The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1888-05-25
the MooR's CAVE.

IeCOuuucSt, WAS famous us hHNlnn
been the scene OF great and memorable
exploits, as much or the part OF
those who defended it as on the part
OF those who valiantly planted upon
its turrets the standard OF the cross.
OF its wallis u few fragments alone
remain. The stones which had once
shaped the watch tower have iallcn
into the moat, one hcHpcd on the
other, forming, as it were IL complete
ford.
| In the court Of arms crow brinrs
and matted vines; on all sides nausht
| can be seen but broken arches, grim
and mollc,ing stone benches, here "a
sheet o. wall, between the crevires OF
which, Tie ivy struggles IN it's growth;
there n 'l,la'i,lalcd tower standing as
II hy miracle, and i,rth"r on pillars OF
cement, st'll enrlrccl by tn. iron
hoops which once upheld the draw.
bridge.
During my stay at the baths much
exercise was recommended nras benz
conducive to my physical improve.
mcnt. Impele,l hy this motive, or
perhaps by one OF curiosity, often
followed the rugged path which led to
the ruins of the Abraham fortress,
and there spent hours carefully cx-
amin'n. the soil, in hopes OF inGlirl.
some Old nrmor, sounlIn. thc WALL:
4" ascertain whether they were hollow
or To discover the hiding place oi
some forgotten treasure; s"a"chilt in
every corner with he anticipation ut
seeing the entrance oi sOmc of those
famous 'uhterrancan dungeons which,
us tradition has il, are to- he found
in Moorish castles
My diigcmL p"rulIsitiuns were
iruitIrss. Al !lst, one evening, inclinn
dIshelrtenet ni not ,liscovcrin. some.
thing curious or new on The rocky
heights upon whirh rests hc castle,
forsook my plans aud limited my
walk to he banks oi the river which
flows near by. Followln. The DRIFT oi
thrrINcl, saw Il gap III the rock, hail
hidden by a luxurinnt arowth oi
brlafs. u WITS not without some
emotion that ] parted the tangled
shrlbbcry that covered the olonin.
oi what seemed to me IL cave ,uu lv
the hand nj nature, and which later
found To he a ~uhtcrranoun vault crl
through he rock.
~ ,,.,t ,,,r.
which WIS lost to sight in sha,inwv
darkness. 1t suited me lo observe
the pec,iliaritirs oi the dome and OF
It's arches, which rose seemingly IL; II
gigantic stairway, stlctchiu. towards
the caStle.ln among t!i" ruins ol which
J remembered having encountered IL
blind rostcrn. Without IL doubt |
had at last found one oi thos" .,pvre1
paths which an" 10y no means uncoln-
mon III he military constructions oi
that day, and Mhirh must h,lve scrv-
eel either us 4n exit or ~ u means to
facilitate the cnrryin" oi water from
the river whch llows near by.
In order L" verify my suppositions
III, IL 'l:. .'...i. ..:..a ...i.i ---',
tho vines growing ON ke roadside,
approached him under the plea OF ask. |
lilp IL llIiu l'T my tl.'I'CllB
At first we spoke of Indifferent sub |
iects-of the medicinal properties OF
the waters, oi the past harvest and Of
the one to come, oi the women OF Mt
vairr,o ,of wine culture IN tina, province,
etc. and. in short. discussed all The
topics which occurred to The good |
man, including the cave, tn" object oi |
my curiosity.
When at last the couyrrsatlnn iuIl !
upon this point IaSkcl ii anyone had |
ever descended into the cave
"Pcnctra,c into h" Mnor'.s r:,v,"
exclaimed hr, terrified at nay l,nst lnn. !
"Who would dare venture within ii /!
DO you not know that from ti4 I
cavern there comes u soul every /
night"
"A soul" said ! smiling, Whose
soul?"
The soul al The daughter ui II Moor /
ish chlc;, who even tn 'hiS day wan
lers about III the stlll hours oi He
night. rnbc'i in white, generally .ol,l.
in he direction OF the river to I'LL u
lar viii water"
Through the information 2iy,n l,y
this GOOD man came to the knnwi- (
i lie and the cave roInmunira, inu with
it there wa3 - lust Org, nn'l as am j
partial to tr;,ditlo"s. csnrciniiv when !
coming from ti,c lips OF the natives !
begged that hc rcnt" he story OF he f,
Moor cave, which he did IN word, !
very similar to those which will Use
III lclliti. 1T to my rctders.
When the castle, oi whIri now only
remains Il mass oi >hallc-~ ruins, |
WAS yet held by the Moorish kings. /
and lis towers. whi'h ovrrhrino the
valley made fertile by the waters of
the Alh;,mn, there occurred in the Vi
cinity of She city oi F'lt"ro 1t bloody
battle, in which fell wound"i and pris- !
oncr oi he Arabs Il ;an"l5 Christian
cnvaii.r,,quallv ~ wort NY ot rcrown |
Tor his pie, y as iOr III; military Na!or. |
lie wa. led To the fortress I;tdrn with |
chains, ami remained inr several day, |
in II dungeon, str,l"I!ln. bet wecn lie |!
and death, when, m!rar'iio,Sly It's II |
were, hls kindred rcdrc ica him bv !
force OF cold. The captive returned 4
to his hearth; returned to press i'll |
tender cmbrn .e hose who had gwen !
hlm life. His comrades in arms Hnd !
Ms Hoi'i'Io Nti' iic'i' WY ltiol'r't 'tl !
seeing him, tal:iu, his rr,u.n rs an |
omen that the hour Tor new comlba,s !
had come. But thu sulll oi he kni,nl |
was filled with 'urn,i melancholy, |
and neither the affection nor tie eliln'i- !
" efforts ol his ir u'i' mad power TO
dispel the strHn.c .-;l,lnu,. whi.i.
had taken possession al INN.
II happened that during m zap tivitE /
he rhnnccd To 50, the ,iuu-.ht,,
Of the Moorish CHIEF, the itmr oi
whose raordlnArN beauty had
reached him ion. ere hls eyes had TAIL
en upon iler. Whcnticy had met, and
he found her superior 10 hls ex,rr,a.
tions. he could not resist the snduc-
zion OF her charms, and lcll madly in
love with her, whom he knew could
never be his.
For months and months the knight
pondcrcd over schemes most darlne
and wild. AT times Ii imagined
means by which 10 break the ia, ,rers
which separated them. at others he
| strove rs earnestly to forget her; now
he decided i'll favor oi one plan and
then for another entirely different.
until one day, assembling his brot III
ers in arms and soldiers, lie sent ion
| his warriors, and Will, the creates;
secrecy made all the necessary rrepa
ratinns for an unexpected attack mp
! 4 L., Ii