e truth of what has been told us, that their
powder is exhausted. They have no longer the means of demolishing our
walls, and if they remain much longer the autumnal rains will interrupt
their convoys and fill their camp with famine and disease. The first
storm will disperse their fleet, which has no neighboring port of
shelter: Africa will then be open to us to procure reinforcements and
supplies."

The words of Hamet el Zegri were hailed as oracular by his adherents.
Many of the peaceful part of the community, however, ventured to
remonstrate, and to implore him to accept the proffered mercy. The stern
Hamet silenced them with a terrific threat: he declared that whoever
should talk of capitulating or should hold any communication with the
Christians should be put to death. The Gomeres, like true men of the
sword, acted upon the menace of their chieftain as upon a written law,
and, having detected several of the inhabitants in secret correspondence
with the enemy, set upon and slew them and confiscated their effects.
This struck such terror into the citizens that those who had been
loudest in their murmurs became suddenly mute, and were remarked as
evincing the greatest bustle and alacrity in the defence of the city.

When the messenger returned to the camp and reported the contemptuous
reception of the royal message, King Ferdinand was exceedingly
indignant. Finding the cessation of firing on the queen's arrival had
encouraged a belief among the enemy that there was a scarcity of powder
in the camp, he ordered a general discharge from all the batteries. The
sudden burst of war from every quarter soon convinced the Moors of their
error and completed the confusion of the citizens, who knew not which
most to dread, their assailants or their defenders, the Christians or
the Gomeres.

That evening the sovereigns visited the encampment of the marques of
Cadiz, which commanded a view over a great part of the city, the camp,
and the sea with its flotillas. The tent of the marques was of great
magnitude, furnished with hangings of rich brocade and French cloth of
the rarest texture. It was in the Oriental style, and, as it crowned the
height, with the surrounding tents of other cavaliers, all sumptuously
furnished, presented a gay and silken contrast to the opposite towers of
Gibralfaro. Here a splendid collation was served up to the sovereigns,
and the courtly revel that prevailed in this chivalrous encampment, the
glitter