in　the　month　of　May　before　they　assembled　in　sufficient　force　to　attempt　the　proposed　invasion；　when　at　length　a　valiant　army　of　thirteen　thousand　horse　and　forty　thousand　foot　marched　merrily　over　the　border。　　The　queen　remained　at　the　city　of　Jaen　with　the　prince…royal　and　the　princesses　her　children；　accompanied　and　supported　by　the　venerable　cardinal　of　Spain　and　those　reverend　prelates　who　assisted　in　her　councils　throughout　this　holy　war。
  The　plan　of　King　Ferdinand　was　to　lay　siege　to　the　city　of　Baza；　the　key　of　the　remaining　possessions　of　the　Moor。　　That　important　fortress　taken；　Guadix　and　Almeria　must　soon　follow；　and　then　the　power　of　El　Zagal　would　be　at　an　end。　　As　the　Catholic　king　advanced　he　had　first　to　secure　various　castles　and　strongholds　in　the　vicinity　of　Baza　which　might　otherwise　harass　his　army。　　Some　of　these　made　obstinate　resistance；　especially　the　town　of　Zujar。　　The　Christians　assailed　the　walls　with　various　machines　to　sap　them　and　batter　them　down。　　The　brave　alcayde；　Hubec　Abdilbar；　opposed　force　to　force　and　engine　to　engine。　　He　manned　his　towers　with　his　bravest　warriors；　who　rained　down　an　iron　shower　upon　the　enemy；　and　he　linked　caldrons　together　by　strong　chains　and　cast　fire　from　them；　consuming　the　wooden　engines　of　their　assailants　and　those　who　managed　them。
  The　siege　was　protracted　for　several　days：　the　bravery　of　the　alcayde　could　not　save　his　fortress　from　an　overwhelming　foe；　but　it　gained　him　honorable　terms。　　Ferdinand　permitted　the　garrison　and　the　inhabitants　to　repair　with　their　effects　to　Baza；　and　the　valiant　Hubec　marched　forth　with　the　remnant　of　his　force　and　took　he　way　to　that　devoted　city。
  The　delays　caused　to　the　invading　army　by　these　various　circumstances　had　been　diligently　improved　by　El　Zagal；　who　felt　that　he　was　now　making　his　last　stand　for　empire；　and　that　this　campaign　would　decide　whether　he　should　continue　a　king　or　sink　into　a　vassal。　　He　was　but　a　few　leagues　from　Baza；　at　the　city　of　Guadix。　This　last　was　the　most　important　point　of　his　remaining　territories；　being　a　kind　of　bulwark　between　them　and　the　hostile　city　of　Granada；　the　seat　of　his　nephew's　power。　　Though　he　heard　of　the　tide　of　war；　therefore；　collecting　and　rolling　toward　the　city　of　Baza；　he　dared　not　go　in　person　to　its　assistance。　　He　dreaded　that　should　he　leave　Guadix；　Boabdil　would　attack　him　in　the　rear　while　the　Christian　army　was　battling　with　him　in　front。　　El　Zagal　trusted　in　the　great　strength　of　Baza　to　defy　any　violent　assault；　and　profited　by　the　delays　of　the　Christian　army　to　supply　it　with　all　possible　means　of　defence。　　He　sent　thither　all　the　troops　he　could　spare　from　his　garrison　of　Guadix；　and　despatched　missives　throughout　his　territories　calling　upon　all　true　Moslems　to　hasten　to　Baza　and　make　a　devoted　stand　in　defence　of　their　homes；　their　liberties；　and　their　religion。　　The　cities　of　Tavernas　and　Purchena　and　the　surrounding　heights　and　valleys　responded　to　his　orders　and　sent　forth　their　fighting…men　to　the　field。　　The　rocky　fastnesses　of　the　Alpuxarras　resounded　with　the　din　of　arms：　troops　of　horse　and　bodies　of　foot…　soldiers　were　seen　winding　down　the　rugged　cliffs　and　defiles　of　those　marble　mountains　and　hastening　toward　Baza。　　Many　brave　cavaliers　of　Granada　also；　spurning　the　quiet　and　security　of　Christian　vassalage；　secretly　left　the　city　and　hastened　to　join　their　fighting　countrymen。　　The　great　dependence　of　El　Zagal；　however；　was　upon　the　valor　and　loyalty　of　his　cousin　and　brother…in…law；　Cid　Hiaya　Alnagar；*　who　was　alcayde　of　Almeriaa　cavalier　experienced　in　warfare　and　redoubtable　in　the　field。　　He　wrote　to　him　to　leave　Almeria　and　repair　with　all　speed　at　the　head　of　his　troops　to　Baza。　　Cid　Hiaya　departed　immediately　with　ten　thousand　of　the　bravest　Moors　in　the　kingdom。　　These　were　for　the　most　part　hardy　mountaineers；　tempered　to　sun　and　storm　and　tried　in　many　a　combat。　　None　equalled　them　for　a　sally　or　a　skirmish。　　They　were　adroit　in　executing　a　thousand　stratagems；　ambuscadoes；　and　evolutions。　　Impetuous　in　their　assaults；　yet　governed　in　their　utmost　fury　by　a　word　or　sign　from　their　commander；　at　the　sound　of　a　trumpet　they　would　check　themselves　in　the　midst　of　their　career；　wheel　off　and　disperse；　and　at　another　sound　of　a　trumpet　they　would　as　suddenly　reassemble　and　return　to　the　attack。　　They　were　upon　the　enemy　when　least　expected；　coming　like　a　rushing　blast；　spreading　havoc　and　consternation；　and　then　passing　away　in　an　instant；　so　that　when　one　recovered　from　the　shock　and　looked　around；　behold；　nothing　was　to　be　seen　or　heard　of　this　tempest　of　war　but　a　cloud　of　dust　and　the　clatter　of　retreating　hoofs。**
  *This　name　has　generally　been　written　Cidi　Yahye。　　The　present　mode　　is　adopted　on　the　authority　of　Alcantara　in　his　History　of　Granada；　　who　appears　to　have　derived　it　from　Arabic　manuscripts　existing　in　　the　archives　of　the　marques　de　Corvera；　descendant　of　Cid　Hiaya。　　The　latter　（Cid　Hiaya）　was　son　of　Aben　Zelim；　a　deceased　prince　of　　Almeria；　and　was　a　lineal　descendant　from　the　celebrated　Aben　Hud；　　surnamed　the　Just。　　The　wife　of　Cid　Hiaya　was　sister　of　the　two　　Moorish　generals；　Abul　Cacim　and　Reduan　Vanegas；　and；　like　them；　　the　fruit　of　the　union　of　a　Christian　knight；　Don　Pedro　Vanegas；　with　　Cetimerien；　a　Moorish　princess。
  **Pulgar；　part　3；　c。　106。
  When　Cid　Hiaya　led　his　train　of　ten　thousand　valiant　warriors　into　the　gates　of　Baza；　the　city　rang　with　acclamations　and　for　a　time　the　inhabitants　thought　themselves　secure。　　El　Zagal　also　felt　a　glow　of　confidence；　notwithstanding　his　own　absence　from　the　city。　　〃Cid　Hiaya；〃　said　he；　〃is　my　cousin　and　my　brother…in…law；　related　to　me　by　blood　and　marriage；　he　is　a　second　self：　happy　is　that　monarch　who　has　his　kindred　to　command　his　armies。〃
  With　all　these　reinforcements　the　garrison　of　Baza　amounted　to　above　twenty　thousand　men。　　There　were　at　this　time　three　principal　leaders　in　the　city：　Mohammed　Ibn　Hassan；　surnamed　the　Veteran；　who　was　military　governor　or　alcayde；　an　old　Moor　of　great　experience　and　discretion；　the　second　was　Hamet　Abu　Zali；　who　was　captain　of　the　troops　stationed　in　the　place；　and　the　third　was　Hubec　Abdilbar；　late　alcayde　of　Zujar；　who　had　repaired　hither　with　the　remains　of　his　garrison。　　Over　all　these　Cid　Hiaya　exercised　a　supreme　command　in　consequence　of　his　being　of　the　blood…royal　and　in　the　especial　confidence　of　Muley　Abdallah　el　Zagal。　　He　was　eloquent　and　ardent　in　council；　and　fond　of　striking　and　splendid　achievements；　but　he　was　a　little　prone　to　be　carried　away　by　the　excitement　of　the　moment　and　the　warmth　of　his　imagination。　　The　councils　of　war　of　these　commanders；　therefore；　were　more　frequently　controlled　by　the　opinions　of　the　old　alcayde　Mohammed　Ibn　Hassan；　for　whose　shrewdness；　caution；　and　experience　Cid　Hiaya　himself　felt　the　greatest　deference。
  The　city　of　Baza　was　situated　in　a　great　valley；　eight　leagues　in　length　and　three　in　breadth；　called　the　Hoya；　or　Basin；　of　Baza。　It　was　surrounded　by　a　range　of　mountains　called　the　Sierra　of　Xabalcohol；　the　streams　of　which；　collecting　themselves　into　two　rivers；　watered　and　fertilized　the　country。　　The　city　was　built　in　the　plain；　one　part　of　it　protected　by　the　rocky　precipices　of　the　mountain　and　by　a　powerful　citadel；　the　other　by　massive　walls　studded　with　immense　towers。　　It　had　suburbs　toward　the　plain　imperfectly　fortified　by　earthen　walls。　　In　front　of　these　suburbs　extended　a　tract　of　orchards　and　gardens　nearly　a　league　in　length；　so　thickly　planted　as　to　resemble　a　continued　forest。　　Here　every　citizen　who　could　afford　it　had　his　little　plantation　and　his　garden　of　fruits　and　flowers　and　vegetables；　watered　by　canals　and　rivulets　and　dominated　by　a　small　tower　for　recreation　or　defence。　　This　wilderness　of　groves　and　gardens；　intersected　in　all　parts　by　canals　and　runs　of　water；　and　studded　by　above　a　thousand　small　towers；　formed　a　kind　of　protection　to　this　side　of　the　city；　rendering　all　approach　extremely　difficult　and　perplexed。
  While　the　Christian　army　had　been　detained　before　the　frontier　posts；　the　city　of　Baza　had　been　a　scene　of　hurried　and　unremitting　preparation。　　All　the　grain　of　the　surrounding　valley；　though　yet　unripe；　was　hastily　reaped　and　borne　into　the　city　to　prevent　it　from　yielding　sustenance　to　the　enemy。　　The　country　was　drained　of　all　its　supplies；　flocks　and　herds　were　driven；　bleating　and　bellowing；　into　the　gates：　long　trains　of　beasts　of　burden；　some　laden　with　food；　others　with　lances；　darts；　and　arms　of　all　kinds；　kept　pouring　into　the　place。　　Already　were　munitions　collected　sufficient　for　a　siege　of　fifteen　months：　still；　the　eager　and　hasty　preparation　was　going　on　when　the　army　of　Ferdinand　came　in　sight。
  On　one　side　might　be　seen　scattered　parties　of　foot　and　horse　spurring　to　the　gates；　and　muleteers　hurrying　forward　their　burdened　animals；　all　anxious　to　get　under　shelter　before　the　gathering　storm；　on　the　other　side；　the　cloud　of　war　came　sweeping　down　the　valley；　the　roll　of　drum　or　clang　of　trumpet　resounding　occasionally　from　its　deep　bosom；　or　the　bright　glance　of　arms　flashing　forth　like　vivid　lightning　from　its　columns。　　King　Ferdinand　pitched　his　tents　in　the　valley　beyond　the　green　labyri