hey　were；　in　fact；　reduced　to　great　extremity　through　want　of　water　and　provisions。
  Don　Francisco　found　it　impossible；　with　his　small　force；　to　make　any　impression　on　the　camp　of　the　Moors　or　to　get　to　the　relief　of　the　castle。　　He　stationed　his　little　band　upon　a　rocky　height　near　the　sea；　where　they　were　safe　from　the　assaults　of　the　enemy。　　The　sight　of　his　friendly　banner　waving　in　their　neighborhood　cheered　the　heart　of　the　garrison；　and　gave　them　assurance　of　speedy　succor　from　the　king；　while　the　hostile　menaces　of　Don　Francisco　served　to　check　the　attacks　of　the　Moors　upon　the　citadel。
  In　the　mean　time；　Hernan　Perez　del　Pulgar；　who　always　burned　to　distinguish　himself　by　bold　and　striking　exploits；　had　discovered　in　the　course　of　his　prowlings　a　postern　gate　of　the　castle　opening　upon　the　steep　part　of　the　rocky　hill　looking　toward　the　mountains。　The　thought　occurred　to　him　that　by　a　bold　dash　at　a　favorable　moment　this　postern　might　be　attained　and　succor　thrown　into　the　castle。　　He　pointed　the　place　out　to　his　comrades。　　〃Who　will　follow　my　banner；〃　said　he；　〃and　make　a　dash　for　yonder　postern？〃　　A　bold　proposition　in　time　of　warfare　never　wants　for　bold　spirits　to　accept　it。　　Seventy　resolute　men　stepped　forward　to　second　him。　Pulgar　chose　the　early　daybreak　for　his　enterprise；　when　the　Moors；　just　aroused　from　sleep；　were　changing　guard　and　making　the　various　arrangements　of　the　morning。　　Favored　by　these　movements　and　the　drowsiness　of　the　hour；　Pulgar　approached　the　Moorish　line　silently　and　steadily；　most　of　his　followers　armed　with　crossbows　and　espingardas；　or　muskets。　　Then；　suddenly　making　an　onset；　they　broke　through　a　weak　part　of　the　camp　before　the　alarm　had　spread　through　the　army；　and　succeeded　in　fighting　their　way　up　to　the　gate；　which　was　eagerly　thrown　open　to　receive　them。
  The　garrison；　roused　to　new　spirit　by　this　unlooked…for　reinforcement；　was　enabled　to　make　a　more　vigorous　resistance。　　The　Moors；　however；　who　knew　there　was　a　great　scarcity　of　water　in　the　castle；　exulted　in　the　idea　that　this　additional　number　of　warriors　would　soon　exhaust　the　cisterns　and　compel　a　surrender。　　Pulgar；　hearing　of　this　hope；　caused　a　bucket　of　water　to　be　lowered　from　the　battlements　and　threw　a　silver　cup　in　bravado　to　the　Moors。
  The　garrison；　in　truth；　suffered　intensely　from　thirst；　while；　to　tantalize　them　in　their　sufferings；　they　beheld　limpid　streams　winding　in　abundance　through　the　green　plain　below　them。　　They　began　to　fear　that　all　succor　would　arrive　too　late；　when　one　day　they　beheld　a　little　squadron　of　vessels　far　at　sea；　but　standing　toward　the　shore。　　There　was　some　doubt　at　first　whether　it　might　not　be　a　hostile　armament　from　Africa；　but　as　it　approached　they　descried；　to　their　great　joy；　the　banner　of　Castile。
  It　was　a　reinforcement；　brought　in　all　haste　by　the　governor　of　the　fortress；　Don　Francisco　Ramirez。　　The　squadron　anchored　at　a　steep　rocky　island　which　rises　from　the　very　margin　of　the　smooth　sandy　beach　directly　in　front　of　the　rock　of　Salobrena　and　stretches　out　into　the　sea。　　On　this　island　Ramirez　landed　his　men；　and　was　as　strongly　posted　as　if　in　a　fortress。　　His　force　was　too　scanty　to　attempt　a　battle；　but　he　assisted　to　harass　and　distract　the　besiegers。　　Whenever　King　Boabdil　made　an　attack　upon　the　fortress　his　camp　was　assailed　on　one　side　by　the　troops　of　Ramirez；　who　landed　from　their　island；　and　on　another　by　those　of　Don　Francisco　Enriquez；　who　swept　down　from　their　rock；　while　Hernan　del　Pulgar　kept　up　a　brave　defence　from　every　tower　and　battlement　of　the　castle。
  The　attention　of　the　Moorish　king　was　diverted　also；　for　a　time；　by　an　ineffectual　attempt　to　relieve　the　little　port　of　Adra；　which　had　recently　declared　in　his　favor；　but　which　had　been　recaptured　for　the　Christians　by　Cid　Hiaya　and　his　son　Alnayar。　　Thus；　the　unlucky　Boabdil；　bewildered　on　every　hand；　lost　all　the　advantage　that　he　had　gained　by　his　rapid　march　from　Granada。　　While　he　was　yet　besieging　the　obstinate　citadel；　tidings　were　brought　him　that　King　Ferdinand　was　in　full　march　with　a　powerful　host　to　its　assistance。　There　was　no　time　for　further　delay：　he　made　a　furious　attack　with　all　his　forces　upon　the　castle；　but　was　again　repulsed　by　Pulgar　and　his　coadjutors；　when；　abandoning　the　siege　in　despair；　he　retreated　with　his　army；　lest　King　Ferdinand　should　get　between　him　and　his　capital。　　On　his　way　back　to　Granada；　however；　he　in　some　sort　consoled　himself　for　his　late　disappointment　by　overrunning　a　part　of　the　territories　and　possessions　lately　assigned　to　his　uncle　El　Zagal　and　to　Cid　Hiaya。　　He　defeated　their　alcaydes；　destroyed　several　of　their　fortresses；　burnt　their　villages；　and；　leaving　the　country　behind　him　reeking　and　smoking　with　his　vengeance；　returned　with　considerable　booty　to　repose　himself　within　the　walls　of　the　Alhambra。*
  *Pulgar；　Cron。；　p。　3；　c　。131；　Cura　de　los　Palacios；　cap。　97。
  CHAPTER　LXXXIX。
  HOW　KING　FERDINAND　TREATED　THE　PEOPLE　OF　GUADIX；　AND　HOW　　　　　EL　ZAGAL　FINISHED　HIS　REGAL　CAREER。
  Scarcely　had　Boabdil＇11＇ensconced　himself　in　his　capital　when　King　Ferdinand；　at　the　head　of　seven　thousand　horse　and　twenty　thousand　foot；　again　appeared　in　the　Vega。　　He　had　set　out　in　all　haste　from　Cordova　to　the　relief　of　Salobrena；　but　hearing　on　his　march　that　the　siege　was　raised；　he　turned　to　make　a　second　ravage　round　the　walls　of　devoted　Granada。　　His　present　forage　lasted　fifteen　days；　in　the　course　of　which　almost　everything　that　had　escaped　his　former　desolating　visit　was　destroyed；　and　scarce　a　green　thing　or　a　living　animal　was　left　on　the　face　of　the　land。　　The　Moors　sallied　frequently　and　fought　desperately　in　defence　of　their　fields；　but　the　work　of　destruction　was　accomplished；　and　Granada；　once　the　queen　of　gardens；　was　left　surrounded　by　a　desert。
  Ferdinand　next　hastened　to　crush　a　conspiracy　in　the　cities　of　Guadix；　Baza；　and　Almeria。　　These　recently　conquered　places　had　entered　into　secret　correspondence　with　Boabdil；　inviting　him　to　march　to　their　gates；　promising　to　rise　upon　the　Christian　garrisons；　seize　upon　the　citadels；　and　surrender　them　into　his　power。　　The　marques　of　Villena　had　received　notice　of　the　conspiracy；　and　suddenly　thrown　himself　with　a　large　force　into　Guadix。　　Under　pretence　of　a　review　of　the　inhabitants　he　made　them　sally　forth　into　the　fields　before　the　city。　　When　the　whole　Moorish　population　capable　of　bearing　arms　was　thus　without　the　walls；　he　ordered　the　gates　to　be　closed。　　He　then　permitted　them　to　enter　two　by　two　and　three　by　three；　and　take　forth　their　wives；　children；　and　effects。　　The　houseless　Moors　were　fain　to　make　themselves　temporary　hovels　in　the　gardens　and　orchards　about　the　city；　they　were　clamorous　in　their　complaints　at　being　thus　excluded　from　their　homes；　but　were　told　they　must　wait　with　patience　until　the　charges　against　them　could　be　investigated　and　the　pleasure　of　the　king　be　known。*
  *Zurita；　lib。；　c。　85；　Cura　de　los　Palacios；　c。　97。
  When　Ferdinand　arrived　at　Guadix；　he　found　the　unhappy　Moors　in　their　cabins　among　the　orchards。　　They　complained　bitterly　of　the　deception　practised　upon　them；　and　implored　permission　to　return　into　the　city　and　live　peaceably　in　their　dwellings；　as　had　been　promised　them　in　their　articles　of　capitulation。
  King　Ferdinand　listened　graciously　to　their　complaints。　　〃My　friends；〃　said　he　in　reply；　〃I　have　been　informed　that　there　has　been　a　conspiracy　among　you　to　kill　my　alcayde　and　garrison　and　to　take　part　with　my　enemy；　the　king　of　Granada。　　I　shall　make　a　thorough　investigation　of　this　conspiracy。　　Those　among　you　who　shall　be　proved　innocent　shall　be　restored　to　their　dwellings；　but　the　guilty　shall　incur　the　penalty　of　their　offences。　　As　I　wish；　however；　to　proceed　with　mercy　as　well　as　justice；　I　now　give　you　your　choiceeither　to　depart　at　once　without　further　question；　going　wherever　you　please；　and　taking　with　you　your　families　and　effects　under　an　assurance　of　safety；　or　to　deliver　up　those　who　are　guilty；　not　one　of　whom；　I　give　you　my　royal　word；　shall　escape　punishment。〃
  When　the　people　of　Guadix　heard　these　words　they　communed　among　themselves；　and；　as　most　of　them　（says　the　worthy　Agapida）　were　either　culpable　or　feared　to　be　considered　so；　they　accepted　the　alternative　and　departed　sorrowfully；　they　and　their　wives　and　their　little　ones。　　〃Thus；〃　in　the　words　of　that　excellent　and　contemporary　historian　Andres　Bernaldez；　commonly　called　the　curate　of　Los　Palacios；〃thus　did　the　king　deliver　Guadix　from　the　hands　of　the　enemies　of　our　holy　faith　after　seven　hundred　and　seventy　years　that　it　had　been　in　their　possession；　ever　since　the　time　of　Roderick　the　Goth；　and　this　was　one　of　the　mysteries　of　our　Lord；　who　would　not　consent　that　the　city　should　remain　longer　in　the　power　of　the　Moors〃a　pious　and　sage　remark　which　is　quoted　with　peculiar　approbation　by　the　worthy　Agapida。
  King　Ferdinand　offered　similar　alternatives　to　the　Moors　of　Baza；　Almeria；　and　other　cities　accused　of　participation　in　this　conspiracy；　who　generally　preferred　to　abandon　their　homes　rather　than　incur　the　risk　of　an　investigation。　　Most　of　them　relinquished　Spain　as　a　country　where　they　could　no　longer　live　in　security　and　independence；　and　depa