mmits of the
snowy mountains which rise above Granada when the Christian camp was in
motion. A detachment of horse and foot, led by distinguished cavaliers,
and accompanied by Hernando de Talavera, Bishop of Avila, proceeded to
take possession of the Alhambra and the towers. It had been stipulated
in the capitulation that the detachment sent for this purpose should
not enter by the streets of the city; a road had therefore been opened,
outside of the walls, leading by the Puerta de los Milinos (or "Gate of
the Mills"), to the summit of the Hill of Martyrs, and across the hill to
a postern gate of the Alhambra.

When the detachment arrived at the summit of the hill the Moorish King
came forth from the gate, attended by a handful of cavaliers, leaving his
vizier Yusef Aben Comixa to deliver up the palace. "Go, senior," said
he to the commander of the detachment, "go and take possession of those
fortresses, which Allah has bestowed upon your powerful sovereigns,
in punishment of the sins of the Moors." He said no more, but passed
mournfully on along the same road by which the Spanish cavaliers had
come, descending to the vega to meet the Catholic sovereigns. The troops
entered the Alhambra, the gates of which were wide open, and all its
splendid courts and halls silent and deserted.

In the mean time the Christian court and army poured out of the city
of Santa Fe and advanced across the vega. The King and Queen, with the
Prince and Princess, and the dignitaries and ladies of the court, took
the lead, accompanied by the different orders of monks and friars, and
surrounded by the royal guards splendidly arrayed. The procession moved
slowly forward and paused at the village of Armilla, at the distance of
half a league from the city.

The sovereigns waited here with impatience, their eyes fixed on the lofty
tower of the Alhambra, watching for the appointed signal of possession.
The time that had elapsed since the departure of the detachment seemed
to them more than necessary for the purpose, and the anxious mind of
Ferdinand began to entertain doubts of some commotion in the city. At
length they saw the silver cross, the great standard of this crusade,
elevated on the Torre de la Vala (or "Great Watch-tower") and sparkling
in the sunbeams. This was done by Hernando de Talavera, Bishop of Avila.
Beside it was planted the pennon of the glorious apostle St. James, and a
great shout of "Santiago! Santiago!" rose throughout the a