Thus we had some small time to load our pieces again, and then made all the haste we could on our way; but we had not rode far, before we were obliged to put ourselves in a posture of defence as before, being alarmed with a very dreadful noise in the same wood, on our left hand, the same way as we were to pass, only that it was at some distance from us.  By this time the darksome clouds began to spread over the elements, and the night growing very dusky, made it so much the more to our disadvantage; but still the noise increasing, we were fully assured, that it was the howling and the yelling of those ravenous creatures; when presently three troops of wolves on our front appeared in sight, as though a great number of them had a design to surround us, and devour us in spite of fate.  But as they did not fall upon us immediately, we proceeded on our journey in as swift a manner as the roads would permit our horses, which was only a large trot.  It was in this manner we travelled, till such a time as we discovered another wood, and had the prospect of its entrance through which were to pass, at the farthest side of the plain.  But surely none can express the terror we were in, when approaching the lane, we perceived a confused number of the fiercest wolves, standing, as it were guarding its entrance.  Nor were we long in this amazement, before another occasion of horror presented itself; for suddenly we heard the report of a gun at another opening in the wood and, looking that way, out ran a horse bridled and saddled, flying with the greatest swiftness, and no less than sixteen or seventeen wolves pursuing after him, in order to devour the poor creature; and unquestionably they did so, after they had run him down, not being able to hold out that swiftness with which he at first escaped them.

When we rode up to that entrance from whence the horse came forth, there lay the carcases of another horse & two men, mangled and torn by these devouring wolves; and undoubtedly one of these men was the person who fired the gun which we had heard, for the piece lay by him; but alas! most of the upper part of his body and his head were entombed in the bowels of these ravenous creatures.

What course to take, whether to proceed or retreat, we could not tell; but it was not long before the wolves themselves made us to come to a resolution; for such numbers surrounded us, every one of whom expected their prey, that were our bodies to be divided among them, there would not be half a mouthful a-piece.  But happy, very happy it was for us, that but a little way from the entrance, there lay some very large timber trees, which I supposed had been cut down and laid there for sale:  amongst which I drew my little troop, placing ourselves in a line behind one long tree, which served us for a breast work, when desiring them to alight, we stood in a triangle, or three fronts, closing our bodies in the centre, the only place where we could preserve them.