Injured by the reckless conduct of the refugees grants of land. In fact, in these territories, whom they had hospitably received and lately desolated by war, their industrious orders were issued that they should no longer moral habits, and their knowledge of agriculhave a shelter so near their native mountains. ture, made them valuable citizens. It now The Waldenses marched in a body through seemed as if their troubles were at an end. the town of Bern; and the interesting specta- One detachment was settled in distant Brancle of so many exiles again wandering in denburg- the others, though nearer their search of a home, drew tears from the specta- old homes, were too far dispersed to join in tors, and gave them, at least, the consolation any common movement. Again, however, of knowing that they did not depart without the calamities of war drove them forth. The the sympathy of the people who were obliged progress of the French arms threatened an to cast them forth. They went first to the immediate sweep of the Palatinate and its cantons of Zurich and Schaffhausen- the neighborhood by the insatiable enemies of parts of Switzerland most distant from Savoy. the Waldenses. They were obliged to leave When there, however, it was intimated to the grain they had sown to be reaped by them that they were only to have a tempo- other sickles, take what they could carry on rary asylum, and must seek a permanent rest- their backs, and again seek an asylum whereing-place elsewhere. They looked to the ever they might find a friendly door opened to neighboring dukedom of Würtemberg, where them. They could find none but among the the soil and method of cultivation in some Swiss, with whom they had in a manner measure resembled those of their own valleys; quarrelled. It was not caprice, however, but but though the duke treated them with con- dire necessity, which now actuated them; sideration, he was afraid to make arrange- and the generous Swiss forgot their cause of ments for the settlement of so large a body. complaint, and received the friendless wanMeanwhile, their Swiss neighbors, from hints derers open-armed as before. The Waldenses and intimations, proceeded to specific measures afterwards said that the approach of the for getting rid of them. An arrangement French was providential, as it drove them to was made for their reception as permanent have recourse to the step in which they were settlers in the distant state of Brandenburg, so signally successful. where they would be too far from their native valleys to be troublesome. Some of their number went as a deputation to inspect the country, but brought back an unfavorable account of it. While it contained no lofty mountains like those among which they had been reared, there was the more substantial disadvantage, that the soil was uniformly of a sterile character, and contained none of the rich patches of alluvium which they were accustomed to cultivate. The habits of the people, the method of agriculture, and many other characteristics of the country, were so displeasing to them, that they sternly refused the overture. It cannot be surprising that this fastidiousness laid them open to a charge of caprice. The exile who seeks a restingplace to be provided by the charity of his neighbor, should be content with the fate he finds awarded to others of his species. The Waldenses, however, were not philosophers, nor did they know the world; they were full of prejudices, and predilections, with which it was in vain to argue. The Swiss clergy preached against their unreasonableness from the pulpits; and all classes, partly by persuasion, and partly by threats and churlishness, tried to make them adopt the plan arranged for their settlement, but for a long time in vain. At length, a colony of 800 agreed to depart for Brandenburg; and were thus separated from their brethren. Those who remained were for the most part received into the Palatinate and Würtemberg, where they obtained privileges and It must be mentioned that in the mean time their movements attracted the attention of the Prince of Orange, afterwards William III. of England. It was the great policy of that monarch to use every practical means for checking the aggrandizement of France; and throughout the whole of his busy life he never omitted any opportunity, great or small, which held out a hope of contributing to this end. He liked the firmness of the Waldenses, and thought it would be useful to the cause he had at heart, if their separate existence could be preserved as near as might be to their native place, which lay in that southeastern direction in which French aggrandizement was pressing. He sent them a considerable sum of money; and it was probably through his influence that they obtained similar pecuniary aid from England. They sent deputies to the prince, who recommended them to keep in a compact body. They had been for a short time settled as a component part of the Swiss population, when the news of the British Revolution of 1688, which had elevated their friend to the throne of a great empire, rung joyfully in their ears. They ascertained also that the Duke of Savoy had removed the frontier army, established to prevent their return, if they should attempt it. New explorers, too, sent to repeat the former inquiries, brought them more "distinct information about the passes. It was then they said one to another, "Let us return to our valleys;" and a simultaneous feeling seemed to possess them, that there only were they to find rest for the sole of their foot. by the discernment of Marlborough, and became serviceable in the most memorable of his battles. It is now time, however, to give some account of the remarkable leader under whose The first object to be accomplished was the guidance the scattered Waldenses were con- general assemblage of those who were to centrated and organized, and who conducted participate in the expedition, at some place them through the adventurous campaign to well suited for making a sudden movement. be presently described. This leader was There were several conditions necessary for Henry Arnaud, one of their clergymen. It such a spot. It must be on the way to Savoywould not be easy to decide at the present it must be a place where they could be easily day how far he was a skilful and faithful pastor, concealed — and yet it must be in the midst or to discover the extent of his learning as a of population, that they might obtain prodivine. Of one thing, however, he has left visions without becoming too conspicuous. us unquestionable evidence, and that is, of The selected spot was near the town of Nyon, his skill and daring as a military leader. on the north bank of the Lake of Geneva, and The most trustworthy authorities say that he about twenty miles south of Lausanne. There, was born at La Tour, in Savoy, in the year at the period of the Revolution of 1688, a 1641. If so, he must have been in his forty-dense forest existed, in which above 1000 ninth year when he commanded the expedi- people could conceal themselves, gathering tion. Inquiries have naturally been made as their supplies from the fruitful country to the early history of so remarkable a man, around, without exciting a degree of attenbut without success. It is not known at tion which, by arousing the suspicion of the what time he became one of the pastors of representatives of the despotic powers, might the Waldenses. It is believed, and indeed be fatal to their project. Of course, it was seems almost certain, that he had some quite well known to the neighbors in the military training before he undertook his canton of Vaud that the Waldenses, whose expedition; and it has been said that he history was so strange and romantic, were was a soldier under William III. while he was lurking in the wood of Nyon. The news Prince of Orange-a circumstance probable, spread, indeed, so far among the Swiss, that but not authenticated. The history we have many of them sailed across the Lake of Gennow to tell of the return of the wanderers is, eva to see the adventurers a circumstance in a manner, from Arnaud's own lips. The which, as we shall presently see, was of great curious old French work known to book-col- importance. But their proceedings were not lectors as the Glorieuse Rentrée - the Glori-watched solely by friends. A young gentleous Return of the Waldenses to their Valleys man named Prangin, who had but lately - is generally attributed to him. The title-acquired an estate in the canton, heard of the page, indeed, bears his name, apparently as strange gathering of men in the forest, and, author; but it is said by some critics that anxious to gratify his curiosity, he penetrated this is an erroneous interpretation, and that its recesses till he saw them engaged in their it is merely meant to intimate that the re-devotions, with Arnaud officiating as their turn or march, of which the book gives an clergyman. The young man posted to Geneva, account, was conducted by Arnaud. We to inform the French resident there of what need not take any part in this inquiry. It may be sufficient to state that we believe Arnaud wrote the substance of the book, while it seems likely that it was touched and edited by some other person. It is thus, somewhat after the example of Cesar's Commentaries, a history of its author's own exploits; and it has all the truthfulness of its prototype, and more. In fact, Arnaud's heroic merits are not told by himself- they are only to be inferred. His Glorieuse Rentrée is faithfully devoted to a history of the endurance and heroism of the ordinary followers, whether we call them army or congregation; and it is only from the compact order in which they proceeded, their constant state of preparation for the strange difficulties of the route, and the skill with which they fought their enemies, that we become aware of the great capacity of their commandera capacity which was afterwards discovered he had seen; and the resident, who apparently knew much better how to account for the gathering and their forest devotions than his inexperienced informant, sent a despatch to Lyon for troops. The Waldenses, who were under skilful guidance, and had excellent information, heard of this step of the French resident, and knew that it would have formidable consequences. In their wrath, they compared the young gentleman to Judas, though, as he was no follower of theirs, the reproach was inapplicable. But they wisely considered that they had more serious business before them than calling names, and they resolved immediately to commence the enterprise for which they were assembled. They embarked on the night of Friday, the 10th of August, 1689, on the Lake of Geneva. In doing so they were as fortunate as they were audacious. Some boats they had hired or impressed, but these were not nearly suffi cient for their purpose. The vessels, however, of the people, who, led by curiosity from the other side of the lake, had come to inquire about the mysterious strangers in the forest of Nyon, were at hand, and were seized for the purpose of the expedition. They considered this success, as well as many other wonderful circumstances in their career, to be proofs of a special Providence working in their favor. The marvellous successes they afterwards achieved seem, indeed, to have been in some measure the result of such belief; but their assemblage in the wood of Nyon, with the other skilful arrangements for their embarkation, may be safely attributed to the military sagacity of Arnaud, aided by the funds placed at his disposal by King William. In fact, the assemblage was not a complete one; for about one hundred and fifty of the exiles, who were upon their march from some of the more distant spots occupied by the refugees, were seized at the instance of the representative of Spain or of France, and marched as prisoners to Turin. Nor was the movement of the little fleet of boats across the lake quite complete. Some boatmen, who were hired or impressed, escaped, and prevented a part of the body from joining their comrades. The whole number who landed were thus considerably short of 1000. On his arrival at the other side of the lake Arnaud converted himself at once from the pastor into the general. To complete the change, he took the feudal-sounding name of Latour, from the place of his birth. He placed sentinels or detachments at the spots near the landing-places from which any dangerous surprise might seem probable. He then proceeded to arrange and officer his little army according to the military rules of the day. It consisted of three main bodiesvan-guard, centre, and rear-guard-and was formed into nineteen companies, provided with separate captains. The object now to be accomplished was to march onwards through routes so unfrequented that the army might be liable to meet no greater force than it could with prudence encounter. On the main routes there were great fortifications and abundant troops. A compromise had thus to be made between the natural difficulties of the route and the dangers from the enemy. Had they been peaceful travellers they would have proceeded up the Valley of the Rhône, and crossed by the St. Bernard, accomplishing the journey through a single great pass. They found it necessary, however, to take the less frequented route by the banks of the Arve towards Sallanches. It is now well known as the approach to Chamouni. But neither were the picturesque glories of this valley then known to the world, nor had it been discovered that the vast mountain-range, which overshadows it, is crowned by the loftiest summit in Eu rope. The scanty inhabitants of the remote valley of Chamouni, of course, knew the vastness and the dangerous character of the mountains around them; but so far as the rest of the world was concerned, they were no better known than the recesses of the Rocky Mountains in America. Thus the districts now swarming with tourists, would be solitary enough at the time of Arnaud's march. In passing, however, through the lower country that leads to the mountains, the little army had to cross much rich and fruitful soil, with here and there feudal castles and fortified towns. The country, in all probability, except that it is now more crowded with travellers, has undergone little change since that day. It contained, perhaps, the same luxurious gardens, full of apple and plum trees and spreading vines; altogether, the small towns of to-day, still surrounded by their primitive fortifications, have a hoary appearance, which carries their date much further back than even the days of Arnaud. The scenery is beautiful; the rich garden-fields sometimes leading to the base of huge perpendicular limestone cliffs, from which waterfalls, of great height, but of small bulk, leap into the air, and reach the ground in scattered showers, dispersing clouds of dew, tinted with ever varying rainbows. But although they passed in the middle of August, when the tourist finds these beauties all in their highest perfection, it may be easily believed that the little band had too many important matters in view to devote their thoughts to the scenery. In the first day's march they reached the bridge of Marigni. The feudal gentry and the peasantry, as they passed, looked at them with astonishment. One of the former, seeing that they were peasants, and not under any feudal banner, rode up to the head of the column, and haughtily told them to throw down their arms. They laughed at him, and seized him as a hostage. As they proceeded a little further on, they were met by some gentlemen at the head of a band of armed peasants. Seeing only the van-guard of the Waldenses, they thought themselves a sufficient force to offer resistance; but when the centre came up, they discovered their mistake, and desired to retreat. The peasants were permitted to do so, but their leaders were seized as hostages, and compelled to march in front of the army. They thus, from the first, adopted the singular and bold policy which afterwards guided their movements - that of keeping always within their power several hostages of importance, whose safety would be compromised by any attempt to interrupt them. With calculating forethought. they used the power thus obtained to facilitate their progress. They told these hostages, facetiously, that they were only required to accompany the army, to testify to its orderly army defiled through. When they came out at the further extremity, a young gentleman of the district, called La Rochette, courteously asked the officers to dine with him. They were not dining-men, but they contrived to extract hospitality from him on a more extended scale. Keeping him in conversation till they had advanced some distance beyond the town, they took him into custody, and told him he could only obtain his freedom on condition of a cask of wine and five hundredweights of bread being sent to the army within half an hour. Young La Rochette wrote to his father, and the demand was immediately complied with. Arnaud says he gave ample compensation for what he thus obtained, but of course the amount would be of his own fixing. The position of the little troop was now extremely critical. Though still among the inhabited districts, through which there was every risk that information of their expedition would be carried onwards, they were now entering narrow defiles where a petty force well arranged could annihilate them. Through the bottom of the valley rushes the deep, unfordable Arve, that glacier torrent which issues full-born from the very bosom of Mont Blanc. Swollen with recent rain, it sometimes overflowed the narrow road, which ran at the foot of lofty precipices, sometimes overhanging it. The great anxiety of the leader, at this juncture, was to intercept any possible warning to the next town, Sallanches, which might have the effect of drawing out an intercepting party. They saw some children running in the direction of Sallanches, and, fearing that the errand might be to give information, they turned the urchins back. They discovered that a servant in the employment of one of their hostages had insinuated himself among their ranks; and having searched him, they found letters addressed to the chief persons of Sallanches, desiring them to attack the expedition in front, while the citizens of Cluses fell upon it in the rear. Next morning, which was Sunday, they reached, about ten o'clock, the ancient town of Cluses, the capital of Faucigny, just then beginning to acquire its reputation for making the works of watches. The inhabitants were warlike, and, by the grant of ancient privileges, were feudally attached to the House of Savoy. They manned their walls, and showed themselves resolved to defend their town, and dispute the passage. Situated as it is in the narrow gorge of the Arve, where the spurs of the Alps shoot out, it was impossible to pass through the valley without traversing the town. Not being possessed of cannon, it was impossible that the expedition should take the well-fortified place by assault. But here the influence of their system of hostages was brought to bear. It was given out, that, if a peaceful passage through the town were denied, these hostages would be put to death; and men under the powerful impulses which influenced these Waldenses would, beyond a doubt, have been as good as their word. One of the hostages, named De Fova, sent a message, begging that the town would comply with the demand, pathetically representing Having taken possession of one or two more their own danger, and testifying to the peace- hostages, they came to a critical part of the ful and moderate conduct of the Waldenses march the approach to Sallanches. Here when not meddled with. Three gentlemen they must cross a fortified bridge, with or came out to treat with the army, which, ac- without a permission. Their hostages had cording to its usual practice, took possession now reached the considerable number of twenof two of them as desirable hostages, and ty; all men of importance in the district. allowed the third to return to the town, ac- The army was divided into platoons, to force companied by one of its own officers. This the bridge, and in the centre of one of them, officer was asked to show the order of march kept in reserve, stood the hostages. Six of for the corps according to the practice in the principal persons of the place approached regular armies; but he haughtily answered, to parley, and, according to the established that the Waldenses carried it on the points of their swords. The permission to pass through the town was now granted. Arnaud posted his own sentinels at the gate of exit, to prevent treachery, and while the people lined the main street on either side, the little practice, were seized. Two of them, however, were sent back, to offer the citizens half an hour to make up their minds. It was again intimated that the hostages would be put to death, and they were prompted to urge strongly their desperate condition, by the ap pearance of 600 men turning out to guard the | tique an air, that one might imagine them to bridge. Matters now grew serious. If an be the same that witnessed the passage of actual conflict occurred, the hostages would Arnaud and his band. Coming to some of be slain beyond a doubt. Arnaud and his men these châlets, the fatigued adventurers rewere beginning to have a confidence in their freshed themselves with milk and cheese, for predestined success, and treated all opposition which, their historian vouches, they would with scorn. An incident in which the chief | have paid, had, they found any one authorized showed, by his own account, somewhat ques- to receive the money. The first very high tionable morality, now occurred. Two friars ground they had to pass was the Haute-Luce; came to say, that if the hostages already in and this being covered with mist at the time, custody were given up, two eminent men of they maintained that it was so for the purthe city would be given in their stead. Ar- pose of concealing their route from their enenaud avows that he encouraged the proposi- mies, and they bore the cold and the danger tion, not with the least intention of giving up to which it exposed them with heroism. The their valuable body of hostages, but that he pass was at that time without any track, and might seduce the two eminent men of the city could only be threaded by the aid of an exinto his ranks, and take possession of them. perienced guide. A carriage-road over it When they made their appearance, they were was recently projected, for the convenience at once detected, by the quick-sighted Arnaud, of tourists who have here many fine views not to be by any means inen of condition, but of Mont Blanc and the surrounding scenery very humble citizens, one of them not having and this has perhaps ere now been finished. succeeded in concealing the indications of his The guide they first obtained blundered, occupation as a miller. Arnaud, while glory-wandered in the mist; and they then sent a ing in the cleverness of the much deeper trick detachment to bring up some peasants to act which he himself designed to play, expressed in that capacity. They, too, adopted circuithimself in terms of the highest indignation at ous paths, and their good faith seemed questhe treachery and dishonesty of this act. In tionable. Arnaud, however, who never heshis wrath, he resolved to seize the friars, to itated at a strong measure, assured them make the hostages up to the expected value. that if they did not act fairly, he would at These brothers becoming alarmed at the state once hang them. After having, with great of affairs, took to their heels, and an amusing fatigue and risk, passed the ridge of the hill, scene was afforded by their pursuit and cap- they came to a narrow upland valley, where, ture. These were the most valuable hostages darkness descending, they had to pass the they had yet caught; for when any of the night in the cold and rain. There stood in Savoyard peasantry offered resistance, the the valley a few shepherds' huts, and, havfriars, threatened with instant death if any ing only the choice of seeking their scanty violence were committed, prayed most lustily shelter, or pulling them down for firewood, that the expedition might be allowed to and sleeping in the open air, they chose the proceed in safety. The troops now marched latter.* The valleys here are extremely forward. No attempt was made to hold the narrow; and they thus look so deep, that it bridge, but the armed citizens of Sallanches might be thought it were scarcely possible for being drawn up on either side of the road, the the sun to reach them. One pities the scanty Waldenses marched between them. They population whose lot is cast in such a place. proceeded onwards to a village called Cablan, The tourists who penetrate thither are the where they slept, after a fatiguing day's march. young, strong, and adventurous; for it They had now passed the open and more generally demands a considerable amount of populous country, and had to encounter the exertion to get at them. But the adventure new dangers of the passes of the Alps; dan- is extremely interesting, since it brings one gers such as modern travellers can only faintly in a few hours to the two extremes, as it were, conceive, by supposing themselves under the of human existence; warmth, verdure, plumnecessity of climbing the precipices, instead trees loaded with fruit, vines, and handsome, of following the paths cut through them. On comfortable inns, are left behind, and in a the lower slopes of these mountains the few hours the adventurer is among stones traveller at this day passes in clusters the and ice, a cold, misty, stormy sky, and a châlets, or cottages, of those who keep cows people little further advanced in civilization and goats. Their strange blackness makes and enjoyment than the inhabitants of Kamtthem look dike so many hearses, or like the schatka. The people of the valleys have impictures one sees of a South-sea maori. The roofs stretch over the walls, like great black bonnets, and huge stones are fastened on them, to prevent them from being carried off by the mountain tempests. Some of the beams of these buildings bear old quaint inscriptions, and they have in general so an *The hamlet is called, in the Rentrée, St. Nicholas de Verose; but Mr. Brockedon, the author of the Passes of the Alps, who traced the journey of the Waldenses, post by post, says there is precisely such a desolate valley near the pass, but that St. Nicholas de Verose is a pleasantly-situated town further down the valley. |