the parsonage-house and to allow him a sufficient maintenance. What could I do? Mr. Brazier was appointed to labour under Mr. Hammet, at Jamaica; but I could not bear that this delightful people should perish for lack of knowledge. I left, therefore, Mr. Brazier behind me, having spent two pleasing days with these inhabitants of the rock. May they all be built on the Rock of Ages!

My heart is too much engaged in the interests of this plain, honest colony, for me to omit transcribing the sentiments of a celebrated French writer concerning them and their island.

"This is a steep rock, on the summit of which is a little ground, very proper for gardening. Frequent rains which do not lie any time on the soil, give growth to plants of an exquisite flavour, and cabbages of an extraordinary size.— Throughout America there is no blood so pure as that of Saba; the women there preserve a freshness of complexion, which is not to be found in any other of the Caribbee-islands. Happy colony! Elevated on the top of a rock, between the sky and the sea, it enjoys the benefit of both elements without dreading their storms. The inhabitants breathe a pure air, live upon vegetables, cultivate a simple commodity, from which they derive ease without the temptation of riches; are employed in labours less troublesome than useful; and possess in peace all the blessings of moderation, health, beauty and liberty.

"This is the temple of peace, from whence the philosopher may contemplate at leisure the errors and passions of men, who come like the sea, to strike and dash themselves on the rich coast of America,

This little island is about fifteen or sixteen miles in circumference

the spoils and possessions of which they are perpetually contending for, and wresting from each other. Hence may he view at a distance the nations of Europe, bearing thunder in the midst of the ocean, and burning with the flames of ambition and avarice under the tropics, devouring gold without ever being satisfied, wading through seas of blood to amass those metals, those pearls, those diamonds which are used to adorn the oppressors of mankind; loading innumerable ships with those precious casks, which furnish luxury with purple, and from which flow pleasures, effeminacy, cruelty and debauchery. The tranquil inhabitant of Saba views this mass of follies, and spins in peace the cotton which constitutes all his finery and wealth."*

On the 17th we landed at Tortola. This island which contains about 1,000 whites and 8,000 blacks is indeed ripe for the gospel. It seems to be the general cry of the negroes throughout the island," Let us have, if possible, a Methodist minister.

After giving the inhabitants of Road-Town, (the principal town of this island) two sermons, we sailed for Santa Cruz, an island belonging to Denmark. This last mentioned island is supposed to contain about 30,000 inhabitants, who in general speak the English language. It is highly cultivated; and the town of Basse-End, its capital, is far the most beautiful I have seen in the Caribbee islands. The governor general, through the warm recommendation of a worthy and respectable friend in London, received us with great courtesy, and

* Soon after I left the West Indies, the Governor of St. Eustatius, who is Governor-general of all the Dutch Caribbee islands, with the most implacable spirit of persecution, forced the governor and council of Saba to part with Mr. Brazier, though they did it with sorrow and reluctance, as they afterwards assured me by a letter.

promised us all the protection and encouragement in his power.

Two gentlemen in the town shewed us many marks of respect, and an old Quaker-lady permitted me to preach in her house, and afterwards informed me that it should be always at our service.

And now I found myself in the utmost doubt, and knew not which way to turn. Mr. Hammet was appointed for Jamaica; and there was no other missionary to secure the advantages which the Lord had given us in these two islands. At last we determined that Mr. Hammet should divide his labours between Tortola and Santa Cruz, till two missionaries are sent from England to prosecute the openings which Divine Providence has afforded us, and, which, I doubt not, Mr. Hammet in the mean time will greatly improve. I shall also, God willing, visit Jamaica, to prepare his way in that populous and important island.

After my return from Santa Cruz to Tortola, I had a very providential escape, in going late in the evening from the quay to the ship, in which I was to sail the next morning for Jamaica. In the mid-way between the shore and the ship, about the distance of a mile from each, a young man who sat behind me, observed with some surprize, that the water came over the stern of the boat.-I put my hand over the side, and found that the edge of the boat was within an inch of the water. mediately I observed, that the boat, the bottom of which was very deep and leaky, had let in so much water, and had sunk so low, that on every motion the water came in over the stern, as well as from below; so that in a few minutes we should probably have sunk, if our awful situation had not been just then discovered: but after using proper means to throw out the water, we got safe to the

Im

ship through the blessing and interference of our never-failing Friend.

We have now through the blessing of God on our endeavours, a prospect of much good in ten of the islands, which unitedly contain about two hundred and sixty thousand inhabitants, near four-fifths of whom are covered with heathenish darkness.

SECTION V.·

ON the 19th of January, I landed at PortRoyal, in Jamaica. When I landed, Mr. Fishley, master calker of the harbour, to whom I brought a letter of recommendation, received me with every mark of kindness and respect, and introduced me the next day to Mr. Bull and Mr. Treble, of Kingston, who proved my very valuable friends. In Mr. Treble's house I preached four times, to small, but increasing congregations. At last, a gentleman of great benevolence (Mr. Burn, a Roman Catholic) observing the inconveniences the congregation was put to, in Mr. Treble's small, though neat house (which would have been large enough, I doubt not, for all the inhabitants of Kingston, if it had been as large as his heart) most generously offered me the use of a very large room in one of his houses, which room has been frequently used as a public concert-room, and is the largest but one in the whole town.

The first evening I preached there, the congregation was considerable, and received the word with great decency, and great attention. Whilst I was pointing out to the unregenerate, the fallaciousness of all their hopes, and the impossibility of reversing the decree, "Except a man be born

again, he cannot see the kingdom of God," and seriously enquiring of them whether they had found out some new gospel as their directory, a poor negro-woman cried out, "I am sure you are a new priest." The second evening the great room and all the piazzes around it were crowded with people. I believe there were four hundred whites present, the largest number of whites I ever preached to at one time in the West Indies, and about two hundred negroes, there being no room, I think for more. After I had preached about ten minutes, a company of gentlemen, inflamed with liquor, began to be very noisy: till at last, the noise still increasing, they cried out, "Down with him, down with him." They then pressed forwards through the crowd in order to seize me, crying out again, “Who seconds that fellow ?". On which my new, but gallant friend Mr. Bull, stepped forth between the rioters and me, saying, " I second him against men and devils." A lady also of great worth, who in her younger years had been a member of our society in London, but through the various vicissitudes of life was now a resident of Jamaica, who had lately been dangerously ill, and during her illness, when all her former religious impressions returned with all their weight to her mind, had received a clear manifestation of the pardoning love of God-notwithstanding all the delicacy of her sex, and her own peculiar amiableness of disposition, stood up, and reasoned with the rioters on the impropriety of their conduct. They now, I believe, were convinced that nine out of ten of the congregation disapproved of their behaviour, and gave up the contest, still crying as they descended the staircase, "Down with him, down with him."

The spirits of the congregation were so deranged by this unhappy incident, that I gave out