Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. I.djvu/509

363 ROUT IN THE AXARQUIA. 363 manoeuvres of cavalry ; while the Moors, trained chapter to the wild tactics of mountain warfare, went '- — through their usual evolutions, retreating and re- turning to the charge, with a celerity, that sorely distressed their opponents and at length threw them into some disorder. The grand master in consequence, despatched a message to the marquis of Cadiz, requesting his support. The latter, put- ting himself at the head of such of his scattered forces as he could hastily muster, readily obeyed the summons. Discerning on his approach the real source of the grand master's embarrassment, he succeeded in changing the field of action by draw- ing off the Moors to an open reach of the valley, which allowed free play to the movements of the Andalusian horse, when the combined squadrons pressed so hard on the Moslems, that they were soon compelled to take refuge within the depths of their own mountains. ^^ In the mean while, the scattered troops of the Retreat ot ■■■ the Span- advance, alarmed by the report of the action, grad- *'^'- ually assembled under their respective banners, and fell back upon the rear. A council of war was then called. All further progress seemed to be effectually intercepted. The country was every- where in arms. The most that could now be hoped, was, that they might be suffered to retire unmolested with such plunder as they had already acquired. Two routes lay open for this purpose. 23 Conde, Dominacion de los y Andrada, Las Tres Ordenes, fol. Arabes, torn. iii. p. 217. — Pulgar, 71, 72. Reyes Catolicos, p. 204. — Rades