Friends there, I got indifferently through it, and alfo 1731. rode to Bridge-Town, and had feveral Meetings there. I was alfo at feveral good and comfortable Meetings at Spieght's-Town, where we had one the Day we fail'd, being the 21ft of the Eleventh Month; and on the Sea-fhore parted with our Friends in great Love, and fet Sail, the Wind being about North-Eaft, fo that Sails from we could not weather the Jfland of Martinico; we Barbadors. therefore fail'd along by the Iflands of Dominico, and Guardaloupe, and had Calms under the Islands, and fometimes the eddy Winds from off the Mountains, or high Lands, would take the Sails, and carry the Ship clear round, which made it fometimes tedious. The 23d and 24th we paffed by the Islands of Montferrat, Antigua, Rodondo, Chirftopher's, Nevis, Bartholomew, Statia, Saba, Barbuba, Martin's, and Anguilla, the Winds and the Weather being fair and pleafant. The 25th in the Evening, it began to be hazy; and, in the Night we fplic our Main-top-fail, which coft us a great deal of Labour, and Lofs of Time, before we could get it mended and fet again. We had pretty fair Weather about 20 Days, until we came on our Coaft, and into Soundings; when a hard Gale of Wind fpringing up Eafterly, which fetting on the Shore, was dangerous, and we had a long Night coming on; but, through the Favour of the Almighty, we got off from the Land. In the Midft of the Danger of this Storm, my Soul fang Praises to the Lord.

The 12th of the Twelfth Month we met with another Eafterly Storm, being in about thirty Fathom Water, it blew, and rain'd very hard, and was also exceeding cold, and our coming from a hot Climate made it more hard to bear. In this Storm we saw divers Lights, which the Sailors call Corpufants, one of them was exceeding bright, and fat, as near as I can compute it, about Half an Hour on our Main-topmaft Head, plain to the View of all the Ship's ComR 2

pany,

1731. pany, divers of whom said they never faw the like," and I think I never heard of, or faw the like before.

This Storm continued all Night till Day, when it abated, and it being the firft of the Week, we had a comfortable Meeting, in which the People on board were advised to get divine and heavenly Learning, and not to be Fools in Religion, or in the Things of God, nor to hate his true Knowledge; for if they had all the natural Knowledge, and brightest natural Parts in the World, they would be but Fools without the true Fear of God, which the wife King Solomon fays, Is the Beginning of Wisdom.

The 27th of the Month wefaw Cape Henlopen, having been 27 Days from the Island of Barbadoes: This was a close, foggy Day, we could fee but very little before us, and had like to have been a-ground on the Shoals, which they call the Hen and Chickens; but went between them and the Cape, in three Fathom Water; the Wind blowing hard at South, we went up the Bay by the Lead; for we could not fee the Land; and the Gale being fo fresh, we got to Bombay-Hook, from our Capes, in about fix Hours, which is accounted twenty Leagues, where we came to an Anchor, and there met with abundance of Ice. Merciful was the Deliverance and Prefervation we met with, from the Hand of the Almighty, this Voyage; may we ever gratefully remember it! About a League above Bombay-Hook, when the Fog broke up, we found ourselves clofe on the Jersey Shore; and the Wind fprung up at Northweft, and obliged us to come to an Anchor; where the Ice came down upon us, which furprized fome of us much. The fudden coming out of fo hot a Climate, into one fo feverely cold, had a bad Effect on most of our Ship's Company; and for my own Part, I had a fore Fit of the Phthyfick, and was, at Times, almost breathless, and thought I muft die, for I could hardly breathe, or fpeak; but yet I refolved, as long as I was capable of Thoughts, I would think of God,

and

and my beloved Jefus; in which Thoughts and Medi- 1731. tations I found fome Comfort and Confolation. I fat up for divers Nights, not being able to lie down for want of Breath; and I could not drink any strong Drink, as Rum, Wine, Ale, or Punch, fuch as the Sailors drank; but, inftead thereof, I drank Sage Tea, which was very helpful to me.

The next Day, the Ice came down more and more upon us, and we feared to put back, because, if we had gone a-ground in the Bay, the Ice might have demolifhed us; fo we took the most convenient Time we could, and got up our Anchor, with fome Difficulty, and flood for Reedy-Ifland, one of the best Harbours upon Delaware; but, the Wind and Tide failing us, we could not get in; and the Ebb brought down the Ice mightily on us, fo that it took away the Head of our Veffel, and cut her Sides very much. The next Tide we got into the Harbour, and lay clofe to ReedyIland, making the Ship faft on Shore. While we lay here, feveral Veffels came to us, and faften'd on Shore as we did. The Ice drove one Veffel on us, and broke our Spritfail Yard. Here I went on Shore, where the People were very kind to us, particularly the Sheriff of the County, John Gooding, and his Wife and Family. I went also to the House of Jobn M'Cool, who, with his Wife, were very tender in their Care and Love towards me; bathing my fwell'd and benumb'd Limbs until the Froft was pretty well out of them! The Good-will, and tender. Love and Care, I here met with, affects my Mind in the noting of it: I pray the moft High, whom I love and ferve, to be their Rewarder.

I had two Meetings at our Meeting-house at George's-Creek, where was People of divers Perfwafions, who gave good Attention. For thefe Meetings I was truly thankful; for though, through the extream Cold, I could hardly fpeak when on board, I now (poke freely, much to my Admiration, and I believe to

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1731. the Peoples Satisfaction, more than is proper for me to mention, wherefore I praise God. When the Wea ther was a little more open, and the Ice gone, we failed up the River to Philadelphia, where I was joyfully received by my Friends; and while the Veffel was repairing and fitting for another Voyage, I was not idle, but vifited Friends Meetings at Philadelphia, Burlington Burlington, Abington, German-town, Biberry, Fair-bill, Abingdon, and Frankfort, being fometimes at four or five Meetings a Week. I was alfo at Haddonfield and Evesham Meetings in Weft-Ferfey; both good and comfortable Meetings, and will not easily be forgotten for there-> in God was graciously pleafed to vifitus with his Word, bleffed be his Name:

Mafter,

&c.

The 4th of the Third Month, we again fet fail for
An eighth
Voyage as Speight's-Town in Barbadoes; and the 6th of the
Month, about fix in the Morning, left the Capes of
Delaware. From the Time we left the Sight of the
Capes of Delaware, to the Sight of Barbadoes, was
Twenty-five Days (which was the quickest Voyage
that ever I had in this Ship) in which Time we had
three Meetings for the publick Worship of Almighty
God, and to me they were beneficial; and for God's
Goodness, I could do no lefs than return Praise to him,
who alone is worthy for ever. 1.

Barbadoes,

After I had done my Bufinefs at Barbadoes, Sand vifited Friends Meetings, on the 5th of the Fifth Month

failed for South Carolina, touched at the Island: of Christophers Christopher's, and landed fome Paffengers there. From thence we went to Sea, and the fame Night we had a Storm, but fuffered little, the Wind being for us, that we went before it, and after it was over, we had a pleafant Paffage of about fourteen Days to the Coast of Carolina; and when we faw the Land, the Wind came against us, which made fome of our Paffengers very uneafy; but in meditating on the infinite Being, I was favoured with inward Comfort and ftrong Conlofolation,

folation, fo that I was humbly thankful, and praised 1732: God.

We were prevented by contrary Winds, and a ftrong Current, from getting into Charlestown, and while we were beating about the Coaft, we met with a Veffel which came from thence, who gave us Intelligence that many People died fuddenly, and that they buried ten or twelve in a Day. Day. Hearing fuch News, and the Wind being still against us, our Paffengers, who intended for Carolina, concluded to go for Philadelphia; fo we tacked about, and ftood for Delaware-Bay, and then we had a fresh Gale a-head again for feveral Days, and fpending fo much Time on the Coaft, our Water was far expended, and we agreed to come to an Allowance of Water, a Quart a Man for Twenty-four Hours, for feveral Days before we got in. We were about five Weeks in our Paffage from Barbadoes to Delaware River.

Soon after our Arrival at Philadelphia we got our Philadel Ship on the Ways, in order to refit and fheath her, in hia which Time I travelled into feveral Counties, and had many religious Meetings in divers Places, in which I had good Satisfaction; and my old Acquaintance and Friends faid, they rejoiced to fee me again after my Sea Voyages. I was thankful in my Heart for the Goodwill of my good Mafter, and of my Friends, in those Journeys, which was, and, I hope, ever will be better to me than choice Silver, and fine Gold.

The Winter fetting in about a Month fooner than ufual, many Veffels were detained from going to Sea, being frozen up; alfo many Veffels could not come from Sea up the River, fo that a great Damp was put on Trade, and the Froft coming fo fuddenly, many People were taken with Colds, and many died in both the Provinces of New-Jersey and Penfylvania. My dear Friend and kind Landlord Paul Preston, died about this Time, who, on his dying Bed, faid, He had no Defire to live, but to do Good, and that it had been bis

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