And  now  I  must  briefly  chronicle  one  of  the  most  remarkable
Alpine  journeys  ever  made.  The  exiles,  finding  themselves  ill-
received  in  some  of  the  above-named  countries,  and  in  conse-
quence becoming  a  heavy  burden  upon  their  brethren  in  Switzer-
land, determined  to  attempt  to  reestablish  themselves  in  their
native  valleys.  Their  leader  was  one  Henri  Arnaud,  who  was
animated  with  much  of  the  spirit  of  a  Hebrew  leader,  and,  in
his  own  words,  had  girt  on  *  the  sword  of  the  Lord  and  of  Gideon.'
The  enterprise  had  to  be  organized  with  the  greatest  secrecy,
it  being  discouraged  by  the  Swiss  authorities,  who  naturally
feared  giving  offence  to  their  more  powerful  neighbours.     At


I


LA    RENTEEE   GLORIEUSE.  30T

last  a  band  of  eight  hundred  exiles,  after  meeting  at  a  secret
rendezvous  in  the  woods  of  Nyon,  succeeded  in  crossing  the
Lake  of  Geneva  and  landing  near  Ivoire,  on  the  opposite  shore,
during  the  night  of  Friday,  August  16,  1689.
The  following  day  they  advanced  southward  through  Savoy,
with  but  little  resistance,  as  far  as  St  Jeoire,  a  town  on  one  of
the  present  roads  from  Geneva  to  Sixt,  a  short  distance  beyond
which  they  rested  for  the  night.  The  next  morning  (Sunday),
they  advanced  into  the  valley  of  the  Arve.  The  inhabitants  of
Cluses,  who  at  first  threatened  resistance,  were  overawed,  and
were  compelled  to  sell  them  food  and  furnish  hostages.  Thus
the  narrow  defile  beyond  was  traversed  in  safety ;  and  the  town
of  Sallenche,  after  much  negociation  and  several  attempts  at
treachery,  was  also  frightened  into  letting  them  pass  unmolested.
