nger than the left; and of such length as to enable him to cover
his knee with his hand without bending his body.'

Taric listened to the old beldame with grave attention; and, when she had
concluded, he laid bare his shoulder, and lo! there was the mole as it had
been described; his right arm, also, was, in verity, found to exceed the
other in length, though not to the degree that had been mentioned. Upon
this the Arab host shouted for joy, and felt assured of conquest.

The discreet Antonio Agapida, though he records this circumstance as it is
set down in ancient chronicle, yet withholds his belief from the pretended
prophecy, considering the whole a cunning device of Taric to increase the
courage of his troops. 'Doubtless,' says he, 'there was a collusion
between this ancient sybil and the crafty son of Ishmael; for these
infidel leaders were full of damnable inventions, to work upon the
superstitious fancies of their followers, and to inspire them with a blind
confidence in the success of their arms.'

Be this as it may, the veteran Taric took advantage of the excitement of
his soldiery, and led them forward to gain possession of a stronghold,
which was, in a manner, the key to all the adjacent country. This was a
lofty mountain, or promontory, almost surrounded by the sea; and connected
with the mainland by a narrow isthmus. It was called the rock of Calpe,
and, like the opposite rock of Ceuta, commanded the entrance to the
Mediterranean Sea. Here, in old times, Hercules had set up one of his
pillars, and the city of Heraclea had been built.

As Taric advanced against this promontory, he was opposed by a hasty levy
of the Christians, who had assembled under the banner of a Gothic noble of
great power and importance, whose domains lay along the mountainous coast
of the Mediterranean. The name of this Christian cavalier was Theodomir,
but he has universally been called Tadmir by the Arabian historians; and
is renowned as being the first commander that made any stand against the
inroad of the Moslems. He was about forty years of age; hardy, prompt, and
sagacious; and had all the Gothic nobles been equally vigilant and shrewd
in their defence, the banner of Islam would never have triumphed over the
land.

Theodomir had but seventeen hundred men under his command, and these but
rudely armed; yet he made a resolute stand against the army of Taric, and
defended the pass to the promontory with great valor. He was, at le