mains of the knights of Santiago and Calatrava. She entrusted the
administration of these supplies to able and confidential persons. Some
were employed to collect the grain; others to take it to the mills;
others to superintend the grinding and delivery; and others to convey
it to the camp. To every two hundred animals a muleteer was allotted to
take charge of them on the route. Thus great lines of convoys were in
constant movement, traversing to and fro, guarded by large bodies of
troops to defend them from hovering parties of the Moors. Not a single
day's intermission was allowed, for the army depended upon the constant
arrival of the supplies for daily food. The grain when brought into
the camp was deposited in an immense granary, and sold to the army at a
fixed price, which was never either raised or lowered.

Incredible were the expenses incurred in these supplies, but the queen
had ghostly advisers thoroughly versed in the art of getting at the
resources of the country. Many worthy prelates opened the deep purses of
the Church, and furnished loans from the revenues of their dioceses
and convents, and their pious contributions were eventually rewarded
by Providence a hundred-fold. Merchants and other wealthy individuals,
confident of the punctual faith of the queen, advanced large sums on
the security of her word; many noble families lent their plate without
waiting to be asked. The queen also sold certain annual rents in
inheritance at great sacrifices, assigning the revenues of towns and
cities for the payment. Finding all this insufficient to satisfy the
enormous expenditure, she sent her gold and plate and all her jewels
to the cities of Valencia and Barcelona, where they were pledged for a
great amount of money, which was immediately appropriated to keep up the
supplies of the army.

Thus through the wonderful activity, judgment, and enterprise of this
heroic and magnanimous woman a great host, encamped in the heart of the
warlike country accessible only over mountain-roads, was maintained in
continual abundance. Nor was it supplied merely with the necessaries
and comforts of life. The powerful escorts drew merchants and artificers
from all parts to repair, as if in caravans, to this great military
market. In a little while the camp abounded with tradesmen and artists
of all kinds to administer to the luxury and ostentation of the
youthful chivalry. Here might be seen cunning artificers in steel and
accomplis