CHAPTER XI

Chronicle of the Conquest of Granada

by Washington Irving

CHAPTER XI, CHRONICLE OF THE CONQUEST OF GRANADA by Washington Irving

HOW MULEY ABUL HASSAN MADE A FORAY INTO THE LANDS OF
MEDINA SIDONIA, AND HOW HE WAS RECEIVED.


Muley Abul Hassan had mustered an army and marched to the relief
of Loxa, but arrived too late; the last squadron of Ferdinand had
already passed over the border. "They have come and gone," said
he, "like a summer cloud, and all their vaunting has been mere empty
thunder." He turned to make another attempt upon Alhama, the
garrison of which was in the utmost consternation at the retreat of
Ferdinand, and would have deserted the place had it not been for
the courage and perseverance of the alcayde, Luis Fernandez Puerto
Carrero. That brave and loyal commander cheered up the spirits of
his men and kept the old Moorish king at bay until the approach of
Ferdinand, on his second incursion into the Vega, obliged him to
make an unwilling retreat to Malaga.

Muley Abul Hassan felt that it would be in vain, with his inferior
force, to oppose the powerful army of the Christian monarch, but
to remain idle and see his territories laid waste would ruin him in
the estimation of his people. "If we cannot parry," said he, "we
can strike; if we cannot keep our own lands from being ravaged,
we can ravage the lands of the enemy." He inquired and learnt
that most of the chivalry of Andalusia, in their eagerness for a foray,
had marched off with the king, and left their own country almost
defenceless. The territories of the duke of Medina Sidonia were
particularly unguarded: here were vast plains of pasturage covered
with flocks and herds--the very country for a hasty inroad. The
old monarch had a bitter grudge against the duke for having
foiled him at Alhama. "I'll give this cavalier a lesson," said he,
exultingly, "that will cure him of his love of campaigning." So he
prepared in all haste for a foray into the country about Medina
Sidonia.

Muley Abul Hassan sallied out of Malaga with fifteen hundred horse
and six thousand foot, and took the way by the sea-coast, marching
through Estiponia, and entering the Christian country between
Gibraltar and Castellar. The only person that was likely to molest
him on this route was one Pedro de Vargas, a shrewd, hardy, and
vigilant soldier, alcayde of Gibraltar, and who lay ensconced in his
old warrior rock as in a citadel. Muley Abul Hassan knew the
watchful and daring character of the man, but had ascertained that
his garrison was too small to enable him to make a sally, or at
least to ensure him any success. Still, he pursued his march with
great silence and caution; sent parties in advance to explore every
pass where a foe might lie in ambush; cast many an anxious eye
toward the old rock of Gibraltar as its cloud-capped summit was seen
towering in the distance on his left; nor did he feel entirely at ease
until he had passed through the broken and mountainous country
of Castellar and descended into the plains. Here he encamped on
the banks of the Celemin, and sent four hundred corredors, or fleet
horsemen, armed with lances, to station themselves near Algeziras
and keep a strict watch across the bay upon the opposite fortress
of Gibraltar. If the alcayde attempted to sally forth, they were to
waylay and attack him, being almost four times his supposed force,
and were to send swift tidings to the camp. In the mean time two
hundred corredors were sent to scour that vast plain called the
Campina de Tarifa, abounding with flocks and herds, and two hundred
more were to ravage the lands about Medina Sidonia. Muley Abul
Hassan remained with the main body of the army as a rallying-point
on the banks of the Celemin.

The foraging parties scoured the country to such effect that they
came driving vast flocks and herds before them, enough to supply
the place of all that had been swept from the Vega of Granada.
The troops which had kept watch upon the rock of Gibraltar returned
with word that they had not seen a Christian helmet stirring. The
old king congratulated himself upon the secrecy and promptness
with which he had conducted his foray, and upon having baffled
the vigilance of Pedro de Vargas.

He had not been so secret, however, as he imagined; the watchful
alcayde of Gibraltar had received notice of his movements, but his
garrison was barely sufficient for the defence of his post. Luckily,
there arrived at this juncture a squadron of the armed galleys,
under Carlos de Valera, recently stationed in the Straits. Pedro de
Vargas prevailed upon him to take charge of Gibraltar during his
temporary absence, and forthwith sallied out at midnight at the head
of seventy chosen horsemen. By his command alarm-fires were lighted
on the mountains, signals that the Moors were on the ravage, at
sight of which the peasants were accustomed to drive their flocks
and herds to places of refuge. He sent couriers also spurring in
every direction, summoning all capable of bearing arms to meet him
at Castellar. This was a town strongly posted on a steep height, by
which the Moorish king would have to return.

Muley Abul Hassan saw by the fires blazing on the mountains that the
country was rising. He struck his tents, and pushed forward as
rapidly as possible for the border; but he was encumbered with booty
and with the vast cavalgada swept from the pastures of the Campina
de Tarifa. His scouts brought him word that there were troops in
the field, but he made light of the intelligence, knowing that they
could only be those of the alcayde of Gibraltar, and that he had
not more than a hundred horsemen in his garrison. He threw in
advance two hundred and fifty of his bravest troops, and with them
the alcaydes of Marabella and Casares. Behind this van-guard
followed a great cavalgada of cattle, and in the rear marched the
king with the main force of his little army.

It was near the middle of a sultry summer day when they approached
Castellar. De Vargas was on the watch, and beheld, by an immense
cloud of dust, that they were descending one of the heights of that
wild and broken country. The van-guard and rear-guard were above
half a league asunder, with the cavalgada between them, and a long
and close forest hid them from each other. De Vargas saw that they
could render but little assistance to each other in case of a sudden
attack, and might be easily thrown into confusion. He chose fifty of
his bravest horsemen, and, making a circuit, took his post secretly
in a narrow glen opening into a defile between two rocky heights
through which the Moors had to pass. It was his intention to suffer
the van-guard and the cavalgada to pass, and to fall upon the rear.

While thus lying perdu six Moorish scouts, well mounted and well
armed, entered the glen, examining every place that might conceal an
enemy. Some of the Christians advised that they should slay these
six men and retreat to Gibraltar. "No," said De Vargas; "I have come
out for higher game than these; and I hope, by the aid of God and
Santiago, to do good work this day. I know these Moors well, and
doubt not but that they may readily be thrown into confusion."

By this time the six horsemen approached so near that they were on
the point of discovering the Christian ambush. De Vargas gave the
word, and ten horsemen rushed upon them; in an instant four of the
Moors rolled in the dust; the other two put spurs to their steeds
and fled toward their army, pursued by the ten Christians. About
eighty of the Moorish van-guard came galloping to the relief of
their companions; the Christians turned and fled toward their
ambush. De Vargas kept his men concealed until the fugitives and
their pursuers came clattering pell-mell into the glen. At a signal
trumpet his men sallied forth with great heat and in close array.
The Moors almost rushed upon their weapons before they perceived
them; forty of the infidels were overthrown, the rest turned their
back. "Forward!" cried De Vargas; "let us give the van-guard a brush
before it can be joined by the rear." So saying, he pursued the
flying Moors down hill, and came with such force and fury upon the
advance-guard as to overturn many of them at the first encounter.
As he wheeled off with his men the Moors discharged their lances,
upon which he returned to the charge and made great slaughter.
The Moors fought valiantly for a short time, until the alcaydes of
Marabella and Casares were slain, when they gave way and fled
for the rear-guard. In their flight they passed through the cavalgada
of cattle, threw the whole in confusion, and raised such a cloud of
dust that the Christians could no longer distinguish objects. Fearing
that the king and the main body might be at hand, and finding that
De Vargas was badly wounded, they contented themselves with
despoiling the slain and taking above twenty-eight horses, and
then retreated to Castellar.

When the routed Moors came flying back upon the rear-guard, Muley
Abul Hassan feared that the people of Xeres were in arms. Several
of his followers advised him to abandon the cavalgada and retreat
by another road. "No," said the old king; "he is no true soldier who
gives up his booty without fighting." Putting spurs to his horse, he
galloped forward through the centre of the cavalgada, driving the
cattle to the right and left. When he reached the field of battle,
he found it strewed with the bodies of upward of one hundred Moors,
among which were those of the two alcaydes. Enraged at the sight,
he summoned all his crossbowmen and cavalry, pushed on to the very
gates of Castellar, and set fire to two houses close to the walls.
Pedro de Vargas was too severely wounded to sally forth in person,
but he ordered out his troops, and there was brisk skirmishing under
the walls, until the king drew off and returned to the scene of the
recent encounter. Here he had the bodies of the principal warriors
laid across mules, to be interred honorably at Malaga; the rest of
the slain were buried on the field of battle. Then, gathering
together the scattered cavalgada, he paraded it slowly, in an
immense line, past the walls of Castellar by way of taunting his foe.

With all his fierceness, old Muley Abul Hassan had a gleam of warlike
courtesy, and admired the hardy and soldier-like character of Pedro
de Vargas. He summoned two Christian captives, and demanded
what were the revenues of the alcayde of Gibraltar. They told him
that, among other things, he was entitled to one out of every drove
of cattle that passed his boundaries. "Allah forbid," cried the old
monarch, "that so brave a cavalier should be defrauded of his dues!"

He immediately chose twelve of the finest cattle from the twelve
droves which formed the cavalgada. These he gave in charge to an
alfaqui to deliver to Pedro de Vargas. "Tell him," said he, "that I
crave his pardon for not having sent these cattle sooner; but I have
this moment learnt the nature of his rights, and I hasten to satisfy
them with the punctuality due to so worthy a cavalier. Tell him, at
the same time, that I had no idea the alcayde of Gibraltar was so
active and vigilant in collecting his tolls."

The brave alcayde relished the stern soldier-like pleasantry of the
old Moorish monarch. He ordered a rich silken vest and a scarlet
mantle to be given to the alfaqui, and dismissed him with great
courtesy. "Tell His Majesty," said he, "that I kiss his hands for
the honor he has done me, and regret that my scanty force has not
permitted me to give him a more signal reception on his coming
into these parts. Had three hundred horsemen, whom I have been
promised from Xeres, arrived in time, I might have served up an
entertainment more befitting such a monarch. I trust, however, they
will arrive in the course of the night, in which case His Majesty
may be sure of a royal regale in the dawning."

Muley Abul Hassan shook his head when he received the reply of De
Vargas. "Allah preserve us," said he, "from any visitation of these
hard riders of Xeres! A handful of troops acquainted with the wild
passes of these mountains may destroy an army encumbered as ours
is with booty."

It was some relief to the king, however, to learn that the hardy
alcayde of Gibraltar was too severely wounded to take the field in
person. He immediately beat a retreat with all speed before the
close of day, hurrying with such precipitation that the cavalgada
was frequently broken and scattered among the rugged defiles of
the mountains, and above five thousand of the cattle turned back
and were regained by the Christians. Muley Abul Hassan returned
triumphantly with the residue to Malaga, glorying in the spoils of
the duke of Medina Sidonia.

King Ferdinand was mortified at finding his incursion into the Vega
of Granada counterbalanced by this inroad into his dominions, and
saw that there were two sides to the game of war, as to all other
games. The only one who reaped real glory in this series of inroads
and skirmishings was Pedro de Vargas, the stout alcayde of Gibraltar.*

*Alonzo de Palencia, 1. 28, c. 3, MS.