He satisfy'd 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 fifteenth of November；and indeed，I was surpriz'd，when instead of going forward，he came directly back with us，on the same Road that we came from Madrid，above twenty Miles；when being pass'd two Rivers，and come into the plain Country，we found our selves in a warm Climate again，where the Country was pleasant，and no Snow to be seen；but on a sudden，turning to his left，he approach'd the Mountains another Way；and though it is true，the Hills and Precipices look'd dreadful，yet he made so many Tours，such Meanders，and led us by such winding Ways，that we were insensibly pass'd the Height of the Mountains，without being much incumbred with the Snow；and all on a sudden，he shew'd us the pleasant fruitful Provinces of Languedoc and Gascoign，all green and flourishing；tho' indeed it was at a great Distance，and we had some rough Way to pass yet.
We were a little uneasy however，when we found it snow'd 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 something before us，and not just in Sight，out rushed three monstrous Wolves，and after them a Bear，out of a hollow Way，adjoyning to a thick Wood；two of the Wolves flew upon the Guide，and had he been half a Mile before us，he had been devour'd indeed，before we could have help'd him：One of them fastned upon his Horse，and the other attack'd the Man with that Violence，that he had not Time，or not Presence of Mind enough to draw his Pistol，but hollow'd and cry'd out to us most lustily；my Man Friday being next me，I bid him ride up，and see what was the Matter；as soon as Friday came in Sight of the Man，he hollow'd as loud as t'other，O Master！ O Master！ But like a bold Fellow，rode directly up to the poor Man，and with his Pistol shot the Wolf that attack'd him into the Head.
It was happy for the poor Man，that it was my Man Friday；for he having been us'd to that kind of Creature in his Country，had no Fear upon him；but went close up to him，and shot him as above；whereas any of us，would have fir'd at a farther Distance，and have perhaps either miss'd the Wolf，or endanger'd shooting the Man.
But it was enough to have terrify'd a bolder Man than I，and indeed it alarm'd all our Company，when with the Noise of Friday's Pistol，we heard on both Sides the dismallest Howling of Wolves，and the Noise redoubled by the Eccho of the Mountains，that it was to us as if there had been a prodigious Multitude of them；and perhaps indeed there was not such a Few，as that we had no cause of Apprehensions.
However，as Friday had kill'd this Wolf，the other that had fastned upon the Horse，left him immediately，and fled；having happily fastned upon his Head，where the Bosses of the Bridle had stuck in his Teeth；so that he had not done him much Hurt：The Man indeed was most Hurt；for the raging Creature had bit him twice，once on the Arm，and the other Time a little above his Knee；and he was just as it were tumbling down by the Disorder of his Horse，when Friday came up and shot the Wolf.
It is easy to suppose，that at the Noise of Friday's Pistol，we all mended our Pace，and rid up as fast as the Way （which was very difficult） would give us leave，to see what was the Matter；as soon as we came clear of the Trees，which blinded us before，we saw clearly what had been the Case，and how Friday had disengag'd the poor Guide；though we did not presently discern what kind of Creature it was he had kill'd.
But never was a Fight manag'd so hardily，and in such a surprizing Manner，as that which follow'd between Friday and the Bear，which gave us all （though at first we were surpriz'd and afraid for him） the greatest Diversion imaginable：As the Bear is a heavy，clumsey Creature，and does not gallop as the Wolf does，who is swift，and light；so he has two particular Qualities，which generally are the Rule of his Actions；First，As to Men，who are not his proper Prey；I say，not his proper Prey；because tho' I cannot say what excessive Hunger might do，which was now their Case，the Ground being all cover'd with Snow；but as to Men，he does not usually attempt them，unless they first attack him：On the contrary，if you meet him in the Woods，if you don't meddle with him，he won't meddle with you；but then you must take Care to be very Civil to him，and give him the Road；for he is a very nice Gentleman，he won't go a Step out of his Way for a Prince；nay，if you are really afraid，your best way is to look another Way，and keep going on；for sometimes if you stop，and stand still，and look steadily at him，he takes it for an Affront；but if you throw or toss any Thing at him，and it hits him，though it were but a bit of a Stick，as big as your Finger，he takes it for an Affront，and sets all his other Business aside to pursue his Revenge；for he will have Satisfaction in Point of Honour；that is his first Quality：The next is，That if he be once affronted，he will never leave you，Night or Day，till he has his Revenge；but follows at a good round rate，till he overtakes you.
My Man Friday had deliver'd our Guide，and when we came up to him，he was helping him off from his Horse；for the Man was both hurt and frighted，and indeed，the last more than the first；when on the sudden，we spy'd the Bear come Out Of the Wood，and a vast monstrous One it was，the biggest by far that ever I saw：We were all a little surpriz'd，when we saw him；but when Friday saw him，it was easy to see Joy and Courage in the Fellow's Countenance；O！ O！ O！ Says Friday，three Times，pointing to him；O Master，You give me te Leave！ Me shakee te Hand mith him：Me make you good laugh.
