ing one hundred men; they were furnished with
ladders to be thrown from their summits to the tops of the walls, and
within those ladders others were encased, to be let down for the descent
of the troops into the city. There were gallipagos, or tortoises,
also being great wooden shields, covered with hides, to protect the
assailants and those who undermined the walls.

Secret mines were commenced in various places: some were intended to
reach to the foundations of the walls, which were to be propped up with
wood, ready to be set on fire; others were to pass under the walls, and
remain ready to be broken open so as to give entrance to the besiegers.
At these mines the army worked day and night, and during these secret
preparations the ordnance kept up a fire upon the city to divert the
attention of the besieged.

In the mean time, Hamet displayed wonderful vigor and ingenuity in
defending the city and in repairing or fortifying by deep ditches the
breaches made by the enemy. He noted also every place where the camp
might be assailed with advantage, and gave the besieging army no
repose night or day. While his troops sallied on the land, his floating
batteries attacked the besiegers on the sea, so that there was incessant
skirmishing. The tents called the Queen's Hospital were crowded with
wounded, and the whole army suffered from constant watchfulness and
fatigue. To guard against the sudden assaults of the Moors, the trenches
were deepened and palisadoes erected in front of the camp; and in that
part facing Gibralfaro, where the rocky heights did not admit of
such defences, a high rampart of earth was thrown up. The cavaliers
Garcilasso de la Vega, Juan de Zuniga, and Diego de Atayde were
appointed to go the rounds and keep vigilant watch that these
fortifications were maintained in good order.

In a little while Hamet discovered the mines secretly commenced by the
Christians: he immediately ordered counter-mines. The soldiers mutually
worked until they met and fought hand to hand in these subterranean
passages. The Christians were driven out of one of their mines; fire was
set to the wooden framework and the mine destroyed. Encouraged by this
success, the Moors attempted a general attack upon the camp, the mines,
and the besieging fleet. The battle lasted for six hours on land and
water, above and below ground, on bulwark, and in trench and mine; the
Moors displayed wonderful intrepidity, but were finally repulsed at