I scarce knew in what manner to receive them, but found to draw ourselves in a close line was the only way; so we formed in a moment; but that we might not have too much interval, I ordered that only every other man should fire, and that the others, who had not fired, should stand ready to give them a second volley immediately, if they continued to advance upon us; and then that those that had fired at first should not pretend to load their fusees again, but stand ready, every one with a pistol, for we were all armed with a fusee and a pair of pistols each man; so we were, by this method, able to fire six volleys, half of us at a time; however, at present we had no necessity; for upon firing the first volley, the enemy made a full stop, being terrified as well with the noise as with the fire.
Indi, affinchè non passasse troppo tempo tra uno sparo ed un altro, ordinai a quelli della mia comitiva che un solo d’ogni due sparasse il suo archibuso, mentre gli altri che non lo avrebbero sparato si terrebbero pronti ad una seconda scarica, se i lupi continuavano a venire innanzi contro di noi; e che chi lo avea sparato, in vece di pensare a ricaricarlo subito, facesse fuoco con l’una poi con l’altra delle sue pistole. Così, fra una metà e l’altra, avevamo sei continue scariche a nostra disposizione, perchè non v’era in quella brigata chi non fosse provveduto di un moschetto e di due pistole.