1707. faid no more about the poor Quakers; and when we got within Gun-Shot of a Fort on Barbadoes, the Enemy left chafing us.

Nevis,

Next Morning early we fafely arrived at BridgeBarbadoes. Town in Barbadoes, where our Friends gladly received us; amongst whom we labour'd in the Work of the Gospel for about two Months; and from thence, after having had divers good and edifying Meetings for Amigua. the Worship of God, we failed for Antigua, and stay'd fome Days there, having Meetings, and vifiting our Brethren. From Antigua we fail'd for Nevis, but the Montferrat. Wind being contrary, we put in at Montferrat (an Ifle that hath a great Mountain in it, on the Top of which is a hot Spring of Water, which boils up, and the Mud of it is clear Brimftone; fome of which we carried on board our Veffel; the which is admirable, and fhews the wonderful Works of God. They fay that the Spring is hot enough to boil an Egg.) From this Inland we failed to Nevis, and had Meetings with thofe few Friends that were there, with whom we parted at the Sea-fhore in great Love and Tenderness. After Anguilla, which we failed to an Island called Anguilla, and were civilly treated there by the Generality of the People as alfo by the Governor, George Leonard, at whose House we had Meetings. I remember, that after one Meeting the Governor went into his Porch, and took the Bible, and opened it, and faid, By this Book, if People believe the holy Scriptures, I am able to convince the World, and prove that the People called Quakers are the People of God, and that they follow the Example and Doctrine of Christ, and the Practices of the Apostles and primitive Chriftians, nearer than any People in the World; (ie. generally speaking.) At this Inland feveral People were heartily convinced, and did confefs to the Truth, among whom a Meeting was fettled. Here was never any Friend before, as the Inhabitants faid. I intreat the Lord Jehovah to preferve the fincere-hearted among them in his holy Fear, whilst

they

they remain in this World; and not them only, but all 1707. that love and fear him, in all Kindreds and Nations, and amongst People of all Profeffions whatfoever. This, in the univerfal Spirit of God's Divine Love, is the Defire of my Soul. Back from Anguilla we went to Nevis, Nevis. and from Nevis to Antigua; and notwithstanding our Antigua. Sloop was a dull Sailer, yet we were preserved from the Enemy, to the Admiration of ourselves, Friends, and others, our Course being in the very Road of the Privateers. Juft as we got into the Harbour and were landed, a Privateer came by with a Prize along with her, as we fuppofed, which excited our Thankfulness to the Lord for our Preservation. Here we met with the Packet Boat bound for Jamaica, and thence for England. We ftaid a little at the Inland call'd Saint Chriftophers. In our Way to Jamaica we faw St. Chrifto a fmall Privateer, that gave us Chace, and it being phers. calm, fhe rowed up towards us. The Mafter prepared the Veffel to fight, hoifting up his Mainfail, and putting out our Colours. In the Interim fome were bold, and fome forrówful. One came to me, Chafed by and asked, What I thought of it? And what I thought teer. of the Quakers Principles now? I told him I thought I was as willing to go to Heaven, as himfelf was ;. to which he faid nothing, but turned away from me. Another asked me, What I would do now? I told him, I would pray that they might be made better, and that they might be made fit to die. Then in the midst of their Noife and Hurry, in Secret I begged of the Almighty, in the Name, and for the Sake of his dear Son, that he would be pleafed to caufe a fresh Gale of Wind to fpring up, that we might be delivered from the Enemy without fhedding Blood (well knowing that few of them were fit to die) and even whilft I was thus concerned, the Lord anfwered my Defire and Prayer, for in a few Minutes the Wind fprung up, and we foon left them out of Sight, our Veffel failing extraordinary well, and the next Day

a Priva

1707. we got to Jamaica, and had divers Meetings, viz. at Port Royal, Kingston, and Spanish-Town, &c. At a Jamaica, Meeting at Spanish-Town, there were divers Jews, to whom my Heart was very open, and I felt great Love to them, for the Sake of their Fathers Abrabam, Ifaac, and Jacob, and they were fo affected with the Meeting, that they fent us fome unleavened Cakes, made with fine Flour and sweet Oil, it being a Festival Time with them. We had a Meeting at PortRoyal, in a Place where the Earthquake had deftroyed a large Building, in which Meeting I had Occafion to remind them of the righteous Judgments of God, which had been juftly inflicted on them for their Sins and Wickedness. Some wept, and fome were rude. The People here, as I was informed, were generally very wicked. After having had divers Meetings, the Packet in which we had taken our Paffage, being oblig'd to ftay but ten Days, we went off fooner than we otherwife should have done, and folemnly taking Leave of thofe Friends that were there, we went on board our Veffel, in order for England, by God's Permiffion. We got readily through the Windward Paffage, which is between the Ilands of Cuba and Hispaniola; and divers Times after we left Jamaica, we were chafed by feveral Ships, but they could not come up with us. One Ship of twenty-eight Guns -gave us Chace after a great Storm, and was almost up with us before we could well make Sail; they being eager of their Prey, fent their Hands aloft to let their Reefs out of the Topfails, in order to make more Speed, and came running mightily towards us, and gained much upon us; we fearing to make Sail, by reafon of the Storm, and the Sea running very high, and our Mafts being therefore in Danger, we were fome Time in Doubt, whether we fhould escape or not: But whilft we were in this Confternation, down came the French Ship's three Topmafts at once, fo we scaped, and left her, and went rejoicing on our Way,

Sails for
England.

that

that we were thus delivered. This was one of the 1707. great and remarkable Deliverances among the many I met with, by the good Hand and Providence of the Lord, my great and good Master, whom I hope to ferve all my Days.

On the

Coaft of

eminent

After having been at Sea about fix Weeks, we began to look out for Land, and in two or three Days we founded, and found Ground, at about ninety Fathoms; after which we faw two French Privateers, that gave us Chace about four a Clock in the Morning, and purfued us vigorously; but failing better than they, we run them out of Sight by eight a Clock the fame Morning, and in about two Hours after we faw the Land of Ireland; it being misty Weather, with Rain and Wind, our Mafter thought it beft to lay by and Ireland in forbear Sailing, that Coast being Rocky and dange- Danger. rous, by which Means the two Ships (that gave us Chace) came up with us, and found us not in failing Order, and were in Gun-fhot of us before we were aware of it. What to do now we could not tell, until they began to fire at us; but in this Emergency and Strait our Mafter refolved he would rather run the Veffel on Shore than they should have her, fhe being richly laden with Indigo, Silver, and Gold, reckoned to the Value of Fifty Thousand Pounds. In this Strait, we muft either fall into the Hands of the French, who were our Enemies, or run against the Rocks; and we thought it best to fall into the Hands of the Almighty, and truft to his Providence; fo towards the Rocks we went, which looked with a terrible Afpect. The native Irish feeing us, they came down in great Numbers, and ran on the Rocks, and called to us, faying, That if we came any nearer we fhould be dafbed to Pieces. Then our Mafter ordered Got fafe on the Anchor to be let go, which brought her up be- shore. fore the ftruck; and, with much ado, he put his Boat out into the Sea, and pút in all the Paffengers, in order to fet them on Shore, the Waves running

E 3

very

the Irish

1707. very high, fo that it looked as if every Wave would have fwallowed us up; and it was a great Favour of Providence that we got to Land in Safety. The Privateers not daring to come fo near the Shore as we did, after firing at us, went away, and our Master carried the Ship into the Harbour of Kinjale in Ireland. Thus through many Perils and Dangers we were preferved, and got fafe on the Irish Shore, for which, and all other the Mercies and Favours of the moft High, my Soul and Spirit did give Glory and Praife! In this Voyage we were about feven Weeks at Sea.

When I came from my Home at Philadelphia, I did intend (the Lord permitting) to vifit Friends in Ireland, and being accidentally caft on Shore there, I thought it my Place firft to go through that Nation. I had been in Ireland about nine Years before, and then being but young, and now being more grown in Body, my old Acquaintance and Friends did not at first know me; but we were kindly and lovingly received by our Friends and Brethren in that Nation, where there is a great and numerous People, that ferve and worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth, and who have divers good and wholesome Orders eftablished amongst them, in the Unity and Fellowship of the Gospel. In this Nation we had many and large Meetings after our Landing, vifiting Friends Meetings along to the North, many, not of our Society, coming to them, among whom we often had good Service, to our and their Satisfaction, as they often declared, Richard Gove being ftill with me. Friends from their National Meeting certified to our Brethren in America, of our Service and Labour of Love among them, after we had travelled feveral Hundred Miles, and vifited Friends Meetings generally, and fome other Places where it was not ufual. While I was in Ireland, under a Concern for the Profperity of Truth and Religion, I wrote an Exhortation to

the