SIEGE OF BAZA CONTINUED.--HOW KING FERDINAND COMPLETELY INVESTED THE
CITY.
The Moorish prince Cid Hiaya had received tidings of the doubts and
discussions in the Christian camp, and flattered himself with hopes
that the besieging army would soon retire in despair, though the veteran
Mohammed shook his head with incredulity. A sudden movement one morning
in the Christian camp seemed to confirm the sanguine hopes of the
prince. The tents were struck, the artillery and baggage were conveyed
away, and bodies of soldiers began to march along the valley. The
momentary gleam of triumph was soon dispelled. The Catholic king had
merely divided his host into two camps, the more effectually to distress
the city.
One, consisting of four thousand horse and eight thousand foot, with all
the artillery and battering engines, took post on the side of the city
toward the mountain. This was commanded by the marques of Cadiz, with
whom were Don Alonso de Aguilar, Luis Fernandez Puerto Carrero, and many
other distinguished cavaliers.
The other camp was commanded by the king, having six thousand horse
and a great host of foot-soldiers, the hardy mountaineers of Biscay,
Guipuscoa, Galicia, and the Asturias. Among the cavaliers who were with
the king were the brave count de Tendilla, Don Rodrigo de Mendoza, and
Don Alonso de Cardenas, master of Santiago.
The two camps were wide asunder, on opposite sides of the city, and
between them lay the thick wilderness of orchards. Both camps were
therefore fortified by great trenches, breastworks, and palisadoes. The
veteran Mohammed, as he saw these two formidable camps glittering on
either side of the city, and noted the well-known pennons of renowned
commanders fluttering above them, still comforted his companions. “These
camps,” said he, “are too far removed from each other for mutual succor
and cooperation, and the forest of orchards is as a gulf between
them.” This consolation was but of short continuance. Scarcely were the
Christian camps fortified when the ears of the Moorish garrison were
startled by the sound of innumerable axes and the crash of falling
trees. They looked with anxiety from their highest towers, and beheld
their favorite groves sinking beneath the blows of the Christian
pioneers. The Moors sallied forth with fiery zeal to protect their
beloved gardens and the orchards in which they so much delighted. The
Christians, however, were too well supported to be driven from their
work. Day after day the gardens became the scene of incessant and bloody
skirmishings; yet still the devastation of the groves went on, for King
Ferdinand was too well aware of the necessity of clearing away this
screen of woods not to bend all his forces to the undertaking. It was
a work, however, of gigantic toil and patience. The trees were of such
magnitude, and so closely set together, and spread over so wide an
extent, that, notwithstanding four thousand men were employed, they
could scarcely clear a strip of land ten paces broad within a day; and
such were the interruptions from the incessant assaults of the Moors
that it was full forty days before the orchards were completely
levelled.
The devoted city of Baza now lay stripped of its beautiful covering
of groves and gardens, at once its ornament, its delight, and its
protection. The besiegers went on slowly and surely, with almost
incredible labors, to invest and isolate the city. They connected their
camps by a deep trench across the plain a league in length, into which
they diverted the waters of the mountain-streams. They protected this
trench by palisadoes, fortified by fifteen castles at regular distances.
They dug a deep trench also, two leagues in length, across the mountain
in the rear of the city, reaching from camp to camp, and fortified it
on each side with walls of earth and stone and wood. Thus the Moors were
enclosed on all sides by trenches, palisadoes, walls, and castles,
so that it was impossible for them to sally beyond this great line of
circumvallation, nor could any force enter to their succor. Ferdinand
made an attempt likewise to cut off the supply of water from the city;
“for water,” observes the worthy Agapida, “is more necessary to these
infidels than bread, making use of it in repeated daily ablutions
enjoined by their damnable religion, and employing it in baths and in
a thousand other idle and extravagant modes of which we Spaniards and
Christians make but little account.”
There was a noble fountain of pure water which gushed out at the foot
of the hill Albohacen just behind the city. The Moors had almost a
superstitious fondness for this fountain, and chiefly depended upon it
for their supplies. Receiving intimation from some deserters of the
plan of King Ferdinand to get possession of this precious fountain,
they sallied forth at night and threw up such powerful works upon the
impending hill as to set all attempts of the Christian assailants at
defiance.