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 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.