well they might, for fear of the bears and wolves breaking into the
village, in order to prey upon their cattle and people. The next morning
we were obliged to take a new guide, by reason the other fell very bad
of his wounds, which he had received as before mentioned. After we had
reached Tholouse, we came into a warm, pleasant, and fruitful country,
not infested with wolves, nor any sort of ravenous creatures: and when
we told our story there, they much blamed our guide, for conducting us
through the forest at the foot of the mountains, in such a severe
season, when the snow obliged the wolves to seek for shelter in the
woods. When we informed them in what manner we placed ourselves, and the
horses in the centre, they exceedingly reprehended us, and told us, it
was an hundred to one, but we had been all destroyed; for that it was
the very sight of the horses, their so much desired prey, that made the
wolves more ragingly furious than they would have been, which was
evident, by their being at other times really afraid of a gun; but then
being exceedingly hungry and furious upon that account, their eagerness
to come at the horses made them insensible of their danger; and that, if
we had not, by a continual fire, and at last by the cunning stratagem of
the train of powder, got the better of them, it had been great odds if
their number had not overpowered us; besides, it was a great mercy we
alighted from our horses, and fought them with that courage and conduct,
which, had we failed to do, every man of us, with our beasts, had been
devoured: and, indeed, this was nothing but truth; for never in my life
was I so sensible of danger, as when three hundred, devils came roaring
upon us, to shun whose unwelcome company, if I was sure to meet a storm
every week; I would rather go a thousand leagues by sea.

I think I have, nothing uncommon in my passage through France to take
notice of, since other travellers of greater learning and ingenuity,
have given more ample account than my pen is able to set forth. From
Tholouse I travelled to Paris, from thence to Calais, where I took
shipping, and landed at Dover the 14th of January, in a very
cold season.

Thus come to the end of my travels, I soon discovered my new found
estate, and all the bills of exchange I had were currently paid. The
good ancient widow, my only privy counsellor, thought no pains nor care
too great to procure my advantage, nor had I ever occasion to blame her