hat Boabdil once more issued forth from the
gates of Granada on martial enterprise. A few leagues from the city,
within full view of it, and at the entrance of the Alpuxarras mountains,
stood the powerful castle of Alhendin. It was built on an eminence
rising from the midst of a small town, and commanding a great part of
the Vega and the main road to the rich valleys of the Alpuxarras. The
castle was commanded by a valiant Christian cavalier named Mendo de
Quexada, and garrisoned by two hundred and fifty men, all seasoned and
experienced warriors. It was a continual thorn in the side of Granada:
the laborers of the Vega were swept off from their fields by its hardy
soldiers; convoys were cut off in the passes of the mountains; and, as
the garrison commanded a full view of the gates of the city, no band of
merchants could venture forth on their needful journeys without being
swooped up by the war-hawks of Alhendin.

It was against this important fortress that Boabdil first led his
troops, and for six days and nights it was closely besieged. The
alcayde and his veteran garrison defended themselves valiantly, but were
exhausted by fatigue and constant watchfulness; for the Moors, being
continually relieved by fresh troops from Granada, kept up an unremitted
and vigorous attack. Twice the barbican was forced, and twice the
assailants were driven forth headlong with excessive loss. The garrison,
however, was diminished in number by the killed and wounded; there were
no longer soldiers sufficient to man the walls and gateway; and the
brave alcayde was compelled to retire with his surviving force to
the keep of the castle, in which he continued to make a desperate
resistance.

The Moors now approached the foot of the tower under shelter of wooden
screens covered with wet hides to ward off missiles and combustibles.
They went to work vigorously to undermine the tower, placing props of
wood under the foundations, to be afterward set on fire, so as to give
the besiegers time to escape before the edifice should fall. Some of
the Moors plied their crossbows and arquebuses to defend the workmen
and drive the Christians from the walls, while the latter showered
down stones and darts and melted pitch and flaming combustibles on the
miners.

The brave Mendo de Quexada had cast many an anxious eye across the Vega
in hopes of seeing some Christian force hastening to his assistance. Not
a gleam of spear or helm was to be descried, for