o
dreaded the ruinous consequences of a siege. They were little zealous
for the warlike renown of their city, and longed rather to participate
in the enviable security of property and the lucrative privileges of
safe traffic with the Christian territories granted to all places which
declared for Boabdil. At the head of these gainful citizens was Ali
Dordux, a mighty merchant of uncounted wealth, connected, it is said,
with the royal family of Granada, whose ships traded to every part of
the Levant and whose word was as a law in Malaga. Ali Dordux assembled
the most opulent and important of his commercial brethren, and they
repaired in a body to the Alcazaba, where they were received by the
alcayde, Aben Comixa, with that deference generally shown to men of
their great local dignity and power of purse. Ali Dordux was ample
and stately in his form and fluent and emphatic in his discourse; his
eloquence had an effect, therefore, upon the alcayde as he represented
the hopelessness of a defence of Malaga, the misery that must attend a
siege, and the ruin that must follow a capture by force of arms. On
the other hand, he set forth the grace that might be obtained from the
Castilian sovereigns by an early and voluntary acknowledgment of Boabdil
as king, the peaceful possession of their property, and the profitable
commerce with the Christian ports that would be allowed them. He was
seconded by his weighty and important coadjutors; and the alcadye,
accustomed to regard them as the arbiters of the affairs of the place,
yielded to their united counsels. He departed, therefore, with all speed
to the Christian camp, empowered to arrange a capitulation with the
Castilian monarch, and in the mean time his brother remained in command
of the Alcazaba.

There was at this time as alcayde in the old crag-built castle of
Gibralfaro a warlike and fiery Moor, an implacable enemy of the
Christians. This was no other than Hamet Zeli, surnamed El Zegri, the
once-formidable alcayde of Ronda and the terror of its mountains. He
had never forgiven the capture of his favorite fortress, and panted
for vengeance on the Christians. Notwithstanding his reverses, he
had retained the favor of El Zagal, who knew how to appreciate a bold
warrior of the kind, and had placed him in command of this important
fortress of Gibralfaro.

Hamet el Zegri had gathered round him the remnant of his band of
Gomeres, with others of the same tribe recently arrived from M