ent to the queen at
Cordova. The humane heart of Isabella melted at the sight of the piteous
cavalcade. They were all supplied by her with food and raiment, and
money to pay their expenses to their homes. Their chains were hung as
pious trophies against the exterior of the church of St. Juan de los
Reyes in Toledo, where the Christian traveller may regale his eyes with
the sight of them at this very day.*

* Seen by the author in 1826.

Among the Moorish captives was a young infidel maiden, of great beauty,
who desired to become a Christian and to remain in Spain. She had been
inspired with the light of the true faith through the ministry of a
young man who had been a captive in Ronda. He was anxious to complete
his good work by marrying her. The queen consented to their pious
wishes, having first taken care that the young maiden should be properly
purified by the holy sacrament of baptism.

"Thus this pestilent nest of warfare and infidelity, the city of Ronda,"
says the worthy Fray Antonio Agapida, "was converted to the true faith
by the thunder of our artillery--an example which was soon followed by
Cazarabonela, Marbella, and other towns in these parts, insomuch that
in the course of this expedition no less than seventy-two places were
rescued from the vile sect of Mahomet and placed under the benignant
domination of the Cross."

CHAPTER XXXI.

HOW THE PEOPLE OF GRANADA INVITED EL ZAGAL TO THE THRONE, AND HOW HE
MARCHED TO THE CAPITAL.

The people of Granada were a versatile, unsteady race, and exceedingly
given to make and unmake kings. They had for a long time vacillated
between old Muley Abul Hassan and his son, Boabdil el Chico, sometimes
setting up the one, sometimes the other, and sometimes both at once,
according to the pinch and pressure of external evils. They found,
however, that the evils still went on increasing in defiance of every
change, and were at their wits' end to devise some new combination or
arrangement by which an efficient government might be wrought out of
two bad kings. When the tidings arrived of the fall of Ronda, and the
consequent ruin of the frontier, a tumultuous assemblage took place
in one of the public squares. As usual, the people attributed the
misfortunes of the country to the faults of their rulers, for the
populace never imagine that any part of their miseries can originate
with themselves. A crafty alfaqui, named Alyme Mazer, who had watched
the current