Monongalia mirror. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1855, 1853-04-02
The Massacre of the VaudOis.

This is one of the most fearful epi-
sodes in the history of human crime;-
1t was perpetrated against the peasant
inhabitants Of theCanton Of Vaud by the
Pope's Legate Cantaueo. The tragedy
is thus related in a work just published:
"The vaudois, feeling that they could
not resist force twenty times greater
than their own, abandoned their poor
habiiations, placed their old people and
children in their rustic carts, with their
domestic utensils, and such provisions as
thew could collect, and driving their
herds before them, and singing canticles,
retired to the rugged slopes Of Mont PEI
vomx. This part of the Alps, which
has since been named the Visol Brian
connais, risesmore than 60O0 feet above
The level OF the valley. A third Of the
way up there is an immense cavern, cal
led Aigue Froide or Ailirede, from the
cold springs nourished by the SHOWS
which are found there. A sort of plat
form, accessible only over fearful Prec'-
pices extends at the mouth Of the cav
ern, the majestic vault Of which, alter
subsiding into narrow passage, expands
once more into an immense hall Of ir-
regular form. Such was the asylum
which the Vaudois had selected. They
placed at the extremity Of the grotto the
women, children, and old men; the cat
lie and sheep occupied the lateral cavi,
ties OF the rock; and the able bodied
men posted themselves towards the
mouth Of the cavern, which, after hav-
ing first barricaded with large rocks the
path that led tothe grot'o, they had wal
led up with similar materials. Cataneo
states, In his Memoirs, that they had
with them provisions for more than two
years. Alltheir precautions thus taken,
they deemed they had nothing TO fear;
but in reality they had to fear this very
confidence in mere human precautions.
Cataneo had with him q daring and
experienced leader, named La palud.-
This captain, seeing the impossibility Of
forcing the entrenchments Of the grot,o,
on the side by which the Vandois had
reached it, led his own men back into
the valley; then, with all the ropes he
could collect, he assembled Mont Pei
voix, and, making his way TO the preci-
pice overhanging the entrance to the
cavern, descended, by means Of the
ropes, to the platform. Nothing could
have been more easy than for the Van
dois either 10 have cut the ropes, or TO
have slain each soldier before he reach
ed the ground, and then hurled them in.
to the abyss; but panic Of terror seized
the unhappy beslegPd. Some who
rushed out from the cavern, precipitased
themselves down the rocks; those who
assayed resistance, were slaughtered by
La Palud, who, then not vensursng 10
involve his men in tho depths of the
cavern, piled up all the wood he could
collect at the entrance, and setting fire
to it, those who attempted to issue forth
were either destroyedby the flames, OIL
bv the sword of the enemy, while those
who remained within, were stlhpd BY
the smoke. When the cavern was all
terwards examined, there were found in
it 400 infants, suffocated in their cradles
or in the arms OF their dead mothers
Altogether, there perished in the cavern
more than 5000 Vaudois-including The
entire population of Val Louise. Cat
aneo distributed the property Of thest
unfortunates among the vagabonds wht
accompanied, him and never again die
the Vaudois Church raise its head il
those blood stained valleys"