the wine and refreshments, which the
servants placed before him. "I hope," said he, "that the storm and
sudden fall of night have prevented them from tracing my route, but
every moment of this day has been a perilous one to me. Yonder, on the
right at Nages, the body of Camisards has been totally defeated; as I
passed the Vidourla to give the rout to my enemies, I met a flying
detachment of them, who, instead of showing any fear, assembled
together, and fell upon me like so many devils; their number was not
great, but it seemed as if they were aided by magic, a panic seized my
people; they crowded together, they reached the Vidourla, the furious
foes behind them. At that moment the storm burst forth, the waters
rushed down from the mountains and swelled the rapid mountain-stream to
a fearful height, it overflowed its banks, and I saw the dead, the
wounded, and the living ingulphed in the waters; I swang myself upon a
tree, and from that to a barren rock; more than a hundred muskets were
levelled at me, my double-barrelled gun aided me as much as possible,
but my sword was useless, the storm threatened to hurl me down, I tried
to ascend in spite of the wind and the rushing waters, the rock, from
incessant washing, had become slippery as ice, but at length I
succeeded in gaining a footing in the midst of the rolling floods, I
crept up higher, my steps illumined by the dazzling lightning, and the
flashing from the enemy's guns, while the balls wizzed round me: Thus I
arrived at a vineyard: I was compelled to scale the wall, on the other
side I found two daring fellows, who had climbed over there before me,
they fell beneath my sword, I entered a wood, and soon found myself
standing upon a level rock, but without track or foot-path, neither
road nor bridge was to be seen, precipices yawned below me; must I go
back, or down! I slid down, the darkness prevented me from
distinguishing anything; after repeated falls, I felt some shrubs under
me, a huge shepherd's dog of the most ferocious species attempted to
drag me down, there was no herdsman to be seen, or within call, I was
compelled to wrestle with the fierce animal; night had now entirely
closed in, I thought I heard the sound of bells, I groped my way
towards the place from whence the sounds proceeded; soon afterwards I
heard men's voices; are they friends or foes? while I was advancing
with cocked pistols and drawn sword,--'Who's there?' suddenly grated
upon my ears; I