eir negligent security. "Here will be trophies," said he, "to
grace our entrance into Granada."

Approaching the valley with cautious silence, he wheeled into it at full
speed at the head of his troop, and attacked the Christians so suddenly
that they had no time to put the bridles upon their horses or even
to leap into the saddles. They made a confused but valiant defence,
fighting among the rocks and in the rugged bed of the river. Their
defence was useless; seventy-nine were slain, and the remaining eleven
were taken prisoners.

A party of the Moors galloped in pursuit of the cavalgada: they soon
overtook it winding slowly up a hill. The horsemen who convoyed it,
perceiving the enemy at a distance, made their escape, and left the
spoil to be retaken by the Moors. El Zagal gathered together his
captives and his booty, and proceeded, elate with success, to Granada.

He paused before the gate of Elvira, for as yet he had not been
proclaimed king. This ceremony was immediately performed, for the fame
of his recent exploit had preceded him and intoxicated the minds of
the giddy populace. He entered Granada in a sort of triumph. The eleven
captive knights of Calatrava walked in front: next were paraded the
ninety captured steeds, bearing the armor and weapons of their late
owners, and led by as many mounted Moors: then came seventy Moorish
horsemen, with as many Christian heads hanging at their saddle-bows:
Muley Abdallah followed, surrounded by a number of distinguished
cavaliers splendidly attired, and the pageant was closed by a long
cavalgada of the flocks and herds and other booty recovered from the
Christians.*

* Zurita, lib. 20, c. 62; Mariana, Hist. de Espana; Abarca, Anales
de Aragon.

The populace gazed with almost savage triumph at these captive cavaliers
and the gory heads of their companions, knowing them to have been part
of the formidable garrison of Alhama, so long the scourge of Granada and
the terror of the Vega. They hailed this petty triumph as an auspicious
opening of the reign of their new monarch; for several days the name
of Muley Abul Hassan and Boabdil el Chico were never mentioned but with
contempt, and the whole city resounded with the praises of El Zagal, or
the Valiant.

CHAPTER XXXII.

HOW THE COUNT DE CABRA ATTEMPTED TO CAPTURE ANOTHER KING, AND HOW HE
FARED IN HIS ATTEMPT.

The elevation of a bold and active veteran to the throne of Granada in
place of its late be