great many of their
sheep and horses, and some people too. We had one dangerous place to
pass, which our guide told us, if there were more wolves in the country
we should find them there; and this was a small plain, surrounded with
woods on every side, and a long narrow defile, or lane, which we were to
pass to get through the wood, and then we should come to the village
where we were to lodge. It was within half an hour of sunset when we
entered the first wood, and a little after sunset when we came into the
plain; we met with nothing in the first wood, except that, in a little
plain within the wood, which was not above two furlongs over, we saw
five great wolves cross the road, full speed, one after another, as if
they had been in chase of some prey, and had it in view; they took no
notice of us, and were gone out of sight in a few moments. Upon this our
guide, who, by the way, was but a fainthearted fellow, bid us keep in a
ready posture, for he believed there were more wolves a coming. We kept
our arms ready, and our eyes about us; but we saw no more wolves till we
came through that wood, which was near half a league, and entered the
plain. As soon as we came into the plain, we had occasion enough to look
about us: the first object we met with was a dead horse, that is to say,
a poor horse which the wolves had killed, and at least a dozen of them
at work, we could not say eating of him, but picking of his bones
rather; for they had eaten up all the flesh before. We did not think fit
to disturb them at their feast, neither did they take much notice of us.
Friday would have let fly at them, but I would not suffer him by any
means; for I found we were like to have more business upon our hands
than we were aware of. We were not gone half over the plain, when we
began to hear the wolves howl in the wood on our left in a frightful
manner, and presently after we saw about a hundred coming on directly
towards us, all in a body, and most of them in a line, as regularly as
an army drawn up by experienced officers. I scarce knew in what manner
to receive them, but found, to draw ourselves in a close line was the
only way; so we formed in a moment: but that we might not have, too
much interval, I ordered that only every other man should fire, and that
the others who had not fired should stand ready to give them a second
volley immediately, if they continued to advance upon us; and then that
those who had fired at first should no