Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. I.djvu/488

342 WAR OF GRANADA. PART I. Ferdinand, crossing the Xenil at Ecija, arrived again on its banks before Loja, on the 1st of July. nicin before The ariTiy encamped among the hills, whose deep ravines obstructed communication between its dif- ferent quarters ; while the level plains below were intersected by numerous canals, equally unfavorable to the manoeuvres of the men-at-arms. The duke of Villa Hermosa, the king's brother, and captain- general of the hermandad, an officer of large ex- perience, would have persuaded Ferdinand to at- tempt, by throwing bridges across the river lower down the stream, to approach the city on the other side. But his counsel was overruled by the Cas- tilian officers, to whom the location of the camp had been intrusted, and who neglected, according to Zurita, to advise with the Andalusian chiefs, although far better instructed than themselves in Moorish warfare. ^ A large detachment of the army was ordered to occupy a lofty eminence, at some distance, called the Heights of Albohacen, and to fortify it with such few pieces of ordnance as they had, with the view of annoying the city. This commission was intrusted to the marquises of Cadiz and Villena, and the grand master of Calatrava ; which last nobleman had brought to the field about four hun- dred horse and a large body of infantry from the places belonging to his order in Andalusia. Before HUirmisli Willi the fiicmy. MS., cap. 58. — Mariana, Hist. 3 L. Marineo,CosasMemorables, de Espana, torn. ii. pp. 249, 250. fol. 173. — Pulgar, Reyes Cat61i- — Cardonne, Hist. d'Afrique et cos, p. 187. — Zurita, Anales, torn d'Espagne, torn. iii. pp. 259, 260. iv. fol. 316, 317.