Of the Raft built by the Moors, and how it was boarded by Admiral
Bonifaz.—Destruction of the Moorish Fleet.—Succor from Africa.
While the army of King Fernando the Saint harassed the city by land
and cut off its supplies, the bold Bonifaz, with his fleet, shut up
the river, prevented all succor from Africa, and menaced to attack
the bridge between Triana and Seville, by which the city derived its
sustenance from the opposite country. The Moors saw their peril. If
this pass were destroyed, famine must be the consequence, and the
multitude of their soldiers, on which at present they relied for
safety, would then become the cause of their destruction.
So the Moors devised a machine by which they hoped to sweep the
river and involve the invading fleet in ruin. They made a raft so
wide that it reached from one bank to the other, and they placed
all around it pots and vessels filled with resin, pitch, tar, and
other combustibles, forming what is called Greek fire, and upon it
was a great number of armed men; and on each shore—from the castle
of Triana on the one side, and from the city on the other—sallied
forth legions of troops, to advance at the same time with the raft.
The raft was preceded by several vessels well armed, to attack the
Christian ships, while the soldiers on the raft should hurl on board
their pots of fire; and at length, setting all the combustibles in
a blaze, should send the raft flaming into the midst of the hostile
fleet, and wrap it in one general conflagration.
When everything was prepared, the Moors set off by land and water,
confident of success. But they proceeded in a wild, irregular manner,
shouting and sounding drums and trumpets, and began to attack the
Christian ships fiercely, but without concert, hurling their pots of
fire from a distance, filling the air with smoke, but falling short
of their enemy. The tumultuous uproar of their preparations had put
all the Christians on their guard. The bold Bonifaz waited not to be
assailed; he boarded the raft, attacked vigorously its defenders,
put many of them to the sword, and drove the rest into the water,
and succeeded in extinguishing the Greek fire. He then encountered
the ships of war, grappling them and fighting hand to hand from ship
to ship. The action was furious and bloody, and lasted all the day.
Many were cut down in flight, many fell into the water, and many in
despair threw themselves in and were drowned.
The battle had raged no less fiercely upon the land. On the side of
Seville, the troops had issued from the camp of King Fernando, while
on the opposite shore the brave Master of Santiago, Don Pelayo Perez
Correa, with his warriors and fighting friars, had made sharp work
with the enemy. In this way a triple battle was carried on; there was
the rush of squadrons, the clash of arms, and the din of drums and
trumpets on either bank, while the river was covered with vessels,
tearing each other to pieces as it were, their crews fighting in the
midst of flames and smoke, the waves red with blood and filled with
the bodies of the slain. At length the Christians were victorious;
most of the enemies’ vessels were taken or destroyed, and on either
shore the Moors, broken and discomfited, fled,—those on the one side
for the gates of Seville, and those on the other for the castle of
Triana,—pursued with great slaughter by the victors.
Notwithstanding the great destruction of their fleet, the Moors soon
renewed their attempts upon the ships of Ramon Bonifaz, for they knew
that the salvation of the city required the freedom of the river.
Succor arrived from Africa, of ships, with troops and provisions;
they rebuilt the fire-ships which had been destroyed, and incessant
combats, feints, and stratagems took place daily, both on land and
water. The admiral stood in great dread of the Greek fire used by
the Moors. He caused large stakes of wood to be placed in the river,
to prevent the passage of the fire-ships. This for some time was of
avail; but the Moors, watching an opportunity when the sentinels
were asleep, came and threw cables round the stakes, and fastening
the other ends to their vessels, made all sail, and, by the help
of wind and oars, tore away the stakes and carried them off with
shouts of triumph. The clamorous exultation of the Moors betrayed
them. The Admiral Bonifaz was aroused. With a few of the lightest of
his vessels he immediately pursued the enemy. He came upon them so
suddenly that they were too much bewildered either to fight or fly.
Some threw themselves into the waves in affright; others attempted to
make resistance and were cut down. The admiral took four barks laden
with arms and provisions, and with these returned in triumph to his
fleet.[90]
[90] _Cronica Gotica_, L. 3, § 13. _Cronica General_, pt. 4.
_Cronica de Santo Rey_, c. 55.
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