land
and Joany had been soldiers, they were also preachers, as were
Castanet, Abraham, and Salomon; and young Cavalier had already given
remarkable indications of the prophetic gift. Hence, when it became
the duty of the band to which he belonged to select a chief, they
passed over the old soldiers, Esperandieu, Raslet, Catinat, and
Ravenel, and pitched upon the young baker lad of Ribaute, not because
he could fight, but because he could preach; and the old soldiers
cheerfully submitted themselves to his leadership.

The portrait of this remarkable Camisard chief represents him as a
little handsome youth, fair and ruddy complexioned, with lively and
prominent blue eyes, and a large head, from whence his long fair hair
hung floating over his shoulders. His companions recognised in him a
supposed striking resemblance to the scriptural portrait of David, the
famous shepherd of Israel.

The Camisard legions, spread as they now were over the entire Cevennes,
and embracing Lower Languedoc as far as the sea, were for the most part
occupied during the winter of 1702-3 in organizing themselves, obtaining
arms, and increasing their forces. The respective districts which they
occupied were so many recruiting-grounds, and by the end of the season
they had enrolled nearly three thousand men. They were still, however,
very badly armed. Their weapons included fowling-pieces, old matchlocks,
muskets taken from the militia, pistols, sabres, scythes, hatchets,
billhooks, and even ploughshares. They were very short of powder, and
what they had was mostly bought surreptitiously from the King's
soldiers, or by messengers sent for the purpose to Nismes and Avignon.
But Roland, finding that such sources of supply could not be depended
upon, resolved to manufacture his own powder.

A commissariat was also established, and the most spacious caves in
the most sequestered places were sought out and converted into
magazines, hospitals, granaries, cellars, arsenals, and powder
factories. Thus Mialet, with its extensive caves, was the
head-quarters of Roland; Bouquet and the caves at Euzet, of Cavalier;
Cassagnacs and the caves at Magistavols, of Salomon; and so on with
the others. Each chief had his respective canton, his granary, his
magazine, and his arsenal. To each retreat was attached a special body
of tradesmen--millers, bakers, shoemakers, tailors, armourers, and
other mechanics; and each had its special guards and sentinels.

We have a