their aim, that they killed several of the wolves at the
first volley; but still we were obliged to keep a continual firing, by
reason they came on like devils, pushing one another with the greatest
fury. But our second volley something abated their courage, when
stopping a little, we hoped they would have made the best of their way,
however, it did not prove so, for others made a new attempt upon us; and
though in four firings, we killed seventeen or eighteen of them, laming
twice as many, yet they several times successively came on, as though
they valued not their lives for the sake of their prey.

Unwilling was I to spend our last shot too suddenly, and therefore
calling my other servant, and giving him a horn of powder, bid him lay a
large train quite along the timber, which he did, while Friday was
charging my fusee and his own, with the greatest dexterity. By this time
the wolves coming up the timber, I set fire to the train, by snapping a
discharged pistol close to the powder. This so scorched and terrified
them, that some fell down, and others jumped in among us: but there
were immediately dispatched, when all the rest, frighted with the
light, which the darksome night caused to appear more dreadful, began at
length to retire; upon which ordering our last pistols to be fired at
once, giving at the same time a great shout, the wolves were obliged to
have recourse to their swiftness, and turn tail; and then we sallied out
upon twenty lame ones, cutting them in pieces with our swords, which
obliged them to howl lamentably, to the terror of their fellows, who
resigned to us the field as victorious conquerors. And, indeed, I
question whether Alexander king of Macedonia, in any of his conquests,
had more occasion for triumph than we had; for he was but attacked with
numerous armies of soldiers; whereas our little army was obliged to
combat a legion of devils, as it were, worse than the cannibals, who,
the same moment they had slain us, would have sacrificed us, to satisfy
their voracious appetites.

Thus ended our bloody battle with the beasts, having killed threescore
of them, and saved our lives from their fury. We still had a league
further to go, when, as we went, our ears were saluted with their most
unwelcome howlings, and we expected every moment another attack. But, in
an hour's time, we arrived at the town where we were to lodge; and here
we found the place strictly guarded, and all in terrible confusion, as