to attack the rebels. He had received
intelligence that the band led by Laporte was just about to pass through
the valley of Croix, below Barre, near Temelague. In consequence of this
information, he lay in ambush at a favourable spot on the route. As soon
as the Reformers who were without suspicion, were well within the narrow
pass in which Poul awaited them, he issued forth at the head of his
soldiers, and charged the rebels with such courage and impetuosity that
they, taken by surprise, made no attempt at resistance, but, thoroughly
demoralised, spread over the mountain-side, putting a greater and
greater distance at, every instant between themselves and the enemy,
despite the efforts of Laporte to make them stand their ground. At last,
seeing himself deserted, Laporte began to think of his own safety. But
it was already too late, for he was surrounded by dragoons, and the only
way of retreat open to him lay over a large rock. This he successfully
scaled, but before trying to get down the other side he raised his
hands in supplication to Heaven; at that instant a volley was fired, two
bullets struck him, and he fell head foremost down the precipice.

When the dragoons reached the foot of the rock, they found him dead. As
they knew he was the chief of the rebels, his body was searched: sixty
Louis was found in his pockets, and a sacred chalice which he was in the
habit of using as an ordinary drinking-cup. Poul cut off his head and
the heads of twelve other Reformers found dead on the field of battle,
and enclosing them in a wicker basket, sent them to M. Just de Baville.

The Reformers soon recovered from this defeat and death, joined all
their forces into one body, and placed Roland at their head in the place
of Laporte. Roland chose a young man called Couderc de Mazel-Rozade, who
had assumed the name of Lafleur, as his lieutenant, and the rebel forces
were not only quickly reorganised, but made complete by the addition of
a hundred men raised by the new lieutenant, and soon gave a sign
that they were again on the war-path by burning down the churches of
Bousquet, Cassagnas, and Prunet.

Then first it was that the consuls of Mende began to realise that it was
no longer an insurrection they had on hand but a war, and Mende being
the capital of Gevaudan and liable to be attacked at any moment, they
set themselves to bring into repair their counterscarps, ravelins,
bastions, gates, portcullises, moats, walls, turrets,