care
was to send thither all his treasures; his next care was to take refuge
there himself; his third, that his sultana Zoraya and their two sons
should follow him.

In the mean time, Muley Abdallah el Zagal pursued his journey toward the
capital, attended by his three hundred cavaliers. The road from Malaga
to Granada winds close by Alhama, and is dominated by that lofty
fortress. This had been a most perilous pass for the Moors during the
time that Alhama was commanded by the count de Tendilla: not a traveller
could escape his eagle eye, and his garrison was ever ready for a sally.
The count de Tendilla, however, had been relieved from this arduous
post, and it had been given in charge to Don Gutiere de Padilla, clavero
(or treasurer) of the order of Calatrava--an easy, indulgent man, who
had with him three hundred gallant knights of his order, besides
other mercenary troops. The garrison had fallen off in discipline; the
cavaliers were hardy in fight and daring in foray, but confident in
themselves and negligent of proper precautions. Just before the journey
of El Zagal a number of these cavaliers, with several soldiers of
fortune of the garrison, in all about one hundred and seventy men,
had sallied forth to harass the Moorish country during its present
distracted state, and, having ravaged the valleys of the Sierra Nevada,
or Snowy Mountains, were returning to Alhama in gay spirits and laden
with booty.

As El Zagal passed through the neighborhood of Alhama he recollected
the ancient perils of the road, and sent light cerradors in advance to
inspect each rock and ravine where a foe might lurk in ambush. One of
these scouts, overlooking a narrow valley which opened upon the road,
descried a troop of horsemen on the banks of a little stream. They were
dismounted, and had taken the bridles from their steeds, that they
might crop the fresh grass on the banks of the river. The horsemen were
scattered about, some reposing in the shades of rocks and trees, others
gambling for the spoil they had taken: not a sentinel was posted to
keep guard; everything showed the perfect security of men who consider
themselves beyond the reach of danger.

These careless cavaliers were in fact the knights of Calatrava
returning from their foray. A part of their force had passed on with
the cavalgada; ninety of the principal cavaliers had halted to refresh
themselves in this valley. El Zagal smiled with ferocious joy when he
heard of th