56 THE FEENCH BLOOD IN AMERICA 



they were nearly suffocated ; others were held under water 

 till life wiis almost extinct. These, and other crimes too 

 horrible for mention here, were all committed under the 

 mask of a religion which, professing to teach the love of 

 God, inspired the hearts of its followers with a hatred of 

 their fellow man. 



vni 



From this condition of affairs large numbers of the 

 Exni"^^"^° Huguenots sought relief by fleeing over the borders of 

 France into Switzerland, Germany, Holland and England, 

 where they were warmly welcomed, both on account of 

 the pity felt for their sufferings, and because they repre- 

 sented the most sober, industrious and intelligent class 

 of the French people. It is probable that at least four 

 hundred thousand persons emigrated within a short time 

 after the Revocation, and some historians put the figures 

 as high as eight hundred thousand. Their going struck 

 a sore blow to France, and was the most potent cause of 

 her loss of commercial supremacy. For the majority 

 France Lost of thosc who cscapcd wcrc noblcmeu and gentry, wealthy 

 Artisans and mcrchauts and manufacturers, bankers, or skilled arti- 



Best Blood ' ' 



sans ; and while most of them were forced to leave their 

 wealth behind them they carried away what was of 

 far more importance — the knowledge of trades such as 

 weaving fine cloths, making silks and laces, hats, etc., 

 which had up to that time been confined to France. The 

 growth of England as a great manufacturing nation was 

 due in no mean degree to the efforts and the skill of the 

 refugees whom she received so hospitably. But this emi- 

 gration was not accomplished without the greatest hard- 

 ships. The guards along the frontiers were Increased and 

 every effort made by the government to prevent the out- 

 flow. Those who were apprehended were certain to be 

 ' consigned to the galleys, but this did not prevent the 

 bolder spirits from making an endeavour to reach free- 

 dom. The greatest variety of strategies was resorted to : 



