d been all
destroyed; for it was the sight of the horses which made the wolves so
furious, seeing their prey; and that, at other times, they are really
afraid of a gun; but being excessive hungry, and raging on that account,
the eagerness to come at the horses had made them senseless of danger;
and that if we had not, by the continued fire, and at last by the
stratagem of the train of powder, mastered them, it had been great odds
but that we had been torn to pieces: whereas, had we been content to
have sat still on horseback, and fired as horsemen, they would not have
taken the horses so much for their own, when men were on their backs, as
otherwise; and withal they told us, that at last, if we had stood all
together, and left our horses, they would have been so eager to have
devoured them, that we might have come off safe, especially having our
fire-arms in our hands, and being so many in number. For my part, I was
never so sensible of danger in my life; for seeing above three hundred
devils come roaring and open-mouthed to devour us, and having nothing to
shelter us, or retreat to, I gave myself over for lost; and, as it was,
I believe I shall never care to cross those mountains again; I think I
would much rather go a thousand leagues by sea, though I was sure to
meet with a storm once a week.

I have nothing uncommon to take notice of in my passage through France,
nothing but what other travellers have given an account of, with much
more advantage than I can. I travelled from Thoulouse to Paris, and
without any considerable stay came to Calais, and landed safe at Dover,
the 14th of Jan. after having a severe cold season to travel in.

I was now come to the centre of my travels, and had in a little time all
my new-discovered estate safe about me; the bills of exchange which I
brought with me having been very currently paid.

My principal guide and privy counsellor was my good ancient widow; who,
in gratitude for the money I had sent her, thought no pains too much,
nor care too great, to employ for me; and I trusted her so entirely with
every thing, that I was perfectly easy as to the security of my effects:
and, indeed, I was very happy from the beginning, and now to the end, in
the unspotted integrity of this good gentlewoman.

And now having resolved to dispose of my plantation in the Brazils, I
wrote to my old friend at Lisbon; who having offered it to the two
merchants, the survivors of my trustees, who lived i