in　this　skirmish；　among　the　number　was　Don　Philip　of　Aragon；　master　of　the　chivalry　of　St。　George　of　Montesor：　he　was　illegitimate　son　of　the　king's　illegitimate　brother　Don　Carlos；　and　his　death　was　greatly　bewailed　by　Ferdinand。　　He　had　formerly　been　archbishop　of　Palermo；　but　had　doffed　the　cassock　for　the　cuirass；　and；　according　to　Fray　Antonio　Agapida；　had　gained　a　glorious　crown　of　martyrdom　by　falling　in　this　holy　war。
  The　warm　reception　of　his　advance　guard　brought　King　Ferdinand　to　a　pause：　he　encamped　on　the　banks　of　the　neighboring　river　Guadalquiton；　and　began　to　consider　whether　he　had　acted　wisely　in　undertaking　this　campaign　with　his　present　force。　　His　late　successes　had　probably　rendered　him　over…confident：　El　Zagal　had　again　schooled　him　into　his　characteristic　caution。　　He　saw　that　the　old　warrior　was　too　formidably　ensconced　in　Baza　to　be　dislodged　by　anything　except　a　powerful　army　and　battering　artillery；　and　he　feared　that　should　he　persist　in　his　invasion　some　disaster　might　befall　his　army；　either　from　the　enterprise　of　the　foe　or　from　a　pestilence　which　prevailed　in　various　parts　of　the　country。　　He　retired；　therefore；　from　before　Baza；　as　he　had　on　a　former　occasion　from　before　Loxa；　all　the　wiser　for　a　wholesome　lesson　in　warfare；　but　by　no　means　grateful　to　those　who　had　given　it；　and　with　a　solemn　determination　to　have　his　revenge　upon　his　teachers。
  He　now　took　measures　for　the　security　of　the　places　gained　in　the　campaign；　placing　in　them　strong　garrisons；　well　armed　and　supplied；　charging　their　alcaydes　to　be　vigilant　on　their　posts　and　to　give　no　rest　to　the　enemy。　　The　whole　of　the　frontier　was　under　the　command　of　Luis　Fernandez　Puerto　Carrero。　　As　it　was　evident　from　the　warlike　character　of　El　Zagal　that　there　would　be　abundance　of　active　service　and　hard　fighting；　many　hidalgos　and　young　cavaliers　eager　for　distinction　remained　with　Puerto　Carrero。
  All　these　dispositions　being　made；　King　Ferdinand　closed　the　dubious　campaign　of　this　year；　not；　as　usual；　by　returning　in　triumph　at　the　head　of　his　army　to　some　important　city　of　his　dominions；　but　by　disbanding　the　troops　and　repairing　to　pray　at　the　cross　of　Caravaca。
  CHAPTER　LXIX。
  HOW　THE　MOORS　MADE　VARIOUS　ENTERPRISES　AGAINST　THE　　　　　CHRISTIANS。
  〃While　the　pious　king　Ferdinand；〃　observes　Fray　Antonio　Agapida；　〃was　humbling　himself　before　the　cross　and　devoutly　praying　for　the　destruction　of　his　enemies；　that　fierce　pagan；　El　Zagal；　depending　merely　on　arm　of　flesh　and　sword　of　steel；　pursued　his　diabolical　outrages　upon　the　Christians。〃　　No　sooner　was　the　invading　army　disbanded　than　he　sallied　forth　from　his　stronghold；　and　carried　fire　and　sword　into　all　those　parts　which　had　submitted　to　the　Spanish　yoke。　　The　castle　of　Nixar；　being　carelessly　guarded；　was　taken　by　surprise　and　its　garrison　put　to　the　sword。　　The　old　warrior　raged　with　sanguinary　fury　about　the　whole　frontier；　attacking　convoys；　slaying；　wounding；　and　making　prisoners；　and　coming　by　surprise　upon　the　Christians　wherever　they　were　off　their　guard。
  Carlos　de　Biedma；　alcayde　of　the　fortress　of　Culla；　confiding　in　the　strength　of　its　walls　and　towers　and　in　its　difficult　situation；　being　built　on　the　summit　of　a　lofty　hill　and　surrounded　by　precipices；　ventured　to　absent　himself　from　his　post。　　He　was　engaged　to　be　married　to　a　fair　and　noble　lady　of　Baeza；　and　repaired　to　that　city　to　celebrate　his　nuptials；　escorted　by　a　brilliant　array　of　the　best　horsemen　of　his　garrison。　　Apprised　of　his　absence；　the　vigilant　El　Zagal　suddenly　appeared　before　Culla　with　a　powerful　force；　stormed　the　town　sword　in　hand；　fought　the　Christians　from　street　to　street；　and　drove　them　with　great　slaughter　to　the　citadel。　　Here　a　veteran　captain；　by　the　name　of　Juan　de　Avalos；　a　gray…headed　warrior　scarred　in　many　a　battle；　assumed　the　command　and　made　an　obstinate　defence。　　Neither　the　multitude　of　the　enemy　nor　the　vehemence　of　their　attacks；　though　led　on　by　the　terrible　El　Zagal　himself；　had　power　to　shake　the　fortitude　of　this　doughty　old　soldier。
  The　Moors　undermined　the　outer　walls　and　one　of　the　towers　of　the　fortress；　and　made　their　way　into　the　exterior　court。　　The　alcayde　manned　the　tops　of　his　towers；　pouring　down　melted　pitch　and　showering　darts；　arrows；　stones；　and　all　kinds　of　missiles　upon　the　assailants。　　The　Moors　were　driven　out　of　the　court；　but；　being　reinforced　with　fresh　troops；　returned　repeatedly　to　the　assault。　For　five　days　the　combat　was　kept　up：　the　Christians　were　nearly　exhausted；　but　were　sustained　by　the　cheerings　of　their　stanch　old　alcayde　and　the　fear　of　death　from　El　Zagal　should　they　surrender。　At　length　the　approach　of　a　powerful　force　under　Don　Luis　Puerto　Carrero　relieved　them　from　this　fearful　peril。　　El　Zagal　abandoned　the　assault；　but　set　fire　to　the　town　in　his　rage　and　disappointment；　and　retired　to　his　stronghold　of　Guadix。
  The　example　of　El　Zagal　roused　his　adherents　to　action。　　Two　bold　Moorish　alcaydes；　Ali　Aliatar　and　Yzan　Aliatar；　commanding　the　fortresses　of　Alhenden　and　Salobrena；　laid　waste　the　country　of　the　subjects　of　Boabdil　and　the　places　which　had　recently　submitted　to　the　Christians：　they　swept　off　the　cattle；　carried　off　captives；　and　harassed　the　whole　of　the　newly…conquered　frontier。
  The　Moors　also　of　Almeria　and　Tavernas　and　Purchena　made　inroads　into　Murcia；　and　carried　fire　and　sword　into　its　most　fertile　regions。　On　the　opposite　frontier　also；　among　the　wild　valleys　and　rugged　recesses　of　the　Sierra　Bermeja；　or　Red　Mountains；　many　of　the　Moors　who　had　lately　submitted　again　flew　to　arms。　　The　marques　of　Cadiz　suppressed　by　timely　vigilance　the　rebellion　of　the　mountain…　town　of　Gausin；　situated　on　a　high　peak　almost　among　the　clouds；　but　others　of　the　Moors　fortified　themselves　in　rock…built　towers　and　castles；　inhabited　solely　by　warriors；　whence　they　carried　on　a　continual　war　of　forage　and　depredation；　sweeping　down　into　the　valleys　and　carrying　off　flocks　and　herds　and　all　kinds　of　booty　to　these　eagle…nests；　to　which　it　was　perilous　and　fruitless　to　pursue　them。
  The　worthy　Fray　Antonio　Agapida　closes　his　history　of　this　checkered　year　in　quite　a　different　strain　from　those　triumphant　periods　with　which　he　is　accustomed　to　wind　up　the　victorious　campaigns　of　the　sovereigns。　　〃Great　and　mighty；〃　says　this　venerable　chronicler；　〃were　the　floods　and　tempests　which　prevailed　throughout　the　kingdoms　of　Castile　and　Aragon　about　this　time。　　It　seemed　as　though　the　windows　of　heaven　were　again　opened　and　a　second　deluge　overwhelming　the　face　of　nature。　　The　clouds　burst　as　it　were　in　cataracts　upon　the　earth；　torrents　rushed　down　from　the　mountains；　overflowing　the　valleys；　brooks　were　swelled　into　raging　rivers；　houses　were　undermined；　mills　were　swept　away　by　their　own　streams；　the　affrighted　shepherds　saw　their　flocks　drowned　in　the　midst　of　the　pasture；　and　were　fain　to　take　refuge　for　their　lives　in　towers　and　high　places。　　The　Guadalquivir　for　a　time　became　a　roaring　and　tumultuous　sea；　inundating　the　immense　plain　of　the　Tablada　and　filling　the　fair　city　of　Seville　with　affright。
  〃A　vast　black　cloud　moved　over　the　land；　accompanied　by　a　hurricane　and　a　trembling　of　the　earth。　　Houses　were　unroofed；　the　walls　and　battlements　of　fortresses　shaken；　and　lofty　towers　rocked　to　their　foundations。　　Ships　riding　at　anchor　were　either　stranded　or　swallowed　up；　others；　under　sail；　were　tossed　to　and　fro　upon　mountain　waves　and　cast　upon　the　land；　where　the　whirlwind　rent　them　in　pieces　and　scattered　them　in　fragments　in　the　air。　　Doleful　was　the　ruin　and　great　the　terror　where　this　baleful　cloud　passed　by；　and　it　left　a　long　track　of　desolation　over　sea　and　land。　　Some　of　the　faint…hearted；〃　adds　Antonio　Agapida；　〃looked　upon　this　torment　of　the　elements　as　a　prodigious　event；　out　of　the　course　of　nature。　In　the　weakness　of　their　fears　they　connected　it　with　those　troubles　which　occurred　in　various　places；　considering　it　a　portent　of　some　great　calamity　about　to　be　wrought　by　the　violence　of　the　bloody…　handed　El　Zagal　and　his　fierce　adherents。〃*
  *See　Cura　de　los　Palacios；　cap。　91；　Palencia；　De　Bello　Granad。；　　lib。　8。
  CHAPTER　LXX。
  HOW　KING　FERDINAND　PREPARED　TO　BESIEGE　THE　CITY　OF　　　　　BAZA；　AND　HOW　THE　CITY　PREPARED　FOR　DEFENCE。
  The　stormy　winter　had　passed　away；　and　the　spring　of　1489　was　advancing；　yet　the　heavy　rains　had　broken　up　the　roads；　the　mountain…brooks　were　swollen　to　raging　torrents；　and　the　late　shallow　and　peaceful　rivers　were　deep；　turbulent；　and　dangerous。　The　Christian　troops　had　been　summoned　to　assemble　in　early　spring　on　the　frontiers　of　Jaen；　but　were　slow　in　arriving　at　the　appointed　place。　　They　were　entangled　in　the　miry　defiles　of　the　mountains　or　fretted　impatiently　on　the　banks　of　impassable　floods。　It　was　late　in　the　month　of　May　before　they　assembled　in　sufficient　force　to　attempt　the　proposed　invasion；　whe