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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Mementos　of　Boabdil。



　　WHILE　my　mind　was　still　warm　with　the　subject　of　the　unfortunate

Boabdil；　I　set　forth　to　trace　the　mementos　of　him　still　existing　in

this　scene　of　his　sovereignty　and　misfortunes。　In　the　Tower　of

Comares；　immediately　under　the　Hall　of　Ambassadors；　are　two　vaulted

rooms；　separated　by　a　narrow　passage；　these　are　said　to　have　been

the　prisons　of　himself　and　his　mother；　the　virtuous　Ayxa　la　Horra；

indeed；　no　other　part　of　the　tower　would　have　served　for　the

purpose。　The　external　walls　of　these　chambers　are　of　prodigious

thickness；　pierced　with　small　windows　secured　by　iron　bars。　A　narrow

stone　gallery；　with　a　low　parapet；　extends　along　three　sides　of　the

tower　just　below　the　windows；　but　at　a　considerable　height　from　the

ground。　From　this　gallery；　it　is　presumed；　the　queen　lowered　her　son

with　the　scarfs　of　herself　and　her　female　attendants　during　the

darkness　of　the　night　to　the　hillside；　where　some　of　his　faithful

adherents　waited　with　fleet　steeds　to　bear　him　to　the　mountains。

　　Between　three　and　four　hundred　years　have　elapsed；　yet　this　scene　of

the　drama　remains　almost　unchanged。　As　I　paced　the　gallery；　my

imagination　pictured　the　anxious　queen　leaning　over　the　parapet；

listening；　with　the　throbbings　of　a　mother's　heart；　to　the　last　echoes

of　the　horses'　hoofs　as　her　son　scoured　along　the　narrow　valley　of　the

Darro。

　　I　next　sought　the　gate　by　which　Boabdil　made　his　last　exit　from

the　Alhambra；　when　about　to　surrender　his　capital　and　kingdom。　With

the　melancholy　caprice　of　a　broken　spirit；　or　perhaps　with　some

superstitious　feeling；　he　requested　of　the　Catholic　monarchs　that　no

one　afterwards　might　be　permitted　to　pass　through　it。　His　prayer；

according　to　ancient　chronicles；　was　complied　with；　through　the

sympathy　of　isabella；　and　the　gate　was　walled　up。*



　　*　Ay　una　puerta　en　la　Alhambra　por　la　qual　salio　Chico　Rey　de　los

Moros；　quando　si　rindio　prisionero　al　Rey　de　Espana　D。　Fernando；　y

le　entrego　la　ciudad　con　el　castillo。　Pidio　esta　principe　como　por

merced；　y　en　memoria　de　tan　importante　conquista；　al　que　quedasse

siempre　cerrada　esta　puerta。　Consintio　en　allo　el　Rey　Fernando；　y

des　de　aquel　tiempo　no　solamente　no　se　abrio　la　puerta　sino　tambien　se

construyo　junto　a　ella　fuerte　bastion。…　MORERI'S　Historical

Dictionary。

　　＇There　was　a　gate　in　the　Alhambra　by　which　Chico　the　King　of　the

Moors　went　out　when　he　gave　himself　up　as　a　prisoner　to　the　King　of

Spain；　Don　Ferdinand；　and　surrendered　to　him　the　city　and　the

castle。　This　prince　asked　as　a　favor；　and　in　memory　of　such　an

important　conquest；　that　this　portal　always　remain　closed。　King

Ferdinand　consented　to　this；　and　from　that　time　not　only　was　the

gate　not　opened　but　also　a　strong　bastion　was　constructed　around　it。＇



　　I　inquired　for　some　time　in　vain　for　such　a　portal；　at　length　my

humble　attendant；　Mateo　Ximenes；　said　it　must　be　one　closed　up　with

stones；　which；　according　to　what　he　had　heard　from　his　father　and

grandfather；　was　the　gateway　by　which　King　Chico　had　left　the

fortress。　There　was　a　mystery　about　it；　and　it　had　never　been　opened

within　the　memory　of　the　oldest　inhabitant。

　　He　conducted　me　to　the　spot。　The　gateway　is　in　the　centre　of　what

was　once　an　immense　pile；　called　the　Tower　of　the　Seven　Floors　（la

Torre　de　los　Siete　Suelos）。　It　is　famous　in　the　neighborhood　as　the

scene　of　strange　apparitions　and　Moorish　enchantments。　According　to

Swinburne　the　traveller；　it　was　originally　the　great　gate　of　entrance。

The　antiquaries　of　Granada　pronounce　it　the　entrance　to　that　quarter

of　the　royal　residence　where　the　king's　bodyguards　were　stationed。

It　therefore　might　well　form　an　immediate　entrance　and　exit　to　the

palace；　while　the　grand　Gate　of　Justice　served　as　the　entrance　of

state　to　the　fortress。　When　Boabdil　sallied　by　this　gate　to　descend　to

the　Vega；　where　he　was　to　surrender　the　keys　of　the　city　to　the

Spanish　sovereigns；　he　left　his　vizier　Aben　Comixa　to　receive；　at

the　Gate　of　Justice；　the　detachment　from　the　Christian　army　and　the

officers　to　whom　the　fortress　was　to　be　given　up。*



　　*　The　minor　details　of　the　surrender　of　Granada　have　been　stated

in　different　ways　even　by　eye…witnesses。　The　author；　in　his　revised

edition　of　the　Conquest；　has　endeavored　to　adjust　them　according　to

the　latest　and　apparently　best　authorities。



　　The　once　redoubtable　Tower　of　the　Seven　Floors　is　now　a　mere

wreck；　having　been　blown　up　with　gunpowder　by　the　French；　when　they

abandoned　the　fortress。　Great　masses　of　the　wall　lie　scattered

about；　buried　in　luxuriant　herbage；　or　overshadowed　by　vines　and

fig…trees。　The　arch　of　the　gateway；　though　rent　by　the　shock；　still

remains；　but　the　last　wish　of　poor　Boabdil　has　again；　though

unintentionally；　been　fulfilled；　for　the　portal　has　been　closed　up

by　loose　stones　gathered　from　the　ruins；　and　remains　impassable。

　　Mounting　my　horse；　I　followed　up　the　route　of　the　Moslem　monarch

from　this　place　of　his　exit。　Crossing　the　hill　of　Los　Martyros；　and

keeping　along　the　garden　wall　of　a　convent　bearing　the　same　name；　I

descended　a　rugged　ravine　beset　by　thickets　of　aloes　and　Indian

figs；　and　lined　with　caves　and　hovels　swarming　with　gipsies。　The

descent　was　so　steep　and　broken　that　I　was　fain　to　alight　and　lead

my　horse。　By　this　via　dolorosa　poor　Boabdil　took　his　sad　departure

to　avoid　passing　through　the　city；　partly；　perhaps；　through

unwillingness　that　its　inhabitants　should　behold　his　humiliation；

but　chiefly；　in　all　probability；　lest　it　might　cause　some　popular

agitation。　For　the　last　reason；　undoubtedly；　the　detachment　sent　to

take　possession　of　the　fortress　ascended　by　the　same　route。

　　Emerging　from　this　rough　ravine；　so　full　of　melancholy　associations；

and　passing　by　the　puerta　de　los　molinos　（the　gate　of　the　mills）；　I

issued　forth　upon　the　public　promenade　called　the　Prado；　and

pursuing　the　course　of　the　Xenil；　arrived　at　a　small　chapel；　once　a

mosque；　now　the　Hermitage　of　San　Sebastian。　Here；　according　to

tradition；　Boabdil　surrendered　the　keys　of　Granada　to　King

Ferdinand。　I　rode　slowly　thence　across　the　Vega　to　a　village　where　the

family　and　household　of　the　unhappy　king　awaited　him；　for　he　had

sent　them　forward　on　the　preceding　night　from　the　Alhambra；　that　his

mother　and　wife　might　not　participate　in　his　personal　humiliation；

or　be　exposed　to　the　gaze　of　the　conquerors。　Following　on　in　the　route

of　the　melancholy　band　of　royal　exiles；　I　arrived　at　the　foot　of　a

chain　of　barren　and　dreary　heights；　forming　the　skirt　of　the　Alpuxarra

mountains。　From　the　summit　of　one　of　these　the　unfortunate　Boabdil

took　his　last　look　at　Granada；　it　bears　a　name　expressive　of　his

sorrows；　la　Cuesta　de　las　Lagrimas　（the　Hill　of　Tears）。　Beyond　it；　a

sandy　road　winds　across　a　rugged　cheerless　waste；　doubly　dismal　to　the

unhappy　monarch；　as　it　led　to　exile。

　　I　spurred　my　horse　to　the　summit　of　a　rock；　where　Boabdil　uttered

his　last　sorrowful　exclamation；　as　he　turned　his　eyes　from　taking

their　farewell　gaze；　it　is　still　denominated　el　ultimo　suspiro　del

Moro　（the　last　sigh　of　the　Moor）。　Who　can　wonder　at　his　anguish　at

being　expelled　from　such　a　kingdom　and　such　an　abode？　With　the

Alhambra　he　seemed　to　be　yielding　up　all　the　honors　of　his　line；　and

all　the　glories　and　delights　of　life。

　　It　was　here；　too；　that　his　affliction　was　embittered　by　the　reproach

of　his　mother；　Ayxa；　who　had　so　often　assisted　him　in　times　of

peril；　and　had　vainly　sought　to　instil　into　him　her　own　resolute

spirit。　〃You　do　well；〃　said　she；　〃to　weep　as　a　woman　over　what　you

could　not　defend　as　a　man〃；　a　speech　savoring　more　of　the　pride　of　the

princess　than　the　tenderness　of　the　mother。

　　When　this　anecdote　was　related　to　Charles　V　by　Bishop　Guevara；　the

emperor　joined　in　the　expression　of　scorn　at　the　weakness　of　the

wavering　Boabdil。　〃Had　I　been　he；　or　he　been　I；〃　said　the　haughty

potentate；　〃I　would　rather　have　made　this　Alhambra　my　sepulchre　than

have　lived　without　a　kingdom　in　the　Alpuxarra。〃　How　easy　it　is　for

those　in　power　and　prosperity　to　preach　heroism　to　the　vanquished！　how

little　can　they　understand　that　life　itself　may　rise　in　value　with　the

unfortunate；　when　nought　but　life　remains　I

　　Slowly　descending　the　〃Hill　of　Tears；〃　I　let　my　horse　take　his　own

loitering　gait　back　to　Granada；　while　I　turned　the　story　of　the

unfortunate　Boabdil　over　in　my　mind。　In　summing　up　the　particulars　I

found　the　balance　inclining　in　his　favor。　Throughout　the　whole　of

his　brief；　turbulent；　and　disastrous　reign；　he　gives　evidence　of　a

mild　and　amiable　character。　He；　in　the　first　instance；　won　the

hearts　of　his　people　by　his　affable　and　gracious　manners；　he　was

always　placable；　and　never　inflicted　any　severity　of　punishment　upon

those　who　occasionally　rebelled　against　him。　He　was　personally

brave；　but　wanted　moral　courage；　and；　in　times　of　difficulty　and

perplexity；　was　wavering　and　irresolute。　This　feebleness　of　spirit

hastened　his　downfall；　while　it　deprived　him　of　that　heroic　grace

which　would　have　given　grandeur　and　dignity　to　his　fate；　and

rendered　him　worthy　of　closing　the　splendid　drama　of　the　Moslem

domination　in　Spain。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Public　Fetes　of　Granada。



　　MY　DEVOTED　squire　and　whilom　ragged　cicerone　Mateo　Ximenes；　had　a

poor…devil　passion　for　fates　and　holidays；　and　was　never　so　eloquent

as　when　detailing　the　civil　and　religious　festivals　of　Granada。　During

the　preparations　for　the　annual　Catholic　fete　of　Corpus　Christi；　he

was　in　a　state　of　incessant　transition　between　the　Alhambra　and　the

subjacent　city；　bringing　me　daily　accounts　of　the　magnificent

arrangements　that　were　in　progress；　and　endeavoring；　but　in　vain；　to

lure　me　down　from　my　cool　and　airy　retreat　to　witness　them。　At　length；

on　the　eve　of　the　eventful　day　I　yielded　to　his　solicitations　and

descended　from　the　regal　halls　of　the　Alhambra　under　his　escort；　as

did　of　yore　the　adventure…seeking　Haroun