for pulling down houses.

The approach of all these troops following close on the terrible
proclamations we have given above, produced exactly the contrary effect
to that intended. The inhabitants of the proscribed districts were
convinced that the order to gather together in certain places was given
that they might be conveniently massacred together, so that all those
capable of bearing arms went deeper into the mountains, and joined the
forces of Cavalier and Roland, thus reinforcing them to the number of
fifteen hundred men. Also hardly had M. de Julien set his hand to the
work than he received information from M. de Montrevel, who had heard the
news through a letter from Flechier, that while the royal troops were
busy in the mountains the Camisards had come down into the plain, swarmed
over La Camargue, and had been seen in the neighbourhood of Saint-Gilles.
At the same time word was sent him that two ships had been seen in the
offing, from Cette, and that it was more than probable that they
contained troops, that England and Holland were sending to help the
Camisards.

M. de Montrevel; leaving the further conduct of the expedition to MM. de
Julien and de Canillac, hastened to Cette with eight hundred men and ten
guns. The ships were still in sight, and were really, as had been
surmised, two vessels which had been detached from the combined fleets of
England and Holland by Admiral Schowel, and were the bearers of money,
arms, and ammunition to the Huguenots. They continued to cruise about
and signal, but as the rebels were forced by the presence of M. de
Montrevel to keep away from the coast, and could therefore make no
answer, they put off at length into the open, and rejoined the fleet. As
M. de Montrevel feared that their retreat might be a feint, he ordered
all the fishermen's huts from Aigues-Morte to Saint-Gilles to be