that he had not Time
We sent for this Guide, who told us, he would undertake to carry us the same Way with no Hazard from the Snow, provided we were armed sufficiently to protect our selves from wild Beasts; for he said, upon these great Snows, it was frequent for some Wolves to show themselves at the Foot of the Mountains, being made ravenous for Want of Food, the Ground being covered with Snow: We told him, we were well enough prepar’d for such Creatures as they were, if he would ensure us from a Kind of two-legged Wolves, which we were told, we were in most Danger from, especially on the French Side of the Mountains.
He satisfy’d us there was no Danger of that kind in the Way that we were to go; so we readily agreed to follow him, as did also twelve other Gentlemen, with their Servants, some French, some Spanish; who, as I said, had attempted to go, and were obliged to come back again.
Accordingly, we all set Out from Pampeluna, with our Guide, on the fifteenth of November; and indeed, I was surpriz’d, when instead of going forward, he came directly back with us, on the same Road that we came from Madrid, above twenty Miles; when being pass’d two Rivers, and come into the plain Country, we found our selves in a warm Climate again, where the Country was pleasant, and no Snow to be seen; but on a sudden, turning to his left, he approach’d the Mountains another Way; and though it is true, the Hills and Precipices look’d dreadful, yet he made so many Tours, such Meanders, and led us by such winding Ways, that we were insensibly pass’d the Height of the Mountains, without being much incumbred with the Snow; and all on a sudden, he shew’d us the pleasant fruitful Provinces of Languedoc and Gascoign, all green and flourishing; tho’ indeed it was at a great Distance, and we had some rough Way to pass yet.
We were a little uneasy however, when we found it snow’d one whole Day, and a Night, so fast, that we could not travel; but he bid us be easy, we should soon be past it all: We found indeed, that we began to descend every Day, and to come more North than before; and so depending upon our Guide, we went on.
It was about two Hours before Night, when our Guide being something before us, and not just in Sight, out rushed three monstrous Wolves, and after them a Bear, out of a hollow Way, adjoyning to a thick Wood; two of the Wolves flew upon the Guide, and had he been half a Mile before us, he had been devour’d indeed, before we could have help’d him: One of them fastned upon his Horse, and the other attack’d the Man with that Violence, that he had not Time, or not Presence of Mind enough to draw his Pistol, but hollow’d and cry’d out to us most lustily; my Man Friday being next me, I bid him ride up, and see what was the Matter; as soon as Friday came in Sight of the Man, he hollow’d as loud as t’other, O Master! O Master! But like a bold Fellow, rode directly up to the poor Man, and with his Pistol shot the Wolf that attack’d him into the Head.
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