elightful　valleys　of　the　happiest　temperature　and　richest　fertility。　　The　cool　springs　and　limpid　rills　which　gushed　out　in　all　parts　of　the　mountains；　and　the　abundant　streams　which　for　a　great　part　of　the　year　were　supplied　by　the　Sierra　Nevada；　spread　a　perpetual　verdure　over　the　skirts　and　slopes　of　the　hills；　and；　collecting　in　silver　rivers　in　the　valleys；　wound　along　among　plantations　of　mulberry　trees　and　groves　of　oranges　and　citrons；　of　almonds；　figs；　and　pomegranates。　　Here　was　produced　the　finest　silk　of　Spain；　which　gave　employment　to　thousands　of　manufacturers。　　The　sunburnt　sides　of　the　hills　also　were　covered　with　vineyards；　the　abundant　herbage　of　the　mountain…ravines　and　the　rich　pasturage　of　the　valleys　fed　vast　flocks　and　herds；　and　even　the　arid　and　rocky　bosoms　of　the　heights　teemed　with　wealth　from　the　mines　of　various　metals　with　which　they　were　impregnated。　　In　a　word；　the　Alpuxarras　mountains　had　ever　been　the　great　source　of　revenue　to　the　monarchs　of　Granada。　　Their　inhabitants　also　were　hardy　and　warlike；　and　a　sudden　summons　from　the　Moorish　king　could　at　any　time　call　forth　fifty　thousand　fighting…　men　from　their　rocky　fastnesses。
  Such　was　the　rich　but　rugged　fragment　of　an　empire　which　remained　under　the　sway　of　the　old　warrior…monarch　El　Zagal。　　The　mountain…　barriers　by　which　it　was　locked　up　had　protected　it　from　most　of　the　ravages　of　the　present　war。　　El　Zagal　prepared　himself　by　strengthening　every　fortress　to　battle　fiercely　for　its　maintenance。
  The　Catholic　sovereigns　saw　that　fresh　troubles　and　toils　awaited　them。　　The　war　had　to　be　carried　into　a　new　quarter；　demanding　immense　expenditure；　and　new　ways　and　means　must　be　devised　to　replenish　their　exhausted　coffers。　　〃As　this　was　a　holy　war；　however；〃　says　Fray　Antonio　Agapida；　〃and　peculiarly　redounded　to　the　prosperity　of　the　Church；　the　clergy　were　full　of　zeal；　and　contributed　vast　sums　of　money　and　large　bodies　of　troops。　　A　pious　fund　was　also　produced　from　the　first　fruits　of　that　glorious　institution；　the　Inquisition。〃
  It　so　happened　that　about　this　time　there　were　many　families　of　wealth　and　dignity　in　the　kingdoms　of　Aragon　and　Valencia　and　the　principality　of　Catalonia　whose　forefathers　had　been　Jews；　but　had　been　converted　to　Christianity。　　Notwithstanding　the　outward　piety　of　these　families；　it　was　surmised；　and　soon　came　to　be　strongly　suspected；　that　many　of　then　had　a　secret　hankering　after　Judaism；　and　it　was　even　whispered　that　some　of　them　practised　Jewish　rites　in　private。
  The　Catholic　monarch　（continues　Agapida）　had　a　righteous　abhorrence　of　all　kinds　of　heresy　and　a　fervent　zeal　for　the　faith；　he　ordered；　therefore；　a　strict　investigation　of　the　conduct　of　these　pseudo…　Christians。　Inquisitors　were　sent　into　the　provinces　for　the　purpose；　who　proceeded　with　their　accustomed　zeal。　　The　consequence　was；　that　many　families　were　convicted　of　apostasy　from　the　Christian　faith　and　of　the　private　practice　of　Judaism。　　Some；　who　had　grace　and　policy　sufficient　to　reform　in　time；　were　again　received　into　the　Christian　fold　after　being　severely　mulcted　and　condemned　to　heavy　penance；　others　were　burnt　at　〃auto　de　fes〃　for　the　edification　of　the　public；　and　their　property　was　confiscated　for　the　good　of　the　state。
  As　these　Hebrews　were　of　great　wealth　and　had　an　hereditary　passion　for　jewelry；　there　was　found　abundant　store　in　their　possession　of　gold　and　silver；　of　rings　and　necklaces；　and　strings　of　pearl　and　coral；　and　precious　stonestreasures　easy　of　transportation　and　wonderfully　adapted　for　the　emergencies　of　war。　　〃In　this　way；〃　concludes　the　pious　Agapida；　〃these　backsliders；　by　the　all…seeing　contrivances　of　Providence；　were　made　to　serve　the　righteous　cause　which　they　had　so　treacherously　deserted；　and　their　apostate　wealth　was　sanctified　by　being　devoted　to　the　service　of　Heaven　and　the　Crown　in　this　holy　crusade　against　the　infidels。〃
  It　must　be　added；　however；　that　these　pious　financial　expedients　received　some　check　from　the　interference　of　Queen　Isabella。　　Her　penetrating　eyes　discovered　that　many　enormities　had　been　committed　under　color　of　religious　zeal；　and　many　innocent　persons　accused　by　false　witnesses　of　apostasy；　either　through　malice　or　a　hope　of　obtaining　their　wealth：　she　caused　strict　investigation；　therefore；　into　the　proceedings　which　had　been　held；　many　of　which　were　reversed；　and　suborners　punished　in　proportion　to　their　guilt。*
  *Pulgar；　part　3；　c。　100。
  CHAPTER　LXVIII。
  HOW　KING　FERDINAND　INVADED　THE　EASTERN　SIDE　OF　THE　　　　　KINGDOM　OF　GRANADA；　AND　HOW　HE　WAS　RECEIVED　BY　　　　　EL　ZAGAL。
  〃Muley　Abdallah　el　Zagal；〃　says　the　venerable　Jesuit　father　Pedro　Abarca；　〃was　the　most　venomous　Mahometan　in　all　Morisma；〃　and　the　worthy　Fray　Antonio　Agapida　most　devoutly　echoes　his　opinion。　〃Certainly；〃　adds　the　latter；　〃none　ever　opposed　a　more　heathenish　and　diabolical　obstinacy　to　the　holy　inroads　of　the　cross　and　sword。〃
  El　Zagal　felt　that　it　was　necessary　to　do　something　to　quicken　his　popularity　with　the　people；　and　that　nothing　was　more　effectual　than　a　successful　inroad。　　The　Moors　loved　the　stirring　call　to　arms　and　a　wild　foray　among　the　mountains；　and　delighted　more　in　a　hasty　spoil；　wrested　with　hard　fighting　from　the　Christians；　than　in　all　the　steady　and　certain　gains　secured　by　peaceful　traffic。
  There　reigned　at　this　time　a　careless　security　along　the　frontier　of　Jaen。　　The　alcaydes　of　the　Christian　fortresses　were　confident　of　the　friendship　of　Boabdil　el　Chico；　and　they　fancied　his　uncle　too　distant　and　too　much　engrossed　by　his　own　perplexities　to　think　of　molesting　them。　　On　a　sudden　El　Zagal　issued　out　of　Guadix　with　a　chosen　band；　passed　rapidly　through　the　mountains　which　extend　behind　Granada；　and　fell　like　a　thunderbolt　upon　the　territories　in　the　neighborhood　of　Alcala　la　Real。　　Before　the　alarm　could　be　spread　and　the　frontier　roused　he　had　made　a　wide　career　of　destruction　through　the　country；　sacking　and　burning　villages；　sweeping　off　flocks　and　herds；　and　carrying　away　captives。　　The　warriors　of　the　frontier　assembled；　but　El　Zagal　was　already　far　on　his　return　through　the　mountains；　and　he　re…entered　the　gates　of　Guadix　in　triumph；　his　army　laden　with　Christian　spoil　and　conducting　an　immense　cavalgada。　　Such　was　one　of　El　Zagal's　preparatives　for　the　expected　invasion　of　the　Christian　king；　exciting　the　warlike　spirit　of　his　people；　and　gaining　for　himself　a　transient　popularity。
  King　Ferdinand　assembled　his　army　at　Murcia　in　the　spring　of　1488。　He　left　that　city　on　the　fifth　of　June　with　a　flying　camp　of　four　thousand　horse　and　fourteen　thousand　foot。　　The　marques　of　Cadiz　led　the　van；　followed　by　the　adelantado　of　Murcia。　　The　army　entered　the　Moorish　frontier　by　the　sea…coast；　spreading　terror　through　the　land：　wherever　it　appeared；　the　towns　surrendered　without　a　blow；　so　great　was　the　dread　of　experiencing　the　woes　which　had　desolated　the　opposite　frontier。　　In　this　way　Vera；　Velez　el　Rubio；　Velez　el　Blanco；　and　many　towns　of　inferior　note　to　the　number　of　sixty　yielded　at　the　first　summons。
  It　was　not　until　it　approached　Almeria　that　the　army　met　with　resistance。　　This　important　city　was　commanded　by　the　prince　Zelim；　a　relation　of　El　Zagal。　　He　led　forth　his　Moors　bravely　to　the　encounter；　and　skirmished　fiercely　with　the　advance　guard　in　the　gardens　near　the　city。　　King　Ferdinand　came　up　with　the　main　body　of　the　army　and　called　off　his　troops　from　the　skirmish。　　He　saw　that　to　attack　the　place　with　his　present　force　was　fruitless。　　Having　reconnoitred　the　city　and　its　environs；　therefore；　against　a　future　campaign；　he　retired　with　his　army　and　marched　toward　Baza。
  The　old　warrior　El　Zagal　was　himself　drawn　up　in　the　city　of　Baza　with　a　powerful　garrison。　　He　felt　confidence　in　the　strength　of　the　place；　and　rejoiced　when　he　heard　that　the　Christian　king　was　approaching。　　In　the　valley　in　front　of　Baza　there　extended　a　great　tract　of　gardens；　like　a　continued　grove；　intersected　by　canals　and　water　courses。　　In　this　he　stationed　an　ambuscade　of　arquebusiers　and　crossbowmen。　　The　vanguard　of　the　Christian　army　came　marching　gayly　up　the　valley　with　great　sound　of　drum　and　trumpet；　and　led　on　by　the　marques　of　Cadiz　and　the　adelantado　of　Murcia。　As　they　drew　near　El　Zagal　sallied　forth　with　horse　and　foot　and　attacked　them　for　a　time　with　great　spirit。　　Gradually　falling　back；　as　if　pressed　by　their　superior　valor；　he　drew　the　exulting　Christians　among　the　gardens。　　Suddenly　the　Moors　in　ambuscade　burst　from　their　concealment；　and　opened　such　a　fire　in　flank　and　rear　that　many　of　the　Christians　were　slain　and　the　rest　thrown　into　confusion。　　King　Ferdinand　arrived　in　time　to　see　the　disastrous　situation　of　his　troops；　and　gave　signal　for　the　vanguard　to　retire。
  El　Zagal　did　not　permit　the　foe　to　draw　off　unmolested。　　Ordering　out　fresh　squadrons；　he　fell　upon　the　rear　of　the　retreating　troops　with　triumphant　shouts；　driving　them　before　him　with　dreadful　havoc。　　The　old　war…cry　of　〃El　Zagal！　El　Zagal！〃　was　again　put　up　by　the　Moors；　and　echoed　with　transport　from　the　walls　of　the　city。　　The　Christians　were　in　imminent　peril　of　a　complete　rout；　when；　fortunately；　the　adelantado　of　Murcia　threw　himself　with　a　large　body　of　horse　and　foot