{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_44974/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_44974","id":"gutenberg_44974","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/44974","summary":null,"tags":["Category: Biographies","Category: History - Modern (1750+)","Category: Religion/Spirituality","Category: Travel Writing","H. L. L., 1783-1803?","Haiti -- History -- Revolution, 1791-1804 -- Personal narratives"],"text":"Transcriber's Note: Minor typographical errors have been corrected\nwithout note. Irregularities and inconsistencies in the text have\nbeen retained as printed.\n\nWords printed in italics are noted with underscores: _italics_.\n\nThe cover of this ebook was created by the transcriber and is hereby\nplaced in the public domain.\n\n\n\nA SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE\n\n_AND TRAVELS OF_ H. L. L.----\n\n_NATIVE OF St. DOMINGO_,\n\nNOW A PRISONER OF WAR AT ASHBOURN, _IN DERBYSHIRE_;\n\n\nShewing the Remarkable steps of Divine Providence towards\nhim, and the means of his Conversion to GOD.\n\n    Naked came I out of my Mother's womb, and naked shall I return\n    thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; Blessed be\n    the name of the LORD. Job. chap. 1 ver. 21 Thy Righteousness is\n    like the great mountains; thy judgment are a great deep: O LORD,\n    thou preservest Man and Beast. Psalm. Chap. 36 ver. 6.\n\nWRITTEN BY HIS OWN HAND.\n\nENTERED AT STATIONERS HALL.\n\nPRINTED AND SOLD BY PARKES ASHBOURN,\nBURDITT LONDON, AND PRITCHARD DERBY.\n\n_Price One Shilling._\n\n\n\n\n_OBSERVATION._\n\n\nIt is not doubtful, (_as it is a common method in this world_,) that\nmy life, and all what is contained therein, will be contradicted and\ncriticised; but as it hath pleased GOD to reveal unto me the mystery\nof the way of the truth, (_of which I hope I am not ignorant_;)\ntherefore I expect persecutions, contradictions, and criticism to take\nplace; knowing, that whosoever will live according to the Gospel of\nCHRIST, must while in this vale of tears go through much sufferings\nand pains: for thus is the road that leads to everlasting happiness.\nTherefore let every true born soul know, that as our SAVIOUR suffered\nfor us: so must we in return for the blessing of Redemption, suffer\nfor his sake, _for unto us it is given, in the behalf of CHRIST, not\nonly to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake. phi. chap. 1.\nver. 29_. I therefore leave to the public to say what they please of\nthis book; but the GOD in whom I have trusted shall be the judge of\nit.\n\nFinally, the decisive day of our LORD, will put a determination to all\nour works, whether they be acceptable, or not.\n\n\n\n\nTO THE READER.\n\n\nIn reading this little work, (_not only to read but to meditate_,) you\nwill see the great disappointments that there is in those things,\n[_the riches of this world_.] which men put their trust. Oh! reader,\nart thou of that unhappy number? if thou art, delay no longer, but go\nto JESUS CHRIST, who is the fountain of durable riches, and take with\nthee the words of the _Po\u221a\u0119t_? \"whom have I in heaven but thee that can\nthy creature bless? what were all the Earth to me, if a stranger to\nthy peace? all is vanity but CHRIST, pain and darkness, and dispair,\nrankling in a sinner's breast, till thou art present there.\" Art thou\nin prosperity, be Joyful, and praise thy GOD; art thou in adversity,\nconsider: for GOD hath set the one over against the other, to the end\nthat man should find nothing after him. Be not as those, which through\nweakness of faith, dare not trust their GOD, whensoever in poverty or\ndistress; for I never knew of any that trusted in GOD, and were yet\nconfounded; He surely will supply the wants of all those who being\nsensible of their sins, groan after him: and lo, (_says CHRIST_) I am\nwith you alway, even unto the end of the world.\n\nRead, and read again this book, that thou mightest know, that\nwheresoever GOD hath a child, there will his eyes be, and that to\nprotect him; though he may run to a certain degree of sins and\nwickedness, but at last He will snatch him as a bran from the eternal\nburning, and let him know, that it is not of him that willeth, nor of\nhim that runneth, but of his good pleasure to shew mercy. \"Oh! had not\nGOD shown his mercy to me, where should I have been? in the broad road\nthat leads to everlasting misery, yea in the dark and dolesome dungeon\nof dispair, without a glimmering ray of hope; everlastingly bewailing\nmy miserable destiny.\" See how the words of the holy prophet prove\ntrue to my case; \"I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am\nfound of them that sought me not.\"\n\nOh! if ever I am so happy as to reach within a blessed view of the\nhappy possession of saints, what a debtor shall I be to mercy and free\ngrace alone; to save such an ungovernable and unwilling creature as I:\n\"Oh! my soul it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks[1]! thou,\nwho hast so long despised, rejected, and set at nought the\ncommandments of GOD, art now through thy SAVIOUR'S obedience and blood\nbrought to know the way of Salvation.\"\n\n          [1] I allude this passage to a Ship going straightways\n          against the wind; for it is no more in the power of a sinner\n          to resist the will and mercies of GOD, than it is possible\n          for a Ship to go straightways against the wind.\n\nDear reader, art thou a blasphemer, or a despiser of the words of GOD?\nif thou art, I will advise thee to take a warning in reading my case,\nand to consider about it, for fear thou shouldest be plunged for ever\ninto eternal misery. Delay no longer to open thy case before the\nmerciful GOD, though it should be ever so desperate; for He is\nall-sufficient, yea all-powerful, to plead the cause of thine immortal\nsoul, and to bring to pass whatsoever thou shalt commit into his\nhands, for He ever liveth to make intercession for sensible[2]\nsinners, and to brighten their evidences for the approaching of a\nfuture and everlasting Glory.\n\n          [2] Remember, that GOD makes us sensible that we are\n          sinners.\n\nDidst thou ever read, or hear mentioned, of the compassionate\ninvitation of our blessed SAVIOUR when He lived on Earth; where He\nsaith, \"him that cometh to me (_believing_) I will in no wise cast\nout, but I will raise him up at the last day.\" Perhaps thou say'st in\nthine own heart, CHRIST is no more upon the Earth that I might go to\nhim. Knowest thou not faithless man or woman, that though CHRIST is no\nmore upon the Earth, that He is the same yesterday, to day, and for\never; and hath the same power to save and to bring to heaven whom He\nwill: and now that He is in his holy mansion, is He not still the\nsame? yea, He is still entreating his Father on our behalf, and his\nbowels are always melting in mercy towards us his rebellious Children;\nand his most precious arms and pierced hands, which we ourselves have\ncrucified, are always extended to receive prodigals and backsliders\nhome: for I am (_says CHRIST_) the friend of sinners, I eateth and\ndrinketh with them; therefore let him that is athirst come, and take\nof the water of life freely.\n\n    _Oh! reader, whoever thou art, I pray GOD through Grace, that\n    thou and I, might be of that happy and highly favoured number,\n    that shall sing above with the innumerable legions of blessed\n    Angels, the chorus of the victory of a wounded and suffering\n    SAVIOUR. AMEN. H. L. L._\n\n\n\n\nINTRODUCTION.\n\n    Ever since the GOD of truth was pleased to open my blind eyes, and\n    Lead me to the knowledge of the truth, I have often meditated upon\n    my Life past, and how the divine providence of GOD, has delivered,\n    and preserved, such a worthless creature as I out of divers\n    dangers: I therefore think it proper and useful to take my pen,\n    and give a short account of my Life, and my calling to the\n    knowledge of the true and living GOD, hoping that by the Blessing\n    of the Eternal JEHOVAH, it may be made useful to those who Love to\n    meditate upon the mysterious ways of the wonder working GOD.\n\n\nI was born in the once proud and haughty Island of _St. Domingo_, in\nthe Parish of _St. Rose_, of Ancient and respectable parents. My\nFather and Mother, were the most accomplished union according to their\nReligion and ways of worshiping; they were equal in fortune, for they\nhad each a plantation, when united together made them an exceeding\ngood livelihood.\n\nBut I have not taken my pen for to write my parents History, but my\nown: here then my narration shall begin. In the year one thousand\nseven-hundred and eighty-three, the Sixth of September, betwixt eight\nand nine o'Clock in the morning I was brought forth into a World of\ntroubles, and was baptised the twenty-fourth of November in the same\nyear, by _Father Julien Capuchin Missionary Curate_; and had for\nGod-father my Mother's Brother, and for God-mother my Father's Sister.\n\nFrom the day that I was born, I never enjoyed a good state of health;\nfor I was so weak and Sickly, that I looked more like a Spectre than a\nhuman creature; for my Death was daily and Hourly expected, in me was\nseen the very picture of Death: I was in that situation till I\nattained my seventh year; when I was forced to leave a Mother by whom\nI was dearly loved, and a Father that cherished me above all earthly\ncreatures.\n\nFor one Morning I yet very well remember, (_though I did not expect\nit_,) my Father called me and my two eldest Brothers also, and lead us\ninto my Mother's chamber, where I saw her weeping bitterly: when there\nI could not help asking her what was the matter that she was crying\nso; she made no reply but by sighs and tears; when in a sympathetic\nmanner she took me up in her arms and pressed me with tenderness to\nher bosom and bedewed my innocent face with tears; it was with great\ndifficulty that she consented to let me go; and then she kissed my\nBrothers in the like manner, when we left her to sooth her sorrows,\nand to console herself to the loss: in the mean time my Father handed\nus into our coach, and gave orders to drive away to Town.\n\nI was some time silent, effected by this sudden change; when looking\nthrough the window of the coach, I saw both my little Sisters\nstretching out their arms as if it were to bid me the last Adieu; the\nscene was so affecting, that I could not restrain myself but to ask my\nFather where we were going to; (_for I did not know any thing about\nthat sudden journey_.) He satisfied me, by saying, that he was sending\nus into _France_ for our education, and that he would spare no expence\nto give us a good one.\n\nIn the afternoon we reached the Town, and alighted at the Crown-Hotel:\nmy Father being not well in health, we were obliged to delay our\nvoyage for the space of three weeks; and when the appointed time was\ncome to separate us from a Father dear and tender, I was taken very\nill, in which state I remained for some days; at the same time the\nCaptain of the Ship came to let my Father know that he could not wait\nany longer, and that he was to weigh Anchor the next day. My Father,\nthough very ill, said, \"well, they shall be ready to go with you\nto-morrow.\" (_I was then but indifferent in health._)\n\nThe most affecting parting took place, he took us by the hand and led\nus to the Sea-side where we were to embark, and said, in the most\npathetic manner.--\"My most beloved Children! the time is now come that\nyou must be parted from a Father, by whom you are dearly loved;\nreceive for the last time from my almost dead lips, the pledge and\ntenderness of my love towards you; for I know I shall never live to\nsee you again, so take the last parting of your Father, for you shall\nnever see him any more; to day is the last time that you will behold\nthe Author of your days: my duty forced me to send you into _France_,\nand your education will be a friend to you when in distress.\"\n\nBefore we parted he recommended us to a gentleman that was on board,\nand that nothing should be wanted for our care. And then he withdrew,\nextending his arms once more towards us in the most distressing\nmanner: so that we were filled with grief and sorrow to see our Father\nin such a melancholy state.\n\nWe begun our course with a fair wind and good weather, which continued\nfor several days.\n\nAbout twenty days after we were upon the Sea, the wind rose with such\nviolence, that we expected every instant to be cast into the depth of\nthe Ocean: we was in that situation for a considerable time, till at\nlast it pleased the ALMIGHTY to appease the waves, and to send fair\nweather. We were seventy-two days in crossing the immense Ocean, at\nthe end of which we landed at _Bordeaux_. Myself and my Brothers were\nreceived with great kindness by our Banker, to whom we delivered the\nletter concerning our coming into _France_.\n\nThe next day we were sent to school in the same Town, to give us the\nfirst beginning of education before we could go to College.\n\nThree months after we were arrived in _France_, we received a letter\nsealed in black from our Mother, in which the Death of our Father was\nconfirmed: his last parting from this World is too cutting to relate.\n(\"_I hope he died happy, and hope to meet him in Glory._\")\n\nThough I was so young, the impression of the Death of my Father\nplunged me into such a melancholy state, that soon after I was seized\nwith a violent fever; no rest was to be found for a long while: in the\nstrongest of my pain I used to get out of my bed and run about the\nchamber like a madman, crying out, \"Oh! my Father! my Father is no\nmore.\" I was in that state for six months, before my health was\nestablished.\n\nAs my Father's desire was to give us a good education, he told my\nMother when on his Death-bed, that we must be removed as soon as\npossible to the College: accordingly we were sent into the South of\n_France_, at the distance of two-hundred and twenty miles from\n_Bordeaux_, to the College of _Soreze_, one of the most eminent places\nof teaching that ever existed since the World began; for every thing,\nconsisting of Arts and Sciences was to be learned.\n\nHere is an account of what the College consisted. Teaching Masters,\nninety; besides ten prefects to maintain the police into the yards:\nand twelve-hundred scholars. Instruments of Music of all sorts to be\nlearned; Latin, Greek, German, Spanish, English, Italian, and French\ntongues to be learned; Writing of different sorts; Reading,\nArithmetic; Drawing of all kinds, both of Human-likeness, as also the\nLandscape: Dancing, both French and English; Ancient History,\nChronology, Literature, Declamation, Fortification, Structure, Poesy,\nRhetoric, Philosophy, Natural History, Geometry, Geography,\nTrigonometry, Statics, Fencing, Riding, Military Exercise, Natation,\nArchitecture, Algebra, Mythology, Theology, Cosmography, &c.\n\nI took such a delight in learning, that all my Masters were pleased\nwith my conduct; but this did not last long, for one evening the\nDirector of the College called me and my Brothers, and said, \"here is\na letter from your Mother that I have just received.\" On opening the\nletter I saw these words.\n\n_My most beloved Children, it is with grief and sorrow, that I took\nthe pen to inform you of all the misfortunes which have destroyed St.\nDomingo; your fortune[3] is lost for ever, it is only in your\nEducation, that you will be able to recover it: my long silence would\nperhaps make you think that I have perished among so many Victims\nwhich were destroyed in that unhappy Island, no! the LORD was pleased\nto save me from so many dangers, that I might be useful again to you;\nand I hope that by his Mighty Power, He will restore you again to the\nbosom of a languishing Mother, whose arms are always open to receive\nyour tender embraces._\n\n          [3] Behold, He taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say\n          unto him, what doest thou? Job. chap. 9. ver. 12.\n\n_My dear Children, I can hardly hold my pen to inform you of the\ngloomy and unhappy end of both your Sisters; they are no more! poison\nhas put them into the grave: for all the springs and wells were\npoisoned, by which perished many others also. Your Uncle and Aunt\nP.---- with their Children, in number thirteen, had their heads cut\noff upon a block in less than half-an-hour. Your Uncle V.---- was cut\nto pieces upon an hedge[4]. A great many of your relations I need not\nmention, perished in the most cruel manner: the magnificent City of_\ndu Cap-Francais _is burnt down to ashes by the Negroes; no more for\nthe present Adieu, Adieu, Adieu; my poor unfortunate Children, Adieu.\nM. L. F. M. L._\n\n          [4] Being Persued by the Negroes, and as he was escaping\n          over an hedge, his Horse alighted; where the Barbarous\n          Negroes cut him in small pieces with their Swords.\n\nAfter reading this letter, the Director said unto us, \"my dear little\nfriends, I am deeply sorry for all your misfortunes, and still more\nso, that I am obliged to send you out of the College; but my means do\nnot permit me to keep you any longer, you must be ready against to\nmorrow morning, I shall bear the charges of your Travel from hence to\n_Bordeaux_: here is a letter for your Banker, that you are to deliver\nsoon after your arrival thither.\"\n\nNever was a sentence more dreadful to me than this; torrents of tears\nfell from my eyes; my Heart was almost broken: I was in such a\ndeplorable situation concerning these sad tidings that I thought I\nshould never be able to see the returning of the Day. Clouds of\nGloominess hung upon my mind; all the night long no rest was to be\nfound, neither in mind or body; and was forced to rise up, as I layed\nme down.\n\nWe begun our journey in a coach and went as far as _Toulouse_, a City,\nwhere we took a Boat, and finished our voyage by water, and arrived\nsafe at _Bordeaux_. We went to our Banker, and were received with\ngreat kindness.\n\nDuring our residence there, the most atrocious cruelty was exercised\nupon the people of the Town[5]; Blood was daily shed by those\nbarbarous race of Human kind, who cry down Government: nothing was\nseen but terror and abomination; the innocent Blood was continually\nrunning under the fatal stroke of the _Guillotine_, and every branch\nof Royalty was to be destroyed: being afraid that we should be\napprehended, we were put at an old Dutch Woman's house not far from\nour Bankers: there we enjoyed some little comfort, being quite retired\nfrom the World. She being a protestant, (_and our banker likewise_,)\nshe used to entertain us with a deal of conversation about CHRIST, and\nshewed us all the errors of Popery; but all this did not enter into my\nmind, because I was always thinking about my unfortunate fate. My\nBrothers used to go with her to Chapel, which was just by the house;\nbut as for me I was so unhappy, that I never could constrain myself to\ngo; though she used to say, \"your happiness that you have lost, will\nbe found there, if you could take upon yourself to go:\" but all this\nwas quite new to me, and I gave but very little attention to it. I\nremained with her till GOD was pleased to put a stop to the sheding of\nblood.\n\n          [5] Alluding to the French Revolution.\n\nAbout that time I heard that my Aunt V.---- was arrived in Town; I\nhurried myself to go and see her: and found that she was married\nagain, and to a stranger, who received me with the greatest kindness.\nHe being a man that followed the Tobacco business, made a proposal to\nour Banker that we should stay with him as being near relations to us,\nwhich was easily granted: and we began to work with him in his\nbusiness. At first he shewed us a deal of kindness, but it soon\nvanished away, for he became a tyrant to us, especially against me who\nwas the youngest: many a time I went to bed with a hungry belly; I\nwanted all the necessaries of life, hardly clothes to put on my back,\nbeaten shamefully; I was the greatest slave that ever lived, for I\nused to go to work as soon as it was light, and work till midnight:\nmany a time I was so harassed and tired, that I used to fall asleep at\nmy work, and awoke in the same place to begin again my slavery. I was\nso tired of that course of life, that I resolved to run away;\naccordingly I did, and went to my Banker for protection; but my\npretended Uncle knowing of it, came and told him not to listen to what\nI said, that I was a Child and wanted correction. But he said unto\nhim, \"those Children are not yours, they are under my care, and for\nthat reason I will not have them treated in such a cruel manner; and\nam sorry I ever let them go to live with you, but for the future I\nhope you will behave better.\" He promised that he would.\n\nMy Banker bought me a suit of clothes which I took with me, and\nfollowed my barbarous Tyrant. When at home he appeared more reserve,\nbut for all that, I could perceive in his dissembled face that he\nstill bore a hatred against me. I was not mistaken, for he soon began\nagain with me, and threatened to flog me. I rose up from my chair in a\npassion filled with despair, and said to him; \"I am nothing to you,\nneither Child or relation, why should you thus ill use me? if my poor\nFather who is now mixed among the dust was alive, he would have taken\nmy part, and not suffered me to be abused thus by such a Rascally\nbeggar, and vile Wretch as you are[6].\" He flew into such a passion,\nthat he did not know what to do; till the Devil which was so powerful\nin him, excited him to dispatch me to the other World. For that\npurpose he seized a long knife[7] which was by, and run towards me to\nperpetrate his atrocious deed; but seeing him coming with such\nvehemence, I ran under the table, by which he missed his aim and fell\nall his length upon the floor: in the mean time both my Brothers\njumped upon his back and were assisted by my Cousin and others, to\ntake the abominable weapon out of his hands. He was in such a rage\nwhen he was set free, that he frothed like a wild beast. I took the\nopportunity while they were with him, to fetch a few of my clothes\nwhich was in the room next to that where he was, and coming again\nbefore his presence with my bundle under my arm, I said, \"Brothers\nfollow me, let this miserable Savage live by himself;\" then I run from\nthe spot and went to my Banker, and gave him an account of every thing\nthat had passed. He was sorry to hear it, but said, \"there is a Ship\nthat is going to _Guadeloupe_ in the West-Indies, I will send you\nthere as soon as possible: when there you will perhaps find an\nopportunity to join your Mother.\"\n\n          [6] This was the first time I ever dar'd to contend with\n          him, but the remembrance of my Father and former state rose\n          in me such a violent spirit, that I spoke to him with such a\n          Gloomy tone of voice, that all those that were present could\n          not help but pity my situation.\n\n          [7] No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper.\n          Isaiah chap. 54. ver. 17.\n\nWe were made ready for our voyage that was to take place in a few\ndays; our Banker gave us a draught for one hundred Dollars, on a\nmerchant in _Guadeloupe_.\n\nWe took leave of him, and thanked him for the care he had taken of us\nduring our residence in that Country. We began our voyage with a fair\ngale of wind, but it soon altered, and we were obliged to cast Anchor\nat the mouth of the River, and remained there till the weather was\nfair: the eleventh day seeing the weather and wind favorable we\nweighed Anchor, no sooner were we under sail, but there rose such a\nviolent tempest, that we thought our endeavours would have been\nwithout success; for we were surrounded by dreadful rocks, and the Sea\nroared with such impetuosity, that it filled our Ship almost with\nwater. Another Ship that was close by us, was already dashed to pieces\nagainst the rocks. Never was a scene more Gloomy, and cutting than\nthis; for we had seventy Women and Children passengers on board, which\nput Terror into every Heart: nothing was heard but cries and Prayers.\nWe were in such great dangers that no one had strength to work, and we\nleft the Ship to GOD's mercy, expecting every minute to share the same\nfate as the other Vessel had. The most affecting sight was to be seen,\nevery soul prostrated upon the deck, calling and exalting their voices\nfor GOD's merciful protection; till at last a young Man who was a\nPassenger[8] started up and taking the helm, said, \"my Friends do not\ndespair, I will be bound to take you out of danger, revive your\nspirits, and help me says he, we shall soon get free from the rocks.\"\nSo we did, and were relieved from perishing amongst frightful rocks.\nBut for all that the wind appeased not, for it continued six and\nthirty days with great violence, very often we were near to be buried\nfor ever in the Bowels of the Sea; at last we had fair weather and\nwind to proceed on our voyage, and arrived safe at the Island of\n_Guadeloupe_ at the end of fifty-six days.\n\n          [8] This passenger was a Captain which understood the\n          Navigable part of the river.\n\nAfter we were Landed, my Brothers and myself went to the Governor for\na pass, to go and join our Mother who was in the\n_United-States-of-America_; but the answer he made us was this, \"the\nRepublic is a good Mother, besides that, the Island is besieged, and\nwe want Soldiers.\" As we could not get a pass, we went to seek for the\nMerchant that the draught was drawn upon, and having found him, we\noffered him the bill which he took and payed us generously.\n\nMy eldest Brother being a young man grown up, he made him a proposal\nto stay with him as a Clerk, and said that he would satisfy him\naccording to his behaviour: my Brother accepted his kind offer\nwillingly. As for me and my other Brother, being too young for any\nkind of business, we were recommended to an old Lady who received\nus with much humanity; for she maintained us for six months or\nthereabouts. In the mean time I began to tire of being without employ,\nand acquainted my old benefactress of my disposition, which was to go\nupon the Sea and learn to be a Sea-man; she said, \"if that is your\nresolution, I will recommend you to a Captain that I know;\"\naccordingly she did, and I went on board of a Privateer as a cabin\nboy: and a Clerk's place was provided for my other Brother; so we\nbegan our course of Life in the like manner as it is described. My\nrank being a cabin boy as before mentioned, I was to clean the\nchamber,[9] wash the dishes, and sweep the deck twice a day.\n\n          [9] Called in Sea terms a Cabin.\n\nWe weighed the Anchor and went a Cruizing: we were a long while before\nwe took any prize; at last, one morning we saw a Ship, and immediately\nwe chased her, but all our endeavours were without success, for we\ncould not attain her though we sailed all the day long; and when night\nwas coming on the Ship we were chasing tacked about and sailed back\ntowards us, and when near enough she fired a gun, and made signal to\nknow what Nation we were; but we did not answer the signal, supposing\nshe was an English Sloop of war: so we prepared for the conflict. The\nenemy seeing that we did not answer their signal, did not doubt any\nlonger but we were enemies to them; so they came as near as they\ncould, and fired a broad side: as we were ready for them, we returned\nin like manner; and the engagement took place with courage and\nobstinacy on both sides; and fought for a long space of time without\nknowing what Nation we were fighting with, though we guessed it was\nEnglish, but we were not sure of it. At length of time an opportunity\noffered itself; we hailed her in English, but no answer, in French, no\nanswer, in Spanish, and yet no answer was to be had; so we did not\nknow what to think of their mysterious silence. We renewed the Battle\nagain with great courage and Boldness, and attempted three times to\njump on board of her; but she always avoided it: our people were so\nenraged, that they unanimously cried out, sooner die! than let her go.\nWe fought like Lions on both sides, from seven o'Clock till midnight,\nat which time a misfortune happened on board our Ship; a box full of\ncartridges and gunpowder blew up, and set the Ship on fire, which put\ndisorder among our men. The enemy, joyful to see that spectacle,\n(_though dreadful_,) begun to shout aloud, Huzza! Huzza! thinking that\nwe should soon be theirs, but they were mistaken; our brave Captain,\nwho was an American, soon put the fire out, by dipping mattresses and\nblankets into the Sea, and then quenched it in that manner. We begun\nagain to dispute the Victory till one o'Clock; and each side being\ntired at that time, we took a pause of about half-an-hour; and coming\nagain to action, the enemy hailed us, \"ah! says our Captain, well, we\nwill be more polite than them, for we will answer though they were not\nwilling to do it when we hailed them.\" Accordingly we answered that we\nwere come from _Demerara_:[10] the enemy was so exasperated at the\nanswer, that they answered back by saying, \"you are a D****d\nLiar,\"[11] and renewed again the battle with great anger and\nintrepidity; the bravery was equal on each part; our deck was covered\nwith Blood and Dead Bodies; all our rigging was cut off by the\nbullets; our Bowsprit, and Fore-top-mast were cut down: the enemy\nseemed to be very much damaged, for their Fore-mast and main-top-mast,\nwith their Bowsprit, were cut down. We were so tired and disordered,\nthat we were forced to retire on both sides, after a conflict of nine\nhours, which was from seven at night till four o'Clock in the morning.\nAfter an hour of rest, we were employed to repair the damages we had\nreceived, and return into harbour; for we were in too bad a state to\nstay at Sea any longer. On our journey back we had the good luck to\ntake two prizes, one came from _Africa_ laden with Negroes, and the\nother which was retaken, was come from _Norway_, loaded with gin,\nbutter, and combustibles &c. We arrived safe in the harbour of\n_Point-a-Pitre_ in _Guadeloupe_.\n\n          [10] Though we did not come from that place, we applyed the\n          untruth as you see above, only that we might deceive them\n          and pass for an English Ship; for our Ship was a great deal\n          less then theirs: besides that we were much damaged, both by\n          the Sea, and by Fighting.\n\n          [11] They were come from Demerara themselves, and they knew\n          that there was no Ship of war in that Harbour. We heard\n          after that the name of the Ship was the Pelican, and carried\n          eighteen Guns of nine Pounders, which were a great advantage\n          over us, who carried but twelve Guns of four Pounders.\n\nI went to see my Brothers as soon as I was landed; the eldest was\nremoved to another place where he thought he could do better, and the\nother took example from me, for he was just going out of the Harbour\nwhen I entered in.\n\nIn a few weeks our Ship was entirely repaired, and we ventured again\nupon the Sea; our design was to go a cruizing upon the coast of\n_Brazil_ to meet with some rich Portuguese Ship. We steered our course\nfor the appointed place, and met with a deal of contrary wind, and bad\nweather; but all this did not discourage us, for we proceeded on our\nway with cheerfulness, and now and then a glass of grog to drive away\nthe care of past sorrows[12]. One day about noon we saw a Ship, and\ninstantly chased her, we continued the chase till very late at night\nbefore we could come up to her, and when near we hailed, but she\nproved to be a dutch vessel, which disappointed us very much: so we\nleft her to proceed on her voyage because they were not at war with\nus. We likewise went further on, and were a considerable time upon the\nSea; till at length we begun to precieve that our provisions were\nshort, and being a great number of miles from the shore, we were\nafraid of being starv'd with hunger; so we made haste to the nearest\nland if possible, before we should entirely perish of such a\nlanguishing and hard death, for we were perishing with hunger and\nthirst: every moment we expected to be forced to come to that most\nhorrible and shocking point of eating Human flesh, and become\ncannibals for want of food. Many were so weak that they could not\nwork, nor get up from the place where they lay. We were several days\nin that awful and pitiful situation, exposed to all sorts of dangers\nand evils; in the most painful of my agonies I swore that if GOD\nspared me to put my feet upon Land, I would never go to Sea again. At\nlast the LORD smiled on us, and spared us once more: a sea-man who was\nwatching at the top of the mast, shouted, Land! Land[13]. Never was\njoy greater in our Hearts than that day, to see ourselves set free\nfrom dangers, and safely landed at that most desirable and appointed\nplace; and found that it was _Cayen_ near south _America_.\n\n          [12] This is a real Mariners principle.\n\n          [13] In famine he shall Redeem thee from Death. Job chap. 5.\n          ver. 20.\n\nThe Doctor went immediately on shore to provide food and refreshment,\nand ordered that no one should eat any thing without his orders;\nbecause, he said, \"some will not be wise enough to content themselves\nwith a little, and if our bodies which have been void for so long a\ntime were filled all at once, it would undoubtedly cause our Death.\"\nSo we were fed by degrees untill we recovered our former strength. We\nremained at _Cayen_ about two months, and then departed to go back to\n_Guadeloupe_.\n\nI was again hardened, and broke the Oath that I had made to GOD, by\ngoing again upon the Sea. About the eighteenth day that we were on the\nSea we saw a Ship, and chased her; in the mean time that we were\nchasing, arms were prepared for the battle: and the Captain of\nVolunteers called me to take care of the arms which were upon a large\nbox; so I kneeled down and clip'd a great quantity of pistols and\nmuskets to prevent them from falling, and all their mouths were fixed\ntowards my breast. Not long before I was in that posture, the Doctor\nwho was below called me; I instantly quitted my post and ran to his\norders: no sooner had I left my position in which I was before, than a\npistol went off unexpected, and wounded the Captain of Volunteers in\nthe knee. I was so surprised at this, that I thought, (_and even was\nsure_,) that it was GOD's mercy to spare me; for in the posture that I\nwas as before mentioned, I could not have escaped being killed upon\nthe spot[14].\n\n          [14] He shall deliver thee in six troubles; yea, in seven\n          there shall no evil touch thee. In famine He shall Redeem\n          thee from Death; and in war from the power of the sword. Job\n          chap. 5. ver. 19 & 20.\n\nThe Ship that we were chasing, when near proved to be a large man of\nwar, and we being too small to attack her, were forced to run away,\nand happily escaped.\n\nI return, to the Captain of Volunteers, whose wound made such a\nprogress that he was obliged to have his leg, and a part of his thigh\ncut off; and I, being assistant to the Doctor, assisted to hold his\nleg while he was performing the operation: all that did not prolong\nhis life many days, for his time was come; he departed eight days\nafter the amputation.\n\nWe proceeded on our voyage for _Guadeloupe_, and arrived safe there.\nHaving had so many misfortunes I thought that the Ship was unlucky,\nand resolved to go no more with it; so I asked for my discharge, and\nit was granted; but before I sought for another place, I inquired\nabout my Brother who did take pattern by me, and venture to Sea: I\nheard that he had had good luck, for he had received fifty pounds\nprize money.\n\nMy eldest Brother was in his place still, but a misfortune happened\nunto him while I was on shore; the Gentleman and the Lady where he was\nat; were at variance on his account, for his Master was jealous of\nhim, and he was obliged to quit; having nothing to do, he determined\nto follow our example; and embarked in the same Ship where my other\nBrother was; they wanted me to go with them, saying, \"if we perish, we\nshall perish in the arms of each other, and if we have good luck, we\ncan work and live together in union:\" but I could not be persuaded, I\nwanted to have my own way, for I knew that it was enough for me to\nbear my own misfortunes, without adding to those of my Brothers: so\nthey both took leave of me, and went to seek their fortune.\n\nA few weeks after their departure I embarked on board of a small\nPrivateer, carrying only two swivels, and seventeen men: we sailed and\ncast Anchor at the Island of _Marie-Galante_, to take some provisions;\nand again went out for Sea. Soon after, we met with a large\nMerchant-Man; passing by we hoisted an English colour to deceive her,\nand having men on board that could speak the English Language\nperfectly well, we hailed her; she was come from _Martinico_ and going\nto _England_, and had fourteen guns: our Captain said to us, \"they\nthink that we are English, but let her sail on, and when night comes\nwe will attack her:\" so we followed her at a distance, till the time\nwas come to perform the intrepid design; coming near all was silent,\nand every one of our Men were ready to jump on board at the first\nsignal; and when near enough orders were Given, and our wishes\nfulfiled; for we took her with very little resistance, and conveyed\nher to _Curacao_, a Dutch Island. The cargo consisted of five-hundred\nand fifty-four hogsheads of Sugar, twelve ditto of Coffee, and\neighteen bales of Cotton; which when sold gave every one a prize of\nfourteen hundred dollars. Being young and foolish, I soon spent a\ngreat part of my Money with my comrades, in drinking, dancing,\nGambling, &c.\n\nI was sometimes intoxicated for a whole week, and every night at the\nball room, along with bad company. I was two months in _Curacao_, and\nspent five-hundred and forty dollars; after which we proceeded with a\nlarger Ship, which was ready for Sea, in which we sought for a better\nfortune. A few days after we were out, another prize fell into our\nhands, which we sent to the place above mentioned; and proceeded on\nour Voyage, and went to _Bonaires_, a dutch Island, to take some\nrefreshment. After we quitted that place, we perceived that our Ship\nhad a leak, for we had fourteen inches of water in the hold every\nhour, which forced us to enter into the Harbour of _Porto-Cabello_, a\nlarge Spanish City on the coast of the _Meridional America_: we were\nthere two months; and proceeding further, we cast Anchor at\n_Cocoa-madrilla_, a Spanish Town on the same coast as before\nmentioned, and remained there but a few days: we went out and cruized\nfor a long while, and having captured no Ships we went into the\nharbour of la _Guaires_, another Spanish City, to take some provision,\nfor we were short of them.\n\nDuring our stay there the Lieutenant of the Ship and two men went to\ntake a walk on shore, and were taken up, and put in the inquisition,\nbecause they did not bow to the HOST: for as it was related to us by\nthem, that when they were passing through the streets they saw a great\nprocession of Clergymen, going with a large silver Cross, to give the\nExtreme-Unction to a sick person; they not knowing the rules of the\nCountry, passed by, and took no notice: when they were examined, and\nfound under French colours, the inquisitioner could do nothing at\nthem, but release them.\n\nWe went out of that abominable Harbour with the design to go back to\nthe happy Island of _Guadeloupe_.\n\nOn our way back we took two prizes, but were retaken again; so we went\nand cast Anchor at _St. Martin_, a French and Dutch Island, and were\nbut a few days there; and straightway we sailed for _Basse-Terre_ the\nCapital City of _Guadeloupe_, and from thence to _Point-a-Pitre_,\nwhere I Landed my little treasure which consisted of one hundred and\ntwenty pounds; as I had a Cousin there who was a sober man, I\ndeposited the money in his hands to begin a small trade; and I was\ndetermined not to go on the Sea for a long while, as I thought my\nmoney would suffice me to live in a decent manner; when I was just\ngoing to begin trade, my Cousin was taken very ill of the putrid\nfever, and was in great danger of his life. One day he called me, (_he\nwas then very ill_,) and said, \"I have lent the money that you have\ndeposited in my hands, to Mrs. Pero[15]:\" I said, very well, you are\nwise enough to know what you do? he said do not fear, the money is in\ngood hands. I did not care much about him lending my money, because I\nknew that he was too good to do me any injury; but growing worse every\nday, I began to be afraid; and was going to speak to him to inquire\nwhether had Mrs. Pero given him a receipt or not, I was prevented by\nher, saying, \"he wants some repose and you must not disturb him.\" She\nknew too well the matter, or she would not have prevented me speaking\nto my Cousin: she was nights and days watching in his room for fear I\nshould speak to him. I had no witness who could testify whether she\nhad given him a receipt or not: and was so tormented in mind about it,\nthat I did not know what to do, till I saw he was dying, when I\nresolved to go into the next chamber where his trunk was, and look in\nto it if I could find any paper concerning my money: at the time I was\nlooking into the box, she came in, and said, \"what are you looking\nfor?\" a receipt I said, Madam? she knew then what I meant, and said,\n\"do not be afraid, I have got your money, and you shall have it back\nagain, whether your Cousin live or die.\" I was a little reconciled by\nwhat she said, but she took care that no one was present when she said\nit: and the day after my Cousin breath'd his last.\n\n          [15] She kept a linen drapery shop where he boarded and\n          lodg'd.\n\nI was very much affected at the Death of so near a relation, and went\nin the Country for a month to alleviate my sorrows: when I returned to\nTown, I went and asked her for my money, that I wanted it to begin\nsome business: she said I will satisfy your request. And went to her\ndesk, she brought me five and twenty Portugueses[16] which she laid on\nthe table, saying, \"this is the remainder of your money, here is a\nbill[17] of what I have paid for your Cousin.\" I took the bill and\nread it: there was so much for physic, and the Doctor's trouble, for\nboard and lodging, for the funeral, and for goods of different sorts,\n&c. It was the most shameful bill I ever saw; I began to fly into a\npassion, saying \"this bill does not concern me at all, besides, I am\nnot compelled to pay the debts of my Cousin.\" She then began to grin,\nsaying, \"if you are so impudent and insolent you shall have nothing at\nall, because I am ignorant whether the money was yours.\" I was so\nirritated that I thought my anger would have choaked me, I did not\nknow what to do, having neither attestation nor receipt; so I was\nforced with great reluctance to take the five and twenty Portugueses,\nand to leave the rest to her.\n\n          [16] A Gold coin worth thirty-six shillings.\n\n          [17] It was a forged one as I heard after, as the Doctor did\n          not charge any thing for his trouble.\n\nWith the little I had I bought some goods, and went to _St. Croix_, an\nIsland belonging to the Danes, where I sold my little Cargo, and got\ndouble of my money: and after I had settled my business there, I went\nto _St. Thomas_, an Island belonging to the same, and there I\npurchased some other goods to go back to _Guadeloupe_, when there, I\nsold them for three times as much as they cost me: seeing fortune\nsmiled on me, I took courage, and bought goods with all the money I\nwas worth; but not being well enough in health to undertake the\nvoyage, I trusted a friend with my business: he went to _St. Thomas_\nagain, and sold the goods at a very good price, and some others were\npurchased for to return; when only three miles from the Harbour where\nhe was to land, he was taken by the enemy; which ruined me totally. I\nwas then worth nearly three-hundred Pounds, but all was lost.\n\nI now began to look for another kind of business, and was recommended\nby some of my friends to a Gentleman, (_a planter_,) to be his Clerk,\nand to look over his plantation; but did not remain long there, though\nI performed my duty with zeal, and was loved as their own child; the\nreason was, I could not be happy from the Sea, though I knew it was\nvery dangerous. I acquainted my Master of my thoughts; he told me to\ngo and try again, and if I had not good luck to come back to him; for\nsays he, \"my house shall always be open for you.\" I took my leave of\nhim, and went again upon the roaring Ocean, seeking after the fortune\nof this World: on our way we cast anchor at _Desirada_, an Island not\nfar from _Guadeloupe_, and stay'd there only a few days. After we\ndeparted from the Island forementioned, we were some time without\nseeing any vessel, but one morning we saw a large Ship, which we soon\nperceived was an English Frigate; we lost no time, but put all the\nsails out to make our escape if possible. We were almost out of sight\nof the enemy, when the greatest misfortune happened unto us; our mast\nbeing too much loaded with sails, and the wind being very high, by\nwhich cause the mast broke, and fell down. Having neither mast nor\nsails to effect our escape, we were obliged to stay where we was, and\nwere taken prisoners. We were well treated by the enemy while we\nstayed on board their Ship; and were afterwards landed at the Island\nof _Martinico_, and put under close confinement in a prison Ship.\nBeing the first time I ever was confined, I was plunged into a gulf of\ndespair and grief; every day I was scheming how I should make my\nescape, till at last I found a way for my purpose; and guided by\nresolution, was determined to fulfil my scheme. It was the ninth day\nafter my confinement, when I, and two others escaped from prison, by\nbreaking an iron bar which fastened the port-hole, and letting\nourselves down into the Sea by the means of a rope: we swam about half\na mile before we could reach the shore; having gained the land, I\nwrung my clothes, which consisted only of a shirt and trousers: we\nbegan our journey through a great shower of rain, and when passing\nthrough the town, the sentry called? we immediately ran away as fast\nas we could for fear of being taken again; but the third of our band\nbeing left behind, was taken again; and I, and my comrade proceeded on\nthrough brambles and briers all the night long; and when the sun was\nbeginning to spread its beams upon the surface of the Earth, we\nentered into a thicket to hide ourselves, and take a little rest:\nwhile I rested myself my comrade watched, and so on by turns till the\napproach of night, which enabled us to pursue our way through its\ngloomy shadow.\n\nBeing excessively harassed by fatigue and hunger, we endeavoured to\nsee whether we could find some wild fruit to satisfy our inward wants,\nbut all our efforts were in vain, for nothing was to be found through\nthe darkness of the night; and as morning was coming on apace, we\nretired to an adjacent wood. In the pitiful and perishing situation in\nwhich we were, I could not help but lament my deplorable fate and\ncondition; when on a sudden I felt for the first time, a glimpse of\nthe love of GOD, and many ideas came into my mind such as this? rely\non GOD, and He will help thee, and stand by thee. With all these\nthoughts I fell upon my knees, and began to pray in the midst of the\nwood, saying, as well as I could.\n\n\"Now, O! GOD that I am in distress I call upon thy power and goodness,\nbecause I know that there is no other that can alleviate my pain but\nthou. O! GOD, though I am in trouble, yet I feel that it is good for\nme to be so, for I have a comforter to fly to; but forgive me that I\nhave liv'd so long without doing the duty which I ought to have done\ntowards thee, for it was nothing else but the pleasures of this\nperverse World which banished me from thee, and my misery and trouble\nhas drawn me near unto thee: do help me, and guide my steps that I may\nfall into no dangers, and bring me safe back to the land where I come\nfrom; and with thy help O! GOD, I vow to serve thee according to my\nknowledge all the days of my life here on Earth, and hope to praise\nthee above when time shall be no more.\" AMEN.\n\nI did not quit my position till I thought I had full assurance that\nGOD would protect me under all my troubles and trials.\n\nAs night was drawing nigh, we began our nocturnal journey as usual.\nTwo days and nights were gone without having tasted either food or\nrest; when passing through a Village, an old Woman who was sitting\nbefore the door of her house, called us: I did not know whether I\nshould go or not, but I said to the comrade of my misfortunes, let us\ngo and see what she wants. Coming near to her, she said, \"I know my\nfriends that you are deserters from prison? be not afraid I will do\nyou no harm, knowing what it is myself, for my Son is a prisoner in a\nFrench Country, and I should not like that any one should ill use him\nif he was in the same case as you are now.\" She questioned us upon\nmany subjects concerning the state of her Son, and at last she said,\n\"I think you must be wanting of food, since you left prison?\" I\nanswered that for two days we had not had any: immediately she went\ninto the house, and beckoned us to follow her. Being in the house she\ntold us to sit down, while she dressed some meat, which she did with\ngreat dexterity: and presenting the same to us, I said, \"O GOD! since\nthou hast been pleased to provide food for us this night, bless it we\nbeseech thee with thine own power and will.\" AMEN.\n\nThe old Woman was much pleased to hear what I had said; and after we\nhad satisfied our wants, she gave us some more meat tied up in a\ncloth, and shewed us the road that led to _St. Peter's_ Town: we\nthanked her for all her kindness, and proceeded on our march all the\nnight long until morning, which forced us as usual to retire into some\nthicket or wood: there I began to thank GOD for having preserved us\nfrom dangers and pursuits till the present moment; I then took the\ncloth which contained our provision: having spread it, I called upon\nGOD to give his blessing. My comrade said, \"you pray too much, do you\nthink that GOD takes notice of what you say?\" surely said I, because,\nif He did not take notice of what I said and asked him, He would not\nhave provided for us: well says he, \"all your nonsense will bring\nnothing but bad luck.\"\n\nAfter we had refreshed ourselves, I tied up carefully the remainder of\nour food, and said to him, if you desire to take a little rest, I will\nwatch in the mean time: he did so, and when asleep, I went a few yards\nfurther and rested myself in prayers, for they were the best\nrefreshment I ever could take; after my duty was performed, I was easy\nand full of an unknown joy which I could not describe.\n\nSome time after my comrade got up and told me to rest myself and he\nwould watch his turn; but I told him that I was not wearied, and it\nwould be better to search the wood, to see whether we could find any\nfruit; he agreed with my proposal, and we went seeking for some\nprovisions, for ours were getting very short: after a long while\nrambling up and down, we found at last a great quantity of wild fruit\nof all sorts, some of them were very pleasant to the taste; we\ngathered as much as we could carry, and as it was already dark, we\ncame out of the wood and travelled on as usual. We were several nights\nand days rambling up and down in the greatest misery, till at last one\nnight we arrived at _St. Peter's_ Town: there I, and my comrade\nparted. I went on board of an Irish Ship which was in the Harbour, and\nhe on board of another. I was well received on board of the Ship, but\nas I was very hungry and having had no refreshment for some time, I\ntold them my situation; and they gave me some food. I was after\nintroduced to the Captain, who told me that I might stay in the Ship\nand work with the other men: I was about three weeks on board working\nvery hard, and receiving very ill treatment. One day a Negroe came on\nboard about some business, and I asked him many questions about the\npeople of the Town, and especially about two Gentlemen which I\nperfectly knew; one was a Knight, and the other a Baronet. I sent by\nthe Negroe a few lines to them, and as soon as they received them,\nthey hurried to come to see me: they were struck at the first sight to\nsee me in such a deplorable situation, as they knew my parents, they\ncould not help but mourn and pity my miserable state: they told me to\ngo with them on shore, which I did with great pleasure, though I was\nashamed of myself being very dirty. Arrived at their house I was put\ninto a bath to wash me, for I had need of it; and clothes were\nprovided for me: after I was dress'd I could not believe that it was\nthe unhappy me, when looking at my ragged clothes which I had on but a\nfew minutes ago; I was in a perfect state of happiness, for nothing\nconcerning the necessaries of life was wanting for me. I was in that\nstate of affluence for three months, and wheresoever they went, they\ntook me with them, so that I was acquainted with the best company of\nthe Town: but for all that I did not forget my GOD.\n\nSome time after they procured me a passage on board a Ship that was\ngoing to _St. Thomas_: all necessaries, both for life and body were\nprovided for me, and ten guineas which they gave me when we parted,\nalso letters of recommendation.\n\nWe went out of the Harbour and sailed towards _Dominica_, where we\ncast Anchor to take some passengers, and from thence we sailed to _St.\nKits_, where a part of the convoy were waiting for us, after to _St.\nBartholomew_, for some other business, and from thence to _St.\nThomas_, where we arrived safe after a good voyage.\n\nI went to the Gentlemen for whom I had letters of recommendation, and\nwas received with great civility and kindness; one of them took me to\nhis house while I stay'd at _St. Thomas's_. The first Sunday I went to\nChurch with him and another Gentleman that I did not know, and that\nsame Gentleman said to me after we came out of Church; \"I hope you\nlove GOD, young man?\" I said yes, well, said he, \"in all your troubles\ntrust to the LORD JESUS CHRIST, and whatsoever you stand in need off,\nask it in his name, and I am sure He will grant it unto you, for He\nhas promised through _His Blood_ to make intercession for us.\" I\nkindly thanked him for his instruction, and he withdrew.\n\nI remained at _St. Thomas_ three weeks, and took an opportunity of\ngoing to _Guadeloupe_; but before I took leave of the Gentleman where\nI was at, I thanked him for all his goodness: he said, \"you are\nwelcome to stay longer if you chuse;\" I returned him my thanks saying,\nI wished to see _Guadeloupe_. \"Here is a purse (_says he_,) which I\nbeg your acceptance of;\" then shook hands with me, and retired, he one\nway, and I the other. I immediately went on board, and in a few\nminutes were out of sight of the place where I received so much\nkindness. I had a pleasant and short voyage, and safely landed at that\nmost desired Island of _Guadeloupe_. I hasted to see my acquaintances;\nand having inquired after my Brothers, I heard that they were taken\nprisoners, and conducted to _Plymouth_ in great _Britain_.\n\nAs I had nothing do and no desire to go to Sea any more, I went again\nto my late master (_the Planter_:) who was very glad to see me, and\nencouraged me by raising my wages, which made me apply the more to my\nbusiness.\n\nAs I did not yet forget my Maker, I daily performed my duty towards\nhim who had been so gracious unto me. My master (_or rather my\nfriend_,) soon perceived a great change in me, which he did not know\nwhat to attribute it to; at last he knew by some of the servants who\nwatched me, that I was in the ways of Christianity: some times he used\nto plague me about it, for fun, but for all that he did not esteem me\nthe less.\n\nOne day having some company at home, that were invited to spend two or\nthree weeks with us; I retired as usual after supper to bed, and knelt\ndown: at the time I was pouring out my soul unto GOD in prayers, a\nyoung lady inadvertently passed by, and seeing my chamber door half\nopen, stepped in; and finding me in the posture as before mentioned,\nshe bursted into a loud laugh and rushed out of the room, and in a few\nminutes I had the whole company round me making all sorts of jests,\nsome laughing till they fell down on the floor, others holding their\nsides with laughing, and others jumping and stamping, &c. It was\nindeed such a noise as I never heard before, for it was both a\ntragedy, and comedy. In all that disturbance I was as firm as a rock,\nand did not move from the place in which I was, untill I had fulfilled\nmy duty towards my SAVIOUR. I told them it was very unmannerly to\ndisturb me thus, in my most precious time: for prayers were my best\ndelight and comfort, and without them I could not rest nor be happy.\nThe tale soon spread in the neighbourhood about me being a devout,[18]\nso that I was persecuted daily by my own friends, but as I did not\nmind them, they were soon tired, and at last were obliged to let me be\nquiet, seeing they could not get master over me.\n\n          [18] In England, if any profess Christianity, he is called a\n          methodist, and in France or any other dominions appertaining\n          to the same, a Devout.\n\nThree weeks after that scandalous scene, I was taken very ill, of the\nputrid and malign fever; three days after the Doctor gave me up, for I\nwas so ill that he thought I could not recover.\n\nI was ten days and nights senseless; and saw wondrous things in my\nagony; and the eleventh day I came to myself again: my keeper said to\nme, \"I hope you have prayed enough this time?\" I did not know what she\nmeant, but having asked her the reason why; she said, all the time I\nwas senseless, I did nothing else but pray night and day untill I came\nto my senses again. I was a long time before I could recover my former\nstrength again; and as soon as I was able, I went to my business. I\nthen was melancholy with thinking about my Country, and Mother; as for\nmy Mother I did not know in what quarter of the world she was in;\nnotwithstanding that, I took my pen and wrote, first, to _St.\nDomingo_, and then to two or three other places where I thought most\nlikely, but all was without success, for no answer was to be had.\nAgain I wrote, and so on for about eighteen months without receiving\nthe least tidings: which made me some how think that my poor Mother\nwas no more. I was in such a low state of mind that my life became a\nburden to me, I could not find any comfort either in amusement or\nprayer; and when at prayer, I prayed not with such a delight as I used\nto do: so that in a short time I quite turned my back from the path of\nthe truly and most blessed LORD JESUS CHRIST, and became again as\nwicked as ever.\n\nOne day my master called me, and said, \"the Negroes are in rebellion,\nand you must go to war and fight.\" He provided horse and arms for me,\nand sent me to join the cavalry that were encamped at a little\ndistance from where we lived. Some days after I was at the camp, the\nCaptain ordered me to go into the Town to carry some dispatches; I\nmade some excuse, telling him to send some others; but he said, \"you\nare appointed to go and you must for I dare not trust any other.\" I\nobeyed and went out of the camp, and rode to Town which was nine or\nten miles distance from the place above mentioned; and not being able\nto return the same day, I waited till morning: but what was my great\nsurprise at the moment I was putting my foot in the stirrup to return?\nan alarm was given that the whole camp were murdered in the night,[19]\nexcept one who escaped having on nothing but his shirt. We being the\nonly persons that were spared, we were put into another company, and\nmarched on the same day against the rebels, and were successful in all\nour attempts. I was for three weeks night and day fighting, some times\nwet through with rain, and at other times suffocated with the heat:\nall that while, I never knew what it was to lay down or take rest;\nneither having an opportunity to put clean linen on: but at last we\nreturned into the Town, where we took some refreshment and put clean\nlinen on, for we had need of it. No sooner was I refreshed, but I was\nordered to carry some letters of consequence to a camp nine miles off;\nbut as the road was very dangerous, I asked one of my comrades to go\nwith me, which he did with great pleasure; we arrived at the camp\nwithout the least injury or danger: but it was not with the same luck\nwe went back, for as we were passing through a dark Wood, (_it was\nthen between ten and eleven o'Clock at night_,) a shower of musket\nballs were fired at us, which unexpected noise and hissing, so much\nfrighted our horses, that it was impossible for us to lead them; they\nrushed through brambles and briers, and at last plunged into a dead\nLake, where we had like to have been drowned; but our horses being\nstout animals, they swam and gained the other side in a few minutes.\nWe made the best of our way through woods and thickets to escape the\nfury of the balls which were continually flying about us, and after\nhaving wandered a great while through unpracticable places, we found\nagain the road, and rode as fast as we could to the Town: since that\naffair I have been in many obstinate and bloody engagements.\n\n          [19] Oh! reader consider and meditate? see how GOD was\n          pleased to spare such a rebellious Creature as I; and how\n          Divine Providence distinguished itself by calling me alone,\n          though I, with obstinacy refused to comply to its orders:\n          but who can resist the power of the LORD when he says, I\n          will and they shall, &c. \"Oh! bless the LORD O my soul, and\n          all that is within me, bless his holy name: for the LORD has\n          done wondrous things. He has lifted me up, and has not made\n          my foes to rejoice over me.\"\n\nOne day as I was reading the news-paper, I heard that _St. Domingo_\nwas in a state of tranquillity; at this I was determined to go\nthither: accordingly, I went on board a Ship that was going there; we\nwent first to _St. Thomas_, to take some passengers, and for my dear\nCountry we sailed, and arrived safe there. My first inquiry was my\nMother; I was about two days rambling through the streets without\nhearing any tidings respecting her or any other relations; till at\nlast peradventure I met with one of my Cousins that was in _France_ at\nthe time I left that Country; she took me to her house and entertained\nme with loving kindnesses; and told me that my Mother was in the\nSpanish part of _St. Domingo_, at the distance of sixty miles from the\nplace where I then was.\n\nAnxious to see the author of my days, I would have set out\nimmediately, but she entreated me to spend a week or two with her, to\nwhich I agreed: we related to each other our misfortunes, and soothed\neach other's sorrows. Once in my conversation I was speaking of that\nbarbarous and pretended Uncle of mine, who used me so ill when I was\nin _France_; I asked her whether she knew where he was, she told me\nthat he was in the Town, and not far from the house; I was indeed\namazed that such a wretch was still alive; she told me also that he\ncame some times to see her; well, said I, if he comes I will be ready\nfor his reception, for I am no more what I formerly was, [_a Child_,]\nthat I should dread him. Two days after, he heard that I was in Town,\nand came to see me: as soon as he came into the house, my mind was\nstruck with horror. He advanced towards me and asked how I did\nstretching forth his hand to shake hands with me; I refused my hand\nand said, Sir, I do not shake hands with people that I know not. \"why\n(_said he_) don't you know me?\" no Sir! I replied: \"why don't you know\nyour Uncle S?\" no Sir! I never had any relation of that name: \"why\ndon't you remember you lived in _France_ with me?\" no Sir! for I am\nsure I never saw you before to day, if I did, my mind does not afford\nme the recollection of your features: \"how is it you don't remember\nme, who married your Aunt V.---- in second wedlock?\" \"Oh! yes I do now\nyou execrable villain; retire from my presence, monster of iniquities;\nthink not that you shall go unpunished, nor escape the wrath of GOD,\nfor the sword of vengeance hangs over your head, and will crush you to\natoms in an unexpected time that justice may be satisfied.\" He first\nblushed, then became pale, and without replying left the house; and I\nsaw him no more while I tarried there. My Cousin was very much pleased\nwith my reception of him; but as the time I agreed with her was\nexpired, I thought of going to see my Mother; so I took leave of her\nand embarked in a long-boat which was going that way: in four and\ntwenty hours I was landed at _Moutechristo_ where she resided, and was\nnot long to find out the place of her dwelling, the Town being small.\nI will just let my reader know how I made my entrance: first, I\nknock'd at the door; when in, I asked her whether she knew me; she\nsaid no Sir; I asked her again whether she had not Children abroad;\nshe said yes, \"but, [_giving a deep sigh_,] all my hopes are vanished,\nfor it is between thirteen and fourteen years since I have seen or\nheard from them.\" I then said to her, behold the youngest of them\nbefore you: she exclaimed in a transport of joy, \"Oh! my Son is it\nyou? my dear H.---- is still existing?\" and then fainted: but was not\nlong in that state, for her exceeding joy soon called her to her\nsenses again. My hard heart was melted in an instant; I could no\nlonger withstand that filial love; I threw myself into those arms\nwhich were so desirous and eager to welcome me to that breast which\nwas so ardently panting for me: our joy was so great on both sides,\nthat neither of us could utter a word. Our language was only by sighs:\nand those precious tears which bedewed my face when I first parted\nwith her, were once more mixed with mine. Our arms interwove in each\nother as an emblem of the most affecting tenderness. In that posture\nwe remained a long time, so much were our feelings affected, that we\ncould not utter a single word.\n\nSome time afterwards, she shewed me my little Brother and Sister, by\nher second husband; and dispatched my Brother to go and fetch my\nFather-in-law who was then at the farm, a little distance from the\nTown. In the mean time she said to me; \"your Father-in-law is an\nhonest man? he is not like many others, but he is a true Father that I\nhave met with for you;\" she then asked me where my Brothers were; I\ntold her they were taken prisoners by the English and conveyed to\nEngland: at the same time my Father-in-law came into the house, which\ninterrupted our conversation. He seemed to be very joyful of my\narrival, and treated me with the greatest kindness. This was the\nhappiest moment I ever enjoyed, being in the bosom of my friends. But\nall this happiness did not last long, for the Negroes rose up again,\nand killed every white man that fell into their hands.\n\nI was then compelled to stand in my own defence, as a foot soldier;\nevery night, alarms were given, for the blacks were at the gates of\nthe Town: but having received reinforcement, they were repulsed.\nAfterwards I was sent to garrison, fifteen miles off, where I stay'd\nfour and twenty days; at my return my little Brother fell sick of the\nfever, and died in two days after; which put my Mother and\nFather-in-law in such distress of mind, that I thought they would have\nfollowed, especially my Father-in-law, for he was a man of very tender\nfeelings: but by degrees and length of time, their griefs were\ndispersed.\n\nFive months were expired since my arrival at my Mother's. I was daily\nupon guard, or doing some other things respecting the warfaring\nbusiness. One day being on guard, I was informed of the arrival of\nboth my Brothers; I immediately ran home, and found it was so; my joy\nwas inexpressible at the sight of them, particularly at the eldest,\nwho was, and always has been my most intimate friend: it was then five\nyears and some months since they were taken prisoners; during that\ntime I never heard from them, which made me think many times that they\nwere no more in this World. Soon after, the report of their arrival\nwas spread in the Town; and coming to the ears of the commander of the\nplace, they were sent for by his orders, and enrolled[20] them into a\ncompany of foot soldiers. The duty was hard, the rebels being daily\nabout us, and almost every night there was some fighting or attempt.\nOne day after a very bloody engagement that was fought at the advanced\npost, I was sent thither with the company which I was in to reinforce\nthem, in case they should be attacked again: I stay'd there four and\ntwenty days, and was relieved by my eldest Brother. The day after I\ntook leave of him, and returned into the Town. As soon as I arrived,\nmy Mother sent me to the Metropolis about some business. When there,\nthe troubles were so great, that no one was in safety of their lives:\nthree days after my arrival, a strong battle took place, and lasted\nfrom four o'Clock in the morning till six in the evening. The day\nafter I was occupied in doing the errand for my Mother; and as soon as\nI had done, I wrote a letter to her, sending an account of all the\nbusiness; and told her she must not expect me to return, nor perhaps\nsee me more; telling her my reason was, that _St. Domingo_ was a place\ntoo dangerous for me to remain in any longer: and told her not to be\nuneasy about me, for I had already taken shipping.\n\n          [20] May it please GOD to enrol them in the Royal Regiment\n          of Saints, commanded by his most truly and Honorable Son,\n          the LORD JESUS CHRIST.\n\nWe set out the 3d of May 1803, from the harbour of _St. Domingo_: I\nbid my distressed Country once more Adieu; thinking to myself it is\nperhaps the last.\n\nMy intention when I embarked was, to go to _St. Malo_, and take\nshipping there for the coast of _Africa_. I had on board a small cargo\nconsisting of Sugar and Coffee, which when sold would have enabled me\nto begin a trade according to my purpose. We steered for the place\nabove mentioned; six days after we were at Sea, we had such a rough\nwind, that we were obliged to reef our main and fore top-sails: all\nour efforts seemed to be unsuccessful, for we were driven amidst\ndreadful Rocks; and the winds redoubled with such violence that\nnothing was seen before our eyes but terrors; every moment we expected\nour fatal end to take place; we fired guns of distress from time to\ntime hoping that some Ship would hear us and come to our assistance,\nif there was any about: but our endeavours were in vain, and we were\ncast in the midst of the Rocks. The scene is too cutting for me to\nrelate it in all its parts, for it was enough to unman the stoutest\nSailor: every man was in the most profound consternation; nothing was\nseen before our eyes but Death, and that in dreadful forms. At every\ninstant pieces of timber were swimming about the almost wrecked Ship;\nthe water covered almost the deck. We were in that deplorable\nsituation till morning; and to our great joy, a Ship offered itself to\nour view[21]; we immediately put the long-boat out to Sea, to go to\nthe Ship for refuge: I flung myself into the boat with what I valued\nmost, and five other men did likewise. As our boat was too small to\ncarry all the people, several were obliged to remain upon the wreck of\nthe Ship, till we could return with the other Ship's boat to save\nthem. We rowed away the boat, and went to the Ship that was in view;\nwhen there, the Captain asked me if all the people were come; I told\nhim no, because our boat was too small to carry them, and we came to\nbeg his assistance, for those miserable Creatures which are now upon\nthe remainder of the wreck. He said, \"they may save themselves if they\ncan, but as for me I cannot go, the weather is too favorable for me to\nlose a minutes time; you may go back if you like to save them; but as\nfor me, I will go my way.\" So he sailed, and we went with him; the\nothers remained upon the wreck of the Ship, in the midst of a wide\nOcean, without either help or hope. The Ship which saved me was a\nFrench Ship, and steered for his own place.\n\n          [21] When thou passest through the waters, I will be with\n          thee. Isaiah. chap. 43, ver. 2.\n\nThe 21st day of June 1803, being at Sea, we were met by an English\nVessel who told us that war was declared between _France_ and\n_England_, and for that reason we were taken prisoners, and conducted\nto _Plymouth_.\n\nI stay'd 35 days in _Plymouth_, and was sent after to _Tiverton_ in\n_Devonshire_ upon _Parole_ of _Honour_; there I remained five months,\nand was sent afterwards to _Ashbourn_ in _Derbyshire_. I arrived at\n_Ashbourn_ the 17th of december 1803, and was in such a deplorable\nstate of mind, that I did not know what to do. Very often the public\nhouse was the place where I went to seek comfort, by getting\nintoxicated, and then casting all my sorrows behind me; I after awhile\ntook such a delight in this course of life, that it became quite an\nhabit to me; I was the greatest Sabbath breaker that ever existed; I\nwas daily fighting or swearing the most execrable Oaths, which was\nenough to excite the anger of GOD against me. One morning being half\ndrunk, I went out to take a walk; when passing through a dark foot\npath, I was persuaded by some evil spirit to put an end to my\nmiserable life. For that purpose I went into the darkest part of the\nplace, and took my knife out of my pocket to accomplish the horrid\ndeed.--The instrument was already lifted up, and the stroke was to\nensue; but an Angel of the LORD, (_or some thing of that kind_,)\nstopped my rebellious hand, and my weapon dropped from it; then many\nideas came into my mind such as these, \"Oh! miserable wretch, art thou\ngoing to plunge thyself into eternal misery? remember thou art going\ninto Hell head-long, if thou dost such a thing:\" I was struck with\nterror with those ideas, and was so frighted, that I durst not move\nfrom the place for fear that the justice of an avenging GOD should\nfall upon me. I stay'd in that place for some time, and went home with\nsuch a burden, that I could hardly bear: having my head cast down as\nif I was a criminal, for I durst upon no account lift it up.\n\nI was for several days in a such distressed state of mind, that I had\nnot courage enough to go out; for I thought every body knew what was\nthe matter with me; and to appease my wounded conscience, I thought\nthat a reformation would have been sufficient to justify me in the\nsight of GOD: so that I began to build, as it is said upon a sandy\nfoundation, by performing a few formal duties; thinking that by my\ngood works, I should merit the favours of GOD so as to forgive me all\nmy trespasses. The plan I had formed was this: having a Roman Catholic\nprayer book, I thought it was all-sufficient to calm my troubled\nbreast, and to bring me to a perfect state of happiness. So every\nnight and morning I used to kneel down, and taking the prayer book I\nread the morning and evening prayer; this performance I thought would\nplease GOD, and get me from under the terrors of an accused\nconscience: but in all these vain duties I never looked to JESUS for\nforgiveness or remission of sins, neither to his precious and\ncleansing blood, nor could I perceive the depravity of my corrupted\nnature: but I depended wholly upon my best endeavours and good works.\nI continued but a little time in doing those erroneous duties, and\nfelt insensibly at last that all my fears were vanished away; I was\nlike the dog, returning to his vomit again: for I begun the same\nmethod as before, keeping all sorts of bad company, and breaking the\nsabbath with drinking, swearing and fighting &c. I was at the least\nfive days drunk in the week, and always quarrelling.\n\nOne day in one of my mad fits, (_though I was not drunk_,) I resolved\nto delay no longer to put an end to my miserable existence; for that\npurpose I went into a garden near by: the same instrument that had\nbeen lifted up before, was again employed; I was in such great\ndespair, that I was relentless towards my own life and happiness; so\nthat I lifted up my sanguinary hand and struck my left breast\ntwice[22].--I fell down senseless; some persons who were near, hearing\nthe exclamation I made, which was, Oh! Mother, I shall never see thee\nagain! came to see what was the matter; and to their great surprise,\nfound me wallowing in my own blood. They carried me into my room for\ndead, and some person went to fetch the Doctor. As soon as the Doctor\nsaw my wounds, which were through my lungs, he said, I can be of no\nuse to him, for he has not ten minutes to live; but if he does, I may\nbe of service to him: and went away. But he was soon fetched back\nagain for I was not dead. When he came the second time, he gave me\nsomething to drink which recalled me to my senses: my inside being\nfull of blood, he thought it would be proper to bleed me, it might\nease me a little, for I could hardly breathe. After I was bled I fell\ninto a swoon; the Doctor then said, if he lives till one o'Clock it\nwill be a wonder. Some-body went to fetch a Catholic Minister[23], who\nlived in the same Town; when he saw me, he told me to recommend my\nsoul to GOD, saying, that I had but a few minutes to live: and after\nthis short exhortation he went out of the room, saying, it was too\nmuch for him to see.\n\n          [22] I have sinned: what shall I do unto thee, O thou\n          preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against\n          thee, so that I am a burden to myself. Job, chap. 7. ver.\n          20.\n\n          [23] I did not know for what purpose they went for him; but\n          I supposed it was to administer unto me the Extreme-Unction;\n          for as it is reported among the Roman Catholic that a man or\n          woman dying without having received the Extreme-Unction,\n          (_which they call a Sacrament_,) must either go to\n          Hell, or in Purgatory.\n\nI was restless all the night, for I could not sleep on account of the\nsoreness of my wounds. When morning came I was so weak and so\nfeverish, that the Doctor thought I could not live to see the sun set.\nNight came, and yet alive: but I was so tormented with ideas as before\nmentioned, that I durst not shut my eyes for fear I should awake in\nHell. I was three nights without taking the least rest; for I was\nafraid to fall asleep, as I made it a sure thing in my mind, that if I\nfell asleep, I should awake no more. I felt myself in such a miserable\ncondition, that I thought GOD would never forgive me. All the time I\nwas in bed, I lay upon thorns as it were; for I was so filled with\ngrief and sorrow, occasioned by my misbehaviour towards the\neverlasting being, that my life was quite miserable.\n\nDuring the time of my affliction, I had such ideas and thoughts\nconcerning my state, that I appeared to myself the vilest of men; but\nfor all that I did not know from whence came these thoughts and ideas.\n\nI was six or seven weeks before I could walk out; and was a great\nwhile before I could get any strength. I was five months in the most\ndistressing state of mind, and continually tormented by some thing or\nother, which I could not discern. Some times I went out to meditate a\nlittle, but no sooner was I out, but was forced to return home again;\nbecause I could not rest any where. One day after many dreadful and\nfrightful ideas, I felt some thing extraordinary in me; and then for\nthe first time, I perceived that I was a sinner[24]; and one beyond\nexpression: I saw the horrible state in which I was plunged; I felt\nthat I was upon the very brink of destruction: and felt also, that no\none could alleviate my pains but GOD. For that purpose I went to\nchurch; when there, I could hear nothing that could do me any good. At\nnight I went to the Methodist Chapel; there I did not find any comfort\nso as to set me free. When at home, I went to prayer; but could say\nnothing but the LORD's prayer, which I knew from my infancy.\n\n          [24] Though I had had a taste and a view of the love of GOD,\n          (_as you may read in the former part of my life_,) and\n          a great desire to serve and worship him; yet I did not feel\n          the corruption of my fallen nature, neither the great weight\n          and burden of my inveterate sins and transgressions: I was\n          far from thinking of the inestimable worth and want of a\n          precious SAVIOUR. I had a zeal, but not according to\n          knowledge; I was like that sect which the Apostle Paul\n          speaks of in the tenth chapter of Romans and the third\n          verse: for they, being ignorant of GOD's Righteousness, and\n          going about to establish their own Righteousness, have not\n          submitted themselves unto the Righteousness of GOD.\n\n          \"I thank GOD, through the LORD JESUS CHRIST, that He has\n          subjected me unto his blessed and Everlasting Righteousness;\n          and made me sensible of this, that without the Blood of his\n          dear Son, my sins must for ever remain.\"\n\nI spent the week in reading the new Testament; and longed daily with\nimpatience for the return of Sabbath, that I might try again to seek a\nplace where I could lay all my burden. When that happy day was come, I\nwent to SION Chapel: the text was taken out of the twenty-seventh\nchapter of the Prophet Isaiah, the last verse; \"and it shall come to\npass when the great trumpet shall be blown\" &c. I was very attentive\nat the preaching, in hopes I could hear some passage that might\ncomfort my distressed mind. The Minister brought forward the Brazen\nSerpent in his discourse, saying, when Moses lifted it up, he said,\nwhosoever shall believe in it, shall be saved; for thus shall the Son\nof man be lifted up. I felt a little comfort from these words, but not\nsufficient to calm my troubled mind; because of the weakness of my\nfaith. As I had not heard sufficient, I went at night to the Methodist\nChapel. I did not dislike the sermon, but did not feel so much there\nas I did at SION Chapel: I spent the week rather better than I did the\nlast, and was not so much distressed.\n\nOne morning I went to take a walk, when fifty yards from the house, I\nremembered I had not served GOD when I got up; I was so struck with\nshame, that I ran back to my chamber to say my prayers. Such a thing\nas that happened unto me three times, but was always overcome by the\nfear of GOD, for I durst not on any account go out of my room except I\nhad render'd thanks to GOD for his protecting grace and mercy; for I\nthought, that if I was to neglect, his wrath would fall upon me &c.\n\nSunday came, which I longed for with so much impatience; and with joy\nI went again to SION Chapel. The text was taken out of the Epistle of\nPaul to the Philippians, the third chapter, and the ninth verse; \"and\nbe found in him.\" The very word of \"be found in him,\" went deeply to\nmy heart, and proved sweet to it; for it comforted me and released me\nfrom all my guilty fears; and convinced me of all the errors we are\nliable to by Nature. I was so overjoyed at that sermon, that I could\nnot depart from the place till I had spoken to the Minister[25]; to\ntell him the benefit I had received under his labour. I went home\njoyful at what I had heard and tasted, and I cast all my cares and\nsorrows away: and was only thinking to serve him who shed his blood\nfor me.\n\n          [25] the Reverend Samuel Franklin, of _Ebley in\n          Gloucestershire_, Minister in Lady Huntingdon's\n          connection, then at _Ashbourn in Derbyshire_.\n\nNow persecution began to take place by my worldly companions; they\ncalled me all sorts of shameful names[26], even threatened me with\npunishment if I did continue in hearing the word of GOD. I could not\ngo through the streets without meeting with some ill treatment from\nthem; but as I did not mind what they said, I told them I would sooner\ngo to the scaffold and suffer Death, than renounce JESUS CHRIST. Their\npersecutions continued for a long time, but seeing I did not take any\nnotice, they were obliged to let me go in peace.\n\n          [26] My friends scorn me; but mine eye poureth out tears\n          unto GOD. Job, chap. 16, ver. 20.\n\nI went to no other place of worship but SION, where I first found the\ntreasure of the _Crucified One_. Some times I thought myself too\nunworthy to be saved; but at other times I had better thoughts, when\nreflecting on Paul, Manasseh, and other characters &c.\n\nThe week before _Good Friday_ I was taken ill, and was obliged to keep\nmy bed several days. In the mean time I prayed unto GOD to give me\nhealth and strength, that I might be able to go and hear his word that\nprecious day he bought my Salvation; but it was not permitted; for\nthat very day I was extremely ill, and wept bitterly because I could\nnot go to SION my happy place. So I called for a new Testament that I\nmight read a chapter or two; but I was so weak, that I could not read;\nand was forced to put the book down. In the afternoon I felt myself a\nlittle better, and took the book I read a chapter, by which I received\nsome comfort.\n\nI was very patient under my afflictions, for the more I was afflicted,\nthe more my mind was comforted; I did not fear the sting of Death at\nall, because, I had faith to believe I should be happy. In a few weeks\nI was entirely recovered, and the LORD soon after blessed me with the\nSpirit of prayer, so that I could join my friends in CHRIST in their\nlabours.\n\nNow I am fully convinced that I am found, and brought back to the\nflock of whom JESUS CHRIST is the Shepherd: and I will adore and\npraise him for what He has done for me through Grace, and trust in Him\nfor what He has promised to do.\n\n\"O! most blessed JESUS, thou who hast been pleased to protect me\nthrough so many dangers, and watched over me ever since my youthful\ndays; be pleased I beseech thee, to keep me now that I am found: I did\nnot find myself, thou knowest; but it was thou, O! most blessed JESUS\nwho found me when lost and ready to sink into the valley of\ndestruction. Thou hast brought me from thousands of miles to shew me\nthy light divine, and to make me a prisoner of hope instead of a\nprisoner of war. O! Eternal THREE in ONE, look down on thine unworthy\nservant, and water his Soul with the dew of thy Heavenly Grace, that\nhe may be prepared to receive that never fading Crown, which is at the\nend of the race thou hast enabled him to run: and help him to renounce\nall other works but thine. Now I forsake all the riches and pleasures\nof this world, for the Eternal life which was purchased by the\nprecious Blood of thy dear Son JESUS: to which I beseech thee, to keep\nme now, and to the end.\" AMEN.\n\n\n    THE _WEST INDIAN HYMN._\n\n    \"_This my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost and is\n    found._\"\n\n    PRODIGAL'S FATHER.\n\n    Now though six thousand miles from home,\n    Yet nearer to my GOD I come\n    'Twas JESUS' love that set me free,\n    And brought me back by grace to thee,\n    And JESUS will lead me to see;\n        Eternal days.\n\n    And now that I am found,--keep me\n    That I may never go from thee:\n    Thus fill my soul with thy free grace,\n    That I may run the christian race,\n    And see my SAVIOUR face to face;\n        In endless days.\n\n    Thou didst seek me when a stranger,\n    In my guilt and road to danger,\n    And to bring me home to my GOD,\n    Didst interpos'd thy precious blood,\n    That I might sing with saints aloud;\n        Through endless days.\n\n    O! blessed be the sacred Place,[27]\n    Where I have found such Heav'nly grace,\n    That sav'd me from my nature's fall,\n    And give me on my GOD to call;\n    O! JESUS at thy feet I fall:\n        Through endless days.\n\n    Till then, do thou in my heart dwell,\n    Rule in it and do all things well:\n    Lead me to that e'erblessed place,\n    Where I hope to behold thy face,\n    And help me thy foot-steps to trace;\n        To endless rest.\n\n    There I shall praise my SAVIOUR dear,\n    While his own Righteousness I wear:\n    I'll shout and sing redeeming love,\n    Which did my first affections move,\n    And never more will let me rove;\n        Through endless days.\n\n          [27] SION Chapel.\n\n\n_FINIS._\n\n\nPARKES PRINTER, and AUCTIONEER, ASHBOURN.","title":"A short account of the extraordinary life and travels of H. L. L.----: native of St. Domingo, now a prisoner of war at Ashbourn, in Derbyshire, shewing the remarkable steps of Divine providence towards him, and the means of his conversion to God","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":16510}