chronicle of the conquest of granada-第71节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



*Pulgar；　part　3；　cap。　106；　107；　Cura　de　los　Palacios；　cap。　92；　　Zurita；　lib。　20；　cap　31。



CHAPTER　LXXII。

SIEGE　OF　BAZA。EMBARRASSMENTS　OF　THE　ARMY。


The　morning　sun　rose　upon　a　piteous　scene　before　the　walls　of　Baza。　The　Christian　outposts；　harassed　throughout　the　night；　were　pale　and　haggard；　while　the　multitudes　of　slain　which　lay　before　their　palisadoes　showed　the　fierce　attacks　they　had　sustained　and　the　bravery　of　their　defence。

Beyond　them　lay　the　groves　and　gardens　of　Baza；　once　favorite　resorts　for　recreation　and　delight；　now　a　scene　of　horror　and　desolation。　　The　towers　and　pavilions　were　smoking　ruins；　the　canals　and　water…courses　were　discolored　with　blood　and　choked　with　the　bodies　of　the　slain。　　Here　and　there　the　ground；　deep　dinted　with　the　tramp　of　man　and　steed　and　plashed　and　slippery　with　gore；　showed　where　had　been　some　fierce　and　mortal　conflict；　while　the　bodies　of　Moors　and　Christians；　ghastly　in　death；　lay　half　concealed　among　the　matted　and　trampled　shrubs　and　flowers　and　herbage。

Amidst　these　sanguinary　scenes　rose　the　Christian　tents；　hastily　pitched　among　the　gardens　in　the　preceding　evening。　　The　experience　of　the　night；　however；　and　the　forlorn　aspect　of　everything　in　the　morning　convinced　King　Ferdinand　of　the　perils　and　hardships　to　which　his　camp　must　be　exposed　in　its　present　situation；　and　after　a　consultation　with　his　principal　cavaliers　he　resolved　to　abandon　the　orchards。

It　was　a　dangerous　movement；　to　extricate　his　army　from　so　entangled　a　situation　in　the　face　of　so　alert　and　daring　an　enemy。　　A　bold　front　was　therefore　kept　up　toward　the　city；　additional　troops　were　ordered　to　the　advanced　posts；　and　works　begun　as　if　for　a　settled　encampment。　Not　a　tent　was　struck　in　the　gardens；　but　in　the　mean　time　the　most　active　and　unremitting　exertions　were　made　to　remove　all　the　baggage　and　furniture　of　the　camp　back　to　the　original　station。

All　day　the　Moors　beheld　a　formidable　show　of　war　maintained　in　front　of　the　gardens；　while　in　the　rear　the　tops　of　the　Christian　tents　and　the　pennons　of　the　different　commanders　were　seen　rising　above　the　groves。　　Suddenly；　toward　evening　the　tents　sank　and　disappeared；　the　outposts　broke　up　their　stations　and　withdrew；　and　the　whole　shadow　of　an　encampment　was　fast　vanishing　from　their　eyes。

The　Moors　saw　too　late　the　subtle　manoeuvre　of　King　Ferdinand。　Cid　Hiaya　again　sallied　forth　with　a　large　force　of　horse　and　foot；　and　pressed　furiously　upon　the　Christians。　　The　latter；　however；　experienced　in　Moorish　attack；　retired　in　close　order；　sometimes　turning　upon　the　enemy　and　driving　them　to　their　barricadoes；　and　then　pursuing　their　retreat。　　In　this　way　the　army　was　extricated　without　much　further　loss　from　the　perilous　labyrinths　of　the　gardens。

The　camp　was　now　out　of　danger；　but　it　was　also　too　distant　from　the　city　to　do　mischief；　while　the　Moors　could　sally　forth　and　return　without　hindrance。　　The　king　called　a　council　of　war　to　consider　in　what　manner　to　proceed。　　The　marques　of　Cadiz　was　for　abandoning　the　siege　for　the　present；　the　place　being　too　strong；　too　well　garrisoned　and　provided；　and　too　extensive　for　their　limited　forces　either　to　carry　it　by　assault　or　invest　and　reduce　it　by　famine；　while　in　lingering　before　it　the　army　would　be　exposed　to　the　usual　maladies　and　sufferings　of　besieging　armies；　and　when　the　rainy　season　came　on　would　be　shut　up　by　the　swelling　of　the　rivers。　　He　recommended；　instead；　that　the　king　should　throw　garrisons　of　horse　and　foot　into　all　the　towns　captured　in　the　neighborhood；　and　leave　them　to　keep　up　a　predatory　war　upon　Baza；　while　he　should　overrun　and　ravage　all　the　country；　so　that　in　the　following　year　Almeria　and　Guadix；　having　all　their　subject　towns　and　territories　taken　from　them；　might　be　starved　into　submission。

Don　Gutierre　de　Cardenas；　senior　commander　of　Leon；　on　the　other　hand；　maintained　that　to　abandon　the　siege　would　be　construed　by　the　enemy　into　a　sign　of　weakness　and　irresolution。　　It　would　give　new　spirits　to　the　partisans　of　El　Zagal；　and　would　gain　to　his　standard　many　of　the　wavering　subjects　of　Boabdil；　if　it　did　not　encourage　the　fickle　populace　of　Granada　to　open　rebellion。　　He　advised；　therefore；　that　the　siege　should　be　prosecuted　with　vigor。

The　pride　of　Ferdinand　pleaded　in　favor　of　the　last　opinion；　for　it　would　be　doubly　humiliating　again　to　return　from　a　campaign　in　this　part　of　the　Moorish　kingdom　without　effecting　a　blow。　　But　when　he　reflected　on　all　that　his　army　had　suffered；　and　on　all　that　it　must　suffer　should　the　siege　continueespecially　from　the　difficulty　of　obtaining　a　regular　supply　of　provisions　for　so　numerous　a　host　across　a　great　extent　of　rugged　and　mountainous　countryhe　determined　to　consult　the　safety　of　his　people　and　to　adopt　the　advice　of　the　marques　of　Cadiz。

When　the　soldiery　heard　that　the　king　was　about　to　raise　the　siege　in　mere　consideration　of　their　sufferings；　they　were　filled　with　generous　enthusiasm；　and　entreated　as　with　one　voice　that　the　siege　might　never　be　abandoned　until　the　city　surrendered。

Perplexed　by　conflicting　counsels；　the　king　despatched　messengers　to　the　queen　at　Jaen；　requesting　her　advice。　　Posts　had　been　stationed　between　them　in　such　manner　that　missives　from　the　camp　could　reach　the　queen　within　ten　hours。　　Isabella　sent　instantly　her　reply。　　She　left　the　policy　of　raising　or　continuing　the　siege　to　the　decision　of　the　king　and　his　captains；　but；　should　they　determine　to　persevere；　she　pledged　herself；　with　the　aid　of　God；　to　forward　them　men；　money；　provisions　and　all　other　supplies　until　the　city　should　be　taken。

The　reply　of　the　queen　determined　Ferdinand　to　persevere；　and　when　his　determination　was　made　known　to　the　army；　it　was　hailed　with　as　much　joy　as　if　it　had　been　tidings　of　a　victory。



CHAPTER　LXXIII。

SIEGE　OF　BAZA　CONTINUED。HOW　KING　FERDINAND　COMPLETELY　　　　　INVESTED　THE　CITY。


The　Moorish　prince　Cid　Hiaya　had　received　tidings　of　the　doubts　and　discussions　in　the　Christian　camp；　and　flattered　himself　with　hopes　that　the　besieging　army　would　soon　retire　in　despair；　though　the　veteran　Mohammed　shook　his　head　with　incredulity。　　A　sudden　movement　one　morning　in　the　Christian　camp　seemed　to　confirm　the　sanguine　hopes　of　the　prince。　　The　tents　were　struck；　the　artillery　and　baggage　were　conveyed　away；　and　bodies　of　soldiers　began　to　march　along　the　valley。　　The　momentary　gleam　of　triumph　was　soon　dispelled。　　The　Catholic　king　had　merely　divided　his　host　into　two　camps；　the　more　effectually　to　distress　the　city。

One；　consisting　of　four　thousand　horse　and　eight　thousand　foot；　with　all　the　artillery　and　battering　engines；　took　post　on　the　side　of　the　city　toward　the　mountain。　　This　was　commanded　by　the　marques　of　Cadiz；　with　whom　were　Don　Alonso　de　Aguilar；　Luis　Fernandez　Puerto　Carrero；　and　many　other　distinguished　cavaliers。

The　other　camp　was　commanded　by　the　king；　having　six　thousand　horse　and　a　great　host　of　foot…soldiers；　the　hardy　mountaineers　of　Biscay；　Guipuscoa；　Galicia；　and　the　Asturias。　　Among　the　cavaliers　who　were　with　the　king　were　the　brave　count　de　Tendilla；　Don　Rodrigo　de　Mendoza；　and　Don　Alonso　de　Cardenas；　master　of　Santiago。

The　two　camps　were　wide　asunder；　on　opposite　sides　of　the　city；　and　between　them　lay　the　thick　wilderness　of　orchards。　　Both　camps　were　therefore　fortified　by　great　trenches；　breastworks；　and　palisadoes。　The　veteran　Mohammed；　as　he　saw　these　two　formidable　camps　glittering　on　either　side　of　the　city；　and　noted　the　well…known　pennons　of　renowned　commanders　fluttering　above　them；　still　comforted　his　companions。　　〃These　camps；〃　said　he；　〃are　too　far　removed　from　each　other　for　mutual　succor　and　cooperation；　and　the　forest　of　orchards　is　as　a　gulf　between　them。〃　　This　consolation　was　but　of　short　continuance。　　Scarcely　were　the　Christian　camps　fortified　when　the　ears　of　the　Moorish　garrison　were　startled　by　the　sound　of　innumerable　axes　and　the　crash　of　falling　trees。　　They　looked　with　anxiety　from　their　highest　towers；　and　beheld　their　favorite　groves　sinking　beneath　the　blows　of　the　Christian　pioneers。　The　Moors　sallied　forth　with　fiery　zeal　to　protect　their　beloved　gardens　and　the　orchards　in　which　they　so　much　delighted。　　The　Christians；　however；　were　too　well　supported　to　be　driven　from　their　work。　　Day　after　day　the　gardens　became　the　scene　of　incessant　and　bloody　skirmishings；　yet　still　the　devastation　of　the　groves　went　on；　for　King　Ferdinand　was　too　well　aware　of　the　necessity　of　clearing　away　this　screen　of　woods　not　to　bend　all　his　forces　to　the　undertaking。　　It　was　a　work；　however；　of　gigantic　toil　and　patience。　The　trees　were　of　such　magnitude；　and　so　closely　set　together；　and　spread　over　so　wide　an　extent；　that；　notwithstanding　four　thousand　men　were　employed；　they　could　scarcely　clear　a　strip　of　land　ten　paces　broad　within　a　day；　and　such　were　the　interruptions　from　the　incessant　assaults　of　the　Moors　that　it　was　full　forty　days　before　the　orchards　were　completely　levelled。

The　devoted　city　of　Baza　now　lay　stripped　of　its　beautiful　covering　of　groves　and　gardens；　at　once　its　ornament；　its　delight；　and　its　protection。　　The　besiegers　went　on　slowly　and　surely；　with　almost　incredible　labors；　to　invest　and　isola