chaine a bras, viz, by forming a line, and passing buckets from one to the other; this method was adopted, and several of the pupils proceeded with all speed to St. Etienne.  It was midnight.  The generale was beat in two quarters of the town only.  The Hotel de Ville was assigned as the place of rendezvous.  On the first alarm, a great number of persons hurried to the town-hall, imagining a fire had broken out, but, on ascertaining the real cause, several of them returned home, apparently unmoved.  Yet these same persons, whose supposed apathy had excited both surprise and indignation, quickly reappeared on the scene, dressed in the uniform of the National Guard.  So powerful is the magic influence of organized masses, marching under the orders of a chief, and stimulated by l’esprit de corps.

It was truly admirable to see with what address and rapidity the three or four hundred men, who had hastened to Bois-Monzil, passed and repassed the buckets, by forming a chain to the bottom of the mine.  But their generous efforts became too fatiguing to last long.  Imagine a subterranean vault, badly lighted, where they were obliged to maintain themselves in a rapid descent in a stooping posture, to avoid striking their heads against the roof of the vault, and, most of the time, up to the middle in the water, which was dripping from every side; some idea may then be formed of their painful situation.  They were relieved from this laborious duty by the Garde Nationale of St. Etienne, whose zeal and enthusiasm exceeded all praise.  But a more precious reinforcement was at hand; the workmen from the adjacent mines now arrived in great numbers.  From their skill and experience every thing might be expected; if they failed there was no further hope.

The chaine a bras was again renewed by companies of the National Guard, relieved every two hours, who, at respective distances, held the lights, and under whose orders they acted.  It was a cheering spectacle to behold citizens of all ranks engaged in one of the noblest offices of humanity, under the direction of poor colliers.

The immense advantages of the organization of the National Guard, were never more strikingly exemplified than on this occasion.  Without them, there would have been no means or possibility of uniting together an entire population; of leading the people from a distance of more than three miles, night and day, so as to insure a regular and continued service; all would have been trouble and confusion.  With them, on the contrary, every thing was ready, and in motion, at the voice of a single chief; and the whole was conducted with such precision and regularity as had never on similar occasions, been witnessed before.