is devoted and dauntless
followers.

The capture of Coin was accompanied by that of Cartama: the
fortifications of the latter were repaired and garrisoned, but Coin,
being too extensive to be defended by a moderate force, its walls
were demolished. The siege of these places struck such terror into the
surrounding country that the Moors of many of the neighboring towns
abandoned their homes, and fled with such of their effects as they could
carry away, upon which the king gave orders to demolish their walls and
towers.

King Ferdinand now left his camp and his heavy artillery near Cartama,
and proceeded with his lighter troops to reconnoitre Malaga. By this
time the secret plan of attack arranged in the council of war at Cordova
was known to all the world. The vigilant warrior, El Zagal, had thrown
himself into the place, put all the fortifications, which were of vast
strength, into a state of defence, and sent orders to the alcaydes of
the mountain-towns to hasten with their forces to his assistance.

The very day that Ferdinand appeared before the place El Zagal sallied
forth to receive him at the head of a thousand cavalry, the choicest
warriors of Granada. A sharp skirmish took place among the gardens and
olive trees near the city. Many were killed on both sides, and this gave
the Christians a foretaste of what they might expect if they attempted
to besiege the place.

When the skirmish was over the marques of Cadiz had a private conference
with the king. He represented the difficulty of besieging Malaga with
their present force, especially as their plans had been discovered and
anticipated, and the whole country was marching to oppose them. The
marques, who had secret intelligence from all quarters, had received
a letter from Juceph Xerife, a Moor of Ronda of Christian lineage,
apprising him of the situation of that important place and its garrison,
which at that moment laid it open to attack, and the marques was urgent
with the king to seize upon this critical moment, and secure a place
which was one of the most powerful Moorish fortresses on the frontiers,
and in the hands of Hamet el Zegri had been the scourge of Andalusia.
The good marques had another motive for his advice, becoming a true and
loyal knight. In the deep dungeons of Ronda languished several of his
companion-in-arms who had been captured in the defeat in the Axarquia.
To break their chains and restore them to liberty and light he felt
to be hi