it continued snowing with so much Violence
When we came to Madrid, we being all of us Strangers to Spain, were willing to stay some time to see the Court of Spain, and to see what was worth observing; but it being the latter Part of the Summer, we hasten’d away, and set out from Madrid about the Middle of October: But when we came to the Edge of Navarre, we were alarm’d at several Towns on the Way, with an Account, that so much Snow was fallen on the French Side of the Mountains, that several Travellers were obliged to come back to Pampeluna, after having attempted, at an extream Hazard, to pass on.
When we came to Pampeluna it self, we found it so indeed; and to me that had been always used to a hot Climate, and indeed to Countries where we could scarce bear any Cloaths on, the Cold was insufferable; nor indeed was it more painful than it was surprising, to come but ten Days before out of the old Castile where the Weather was not only warm but very hot, and immediately to feel a Wind from the Pyrenean Mountains, so very keen, so severely cold, as to be intollerable, and to endanger benumbing and perishing of our Fingers and Toes.
Poor Friday was really frighted when he saw the Mountains all cover’d with Snow, and felt cold Weather, which he had never seen or felt before in his Life.
To mend the Matter, when we came to Pampeluna, it continued snowing with so much Violence, and so long, that the People said, Winter was come before its time, and the Roads which were difficult before, were now quite impassable: For in a Word, the Snow lay in some Places too thick for us to travel; and being not hard frozen, as is the Case in Northern Countries: There was no going without being in Danger of being bury’d alive every Step. We stay’d no less than twenty Days at Pampeluna; when seeing the Winter coming on, and no Likelihood of its being better; for it was the severest Winter all over Europe that had been known in the Memory of Man. I propos’d that we should all go away to Fonterabia, and there take Shipping for Bourdeaux, which was a very little Voyage.
But while we were considering this, there came in four French Gentlemen, who having been stopp’d on the French Side of the Passes, as we were on the Spanish, had found out a Guide, who traversing the Country near the Head of Languedoc, had brought them over the Mountains by such Ways, that they were not much incommoded with the Snow; and where they met with Snow in any Quantity, they said it was frozen hard enough to bear them and their Horses.
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