n who formed part of the garrison of Malaga.

They traversed the kingdom by the wild and lonely passes of the
mountains, concealing themselves in the day and travelling only in
the night to elude the Christian scouts. At length they arrived at the
mountains which tower above Malaga, and, looking down, beheld the city
completely invested, a chain of encampments extending round it from
shore to shore and a line of ships blockading it by sea, while the
continual thunder of artillery and the smoke rising in various parts
showed that the siege was pressed with great activity. The hermit
scanned the encampments warily from his lofty height. He saw that the
part of the encampment of the marques of Cadiz which was at the foot of
the height and on the margin of the sea was most assailable, the rocky
soil not admitting ditches or palisadoes. Remaining concealed all day,
he descended with his followers at night to the sea-coast and approached
silently to the outworks. He had given them their instructions: they
were to rush suddenly upon the camp, fight their way through, and throw
themselves into the city.

It was just at the gray of the dawning, when objects are obscurely
visible, that they made this desperate attempt. Some sprang suddenly
upon the sentinels, others rushed into the sea and got round the works,
others clambered over the breastworks. There was sharp skirmishing;
a great part of the Moors were cut to pieces, but about two hundred
succeeded in getting into the gates of Malaga.

The santon took no part in the conflict, nor did he endeavor to enter
the city. His plans were of a different nature. Drawing apart from the
battle, he threw himself on his knees on a rising ground, and, lifting
his hands to heaven, appeared to be absorbed in prayer. The Christians,
as they were searching for fugitives in the clefts of the rocks, found
him at his devotions. He stirred not at their approach, but remained
fixed as a statue, without changing color or moving a muscle. Filled
with surprise, not unmingled with awe, they took him to the marques of
Cadiz. He was wrapped in a coarse albornoz, or Moorish mantle, his beard
was long and grizzled, and there was something wild and melancholy in
his look that inspired curiosity. On being examined, he gave himself out
as a saint to whom Allah had revealed the events that were to take place
in that siege. The marques demanded when and how Malaga was to be taken.
He replied that he knew full