246 ROBINSON CRUSOE.

we heard a terrible noise in the same wood on our left, only
that it was farther onward, the same way we were to go.

The night was coming on, and the light began to be dusky,
which made it worse on our side ; but the noise increasing, we
could easily perceive that it was the howling and yelling of those
hellish creatures ; and, on a sudden, we perceived two or three
troops of wolves, one on our left, one behind us, and one in our
front, so that we seemed to be surrounded with them : however,
as they did not fall upon us, we kept our way forward, as fast
as we could make our horses go, which, the way being very
rough, was only a good hard trot. In this manner, we came in
view of the entrance of a wood, through which we were to pass,
at the farther side of the plain ; but we were greatly surprised,
when coming nearer the lane or pass, we saw a confused number
of wolves standing just at the entrance. On a sudden, at an-
other opening of the wood, we heard the noise of a gun, and
looking that way, out rushed a horse, with a saddle and a bridle
on him, flying like the wind, and sixteen or seventeen wolves
after him full speed: the horse had the advantage of them ; but
as we supposed that he could not hold it at that rate, we doubted
not but they would get up with him at last: no question but
they did.

But here we had a most horrible sight : for, riding up to the
entrance where the horse came out, we found the carcases of
another horse and of two men, devoured by the ravenous crea-
tures ; 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 were
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 be-
lieve 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 in among those trees, and pla-
cing ourselves in a line behind one long tree, I advised them all
to alight, and keeping that tree before us for a breastwork, to
stand in a triangle, or three fronts, enclosing our horses in the
centre. We did so, and it was well we did ; for never was a
more furious charge than the creatures made upon us in this
place. They came on with a growling kind of noise, and
mounted the piece of timber, which, as I said, was our breast-
work, as if they were only rushing upon their prey ; and this

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