AND A DESPERATE ENGAGEMENT. 858

entrance where the horse came out, we found the carcass of another
horse, and of two men, devoured by the ravenous creatures; and one
of the men was no doubt the same whom we heard fire the gun,
for there lay a gun just by him fired off; but as to the man, his
head and the upper part of his body was eaten up.

This filled us with horror, and we knew not what course to
take; but the creatures resolved us soon, for they gathered about
us presently in hopes of prey; and I verily believe there were three
hundred of them. It happened very much to our advantage that
at the entrance into the wood, but a little way from it, there lay
some large timber trees, which had been cut down the summer
before, and I suppose lay there for carriage. I drew my little troop

Se

“THEY CAME WITH A GROWLING KIND OF NOISE, AND MOUNTED
THE TIMBER.”

 

in among those trees, and placing ourselves in a line behind one
long tree, I advised them all to light, and keeping that tree before
us for a breastwork, to stand in a triangle, or three eee enclos-
ing our horses in the centre.

We did so, and it was well we did; for never was a more
furious charge than the creatures ede upon us in the place.
They came on us with a growling kind of a noise, and mounted
the piece of timber, which, as I said, was our breastwork,
as if they were only rushing upon their prey; and this fury of
theirs, it seems, was principally occasioned by their seeing our
horses behind us, which was the prey they aimed at. I ordered
our men to fire as before, every other man; and they took their