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gs; it was lighted occasionally by an amazing number of wax
tapers of different sizes, some of which were as thick as a man's
thigh; these, however, were only used on some of their grand
festivals.

I was very much shocked at the custom of bull-baiting, and other
diversions which prevailed here on Sunday evenings, to the great
scandal of Christianity and morals. I used to express my abhorrence of
it to a priest whom I met with. I had frequent contests about religion
with the reverend father, in which he took great pains to make a
proselyte of me to his church; and I no less to convert him to mine.
On these occasions I used to produce my Bible, and shew him in what
points his church erred. He then said he had been in England, and that
every person there read the Bible, which was very wrong; but I
answered him that Christ desired us to search the Scriptures. In his
zeal for my conversion, he solicited me to go to one of the
universities in Spain, and declared that I should have my education
free; and told me, if I got myself made a priest, I might in time
become even pope; and that Pope Benedict was a black man. As I was
ever desirous of learning, I paused for some time upon this
temptation; and thought by being crafty I might catch some with guile;
but I began to think that it would be only hypocrisy in me to embrace
his offer, as I could not in conscience conform to the opinions of his
church. I was therefore enabled to regard the word of God, which says,
'Come out from amongst them,' and refused Father Vincent's offer. So
we parted without conviction on either side.

Having taken at this place some fine wines, fruits, and money, we
proceeded to Cadiz, where we took about two tons more of money, &c.
and then sailed for England in the month of June. When we were about
the north latitude 42, we had contrary wind for several days, and the
ship did not make in that time above six or seven miles straight
course. This made the captain exceeding fretful and peevish: and I was
very sorry to hear God's most holy name often blasphemed by him. One
day, as he was in that impious mood, a young gentleman on board, who
was a passenger, reproached him, and said he acted wrong; for we ought
to be thankful to God for all things, as we were not in want of any
thing on board; and though the wind was contrary for us, yet it was
fair for some others, who, perhaps, stood in more need of it than we.
I immediately seconded this young gentleman with some boldness, and
said we had not the least cause to murmur, for that the Lord was
better to us than we deserved, and that he had done all things well. I
expected that the captain would be very angry with me for speaking,
but he replied not a word. However, before that time on the following
day, being the 21st of June, much to our great joy and astonishment,
we saw the providential hand of our benign Creator, whose ways with
his blind creatures are past finding out. The preceding night I
dreamed that I saw a boat immediately off the starboard main shrouds;
and exactly at half past one o'clock, the following day at noon, while
I was below, just as we had dined in the cabin, the man at the helm
cried out, A boat! which brought my dream that instant into my mind. I
was the first man that jumped on the deck; and, looking from the
shrouds onward, according to my dream, I descried a little boat at
some distance; but, as the waves were high, it was as much as we could
do sometimes to discern her; we however stopped the ship's way, and
the boat, which was extremely small, came alongside with eleven
miserable men, whom we took on board immediately. To all human
appearance, these people must have perished in the course of one hour
or less, the boat being small, it barely contained them. When we took
them up they were half drowned, and had no victuals, compass, water,
or any other necessary whatsoever, and had only one bit of an oar to
steer with, and that right before the wind; so that they were obliged
to trust entirely to the mercy of the waves. As soon as we got them
all on board, they bowed themselves on their knees, and, with hands
and voices lifted up to heaven, thanked God for their deliverance; and
I trust that my prayers were not wanting amongst them at the same
time. This mercy of the Lord quite melted me, and I recollected his
words, which I saw thus verified in the 107th Psalm 'O give thanks
unto the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever. Hungry
and thirsty, their souls fainted in them. They cried unto Lord in
their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses. And he
led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of
habitation. O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for
his wonderful works to the children of men! For he satisfieth the
longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.

'Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death:

'Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them out
of their distresses. They that go down to the sea in ships; that do
business in great waters: these see the works of the Lord, and his
wonders in the deep. Whoso is wise and will observe these things, even
they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord.'

The poor distressed captain said, 'that the Lord is good; for, seeing
that I am not fit to die, he therefore gave me a space of time to
repent.' I was very glad to hear this expression, and took an
opportunity when convenient of talking to him on the providence of
God. They told us they were Portuguese, and were in a brig loaded with
corn, which shifted that morning at five o'clock, owing to which the
vessel sunk that instant with two of the crew; and how these eleven
got into the boat (which was lashed to the deck) not one of them could
tell. We provided them with every necessary, and brought them all safe
to London: and I hope the Lord gave them repentance unto life eternal.

I was happy once more amongst my friends and brethren, till November,
when my old friend, the celebrated Doctor Irving, bought a remarkable
fine sloop, about 150 tons. He had a mind for a new adventure in
cultivating a plantation at Jamaica and the Musquito Shore; asked me
to go with him, and said that he would trust me with his estate in
preference to any one. By the advice, therefore, of my friends, I
accepted of the offer, knowing that the harvest was fully ripe in
those parts, and hoped to be the instrument, under God, of bringing
some poor sinner to my well beloved master, Jesus Christ. Before I
embarked, I found with the Doctor four Musquito Indians, who were
chiefs in their own country, and were brought here by some English
traders for some selfish ends. One of them was the Musquito king's
son; a youth of about eighteen years of age; and whilst he was here he
was baptized by the name of George. They were going back at the
government's expense, after having been in England about twelve
months, during which they learned to speak pretty good En

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