e senior of Palma. The king, with the rest of
the army, remained posted between the two places to render assistance to
either division. The batteries opened upon both places at the same time,
and the thunder of the lombards was mutually heard from one camp to the
other. The Moors made frequent sallies and a valiant defence, but
they were confounded by the tremendous uproar of the batteries and the
destruction of their walls. In the mean time, the alarm-fires gathered
together the Moorish mountaineers of all the Serrania, who assembled in
great numbers in the city of Monda, about a league from Coin. They made
several attempts to enter the besieged town, but in vain: they were each
time intercepted and driven back by the Christians, and were reduced
to gaze at a distance in despair on the destruction of the place. While
thus situated there rode one day into Monda a fierce and haughty Moorish
chieftain at the head of a band of swarthy African horsemen: it was
Hamet el Zegri, the fiery-spirited alcayde of Ronda, at the head of
his band of Gomeres. He had not yet recovered from the rage and
mortification of his defeat on the banks of the Lopera in the disastrous
foray of old Bexir, when he had been obliged to steal back furtively to
his mountains with the loss of the bravest of his followers. He had
ever since panted for revenge. He now rode among the host of warriors
assembled at Monda. "Who among you," cried he, "feels pity for the women
and children of Coin exposed to captivity and death? Whoever he is,
let him follow me, who am ready to die as a Moslem for the relief of
Moslems." So saying, he seized a white banner, and, waving it over his
head, rode forth from the town, followed by the Gomeres. Many of the
warriors, roused by his words and his example, spurred resolutely after
his banner. The people of Coin, being prepared for this attempt, sallied
forth as they saw the white banner and made an attack upon the Christian
camp, and in the confusion of the moment Hamet and his followers
galloped into the gates. This reinforcement animated the besieged, and
Hamet exhorted them to hold out obstinately in defence of life and town.
As the Gomeres were veteran warriors, the more they were attacked the
harder they fought.

At length a great breach was made in the walls, and Ferdinand, who was
impatient of the resistance of the place, ordered the duke of Naxara and
the count of Benavente to enter with their troops, and, as their f