University of Virginia Library

CHAPTER LXXIII.

The Moorish prince, Cidi Yahye, had
received intelligence of the doubts and
discussions in the Christian camp, and
flattered himself with hopes, that the
besieging army would soon retire in despair;
though the veteran alcayde, Mohammed,
shook his head with incredulity
at the suggestion. A sudden movement
next morning in the Christian camp
seemed to confirm the sanguine hopes
of the prince. The tents were struck,
the artillery and baggage were conveyed
away, and bodies of soldiers began to
march along the valley. The momentary
gleam of triumph was soon dispelled.
The catholic king had merely divided
his host into two camps, the more effectually
to distress the city. One, consisting
of four thousand horse, and eight
thousand foot, with all the artillery and
battering engines, took post on the side
of the city towards the mountain. This
was commanded by the valiant Marquis
of Cadiz, with whom were Don Alonso
de Aguilar, Luis Fernandez Puerto Carrero,
and many other distinguished cavaliers.

The other camp was commanded by
the king; having six thousand horse,
and a great host of foot-soldiers, the
hardy mountaineers of Biscay, Guipuscoa,
Gallicia, and the Asturias. Among
the cavaliers who were with the king,
were the brave Count de Tendilla, Don
Rodrigo de Mendoza, and Don Alonso

de Cardenas, Master of Santiago. The
two camps were wide asunder, on opposite
sides of the city; and between them
lay the thick wilderness of orchards.
Both camps were therefore fortified by
great trenches, breastworks, and palisadoes.
The veteran Mohammed, as he
saw these two formidable camps, glittering
on each side of the city, and noted
the well known pennons of renowned
commanders fluttering above them, still
comforted his companions. "These
camps," said he, "are too far removed
from each other for mutual succour and
co-operation; and the forest of orchards
is as a gulf between them." This consolation
was but of short continuance.
Scarcely were the Christian camps fortified,
when the ears of the Moorish garrison
were startled by the sound of innumerable
axes, and the crash of falling
trees. They looked with anxiety from
their highest towers; and, behold, their
favourite groves were sinking beneath
the blows of the Christian pioneers!
The Moors sallied forth with fiery zeal
to protect their beloved gardens, and the
orchards in which they so much delighted.
The Christians, however, were too
well supported to be driven from their
work. Day after day, the gardens became
the scene of incessant and bloody
skirmishings. Still the devastation of
the groves went on; for King Ferdinand
was too well aware of the necessity of
clearing away this screen of woods, not
to bend all his forces to the undertaking.
It was a work, however, of gigantic toil
and patience. The trees were of such
magnitude, and so closely set together,
and spread over so wide an extent, that,
notwithstanding four thousand men were
employed, they could scarcely clear a
strip of land ten paces broad, within a
day: and such were the interruptions,
from the incessant assaults of the Moors,
that it was full forty days before the orchards
were completely levelled.

The devoted city of Baza now lay
stripped of its beautiful covering of
groves and gardens, at once its ornament,
its delight, and its protection. The
besiegers went on slowly and surely, with
almost incredible labours, to invest and
isolate the city. They connected their
camps by a deep trench across the plain,
a league in length, into which they diverted
the waters of the mountain streams.
They protected this trench by palisadoes,
fortified by fifteen castles, at regular distances.
They dug a deep trench also,
two leagues in length, across the mountain,
in the rear of the city, reaching
from camp to camp, and fortified it on
each side with walls of earth and stone,
and wood. Thus the Moors were enclosed
on all sides by trenches, palisadoes,
walls, and castles; so that it was
impossible for them to sally beyond this
great line of circumvallation, nor could
any force enter to their succour. Ferdinand
made an attempt likewise to cut
off the supply of water from the city:
"for water," observes the worthy Agapida,
"is more necessary to these infidels
than bread; as they make use of it
in repeated daily ablutions, enjoined by
their damnable religion, and employ it
in baths, and in a thousand other idle
and extravagant modes, of which we
Spaniards and Christians make but little
account."

There was a noble fountain of pure
water, which gushed out at the foot of
the hill Albohacen, just behind the city.
The Moors had almost a superstitious
fondness for this fountain, and daily depended
upon it for their supplies. Receiving
intimation from some deserters
of the plan of King Ferdinand to get
possession of this precious fountain, they
sallied forth at night, and threw up
such powerful works upon the impending
hill, as to set all attempts of the Christian
assailants at defiance.