MontvertatthesametimewithtwobattalionsfromHainault,accompaniedbytheMarquisofCanillac,colonelofinfantry,whobroughttwobattalionsofhisownregiment,whichwasstationedinRouergue,withhim,andComtedePayre,whobroughtfifty—fivecompaniesofmilitiafromGevaudan,andfollowedbyanumberofmulesloadedwithcrowbars,axes,andotherironinstrumentsnecessaryforpullingdownhouses。
Theapproachofallthesetroopsfollowingcloseontheterribleproclamationswehavegivenabove,producedexactlythecontraryeffecttothatintended。Theinhabitantsoftheproscribeddistrictswereconvincedthattheordertogathertogetherincertainplaceswasgiventhattheymightbeconvenientlymassacredtogether,sothatallthosecapableofbearingarmswentdeeperintothemountains,andjoinedtheforcesofCavalierandRoland,thusreinforcingthemtothenumberoffifteenhundredmen。AlsohardlyhadM。deJuliensethishandtotheworkthanhereceivedinformationfromM。deMontrevel,whohadheardthenewsthroughaletterfromFlechier,thatwhiletheroyaltroopswerebusyinthemountainstheCamisardshadcomedownintotheplain,swarmedoverLaCamargue,andhadbeenseenintheneighbourhoodofSaint—Gilles。Atthesametimewordwassenthimthattwoshipshadbeenseenintheoffing,fromCette,andthatitwasmorethanprobablethattheycontainedtroops,thatEnglandandHollandweresendingtohelptheCamisards。
M。deMontrevel;leavingthefurtherconductoftheexpeditiontoMM。
deJulienanddeCanillac,hastenedtoCettewitheighthundredmenandtenguns。Theshipswerestillinsight,andwerereally,ashadbeensurmised,twovesselswhichhadbeendetachedfromthecombinedfleetsofEnglandandHollandbyAdmiralSchowel,andwerethebearersofmoney,arms,andammunitiontotheHuguenots。Theycontinuedtocruiseaboutandsignal,butastherebelswereforcedbythepresenceofM。deMontreveltokeepawayfromthecoast,andcouldthereforemakenoanswer,theyputoffatlengthintotheopen,andrejoinedthefleet。AsM。deMontrevelfearedthattheirretreatmightbeafeint,heorderedallthefishermen\'shutsfromAigues—MortetoSaint—Gillestobedestroyed,lesttheyshouldaffordsheltertotheCamisards。AtthesametimehecarriedofftheinhabitantsofthedistrictofGuillanandshutthemupinthechateauofSommerez,afterhavingdemolishedtheirvillages。Lastly,heorderedallthosewholivedinhomesteads,farms,orhamlets,toquitthemandgotosomelargetown,takingwiththemalltheprovisionstheywerepossessedof;andheforbadeanyworkmanwhowentoutsidethetowntoworktotakemorethanoneday\'sprovisionswithhim。
Thesemeasureshadthedesiredeffect,buttheywereterribleintheirresults;theydeprivedtheCamisardsofshelterindeed,buttheyruinedtheprovince。M。deBaville,despitehiswell—knownseveritytriedremonstrances,buttheyweretakeninbadpartbyM。