ead of three hundred men and put them to flight with great
carnage. While they were pursuing the flying enemy the rest of the army,
thinking the victory achieved, dispersed themselves over the little
plain in search of plunder. They pursued the shrieking females, tearing
off their necklaces, bracelets, and anklets of gold, and they found so
much treasure of various kinds collected in this spot that they threw by
their armor and weapons to load themselves with booty.

Evening was closing. The Christians, intent upon spoil, had ceased to
pursue the Moors, and the latter were arrested in their flight by the
cries of their wives and children. Their leader, El Feri, threw himself
before them. "Friends, soldiers," cried he, "whither do you fly? Whither
can you seek refuge where the enemy cannot follow you? Your wives, your
children, are behind you--turn and defend them; you have no chance for
safety but from the weapons in your hands."

The Moors turned at his words. They beheld the Christians scattered
about the plain, many of them without armor, and all encumbered with
spoil. "Now is the time!" shouted El Feri: "charge upon them while laden
with your plunder. I will open a path for you." He rushed to the attack,
followed by his Moors, with shouts and cries that echoed through
the mountains. The scattered Christians were seized with panic, and,
throwing down their booty, began to fly in all directions. Don Alonso
de Aguilar advanced his banner and endeavored to rally them. Finding his
horse of no avail in these rocky heights, he dismounted, and caused his
men to do the same: he had a small band of tried followers, with which
he opposed a bold front to the Moors, calling on the scattered troops to
rally in the rear.

Night had completely closed. It prevented the Moors from seeing the
smallness of the force with which they were contending, and Don Alonso
and his cavaliers dealt their blows so vigorously that, aided by
the darkness, they seemed multiplied to ten times their number.
Unfortunately, a small cask of gunpowder blew up near to the scene of
action. It shed a momentary but brilliant light over all the plain and
on every rock and cliff. The Moors beheld, with surprise, that they
were opposed by a mere handful of men, and that the greater part of
the Christians were flying from the field. They put up loud shouts of
triumph. While some continued the conflict with redoubled ardor,
others pursued the fugitives, hurling af