ance in my power, I stood over them in
painful anxiety, fully sensible that it was only by means of them that I
could possibly be delivered from these abodes of despair.

But suddenly a monstrous bear began to roar behind me, with a voice like
thunder. I turned round, and seeing the creature just ready to devour
me, having the bladder of liquor in my hands, through fear I squeezed it
so hard, that it burst, and the liquor flying in the eyes of the animal,
totally deprived it of sight. It instantly turned from me, ran away in
a state of distraction, and soon fell over a precipice of ice into the
sea, where I saw it no more.

The danger being over, I again turned my attention to the eagles, whom I
found in a fair way of recovery, and suspecting that they were faint
for want of victuals, I took one of the beef fruit, cut it into small
slices, and presented them with it, which they devoured with avidity.

Having given them plenty to eat and drink, and disposed of the remainder
of my provision, I took possession of my seat as before. After composing
myself, and adjusting everything in the best manner, I began to eat and
drink very heartily; and through the effects of the mountain wine, as I
called it, was very cheerful, and began to sing a few verses of a song
which I had learned when I was a boy: but the noise soon alarmed the
eagles, who had been asleep, through the quantity of liquor which they
had drank, and they rose seemingly much terrified. Happily for me,
however, when I was feeding them I had accidentally turned their heads
towards the south-east, which course they pursued with a rapid
motion. In a few hours I saw the Western Isles, and soon after had the
inexpressible pleasure of seeing Old England. I took no notice of the
seas or islands over which I passed.

The eagles descended gradually as they drew near the shore, intending,
as I supposed, to alight on one of the Welsh mountains; but when they
came to the distance of about sixty yards two guns were fired at them,
loaded with balls, one of which took place in a bladder of liquor that
hung to my waist; the other entered the breast of the foremost eagle,
who fell to the ground, while that which I rode, having received no
injury, flew away with amazing swiftness.

This circumstance alarmed me exceedingly, and I began to think it was
impossible for me to escape with my life; but recovering a little, I
once more looked down upon the earth, when, to my inexpressi