he rocks; at length, Ibrahim Zenete being
disabled by the thrust of a lance, the Moors gave way and retreated to
the castle.

They now opened a galling fire from their battlements and towers,
approaching the breaches so as to discharge their crossbows and
arquebuses into the advanced guard of the encampment. The marques was
singled out: the shot fell thick about him, and one passed through his
buckler and struck upon his cuirass, but without doing him any injury.
Every one now saw the danger and inutility of approaching the camp thus
near to the castle, and those who had counselled it were now urgent that
it should be withdrawn. It was accordingly removed back to its original
ground, from which the marques had most reluctantly advanced it. Nothing
but his valor and timely aid had prevented this attack on his outpost
from ending in a total rout of all that part of the army.

Many cavaliers of distinction fell in this contest, but the loss of
none was felt more deeply than that of Ortega del Prado, captain of
escaladors. He was one of the bravest men in the service, the same
who had devised the first successful blow of the war, the storming of
Alhama, where he was the first to plant and mount the scaling-ladders.
He had always been high in the favor and confidence of the noble Ponce
de Leon, who knew how to appreciate and avail himself of the merits of
all able and valiant men.*

* Zurita, Mariana, Abarca.

CHAPTER LVII.

SIEGE OF MALAGIA CONTINUED.--STRATAGEMS OF VARIOUS KINDS.

Great were the exertions now made, both by the besiegers and the
besieged, to carry on the contest with the utmost vigor. Hamet went
the rounds of the walls and towers, doubling the guards and putting
everything in the best posture of defence. The garrison was divided into
parties of a hundred, to each of which a captain was appointed. Some
were to patrol, others to sally forth and skirmish with the enemy,
and others to hold themselves armed and in reserve. Six albatozas, or
floating batteries, were manned and armed with pieces of artillery to
attack the fleet.

On the other hand, the Castilian sovereigns kept open a communication by
sea with various parts of Spain, from which they received provisions
of all kinds; they ordered supplies of powder also from Valencia,
Barcelona, Sicily, and Portugal. They made great preparations also for
storming the city. Towers of wood were constructed to move on wheels,
each capable of hold