41. CHAPTER XLI.
How Boabdil el Chico took the field; and his expedition
against Alhendin.
For thirty days, had the vega been overrun by the
christian forces; and that vast plain, late so luxuriant
and beautiful, was one wide scene of desolation.
The destroying army, having accomplished its task,
passed over the bridge of Pinos and wound up into
the mountains, on the way to Cordova, bearing away
the spoils of towns and villages, and driving off flocks
and herds in long dusty columns. The sound of the
last christian trumpet died away along the side of
the mountain of Elvira, and not a hostile squadron
was seen glistening on the mournful fields of the
vega.
The eyes of Boabdil el Chico were at length
opened to the real policy of king Ferdinand, and he
saw that he had no longer any thing to depend upon
but the valor of his arm. No time was to be lost in
hastening to counteract the effect of the late christian
ravage, and in opening the channel for distant
supplies to Granada.
Scarcely had the retiring squadrons of Ferdinand
disappeared among the mountains, when Boabdil
buckled on his armor, sallied forth from the Alhambra,
and prepared to take the field. When the populace
beheld him actually in arms against his late ally,
both parties thronged with zeal to his standard. The
hardy inhabitants also of the Sierra Nevada, or
chain of snow-capped mountains which rise above
Granada, descended from their heights, and hastened
into the city gates, to proffer their devotion to their
youthful king. The great square of the Vivarrambla
shone with the proud array of legions of cavalry,
decked with the colors and devices of the most ancient
Moorish families, and marshalled forth by the
patriot Muza to follow the king to battle.
It was on the 15th of June, that Boabdil once
more issued forth from the gates of Granada on martial
enterprise. A few leagues from the city, within
full view of it, and at the entrance of the Alpuxarra
mountains, stood the powerful castle of Alhendin.
It was built on an eminence, rising from the midst
of a small town, and commanding a great part of the
vega, and the main road to the rich valleys of the
Alpuxarras. The castle was commanded by a valiant
christian cavalier named Mendo de Quexada, and
garrisoned by two hundred and fifty men, all seasoned
and experienced warriors. It was a continual
thorn in the side of Granada: the laborers of the
vega were swept off from their fields, by its hardy
soldiers; convoys were cut off, in the passes of the
mountains; and as the garrison commanded a full
view of the gates of the city, no band of merchants
could venture forth on their needful journeys, without
being swooped up by the war-hawks of Alhendin.
It was against this important fortress, that Boabdil
first led his troops. For six days and nights, the fortress
was closely besieged. The alcayde and his veteran
garrison defended themselves valiantly, but they
were exhausted by fatigue and constant watchfulness;
for the Moors, being continually relieved by
fresh troops from Granada, kept up an unremitted
and vigorous attack. Twice the barbacan was forced,
and twice the assailants were driven forth headlong
with excessive loss. The garrison, however,
was diminished in number by the killed and wounded;
there were no longer soldiers sufficient to man
the walls and gateway; and the brave alcayde was
compelled to retire, with his surviving force, to the
keep of the castle, in which he continued to make a
desperate resistance.
The Moors now approached the foot of the tower,
under shelter of wooden screens covered with wet
hides, to ward off missiles and combustibles. They
went to work vigorously to undermine the tower,
placing props of wood under the foundations, to be
afterwards set on fire, so as to give the besiegers
time to escape before the edifice should fall. Some
of the Moors plied their cross-bows and arquebusses
to defend the workmen, and to drive the christians
from the wall; while the latter showered down
stones, and darts, and melted pitch, and flaming combustibles,
on the miners.
The brave Mendo de Quexada had cast many an
anxious eye across the vega, in hopes of seeing some
christian force hastening to his assistance. Not a
gleam of spear or helm was to be descried, for no
one had dreamt of this sudden irruption of the
Moors. The alcayde beheld his bravest men dead
or wounded around him, while the remainder were
sinking with watchfulness and fatigue. In defiance
of all opposition, the Moors had accomplished their
mine; the fire was brought before the walls, that
was to be applied to the stancheons, in case the
garrison persisted in defence. In a little while, the
tower would crumble beneath him, and be rent and
hurled a ruin to the plain. At the very last moment,
the brave alcayde made the signal of surrender. He
marched forth with the remnant of his veteran garrison,
who were all made prisoners. Boabdil immediately
ordered the walls of the fortress to be razed,
and fire to be applied to the stanchions, that the
place might never again become a strong-hold to the
christians, and a scourge to Granada. The alcayde
and his fellow-captives were led in dejected convoy
across the vega, when they heard a tremendous
crash behind them. They turned to look upon their
late fortress, but beheld nothing but a heap of tumbling
ruins, and a vast column of smoke and dust,
where once had stood the lofty tower of Alhendin.
