IANS AND MOORS.

The royal encampment lay so distant from Granada that the general aspect
of the city only could be seen as it rose gracefully from the Vega,
covering the sides of the hills with palaces and towers. Queen Isabella
had expressed an earnest desire to behold nearer at hand a city whose
beauty was so renowned throughout the world; and the marques of Cadiz,
with his accustomed courtesy, prepared a great military escort and
guard to protect her and the ladies of the court while they enjoyed this
perilous gratification.

On the morning of June the 18th a magnificent and powerful train issued
from the Christian camp. The advanced guard was composed of legions of
cavalry, heavily armed, looking like moving masses of polished steel.
Then came the king and queen, with the prince and princess and the
ladies of the court, surrounded by the royal body-guard, sumptuously
arrayed, composed of the sons of the most illustrious houses of Spain;
after these was the rear-guard, a powerful force of horse and foot,
for the flower of the army sallied forth that day. The Moors gazed with
fearful admiration at this glorious pageant, wherein the pomp of the
court was mingled with the terrors of the camp. It moved along in
radiant line across the Vega to the melodious thunders of martial music,
while banner and plume and silken scarf and rich brocade gave a gay and
gorgeous relief to the grim visage of iron war that lurked beneath.

The army moved toward the hamlet of Zubia, built on the skirts of the
mountain to the left of Granada, and commanding a view of the Alhambra
and the most beautiful quarter of the city. As they approached the
hamlet the marques of Villena, the count Urena, and Don Alonso de
Aguilar fled off with their battalions, and were soon seen glittering
along the side of the mountain above the village. In the mean time, the
marques of Cadiz, the count de Tendilla, the count de Cabra, and Don
Alonso Fernandez, senior of Alcaudrete and Montemayor, drew up their
forces in battle array on the plain below the hamlet, presenting a
living barrier of loyal chivalry between the sovereigns and the city.

Thus securely guarded, the royal party alighted, and, entering one of
the houses of the hamlet which had been prepared for their reception,
enjoyed a full view of the city from its terraced roof. The ladies of
the court gazed with delight at the red towers of the Alhambra rising
from amid shady groves, anticipating the