278 THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES

 

mountains by such ways that they were not ee incommoded with
the snow; and where they met with snow in any quantity, they said it
was frozen hard enough to bear them and their horses.

We sent for this guide, who told us, he would undertake to carry us
the same way, with no hazard from the snow, provided we were armed
sufficiently to protect us from wild beasts: for, he said, upon these
great snows, it was frequent for some wolves to show themselves at the
foot of the mountains, being made ravenous for want of food, the
ground being covered with snow. We told him we were well enough
prepared for such creatures as they were, if he would ensure us from a
kind of two legged wolves, which we were told we were in most danger
from, especially on the French side of the mountains.

He satisfied us there was no danger of that kind in the way that we
were to go: so we readily agreed to follow him; as did also twelve
other gentlemen, with their servants, some French, some Spanish, who,
as I said, had attempted to go, and were obliged to come back again.

Accordingly, we all set out from Pampeluna, with our guide, on
the 15th of November; and, indeed, I was surprised, when, instead
of going forward, he came directly back with us, on the same road
that we canie from Madrid, above twenty miles; when having passed
two rivers, and come into the plain country, we found ourselves in a
warm climate again, where the country was pleasant, and no snow to
be seen; but on a sudden, turning to the left, he approached the
mountains another way; and though, it is true, the hills and the pre-
cipices looked dreadfully, yet he made so many tours, such meanders,
and led us by such winding ways, we insensibly passed the height of
the mountains, without.being much encumbered with the snow; and
all on a sudden he showed us the pleasant, fruitful provinces of Lan-
guedoc and Gascoigne, all green and flourishing; though, indeed,
they were at a great distance, and we had some rough way to pase
yet.

We were a little uncasy, however, when we found it snowed one
whole day and a night, so fast that we could not travel; but he bid us
be easy, we should soon be past it all. We found, indeed, that we
began to descend every day, and to come more north than before;
and so, depending upon our guide, we went on.

It was about two hours before night, when our guide being some-
thing before us, and not just in sight, out rushed three monstrous
wolves, and after them a bear, out of a hollow way, adjoining to a
thick wood. Two of the wolves flew upon the guide, and had he been
half a mile before us, he had been devoured indeed, before we could
bave helped him: one of them fastened upon his horse, and the other