ut
amongst the people; but, finding that his intention was known, and
that his enterprise was not likely to succeed, he turned aside and
resolved upon another course. But first it was necessary that his
troops should be supplied with powder and ammunition, of which they
had run short. So, disguising himself as a merchant, and mounted on a
horse with capacious saddlebags, he rode off to Nismes, close at hand,
to buy gunpowder. He left his men in charge of his two lieutenants,
Ravanel and Catinat, who prophesied to him that during his absence
they would fight a battle and win a victory.

Count Broglie had been promptly informed by the defeated Captain
Bonnafoux that the Camisards were in the neighbourhood; and he set out
in pursuit of them with a strong body of horse and foot. After several
days' search amongst the vineyards near Nismes and the heathery hills
about Milhaud, Broglie learnt that the Camisards were to be found at
Caudiac. But when he reached that place he found the insurgents had
already left, and taken a northerly direction. Broglie followed their
track, and on the following day came up with them at a place called
Mas de Gaffarel, in the Val de Bane, about three miles west of Nismes,
The Royalists consisted of two hundred militia, commanded by the Count
and his son, and two troops of dragoons, under Captain la Dourville
and the redoubtable Captain Poul.

The Camisards had only time to utter a short prayer, and to rise from
their knees and advance singing their battle psalm, when Poul and his
dragoons were upon them. Their charge was so furious that Ravanel and
his men were at first thrown into disorder; but rallying, and bravely
fighting, they held their ground. Captain Poul was brought to the
ground by a stone hurled from a sling by a young Vauvert miller named
Samuelet; Count Broglie himself was wounded by a musket-ball, and many
of his dragoons lay stretched on the field. Catinat observing the fall
of Poul, rushed forward, cut off his head with a sweep of his sabre,
and mounting Poul's horse, almost alone chased the Royalists, now
flying in all directions. Broglie did not draw breath until he had
reached the secure shelter of the castle of Bernis.

While these events were in progress, Cavalier was occupied on his
mission of buying gunpowder in Nismes. He was passing along the
Esplanade--then, as now, a beautiful promenade--when he observed from
the excitement of the people, running about hither and th