in the walls, and the Moors were
fain to capitulate. Twenty-four Christian captives, who had been taken
in the defeat of the mountains of Malaga, were rescued from the dungeons
of this fortress, and hailed the marques as their deliverer.

Needless is it to mention the capture of various other places which
surrendered without waiting to be attacked. The Moors had always shown
great bravery and perseverance in defending their towns; they were
formidable in their sallies and skirmishes, and patient in enduring
hunger and thirst when besieged; but this terrible ordnance, which
demolished their walls with such ease and rapidity, overwhelmed them
with dismay and rendered vain all resistance. King Ferdinand was so
struck with the effect of this artillery that he ordered the number
of lombards to be increased; and these potent engines had henceforth a
great influence on the fortunes of this war.

The last operation of this year, so disastrous to the Moors, was an
inroad by Ferdinand, in the latter part of summer, into the Vega, in
which he ravaged the country, burnt two villages near to Granada, and
destroyed the mills near the very gates of the city.

Old Muley Abul Hassan was overwhelmed with dismay at the desolation
which during the whole year had raged throughout his territories and had
now reached the walls of his capital. His fierce spirit was broken by
misfortunes and infirmity; he offered to purchase a peace and to
hold his crown as a tributary vassal. Ferdinand would listen to no
propositions: the absolute conquest of Granada was the great object of
this war, and he was resolved never to rest content without its complete
fulfilment. Having supplied and strengthened the garrisons of the
places taken in the heart of the Moorish territories, he enjoined their
commanders to render every assistance to the younger Moorish king in the
civil war against his father. He then returned with his army to Cordova
in great triumph, closing a series of ravaging campaigns which had
filled the kingdom of Granada with grief and consternation.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

ATTEMPT OF EL ZAGAL TO SURPRISE BOABDIL IN ALMERIA.

During this year of sorrow and disaster to the Moors the younger king,
Boabdil, most truly called the Unfortunate, held a diminished and feeble
court in the maritime city of Almeria. He retained little more than the
name of king, and was supported in even this shadow of royalty by the
countenance and treasures of the