the little band came in sight the commandant
reiterated his orders that nothing should be said or done in the town, on
pain of corporal punishment, that could offend the Camisards.

At one o'clock P. M. Baron d'Aygaliers arrived, followed in his turn by
the chief of the commissariat, Vincel, by Captain Cappon, two other
officers named Viala and Despuech, and six dragoons. These were the
hostages Cavalier had given.

At six o'clock there was heard a great noise; and shouts of "Cavalier!
Cavalier!" resounded on all sides. The young Cevenol was in sight, and
the whole population hastened to meet him. He rode at the head of his
cavalry, the infantry following, and the whole number--about six hundred
men--sang psalms in a loud voice.

When they reached the church, Cavalier drew up before it with all his men
in review order, and for some time the singing went on. When it stopped,
a long prayer was offered up, which was most edifying to all the
bystanders; and this being over, Cavalier went to the quarters assigned
him, which were in the best house in Calvisson. Arrived there, he sent
out for a dozen loaves that he might judge how his men were going to be
fed; not finding them white enough, he complained to M. Vincel, whom he
sent for, and who promised that in future the bread should be of a better
quality. Having received this assurance, Cavalier gave orders that the
loaves in hand should be distributed for that day, but probably fearing
poison, he first made M. de Vincel and his clerks taste them in his
presence. These duties accomplished, he visited in person all the gates
of the town, placed guards and posted sentinels at all the entrances and
along all the avenues, the most advanced being three-quarters of a league
from the town. Besides this, he placed guards in the streets, and a
sentinel at each door of the house he occupied; in addition, thirty
guards always slept outside the door of his bedroom, and these
accompanied him as an escort when he went out; not that he was afraid,
for he was not of a mistrustful character, but that he thought it politic
to give people an exalted idea of his importance. As to his soldiers,
they were billeted on the inhabitants, and received each as daily rations
a pound of meat, a quart of wine, and two and a half pounds of bread.

The same day a convocation was held on the site of the old meeting-house
which had been destroyed by the Catholics. It was a very numerous
assembly,