prophet. We have already referred to the gift of
prophesying. All the leaders of the Camisards were prophets. Elie
Marion, in his "Theatre Sacre de Cevennes," thus describes the
influence of the prophets on the Camisard War:--

"We were without strength and without counsel," says he; "but our
inspirations were our succour and our support. They elected our
leaders, and conducted them; they were our military discipline. It was
they who raised us, even weakness itself, to put a strong bridle upon
an army of more than twenty thousand picked soldiers. It was they who
banished sorrow from our hearts in the midst of the greatest peril, as
well as in the deserts and the mountain fastnesses, when cold and
famine oppressed us. Our heaviest crosses were but lightsome burdens,
for this intimate communion that God allowed us to have with Him bore
up and consoled us; it was our safety and our happiness."

Many of the Condercs had suffered for their faith. The archpriest
Chayla had persecuted them grievously. One of their sisters was seized
by the soldiery and carried off to be immured in a convent at Mende,
but was rescued on the way by Salomon and his brother Jacques. Of the
two, Salomon, though deformed, had the greatest gift in prophesying,
and hence the choice of him as a leader.

Abraham Mazel belonged to the same hamlet as Conderc. They were both
of the same age--about twenty-five--of the same trade, and they were
as inseparable as brothers. They had both been engaged with Seguier's
band in the midnight attack on Pont-de-Montvert, and were alike
committed to the desperate enterprise they had taken in hand. The
tribe of Mazel abounds in the Cevennes, and they had already given
many martyrs to the cause. Some emigrated to America, some were sent
to the galleys; Oliver Mazel, the preacher, was hanged at Montpellier
in 1690, Jacques Mazel was a refugee in London in 1701, and in all the
combats of the Cevennes there were Mazels leading as well as
following.

Nicholas Joany, of Genouillac, was an old soldier, who had seen much
service, having been for some time quartermaster of the regiment of
Orleans. Among other veterans who served with the Camisards, were
Esperandieu and Rastelet, two old sub-officers, and Catinat and
Ravenel, two thorough soldiers. Of these Catinat achieved the greatest
notoriety. His proper name was Mauriel--Abdias Mauriel; but having
served as a dragoon under Marshal Catinat in Italy, he conceived such
an