Abbé Pierre Pourcher Translated by Derek Brockis
La Bête du Gévaudan was a real wolf-like monster living in the Auvergne from 1764 to 1767. She killed about one hundred people.
Prowling Catholic pre-Revolutionary France, she spread terror among the aristocrats and peasants of the beautiful Auvergne countryside.
Her story beats most mystery novels in false trails, horror and atmosphere. The big difference is La Bête was real, not fiction, and leaves for ever the unanswered question, “What was she?”
All efforts to stop her failed and she became infamous throughout France.
The king - Louis XV - took a personal interest in her activities and how to destroy her. Many explanations - alien, prehistoric beast, mutant etc. - were put forward at the time and during the two centuries since but none have ever been widely accepted.
A mass of evidence remains that La Bête did exist and was not just a legend.
Compared with other monster mysteries she is unique, leaving graves, witnessed parish records, and archives of official documents, many of them included in this book, proving her real and guilty beyond doubt. Read Pourcher’s book carefully and draw your own conclusions. Even if you arrive at a conventional solution to the mystery, doubts might linger as darkness falls. If twigs crack, don’t whistle.
ABBÉ PIERRE POURCHER
Pierre Pourcher was born on the 8th December 1831 in the village of Mazet, parish of Julianges. His parents were BarthJlemy Pourcher and Jeanne -Marie, maiden name Roussel. Her was christened on the 10th December 1831, the godfather being Jean-Pierre Pourcher, his grandfather. He entered the Grand Seminary when he was 28 years old, being ordained priest in 1865. He became Curate of St. Martin de Boubaux in 1873 and held this office until 1900.
Pourcher wrote several historical books of which La Bête du Gévaudan is the most well known. In it he makes several references to direct family experiences with La Bête.
“The child from ServiPres, taken by La Bête on Saturday 27th July, was Pierre Roussel, paternal uncle of my mother Jeanne-Marie-Roussel, widow of BarthJlemy Pourcher, my father. The Roussel family, from Fajolle at GrPzes, near Sauges, inherited the domain of Guillaume de ServiPres, today the Portal house, where almost all the six uncles and two aunts were born.”
Pope LJon XIII personally encouraged Pourcher’s writing, approving of his good works and the various restorations he was able to achieve in his parish. Papal appreciation is particularly recorded in a letter of 30th July, 1887 written to him on the instruction of the Pontiff by Cardinal
Rampolla.
Pourcher died on 3rd March 1915 in the Chaldecoste district of Mende. The modest house in which he was born can still be seen. It has an enigmatic carving, said by some to be La Bête, over its front door.
A thoughtful priest who left to his church and the world a book from which much can be learned.
DEREK BROCKIS
The TRANSLATOR is 73, retired, and married with two daughters and two grandsons.
Lives in a house built in the grounds of an old rectory in Surrey, England, minutes walk from a village with two inns remaining open all day. His hobby is reading French and German literature.
Derek was a Flying Officer - Armaments Branch - in the Royal Air Force, declined the offer of a permanent commission and joined industry. He became Managing Director of an international company in the Reckitt and Colman group, later joining Alcan Aluminium, eventually retiring as Marketing Services Manager of a company specialising in aircraft alloys. Fifteen years ago, browsing round a charity book shop he came across an old French book on La Bête. Recognising a great monster mystery, he started, as a hobby to write articles and tried to make the story popular in English speaking countries, because it is almost unknown outside France. Since then several articles on La Bête have been published and his website is widely copied and used, for examples by a French hotel and a German animal charity.
For pleasure and to practice the French language Derek spent six months translating into English the book on La Bête written in 1889 by Abbé Pourcher. This is by far the main work and is used as reference by all seriously interested parties. He thinks it important to publish Pourcher in English so this magnificent monster mystery grows and is preserved world wide.
Our Lady All Powerful, please spare us the punishments of a strict justice. Stop the sufferings and let us return to the ways of righteousness. Stop and hold back all the infernal powers from continuing their rages and killings on us. You are our mother; let our groans and pleading appease the just anger of your son, Master and Sovereign of all things, who can preserve us from evil. So may it be.
INDEX
Preface.
Introduction.
1. The Beast of Gévaudan
2. GJvaudan at the appearance of La BLte FJroce.
3. First attacks of La Bête.
4. La Bête in the woods of St. Chély
5. Official accounts of hunts.
6. Appeal to the troops.
7. First hunt by Duhamel.
8. Account by M. Trocelier, Curate.
9. New ravages by La Bête.
10. Mandate by the Bishop of Mende.
11. Spreading of murders by La Bête.
12. The first victims of 1765.
13. Complaints against Duhamel.
14. Reward of the King
15. General hunts by the Auvergne and Rouergue
16. Nomination of Denneval.
17. Projects for destruction.
18. Terror in the countryside.
19. Arrival of the hunters.
20. Denneval in the GJvaudan.
21. La Femme Jouve.
22. The rewards of Portefaix
23. The Individual States of GJvaudan.
24. Dispositions of Denneval.
25. Departure of Duhamel.
26. Embarrassment in the GJvaudan.
27. General account.
28. Murders and hunts/ She-wolf killed at Panouse
