ter them stones and darts and
discharging showers of arrows. Many of the Christians in their terror
and their ignorance of the mountains, rushed headlong from the brinks of
precipices and were dashed in pieces.

Don Alonso still maintained his ground, but, while some of the Moors
assailed him in front, others galled him with all kinds of missiles from
the impending cliffs. Some of the cavaliers, seeing the hopeless nature
of the conflict, proposed to abandon the height and retreat down the
mountain. "No," said Don Alonso proudly; "never did the banner of
the house of Aguilar retreat one foot in the field of battle." He had
scarcely uttered these words when his son Pedro was stretched at his
feet. A stone hurled from a cliff had struck out two of his teeth, and
a lance passed quivering through his thigh. The youth attempted to rise,
and, with one knee on the ground, to fight by the side of his father.
Don Alonso, finding him wounded, urged him to quit the field. "Fly, my
son," said he; "let us not put everything at venture upon one hazard.
Conduct thyself as a good Christian, and live to comfort and honor thy
mother."

Don Pedro still refused to leave his side. Whereupon Don Alonso ordered
several of his followers to bear him off by force. His friend Don
Francisco Alvarez of Cordova, taking him in his arms, conveyed him to
the quarters of the count of Urena, who had halted on the height at
some distance from the scene of battle for the purpose of rallying and
succoring the fugitives. Almost at the same moment the count beheld his
own son, Don Pedro Giron, brought in grievously wounded.

In the mean time, Don Alonso, with two hundred cavaliers, maintained the
unequal contest. Surrounded by foes, they fell, one after another,
like so many stags encircled by the hunters. Don Alonso was the last
survivor, without horse and almost without armor, his corselet unlaced
and his bosom gashed with wounds. Still, he kept a brave front to the
enemy, and, retiring between two rocks, defended himself with such valor
that the slain lay in a heap before him.

He was assailed in this retreat by a Moor of surpassing strength and
fierceness. The contest was for some time doubtful, but Don Alonso
received a wound in the head, and another in the breast, which made
him stagger. Closing and grappling with his foe, they had a desperate
struggle, until the Christian cavalier, exhausted by his wounds, fell
upon his back. He still retained his