The　month　of　December　had　nearly　passed　away：　the　famine　became　extreme；　and　there　was　no　hope　of　any　favorable　event　within　the　term　specified　in　the　capitulation。　　Boabdil　saw　that　to　hold　out　to　the　end　of　the　allotted　time　would　but　be　to　protract　the　miseries　of　his　people。　　With　the　consent　of　his　council　he　determined　to　surrender　the　city　on　the　sixth　of　January。　　He　accordingly　sent　his　grand　vizier；　Yusef　Aben　Comixa；　to　King　Ferdinand　to　make　known　his　intention；　bearing　him；　at　the　same　time；　a　present　of　a　magnificent　scimetar　and　two　Arabian　steeds　superbly　caparisoned。
  The　unfortunate　Boabdil　was　doomed　to　meet　with　trouble　to　the　end　of　his　career。　　The　very　next　day　the　santon　or　dervise；　Hamet　Aben　Zarrax；　the　same　who　had　uttered　prophecies　and　excited　commotions　on　former　occasions；　suddenly　made　his　appearance。　　Whence　he　came　no　one　knew：　it　was　rumored　that　he　had　been　in　the　mountains　of　the　Alpuxarras　and　on　the　coast　of　Barbary　endeavoring　to　rouse　the　Moslems　to　the　relief　of　Granada。　　He　was　reduced　to　a　skeleton；　his　eyes　glowed　like　coals　in　their　sockets；　and　his　speech　was　little　better　than　frantic　raving。　　He　harangued　the　populace　in　the　streets　and　squares；　inveighed　against　the　capitulation；　denounced　the　king　and　nobles　as　Moslems　only　in　name；　and　called　upon　the　people　to　sally　forth　against　the　unbelievers；　for　that　Allah　had　decreed　them　a　signal　victory。
  Upward　of　twenty　thousand　of　the　populace　seized　their　arms　and　paraded　the　streets　with　shouts　and　outcries。　　The　shops　and　houses　were　shut　up；　the　king　himself　did　not　dare　to　venture　forth；　but　remained　a　kind　of　prisoner　in　the　Alhambra。
  The　turbulent　multitude　continued　roaming　and　shouting　and　howling　about　the　city　during　the　day　and　a　part　of　the　night。　　Hunger　and　a　wintry　tempest　tamed　their　frenzy；　and　when　morning　came　the　enthusiast　who　had　led　them　on　had　disappeared。　　Whether　he　had　been　disposed　of　by　the　emissaries　of　the　king　or　by　the　leading　men　of　the　city　is　not　known：　his　disappearance　remains　a　mystery。*
  *Mariana。
  Boabdil　now　issued　from　the　Alhambra；　attended　by　his　principal　nobles；　and　harangued　the　populace。　　He　set　forth　the　necessity　of　complying　with　the　capitulation；　from　the　famine　that　reigned　in　the　city；　the　futility　of　defence；　and　from　the　hostages　having　already　been　delivered　into　the　hands　of　the　besiegers。
  In　the　dejection　of　his　spirits　the　unfortunate　Boabdil　attributed　to　himself　the　miseries　of　the　country。　　〃It　was　my　crime　in　ascending　the　throne　in　rebellion　against　my　father；〃　said　he；　mournfully；　〃which　has　brought　these　woes　upon　the　kingdom；　but　Allah　has　grievously　visited　my　sins　upon　my　head。　　For　your　sake；　my　people；　I　have　now　made　this　treaty；　to　protect　you　from　the　sword；　your　little　ones　from　famine；　your　wives　and　daughters　from　outrage；　and　to　secure　you　in　the　enjoyment　of　your　properties；　your　liberties；　your　laws；　and　your　religion　under　a　sovereign　of　happier　destinies　than　the　ill…starred　Boabdil。〃
  The　versatile　population　were　touched　by　the　humility　of　their　sovereign：　they　agreed　to　adhere　to　the　capitulation；　and　there　was　even　a　faint　shout　of　〃Long　live　Boabdil　the　Unfortunate！〃　and　they　all　returned　to　their　homes　in　perfect　tranquillity。
  Boabdil　immediately　sent　missives　to　King　Ferdinand　apprising　him　of　these　events；　and　of　his　fears　lest　further　delay　should　produce　new　tumults。　　The　vizier；　Yusef　Aben　Comixa；　was　again　the　agent　between　the　monarchs。　　He　was　received　with　unusual　courtesy　and　attention　by　Ferdinand　and　Isabella；　and　it　was　arranged　between　them　that　the　surrender　should　take　place　on　the　second　day　of　January；　instead　of　the　sixth。　　A　new　difficulty　now　arose　in　regard　to　the　ceremonial　of　surrender。　　The　haughty　Ayxa　la　Horra；　whose　pride　rose　with　the　decline　of　her　fortunes；　declared　that　as　sultana…mother　she　would　never　consent　that　her　son　should　stoop　to　the　humiliation　of　kissing　the　hand　of　his　conquerors；　and　unless　this　part　of　the　ceremonial　were　modified　she　would　find　means　to　resist　a　surrender　accompanied　by　such　indignities。
  Aben　Comixa　was　sorely　troubled　by　this　opposition。　　He　knew　the　high　spirit　of　the　indomitable　Ayxa　and　her　influence　over　her　less　heroic　son；　and　wrote　an　urgent　letter　on　the　subject　to　his　friend；　the　count　de　Tendilla。　　The　latter　imparted　the　circumstance　to　the　Christian　sovereigns；　a　council　was　called　on　the　matter。　　Spanish　pride　and　etiquette　were　obliged　to　bend　in　some　degree　to　the　haughty　spirit　of　a　woman。　　It　was　agreed　that　Boabdil　should　sally　forth　on　horsebackthat　on　approaching　the　Spanish　sovereigns　he　should　make　a　slight　movement；　as　if　about　to　draw　his　foot　from　the　stirrup　and　dismount；　but　would　be　prevented　from　doing　so　by　Ferdinand；　who　should　treat　him　with　a　respect　due　to　his　dignity　and　elevated　birth。　　The　count　de　Tendilla　despatched　a　messenger　with　this　arrangement；　and　the　haughty　scruples　of　Ayxa　la　Horra　were　satisfied。*
  *Salazar　de　Mendoza；　Chron。　del　Gran　Cardinal；　lib。　1；　c。　69；　p。　1；　　Mondajar；　His。　MS。；　as　cited　by　Alcantara；　t。　4；　c。　18。
  CHAPTER　XCIX。
  SURRENDER　OF　GRANADA。
  The　night　preceding　the　surrender　was　a　night　of　doleful　lamentings　within　the　walls　of　the　Alhambra；　for　the　household　of　Boabdil　were　preparing　to　take　a　last　farewell　of　that　delightful　abode。　　All　the　royal　treasures　and　most　precious　effects　were　hastily　packed　upon　mules；　the　beautiful　apartments　were　despoiled；　with　tears　and　wailings；　by　their　own　inhabitants。　　Before　the　dawn　of　day　a　mournful　cavalcade　moved　obscurely　out　of　a　postern　gate　of　the　Alhambra　and　departed　through　one　of　the　most　retired　quarters　of　the　city。　　It　was　composed　of　the　family　of　the　unfortunate　Boabdil；　which　he　sent　off　thus　privately；　that　they　might　not　be　exposed　to　the　eyes　of　scoffers　or　the　exultation　of　the　enemy。　　The　mother　of　Boabdil；　the　sultana　Ayxa　la　Horra；　rode　on　in　silence；　with　dejected　yet　dignified　demeanor；　but　his　wife　Morayma　and　all　the　females　of　his　household　gave　way　to　loud　lamentations　as　they　looked　back　upon　their　favorite　abode；　now　a　mass　of　gloomy　towers　behind　them。　　They　were　attended　by　the　ancient　domestics　of　the　household；　and　by　a　small　guard　of　veteran　Moors　loyally　attached　to　the　fallen　monarch；　and　who　would　have　sold　their　lives　dearly　in　defence　of　his　family。　　The　city　was　yet　buried　in　sleep　as　they　passed　through　its　silent　streets。　　The　guards　at　the　gate　shed　tears　as　they　opened　it　for　their　departure。　　They　paused　not；　but　proceeded　along　the　banks　of　the　Xenil　on　the　road　that　leads　to　the　Alpuxarras；　until　they　arrived　at　a　hamlet　at　some　distance　from　the　city；　where　they　halted　and　waited　until　they　should　be　joined　by　King　Boabdil。　　The　night　which　had　passed　so　gloomily　in　the　sumptuous　halls　of　the　Alhambra　had　been　one　of　joyful　anticipation　in　the　Christian　camp。　　In　the　evening　proclamation　had　been　made　that　Granada　was　to　be　surrendered　on　the　following　day；　and　the　troops　were　all　ordered　to　assemble　at　an　early　hour　under　their　several　banners。　　The　cavaliers；　pages；　and　esquires　were　all　charged　to　array　themselves　in　their　richest　and　most　splendid　style　for　the　occasion；　and　even　the　royal　family　determined　to　lay　by　the　mourning　they　had　recently　assumed　for　the　sudden　death　of　the　prince　of　Portugal；　the　husband　of　the　princess　Isabella。　　In　a　clause　of　the　capitulation　it　had　been　stipulated　that　the　troops　destined　to　take　possession　should　not　traverse　the　city；　but　should　ascend　to　the　Alhambra　by　a　road　opened　for　the　purpose　outside　of　the　walls。　　This　was　to　spare　the　feelings　of　the　afflicted　inhabitants；　and　to　prevent　any　angry　collision　between　them　and　their　conquerors。　　So　rigorous　was　Ferdinand　in　enforcing　this　precaution　that　the　soldiers　were　prohibited　under　pain　of　death　from　leaving　the　ranks　to　enter　into　the　city。
  The　rising　sun　had　scarce　shed　his　rosy　beams　upon　the　snowy　summits　of　the　Sierra　Nevada　when　three　signal　guns　boomed　heavily　from　the　lofty　fortress　of　the　Alhambra。　　It　was　the　concerted　sign　that　all　was　ready　for　the　surrender。　　The　Christian　army　forthwith　poured　out　of　the　city；　or　rather　camp；　of　Santa　Fe；　and　advanced　across　the　Vega。　　The　king　and　queen；　with　the　prince　and　princess；　the　dignitaries　and　ladies　of　the　court；　took　the　lead；　accompanied　by　the　different　orders　of　monks　and　friars；　and　surrounded　by　the　royal　guards　splendidly　arrayed。　　The　procession　moved　slowly　forward；　and　paused　at　the　village　of　Armilla；　at　the　distance　of　half　a　league　from　the　city。
  In　the　mean　time；　the　grand　cardinal　of　Spain；　Don　Pedro　Gonzalez　de　Mendoza；　escorted　by　three　thousand　foot　and　a　troop　of　cavalry；　and　accompanied　by　the　commander　Don　Gutierrez　de　Cardenas　and　a　number　of　prelates　and　hidalgos；　crossed　the　Xenil　and　proceeded　in　the　advance　to　ascend　to　the　Alhambra　and　take　possession　of　that　royal　palace　and　fortress。　　The　road　which　had　been　opened　for　the　purpose　led　by　the　Puerta　de　los　Molinos；　or　Gate　of　Mills；　up　a　defile　to　the　esplanade　on　the　summit　of　the　Hill　of　Martyrs。　　At　the　approach　of　this　detachment　the　Moorish　king　sallied　forth　from　a　postern　gate　of　the　Alhambra；　having　left　his　vizier；　Yusef　Aben　Comixa；　to　deliv