, Cronica de los Reyes Catholicos.

The main body of the army was led by the king in person. It was divided
into numerous battalions, each commanded by some distinguished cavalier.
The king took the rough and perilous road of the mountains, and few
mountains are more rugged and difficult than those of Andalusia. The
roads are mere mule-paths straggling amidst rocks and along the verge of
precipices, clambering vast craggy heights, or descending into frightful
chasms and ravines, with scanty and uncertain foothold for either man or
steed. Four thousand pioneers were sent in advance, under the alcayde de
los Donceles, to conquer in some degree the asperities of the road. Some
had pickaxes and crowbars to break the rocks, others had implements to
construct bridges over the mountain-torrents, while it was the duty of
others to lay stepping-stones in the smaller streams. As the country
was inhabited by fierce Moorish mountaineers, Don Diego de Castrillo
was despatched with a body of horse and foot to take possession of the
heights and passes. Notwithstanding every precaution, the royal army
suffered excessively on its march. At one time there was no place to
encamp for five leagues of the most toilsome and mountainous country,
and many of the beasts of burden sank down and perished on the road.

It was with the greatest joy, therefore, that the royal army emerged
from these stern and frightful defiles, and came to where they looked
down upon the vega of Velez Malaga. The region before them was one
of the most delectable to the eye that ever was ravaged by an army.
Sheltered from every rude blast by a screen of mountains, and sloping
and expanding to the south, this lovely valley was quickened by the most
generous sunshine, watered by the silver meanderings of the Velez, and
refreshed by cooling breezes from the Mediterranean. The sloping hills
were covered with vineyards and olive trees; the distant fields waved
with grain or were verdant with pasturage; while round the city were
delightful gardens, the favorite retreats of the Moors, where
their white pavilions gleamed among groves of oranges, citrons, and
pomegranates, and were surrounded by stately palms--those plants of
southern growth bespeaking a generous climate and a cloudless sky.

In the upper part of this delightful valley the city of Velez Malaga
reared its warrior battlements in stern contrast to the landscape. It
was built on the declivity of a steep and ins