The ravages of war had as yet spared a little portion of the vega of Granada.  A green belt of gardens and orchards still flourished around the city, extending along the banks of the Xenel and the Darro.  They had been the solace and delight of the inhabitants in their happier days, and contributed to their sustenance in this time of scarcity.  Ferdinand determined to make a final and exterminating ravage to the very walls of the city, so that there should not remain a single green thing for the sustenance of man or beast.

As the evening advanced the bustle in the camp subsided.  Everyone sought repose, preparatory to the next day’s trial.  The King retired early, that he might be up with the crowing of the cock to head the destroying army in person.  The Queen had retired to the innermost part of her pavilion, where she was performing her orisons before a private altar.  While thus at her prayers she was suddenly aroused by a glare of light and wreaths of suffocating smoke.  In an instant the whole tent was in a blaze; there was a high gusty wind, which whirled the light flames from tent to tent, and wrapped the whole in one conflagration.

Isabella had barely time to save herself by instant flight.  Her first thought, on being extricated from her tent, was for the safety of the King.  She rushed to his tent, but the vigilant Ferdinand was already at the entrance of it.  Starting from bed at the first alarm, and fancying it an assault of the enemy, he had seized his sword and buckler, and sallied forth undressed, with his cuirass upon his arm.  The late gorgeous camp was now a scene of wild confusion.  The flames kept spreading from one pavilion to another, glaring upon the rich armor and golden and silver vessels, which seemed melting in the fervent heat.  The ladies of the court fled, shrieking and half dressed, from their tents.  There was an alarm of drum and trumpet, and a distracted hurry about the camp of men half armed.

The idea that this was a stratagem of the Moors soon subsided; but it was feared they might take advantage of it to assault the camp.  The Marquis of Cadiz, therefore, sallied forth with three thousand horse to check any advance from the city.  When they emerged from the camp they found the whole firmament illuminated.  The flames whirled up in long light spires, and the air was filled with sparks and cinders.  A bright glare was thrown upon the city, revealing every battlement and tower.  Turbaned heads were seen gazing from every roof, and armor gleamed along the walls; yet not a single warrior sallied from the gates.  The Moors suspected some stratagem on the part of the Christians, and kept quietly within their walls.  By degrees the flames expired; the city faded from sight; all again became dark and quiet, and the Marquis of Cadiz returned with his cavalry to the camp.  When the day dawned on the Christian camp nothing remained of that beautiful assemblage of stately pavilions but heaps of smouldering rubbish.  The fire at first had been attributed to treachery, but on investigation it proved to be entirely accidental.