CHAPTER XI.
How Muley Abea Hassan made a foray into the
lands of Medina Sidonia, and how he was received.
Old Muley Aben Hassan had mustered
an army, and marched to the relief of
Loxa; but arrived too late. The last
squadron of Ferdinand had already passed
over the border. "They have come
and gone," said he, "like a summer
cloud, and all their vaunting has been
mere empty thunder." He turned, to
make another attempt upon Alhama, the
garrison of which was in the utmost consternation
at the retreat of Ferdinand,
and would have deserted the place, had
it not been for the courage and perseverance
of the alcayde, Luis Fernandez
Puerto Carrero. That brave and loyal
commander cheered up the spirits of the
men, and kept the old Moorish king at
bay, until the approach of Ferdinand,
on his second incursion into the vega,
obliged him to make an unwilling retreat
to Malaga.
Muley Aben Hassan felt, that it would
be in vain, with his inferior force, to
oppose the powerful army of the Christian
monarch; but to remain idle, and
see his territories laid waste, would ruin
him in the estimation of his people. "If
we cannot parry," said he, "we can
strike: if we cannot keep our own lands
from being ravaged, we can ravage the
lands of the enemy." He inquired, and
learned that most of the chivalry of Andalusia,
in their eagerness for a foray,
had marched off with the king, and left
their own country almost defenceless.
The territories of the Duke of Medina
Sidonia were particularly unguarded.
Here were vast plains of pasturage, covered
with flocks and herds; the very
country for a hasty inroad. The old
monarch had a bitter grudge against the
duke, for having foiled him at Alhama.
"I'll give this cavalier a lesson," said
he, exultingly, "that will cure him of
his love of campaigning." So he prepared
in all haste for a foray into the
country about Medina Sidonia.
Muley Aben Hassan sallied out of
Malaga with fifteen hundred horse and
six thousand foot, and took the way by
the sea-coast, marching through Esteponia
and entering the Christian country
between Gibraltar and Castellar. The
only person that was likely to molest
him on this route was one Pedro de
Vargas, a shrewd, hardy, and vigilant
soldier, alcayde of Gibraltar, and who
lay ensconced in his old warrior-rock as
in a citadel. Muley Aben Hassan knew
the watchful and daring character of the
man; but had ascertained, that his garrison
was too small to enable him to
make a sally, or at least to assure him
any success. Still he pursued his march
with great silence and caution; sent
parties in advance, to explore every pass
where a foe might lie in ambush, cast
many an anxious eye towards the old
rock of Gibraltar, as its cloud-capt
summit was seen towering in the distance
on his left; nor did he feel entirely at
case, until he had passed through the
broken and mountainous country of
Castellar, and descended into the plains.
Here he encamped, on the banks of the
Celemin. From hence he sent four
hundred corredors, or fleet horsemen,
armed with lances, who were to station
themselves near Algeziras, and to keep
a strict watch, across the bay, upon the
opposite fortress of Gihraltar. If the
alcayde attempted to sally forth, they
were to waylay and attack him, being
almost four times his supposed force, and
were to send swift tidings to the camp.
In the mean time, two hundred corredors
were despatched to scour that vast
plain called the Campiña de Tarifa,
abounding with flocks and herds, and
two hundred more were to ravage the
lands about Medina Sidonia. Muley
Aben Hassan remained with the main
body of the army as a rallying point on
the banks of the Celemin. The foraging
parties scoured the country to such an
effect, that they came driving vast flocks
and herds before them, enough to supply
the place of all that had been swept from
the vega of Granada. The troops which
had kept watch upon the rock of Gibraltar
returned, with word, that they had
not seen a Christian helmet stirring.
The old king congratulated himself upon
the secrecy and promptness with which
he had conducted his foray, and upon
having baffled the vigilance of Pedro de
Vargas.
Muley Aben Hassan had not been so
secret as he imagined. The watchful
Pedro de Vargas had received notice of
his movements. His garrison was barely
sufficient for the defence of the place, and
he feared to take the field, and leave his
fortress unguarded. Luckily, at this
juncture, there arrived in the harbour of
Gibraltar a squadron of the armed galleys
stationed in the strait, and commanded
by Carlos de Valera. The alcayde
immediately prevailed upon him to guard
the place during his absence, and sallied
forth at midnight with seventy horse.
He made for the town of Castellar, which
is strongly posted on a steep height,
knowing that the Moorish king would
have to return by this place. He ordered
alarm-fires to be lighted upon the mountains,
to give notice that the Moors were
on the ravage, that the peasants might
drive the flocks and herds to places of
refuge; and he sent couriers at full speed
in every direction, summoning the fighting
men of the neighbourhood to meet
him at Castellar. Muley Aben Hassan
saw, by the fires blazing about the mountains,
that the country was rising.
He struck his tents, and pushed forward
as rapidly as possible for the
border; but he was encumbered with
booty, and with the vast cavalgada swept
from the pastures of the Campiña of
Tarifa. His scouts brought him word,
that there were troops in the field; but
he made light of the intelligence, knowing,
that they could only be those of the
alcayde of Gibraltar, and that he had
not more than a hundred horsemen in his
garrison. He threw in advance two
hundred and fifty of his bravest troops,
and with them the aleaydes of Marabilla
and Casares. Behind this vanguard
was a great cavalgada of cattle, and in
the rear marched the king, with the main
force of his army. It was near the
middle of a sultry summer day, that they
approached Castellar. De Vargas was
on the watch; and beheld, by an immense
cloud of dust, that they were
descending one of the heights of that
wild and broken country. The vanguard
and rearguard were above half a league
asunder, with the cavalgada between
them, and a long and a close forest hid
them from each other. De Vargas saw,
that they could render but little assistance
to each other, in case of a sudden
attack, and might be easily thrown into
confusion. He chose fifty of his bravest
horsemen, and, making a circuit, took
his post secretly in a narrow glen, opening
into a defile between two rocky
heights, through which the Moors had to
pass. It was his intention to suffer the
vanguard and the cavalgada to pass, and
to fall upon the rear.
While thus lying perdue, six Moorish
scouts, well mounted and well armed,
entered the glen, examining every place
that might conceal an enemy. Some of
the Christians advised, that they should
slay these six men, and retreat to Gibraltar.
"No," said De Vargas; "I have
come out for higher game than these, and
I hope, by the aid of God and Santiago,
to do good work this day. I know these
Moors well, and doubt not but that they
may readily be thrown into confusion."
By this time the six scouts approached
so near, that they were on the point of
discovering the Christiam ambush. De
Vargas gave the word, and ten horsemen
rushed forth upon them. In an instant,
four of the Moors rolled in the dust; the
other two put spurs to their steeds, and fled
towards their army, pursued by the ten
Christians. About eighty of the Moorish
vanguard came galloping to the relief of
their companions: the Christians turned,
and fled towards their ambush. De
Vargas kept his men concealed, until the
fugitives and their pursuers came clattering
pell-mell into the glen: at a signal
trumpet, his men sallied forth, with great
heat, and in close array. The Moors
almost rushed upon their weapons before
they perceived them. Forty of the infidels
were overthrown; the rest turned
their backs. "Forward!" cried De
Vargas: "let us give the vanguard a
brush before it can be joined by the rear."
So saying, he pursued the flying Moors
down the hill, and came with such force
and fury upon the advance guard, as to
overthrow many of them at the first encounter.
As he wheeled off with his
men, the Moors discharged their lances,
upon which he returned to the charge,
and made great slaughter. The Moors
fought valiantly for a short time, until
the alcaydes of Marabilla and Casares
were slain, when they gave way, and
fled for the rearguard. In their flight
they passed through the cavalgada of
cattle, threw the whole in confusion, and
raised such a cloud of dust, that the
Christians could no longer distinguish
objects. Fearing the king and the main
body might be at hand, and finding that
De Vargas was severely wounded, they
contented themselves with despoiling the
slain, and taking above twenty-eight
horses, and then returned to Castellar.
When the routed Moors came flying
back on the rearguard, Muley Aben
Hassan feared that the people of Xeres
were in arms. Several of his followers
advised him to abandon the cavalgada,
and retreat by another road. "No,"
said the old king; "he is no true soldier,
who gives up his booty without fighting."
Putting spurs to his horse, he galloped
forward through the centre of the cavalgada,
driving the cattle to the right and
left. When he reached the field of battle,
he found it strewed with the bodies of
upwards of one hundred Moors, among
which were those of the two alcaydes.
Enraged at the sight, he summoned all
his crossbow-men and cavalry, pushed
on to the very gates of Castellar, and set
fire to two houses close to the walls.
Pedro de Vargas was unable from his
wound to sally forth in person; but he
ordered out his troops, and there was
brisk skirmishing under the walls, until
the king drew off, and returned to the
scene of the recent encounter. Here he
had the bodies of the principal warriors
laid across mules, to be interred honourably
at Malaga. The rest of the slain
were buried in the field of battle. Gathering
together the scattered cavalgada, he
paraded it slowly, in an immense line,
past the walls of Castellar, by way of
taunting his foe.
With all his fierceness, old Muley
Aben Hassan had a gleam of warlike
courtesy, and admired the hardy and
soldier-like character of Pedro de Vargas.
He summoned two Christian captives,
and demanded what were the revenues of
the alcayde of Gibraltar. They told him,
that, among other things, he was entitled
to one out of every drove of cattle that
passed his boundaries. "Allah forbid!"
cried the old monarch, "that so brave a
cavalier should be defrauded of his
right." He immediately chose twelve of
the finest cattle from the twelve droves
which formed the cavalgada. These
he gave in charge to an alfaqui, to deliver
them to Pedro de Vargas. "Tell
him," said he, "that I crave his pardon,
for not having sent these cattle sooner,
but I have this moment learned the nature
of his rights, and I hasten to satisfy them
with the punctuality due to so worthy a
cavalier. Tell him at the same time,
that I had no idea the alcayde of Gibraltar
was so active and vigilant in collecting
his tolls."
The brave alcayde relished the stern
soldier-like pleasantry of the old Moorish
monarch, and replied in the same tone.
"Tell his majesty," said he, "that I kiss
his hands for the honour he has done me,
and regret that my scanty force has not
permitted me to give him a more signal
reception on his coming into these parts.
Had three hundred horsemen, whom I
have been promised from Xeres, arrived
in time, I might have served up an entertainment
more befitting such a monarch.
I trust, however, they will arrive in the
course of the night, in which case his
majesty may be sure of a royal regale at
the dawning."
He then ordered, that a rich silken
vest and scarlet mantle should be given
to the alfaqui, and dismissed him with
great courtesy.
Muley Aben Hassan shook his head
when he received the reply of De Vargas.
"Allah preserve us," said he, "from any
visitation of those hard riders of Xeres!
A handful of troops, acquainted with the
wild passes of these mountains, may destroy
an army encumbered as ours is
with booty."
It was some relief to the king, however,
to learn, that the hardy alcayde of
Gibraltar was too severely wounded to
take the field in person. He immediately
beat a retreat with all speed; hurrying
with such precipitation, that the cavalgada
was frequently broken and scattered
among the rugged defiles of the mountains,
and above five thousand of the
cattle turned back, and were regained by
the Christians. Muley Aben Hassan
proceeded triumphantly with the residue
to Malaga, glorying in the spoils of the
Duke of Medina Sidonia.
King Ferdinand was mortified at finding
his incursion into the vega of Granada
counterbalanced by this incursion into his
own dominions, and saw, that there were
two sides to the game of war, as to all
other games. The only one who reaped
real glory in this series of inroads and
skirmishings was Pedro de Vargas, the
stout alcayde of Gibraltar.[24]
