not more than a hundred horsemen in his garrison. He threw in
advance two hundred and fifty of his bravest troops, and with them
the alcaydes of Marabella and Casares. Behind this van-guard
followed a great cavalgada of cattle, and in the rear marched the
king with the main force of his little army.

It was near the middle of a sultry summer day when they approached
Castellar. De Vargas was on the watch, and beheld, by an immense
cloud of dust, that they were descending one of the heights of that
wild and broken country. The van-guard and rear-guard were above
half a league asunder, with the cavalgada between them, and a long
and close forest hid them from each other. De Vargas saw that they
could render but little assistance to each other in case of a sudden
attack, and might be easily thrown into confusion. He chose fifty of
his bravest horsemen, and, making a circuit, took his post secretly
in a narrow glen opening into a defile between two rocky heights
through which the Moors had to pass. It was his intention to suffer
the van-guard and the cavalgada to pass, and to fall upon the rear.

While thus lying perdu six Moorish scouts, well mounted and well
armed, entered the glen, examining every place that might conceal an
enemy. Some of the Christians advised that they should slay these
six men and retreat to Gibraltar. "No," said De Vargas; "I have come
out for higher game than these; and I hope, by the aid of God and
Santiago, to do good work this day. I know these Moors well, and
doubt not but that they may readily be thrown into confusion."

By this time the six horsemen approached so near that they were on
the point of discovering the Christian ambush. De Vargas gave the
word, and ten horsemen rushed upon them; in an instant four of the