Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. II.djvu/92

68 68 WAR OF GRANADA. PART and his instructions be received, determining the I. ^ course to be adopted. BaMsurren- Xhe alcavdc of Baza represented to his master ilers. ■J 1 the low state to which the garrison was reduced bj the loss of lives and the failure of ammunition. Still, he expressed such confidence in the spirit of his people, that he undertook to make good his defence some time longer, provided any reasonable expec- tation of succour could be afforded ; otherwise, it would be a mere waste of life, and must deprive him of such vantage ground as he now possessed, for enforcing an honorable capitulation. The Mos- lem prince acquiesced in the reasonableness of these representations. He paid a just tribute to his brave kinsman Cidi Yahje's loyalty, and the gallantry of his defence ; but, confessing at the same time his own inability to relieve him, author- ized him to negotiate the best terms of surrender which he could, for himself and garrison.'^ Conditions. A mutual desire of terminating the protracted hostilities infused a spirit of moderation into both parties, which greatly facilitated the adjustment of the articles. Ferdinand showed none of the arro- gant bearing, which marked his conduct towards the unfortunate people of Malaga, whether from a conviction of its impolicy, or, as is more probable, because the city of Baza was itself in a condition to assume a more imposing attitude. The principal 18 Peter Martyr, Opus Epist., — Carbajal, Anales, MS., aiTo lib. 3, epist. 80. — Conde, Domiiia- 1489. — Cardonne, Hist. d'Alrique cion de los Arabes, torn. iii. p. 212. et d'Espagne, torn. iii. p. 305.