he　evening　in　broken　and　dejected　parties。
  The　fortune　of　war　bore　hard　against　the　old　monarch；　his　mind　was　harassed　by　disastrous　tidings　brought　each　day　from　Baza；　of　the　sufferings　of　the　inhabitants；　and　the　numbers　of　the　garrison　slain　in　the　frequent　skirmishes。　　He　dared　not　go　in　person　to　the　relief　of　the　place；　for　his　presence　was　necessary　in　Guadix　to　keep　a　check　upon　his　nephew　in　Granada。　　He　sent　reinforcements　and　supplies；　but　they　were　intercepted　and　either　captured　or　driven　back。　　Still；　his　situation　was　in　some　respects　preferable　to　that　of　his　nephew　Boabdil。　　He　was　battling　like　a　warrior　on　the　last　step　of　his　throne；　El　Chico　remained　a　kind　of　pensioned　vassal　in　the　luxurious　abode　of　the　Alhambra。　　The　chivalrous　part　of　the　inhabitants　of　Granada　could　not　but　compare　the　generous　stand　made　by　the　warriors　of　Baza　for　their　country　and　their　faith　with　their　own　time…serving　submission　to　the　yoke　of　an　unbeliever。　Every　account　they　received　of　the　woes　of　Baza　wrung　their　hearts　with　agony；　every　account　of　the　exploits　of　its　devoted　defenders　brought　blushes　to　their　cheeks。　　Many　stole　forth　secretly　with　their　weapons　and　hastened　to　join　the　besieged；　and　the　partisans　of　El　Zagal　wrought　upon　the　patriotism　and　passions　of　the　remainder　until　another　of　those　conspiracies　was　formed　that　were　continually　menacing　the　unsteady　throne　of　Granada。　　It　was　concerted　by　the　conspirators　to　assail　the　Alhambra　on　a　sudden；　slay　Boabdil；　assemble　the　troops；　and　march　to　Guadix；　where；　being　reinforced　by　the　garrison　of　that　place　and　led　on　by　the　old　warrior　monarch；　they　might　fall　with　overwhelming　power　upon　the　Christian　army　before　Baza。
  Fortunately　for　Boabdil；　he　discovered　the　conspiracy　in　time；　and　the　heads　of　the　leaders　were　struck　off　and　placed　upon　the　walls　of　the　Alhambraan　act　of　severity　unusual　with　this　mild　and　wavering　monarch；　which　struck　terror　into　the　disaffected；　and　produced　a　kind　of　mute　tranquillity　throughout　the　city。
  Ferdinand　had　full　information　of　all　the　movements　and　measures　for　the　relief　of　Baza；　and　took　precautions　to　prevent　them。　　Bodies　of　horsemen　held　watch　in　the　mountain…passes　to　prevent　supplies　and　intercept　any　generous　volunteers　from　Granada；　and　watch…towers　were　erected　or　scouts　placed　on　every　commanding　height　to　give　the　alarm　at　the　least　sign　of　a　hostile　turban。
  The　prince　Cid　Hiaya　and　his　brave　companions…in…arms　were　thus　gradually　walled　up；　as　it　were；　from　the　rest　of　the　world。　　A　line　of　towers；　the　battlements　of　which　bristled　with　troops；　girded　their　city；　and　behind　the　intervening　bulwarks　and　palisadoes　passed　and　repassed　continual　squadrons　of　troops。　　Week　after　week　and　month　after　month　passed　away；　but　Ferdinand　waited　in　vain　for　the　garrison　to　be　either　terrified　or　starved　into　surrender。　　Every　day　they　sallied　forth　with　the　spirit　and　alacrity　of　troops　high　fed　and　flushed　with　confidence。　　〃The　Christian　monarch；〃　said　the　veteran　Mohammed　Ibn　Hassan；　〃builds　his　hopes　upon　our　growing　faint　and　despondingwe　must　manifest　unusual　cheerfulness　and　vigor。　　What　would　be　rashness　in　other　service　becomes　prudence　with　us。〃　　The　prince　Cid　Hiaya　agreed　with　him　in　opinion；　and　sallied　forth　with　his　troops　upon　all　kinds　of　hare…brained　exploits。　　They　laid　ambushes；　concerted　surprises；　and　made　the　most　desperate　assaults。　　The　great　extent　of　the　Christian　works　rendered　them　weak　in　many　parts：　against　these　the　Moors　directed　their　attacks；　suddenly　breaking　into　them；　making　a　hasty　ravage；　and　bearing　off　their　booty　in　triumph　to　the　city。　　Sometimes　they　would　sally　forth　by　passes　and　clefts　of　the　mountain　in　the　rear　of　the　city　which　it　was　difficult　to　guard；　and；　hurrying　down　into　the　plain；　sweep　off　all　cattle　and　sheep　that　were　grazing　near　the　suburbs　and　all　stragglers　from　the　camp。
  These　partisan　sallies　brought　on　many　sharp　and　bloody　encounters；　in　some　of　which　Don　Alonso　de　Aguilar　and　the　alcayde　de　los　Donceles　distinguished　themselves　greatly。　　During　one　of　these　hot　skirmishes；　which　happened　on　the　skirts　of　the　mountain　about　twilight；　a　cavalier　named　Martin　Galindo　beheld　a　powerful　Moor　dealing　deadly　blows　about　him　and　making　great　havoc　among　the　Christians。　　Galindo　pressed　forward　and　challenged　him　to　single　combat。　　The　Moor　was　not　slow　in　answering　the　call。
  Couching　their　lances；　they　rushed　furiously　upon　each　other。　　At　the　first　shock　the　Moor　was　wounded　in　the　face　and　borne　out　of　his　saddle。　　Before　Galindo　could　check　his　steed　and　turn　from　his　career　the　Moor　sprang　upon　his　feet；　recovered　his　lance；　and；　rushing　upon　him；　wounded　him　in　the　head　and　the　arm。　　Though　Galindo　was　on　horseback　and　the　Moor　on　foot；　yet　such　was　the　prowess　and　address　of　the　latter　that　the　Christian　knight；　being　disabled　in　the　arm；　was　in　the　utmost　peril　when　his　comrades　hastened　to　his　assistance。　　At　their　approach　the　valiant　pagan　retreated　slowly　up　the　rocks；　keeping　them　at　bay　until　he　found　himself　among　his　companions。
  Several　of　the　young　Spanish　cavaliers；　stung　by　the　triumph　of　this　Moslem　knight；　would　have　challenged　others　of　the　Moors　to　single　combat；　but　King　Ferdinand　prohibited　all　vaunting　encounters　of　the　kind。　　He　forbade　his　troops　also　to　provoke　skirmishes；　well　knowing　that　the　Moors　were　more　dextrous　than　most　people　in　this　irregular　mode　of　fighting；　and　were　better　acquainted　with　the　ground。
  CHAPTER　LXXVI。
  HOW　TWO　FRIARS　FROM　THE　HOLY　LAND　ARRIVED　AT　THE　CAMP。
  While　the　holy　Christian　army　（says　Fray　Antonio　Agapida）　was　thus　beleaguering　this　infidel　city　of　Baza　there　rode　into　the　camp　one　day　two　reverend　friars　of　the　order　of　St。　Francis。　　One　was　of　portly　person　and　authoritative　air：　he　bestrode　a　goodly　steed；　well　conditioned　and　well　caparisoned；　while　his　companion　rode　beside　him　upon　a　humble　hack；　poorly　accoutred；　and；　as　he　rode；　he　scarcely　raised　his　eyes　from　the　ground；　but　maintained　a　meek　and　lowly　air。
  The　arrival　of　two　friars　in　the　camp　was　not　a　matter　of　much　note；　for　in　these　holy　wars　the　Church　militant　continually　mingled　in　the　affray；　and　helmet　and　cowl　were　always　seen　together；　but　it　was　soon　discovered　that　these　worthy　saints…errant　were　from　a　far　country　and　on　a　mission　of　great　import。
  They　were；　in　truth；　just　arrived　from　the　Holy　Land；　being　two　of　the　saintly　men　who　kept　vigil　over　the　sepulchre　of　our　Blessed　Lord　at　Jerusalem。　　He　of　the　tall　and　portly　form　and　commanding　presence　was　Fray　Antonio　Millan；　prior　of　the　Franciscan　convent　in　the　Holy　City。　　He　had　a　full　and　florid　countenance；　a　sonorous　voice；　and　was　round　and　swelling　and　copious　in　his　periods；　like　one　accustomed　to　harangue　and　to　be　listened　to　with　deference。　　His　companion　was　small　and　spare　in　form；　pale　of　visage；　and　soft　and　silken　and　almost　whispering　in　speech。　　〃He　had　a　humble　and　lowly　way；〃　says　Agapida；　〃evermore　bowing　the　head；　as　became　one　of　his　calling。〃　　Yet　he　was　one　of　the　most　active；　zealous；　and　effective　brothers　of　the　convent；　and　when　he　raised　his　small　black　eye　from　the　earth　there　was　a　keen　glance　out　of　the　corner　which　showed　that；　though　harmless　as　a　dove；　he　was　nevertheless　as　wise　as　a　serpent。
  These　holy　men　had　come　on　a　momentous　embassy　from　the　grand　soldan　of　Egypt；　or；　as　Agapida　terms　him　in　the　language　of　the　day；　the　soldan　of　Babylon。　　The　league　which　had　been　made　between　that　potentate　and　his　arch…foe　the　Grand　Turk；　Bajazet　II。；　to　unite　in　arms　for　the　salvation　of　Granada；　as　has　been　mentioned　in　a　previous　chapter　of　this　chronicle；　had　come　to　naught。　　The　infidel　princes　had　again　taken　up　arms　against　each　other；　and　had　relapsed　into　their　ancient　hostility。　　Still；　the　grand　soldan；　as　head　of　the　whole　Moslem　religion；　considered　himself　bound　to　preserve　the　kingdom　of　Granada　from　the　grasp　of　unbelievers。　　He　despatched；　therefore；　these　two　holy　friars　with　letters　to　the　Castilian　sovereigns；　as　well　as　to　the　pope　and　to　the　king　of　Naples；　remonstrating　against　the　evils　done　to　the　Moors　of　the　kingdom　of　Granada；　who　were　of　his　faith　and　kindred　whereas　it　was　well　known　that　great　numbers　of　Christians　were　indulged　and　protected　in　the　full　enjoyment　of　their　property；　their　liberty；　and　their　faith　in　his　dominions。　　He　insisted；　therefore；　that　this　war　should　cease　that　the　Moors　of　Granada　should　be　reinstated　in　the　territory　of　which　they　had　been　dispossessed：　otherwise　he　threatened　to　put　to　death　all　the　Christians　beneath　his　sway；　to　demolish　their　convents　and　temples；　and　to　destroy　the　Holy　Sepulchre。
  This　fearful　menace　had　spread　consternation　among　the　Christians　of　Palestine；　and　when　the　intrepid　Fray　Antonio　Millan　and　his　lowly　companion　departed　on　their　mission　they　were　accompanied　far　from　the　gates　of　Jerusalem　by　an　anxious　throng　of　brethren　and　disciples；　who　remained　watching　them　with　tearful　eyes　as　long　as　they　were　in　sight。　　These　holy　ambassadors　were　received　with　great　distinction　by　King　Ferdinand；　for　men　of　their　cloth　had　ever　high　honor　and　consideration　in　his　court。　　He　had　long　and　frequent　conversations　with　them　abo