found many rich corselets, helmets, and weapons,
the Moorish trophies of the defeat in the mountains of Malaga. Several
were claimed by their owners; others were known to have belonged to
noble cavaliers who had been slain or taken prisoners. There were
several horses also, richly caparisoned, which had pranced proudly with
the unfortunate warriors as they sallied out of Antiquera upon that
fatal expedition. Thus the exultation of the victors was dashed with
melancholy, and many a knight was seen lamenting over the helmet or
corselet of some loved companion-in-arms.

NOTE.--"En el despojo de la Batalla se vieron muchas ricas corazas e
capacetes, e barberas de las que se habian perdido en el Axarquia, e
otras muchas armas, e algunes fueron conocidas de sus duenos que las
habian dejado por fuir, e otras fueron conocidas, que eran mui senaladas
de hombres principales que habian quedado muertos e cautivos, i fueron
tornados muchos de los mismos Caballos con sus ricas sillas, de los que
quedaron en la Axerquia, e fueron concidos cuios eran."--"Cura de los
Palacios," cap. 67.

CHAPTER XXIII.

RETREAT OF HAMET EL ZEGRI, ALCAYDE OF RONDA.

The bold alcayde of Ronda, Hamet el Zegri, had careered wide over the
Campina of Utrera, encompassing the flocks and herds, when he heard the
burst of war at a distance. There were with him but a handful of
his Gomeres. He saw the scamper and pursuit afar off, and beheld the
Christian horsemen spurring madly toward the ambuscade on the banks
of the Lopera. Hamet tossed his hand triumphantly aloft for his men to
follow him. "The Christian dogs are ours!" said he as he put spurs to
his horse to take the enemy in rear.

The little band which followed Hamet scarcely amounted to thirty
horsemen. They spurred across the plain, and reached a rising ground
just as the force of Puerto Carrero had charged, with sound of trumpet,
upon the flank of the party in ambush. Hamet beheld the headlong rout of
the army with rage and consternation. He found the country was pouring
forth its legions from every quarter, and perceived that there was no
safety but in precipitate flight.

But which way to fly? An army was between him and the mountain-pass; all
the forces of the neighborhood were rushing to the borders; the whole
route by which he had come was by this time occupied by the foe.
He checked his steed, rose in the stirrups, and rolled a stern and
thoughtful eye over the country; then, sinki