Alfred and G-alba 
 
 John Camob^ll 
 
PERKINS LIBRARY 
 
 Duke University 
 
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ALFRED and GALBA 
 
 OR THE 
 
 HISTORY 
 
 OF 
 
 TWO BROTHERS, 
 
 SUPPOSED TO BE 
 
 WRITTEN BY THEMSEUES 
 
 For the Use of Young PeopU 
 
 BY JOHN CAMPBELL, 
 
 Author of Worlds Displayed, &c. 
 
 BOSTON: 
 
 'RINTED AXD SOLD BY LINCOLN S* KDMANDS. 
 
 No. 53 Cornhill. 
 
 ho keep for sale, a great variety of cheap religious 
 
 ">acts. The charitable, resident in any part of 
 
 the Union, who purchase for distribution, will 
 
 find their orders answered promptly, 
 
 and on the most liberal terms. 
 
 1812. 
 
 Price, 3 dolls, a doz. 
 
£ 
 
 TO THE 
 
 REV. JOHN NEWTON, 
 
 RECTOR OF ST. MARY WOOLNOTH, LOM- 
 BARD STREET, LONDON, 
 
 THIS SMALL VOLUME 
 
 IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED 
 BY HIS AFFECTIONATE 
 FRIEND AND SERVANT, 
 
 THE AUTHOR. 
 
 302719 
 
 A 2 
 
CONTENTS, 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 PAGS. 
 
 Occurrences daring a Journey from London 
 
 to Montpeilier 9 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 Interesting Account of the Two Brothers . . 18 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 Captivity of Alfred and Galba in South America 58 
 
 $>att ii. 
 
 Journal of their Second Voyage 83 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 Voyage, he. of Alfred from Favourite Island 
 
 to South America i 94 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 Galba's Journal during the Absence of the Ship 105 
 Continuation of the Journal by Alfred till their 
 
 Arrival at Montpeilier 128 
 
4DVERTISEMENT. 
 
 This little volume is upon the plan 
 of my two former, (Worlds Displayed, 
 and Picture of Human Life : ) only this 
 contains a continued history ; they are 
 composed of various lives. 
 
 I have, throughout, kept two objects 
 in view, entertainment and instruction. 
 The former is used as a handmaid to 
 the latter. How far I have succeeded, 
 must be left to the judgment of the reader. 
 
 A taste for reading, where it is not a 
 natural gift, is seldom produced by mere 
 exhortation, nor even by the most for- 
 cible representations of advantages de- 
 rived from it. Yet, even under such 
 unfavourable circumstances, if some en- 
 tertaining narrative be put into the hands 
 of youth, calculated to engage their at- 
 tention without vitiating their taste, 
 perhaps after reading it they will ask for 
 another volume. To direct and gratify 
 this new appetite, will require much at- 
 tention and giQigilJeJrjgjially \vh> so 
 many pernicious plays and noyels'con* 
 
f 
 
 8 ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 tinue in circulation ; in many of which 
 the most destructive principles are dis- 
 seminated, and the basest crime soft- 
 ened or applauded, whereby thousands 
 of vouth are ruined. 
 
 I have particularly attempted to lead 
 the attention of the young reader, to the 
 wonders of creation which continually 
 surround him, (though generally unob- 
 served) that he may view them as dis- 
 playing the boundless wisdom, power, 
 and goodness of the great Creator. 
 Wherever he travels, this library of God 
 furnishes an inexhaustible source of 
 pleasure, always at hand. Even the 
 smallest volume in the divine collection 
 is worthy of research — a blade of grass, 
 or a particle of sand, merits the minutest 
 investigation — and the power of God is 
 no less admirably displayed in the for- 
 mation of the mite that crawls upon the 
 cheese, than in that of the monster that 
 roams among the woods. 
 
 J. C. 
 
 Kingsland, 
 April 5, 1805, 
 
 
ALFRED and GALBA 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Occurrences during a Journey from London to 
 Montfiellier. 
 
 HAVING amused myself for some weeks 
 with the study of Geography, at leisure 
 hours ; tracing the boundaries of empires and 
 kingdoms ; the sources and currents of riv- 
 ers ; the manners, customs, and population 
 of different nations, I frequently seemed to 
 traverse the globe in a night, while asleep, 
 and sometimes entertained my friends at 
 breakfast, in the morning, with an account 
 of my nocturnal adventures. 
 
 One morning, my friends being much grat- 
 ified with my relation, they prevailed on me 
 to commit the whole to writing, for the en- 
 tertainment and instruction of their acquaint- 
 ances. What follows is the substance of 
 what I related upon that occasion. 
 
 I was but a few minutes asleep last night, 
 (said I) when I supposed myself seated in 
 
RURAL PROSPECT. 
 
 '., bow manifold are thy works ! in wisdoir 
 i made them all : the earth is full of thy 
 So is the great and wide sea, wherein are 
 •eeping innumerable. . . P*ahn civ. 
 
 
Alfred and Galba. 1 1 
 
 that without religion, man cannot be happy 
 either* here or hereafter. High life, without 
 it, is a vain shew, and is felt (though some- 
 times not observed) to be so by every possess- 
 or. Many have been as tired in governing a 
 kingdom, as ever a porter, of bearing his load ; 
 and some have voluntarily relinquished even 
 a crown in disgust. Remember Charles the 
 fifth of Germany, and Christiana, queen of 
 Sweden, who voluntarily abdicated their 
 thrones, in hopes of being happier without 
 them. The saying of king Solomon, after a 
 long and prosperous reign, is also a striking 
 proof of the same truth. ' All is vanity, (said 
 he) and vexation of spirit.' 
 
 " As for religion, Sir, it consists in loving 
 and obeying the supreme Ruler of heaven 
 and earth ; and we can neither love nor obey 
 him, without some acquaintance with his 
 truth revealed in the Scriptures. 
 
 " I understand, from your conversation, that 
 you are leaving your house and your native 
 country. I feel for you, as you will be ex- 
 posed to numberless snares, and will not have 
 affectionate parents to check and admonish 
 you when necessary." 
 
 The young man now become very grave, 
 and told us, that his kind mother at parting, 
 had made him a present of a Bible, and one 
 or two good books, which he promised 
 he would carefully read. 
 
 The old gentleman said, he once heard of 
 a young man going to the West Indies, who 
 received the same present from his mother, , 
 and made her the same promise. Upon his 
 
1 2 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 return home, some years after, his mother 
 inquired if he still had the Bible she had given 
 him, i O yes,* said he, ' and ran to his port- 
 manteau to bring it, as a proof how carefully he 
 had kept it.' His mother on turning it over, 
 found a bank bill between the same leaves she 
 had privately put it before he went abroad. 
 4 I am sorry,' said she, ' to see this bill here ; 
 for had you read your Bible, you must have 
 found it, and it would have been very useful to 
 you in your exigences.' This circumstance 
 bore so hard upon the young man, that he 
 did not attempt his own vindication. 
 
 Our young passenger thanked the gentle- 
 man for his counsel and his anecdote, and ex* 
 pressed a hope that he should profit by them. 
 So true are these sayings of the wise man. 
 " A word in season, how good is it !" and, " A 
 word fitly spoken, is like apples of gold in 
 lattice-work of silver." 
 
 During the remainder of our journey to* 
 gether we conversed more freely and pleas- 
 antly, in consequence of the prudent conduct 
 of the old gentleman. 
 
 When we arrived at Dover, we happily 
 found a boat ready to depart for Calais, and 
 four of our company, (along with many others,) 
 took our passage in her. The weather was 
 somewhat stormy during the passage j and 
 though there was no real danger, yet many of 
 the passengers being strangers to the sea, sup- 
 posed we were in most perilous circumstances. 
 One lady in particular was greatly alarmed. 
 She deeply regretted leaving home, and de- 
 
Alfred and Galba. 13 
 
 clared her willingness to part with all she had 
 in the world, to be returned to the kind friends' 
 whom she had left. Perceiving she was in 
 great consternation, I asked her what she was 
 afraid of ? She answered, " Of being drowned, 
 Sir." 
 
 Are you afraid to die, Madam ? 
 
 Yes, Sir. 
 
 Why ? 
 
 Because I am not sure of being happier 
 after death than I am now. 
 
 Do you think you will be any worse ? 
 
 I rather fear I shall. 
 
 Why so ? 
 
 Because I have done very little good. 
 
 Were you ever afraid of death before ? 
 
 Yes, frequently. 
 
 What did you do to remove your fear ? 
 
 I tried to forget it, and went as often as I 
 could into cheerful agreeable company to keep 
 up my spirits, for I always dreaded falling in 
 to Methodistical Melancholy. 
 
 Would you approve of a man under sentence 
 of death dancing, and drinking brandy, to 
 make him forget his approaching execution ? 
 
 O no, that would be shocking indeed : such 
 a man should read his Bible, and pray to God 
 as frequently and fervently as possible. 
 
 If you are afraid of misery, Madam, when 
 life is over, would it not be your wisdom too, 
 to read the Bible, and pray to God ? 
 
 Very true, Sir, but you know people do not 
 mind these things in health ; they are so 
 much taken up with the affairs of this life. 
 B 
 
14 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 But would you not be much happief than 
 you are, if you attended more to these 
 things ? 
 
 How so, Sir, when I am told none are more 
 miserable and gloomy than religious kind of 
 people ? 
 
 That there are many religious kind of peo- 
 ple very gloomy, I have no doubt ; but that 
 the religion of the Bible makes people sad and 
 melancholy I deny. 
 
 Pray Sir, tell me something about this re- 
 ligion, for I certainly know little about it. 
 
 I shall most willingly do so ; and to make 
 it perfectly intelligible, I shall describe the 
 character of a true christian, by giving the 
 history of Leander. 
 
 Doing so, Sir, will much oblige me and my 
 friends here. 
 
 Leander lived to his twentieth year, with- 
 out paying any particular attention to his soul 
 or the world to come ; but by means of a 
 dangerous illness he was brought seriously to 
 consider the state of man after death. He 
 consulted the word of God. By what he 
 read he was persuaded of his danger as a 
 transgressor of the law of God, and his inabili- 
 ty to deliver himself from his wretchedness 
 and misery. At this time he was indeed mel- 
 ancholy, or rather deeply affected with his state 
 before God. But his fears were soon dispelled 
 by understanding, and believing what he read 
 in the Scriptures about the work ot Christ. 
 
 He found that the Son of God had been 
 sent into the world to die for the redemption 
 and salvation of sinners. This was good news 
 
Alfred and Galba. 15 
 
 to Leander. Believing it, he was glad, and 
 glorified God for sending such a Saviour, and 
 publishing such a free and lull salvation 
 through t»is obedience unto death. 
 
 Leander now trusted in Jesus that he would 
 make him holy and happy ; and every day he 
 became more convinced that he was not be- 
 lieving a fable, but the truth of a holy and 
 faithful God ; for he found his attachment to 
 sin in great measure removed ; and that the 
 more he depended on Jesus to circumcise his 
 heart to love God, he became more holy and 
 happy. 
 
 He was now a tender and affectionate friend 
 -^-remarkable ibr readiness to forgive injuries, 
 and to relieve and comfort the distressed and 
 the needy. He was scrupulously just in all 
 his transactions with men. He had great 
 pleasure in prayer, in reading the scriptures, 
 in attending the faithful preaching of the gos- 
 pel ; and he was very anxious to communicate 
 instruction to all, when he had opportunity, 
 about the salvation of 'heir souls. 
 
 Leander was neither melancholy nor mo- 
 rose, but very grateful to God for his good- 
 ness to his soul ; cheerful and happy in the 
 hope of a blessed and glorious life beyond the 
 grave ; and in believing that every providence, 
 whether painful or pleasant, would, under God, 
 promote the interest of his soul. 
 
 This man, having such prospects awaiting 
 him beyond the boundaries of time, had no 
 uneasiness from the approach of death, but 
 rather blessed God that he was not to live here 
 always. When he met with losses in trades 
 
16 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 he believed that God was either rebuking him 
 for not using, more to his glory, the talent 
 committed to his care ; or teaching him to set 
 his affections more steadily on heavenly 
 things. In either case, he blessed God for the 
 dispensation itnd resolved to aitend to his in- 
 struction. When at any time, God brought 
 sickness upon him, lie believed that the provi- 
 dence was designed to teach him the value of 
 hea th, and to direct his views more strictly to 
 the Concerts ol his soul. Thus he had honey 
 from the flower that seemed to grow among 
 thorns, and in all states was contented and 
 happy. 
 
 The day of his death, (he declared with his 
 last breaih) was the happiest in his life. In a 
 word, he died, rejoicing in the prospect of an 
 immediate entrance into glory, and life eter- 
 nal. Happy man ! 
 
 Having given this brief account of Leander, 
 I asked my fellow passenger if she thought 
 Leander less happy for his religion ? No, said 
 she, 1 wish my soul were in Leander's stead. 
 
 During most of our conversation, many of 
 the passengers sat near us, listening to our 
 discourse ; some of whom said, if they were 
 safe on shore they would lead very different 
 lives from what they had done. I assured 
 them, unless their hearts were changed by the 
 grace ol God, thty vould return to their form- 
 er lor^ettulness and neglect oi God, and I 
 therefore advised them immedia ely to go to 
 Jesus the Saviour of sinners, assuring them 
 (from his word) that he would graciously re- 
 ceive them. 
 
Alfred and Galba. \y 
 
 While we were thus conversing, the gale 
 increased to a storm, and the consternation of 
 our company increased with it. They began 
 in good earnest to pray to God for deliverance 
 from the danger ; I advised them also to cry 
 for deliverance from sin. As we approached 
 the coast of France, their fears gradually sub- 
 sided—and when entering Calais harbour, 
 fear was gone and a smile was discernible in 
 every countenance ; yet they expressed grat- 
 itude to God for their deliverance, and a hope 
 they should never forget his goodness. 
 
 Most of our company dined comfortably 
 together at the Hotel, and then took a turn 
 about the town. Next morning, we set out 
 on our route to Paris, where we arrived the 
 third day after, much fatigued, owing to bad 
 carriages and roads After remaining a few 
 days in Paris, I went to Lyons and several 
 other towns. Having a particular recom- 
 mendation to a pious protestant at Montpeliier, 
 I likewise visited that pleasant place, and was 
 introduced by my friend to some excellent 
 people, especially to two brothers whose com- 
 pany I highly valued, being both pious and 
 well informed about every thing that came 
 under review. The more frequently I en- 
 joyed their company, I became the more 
 strongly attached to them. 
 
 One evening 'being remarkably free in con- 
 versation, they gave me a detail of their whole 
 history, which was so remarkable, that I solic^ 
 ited them to put it into writing and favour me 
 witb a copy, which they promised to do. 
 B2 
 
18 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 After waiting a few days, they furnished me 
 with the following very pleasing and interest- 
 ing narrative. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Interesting Account of the Two Brothers. 
 
 OUR parents resided in the vicinity of 
 Montpeilier, and possessed one of the richest 
 and most extensive domains in the south of 
 France. They were rigid Catholics, and 
 trained us up in all the superstitious observan- 
 ces of thai religion. They were very charita- 
 ble to the poor ; and to promote the same 
 kind ot benevolence in us, they generally em- 
 ployed us in carrying their liberality to the 
 poor and distressed. 
 
 An aged and infirm woman, to whom they 
 frequently sent us, was, unknown to them, a 
 pious Protestant. We had often observed 
 that her mind seemed impressed with some 
 matter of importance, which she appeared 
 anxious to disclose to us ; and accordingly at 
 one of our interviews with her, she addressed 
 us in the following manner. 
 
 " My dear young friends, I have been great- 
 ly indebted to you and your parents for a 
 thousand acts of mercy, which in their kind I 
 can never repay. I shall soon leave this sin- 
 ful world, to possess a better and happier in- 
 heritance ; but I cannot depart in peace with- 
 out acting faithfully to you and to them. I 
 
Alfred and Galba. 19 
 
 am but a poor, unknown and unlearned wom- 
 an, and perhaps any thing I may say will be 
 treated with indifference and ridicule. But I 
 know that the Lord can make use ot the 
 meanest and weakest instruments to perform 
 the greatest works, and I therefore am em- 
 boldened to assure you, on the authority of 
 God's word, that you are deceived by your 
 priests in the matter of religion. Your relig- 
 ion is not founded on the Holy Scriptures, 
 but it is the invention of covetous and ambi- 
 tious men. They foolishly exhort and com- 
 pel you to receive their assertions upon trust, 
 not allowing you to compare them with the 
 unerring standard of truth, the word of God. 
 I beg you to get a Bible, and compare the 
 tenets you have been taught, with what is 
 written by the Lord. They tell you that the 
 Pope can pardon sin, but be not deceived there- 
 by ; depend upon it the Son of God alone can 
 pardon sin, and give eternal life. I am near 
 the close of life ; I have comfort only through 
 the Son of God. Popes, priests, penance, 
 &c. will be saviours of no value to me in the 
 hour of dissolution ; but my God shall sup- 
 ply all my need according to his glorious 
 riches by Christ Jesus." Here she stopped, 
 being unable through weakness to proceed any 
 farther. 
 
 Her faithful testimony made a deep im- 
 pression on our minds. We talked it over as 
 we returned home, but said not a syllable 
 about it to our parents, lest they should, en 
 that account, withhold their support from the 
 
JO Alfred and Galba. 
 
 poor woman, whose fidelity we could not but 
 admire. 
 
 We afterwards visited her daily, whether 
 we had any supply for her or not, and she 
 always conversed freely with us about eternal 
 things. Many inquiries we had to make ; 
 for the subject was entirely new to us ; and 
 we had never before seen a person dying, far 
 less, an heir of immortal bliss, about to enter 
 upon her heavenly rest. 
 
 vShe told us that the atonement of her 
 Saviour was her only hope of heaven. In great 
 simplicity we asked her one day if she had 
 any desire for receiving extreme unction 
 from the Priest ? " O no, my dears, 1 ' said 
 she, " I have an unctnm from God whereby 
 I know all that he has done for sinners, and 
 can take comfort from it. Indeed I see il>at 
 every thing necessary for me, a dying sinner* 
 was iinished on Calvary, by the expiation for 
 sin, there offered by the Son of God." We 
 were privileged to witness her expiring mo- 
 ments. i\U was serene, her mind was at 
 peace ; she considered God to be her friend, 
 and this made the prospect of removal from 
 this vale of tears easy and pleasant. She died 
 in the very act of commending us and our 
 parents to the counsel and keeping of her 
 heavenly Father. 
 
 On returning home, we retired to our 
 room, and conversed about all we had witness* 
 ed, which appeared to us truly singular. 
 Tne impression made upon our minds was 
 powerful, and could not soon be effaced. VVe 
 knelt down to prayer, and asked of God to re- 
 
Alfred and Galba. 21 
 
 move from our minds every cloud, that we 
 might clearly discern the truth as it is reveal- 
 ed in the gospel. 
 
 Our parents soon discovered our inclination 
 to be secluded from the hurries of life, and to 
 consult the Scriptures for ourselves. When 
 we began to specify our doubts respecting 
 this and the other things we found in the 
 Romish church, they were greatly troubled, 
 and they knew not what this change might 
 lead to. They were greatly distressed, and 
 did all in their power to prevent the mischief 
 (as they termed it) from increasing. How- 
 ever, having a Bible in the Latin tongue, 
 which we fully understood, we made rapid 
 progress in divine knowledge. The whole 
 system of Rome, soon appeared to be a hu- 
 man invention ; the destruction of which 
 would be a great mercy ; but, alas ! the pre- 
 judices of the people were not to be easily re- 
 moved. 
 
 Our parents brought various dignitaries of 
 the church to reason with us about the an- 
 tiquity, infallibility, and universality of their 
 church, and attempted to convince us there 
 was no salvation out of its pale. We men- 
 tioned many cf her observances and doctrines 
 which we could not reconcile with the word of 
 God, such as the worshipping of images, 
 saints, and the Virgin Mary ; also their pur- 
 gatory, works of supererogation, the Pope's 
 pardons and indulgences, &c. We begged 
 them to shew us from Scripture their authori- 
 ty for these things. This they attempted to 
 do, but their arguments were quite inconclu- 
 
22 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 sive ; we could not profess submission, though 
 at one time entreated in the most pathetic and 
 affectionate manner, and at another terrified 
 with the most cruel and violent threats. 
 
 In a rage they retired to our parents and 
 declared we were incorrigible hereticks, and 
 deserved to be committed to the flames for 
 our contumacy. Our parents were deeply 
 affected ; considering our change of views as 
 the greatest misfortune that had ever happen- 
 ed to their family. They looked upon us as 
 lost forever, both to God and to them. The 
 clergy advised them to send us to some dis- 
 tant place, where we might be far removed 
 from the habitations of civiiized men ; that 
 this alone could cure us of heresy, for there 
 we should have time to think upon our folly, 
 and afterwards should forget the foolish 
 prtjudices we had imbibed against the mother 
 church. This advice proceeded more from 
 malice than judgment, for they were afraid 
 lest our sentiments should spread amongst 
 our acquaintances This counsel they urged 
 from day to clay, till our parents consented. 
 
 The place fixed upon for our banishment 
 was an island in the Pacific Ocean, off the 
 coast of California, at that time wholly unin- 
 habited. When our destiny was told us, we 
 wept bitterly, and begged our parents not to 
 treat us so cruelly, that we would obey them 
 in every thing that was not contrary to the 
 will of God, and solicited them only to exam- 
 ine the objectionable tenets we had specified, 
 by comparing them with the word of God* 
 ant] we were certain that thev would reject 
 
Alfred and Galba. 23 
 
 them also. Our mother seemed full of sor* 
 row, and had it not been from fear of dis- 
 pleasing the priests, our parents never would 
 have permitted us to depart from them ; at 
 the same time they had hopes we should re- 
 nounce all our errors (as the priests termed 
 them) before we went on board of ship. 
 
 The day fixed for our departure for the 
 Port of Brest arrived. Our friends from va- 
 rious distant places came to take leave of us, 
 and to give us their best advice. Two priests 
 called whilst we were conversing, and hurried 
 us into a coach without allowing us time to 
 take leave of our friends. We remonstrated 
 in vain against their rudeness ; what was 
 more cruel, they deprived us of every book 
 we possessed except a small Latin Bible 
 which we had so secreted in one of our trunks 
 that they did not discover it. We adored the 
 goodness of God in thus marvellously securing 
 to us the rich treasure of his word. Indeed 
 this very circumstance sweetened our captivi- 
 ty, for we had given up all hopes of being 
 able to effect it 
 
 Before we were put on board of ship at 
 Brest, our conductors solemnly charged us to 
 renounce what they called Calvinistic, Luth- 
 eran, and Zuinglian errors, and confess our 
 belief ©f the Papal Creed, and we should in- 
 stantly return to Montpellier. But this offer 
 we absolutely rejected ; assigned our reasons, 
 and assured them our Lord for whose sake 
 we suffered, would take care of us, and make 
 this severe trial work for our good ; that we 
 daHy committed ourselves to his protection. 
 
24 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 and we knew his faithfulness who had said, 
 11 I will never leave you nor forsake you M 
 The very priests dropt a tear when we made 
 this declaration. Finding all their attempts 
 fruitless, they left us in charge of the captain 
 of the ship Salvador, who engaged by bond to 
 land us on the assigned island. A brother of 
 the captain's, who was a pious Protestant, 
 hearing something of our history, privately 
 called at our little cabin, and gave us many 
 loving advices, exhorting us confidently to 
 trust in God, reminding us of the captivity of 
 Joseph, and how graciously God acted towards 
 him in a foreign land. God blessed his con- 
 versation, so that we began to consider it a 
 great honour to suffer for the sake of the 
 Saviour. 
 
 During the voyage many of the sailors, im- 
 pelled by curiosity, inquired into our history. 
 We always related it in the way we thought 
 most likely to do them good, and we had many 
 reasons for thinking that our narrative was 
 made useful to several of them. They began 
 to perceive, that forms in religion without 
 faith in Christ, were empty things. They 
 confessed that formerly they had trusted more 
 to the priest's purchased prayers than to the 
 death of Christ — that now they loved, trusted 
 and obeyed Jesus, and found his yoke to be 
 easy and his burden light. 
 
 When we observed this change in some of 
 the seamen, it more than compensated for all 
 our suffering, and we went on our voyage 
 praising the Lord. In doubling Cape Hora 
 the sea was exceedingly boisterous, indeed at 
 
Alfred arid Uatba. 25 
 
 one time all hope of ever seeing land, was 
 entirely given up, but God kindly kept our 
 minds in perfect peace. He made us willing 
 to die or willing to live, whatever should 
 please him would please us. Some of the 
 poor sailors were much agitated at the pros- 
 pect of death, but we could hold no conversa- 
 tion with them owing to the noise of the 
 waves and rolling of the ship. We touched 
 at Juan Fernandes, a small island, to take in 
 water. It seemed quite a paradise complete- 
 ly covered with trees and flowers of every 
 species, and with thousands of birds, having 
 the most beautiful and varied plumage. Here 
 we remembered the story of Robinson Crusoe, 
 which was founded on the seven years resi- 
 dence of Alexander Selkirk a Scotsman, upon 
 this island, where he supported himself by 
 hunting, fishing, &c- from whence he was 
 rescued by Admiral Drake, or some other 
 British officer, who happened to be navigating 
 those seas. 
 
 At length we arrived at our destined island. 
 When we came in sight of it, we viewed it 
 with great minuteness as one would examine 
 a house he was about to purchase. W r e sail- 
 ed into a bay on the south side of the island, 
 where we were immediately landed with our 
 little baggage. The whole ship's company 
 assisted in erecting a hut for our accommoda- 
 tion, which they finished in two days. 
 
 Having left us a small stock of biscuit and 
 
 salted beef, for they could spare no more, and 
 
 a number of useful articles, the ship sailed 
 
 away. We both mounted to the top of a pret- 
 
 C 
 
26 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 ty high hill, and looked after her so long as 
 she was visible ; and could not help weeping 
 bitterly, having no prospect of again seeing 
 our native country and friends. When the 
 curtain of night veiled the heavens, we began 
 to tremble, lest we should be visited by beasts 
 of prey ; but after making every thing m 
 our little hut as secure as possible, we com- 
 mitted ourselves to the care of our heavenly- 
 Father, and had a good night's rest : no evil 
 came near our dwelling. 
 
 3d day. In the morning we were greatly 
 delighted to behold the sun rising from the 
 ocean ; and reflecting that it also shone upon 
 Montpellier increased the pleasure. We 
 then sat down to our first breakfast in t)ur 
 solitary state, after having upon our knees, 
 expressed our humble gratitude to our God, 
 for his protection during the night, and re- 
 questing his blessing upon our scanty provis° 
 ion. At breakfast we considered what plan 
 we ought to pursue for support. We resolv- 
 ed never to consume any of our stock w-hen 
 we could obtain supply from any other quar- 
 ter. We also resolved to take a ramble 
 amongst the woods and mountains, that we 
 might form some idea of the nature of the 
 place, and whether or no we were likely to 
 procure subsistence. 
 
 After breakfast we climbed a tree which 
 stood near our hut, and tied a white handker- 
 chief to one of its upmost boughs, to be a 
 mark by which we might know from a dis- 
 tance where our dwelling stood. This done. 
 we directed our course towards the opposite 
 
Alfred and Gal ha. 27 
 
 aide of the island. We perceived no appear- 
 ance of any of the human species ever having 
 been there — no remains of huts, no path, no 
 trees cut clown by saw or axe. We observed 
 some prints of the feet of beasts, but could 
 not conjecture whether they were gentle or 
 ferocious. We were much incommoded in 
 our walk with underwood, which in many- 
 places was impenetrable, and made our pro- 
 gress very slow. To our great joy we discov- 
 ered what we concluded must be the bread 
 fruit tree, and also abundance of the cocoa. 
 Some of the nuts we plucked and laid at the 
 foot of the tree with the intention of carrying 
 them home upon our return. The birds 
 seemed to be innumerable ; indeed how 
 could it be otherwise, when they had no bjl- 
 man enemies, nor had we observed one bird 
 of prey ? They sung in the most melodious 
 manner imaginable, and were so tame, or 
 rather had so little fear of man from their 
 ignorance of him, that they sometimes alight- 
 ed upon our shoulders, and allowed us to take 
 them in our hands. We always permuted 
 them to depart the instant they seemed to 
 desire it, lest we should lose their good opin- 
 ion. Their conduct reminded us of the 
 beasts coming frankly to Adam in his inno- 
 cence to receive their names from him as 
 their rightful owner. In Bengal some oT the 
 leathered tribes are nearly as tame, because 
 the natives will not harm them, from the idea 
 that the souls of their departed friends take 
 up their habitation in these, animals. But 
 when the gospel light is spread amongst 
 
23 Alfred and Galda. 
 
 them, they will know better about the resi- 
 dences of departed spirits. 
 
 Before we had advanced many yards farther 
 we perceived something- like a wild beast run- 
 ning towards us. When he came pretty near 
 he stood motionless ; apparently astonished 
 at our singular appearance, for probably he 
 had never seen man before. His halting gave 
 us time to reach the top of a cocoa-tree, where 
 we considered ourselves pretty safe from his 
 approach. He advanced to the bottom of the 
 tree upon which we were, and smelt around it, 
 then looking up as if determined to mount. 
 We -were a good deal alarmed, and cried to 
 our heavenly Father for protection. He soon 
 answered our prayers and dispelled our fears, 
 for a little animal, passing at no great distance, 
 attracted the attention of our pursuer ; after 
 it he run with great speed, and thus God de- 
 livered us from this danger. But being afraid 
 to d-scend for some time, and as night was 
 fast approaching, we determined to remain on 
 the tree till the morning. Many cocoa-nuts 
 being perfectly ripe, we found no difficulty in 
 obtaining a comfortable repast. 
 
 After our supper we felt inclined to sleep, 
 but durst not venture, lest we should lose our 
 hold and tumble to the bottom. We were 
 frequently alarmed by the howling of beasts 
 during the night, which was so dark we could 
 hardly discern the very branches by which we 
 held.* 
 
 * The author is aware of the scarcity of wild 
 beasts in the Islands of the Pacific Ocean, but all its 
 Islands have not vet been discovered. 
 
Alfred and Galba. $9 
 
 4th day. At length, the long wished for day- 
 began to dawn ; with what pleasure did we hail 
 the rising sun, when the wild beasts retire to 
 their dens 1 How many, in civilized lands, be- 
 hold the approach of this bright iuminary 
 with senseless indifference, neither adoring 
 nor praising its great Creator. The Persians 
 and other Pagans are so sensible of the bless- 
 ings derived from the light and heat of this 
 ruler of the day, and conqueror of the nighty 
 that they pay to it divine honour. Poor things^ 
 they know not its Maker ; they mistake the 
 creature for the Creator. But though we 
 dare not worship the Sun or any other crea* 
 ture, however good or highly exalted, we are 
 'bound to be grateful to him fpr his goodness, 
 who provided the Sun to give us light by day, 
 and the Moon to dispel the gloom of night, 
 What a dismal dungeon this world would be 
 without their presence. Our gardens and our 
 SeU!s would be useless, the beauty of creation 
 would be emirely lost ,• and it would bear a 
 stroking resemblance to that pit of misery pre-. 
 pared tor the everlasting abode of the wicked 
 asd ungodly. 
 
 Having descended from our retreat, we felt 
 on our knees and offered up thanksgivings and 
 praise to our heavenly Father for his goodness 
 through the night, and besought his protection 
 during the day. We then breakfasted on co- 
 coa-nuts, and preceded on our journey, di- 
 recting our ca-.ir&e due north — In two or 
 three hours we arrived at the head of an ex- 
 tensive and delightful valley surrounded with 
 snouniaios whose tops touched the very clouds* 
 C 2 
 
SO Alfred and Galba. 
 
 -whose sides were completely covered with 
 trees of every species, so laden with most in- 
 viting fruits, that the mountains seemed to 
 groan under the pressure* Being entirely ig- 
 norant of their nature, we tasted the fruits 
 with the utmost caution, lest some which 
 might please both the eve and the palate 
 should contain poisonous matter. Whilst 
 viewing various trees we discovered one, of 
 such a nature, that it was capable of affording 
 shelter from the heat by day, and from wild 
 beasts in the night, and on whose boughs we 
 could recline without the smallest danger of 
 falling. 
 
 Being overcome by fatigue in travelling un- 
 der an almost vertical sun, and by continual 
 watching the preceding night, we embraced 
 with great eagerness this opportunity of ob- 
 taining rest. Both of us slept quietly till the 
 morning, when we awoke, greatly refreshed. 
 
 5th. When we had breakfasted on fruit, we 
 departed from Pleasant Valley, (by which 
 name we afterwards distinguished it) on our 
 way back to our hut, as we were anxious lest 
 some wild beasts should have broken into it. 
 Notwithstanding we had set up marks at al- 
 most every quarter of a mile, we had consid- 
 erable difficulty in finding our way : however, 
 after much labour we reached our hut, which 
 remained as entire as we left it. Having a 
 tinder box, and plenty of rotten wood lying 
 around, we soon made a good fire, and while 
 our plantains were roasting, we conversed 
 over the various providences we had met with 
 during our journey of discovery. As we saw 
 
Alfred and Galba. 31 
 
 them all to be the effects of Jehovah's paternal 
 care, the remembrance disposed us to sing a 
 hymn of praise. The first perhaps ever sung 
 to God upon that distant island. We then sup- 
 ped on the plantains and a little beef, of which 
 last we eat very sparingly. We afterwards read 
 over the whole history of Joseph, from the 
 Book of Genesis ; in which we admired the 
 wisdom and goodness of the Lord. O how 
 powerfully this view of God disposed us to 
 prostrate ourselves in his presence, and wor- 
 ship him as our gracious father. 
 
 6th. This day we were employed in mak- 
 ing seats for our house. Now and then we 
 read the Scriptures, which afforded profitable 
 subjects for conversation while at work. In 
 the evening we both agreed, that this had been 
 one of the most pleasant days we had 
 enjoyed on earth. Our minds were per- 
 fectly resigned to our lot. We were convinc- 
 ed that God could make those who feared, and 
 joved him, happy any where — his comforts 
 communicated to the soul, could give delight 
 in a dungeon. The six following days were 
 occupied with digging a deep ditch around 
 our dwelling, to defend us from the attacks of 
 ravenous animals, on each side of which we 
 put a row of stakes, driven into the ground, 
 with sharp points inclining outwards. Over 
 the ditch we laid a wooden bridge of such a 
 construction, that we could easily draw it up 
 when occasion required. We made use of 
 these means for preservation, not only because 
 we loved life, but because we considered it a 
 duty to him that created it, to use every lawful 
 
32 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 mean for preserving it. We own that these 
 deicnccs often diverted our minds from plac- 
 entire dependence (ii the Lord* This 
 disposition frequently discovered itself in an 
 evening, when having drawn up our little 
 bridge, we would bay, now we are safe from 
 every attack, we may sleep in perfect securi- 
 ty ; forgetting that except we were watched 
 by the God of Abraham, our ditch and stakes 
 would prove a poor defence. What were the 
 fortified cities oi Canaan against which Joshua 
 and his men of war went up, when God ap- 
 peared captain of their hosts ! 
 
 We aitemvards built a kind of store house, 
 for holding whatever stock of provisions we 
 might be able to collect. We found this a 
 great convenience, not only for preserving our 
 food, but also w hen we Wished to separate for 
 private devotion. O the delightful hours we 
 have spent in these two huts, in fellov. 
 with our compassionate Saviour. We be- 
 lie\cd we had his sympathy ; we felt his pres- 
 ence. His promises were a precious treasure. 
 We trusted in him. to circumcise our hearts to 
 love him more and more, and his faithfulnebS^ 
 was answerable to our faith. We trusted that 
 his grace w : ould prove sufficient for us, and it 
 was sufficient, yea, all-sufficient. 
 
 One morning while walking on the beach, 
 we espied an animal resembling a rabbit : im- 
 mediately we gave chace, and it led us to the 
 resort of hundreds of its own kind. We 
 caught two of them, and they proved excel- 
 lent food ; and we marked their residence, 
 
Alfred and Galba. 33 
 
 to which we afterwards paid frequent and suc- 
 cessful visits. We never afterwards met with 
 another straying upon the shore, which made 
 us frequently speak of that one as a providen- 
 tial messenger to lead us to its fellows. 
 
 Some little crooked bones, which were plen- 
 tifully strewed upon the shore, we converted 
 into hooks, and strips of bark we used for 
 lines, with these we were frequently furnish- 
 ed with a fish dinner ; so that with fruits, rab- 
 bits, fowls and fish, we lived remarkably well, 
 far better than our fears suggested on our 
 first landing. 
 
 About the latter end of August in the first 
 year we had been on the island, there was a 
 remarkable storm of several days' continuance, 
 attended with the loudest peals of thunder we 
 had ever heard, and the most vivid lightning 
 we had ever seen. About the end of the 
 storm we descried a canoe driving towards the 
 island, and- we could distinctly see two per- 
 sons in it. Sometimes we were glad, then 
 afraid ; then we hesitated how we should act 
 supposing they reached the island in safety. 
 But we had no difficulty in deciding, we knew 
 it was our duly to assist fellow-men who were 
 in jeopardy. We run to the place where we 
 judged the wind would drive them. When 
 they came within a few yards of the shore, 
 the canoe overset, and but for our exertions 
 both of them must have perished. Indeed they 
 appeared almost half dead through hunger 
 and fatigue. With a little assistance they 
 soon reached our house, which was at no 
 great distance from the place they landed, 
 
34 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 They made most significant and pressing 
 signs for iood which we soon set before them, 
 and they ate with avidity. We made s 
 not to eat too much at first, lest their weak- 
 ened stomachs should be hurtful. y over- 
 charged. Thev understood our meaning, and 
 desisted. We soon had an excellent fire, the 
 heat of whica, with their repast, wonderfully 
 revived them. In the evening we made a 
 bed of leaves for them, on which they slept 
 very comfortahiy. 
 
 Next morning we learned by their signs 
 thai they belonged to a very distant island, 
 from which they had gone out a fishing when 
 the storm commenced* and were driven out to 
 sea, and soon losing sight of their native land, 
 they resigned themselves to the winds and 
 ■waves, to carry them where they pleased. 
 
 They seemed remarkably grateful to us for 
 having snatched them from the jaws of a 
 watery grave, and for treating theqa with such 
 tenderness in our dwelling, but having no 
 hope of ever regaining their native island 
 they were greatly cast down. Their skin was 
 copper coloured, and the whiteness of ours 
 was no small wonder to them, having never 
 seen a white man before. 
 
 When they saw and heard us read a chap- 
 ter of our Bible, sing a hymn of praise, and 
 kneel down to worship the God of he 
 they could not conceive what v\ e were a 
 They minutely examined the book: but could 
 form no idea how it spoke to us. They mack- 
 signs to know to whom we spoke 
 were at prayer, and even went to the outside 
 
Alfred and Gal '5a. 35 
 
 of the house to examine if any person was 
 there, supposing that we spoke to some one 
 without. We attempted to give them an idea 
 of the great Creator of al! things, and of his 
 being every where present, but they could not 
 understand what we meant. 
 
 We resolved to attempt teaching them to 
 speak our language, in order to convey the 
 gospel of Christ to them : for this purpose 
 we appropriated two hours in the morning 
 and two in the evening. We began by teach- 
 ing them the name of every part of the hu- 
 man body in the French language ; then of 
 every thing in the house — then we went out 
 of doors, and gave them the French names 
 for trees, grass, stones, earth, sand, sea, sun, 
 moon, stars, birds, beasts, fishes, Sec. Then 
 we told them the French terms for talking, 
 running, leaping, standing, sitting, striking, 
 holding, catching, eating, drinking, sleeping, 
 and many other familiar and common things. 
 In the course of two or three months, they 
 had made such considerable progress, that we 
 could hold a little conversation together upon 
 common topics. 
 
 At first, their minds never having been ac- 
 customed to prosecute any business which re- 
 quired application, we found great difficulty in 
 keeping them to work above a quarter of an 
 hour. Indeed in five minutes they began to 
 yawn, and in twenty they would be almost 
 fast asleep. However by attempting to re- 
 duce the exercise to a kind of amusement, 
 they became more and more attached to it, 
 M\d what was formerly a toil, now became a. 
 
36 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 pleasure. In six or eight months they began 
 to forget their own language, and seemed de- 
 sirous only to speak French. In two years 
 they could both speak and read the language 
 remarkably well. 
 
 But to return to our narrative of other par- 
 ticulars which took place after the arrival of 
 our foreign friends. On the fourth day after 
 they came we resolved to pay a second visit to 
 Pleasant Valley, and reconnoitre it with great- 
 er accuracy. Accordingly we left home early 
 in the morning, carrying a small quantity of 
 biscuit and beef with us. The weather was 
 charming ; the heat of the sun moderate, and 
 we all walked in company as brethren, shaded 
 by lofty trees covered with a thick foliage, and 
 finely adorned with myriads of birds of the fin- 
 est plumage. The day being perfectly calm, 
 nothing was heard but the melodious notes 
 of these feathered songsters. We admired 
 as we went along the wonderful profusion of 
 the God of nature, to produce and support so 
 many glorious works on this remote island, 
 "where there were only four beings capable of 
 admiring his wisdom and power in these 
 wondrous productions. But, how few are 
 there, even in populous lands, who wonder at 
 the works of God. Perhaps there are many 
 at the age of thirty, who never were employed 
 five minutes in contemplating the perfections- 
 of God, in his works, which their eyes he- 
 hold : such, cannot be ranked much above the 
 beasts that perish. 
 
 We passed several dens of wild beasts, but 
 providence has so disposed these creat'ire 
 
Alfred and Galba. 37 
 
 of prey, that, like thieves, they seldom appear 
 till after the sun has run his course. Before 
 that time, we were arrived at the end of our 
 journey. We chose our old tree for a shelter, 
 during the night, and God gave us peaceable 
 and comfortable rest. We employed next 
 day in viewing the valley, which run from 
 east to west about five miles. A small river 
 ran through its centre, along whose banks 
 grew trees, laden with the richest fruits. 
 This river was fed by lesser streams which 
 descended from the hills, and the air was de- 
 lightfully perfumed with numberless flowers 
 which occupied the spaces between the trees. 
 Apes, monkies and other frolicsome animals, 
 contributed to vary and enliven the scene. 
 
 Having the gracious presence of our God, 
 accompanied with the assurance of his favour 
 in Jesus, we appeared placed like Adam of 
 old, in a paradise. However we knew it 
 could only be enjoyed for a little while. But 
 we blessed God that there would (we trusted) 
 be no occasion to drive us from it, like the 
 first pair, for our hearts were placed on the 
 heavenly as the better country. So that we 
 hoped to welcome his call to go thither when- 
 ever it should arrive. We besought him not 
 to let these dazzling beauties enchant or 
 overcharge our hearts. 
 
 After remaining a few days in Pleasant 
 Valley, we began to think of returning to our 
 abode, but as we had every thing needful for 
 support, in such abundance, and the situation 
 was so enchanting, we all felt reluctant to 
 leave it. This led one to propose erecting a 
 D 
 
3S Alfred and Galba. 
 
 house, and making this place our chief resi- 
 dence. The proposal was unanimously ap- 
 proved, and two of us were dispatched for our 
 saws, axes and other implements. When 
 these returned, we set about the work with 
 great spirit ; and a spot at the west end of 
 Pleasant Valley was chosen as most conve- 
 nient for our habitation It lay near the sea, 
 and the mouth of the river formed a harbour, 
 capable of admitting large canoes. We made 
 a wooden frame of a house, which we put up, 
 and having found earth of such a nature that 
 ^by a few hours exposure to the sun, it became 
 as hard as European brick, we built the walls 
 of it. The roof we covered with long grass, 
 which answered remarkably well. When the 
 whole was finished, it was found to be a com- 
 fortable dwelling. There were three apart- 
 ments — two for sleeping in, and one which we 
 called the Chapel. With much labour we 
 cleared away the wood for a considerable 
 space round the house, which we designed for 
 garden ground. The whole was enclosed 
 with a high fence and deep ditch to prevent 
 the approach of plunderers. By degrees we 
 removed the provisions and several necessary 
 articles from the old house. 
 
 When all these matters were finished, our 
 two friends (whom we named Jacob and Jo- 
 seph) set about building a canoe large enough 
 to contain us all ; in which we proposed to 
 circumnavigate the island ; but we chiefly de- 
 signed to use it for fishing. It was pleasant 
 to observe with what dexterity the Indians 
 accomplished their undertaking, and also with 
 
Alfred and Galba. 39 
 
 what speed, for it was launched in about a 
 month. We called this canoe, Hope, for 
 when we saw it completed, we indulged the 
 distant hope of one day being able to make a 
 vessel of such a size as might convey us to 
 other lands, from which we might obtain a 
 passage to our native shore. 
 
 When house and eanoe were finished, we 
 spent a day in giving thanks and praise to our 
 gracious God for prospering our work ; and 
 we had now every thing which could reasona- 
 bly be desired in this lonely island. 
 
 We found that here there was no winter* 
 but perpetual spring and summer ; and the 
 climate extremely healthy — indeed we began 
 to be so enamoured with our situation, that 
 our desires for the heavenly rest became less 
 and less ardent every day. To prevent our 
 ruin by this snare, God permitted Satan to 
 assault us with his temptations, and our own 
 deceitful hearts to predict future evils which 
 occasioned no small disquietude. We began 
 to think it possible that our Indians would 
 soon make an attempt to leave the Island, 
 and might probably succeed — then we forebod- 
 ed the painful separation, if one of ourselves 
 should be removed by death. Or supposing 
 we should both continue together till old age, 
 what would become of us when we should be 
 so infirm as to be unable to climb the trees, 
 or to chase the game for sustenance ; we 
 feared that we might then endure hunger in 
 the midst of plenty, and that the pain attend- 
 ing starving in this way would be peculiarly 
 excruciating. 
 
40 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 These thoughts tormented our minds for 
 many weeks, till they were effectually expell- 
 ed by the testimony of Jesus. Galba came 
 running one day with the Bible in his hand, 
 as if he had found a treasure. When he 
 drew near, he called out, Victory 1 brother, 
 Victory ! see brother what Jesus says to us I 
 pointing to Matt. vi. 25. Read (said he) to 
 the end of the chapter. " Take no thought 
 for your life! Take no thought for to-mor- 
 row !' — Had we attended to these counsels, 
 said Galba, we should not have had one un- 
 easy minute — do not wisdom and goodness 
 appear in them ? They do indeed, said Jacob. 
 We then resolved to leave all our to-morrow*s 
 matters to the care and management of Jesus, 
 and to be attentive to the duties of to-day. 
 
 Our anxiety about futurity, being now re- 
 moved, we went through the duties of the 
 day with double life and spirit. The gloom 
 which hung upon our countenance gave way 
 to the cheering smile. Jacob and Joseph 
 seemed quite elated with the change they 
 perceived. 
 
 The weather appearing to be very settled, 
 we resolved to prosecute immediately our 
 long proposed voyage round the island. Hav- 
 ing taken on board a few dried fish, some 
 cocoa nuts and other fruits, we sailed from 
 Pleasant Valley Cove. We marked every 
 place we passed which seemed suitable for 
 shelter, should we meet with a storm when at 
 sea. We sailed sometimes at the bottom of 
 stupendous crags beautifully diversified in 
 their shape, height, and projection, as well as 
 
Alfred and Galba. 41 
 
 by the interspersion of trees, apparently 
 of great antiquity. We viewed these scenes 
 with considerable delight, because they ex- 
 hibited the handiwork of our heavenly Father, 
 and far surpassed the power of man to pro- 
 duce. Indeed the growth of trees, grass, &c. 
 the ebbing and flowing of the tide, and in 
 short the existence of every thing around us, 
 proved the presence of God to be here as 
 well as in Europe. The coral rocks over 
 which we were sailing, contributed greatly to 
 enrich the scene. Our two companions 
 through cheerful enough, seemed to derive 
 no pleasure from contemplating these works 
 of nature's God. They appeared much more 
 intent upon catching small fish which kept us 
 company, than examining crags, mountains, 
 or trees. When we expressed surprise and 
 admiration at any new scene that opened to 
 our view, they could not conceive what occa- 
 sioned it. From this conduct of theirs, we 
 were convinced, that minds need preparation 
 to capacitate them for receiving pleasures 
 from the greatest things. A man, till his 
 heart is renewed by the grace of God> can 
 derive no comfort from the sources of a chris- 
 tian's greatest and most exquisite delight. 
 It is impossible that unrenewed flesh and blood 
 can inherit the kingdom of God. The sub- 
 jects which fill angelic and glorified minds 
 with seraphic pleasure, could afford them no 
 entertainment ; they would not feel at home 
 in heaven. 
 
 Towards the evening, we arrived at a pretty 
 extensive bay, formed by two promontories 
 D 2 
 
42 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 which run out on each side into the ocean. 
 Into this bay we entered with the view of re- 
 maining on shore till next morning-. The 
 htad of the bay wasincircled with rising ground 
 completely covered with wood. Having haul- 
 ed our canoe on shore, we went in search of a 
 lodging for the night ; but there was no inn, 
 where we could demand admittance and sup- 
 per, not the vestige of a human being having 
 been there before us. We heard nothing but 
 the cries of creatures foreign to us, and these 
 did not seem to welcome us, but rather to con- 
 sider us intruders. However, finding a tree 
 of the same species with our old lodging at the 
 head of Pleasant Valley, we fixed upon it for 
 our dwelling during the night. We were a 
 good deal disturbed by the yelling of some 
 animals that hovered about the whole night, 
 but we did not attempt to molest them, con- 
 sidering it safest to remain quiet. When the 
 morning light made its appearance these noc- 
 turnal visitors retreated to their dens, and we 
 were left in quiet possession of our tree. The 
 sun's gilding the surrounding horizon was the 
 signal for repairing to our canoe, when we 
 proceeded on our voyage. 
 
 We observed a cape at some distance which 
 run a considerable way out. In order to sail 
 round it we judged it necessary to begin leav- 
 ing the land and keeping out to sea irom the 
 first of our setting off. When turning the 
 headmost point of land we were overtaken with 
 a gale of wind from off the shore, which drove 
 us out to sea in spite of all our exertions. 
 The gale increased to a tempest, and we were 
 
Alfred and Galba. 4S 
 
 in danger every minute of oversetting. To 
 our great mortification we found we were 
 quickly losing sight of Favourite Island- The 
 waves were running mountains high; a dread- 
 ful gloom overspread the heavens ; the wild 
 fowls were frequently dashed with violence 
 into the water by the force of the wind, and 
 we expected to go to the bottom every mo- 
 ment. We cried unto the Lord from the 
 midst of the deep, that he would send deliv- 
 erance. We knew he was able, and asked 
 that we might be resigned to his will, and 
 enabled to commit ourselves wholly to his 
 disposal. 
 
 Our island was now entirely out of sight ; 
 darkness began to overspread the heavens, 
 and no abatement of the fury of the winds 
 and waves. In this dreadful situation how 
 were we surprised to hear one of our Indians 
 call out, " land, land." Every eye turned 
 towards it. It was a small, flat, sandy island, 
 without the appearance of a single shrub upon 
 it. We were driving before the wind in a 
 direct course towards it, and in ten minutes 
 were driven with such violence upon the 
 shore, that the canoe was twenty paces from 
 the water before its motion ceased. We were 
 so benumbed with cold and wet that we could 
 hardly crawl along the shore, and we saw no 
 place into which we could flee for shelter. In 
 about half an hour Jacob told us that he had 
 discovered a cave at a little distance, capable 
 of containing us all. To this we repaired and 
 found it a snug refuge, for which we sincerely 
 thanked God. 
 
44 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 We dispatched Jacob to the canoe to bring 
 part of the provisions, which he soon accom- 
 plished, and we made a comfortable supper. 
 Finding ourselves greatly revived, we all re- 
 turned to our canoe to put it in a place of safe- 
 ty, for its loss would have been inevitable de- 
 struction to us all. The breakers were just 
 beginning to beat upon it ; and had we been 
 five minutes longer in coming to its relief, 
 there would not have been a vestige of it left. 
 "What a narrow escape was this ' The circum- 
 stance really rendered our situation much 
 more bearable. We carried the canoe to our 
 cave ; and determined not to lose sight of it 
 so long as we remained on this desert island. 
 
 We had but little sleep during the night, 
 the roaring of the sea was so tremendous. In 
 the morning, however, the fury of the storm 
 abated, and we walked out to take a survey of 
 the island upon which we were cast. Many 
 an anxious look we made in search of the 
 island we had left, but the eye was lost in the 
 expanse of the ocean. Sometimes we thought 
 we saw some of its mountains, but these 
 always turned out to be clouds. 
 
 Having examined most of the island without 
 perceiving trees or shrubs, beasts or birds, we 
 returned to our cave to consult what was to be 
 done for our safety, as our provisions would 
 soon be consumed. We resolved to leave it 
 next day should the weather prove favourable. 
 
 In the morning we were all early awake 
 watching for the arrival of day ; but when it 
 came, we judged it would be dangerous to de- 
 part, as the situation of the sun could not be 
 
Alfred and Galba* 45 
 
 seen in consequence of thick clouds over- 
 spreading the heavens. Though the following 
 clay was little better, we determined at all haz- 
 ards to depart, as ©ur stock of provisions was 
 nearly exhausted. Accordingly, after com- 
 mitting ourselves to the care of that God who 
 had formerly preserved us, we launched once 
 more into the deep, directing our course as 
 nearly as we could to Favourite Island. Al- 
 though the wind continued fair the whole day, 
 as far as we could judge, yet we could make 
 no discovery of land. The island we had left 
 was likewise out of sight, and night drew on 
 apace. Our situation now was truly distress- 
 ing ; we had hardly as much food as would 
 serve for one good meal ; no land was in view 
 in any direction ; we were without a compass, 
 or sail, or covering of any kind, and ten hours 
 darkness at hand. We talked much of the 
 Omnipotence and Omnipresence of God, and 
 encouraged ourselves in him ; all other re- 
 fuge had failed. Indeed his power, goodness, 
 and grace, were our only hope. We praised 
 him for the hope of heaven which he had giv- 
 en us before we came into these wretcned 
 circumstances ; as without this, our condition 
 would have been insupportable. None of us 
 shut our eyes the whole night. The Indians 
 were in great agitation, and blamed us for tak- 
 ing them to sea. Several sharks followed us 
 the whole night, in the hopes, perhaps, of lay- 
 ing hold of us, should we put our hands into 
 the water. Upon one occasion they had near- 
 ly overset the boat by coming against it with 
 prodigious force ; however, Providence pre* 
 
46 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 vented our destruction. This appeared the 
 longest night in our life. A quarter moon 
 arose about four in the morning which cheer- 
 ed us a little ; for although it discovered to us 
 no new object, yet it satisfied us that we had 
 been in the same course during the night in 
 which we had been sailing the preceding day. 
 About six in the morning some rays of the 
 sun appeared in the east. They attracted eve- 
 ry eye, and every tongue talked of them. The 
 smallest increase was noticed, and gave fresh 
 encouragement to look round for land, but as 
 yet we saw none. About seven, the sun as- 
 cended above the horizon arrayed in robes of 
 splendid majesty, and discovered the moun- 
 tains of Favourite Island about twenty miles 
 distant. The sight dispelled every gloom, 
 and brightened every countenance. We. 
 rnade for Pleasant Valley Cove, where we ar- 
 rived in a few hours to our great joy. The 
 Indians kissed the ground the instant they 
 landed on the beach, and embraced the trees 
 as they walked along. We were all glad and 
 grateful to see our old habitation once more, 
 and to find it perfectly entire notwithstanding 
 the storm, W T e called our present situation a 
 state of prosperity when compared with that 
 from which we had just escaped. God had 
 permitted the storm to overtake us to render 
 us more contented with our present lot. A 
 lesson well worth learning at any expense ; 
 and we admired the method he had taken to 
 teach us though it was extremely painful at 
 the time. It was like sending Jonah to the 
 bottom of the ocean, to learn submission to his 
 
Alfred and Galba. 47 
 
 God. While we have bread and water it is 
 our wisdom to be content, this will no doubt 
 prevent more painful dispensations. We 
 were conscious on our return that we had not 
 formerly sufficiently prized our mercies. Now 
 we attempted to bless God for every thing, 
 and to learn wisdom from every object and 
 occurrence. We saw that we had much to 
 attend to, under God, even in this remote 
 region. 
 
 We have taken no notice for some time of 
 our attempts to instruct our two Indians 
 whom God brought unto us from afar. Four 
 hours a day were constantly appropriated to 
 their service while it was in our power ; but 
 this was dispensed with from our departure 
 till our return to Favourite Island : every 
 mind being so intent upon its own danger, 
 that this accustomed labour was necessarily 
 omitted. 
 
 They could now read and converse with us 
 very intelligibly, and we were daily conveying 
 to them information about God, the Saviour, tne 
 Resurrection, Judgment, Heaven, Hell, &c. 
 For some time these subjects afforded them 
 entertainment, but this only continued while 
 they viewed them as matters of curiosity, or 
 mere speculation. When they began to un- 
 derstand their personal connexion with them,' 
 their relish seemed to die away, and they now 
 and then brought forward some objections. 
 They could not conceive how God could know 
 what was passing in every person's mind, at 
 the same time, and though far removed from 
 each other ; and because they could not uu- 
 
4$ Alfred and Galba-. 
 
 derstand it, they would not believe it. They 
 thought it very probable however, that God 
 kept every creature alive by his power. And 
 Why then (said we) do you think it incredible, 
 that God should be acquainted with every 
 thing that passes in the minds of those whom 
 he supports by his power ? To this they made 
 no reply. They were greatly astonished 
 at the condescension of the Son of God, in 
 becoming a man and suffering for sinners ; but 
 they could not conceive how he would remem- 
 ber all the actions that men had ever done, 
 when he should come to judge them. 
 
 We prayed every day that God would open 
 their understandings to know the truth of his 
 word ; without this we knew that all means 
 would prove ineffectual. However, we knew 
 that though the blessing was hist that it was 
 our duty to use the means to obtain it ; this we 
 did upon every occasion, and found our own 
 souls greatly benefitted by it. We became 
 belter acquainted with >.he scripture every day. 
 Every inquiry they made, and objection they 
 started, set our minds to work, and urged us 
 on to search the scriptures with increasing 
 diligence. As we became mighty in the 
 scripture, our stability in the faith was in- 
 creased. We indeed ibund that in keeping 
 the commands of God, there is great reward. 
 
 They wondered how God could make the 
 world out of nothing, and how he could make 
 a huge tree from a small seed. The one ap- 
 peared as wonderful to them as the other. 
 
 As cur Bible was in Latin, though they 
 -ould read it, they did not understand it, but as 
 
Alfred and Galba. 49 
 
 we translated it. However, a happy circum- 
 stance occurred a considerable time after they 
 could read. Galba was examining a small 
 chest that he had not looked into since we left 
 France, and to his great joy found a French 
 New Testament, a store of paper, pens and 
 ink. We concluded that this invaluable treas- 
 ure had been secretly conveyed into it by the 
 captain's brother, who visited us at Brest. 
 Some circumstances which we recollected led 
 us to this conclusion, but whether we were 
 right or not, we possessed the treasure, and 
 rejoiced in it. As the Indians understood a 
 little of what they read in the French Testa- 
 ment, they had pleasure in perusing it, and 
 would sit for hours together under the shade 
 of a tree and read it by turns. 
 
 From this time we began to keep a regular 
 journal of our transactions. 
 
 One day as we were walking and conversing 
 together on the side of a hill a few miles from 
 our house, a wild beast something like a tiger 
 made a spring from a thicket, and caught Jo- 
 seph the Indian by the calf of the leg. The 
 rest of us fled, but recollecting the 
 danger of our friend, we returned, and at- 
 tacked the animal with our sharp pointed 
 sticks, till he let go his hold and ran off. This 
 was another eminent deliverance that God 
 wrought for us, and lor which we gave partic- 
 ular thanks that evening. Poor Joseph said, 
 M what if I had been killed, I fear I should not 
 have gone to heaven." This providence 
 rendered the two Indians much more 
 t houghtful than we had before observed them ; 
 E 
 
50 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 they also began secretly to retire for prayer, 
 a circumstance, which made us hope God was 
 doing good to their souls. 
 
 We now began to think of building a vessel 
 of considerable size, in the hope of one day 
 reaching land, nearer home. Accordingly 
 after great labour, we laid down a keel thirty 
 feet long. We had cut down a tall and 
 straight tree which stood about half way up 
 the hill behind our house, and had stript it of 
 its branches where it lay ; leaving only a few 
 at one end, which served us for ropes to draw 
 it by to the cove, where we proposed building 
 our vessel. The keel being finished, we spent 
 several months in cutting down wood^ and 
 preparing it for the bottom and sides of the 
 
 sloop. 
 
 We had many consultations before we 
 could determine how to proceed. The Indians 
 were expert in making canoes, but never hav- 
 ing seen a decked vessel, they could give us 
 no counsel. We attempted several times to 
 P-oon with the work, but found difficulties in- 
 surmountable. At length we gave up all 
 thoughts of building a sloop, and began a 
 large canoe, which in the course of a few 
 months was completed. But on the morning 
 of that dav fixed for its launching, we happen- 
 ed to leave a fire burning rather near it, while 
 we were at breukfast ; and the wind having 
 shifted, it blew the flame upon the canoe, set 
 it on fire, and when we returned, there was 
 not a piece of it standing. The Indians were 
 greatly affected with this loss. 
 
Alfred and Galba. 51 
 
 We told them, that the providence of our 
 God extended to every thing, even to the 
 falling of a hair from our heads ; that this 
 loss could not have happened without his 
 permission, and that probably he had done 
 it for our preservation. Had it not been con- 
 sumed, we might have soon ventured to sea 
 in it ; one of its planks might have started, 
 and all of us have perished : but, perhaps to 
 prevent thiscatastrophe, God had put it into 
 the fire. We added that our God often pre- 
 vents great trials by sending smaller ones; 
 that believing this, would maintain our peace 
 amidst many of the trials of life. That we 
 had heard of persons greatly disappointed at 
 losing their passage to India and other places 
 by the vessel sailing without them, but had 
 afterwards heard she had gone to the bottom, 
 and every soul on board perished. When 
 they received the news, that, which appeared 
 at the time a mortifying disappointment, then 
 appeared a gracious and favourable interpo- 
 sition : and we hoped that it might prove so 
 in this case to us. The Indians on he«nng 
 these observations, were silent, and complain- 
 ed no more. 
 
 We insur.tly began building a second canoe, 
 of much the same size as the one that was 
 destroyed. Having more experience, we 
 built it better and more substantial than be- 
 fore, and when it was fimsned, we all saw 
 cause for being thankful that the first was de- 
 stroyed. We found as much strong cloth in 
 one of our trunks as made a small sail for it, 
 
52 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 which added greatly to our expedition and 
 pleasure in sailing. 
 
 Having one day gone to the top of the 
 highest mountain in the island, we discovered 
 land at a great distance. We resolved to ex- 
 amine whether this was an island or part of a 
 continent. Accordingly we sailed for it one 
 morning about sun-rise, and reached it by 
 nCd day. It turned out to be the very island 
 from whence our two Indians had come. From 
 its being so near, we judged that our two In- 
 dians had first been blown out to sea to a great 
 distance, that the wind had then shifted, and 
 driven them to us, which made the providence 
 of God in bringing them the more remarka- 
 ble It is impossible for any pen to describe 
 their joy when they discovered that they were 
 sailing to their own island. As we drew 
 near we discovered hundreds of the natives 
 running down to the beach, to learn who, and 
 from whence we were. One of our Indians 
 upon seeing his father, jumped out of the ca- 
 noe and swam ashore. Much paternal affec- 
 tion was discovered by the old man. He wept 
 much, and so did his son. 
 
 The natives when they learned the kind- 
 ness that we had shewn to their two breth- 
 ren, ran into the sea, pulled our canoe ashore, 
 took us to their huts, and presented us with 
 the best of their provisions. We appeared 
 now to be returned to the world. To see a 
 crowd of people was a strange sight to us ; it 
 quite raised our spirits, and all of them at- 
 tempted to make us as happy as they could. 
 We inquired if they knew any other land than 
 
Alfred and Galba. jZ 
 
 their own. They answered, No, except a 
 small island a little way off, and we were the 
 first strangers they had ever seen or heard of. 
 Their hair being all short, and ours long, was 
 a great curiosity ; all of them by turns exam- 
 ined it, and some of them put us to a little pain, 
 by running off with a few hairs now and then. 
 We desired Jacob to reprove them ; on his 
 doing so, three or four stout men stood round 
 us with large sticks to defend us from their 
 depredations. 
 
 Galba and I had many consultations about 
 what was now to be done, whether to remain 
 amongst these kind people, or to reside on 
 Favourite Island. We concluded that the 
 last would be most pleasant and safe. We 
 therefore proposed to Jacob and Joseph to ac- 
 company us back to Favourite Island, and to 
 bring some of thtir relations with them. They 
 mentioned this to their friends, who were 
 very willing to accompany us, and to remain, 
 if they liked the place. 
 
 After residing a month we took leave of the 
 islanders, accompanied by the father, mother, 
 two brothers and three sisters of our Indian 
 friends, with one young man who also request- 
 ed leave to go. Our number was now twelve 
 souls. 
 
 The first half of our voyage was very pleas- 
 ant. After that, a fresh breeze sprung up, 
 which soon became a gale ; but as the wind 
 was favourable, and having now both a sail and 
 rudder, we weathered it very well, and got 
 safe into the bay where our first house stood. 
 Here wc all landed about sun-set, and found 
 E 2 
 
54 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 our house a very seasonable retreat. We 
 asked the strangers to light a fire while we 
 went to what we called our venison park to 
 procure some animal food. The moon hav- 
 ing risen, gave us sufficient light to find out 
 the haunts of our old friends, the rabbits. We 
 brought off five, which when roasted, proved 
 an excellent repast. Our new friends were 
 wonderfully pleased with it, and also with our 
 house. Next morning we all embarked in 
 our canoe, and sailed round to Pleasant Val- 
 ley, where we arrived to dinner, after a pleas- 
 ant voyage. Our new visitors were quite 
 charmed with this delightful spot. They had 
 never seen a garden, nor indeed any ground 
 regularly laid out before. 
 
 After selecting a most beautiful spot on the 
 banks of the brook for raising dwellings to ac- 
 commodate our new settlers, we instantly be- 
 gan to collect materials for building them, 
 and in a few months reared a range of small 
 houses ; which were divided amongst them 
 to their mutual satisfaction. We also dug a 
 ditch round them, which the brook ran into, 
 and kept constantly full of pure water. 
 
 When our little colony were all accommo- 
 dated, we began regular instructions to the 
 new settlers. Jacob and Joseph were ap- 
 pointed to teach reading. Galba and I to 
 give religious instruction. We wrote out a 
 copies of the alphabet, and other lessons for 
 their use. The colony now assumed the ap- 
 pearance of a school during one part of the 
 day, of a farm during another, and of a dock- 
 yard during a third, for we were building a 
 
Alfred and Galba. 55 
 
 still larger canoe. Morning, noon and even- 
 ing we assembled for prayer, and reading 
 ot the Scriptures. Upon the whole we were 
 remarkably happy. We were not disturbed 
 by the din of war, nor by any private animos- 
 ities as yet, and we prayed daily that our 
 peace might continue. 
 
 We exhorted all to strive to preserve peace 
 and that the instant a misunderstanding arose 
 betweenany, they should report itto the whole 
 that the matter might be made up immediately' 
 1 o this wholesome law we all submitted. 
 
 We made daily progress in the cultivation 
 ot our land, taking in more every week • be 
 mg persuaded that the fruit-trees which 'grew 
 wild upon the mountains and in the valley, 
 would come to greater perfection when raised 
 in the garden. 
 
 In the midst of all this peace and prosperi- 
 ty, a wonderlul change of circumstances sud- 
 denly took place. When walking along the 
 beach one morning, u e observed something 
 like a ship at a great distance. On seein? 
 this, we ran to the summit of a hill behind our 
 village, to have a better view. We could then 
 distinguish masts, and we perceived the ves- 
 sel was approaching our island. We did not 
 know whether to be sorry or glad ; and hope 
 and joy alternately succeeded each other. In 
 two hours we could perceive men at the top- 
 mast surveying OU r island. In less than an 
 hour a boat left the ship, and landed at the 
 mouth of our little river ; we climbed to the 
 top ot some trees, about a quarter of a mile 
 distant from our house, in order to watch 
 
56 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 their motions unobserved. They soon found 
 out our house, and appeared to be wonderful- 
 ly surprised at the sight. They concluded 
 from many things they found in the house 
 that it belonged to Europeans, and they seem- 
 ed determined toiind them out ; but first they 
 went back to the vessel to report what they 
 had seen. During their absence, Galba and 
 I run to the house, chiefly with a view of 
 saving our Bible and utensils. This we had 
 scarcely accomplished when our friends on 
 the hill hung out a signal, that they were re- 
 turning from the ship. Upon receiving this 
 information, we left the house and joined 
 them, when we saw two boats hastening 
 ashore. On landing they separated into dif- 
 ferent parties, in order to search for the inhab- 
 itants. We all fled to the thicket in order to 
 conceal ourselves from them, and afterwards 
 ascended a veiy thick tree, were it would be 
 impossible for them to discover us without 
 actually climbing the tree. They came not 
 near us that night, except once when two of 
 them past the very tree, at which one made 
 a stroke for diversion. In this situation we 
 remained all night in a state of great uncer- 
 tainty, whether we should go and meet them 
 in the morning or not. Before day-light ap- 
 peared, we resolved to put off coming to any 
 resolution till we had observed their conduct 
 a little longer. 
 
 So soon as day-light appeared, they re- 
 sumed their search. Again they were pass- 
 ing our tree when one of our company, 
 through mere terror, lost his hold, and turn- 
 
Alfred and Galba. b7 
 
 bled to the bottom, at which the strangers 
 gave a loud huzza. This collected their 
 whole company around our tree, when one of 
 them climbing up discovered us all. We de- 
 sired our Indians not to be afraid, for they 
 certainly would not be injured. We then 
 came down and walked with them to our 
 house, and presented them with the best we 
 had. We found they were Spaniards from 
 Lima ; the capital of Peru : and had been 
 driven hither by adverse winds. One of 
 them, who could speak French, asked us 
 from whence we came, and how we had come 
 there. We told them very simply our whole 
 story. When they heard that we were sent 
 off from Montpellier for renouncing the 
 Romish religion, they raged against us as des- 
 perate heretics, and resolved to carry us to 
 Peru, where we should receive the due desert 
 of our crimes. Recollecting that some of the 
 most trying dispensations to Joseph ot old, 
 hastened his advancement in Egypt, we 
 trusted in God and took courage, submitting 
 quietly to their will. 
 
 W T hen we informed our Indian friends 
 what was about to take place respecting us, 
 they were inconsolable. They all clung to 
 us, and we were literally torn from them. 
 They followed us in their canoe to the ship. 
 We exhorted them to trust in God, to put 
 unreserved reliance in Jesus^-to keep in con- 
 stant remembrance his gospel which we had 
 delivered to them — to read daily those chap- 
 ters of the Scriptures we had written out for 
 their use, and to love one another. Before the 
 
5£ Alfred and Gatba. 
 
 vessel got under weigh, we called out to 
 them, that if we died in the Lord, we should 
 soon meet in that happy country where Jesus 
 lives and reigns in the midst of his ancients 
 gloriously. 
 
 Thus ended our five years confinement in 
 that delightful island. It was rather a para- 
 dise than a place of banishment to us. Provi- 
 dence prospered us in all our ways. We had 
 many inward conflicts when we thought of 
 our parents and friends at home But God 
 always brought us to a cheerful resignation, 
 when we recollected that we had him for our 
 friend, and heaven for our eternal home. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Cafitivity of Alfred and Galba in SoutL 
 America, 
 
 WE were now hastening to the abodes of 
 civilized men, but we dreaded them more than 
 Indians. We were not ignorant of Spanish 
 barbarity to the ancient inhabitants of Mexico 
 and Peru. We knew their insatiable thirst 
 for the gold and silver contained in the bowels 
 of these countries, and we looked for nothing 
 less than a life of labour in the mines. Bui we 
 knew the faithfulness of him who hath prom- 
 ised, never to leave nor forsake his people. 
 
 We wrote four or five letters to our par- 
 ents, to have them ready on our arrival at 
 Lima, supposing it probable, we 1:1 
 
Alfred and Galba. 59 1 
 
 have an opportunity of conveying them to 
 France, by some of our countrymen. We 
 reached Lima, the capital of Peru, about a 
 month after leaving Favourite Island. Before 
 our removal from the ship, we had a visit 
 from two or three sailors from our own coun- 
 try, to them we committed our letters, re- 
 questing they would put them into the post- 
 office, on their first arrival in France. This 
 they promised faithfully to do. 
 
 Our case was soon reported to the Priests, 
 who sentenced us to labour in the mines of 
 Potosi, for life. We begged them to release 
 us, and allow us to return to our country and 
 friends ; but no entreaties could prevail ; to 
 the mines we must go. We were committed, 
 along with a few Negroes to the care of some 
 soldiers, who guarded us to Potosi. 
 
 Upon our arrival, we were delivered over 
 to a proprietor of one of the mines, who 
 consented to pay the sum which had been re- 
 quired at Lima, by those who had sent us to 
 him. We were next conducted to our dun- 
 geon, far, far, below the surface of the earth, 
 where the sun's rays never penetrated. Tru- 
 ly our state was now deplorable. Deprived of 
 our liberty, consigned to darkness, compelled 
 to dig the silver ore, without enjoying the 
 smallest fruit of our labour. A littl e straw in 
 a corner of the mine was our bed, a gloomy 
 and unwholesome cavern our abode, without 
 an eye to pity us ; as all our companions were 
 involved in the same misery, and their chief 
 attention directed to their own wretchedness. 
 
60 Alfred and Galba* 
 
 If men in ordinary circumstances in Eu- 
 rope would reflect for a moment on the mis- 
 ery of thousands in the mines of Mexico and 
 Peru, it would probably put discontent to the 
 blush. They are hurt because they have not 
 all the conveniences of life which they see 
 others possess — because their situation now is 
 inferior to what it once was, or to what they 
 once promised themselves — because they can- 
 not attain the summit of their wishes, or fear 
 that matters will soon take a turn for the 
 worse. On these accounts they are dissatis- 
 fied with their lot, tacitly arraigning the wise 
 government of God. Unless they are hound 
 in fetters of iron and thrust into a dungeon, 
 their case is bar better than ours as to outward 
 circumstances. But when Galba and I re- 
 flected on the wretchedness of those who have 
 perished by unbelief; because they would not 
 receive the salvation of God, it made us view 
 our Peru pit as if it were a palace, and our 
 straw bed appeared like a bed of state. 
 
 We could hold very little conversation with 
 our fellow miners for some time, as the gen- 
 eral language amongst them was Spanish or 
 Indian, however we soon picked up a smatter- 
 ing of the former, which rendered our situa- 
 tion a little more comfortable. We judged 
 it prudent not to publish our principles with 
 respect to popery too hastily, but rather to 
 insinuate ourselves into their good opinion, 
 that without prejudice they might hear us 
 concerning their sinful state, and of salvation 
 bv Jesus. 
 
Alfred and Galba. 61 
 
 We particularly observed an Indian of 
 more refined manners than any of the others 
 who worked near us, who also appeared more 
 thoughtful and conversable. We determined 
 ;o attach ourselves to him, and in a short time 
 we became pretty intimate. 
 
 He was a native of Chili, a country border- 
 ing on Peru and Patagonia. His parents and 
 himself belonged to a tribe, which had never 
 submitted to the Spanish yoke, but Iivt.d a 
 wandering life, like the Arabs in Asia. Be- 
 ing met one day by a party of Spanish soldiers 
 who were in que st of a deserter, a scuffle en- 
 sued, he was taken prisoner and condemned 
 to labour in the mines, from whence he never 
 expected liberation, until death should put a 
 period to all his misfortunes. We asked him 
 if he knew any thing of a world beyond 
 death ? No, said he, I do not. We told him 
 that the great Being, that made and manages 
 all things, had brought us there to tell him 
 about the world to come. He seemed very- 
 curious to hear about these subjects. 
 
 We gave him an account of the creation 
 and fall of man, of the promise and coming of 
 the Saviour, of the actions and sufferings of 
 that Saviour in the room of sinners. Of the 
 commandment given to spread the good news 
 all over the world, that white men and black 
 men, Spaniards, Creoles and Indians, might 
 know this wondrous love of God to sinners, 
 in giving his own Son to die for them, that 
 whosoever of these should believe in him, 
 should not perish, but have everlasting life. 
 We informed him of the general judgment ; 
 F 
 
62 Alfred and Gal6a. 
 
 Heaven as the residence of the righteous ; 
 Hell as the habitation of the wicked. 
 
 After this he generally worked near us, and 
 constantly put questions to us about the 
 strange things we had formerly told him. 
 
 This made the time of our captivity pass 
 more pleasantly on, than we could have sup- 
 posed. 
 
 We had a meeting together for reading and 
 conversation every evening when work was 
 over. We were afterwards joined by a young 
 man from Paraguay. Then we had visitors 
 from Amazonia, Patagonia, Mexico, &c. who 
 were fellow captives, because they found our 
 conversation somewhat amusing. In a short 
 time they became so attached to us that they 
 would have done any thing to serve us, but 
 poor things, tittle was in their power. We 
 were all toiling to gratify European avarice, 
 and our recompense was but a scanty subsis- 
 tence. Many an earnest prayer we put up 
 for deliverance, and we hoped that God wouki 
 hear us in clue time. 
 
 The overseers perceiving that we were 
 quiet, and attentive to our work, recommend- 
 ed us to the notice of the proprietors of the 
 mine, who gave us permission to come above 
 ground now and then. 
 
 The first time we reached the mouth of the 
 mine, was a time not be described — not having 
 seen the light of day for near two years." 
 What a glorious object the sun appeared, we 
 had almost the same feelings as if we had 
 never seen it before. Trees appeared sur- 
 prising works of God— the sight of flowers 
 
Alfred and Galba. 63 
 
 ^filled us with exquisite delight, we viewed 
 them as wonderful manifestations of the divine 
 wisdom, power and goodness. The verdure 
 of the grass was exceedingly grateful to the 
 sight. In short even weeds appeared won- 
 ders. But what seemed most wonderful was 
 the apathy, with which men beheld these 
 things, who were accustomed to see them 
 from day to day. We thought we could 
 have pleasantly submitted to the most slavish 
 drudgery, to be permitted to work above 
 ground. When we were ordered down to 
 our dungeon, it was with much reluctance we 
 returned ; the taste of the sweets of light 
 having raised a greater disgust to the dark- 
 ness of the mine. When the overseer ob- 
 served this, he regretted having taken us to 
 the mouth of the pit, for, said he, I see I have 
 increased your misery, instead of adding to 
 your comfort. I perceive, he added, it has 
 affected you in the same way as holidays do 
 children at school, they cannot for some time 
 after, be brought to their accustomed applica- 
 tion. We told him it had affected us in the 
 manner he supposed, but we were willing to 
 submit to it, hoping he would not deprive us 
 of an opportunity now and then of beholding 
 the light of day. It was not however until 
 six months had elapsed, that we were again 
 permitted to ascend. 
 
 On our return to our fellow captives we 
 found we were become objects of envy, in con- 
 sequence of enjoying a privilege which they 
 were refused. We told them it was natural 
 *o fallen man to be selfish, and to grudge the 
 
64 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 prosperity of his neighbour, but it was wro 
 Had they entered into our feelings, rejoiced in 
 our temporary happiness, and expressed sor- 
 row at seeing us obliged to return to slavery, 
 it would have been praise worthy, and an af- 
 fecting scene to witness, and might have dis- 
 posed the overseer to have granted them the 
 same indulgence, for in keeping the com- 
 mandments of God there is great reward. 
 
 One day when all were at work, a trumpet 
 sounded to call the captives together. When 
 collected, the overseer said he had a letter 
 from the Governor of Lima, ordering two of 
 our number to be set at liberty. On this all 
 of us exciaimed, ' Is it me, is it me, is it me :' 
 Pie commanded silence when he read the let- 
 ter. The anxiety painted in every counte- 
 nance was inconceivable ; every eye was fixed 
 upon the lips of the overseer ; some fainted 
 before he arrived at the name's of those who 
 were to be liberated. Tears flowed down ma- 
 ny cheeks, pressed out by excessive fear and 
 anxious desire. Cries and groans became so 
 loud that the reader's voice was overwhelmed 
 and could not be heard, till he again command- 
 ed silence. At length he came to the impor- 
 tant line in the letter, viz That it was the will 
 and command of his Excellency the Governor 
 of Lima, that the captives from Monipellier, 
 Alfred and Galba, should be immediately set 
 at liberty, and money granted them for to pro- 
 ceed to Lima, or any ether port to which they 
 should choose to direct their course. The 
 instant he had finished the letter, he gave or- 
 ders for every one to return to his work but 
 
Alfred and Galba. 65 
 
 Alfred and Galba ; when he came to us, and 
 wished us much joy on regaining our liberty. 
 Our old intimates ran to us, and took a final 
 and sorrowful farewell, returning to their se- 
 vere tasks with reiterated sighs. 
 
 When ascending the pit the overseer hinted 
 that we were liberated through the interest of 
 our friends in Europe, and that several letters 
 were waiting for us .above. No mortal can 
 conceive the pleasure which this information 
 afforded. With many tears we exclaimed, 
 Dear father ! dear mother ! shall we ever see 
 your sweet faces again ? Had it not been for 
 the cruel devotees of Rome you never would 
 have separated us from your parental care ! 
 You never would have consented to our ban- 
 ishment. 
 
 On perusing our letters we found that our 
 I father and mother, and most of our friends, 
 were still living, and all anxious to see us. 
 The captain of the ship that brought out the 
 -Setters, wrote to us, that he had orders to bring 
 us to Europe, and begged us to hasten to Li- 
 ma. When we arrived there, we found him 
 waiting for us, and after some conversation, 
 we found him to be a pious Protestant. -He 
 was much entertained with our history at Fa- 
 vourite Island, and expressed a strong desire to 
 visit it on his way home. As the captain of 
 the vessel that brought us from it had mention- 
 ed (in our hearing) both the latitude and lon- 
 gitude in which it lay, he saw that it would 
 protract his voyage but little by touching at it. 
 
 Accordingly we set sail for Favourite 
 Tsland, and arrived in five weeks and two 
 
G6 Alfred and Gal da. 
 
 days. We soon landed and set out for Pieas- 
 out Valley, which appeared as home to us. 
 Our house Mas considerably damaged. Some 
 parts were fallen down. On examining the 
 inside, we were convinced our friends was 
 still on the island, lor pare water was in some 
 of the vessels, and also fresh pulled fruit. 
 We concluded they had Hcd on descrying the 
 vessel. 
 
 Galba and I went in search of them to the 
 top of the hill behind our house. We called 
 out the names of Jacob, Joseph, and some 
 others of them, and sat down to see the issue. 
 At some distance we perceived a face among 
 ■he thick branches of a tall tree. We then call- 
 ed again, and sounded our own names as loud 
 as we could. In a few minutes we saw our 
 old friends running towards us with all their 
 might. They clapped their hands as they ap- 
 proached, and shewed every sign of excessive 
 joy. They fell down at our feet and embrac- 
 ed them a thousand times. After the first 
 emotions had subsided, we all walked to the 
 house and introduced our Indian friends to 
 the captain. Sec. 
 
 We then inquired into their history since. 
 our departure, and they gave us the following 
 account. 
 
 That their grief at losing us was so great 
 for some time, that they could do nothing but 
 weep. That they had often gone to the top 
 of the hill to look out for their native island, 
 but without success for a long time. Howev- 
 eratlasttheythoughttheyhaddiscovereditjand 
 fourof their number went off in a canoe in quest 
 
J If red and Galea. 67 
 
 of it, with the purpose of bringing over more 
 of their friends ; but they were beat back, the 
 wind shifting 1 and blowing hard. That after 
 several fruitless attempts, they gave it up as 
 impracticable. 
 
 Considering themselves now fixed for life 
 on Favourite Island, they applied to the culti- 
 vation of the land, and had cleared several 
 acres. Jacob and Joseph had also taught them 
 all to read and speak the French language, and 
 there was not a scrap of the scriptures we had 
 left with them in that language, which the 
 whole Indians could not repeat. Some of 
 them had composed several meditations which 
 were written on smooth pieces of wood. 
 This was done with a black soft stone which 
 left legible marks on the wood. As none had 
 been taught to write, they imitated the printed 
 papers we had left them. 
 
 The captain made them a present of a 
 French Bible which they valued above rubies. 
 Upon looking over it they found many words 
 v. iiicii they could not understand, having never 
 heard them from us. They begged us to 
 stay sometime on the island that they might 
 receive further instructions. The captain 
 smiled at their proposal, knowing that they 
 had no idea of the value of a cargo, or the 
 necessity of expediting the voyage. 
 
 In the evening they all went on board the 
 ship. Every thing there was as new to them 
 as the scenery in the moon would be to us. 
 It was entertaining to hear their remarks, 
 They wondered much at the candles which 
 
68 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 were lighted on the table, at the glasses, china 
 plates, knives, forks, &c. 
 
 At supper, Jacob told us that he believed 
 Jesus Christ was with him, for every thing he 
 remembered about Jesus made him happy — 
 yes, said he. happier than ever I was in my 
 life. Me not afraid to die now, (continued 
 he) for Jesus died for me — and when I die 
 I shall go to him, and never wish to come 
 back to Favourite Island. For long time I 
 have been praying to Jesus to bring Alfred 
 and Galba back to Favourite Island, and you 
 see he has done it. I asked him why he 
 wished us back to Favourite Island ? To tell 
 us more, he answered, about Jesus. 
 
 We proposed taking them all to their 
 native island, to visit their old friends and 
 acquaintances. The proposal was instantly 
 acceded to, and the following morning we de- 
 parted for it, which we reached the fol- 
 lowing day about noon, to the no small alarm 
 of the inhabitants, who were in the utmost 
 consternation at the appearance of our ship, 
 which they supposed to be some awful sea 
 monster. When we landed, we found the 
 natives had run to the interior of the island. 
 This we learned from an old sickly man who 
 could not follow them. We dispatched some 
 of our Indians in quest of them, who soon 
 reached their place of refuge. After much 
 entreaty they prevailed upon them to return 
 to their homes. Finding all their old friends 
 cheerful and happy, they soon became equal- 
 ly so. 
 
Alfred and Gaiba. 69 
 
 As their friends had remained so long at 
 Favourite Island, they feared v/e had murder- 
 ed them. Several had agreed to attempt 
 sailing in search of the island to which we 
 had gone, in order to rescue their brethren, 
 but when the time fixed for their departure 
 had arrived, their courage always failed and 
 they drew back. 
 
 Most of the inhabitants visited the ship in 
 their canoes next day, and gazed for hours, at 
 her rigging, rudder, anchors, Sec. Some 
 were anxious to learn the use to which we 
 put our guns. We told them if they would 
 wait a while we would give them a specimen 
 of their use. They promised they would. 
 We loaded a six pounder, and put a match to 
 it. The moment it went off, the whole of our 
 visitors plunged into the water, being filled 
 with terror and consternation. It was some- 
 time before we saw one head venture to rise 
 above water. When they perceived the sea- 
 men all laughing immoderately, they began 
 to swim back to their canoes. When they 
 were more collected, the captain inquired if 
 they would wish to see it again, when they all 
 by significant signs, desired it might not be 
 clone. Indeed after the firing of the cannon 
 we couid not prevail upon one of them to 
 come on board that day. 
 
 Next day we desired our old friends to 
 inform their countrymen that whoever chose 
 to emigrate to Favourite Island, should be 
 carried thither in the ship, when fifty, includ- 
 ing the former settlers, desired to accompany 
 us. After taking leave of these friendly 
 
70 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 Islanders, we sailed with a fair wind, and ar- 
 rived in eight hours. For a few days we 
 assisted them to erect houses for the accom- 
 modation of the additional inhabitants. When 
 these were completed, the whole appeared 
 like a small village, and added greatly to the 
 beauty of Pleasant Valley. 
 
 While this work was going forward, Galba 
 was constantly employed in hearing Jacob and 
 Joseph read the French Bible they had got 
 from the captain, explaining such of the 
 words as they did not understand, and instruct- 
 ing them in the truths which they read. 
 
 They took great interest in the account 
 given of the deluge — of the history of the Pa- 
 triarchs, in the deliverance wrought for Israel 
 in Egypt, and at the Red Sea, and the putting 
 them in possession of Canaan. 
 
 We gave them a stock of writing paper 
 from the ship, with pens and ink, and left with 
 them our address at Montpellier, that they 
 might be able to write to us, should providence 
 attain bring a vessel to their island. 1 hough 
 they could but imperfectly write, yet they 
 could imitate print, which would answer the 
 purpose very well. 
 
 At last the day fixed for our departure arrived. 
 A day never to be forgotten by us. The grief 
 of the Indians was great indeed. They en- 
 treated one or both of us to stay, that we 
 might govern and instruct them We told 
 them our parents were impatient for our re- 
 turn, having earnestly besought us to come 
 home with the utmost dispatch — that they 
 were getting old, and probably we should nev- 
 
Alfred and Galba. yl 
 
 er see them in this world, if we delayed our 
 return ; we however assured them, we should 
 keep them in constant remembrance before 
 God, and if he should give us an opportunity 
 of returning at any future period, we should 
 certainly embrace it. 
 
 We then exhorted them to live together as 
 brethren — to read the scriptures in public eve- 
 ry morning and evening, and look up to the 
 God of Grace for his teaching — that the pres- 
 ent life would soon be over with us all, and if 
 we lived and died trusting in the Lord, we 
 should certainly meet each other in the presence 
 of God and the Lamb ; but if we forsook his 
 ways and turned to our own devices, misery 
 and destruction would seize upon us, and be 
 our portion forever and ever. 
 
 We wrote down some instructions for the 
 children they had brought with them, which 
 we desired they would teach them to read. 
 This they solemnly engaged to do. We also 
 advised them to cultivate the land, and to keep 
 their houses in good repair. 
 
 Just as we were about to leave the island, 
 the wind became unfavourable for our depar- 
 ture. On this the captain proposed exploring 
 the interior of the island. He and four oth- 
 ers, including myself, went on this excursion ; 
 leaving Galba to continue his instructions to 
 the Indians. We discovered several valleys, 
 not any way inferior to that spot we had chos- 
 en. The trees were astonishingly luxuriant, 
 some laden with the richest fruits, others with 
 the most beautiful blossoms. Almost every 
 bough had its bird, chanting upon it, most 
 
72 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 melodious notes. One of the company was 
 so delighted that he said this certainly resem- 
 bled heaven. I replied, it would be but a poor 
 substitute for the christian's' heaven, as it 
 would be absence from his dear Lord and Sa- 
 viour : besides the pleasure we derived from 
 this scene would not be lasting — in a few 
 hours the curtain of night will be drawn over 
 it, and then all will be gloom. But supposing 
 that should never be the case, yet the continu- 
 ed sameness of the scene would in a very few 
 months or years cease to yield us pleasure. 
 Only God could give permanent pleasure and 
 satisfaction to an immortal creature. His 
 wisdom, power, glory, &c. are immense and 
 infinite ; so that the study thereof, can never 
 be exhausted. To have God for our friend 
 and portion is to possess unsearchable riches, 
 an inexhaustible treasure, a fountain of ever- 
 lasting delight and joy. The friendship of 
 God, (I added,) made me happy in Favourite 
 Island, in the mine of Potosi, in a storm at sea, 
 and in a hurricane on land. It makes me hap- 
 py in life, and I know it shall make me so 
 at death. I would not part with the interest 
 I have in him for ten thousand worlds. It is 
 the joy and rejoicing of my soul, that no man 
 can pluck me from his hand. 
 
 These expressions fired the breast of our 
 pious captain. Come, said he, let us sing a 
 hymn of praise to our great Redeeming God 
 who hath given us a good hope through grace, 
 of dwelling with him forever and ever, to be- 
 hold his glory. 
 
Alfred and Galba. 7S 
 
 We then walked forward, admiring the 
 works of our wonder-working God, till we came 
 to our first habitation, which remained entire. 
 The captain admired its situation ; smiled on 
 seeing our ditch and draw-bridge, and exam- 
 ined the progress of the trees we had planted 
 in our garden at our first landing. 
 
 As the sun began to descend the western 
 sky, we judged it time to return to our com- 
 pany. Many a look did I take of the house, 
 garden, &c. before I could leave them. I 
 thanked God for his great goodness to Galba 
 and me, during our solitary residence here, 
 and begged that the Indians we were soon to 
 leave, might live in peace, and become truly 
 his servants. 
 
 We arrived at Pleasant Valley before sun 
 set, and our friends were as happy to see us 
 again, as if we had been separated for months. 
 Every thing had gone on comfortably during 
 our absence. 
 
 The captain presented the Indians with a 
 telescope, informing them it would bring near 
 many of the heavenly bodies. Taking out my 
 Latin Bible, there, said I, is my telescope ; it 
 brings near to me my God, my Saviour, my 
 angelic and glorified brethren. Such as use 
 not this book are far off from God ; they can- 
 not see God and the Lamb. 
 
 One of the Indians who did not understand 
 me, asked Joseph what I had said. He told 
 him, that I saw God by means of the book I 
 held in my hand. O, said he, will it let me 
 see God ? I told Joseph to tell him it would, 
 if he understood and believed the things it 
 G 
 
74 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 contained — that then he would see, (or know) 
 the character, the glory, the grace, the plans 
 and purposes of God. This Indian was but of 
 mean capacity, and understood less of the 
 French language than any of the others ; but 
 always appeared anxious to hear more of God. 
 Viewing him, I thought of the words of Jesus, 
 Matt. xi. 25, " I thank ihee, O Father, Lord 
 of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid 
 these things from the wise and prudent and 
 revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father, 
 for so it seemed good in thy sight. " 
 
 One of the Indian women inquired if she 
 must make herself very good, before Jesus 
 would allow her to trust in him. No, friend, 
 (said I) if you could make yourself any better 
 than you are, you would not require a Saviour. 
 You must receive his righteousness as the on- 
 ly plea to speak of to God when you ask par- 
 don of your sins. Tell God that you are very 
 bad, that your bad heart is very fond of sin, 
 and that nothing gives greater pleasure to 
 that heart, than to sin, but that you know this 
 is very bad, very wicked. Tell him that your 
 Saviour's heart and life were perfectly holy, 
 that you believe this pleased him, and say, 
 " Accept of thy dear Son's death and right- 
 eousness on my account, and may I t»ust only 
 in the Lord Jesus, for pardon and salvation " 
 
 " But," said she, " am I to do nothing to 
 appease God for what is past I" — O no, that 
 would be dishonouring Jesus indeed, for God 
 is perfectly pleased already with what his Son 
 lias done for us poor sinners, and commuids 
 Ms upon our eternal peril to believe it. That 
 
Alfred and Galba. 75 
 
 if we do not believe it, we insult and make 
 him a liar. 
 
 On this the woman wept, and said, amazing 
 grace ! amazing love and mercy. I never, 
 never shall sin against such a God again. O 
 that I could pluck this vile, bad heart from 
 my breast, that I might no more oftend 
 against my Lord. I told her to commit her- 
 self wholly to the care of Christ, trusting that 
 he will keep her ; if she did not, she would 
 very soon lose her hatred to sin, break through 
 all her resolutions, and return to sin as greedi- 
 ly as ever. Nothing (I added) but the grace 
 of Christ can either make or keep holy a sin- 
 gle hour. You see what a change took place 
 upon Peter the night before our Saviour suf- 
 fered, because he forgat his weakness and his 
 need of dependence upon his Lord and Mas- 
 ter. Remember during life that word of our 
 Lord's — " According to your faith (or trust) 
 so shall it be." 
 
 We then joined in prayer and thanksgiving 
 to God, in behalf of this chosen vessel. The 
 whole company, seamen and Indians, were 
 much affected. After prayer, she said, she 
 must go back to the place where she was 
 born, to tell her brethren about Jesus, and re- 
 quested us to put her ashore there ; to which 
 we consented, at the same time advised the 
 Indians immediately to begin building a large 
 canoe to keep up a communication between 
 the two islands. The captain made them a 
 present of a compass, and instructed some of 
 them how to use it. He also gave them as 
 much cloth as would make several sails ; like- 
 
76 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 wise a quantity of rope and some other useful 
 articles. He also determined to continue a 
 few days longer, that his carpenters and sailors 
 might assist the Indians in building their ca- 
 noe. We could not but bless God for dis- 
 posing the captain to be so kind to our poor 
 Indians, and prayed that he might have a 
 safe and speedy voyage home, as a reward for 
 his great kindness. 
 
 It was delightful to see with what spirit 
 they carried on the work. Every sailor seem- 
 ed to vie with each other which should do 
 most for the poor Indians. The carpenters 
 cut down the trees, the Indians brought them 
 to the shore, and the sailors sawed them into 
 planks. When the wood was all prepared, 
 they finished the canoe in three days, -put a 
 mast into her, also a rudder, and the explain 
 added to his other gifts a small anchor. Thus 
 equipt, the Indians thought there would be no 
 danger in venturing to sea, and said they 
 would convey their sister to her native shore. 
 
 While all these things were going forward, 
 Galba was assiduously continuing his instruc- 
 tions to a party ol the Indians, who made 
 hourly progress in knowledge. They seemed 
 as anxious to receive information as he was to 
 communicate it. ' Indeed they would some- 
 times be waiting an hour at the door of his 
 apartment before day- light. 
 
 Tiie captain now ordered every thing to be 
 got ready for sailing on the morrow. Ac- 
 cordingly the seamen, assisted by part of the 
 Indians, were employed all day in taking' on 
 board water, fruits, etc. Sorrow was evident 
 
Alfred and Galba. 77 
 
 on every countenance. The captain, Galba, 
 and I, took our last turn round Pleasant 
 Valley, which appeared to us more interesting 
 than ever. We plucked a few fruits of vari- 
 ous kinds to carry home as a present to our 
 beloved parents. We also picked up a few 
 pretty pebbles from the brook, to serve as a 
 memorial of the Lord's goodness to us in that 
 earthly paradise. 
 
 The evening was spent in pleasant conver- 
 sation with our Indians, who had many ques- 
 tions to put to us. We gave them rules for 
 the management of the Colony, and pointed 
 out how these were to be practised. After 
 joining together, in an hymn of praise and 
 prayer, we retired to rest. 
 
 Early in the morning we went on board, 
 accompanied by all our Indians in their ca- 
 noes. As the wind was fair, the sails were 
 immediately hoisted, and the anchor taken up. 
 Then we took a final farewell of our Indian 
 friends, with many tears. They paddled after 
 us in their canoes for miles, then stopped, 
 and viewed us so long as we continued in 
 sight. At last we saw them through a tele- 
 scope from the mast-head, returning together 
 to the island, which in a few hours we also 
 lost sight of. 
 
 Now our minds turned to Europe, and we 
 began to calculate when we might reach our 
 destined haven. The captain preferred sail- 
 ing by the Straits of Magelhn, to doubling 
 Cape Horn at that season. Though the* 
 weather was favourable when we reached the 
 Straits, we had several violent gust s of wind. 
 
78 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 before we cleared them, and frequently struck 
 upon sand-banks, rendering our situation ex- 
 tremely perilous. But cur gracious God al- 
 ways interposed in our behalf in time of need. 
 We were much pleased when we came in 
 sight of the Atlantic, especially when we rec- 
 ollected that one part of it was bounded by 
 our own native shore. Indeed we were not 
 sorry to leave Terra del Fuego behind us, and 
 to see Falkland Isles come into view, winch 
 islands, though situated in the same latitude 
 as the south of England, are much more in- 
 clement. This may appear strange to some, 
 but it is well known to Geographers, that the 
 Southern Hemisphere is much colder than 
 the Northern one. 
 
 These islands are dreary and desolate ; few 
 trees or vegetables were to be seen, but innu- 
 merable seals and penguins surrounded us in 
 every direction, and afforded great entertain- 
 ment. We were now very thankful that Fa- 
 vourite instead of Falkland Island was the place 
 of our banishment. 
 
 We sailed along the coast of Patagonia and 
 Brazil, generally with favourable winds. Theft 
 passed the Cape de Verd Islands on the coast 
 of Africa, where we received from a Captain 
 of a ship a present of a parcel of newspapers, 
 which proved a great source of pleasure and 
 amusement to all on board. 
 
 When off the Island of Fuego, we witness- 
 ed a tremendous eruption from a volcano sit- 
 £ated in the centre of the island. The flames 
 ascended to a prodigious height, and the 
 noise proceeding from it exceeded the loud- 
 
Alfred and Galba. 79 
 
 est thunder. The scene made every one 
 tremble with horror. 
 
 We viewed this volcano as a witness of the 
 awful majesty and power of God ; and re- 
 flected what a vain thing it is for man to at- 
 tempt to oppose him ; and how dangerous to 
 disobey him. 
 
 Leaving Cape de Verd Islands, we soon 
 came in sight of the famous Peak of Ten- 
 eriffe, which stands in the centre of one of 
 the Canary Islands. It rises towards the 
 heavens four miles perpendicular from the 
 level of the sea. The top is covered with per- 
 petual snow, and in a clear day it is seen at 
 the distance of 120 miles. This mountain at 
 times sends forth such incredible quantities of 
 burning sulphur and melted ore, as to con- 
 vert the richest lands into barren deserts. 
 
 In the year 1704, a dreadful earthquake be- 
 gan on that Island the 24th of December, and 
 no less than 29 shocks were felt in little 
 more than three hours. On the 31st of the 
 month, the earth opened towards the White 
 Mountains, and two volcanoes were formed, 
 which threw up such a quantity of stones, as 
 to raise two considerable mountains. On the 
 5th of January, the scene became more tre- 
 mendously alarming ; the sun was totally ob- 
 scured with clouds of smoke and flame, and 
 before night the country for nine miles round 
 was one universal deluge of fire, which spread 
 with the rapidity of a torrent. To add to the 
 horrors of the prospect, the violence of the 
 shocks still increased, and the island trembled 
 £o its foundations ; the wretched inhabitants 
 
80 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 fled into the fields, and many, in endeavouring 
 to escape, met destruction, for the earth open- 
 ed in almost every quarter. These dreadful 
 earthquakes and torrents of lava continued 
 without intermission till the 5th of February ; 
 and such was iheir effect even at 20 leagues 
 distance at sea, that mariners when they heard 
 the noise, and felt the concussion, at first sup- 
 posed their ships had struck upon rocks. 
 
 Our captain having part of his cargo to de- 
 liver at Lisbon, we stopped there a few days. 
 Portugal, of which this is the capital, is per- 
 haps the most ignorant and superstitious coun- 
 try in Europe. The Romish clergy are the 
 zealous patrons of both ignorance and super- 
 stition. It hardly ever gave birth to a learned 
 man. 
 
 Leaving Lisbon we sailed for Bourdeaux, 
 where we arrived in a few days in perfect 
 health, and to the praise of God be it record- 
 ed, that notwithstanding our having stopped 
 so long at Favourite Island, this was the quick- 
 est voyage from Lima the captain had ever 
 made. The cargo was .likewise in a good 
 state ; so the captain who was owner, lost 
 nothing by his humanity to the poor Indians. 
 
 We wrote from Bourdeaux to our parents, 
 informing them of our arrival, and when we 
 expected to reach Montpellier. 
 
 In two days we took leave of the captain, 
 and began our journey home. Our father on 
 receiving the letter, set out and met us at an 
 inn, thirty miles from home. He was so an- 
 xious to see us that he could not wait our arri- 
 val, and words cannot describe our joy when 
 
Alfred and Galda. 31 
 
 he entered our apartment. We recognized 
 him directly, and wept for joy upon his 
 breast. 
 
 He said we must post all night, for none of 
 the family could sleep tifl they saw us. We 
 arrived about four in the morning, and found 
 the whole family sitting in the drawing-room, 
 waiting to receive us. Our fond mother tru- 
 ly discovered the feelings of the maternal 
 heart. For hours she could not believe that 
 Jier Alfred and Galba were under the same 
 roof with herself. 
 
 They told us that they no sooner heard of 
 our departure from Brest, than they regretted 
 from their heart's having sent us away. 
 They could Hot, however, alter it then, and as 
 the vessel that took us out had never return- 
 ed, they had given up all expectation of ever 
 hearing of us, concluding that we had perish- 
 ed with the ship. But how astonished were 
 they one morning while sitting at breakfast, 
 when the postman brought them letters from 
 South America, on opening of which they 
 found that their two sons were still in life. 
 
 The whole providence disposed them to 
 review the systems and the claims of Rome, 
 which upon examination, they found to be 
 unscriptural, sinful, and absurd. They with- 
 drew from the priests, and proceeded exam- 
 ining the Scriptures for themselves, when 
 they not only perceived that Rome was 
 antichristian, but that their own hearts were 
 not right with God. The latter discovery 
 gave them greater anxiety than the former. It 
 was some time before their minds came to 
 
82 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 enjoy rest and peace through faith in the 
 everlasting righteousness of Jesus Christ. 
 Then they prayed daily to God to restore un- 
 to them their two sons, if still in life ; and 
 how wonderfully he answered their prayers, 
 our return proved. Surely there was not a 
 happier family in the king's dominions than 
 we were, when once more all assembled 
 together. 
 
 Many friends from various parts came to 
 see us, and to welcome us home. Our story 
 wonderfully entertained them, and in relating 
 it we had many opportunities of conveying 
 useful hints about eternal things. They all 
 condemned the cruelty of the Spaniards in 
 sending us to the mines, but acknowledged 
 that Providence had overruled our captivity 
 for good. We had good reason to assure our 
 friends that God's goodness and mercy had 
 been experienced by us every day since our 
 departure. 
 
ALFRED and GALBA. 
 
 PART If. 
 
 CONTAINING THE 
 
 JOURNAL OF THEIR SECOND VOYAGE. 
 
 MY dear friends, Alfred and Galba, after 
 presenting me with a journal of their first 
 and second visits to Favourite Island, offered 
 to favour me with an account of a third visit 
 which they had made to that Island ; provided 
 I would remain at Montpellier a week or two 
 longer. I had been so charmed with the 
 first journal that I offered to stay a month 
 longer, were it needful, in order to obtain the 
 second. They therefore set to work, and in 
 about a fortnight completed the narrative 
 which they had promised ; and the following 
 is the account which they gave me : 
 
 After living very comfortably under our 
 father's roof for about ten years, death depriv- 
 ed us of two very affectionate parents, who 
 both left us, in the full assurance of entering 
 on the enjoyment of boundless blessedness in 
 the presence of God and the Lamb. Our 
 
84 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 Father's last words were, " I die in peace, 
 mine eyes having seen God's salvation." 
 Our mother's were, " I have waited for thy 
 salvation, O God. Come Lord Jesus, come 
 quickly, even so, come. Lord Jesus." 
 
 Our parents having left us with ample es- 
 tates, we seriously considered what was our 
 duty in the new situation into which Provi- 
 dence had brought us. We often conversed 
 respecting the promise we had made our dear 
 friends at Favourite Island, that if the Lord 
 ever put it in our power we would certainly 
 revisit them. We found ourselves in posses- 
 sion of means to fulfil our promise ; there 
 w r as nothing in our situation to compel us to 
 spend the remainder of our days at Montpel- 
 iier ; and we thought we might be very use- 
 fully employed on Favourite Island, and on 
 that adjacant thereto, for two or three years, 
 in attempting to civilize and evangelize the 
 natives. After much prayer to God for di- 
 rection, and consulting several friends, we at 
 length agreed to undertake the voyage. 
 
 Our old captain was yet alive, and still em- 
 ployed the very vessel that brought us home, 
 but he had not been at sea, himself, for sever- 
 al years. We therefore wrote to him con- 
 cerning our intention of revisiting I'avourite 
 Island, and solicited his ship and his company ; 
 assuring him, we would be at the whole ex- 
 pense of the voyage outward, and give securi- 
 ty that he should have a cargo home from 
 some Spanish Port. He was not long in re- 
 turning a most favourable reply, informing us 
 thut our proposals met with his most cordial 
 
Alfred and Galba. 85 
 
 approbation ; that Providence had been evi- 
 dently preparing him to receive and answer 
 them, for he had lately thought much about 
 the people on Favourite Island, and had almost 
 resolved to go with his vessel next season to 
 the Pacific Ocean, on purpose to call on them. 
 He therefore desired us with all dispatch to 
 draw out a list of articles which we judged fit 
 to take with us, and send it him, that he might 
 ^have every thing ready at the proper season 
 for sailing. In a few days we sent him this 
 list, and then employed ourselves in arrang- 
 ing all our personal and domestic concerns. 
 Two months only had elapsed, when we re- 
 ceived a letter from the captain, stating that 
 the vessel had undergone a thorough repair, 
 was afloat, and would be ready to sail in four- 
 teen days, at which time he expected to find 
 us calling for admission to his cabin. This 
 intelligence startled us a little, as we hardly 
 looked for it so soon ; but the captain had us- 
 ed astonishing expedition, and gave as a rea- 
 son for it, that he was an old man, and might 
 not have many days to live : and that he 
 grea'ly desired, if it were the Lord's will, to 
 see his old Indian friends before his depart- 
 ure to the land of silence. We answered 
 him, that our lives were equally precarious 
 ■with his life ; that we also felt ourselves called 
 upon to do with all our might, the good which 
 we had purposed, because nothing of this kind 
 could be prosecuted in the grave, to which we 
 all were fast hastening, and that he might de- 
 pend upon our being at Brest at the specified 
 time if nothing unforeseen prevented us. 
 H 
 
£6 Jlfred and Oalbu. 
 
 We committed the management of our pro- 
 perty , during our absence, to two uncles and 
 a brother, settled adequate revenues upon va- 
 rious relations, regulated the disposal of our 
 property 1 if one or both of us should die while 
 from home. Having thus arranged our con- 
 cerns, we took an affecting farewell of all our 
 friends. The sorrows of parting pressed up- 
 on our spirits during our journey to Brest : 
 but the sight of the vessel, and finding every 
 thing in order, with the cheerful company of 
 the old capiain, animated us greatly. 
 
 The captain having published our history 
 amongst his friends at Brest and its vicinity, 
 many protestants came on board to visit us, 
 and to wish us a prosperous voyage. These 
 brought many useful articles to' distribute 
 amongst the natives of the Islands to which 
 ve were bound; and now the vessel being 
 cleared, and all ready, we set sail the next 
 day with a prosperous wind. 
 
 Nothing of importance occurred during our 
 Toystge ;' our general employment was read- 
 ing, col versing with the sailors, fishing, Sec 
 and in ti.is way our time passed very agreeably. 
 The immense variety of fishes which we 
 cau'^bt iu the various latitudes we sailed over, 
 gave us enlarged ideas of the wisdom and pow- 
 er of the great Creator. We likewise fre- 
 quently saw land fowls at a great distance 
 from shore ; and an uncommon large bird, 
 which must at least have had a flight of 15G 
 miles, one day alighted upon the deck of our 
 ship, and instantly expired, in consequence of 
 excessive fatigue. It is probable that many 
 
Alfred and Galba. 8J 
 
 of the feathered tribe are blown off the land in 
 gales of wind, and perish before they can re- 
 turn. Perhaps in summer, mankind are thus 
 freed from much of the vermin which that 
 season produces, and are indebted to these 
 very blasts, (which are frequency 'am^nted) 
 for peculiar deliverances. There is not a 
 storm that blows, but the Ruler of all things 
 has a good reason for sending, though man 
 may not know it. We ought therefore in si- 
 lence to adore God for what we cannot com- 
 prehend, and in faith declare that all is well, 
 We often wondered that the water could sup- 
 port such a ponderous body as our ship, and 
 we admired in the fishes that we caught, how 
 admirably God had adapted their form for 
 cutting the water while swimming, insomuch 5 
 that many improvements have been made in 
 the construction of ships by attending to the 
 shape of fish. All the models of God are 
 perfect, every thing he ..hath made being ex- 
 actly fitted to fulfil its end. C) that men 
 would praise the Lord for his goodness, and 
 for his wonderful works. We even saw that 
 contrary winds now and then were of great 
 use to us, for when they afterwards changed 
 in our favour, we had double the pleasure and 
 satisfaction we had lost, at the time of their 
 beginning to blow against us. They also led 
 us to observe the goodness of God when he 
 sent a fair wind, which would have been con» 
 sidered a matter of course had they always 
 continued fair ; indeed we found this to be 
 the case when we got in with the trade-winds. 
 which always blow in one direction. 
 
88 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 At the end of four months we came in 
 sight of Favourite Island, to the great joy of 
 all on board. Every eye was directed tow- 
 ards it. and those who had been there, were 
 busy pointing out the different hills to those 
 who had not before seen them, and relating 
 the different occurrences that had happened 
 while they were there. 
 
 When we drew near the Island, we looked 
 through our glasses in the hope of discovering 
 some of our old friends, but not an inhabitant 
 could be seen ; our eyes wandered in vain 
 along the coast ; and we therefore thought 
 that fear had prompted them to take refuge 
 in the woods. 
 
 About noon we anchored off our favourite 
 cove, and a party of us instantly set off in the 
 long-boat When near the shore we discov- 
 ered several canoes drawn up on the beach, 
 a certain indication that some inhabitants still 
 remained on the Island. When we landed, 
 we ran towards our village in Pleasant Valley, 
 and in two minutes discovered the tops of the 
 houses which our own hands had erected. 
 Our feelings on this occasion were exquisite ; 
 we shouted for joy. When near the first 
 house, our old friends Jacob and Joseph, who 
 had been concealed behind some bushes, 
 perceiving who we were, came running to- 
 ward us with the uimost speed. Jacob caught 
 Galba in his arms ; Joseph did tjie same to 
 me. Tears of joy flowed from every eye. 
 Not a word was uttered for several minutes. 
 The two Indians almost fainted away with 
 excessive joy. The captain who had brought 
 
Alfred and Gaibe. «9 
 
 with him a bottle of wine, gave each of them a 
 little, end they soon revived and got up. 
 One of them then said, My dear Galba, my 
 dear Alfred, do I now see you ; every day 
 since you left us, have I desired to see what I 
 now see. Never leave us any more, we can- 
 not live without you. 
 
 We next inquired for their friends. They 
 told us they had lied to the wood, but would 
 soon be here. Upon this, Joseph ran to his 
 house for a reed, which he sounded, and in a 
 few minutes a considerable band made their 
 appearance, and soon discovered who we were 5 
 which, created general joy. 
 
 The captain, after a little further conversa- 
 tion, desired part of them to make their larg- 
 est apartment as clean as they could ; and in 
 the mean time he went off to the ship and 
 soon returned with some provisions for our 
 dinner. A table was now erected by the sail- 
 ors, composed of boards of wood, which they 
 had purposely brought on shore. Before we 
 sat down to dinner, we spent a short time in 
 thanksgiving to God for his goodness, in again 
 bringing us together, after a long separation, 
 and in prayer that he would make our re- 
 union exceedingly useful to us all. .We then 
 sat down together to a comfortable repast. 
 
 We found that during our absence, eight of 
 the natives had died, among whom was the 
 dear woman who had given such cause of 
 praise to God a little before our last departure. 
 From their account, her conduct had been con- 
 sistent with the professions she then made 
 They told us, she would speak evil of no or 
 HZ 
 
90 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 however much they would speak and do 
 against her : for she said, Jesus had forgiven 
 her a deal more than she could forgive to any. 
 She tried to make every one happy about her. 
 She loved to hear them read about Jesus, and 
 said often he was a good Saviour, and she 
 should be willing to go to him, when he pleas- 
 ed to ask her — and she really kept her word, 
 said they ; for when she became ill, she said, 
 I dare say Jesus is soon to bid me come to see 
 him, for I find my bodily health and strength 
 decaying apace. One day, she looked at her 
 arms which by disease were reduced to skin 
 and bone. O, said she, I like to look at these 
 poor arms of mine, for they are the signs of 
 imy Saviour's coming. She then prayed for 
 Alfred and Galba ; thanked Jesus for sending 
 them here to tell her about him ; and was 
 glad that Jesus had opened her heart to be- 
 lieve what they said about him. Her last 
 words were, " My Lord, my God." 
 
 in this poor Indian's case, the teaching of 
 God is very evident, and so true it is, that 
 God often chooses the weak things of this 
 world, to confound the wise, and the things 
 that are of no consideration among the wise of 
 the world, to confound them that are held in 
 high estimation among such. She is now 
 reigning with the Lord. 
 
 They had not made much progress in cul- 
 tivating the land, and most of the houses were 
 greatly decayed for want of repair. They 
 lived chiefly by fishing, and on the eggs of 
 birds and fruits. We learned also, that there 
 were upwards, of thirty new settlers on the 
 
Alfred and Galba. 9i 
 
 other side of the island, were our fjrst habita- 
 tion was erected. These they had brought 
 from their native island in the la/ge canoe we 
 had given, them. We inquired if they still 
 had this canoe. They said it had been lost in 
 a storm with two of their brethren in it, at a 
 time when they were fishing. 
 
 We were greatly pleased to find that most 
 of the Indians could read a little ; a few in- 
 deed read in a very correct manner. The 
 Bible we had left them was almost reduced to 
 chaff, which shewed they had made frequent 
 use of it ; and all their stock of paper was 
 completely exhausted. 
 
 Next day, about twelve or fourteen of us, 
 went upon a visit to the other colony. We 
 found both villages connected by a regular 
 pathway, which shewed there was a constant 
 communication kept up between them. 
 
 The new colonists having, only heard of our 
 arrival upon the island, about an hour before 
 we reached them, were overjoyed at our 
 appearance, and gave us, of course, a most 
 hearty welcome. Having brought a quantity 
 of provisions, we treated them with a Europe- 
 an dinner, which they greatly relished, and 
 gavems unfeigned thanks for our kindness. 
 
 In the afternoon we visited our venison 
 park that God had so providentially pointed 
 out to us when residing here. We soon 
 caught as many rabbits (as we called them) as 
 would furnish a sufficient repast for the even- 
 ing. After exhortation and prayer, we all 
 went to sleep upon our straw beds, and awoke 
 next morning wonderfully refreshed : when 
 
i>2 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 we again joined together in thanksgiving and 
 praise to our God for his goodness. 
 
 We then gave them instructions how to 
 clear their ground of trees, and'how to culti- 
 vate it, promising on our return to Pleasant 
 Valley, to send them implements fit for the 
 purpose. They thanked us and assured us 
 t tey would act according to our direction. 
 We then left them, and went in a different 
 way back to the valley. We found that dur- 
 ing our short absence the natives had done 
 more in repairing their houses and putting 
 every thins;' into proper order than perhaps 
 they had done during all the ten years we had 
 been absent from them : so greatly were 
 they encouraged by our return. There were 
 now several smart boys and girls running 
 about the village, who were infants when we 
 left the island. Our names were quite fa- 
 miliar to them, as thev had heard their 
 parents frequently conversing about us, and 
 they appeared remarkably happy at our 
 arrival The reason of this we soon found 
 out by their demands upon us, for their par- 
 ents uad often told them as an incitement to 
 good behaviour, that when Alfred and Galba 
 returned from Europe, they would bring 
 some very pretty presents. We were hard- 
 ly arrived at the village when all the children 
 • came round us asking us for some presents : 
 and when we brought ashore a few toys and 
 trinkets, and distributed them among the 
 young folks, they were happieF than if they 
 had been made e m P erors anc » empresses. It 
 was really pleasant to see tiiera. 
 
Aljred and Galba. 92 
 
 Having brought with vis every thing requi- 
 site for rendering their houses comfortable, 
 we all set busily to work, sailors and Indians, 
 to cover their houses with better and more 
 durable roofs ; to make doors, windows, beds, 
 tables, chairs, &c. Likewise to build a few 
 larger houses, after the European plan We 
 made the natives assist in all parts of the 
 work, with the design of enabling them to 
 build without our help ; and some of them made 
 considerable progress in the knowledge of 
 building, and of carpenter's work. In three 
 or four months, we had nearly brought our 
 plans into full execution ; but a severe storm 
 of wind, rain, thunder and lightning, injured 
 our works very much, and protracted their 
 being completed. However we got all finish- 
 ed in two months more, to the great joy of 
 the Indians ; and we also were glad to see 
 things look so well, and so much resemble a 
 French village. We then built a very neat 
 and commodious house in which they should 
 assemble to receive instruction. 
 
 After much serious deliberation we resolv- 
 ed that Galba should be left with the colony 
 to communicate instructions of every kind — 
 and that the old captain and Alfred should 
 proceed to Lima with the ship to receive a 
 cargo, and visit the mines ot Potosi, the 
 place of our former captivity ; after accom- 
 plishing which, we agreed to return and re- 
 main two months at Favourite Island, and 
 then that the ship and cargo should proceed to 
 Europe. 
 
9-4 Alfred and Galbc. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 r r oyage, &c. of Alfred from Favourite Island 
 to South America. 
 
 HAVING landed every thing from the 
 ship that was intended for the Indians at 
 Favourite Island, and taken farewell of my 
 brother and our other friends, we weighed 
 anchor and proceeded on our voyage to the 
 continent of South America. The wind and 
 weather were very favourable for the first 
 few days, after which it began to blow a per- 
 fect hurricane. We could hardly keep up any 
 sail from the extreme vioienee of the wind, 
 and the sea ran mountains high ; so that 
 inevitable destruction appeared to oe awaiting 
 us. We therelore committed ourselves to 
 the care of a gracious providence, arid used^ 
 every effort for our preservation. At one 
 time the vessel received a prodigious shock 
 from something under water, which we sup- 
 posed was a rock, and consequently expected 
 to go^o the bottom instantly. Unexpectedly, 
 however, the ship seemed to have received no 
 injury, of course we concluded she had come 
 with violence upon some great fish, and this 
 we afterwards found to be the case, from great 
 fish bones being found sticking in the bottom 
 ,of the vessel. The storm continued with little 
 interruption for three days. The third day 
 was indeed a gloomy one A young man 
 was carried over-board in a moment, while 
 .holding fast to the mast, by a sea v?hich broke 
 
Alfred and Galba. 95 
 
 in upon the deck. At one time, I also lost 
 hold of a rope, and was carried by a wave 
 almost into the deep : when, a hook caught 
 hold of my coat and kept me on board, till I 
 had time to lash myself to one of the pumps. 
 
 When the wind abated we appeared like so 
 many spectres, being worn out by fatigue, and 
 want of sleep and victuals, and having been 
 constantly drenched with water. We could 
 not venture to open the hatches for several 
 hours after the wind ceased, in consequence of 
 the agitation of the sea and rolling of the ship. 
 At length we ventured to open them, and 
 went below, where we got dry cloths and 
 something to eat and drink, which wonderful- 
 ly revived our enfeebled bodies and fainting 
 spirits. When every thing about the ship 
 was put aright, we forgot not to give thanks to 
 him, whom wind and waves obey, for our re- 
 markable preservation. The remainder of our 
 voyage was very prosperous, only tedious, by 
 our havingbeen blown a great way offourcourse, 
 by the last storm. We found ourselves as 
 far to the south of Lima, as Juan Fernandez, 
 which island we made, in order to take in a 
 fresh supply of wood and water. This island 
 is delightful, and has been rendered remarka- 
 ble, by being the theatre of Robinson Crusoe's 
 exploits. After laying in our store we set sail 
 for Lima, and arrived there in about three 
 weeks, where we were kindly received and 
 entertained by several respectable inhabitants. 
 Having got the promise of a freight to Eu- 
 rope from a merchant, the old captain and t 
 
96 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 went to Potosi to visit my old fellow slaves in 
 the mines. 
 
 The first person I met at Potosi, was the 
 very man who announced our liberation and 
 conducted us in triumph to the mouth of the 
 mine. We embraced each other, as old 
 friends. He conducted us to lodgings, and 
 also offered to obtain our admittance to the 
 mine. We thanked him for his obliging offer, 
 especially as very few are permitted to descend. 
 Next day, he brougnt a written permission 
 from the principal proprietor, and presented 
 us with it. We immediately went with him, 
 and descended the gloomy dungeon, but with 
 very different feelings from those which af- 
 flicted me, when I was before in this place. 
 When the poor captives heard of my arrival, 
 they came running from their posts to salute 
 m-. and to thunk me for my visit. They en- 
 quired affectionately after the welfare of my 
 brother, and were very anxious to hear our 
 history since we left them. The overseer 
 said that if they would work an hour later in 
 the evening, they might stop for that space at 
 present, to converse with Mr. Alfred. To 
 this they willingly consented, and we sat down 
 together, placing a flambeau in the centre, to 
 give light. They told me of the death of sev- 
 eral with whom I had been intimate, and from 
 their account I concluded that some of them 
 had died in the Lord. The young man from 
 Patagonia was still alive, and appeared a truly 
 pious man. I took him aside, and asl^ed, if 
 the proprietor allowed the redemption of any of 
 his slaves. His eyes sparkled at this question, 
 
Mfred and Galba. 97 
 
 and he answered in the affirmative. I said, I 
 should wish to redeem three of those, who 
 were most likely to do well when set at liber- 
 ty. I told him to think seriously upon the 
 different characters of his fellow captives, and 
 lo recommend the two properest for my pur- 
 pose, and that I should endeavour to obtain 
 for them, and for him, a release from their 
 dreary dungeon. He thanked me in the most 
 affecting manner, and said he would attend to 
 my desire. 
 
 When we returned lo our company we 
 found the old captain addressing the people, 
 about Jesus, in tine most affectionate manner' 
 He was telling them, what a wicked creature 
 he had been ; but how gracious God had been 
 to him, in forgiving all his iniquities, and dis- 
 posing him to come to him, that he might re- 
 ceive eternal life. He assured then), that he 
 never knew happiness, till he knew Jesus ; and 
 told them, that Peter was as happy with the 
 Lord's presence, though in prison and in the 
 stocks, as ever he was in any other place ; that 
 no man had endured more bodily suffering 
 than Paul, yet no man had been Appier, be- 
 cause he had his master's presence with him, 
 and the hope of eternal life with in- Lord in 
 heaven. He then exhorted the poor prisoners 
 to repent of sin and turn to the Lord, for that, 
 he would have mercy, and to our God, for he 
 would abundantly pardon Every eye was 
 fixed on him while he spoke, and tears flowed 
 in grear abundance. I trusted good effects 
 would fo'Iovv. 
 
 I 
 
98 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 When he had finished I spoke to them a 
 little upon their miserable and wretched cir- 
 cumstances, and shewed that the dominion of 
 sin was still more dreadful, and led to more 
 wretched circumstances, than those in which 
 they were now involved. I declared the riches 
 of divine mercy, revealed in Jesus Christ, and 
 how freely God received poor sinners into his 
 favour. The hour expired, the captives were 
 obliged to return to work, and we ascended to 
 the mouth of the mine, and went to our lodg- 
 ings, after having requested the overseer to 
 sup with us that evening. At supper, we en- 
 quired of our visitor, if the proprietor would 
 permit any of his slaves to be ransomed. Yes, 
 said he, if you offer a good price ; unless they 
 have been condemned to work there for life, 
 on account of some very flagrant crime. I 
 told him, mv reason for asking this question 
 was that I was desirous of releasing three of 
 the most sober and resigned of the captives, 
 and who were likely to do well after their lib- 
 eration. He commended my resolution and 
 promised all the assistance in his power to car- 
 ry it into execution. He said, if I chose, he 
 would propose it to his master to-morrow 
 morning. The sooner, said 1, the better— de- j 
 lays are dangerous. 
 
 The proposal met with a very favourable 
 reception, and for a sum, far from being exor- 
 bitant, I was permitted to select any three ot 
 the captives I chose. On agreeing to tin 
 terms and giving him a bill on a banker, at ^ 
 Brest, for the amount of what I was to give, - 
 I went down into the mine, accompanied ty 
 
Alfred and Galba* $9 
 
 the overseer and the old captain. We called 
 first for the Patagonian, of whom I have form- 
 erly written ; and having taken him aside, I 
 asked if he had fixed on two captives whose be- 
 haviour had been good, and whose characters 
 upon the whole he considered least exception- 
 able. He gave me two names. With these I 
 went to the overseer, who commended the 
 choice. These were sent for, and with the 
 Patagonian were taken above ground, where 
 they were informed of their being now free 
 m«n, and that they might go where they pleas*- 
 ed. The two last chosen captives, having had 
 bo previous preparation, for receiving such 
 wonderful news, were much agitated — they 
 could hardly be made to believe what they 
 heard, to be true. They stood and wept. Then 
 they inquired how their deliverance had 
 taken place ; and on hearing that I had pur- 
 chased their freedom, they declared a willing- 
 ness to become my servants, and to go 
 wherever I commanded them. I told them if 
 they preferred accompanying me, to returning 
 to their native country, I had no objections to 
 their becoming part of my family ; but that I 
 should never consider them as my slaves, but 
 always treat them as sons, and familiar friends. 
 This saying doubly attached them to my ser- 
 vice, and they declared they would abide by me 
 until death. 
 
 Does not the conduct of these captives 
 greatly resemble converts to Jesus, when con- 
 templating his love in laying down his life as 
 •a ransom for them ? It does indeed, for the 
 love of Christ constrains them not to live unto 
 
100 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 themselves, but for the glory of him who died 
 for them and rose again. Whatever he com- 
 marids they are willing to do. 
 
 After visiting again the inhabitants under 
 ground, exhorting them, distributing some 
 books, and taking farewell, we all went in a 
 body to Lima. I found my generosity to the 
 three captives much commended by many 
 there ; though by some as much condemned, 
 being in their view, a bad precedent. They 
 said, if all their captives were thus released, 
 the mines would be useless ! — and what 
 would the nations do in this case, for want of 
 specie — trade and commerce would cease, and 
 we should all be reduced to the barbarism of 
 the first ages — that such a practice should be 
 pro hunted by the Viceroy. 
 
 We now gave an account of Favourite 
 Island, to our three friends from the mines, 
 and told them if they chose to settle in that 
 island- we would carry them there with us ; 
 if nou we judged it would be as fit for them to 
 go to their respective countries, as to proceed 
 with us to Europe. After deliberating togeth- 
 er for some time they preferred going to 
 Favourite Island ; professed great pleasure in 
 the prospect of settling there. 
 
 Our vessel had got on board the most of 
 her lading, and we now began to prepare for 
 our departure, by collecting every thing nec- 
 essary for the colony, especially seeds and 
 plants, suited to tropical climates. 
 
 One evening, we supped at the house of 
 a very respectable merchant, along with sev- 
 eral of his friends. The conversation turned 
 
Alfred and -Galba, 10 i 
 
 upon the original discovery, and conquest 
 (as he termed it) of South America, by De 
 Cortez. 
 
 I remarked, that conquest was an improper 
 word to be applied to the means by which the 
 Spaniards obtained that rich, populous and ex- 
 tensive country. It was a most cruel robbery. 
 The inhabitants had done nothing to offend 
 Spain ; indeed they had never heard of such a 
 people as the Spaniards. Yet they murdered 
 thousands of the defenceless natives, and de- 
 prived the rest of all property in their country. 
 O but, (said the merchant) the Pope gave a 
 grant of that country to Spain ! You will re- 
 collect, sir, (it Was replied) that the inhabitants 
 when told this, could not possibly conceive 
 iiow a man living many thousand n iles dis- 
 tant, and whose name was unknown to them, 
 could take upon him to give away their coun- 
 try to others. This was certainly a natural 
 Mid shrewd remark. Bui the mother country 
 |>as gained little by the nefarious coriquest. 
 Her respectability has ever since been declin- 
 ng among the other European states ; her 
 towns and villages have been depopulated; 
 !ier trade has gone into other bunds, and not- 
 withstanding the immense influx of gold and 
 silver, she is, after all, a poor nation. In all this 
 her sin is seen in her punishment. The blood 
 perhaps of millions still calls for retribution. 
 
 The old captain thought I had delivered my 
 sentiments rather too freely, considering that I 
 was in a South American city, and he gave the 
 discourse a different turn, by observing, that 
 people far a long time were unajble to conjee- 3 
 I 2 
 
102 Alfred and Galbu. 
 
 ture how America had been peopled. In or- 
 der to invalidate the Mosaic account of the 
 creation, infidels asserted, that there must at 
 least have been two Adams ; one for Asia, and 
 another for America ; but God raised up cap- 
 tain Cook to settle that dispute, for he found 
 that a part of th* Russian Empire, in Asia, 
 was only separated from the coast of North 
 America by a narrow piece of sea, only about 
 twenty four miles over ; and that this was 
 frozen a great part of the year, so that animals 
 and men could pass over it without the aid of 
 either ships or boats. A remarkable fact to 
 have ascertained, sir, said a gentleman present. 
 I then entertained them, with an anecdote of 
 an occurrence in Canada while it was possess- 
 ed by the French. The governor had order- 
 ed the Indians to remove farther up the 
 country, to make way for fresh European set- 
 tlers who had newly arrived. An Indian chief 
 went at the head of his tribe, and made the 
 following energetic speech to the governor. 
 Sir ! Were we not born here ; (pointing to 
 the land) Are not the bones of our forefath- 
 ers interred here ? Can we say unto them, 
 Arise, and go with us into a foreign land ? 
 The whole company applauded the chief, and 
 said he had certainly the best side of the ques- 
 tion. So justly can men judge in a case where 
 their interest is not concerned : The Spaniards 
 had done worse, but they would not see it. In- 
 deed none are so blind as those who will no*, 
 see- If we are called upon to judge a matter 
 in which we are in any shape interested, wc 
 
Alfred and Galia. iOS 
 
 ought to be doubly watchful against giving a 
 biassed decision. 
 
 I told the company also, for their entertain- 
 ment, of a German Prince who visited Toulon 
 in France. When there, he went to view the 
 arsenal where the galley slaves are kept ; and 
 the commandant, In honour of the Prince, al- 
 lowed him to set at liberty any one of the gal- 
 ley slaves* which he should choose. On this 
 the prince desired that they should be all 
 brought before him ; when he asked each the 
 reason of his condemnation. They said, by 
 false accusation, by mistake, Gcc. but one said, 
 he had been a very wicked wretch, and justly 
 merited his punishment. The prince looking 
 o the commandant, and putting his hand on 
 :he head of his slave ; said, this is the man, 
 sir, whom I wish to have released I He then 
 .old the slave that he was too bad to remain 
 amongst so many honest, well-behaved men, 
 jnti might go where he pleased, but he warned 
 aim against doing any thing that might bring 
 him again into this place. Was not the man 
 who was so sensible of his crime, and the 
 equity of his punishment, the most likely to 
 do well upon his liberation ? The decision 
 was wise. 
 
 The rest of the evening was spent in gen- 
 eral conversation about the state of the mines, 
 ilaves, trade and government of South 
 America. 
 
 In a few days every thing was ready for 
 our departure, and we went on board, accom- 
 panied with our three ransomed friends, who 
 
lo4 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 appeared in high spirits. We set sail imme- 
 diately with a fair wind for Favourite Island. 
 
 None of our three friends had ever been 
 at sea before, which made their remarks very- 
 entertaining to hear. The first gale of wind 
 which we had, gave them great alarm ; indeed 
 tHey expected the vessel would be sunk by 
 every succeeding wave ; they appeared to 
 feel every shock which the vessel received 
 from the heavy seas, but after seeing her vic- 
 torious over thousands of waves, their fears 
 began gradually to subside. In a few days 
 they had courage and art to climb almost to 
 the top-mast, and to divert themselves among 
 the ropes. 
 
 As one of them was one day admiring a 
 knife he had got, as a present from a gentle- 
 man at Lima* he let it fall overboard, when he 
 immediately called out to stop the ship till he 
 got up his knife ; but how mortified was he 
 lo hear that the whole world could not regain 
 it. This circumstance reminded me of that 
 passage in Micah vii. 19, where God is said 
 to cast all the sins of his people into the depths 
 of the sta, intimating that they should no 
 more rise up to condemn them. How gra-^ 
 cious is this in God, for these sins were, all 
 of them, offences done against himself ; ye: 
 in the day of judgment he will not charge 
 them on us. 
 
 The wind continued favourable all the 
 voyage, which rendered it remarkably pleas- 
 ant. One morning when I was in bed, a 
 little sick, the captain came down with the 
 good news that Favourite Island was in sight ; 
 
Alfred and Galba. 10a 
 
 and that the sun appeared rising behind its 
 hills. The news made me forget my sick- 
 ness ; I mounted up, to feast mine eyes with 
 the pleasant sight. About noon we were on- 
 ly a few miles off the land ; and with our 
 glasses, could plainly distinguish our friends 
 on shore. The captives were very anxious 
 to see Galba, who had been their fellow cap- 
 tive in the mines of Potosi, and it was not 
 long before they were gratified, for Galba and 
 a few of the Islanders came out in a canoe to 
 "welcome us home. They reached the vessel 
 as we were casting anchor, and were received 
 on board with great joy. The following is 
 the substance of Galba's journal during our 
 absence. 
 
 CHAPTER HI. 
 
 Galba's Journal during the ab&ence of the 
 S/ii/i. 
 
 WHEN the ship had left us, I resolved to 
 spend three hours a day with the natives, in 
 order to teach them to read and speak French, 
 that they might more perfectly understand 
 the scriptures. Some of the old settlers had 
 made considerable proficiency in this, during 
 our former residence on the island : and I 
 now purposed to mix religious instruction 
 >vith this part of our exercises. In the read- 
 ing department, Jacob and Joseph were to be 
 fujr assistants. I resolved also, on everv 
 
206 Mfred and Galba. 
 
 evening, to spend an hour in communicating 
 general information about the heavens and 
 the earth. The rest of our time was to be 
 employed in cultivating the ground, building 
 and repairing houses, fishing, Sec. When I 
 proposed my plan to a general meeting of 
 our friends, they readily agreed to it. 
 
 I shall put down the substance of a few of 
 our evening exercises, as they may afford 
 some entertainment and instruction to a young 
 reader : only premising that I was obliged to 
 speak to them upon the various subjects as 
 people much inferior in knowledge to Europe- 
 an children, consequently our discourses were 
 very simple. 
 
 I began by teaching them to count from one 
 to a thousand — to make them understand the 
 dimensions of an inch, a foot, a yard, and a 
 miie — the weight of an ounce, pound, ton, 
 &c. the quantity contained in a pint, quart, 
 gallon, &c. I did all this to render my de- 
 scriptions more intelligible. I made them 
 all measure a rope by the foot, and then by 
 the yard. After measuring a mile up Pleas- 
 ant Valley, I caused them to walk that mile 
 several times, to impress the real distance 
 more strongly on their minds. They also 
 were desired to carry stones of different 
 weights, av.d pails of water, containing differ- 
 ent quantities. In this way weights, mea- 
 sures, and distances soon became iamiliar to 
 them. 
 
 I then told them of the considerable size of 
 some buildings in our country, such as 
 churches, convents, &c. and we drew upon 
 
Alfred and Galba. 107 
 
 the sand, on the sea-shore, a representation of 
 the church of Notre Dame, and of St. Peter's 
 at Rome. I also formed on the sand, the 
 outlines of a first rate ship of war, with her 
 masts, Sec. and taught them the real dimen- 
 sions of these objects, by making them meas- 
 ure and walk over the lines which I had 
 drawn. These representations excited their 
 ■very great astonisnment. When these les- 
 sons were ended, we all retired to the chapel, 
 where I made the following improvement of 
 our studies 
 
 We have been wondering (said I,) at the 
 greatness of these works of man, but when 
 compared with some of the smallest 
 works of God, they dwindle into noth- 
 ing. Compare St. Peter's church at 
 Rome with the hill at the head of Pleasant 
 Valley, and it appears small ; and even that 
 hill, when compared with the mountains of 
 the Andes in South America, where my 
 brother is gone with the ship, is quite insig- 
 nificant. Man has made his houses and 
 ships with stones and woods, but God made 
 his mountains without materials, from noth- 
 ing. 
 
 As mountains are so large, said an Indian, 
 how large is the world, sir ? I then took out 
 a map and held it up, telling them, this was a 
 picture of the world, upon which I pointed out 
 Favourite Island, but they could not observe 
 it and wished me to make it appear larger, 
 but 1 toid them, that it had its proportion to 
 the rest oi the world, upon the map. Upon, 
 
108 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 which the following conversation took place 
 publicly between me and an Indian. 
 
 Indian. Our island looks like a grain of 
 sand. Does that represent water, all that 
 white part round our island ? 
 
 Yes, and the black Dart, land. 
 
 How wide is our water ? 
 
 We call it the Pacific Ocean, and it is about 
 ten thousand miles broad ? 
 
 Hearing this, the whole company lifted up 
 their hands and looked to each other with 
 astonishment. I told them that all these spots 
 interspersed in their ocean, were islands, that 
 many of them were a great deal larger than 
 theirs, and had men women and children on 
 them, like themselves, and that we all were 
 descendants of the same first man, Adam. 
 
 How came our fathers to our island, where 
 we were born ? 
 
 I suppose they came from South America. 
 It is probable that a fishing party of men and 
 women had gone out from thence to sea — had 
 been overtaken with a violent storm, and 
 driven to the other island, in the same way 
 that Jacob and Joseph had been driven to 
 this some years ago. This answer was sat- 
 isfactory. 
 
 We then read two or three chapters at the 
 beginning of the Bible, describing the crea- 
 tion of the world— sung a hymn — engaged in. 
 prayer, and retired to our respective houses. 
 
 Next day after our morning exercise of 
 reading, &c. a party of us went a fishing, and 
 were very successful, for which on our return 
 we thanked the God of providence. Ill the 
 
Alfred and Galba. 109 
 
 evening we assembled for our learned exer- 
 cise, as it was called. 
 
 One of the Indians began the conversation 
 by asking, in how long a time he would be 
 able to walk round the word ? I told him if he 
 walked twenty miles a day, he would get to 
 his journey's end in 1,500 days, or four years 
 and forty days. 
 
 What is beyond the earth ? These stars. 
 
 What does the earth stand upon ? Nothing. 
 
 What keeps it from falling away I 
 
 It is attracted by the sun. 
 
 What is it to be attracted ? To explain this, 
 I took out a piece of loadstone, and a large 
 needle. When I held the loadstone near it, 
 it instantly flew towards it — when I held it at 
 a greater distance it made the needle move 
 any way I chose without touching it. 1 he 
 power, said I, which this loadstone has over 
 the needle, we call attraction, and this power 
 the sun has upon our world. 
 
 But what prevents men, stones, water, &c. 
 from falling away from the earth, if it hangs 
 in the midst of nothing ? 
 
 The heart, or centre of the earth, has got 
 from God the power of attracting every thing 
 to it, that if any thing be thrown into the air, 
 instead of moving quite away, after it has ex- 
 pended the force with which it was thrown, 
 it is instantly drawn back to the earth. 
 
 The Indians thought they had now got 
 enough to think upon for some time to come, 
 and they went home, divided into little parties, 
 conversing about the wonderful things they 
 had been hearing. Next morning at break of 
 K 
 
110 Alfred and Galba, 
 
 day I observed from my window many of the 
 Indians throwing stones into the air, and ex- 
 pressing surprise every time they returned to 
 the earth. 
 
 When walking along the shore with three 
 Indians, I desired them to take up a few parti- 
 cles of sand, and consider their different sizes 
 and shapes. They all did so. Now, said I, 
 think of the power and wisdom of God. Per- 
 haps there are not two particles of sand in the 
 whole world, exactly of the same shape, 
 weight and size. Likewise, though they be 
 almost invisible to you, had you a strong mag- 
 nifying glass, you would perceive many little 
 animals dwelling upon one of the smallest of 
 them, and creeping for shelter into little 
 apertures in that sand ; others climbing its 
 clefts, as you do upon these precipices — and 
 could we procure still better glasses, perhaps 
 we should find these little animals carrying 
 about even smaller creatures, who live upon 
 them as vermin. 
 
 Having brought a solar microscope with 
 me, I took a single drop of stagnated water, 
 and shewed them its contents by the microscope . 
 When they perceived hundreds of creatures 
 swimming in that small space, they very 
 properly wondered at the power of God, 
 which could produce them. I then desired 
 them to pluck a leaf from one of the trees, 
 and hold it before them towards the sun, and 
 bade them observe how regularly those fibres 
 of various sizes were arranged ! We see 
 them, but we know not their use, said they. 
 These fibres (I said) serve two purposes. 
 
Alfred and Galba. ill 
 
 Sap is communicated through them for nour- 
 ishing the leaf, they also serve to extend it, 
 consequently to preserve its health and beauty. 
 
 In the evening when we assembled for our 
 learned exercise, I described as well as I 
 could the snow which fell in colder climates 
 in the winter season. I had brought some 
 very white flour, which I held up to them, 
 saying, that snow very much resembled it 
 when viewed at a distance — and that in one 
 night our whole country would be covered 
 with snow a foot deep. A woman called out, 
 Where does it come from, sir? From the 
 clouds, friend, like your rain. 
 
 Where do the clouds get the rain and snow ? 
 
 It is vapour that ascends from the sea, 
 and from moist land, and afterwards falls 
 down again as rain in warm climates, and 
 snow in cold. 
 
 How do the people get the snow removed 
 from the ground ? 
 
 If it was left to the people to do, all north- 
 ern and southern nations would be ruined. 
 
 Who does it then ? God. 
 
 How does he do it ? By sending a warm 
 wind which will sometimes clear it away in a 
 few hours. O that is wonderful, said an 
 old Indian, O how good God is to these 
 nations. 
 
 Do these nations always praise God when 
 he performs this kind work for them ? 
 
 He has now done it so often, that they for- 
 get it is owing to his power and goodness. 
 
lie Alfred and Galb*. 
 
 Strange people ! Does God never allow the 
 snow to remain a -whole year, to keep in their 
 remembrance his past goodness ? 
 
 No, for God is very patient and merciful to 
 the sons of men. Now, added I, never forget 
 God's goodness to you in sending rain, for 
 should he withhold it, every leaf and blade of 
 grass would wither — your trees would yield 
 no fruit— all your birds and beasts would die 
 for want of food, and if youeould procure no 
 fishes from the sea, you would die also. — 
 These Indians had never known the indispen- 
 sable necessity for rain before. 
 
 These, and similar conversations, tended 
 greatly to exercise and improve their minds, 
 and furnished a fund for amusing observations 
 while at work. I generally selected two or 
 three of those who possessed the best talents, 
 and took them along with me in my daily ex- 
 cursions, at which times we conversed on edi- 
 fying subjects. Upon one of these excursions, 
 I directed their attention to the perfumes 
 emitted by flowers, their immense variety, 
 and their being produced by the same earth. 
 This led us to smell every flower we passed, 
 and to observe their different forms and col- 
 ours, which afford such an endless variety. 
 Wi. also examined a variety ol birds-nests, and 
 rem .ked, that every species of birds, had 
 each its particular plan of building ; also, that 
 the first nest built by a bird, being as perfect 
 as its last, evidently shewed that the ingenuity 
 it exercised, came immediately from God. it 
 is different (I added) with man. When a 
 boy is bound apprentice to a cabinet maker. 
 
Alfred and Galba. 1 1 S 
 
 the first chair he attempts to make will be a 
 clumsy piece of work, but practice improves 
 his genius, and the longer he continues to 
 make chairs, he makes them better. We 
 generally related these conversations at our 
 evening meetings, enlarging upon each par- 
 ticular topic. 
 
 A thoughtful young man stood up in the 
 meeting one evening, and inquired how many 
 stars we could see in a clear evening ? I an- 
 swered — 
 
 About a thousand, but with a good tele- 
 scope we could see millions. 
 
 How many is a million ? 
 
 Ten hundred thousand. 
 
 How much higher are the stars than the 
 hill at the head of Pleasant Valley ? 
 
 The nearest fixed star is called Sirius, or 
 the dog star, and it is supposed to be the near- 
 est, from its appearing the largest. But even 
 Sirius is thought to be at such an amazing 
 distance from the earth, that a cannon ball fly- 
 ing at the rate of 480 miles every hour, could 
 not reach it in less than 700,000 years. 
 
 You said Jlxed stars — are any of them fixed 
 in one place ? 
 
 Yes, all of them except eight, which are 
 called planets, and these eight, of which our 
 earth is one, move round the same sun. 
 
 I thought all the stars had moved, for if I 
 stand an hour at night looking over the top of 
 these hills, on the east side of the Valley, I 
 perhaps see an hundred new stars come into 
 view — now, said he, does not that shew that 
 they all move ? 
 
 K 2 
 
114 Alfred and Gatba. 
 
 No, my friend, it is the earth, moving from 
 west to east, that makes you imagine the stars 
 to be moving. Children are often deceived in 
 the same way, when sailing along the shore ; 
 they suppose the trees and rocks to be all 
 moving past them, when in fact, the only mo- 
 tion is in the canoe. 
 
 Another boy then got up, and asked me if 
 the sun was as big as the chapel window ? 
 
 1 told the boy and those present, that the 
 sun was a most amazing mass of matter, 
 about thirteen hundred thousand times larger 
 than this earth. 
 
 Then we must be at a great distance from 
 the sun, sir ? 
 
 About 9 5 millions of miles. 
 
 And how far are we from the moon ? 
 
 Two hundred and forty thousand miles. 
 
 These prodigious works of God, led us to 
 consider the greatness of his power ; also 
 the blessedness of such as had this God for 
 their friend, and how awful it must be to have 
 him for au enemy. I exhorted them all to 
 run for refuse from his wrath, to Jesus 
 Christ, wno endured it to the utmost for sin- 
 ners ; wherefore he is able to save unto the 
 uttermost all who come unto God through 
 h i m . 
 
 At our next meeting, I gave them a short 
 account of the division of the world, into dif- 
 ferent nations, each of which live like a dis- 
 tinct family, united under a system of laws, 
 and agreeing to put these laws in execution 
 against any of their number who transgress 
 them. 
 
Alfred and Galba. M£ 
 
 As I encouraged them to ask whatever 
 questions occurred to them, they were gene- 
 rally very ready to do so. 
 
 One asked why these laws were made ? 
 
 ,1 answered, for the protection of each per- 
 son's life and property. Without such rules 
 among rich nations, the strongest and the 
 most artful would generally be the richest, if 
 they were wicked people ; and every nation 
 has a great many bad members. 
 
 How would the strongest, if wicked men, 
 be the richest ? 
 
 Because they would plunder and oppress 
 the weak and the peaceable. 
 
 You say the nations are like so many fami- 
 lies, do they always live in love and peace 
 with each other ? 
 
 Not always, they frequently fight against 
 each other ; and sometimes when they meet 
 they will kill £ve or six thousand of each 
 nation. 
 
 How do they fight ? 
 
 You heard the cannons fire on board our 
 ship. They use these in war, putting large 
 round balls of iron into them, they shoot 
 them off against the other people, and one of 
 these balls will sometimes kill five or six 
 men at one time. 
 
 O that is shocking work ! 
 
 Yes, my friends, very shocking, and it had, 
 and still has its rise from sin. If there was 
 no sin, the law of love would reign in every 
 man's breast, and one nation would rejoice in 
 the prosperity of another. If any misunder- 
 standing arose, it would be amicably . settled 
 
116 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 by arbitration, and the party injured would in- 
 stantly receive reparation and satisfaction 
 from the other. 
 
 Do the strong and wicked men you men- 
 tioned, ever try to rob or hurt such as are 
 rich and weak ? 
 
 In many of the countries in Europe, peo- 
 ple are afraid to walk in private places, or any 
 w ne re after it is dark. 
 
 Are they afraid of wild beasts ? 
 
 No, it is of men, lest they murder or rob 
 them. 
 
 So these are not afraid of punishment 
 from God who has forbidden us to kill or 
 steal ? 
 
 No, the fear of God is not before their 
 eyes. 
 
 Now said I, friends, it will be very seasona- 
 ble lor us to pray for that happy period which 
 God has promised to send, when the knowl- 
 edge and love of the Lord shall cover the 
 earth as the waters cover the bottom of the 
 sea. Then we all kneeled down and prayed 
 for a general and powerful spread of divine 
 truth, that every dark and wicked work might 
 be banished from the earth. 
 
 At-the conclusion of this meeting, the In- 
 dians were greatly alarmed in consequence of 
 a total eclipse of the moon ; which they fear- 
 ed portended some dreadful catastrophe I 
 therefore called them again to the chapel, for 
 the purpose of explaining this phenomenon. 
 
 I told them, that the moon had no light in 
 itself, but reflected to us the light of the sun ; 
 consequently when the earth came between 
 
Alfred and Galha. 11 r 
 
 the sun and the moon, as it had done to night, 
 the moon could not receive any light from the 
 sun, and must therefore be black as it is at 
 present ; but in less than an hour (I added) 
 you will see the sun begin to shine again up- 
 on the edge of the moon. 
 
 While we were thus conversing, we saw 
 the edge begin to brighten, to the great joy of 
 our Indians* 
 
 I then gave them a representation of this 
 eclipse, that what I had said might be more 
 intelligible, and more strongly impressed on 
 their minds. 
 
 I put a candle in such a position that it only 
 enlightened a part of the chapel. This candle 
 represented the sun. I placed a mirror at a 
 little distance, so as to reflect the light of the 
 candle upon the dark part of the chapel — this 
 mirror I observed represented the moon. I 
 then made the head of a cask pass between the 
 candle and the mirror, to represent the earth 
 passing between the sun and the moon. As 
 the head of thexask passed on, the mirror 
 gradually ceased to reflect light, till it was to- 
 tally obscured, then keeping the cask head 
 still moving forward, light began to be reflect- 
 ed from the mirror, till it emitted the same 
 quantity as before. 
 
 The Indians remarked that the matter was 
 simple and intelligible ; seemed quite pleased 
 with the information ; and went home won- 
 dering at their former ignorance, and at the 
 simplicity of the works of God when under- 
 stood. 
 
118 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 At our next meeting, I made the wonderful 
 construction of the human body, a subject of 
 familiar investigation. 
 
 m Observe, said I, what a wonderful blessing 
 it is, to have eyes. What a helpless creaiure 
 man would have been, had he been created 
 without them. How would he have got food ? 
 His life would have been in danger every step 
 he took, from rocks, rivers, &c. He could have 
 not gone to sea in a canoe to fish, because he 
 never could have found land again. He could 
 not in such a case understand the glory of 
 these heavens, or the beautiful works of God 
 on this earth. To him the sun, moon, and 
 stars must have shone in vain. He could not 
 have written a letter to a friend at a distance, 
 and though he could write, no man had been 
 able to cell what was written. 
 
 Tliink also of our ears, for the purpose of 
 hearing. What a blessing to man. Without 
 them, speech would have been useless. The 
 society of each other of little value — the sing- 
 ing of the birds would have afforded no pleas- 
 ure. 
 
 Had God not given us hands, what deplo- 
 rabie objects we must have been, and how 
 heipiess. We could have built no houses for 
 our habitation ; elm bed no trees for fruit to 
 support us ; could have had no canoes, no 
 fields — infants must frequently have perished, 
 because the mother could not feed them. 
 
 Observe, said I, the wisdom of God in 
 placing the arms in suitable parts of the body. 
 Try to find out any other part of the body 
 where they could have been as conveniently 
 
Alfred and Galba. 119 
 
 placed for fulfilling the purposes for which 
 they are designed. 
 
 They all thought for a few minutes, and 
 told me they could think of no other part of 
 the body so convenient for them. 
 
 But think how useless the arms would have 
 been, had God not placed fingers at the end of 
 them. This also produced thanksgiving to 
 God for his goodness. 
 
 How useful also are our limbs, by which we 
 can move our bodies where and when we 
 please. Think also how much these mem- 
 bers are in subjection to the mind — they read- 
 ily obey its will. For example, my finger 
 moves the instant I desire it — how my mind 
 has that influence upon it I cannot tell' — 
 Wherever I wish to go, my feet are ready to 
 carry me, whatever I wish to behold, my eyes 
 are equally ready to turn to the object and 
 convey its colour or form to my mind. 
 
 Is not the growth of a child exceedingly 
 wonderful ? and that every bone, every mem- 
 ber should grow in the same proportion with 
 each other ! How unsuitable and inconve- 
 nient it would be, should our body grow to the 
 size of manhood, and yet have the bead, arms 
 and legs of an infant. It is also pleasant to 
 observe the progress of the mind, which in 
 general is as gradual as the growth of the 
 body. 
 
 Indeed, every thing on earth, goes on from 
 its beginning towards a kind oi perfection. 
 Beasts, birds and fishes ; insects, trees and 
 every plant, are comparatively small at the 
 beginning of their existence ', but as hours 
 
120 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 days, months and years roll on, they gradually 
 increase till they come to their appointed 
 growth and stature ; which they no sooner 
 attain to, than thev begin to decay. Every duy 
 indeed exhibits an example of this. It begins 
 with morning dawn, which increases more 
 and more to perfect day, or noon, when the 
 light begins gradually to decline, till it sinks 
 into the grave of night. 
 
 It is rnVh time now to give some account of 
 our meetings for religious instruction. We 
 always read a chapter of scripture at the be- 
 ginning of every meeting, and made it the 
 subject of a free conversation. We began to 
 read at the first chapter of Genesis ; a few of 
 our conversations, after reading our chapter, 
 will be very entertaining and instructive to a 
 young reader. 
 
 After reading the first chapter, I requested 
 them freely to ask me any question that oc- 
 curred. Immediately a young man stood up 
 and inquired, how there could be three days 
 and nights before there was either sun, moon, 
 or stars ? I replied, 
 
 My friend, this shewed the power of God, 
 who could as easily make a bright day without 
 the sun, as to make the sun, and by it to make 
 bright days. Greenland in America, and Lap- 
 land in Europe, are two countries so far north 
 that in the middle of winter they derive little 
 light from the sun, yet God wonderfully sup- 
 plies thai lack of sun light. He covers the 
 earth with snow, which is pure white, and 
 spreads over the heavens the brightest stream- 
 ers, which the learned call Aurora Borealis 
 
Alfred and Galba. 121 
 
 or Northern Lights. These two causes corn- l 
 bining their influence, produce almost perfect 
 day, at least as much light as is necessary for 
 performing all the purposes of life. 
 
 I had to simplify these remarks still more, 
 before they were intelligible to the Indians ; 
 but when they understood them, they greatly- 
 admired the wisdom and power of the Creator 
 of ?.ll things. 
 
 A lad next inquired the meaning of the 
 heavenly lights being for signs, seasons, days 
 and years. 
 
 At sea, they let us know east, west, north 
 and south ; they are equally useful for giving 
 this information to travellers in the plains of 
 Asia, and in extensive deserts — they also dis- 
 tinguish winter from summer, day from night, 
 and by their revolutions, we calculate months 
 and years. 
 
 Another desired to know, in what sense man 
 was made after the image of God ; asking if 
 God had a head, hands and feet like ourselves ? 
 
 I said, that was not the meaning of the ex- 
 pression, for God is a spirit, and a spirit hath 
 not flesh and bones as we have. But the soul 
 of man is a spirit, possessing understanding 
 like God, and when God created man, he was 
 holy and happy like his Maker, and in these 
 respects was created after his image. 
 
 These and many other questions were con- 
 sidered, after which, so many as had nothing 
 particular to attend to, took a turn in the 
 woods, viewing trees, rocks, fowls, &c. as the 
 works of the great Creator. When we re- 
 turned, we were sorry to learn that two ef the 
 L 
 
122 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 colonists had been acting very improperly ; 
 having stolen several articles from the neigh- 
 bours, and fled to the mountains. W T e ap- 
 pointed six men to watch the village during 
 the night, and resolved next morning, to send 
 a party in search of them. 
 
 So soon as day light appeared, I went at 
 the head of twelve men on this expedition. 
 For a long time we could perceive no traces 
 of them, and began to think they had gone to 
 sea in a canoe. However, in the afternoon 
 we perceived one of them standing on the 
 shore at a considerable distance. With the 
 utmost speed We made towards the spot, but 
 to our surprise he was gone, we knew not 
 where. We resolved minutely to examine 
 some rugged rocks at a little distance, in 
 hopes of finding out their retreat. We soon 
 perceived a cave, apparently cut out of the 
 rock, by the violent dashing of the waves 
 against it, it being of a softer substance than 
 other rocks around : but as the waves could 
 only reach it in extraordinary tempests, the 
 work must have commenced in very remote 
 ages. 
 
 We entered it, two and two abreast, search- 
 ing every corner as we advanced. At the 
 extremity of the cave, we found a cavity re- 
 sembling a Well. We commanded the two 
 men we were in search of, to speak if they 
 were there, for we intended to throw into it, 
 a large stone to ascertain its depth." On 
 hearing this, they surrendered themselves 
 prisoners with the goods they had stolen, and 
 dieted thefn to the colonv. 
 
Alfred and Galba. 123 
 
 A jury of twelve persons were appointed to 
 try them, and witnesses were produced, who 
 most satisfactorily proved the robbery. 
 
 They were condemned to three months' 
 solitary confinement ; at the conclusion of 
 which they were conducted to the chapel, 
 where they received an exhortation. 
 
 I particularly reminded them of the com- 
 mandment God had given to men, to love 
 one another — that theft was an outrage against 
 this law of love, and highly criminal in the 
 sight of God — that should this practice be- 
 come general, the security and happiness of 
 society would be destroyed ; and men would 
 be under the necessity of living as far remov- 
 ed from each other as possible. We assured 
 them, if they repeated the crime, they would 
 be instantly banished from the colony, as per- 
 sons incapable of living among civilized men. 
 They appeared, poor creatures, to be ashamed 
 of their conduct, they asked forgiveness of 
 those they had injured, and expressed a de- 
 termination never to repeat the crime any 
 more. I gave them Christ's advice, to go 
 and sin no more, lest a worst thing should 
 come upon them. 
 
 When I came to the chapel door, I was 
 asked to come quickly to see a girl we had 
 named Rebekah, who had been taken suddenly 
 ill, and was thought to be at the point of death. 
 I found her exceedingly ill indeed. I inquir* 
 ed if she was afraid to die ? O yes, said she. 
 
 Why are you afraid ? 
 
 Lest I do not go to the good place ? 
 
 Why do you think you will not go there ? 
 
 Because I tofcl lies and did not pray to God, 
 
124 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 Are these things offensive to God ? 
 
 Yes, yes. 
 
 How do you know that ? 
 
 Because the book said so. 
 
 What book ? 
 
 God's book that you read to us. 
 
 Are you sorry you did not attend better to 
 what God's book told you, when you was in 
 "health ? 
 
 Very sorry, very sorry. 
 
 Did not you hear in God's book, that he 
 sent his dear Son Jesus to save sinners ? 
 
 Yes, but it does not say he sent him to 
 save me? 
 
 My dear, you confess that you are a sinner, 
 and that Jesus came to save sinners, remem- 
 ber that God commands every sinner to turn 
 away from sin, and trust upon the holv life 
 and atoning death of his Son, and that he will 
 not destroy but save such. 
 
 But do you think he will save me ? 
 I am sure he will if you trust in him, for he 
 says, him that cometh unto me, I will in no' 
 wise cast out. 
 
 We then went to prayer on her behalf, that 
 God would spare her young life, or take her 
 to himself. The Lord heard our prayer for 
 her recovery, for she was running about in 
 two or three days, and then behaved very 
 well — she was about thirteen years of age. 
 
 After reading the second chapter of Gene- 
 sis at one of our evening meetings in chapel, 
 the following, among other questions, were 
 put to me. 
 
 Where was the garden of Eden ? 
 
Alfred and Galba. 125 
 
 It is not certainly known, but supposed to 
 have been in or near Mesopotamia, a little to 
 the eastward of Asia Minor, and at the head 
 of the Mediterranean Sea. I pointed out the 
 spot to them upon the map, and remarked 
 that in the days of Adam, it had been a de- 
 lightful country, and that before he had sinned 
 he must have enjoyed it, with exquisite de- 
 light. 
 
 Take notice, my friends, of verse 15, which 
 shews that even Adam in his state of inno- 
 cence was not to spend his life in indolence, he 
 was to dress and keep the garden. Labour is 
 not a curse but a blessing to man. Activity 
 and diligence are useful and necessary lo 
 promote vigour of mind, and health of body. 
 Though heaven be a state of sinless rest, it is 
 also a state of holy action. God is the great 
 example of activity. Night and day does he 
 manage and support the millions of his 
 creatures. 
 
 Was Adam to receive any advantage by 
 dressing the garden ? 
 
 God recompensed him, by permitting him 
 to eat of the fruit of every tree in the garden, 
 except one. 
 
 Why did God forbid him to eat of that one ? 
 
 To try his submission to his will — and 
 from Adam's situation, there was hardly 
 another way to try him. God has a right to 
 try the affection and obedience of his crea- 
 tures, in anyway he pleases. 
 
 After reading the third chapter, I remark- 
 ed, that therein we had an account of the 
 introduction of sin and mjsery into the world*. 
 L 2 
 
126 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 That the devil disguised in the shape of a 
 serpent, attempted to raise suspicions of God's 
 friendship in the woman's mind, and to 
 persuade her she would be much wiser if she 
 should eat the forbidden fruit. Observe how 
 gradual the progress of sin was in her mind. 
 She listened to the tempter — looked with de- 
 sire to the fruit— plucked — ate — gave it to her 
 husband. 
 
 An old man inquired, why they ran away 
 from God ? 
 
 A guilty conscience made them dread his 
 wrath, but mercy pursued them — God came 
 to rebuke and to redeem. 
 
 What would have become of Adam had he 
 not taken of the forbidden fruit ? 
 
 The Bible does not inform us, and we must 
 not be wise above what is written by God, in 
 that book. 
 
 Explain to us the 15th verse. 
 
 God would never allow the devil and good 
 men to be in friendship. The serpent, who 
 is addressed, means the devil- — The woman's 
 seed means Christ — Bruising the serpent 
 refers to the work of Christ, by which men 
 should be delivered from the devil's power. 
 The devil bruising, means his persecution 
 against Christ and his people, but that this 
 should not destroy them. The combatants 
 can never be reconciled, for God has put the 
 enmity between them. 
 
 Why did God drive Adam out of Eden ? 
 
 No doubt, to impress his mind more 
 strongly with the evil of sin — indeed it ceased 
 to be a Paradise the moment he sinned, and 
 to this day, sin will render the mo$t pleasant 
 
Alfred and Galba. 127 
 
 situation in life, wretched. In Favourite 
 Island, we may be very happy, if we have in- 
 tercourse with God. by means of faith, prayer, 
 and holy living ; but if we live in the love 
 and practice of sin, we shall not be happy here, 
 or any where else. 
 
 We continued these exercises every even- 
 ing while the ship was absent, sometimes 
 reading in the Old Testament, and sometimes 
 in the New. Their progress in knowledge 
 was very evident, and as we proceeded in our 
 studies, many of them seemed to derive in- 
 creasing satisfaction from the subjects on 
 which we conversed, and were more anxious 
 to understand every thing that came under 
 review. In our walks among the woods they 
 were continually asking further explanation 
 of this and the other topic we had attended to 
 at our public meetings, and I found myself 
 frequently unable fully to answer their 
 inquiries. 
 
 As we had brought with us from Brest 
 various articles of husbandry, we were daily 
 employed in clearing and cultivating the 
 ground, and planting different kinds of grain, 
 &c in order to ascertain, which would be 
 most suited to their climate. We did not 
 confine our experiments to the vicinity of 
 either of the villages, but tried different parts 
 of the island, to find out the fittest soils. The 
 Indians believing it was their good I aimed at, 
 seconded all my efforts with great cheerful- 
 ness : and it was pleasant to see our little com- 
 pany at sun-rise, marching up the valley, one 
 with his spade, another with his axe, a third 
 
12* Alfred and Galba. 
 
 with his saw, and every one carrying some 
 useful implement. 
 
 We also built a neat bridge over the brook, 
 which divided our village into two parts ; but 
 this was as much for ornament as use. 
 Thus ends Galba's Journal. 
 
 Continuation of *he Journal by Alfred, till 
 their an .al at Mont fie [Her. 
 
 AFTER dinner we went ashore in the 
 boat, and it was pleasant to find the colony in 
 so thriving a state. The minds of the colo- 
 nists were also remarkably improved : they 
 conversed freely about the heavenly bodies, 
 the tides, the variety of trees, shrubs, birds, 
 &c. and the great wisdom of the Creator, 
 evident in their form and design. But what 
 was still more gratifying, they made many 
 simple and intelligent remarks upon passages 
 in the sacred writings, the manifest result of 
 affectionate meditation. 
 
 The Indians did not express that joy upon 
 our return that we expected ; which we 
 found upon inquiry to proceed from a fear 
 that our final departure was not very distant. 
 
 The first thing we set about upon our re- 
 turn was, to build a suitable habitation for our 
 ransomed captives. We placed this mansion 
 on the side of one of the hills behind the 
 village, and though it was a small edifice, it 
 yet added greatly to the beauty of the sur- 
 rounding scenery. We gave to the hill) the 
 
Alfred and Galba. 129 
 
 name of Mount Lebanon — and cleaved about 
 an acre of ground behind the house, of trees 
 and underwood, to be a kitchen garden for 
 its inhabitants. They were highly delighted 
 with their new situation, and perfectly re- 
 signed to spend the remainder of their days 
 in Pleasant Valley. They expressed great 
 gratitude when they compared their former 
 situation in the gloomy mines of Potosi, with 
 their present residence on Mount Lebanon. 
 We presented them with a small library of 
 books, which we told them would appear 
 very precious when they were taught to read 
 them, and we hoped this would soon be the 
 case. We likewise presented them with in- 
 struments for building, tilling, cutting down 
 trees, Sec. for which they were remarkably 
 thankful. 
 
 Several little fields of Indian corn, yams, 
 Sec. were now in a very thriving condition, and 
 some hogs we had brought with us, were do- 
 ing very well. 
 
 Every day since our departure from Lima, 
 I spent several hours with the captives, teach- 
 ing them to read and understand the French 
 language, also conveying to them religious in- 
 struction. The Patagonian was the most do- 
 cile, and made rapid progress ; the other two 
 were not of quick capacity, nor were they anx- 
 ious to learn, consequently their progress was 
 very slow. The difficulties at first appeared 
 insurmountable. From this false view, they 
 were discouraged, and their success retarded, 
 i lit after they could read monosyllables with 
 tolerable ease, they had more pleasure in the 
 
130 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 exercise, and more hope of being ultimately 
 successful ; of course their studies went on 
 better. If a man has no hope of success in any 
 matter in which he is engaged, his endeavours 
 to accomplish it will be much enfeebled. The 
 hope of eternal life, is a main spring to chris- 
 tian activity, in pressing forward to the prize 
 of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 
 When a man loses this blessed hope, he be- 
 comes discouraged, peevish, inactive. Hope 
 is like oil to the christian's wheels, it makes 
 him cheerful, contented, active and zealous. 
 
 One day there was a very violent storm of 
 wind, rain, thunder and lightning. About the 
 close of it, a canoe with three men was driven 
 ashore. They were almost dead with cold 
 and wet, having been blown off from the island 
 to which our colonists originally belonged. 
 They were greatly surprised to find their old 
 friends living so comfortably upon Favourite 
 Island, and they admired their houses, gardens, 
 fields, &c. but as for the chapel, although it 
 appeared to them a huge building, they had 
 no idea of its use, till they saw us all assem- 
 bled in it for prayer and religious instruc- 
 tion. After remaining a few days, we asked 
 if they were anxious tp return home. They 
 said no, they would prefer remaining with 
 us if we would permit them. We therefore 
 called a general meeting of the inhabitants, to 
 deliberate on the propriety of permitting them 
 to remain ; and after a good deal of reasoning 
 it was unanimously agreed, to receive them as 
 members of the colony provided they would 
 promise to observe the regulations that had 
 
Alfred and Galba. 131 
 
 been made for its government. These were 
 told them, one by one, and their approbation 
 required. When they assented to the last, ev- 
 ery person present went forward and embrac- 
 ed them as brethren, and the pious among us 
 at the same time expressed a wish, that they 
 might also become members of the family of 
 God. 
 
 Walking home, we overheard some of the 
 old settlers telling them of the wonderful 
 things they would soon be taught by Galba. 
 Holding up a book, one of them said, in a little 
 while you will be able to understand long 
 speeches, which that thing will make to you — 
 a little boy added, yes, and they will tell him 
 the history of sun, moou, and stars, and how 
 trees grow, and how his hair grows, and his 
 feet walk, and his ears hear, and eyes see, and 
 a great many more things. But, my friend, 
 added a female, you will also be made acquaint- 
 ed with God who made you, of his love to us 
 men and women, and of the wonderful kind 
 things he has done for us. You will also hear 
 about a life beyond death. On this, one said, 
 you are certainly mocking me. No, said 
 a man, you have a soul within you, that 
 you never heard of before — it is that soul that 
 thinks, it is not your flesh, blood, and bones 
 that think. It is that thinking something 
 within us, that does not die, but goes to anoth- 
 er world. So long as that soul remains with- 
 in you, you are not dead, but the moment God 
 orders it to leave your body you are a dead 
 man, and no one can bring it back again but 
 
IZ2 Alfred and Galbd. 
 
 God, which he will do at the end of the world. 
 But, said he, where shall my body be found 
 then. It was answered, that God would find 
 out the dust of which it was composed, and 
 make it anew. I marked the features of this 
 Indian while hearing these relations, and there 
 was a mixture of astonishment, fear, and 
 doubt. But they continued almost the whole 
 night, talking in this way to him and his 
 two companions. Poor things, they begged a 
 little time to sleep, for their minds were quite 
 exhausted with thinking upon so many things 
 which they had never heard of before. I ob- 
 served that some of the old settlers had par- 
 ticular pleasure in pouring forth, at once, their 
 whole stock of knowledge. I therefore ad- 
 vised them to deal it out more economically, 
 for in that case it would be more useful to the 
 receivers ; that the new-comers, were chil- 
 dren in knowledge, and should be treated as 
 such. You would not cram as much meat in- 
 to the mouth of your infant as you could take 
 into your own, it has neither a throat capable 
 to receive it, nor a stomach to contain it. 
 They felt the force of my reasoning, and re- 
 solved to act more prudently for the future. 
 
 Next day the colonists were so anxious to 
 tell their new stories to these three men, that 
 if they recollected any thing which had not 
 been already told, they would leave their work 
 and run a mile to tell them this thing. A 
 man even came from the head of Pleasant 
 Valley down to the colony, during the hottest 
 time of the day, to tell them it was God who 
 at birds to build their nests. Another 
 
Jijrcd and Galba. 133 
 
 came nearly as far, to inform them, that Jesus 
 Christ, the Son of God, was willing to receive 
 them as friends, if they would only believe in 
 him. Another who was more than a mile out 
 at sea, fishing, came paddling so quick to shore 
 that we imagined he had seen some sea mon- 
 ger ; but he came to tell the new-comers 
 there v. as not two men in the world whose 
 \oices would sound exactly alike — that God 
 invented this variety, for the convenience of 
 men, that they might know each other in the 
 dark as well as in the light. But, said I, if 
 God had made men all of the same size and 
 shape, and with the same countenances, we 
 should have been at a great loss to distin- 
 guish each other even at mid-day ; but there are 
 not two faces in the world exactly alike, and 
 the difference is from God. This remark, 
 being q\iite new to them, it circulated among 
 the whole colonists in a few minutes. 
 
 These occurrences were both pleasing and 
 amusing — they gave new life to the colony, 
 and their effects were very important. Sev- 
 eral who had never thought seriously about 
 the things of God, became solicitous for in- 
 struction, and were sometimes found at the 
 foot of trees, praying to God for mercy. 
 xVt sun rise we generally saw from our win- , 
 dows several parties, sitting under trees on 
 Mount Lebanon, reading the scriptures to 
 their new friends ; and from their actions we 
 knew they were attempting to explain and 
 enforce what they read. These exertions of 
 «he teachers, taught themselves. Perhaps 
 there is not a better way to become more ac- 
 M 
 
134 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 quainted with any science, than by attempting' 
 to teach it unto others. It discovers to us 
 wherein our own knowledge is defective, and 
 calls up many dormant ideas, at the same 
 time that it promotes active research. Galba 
 and I uniformly found, that in proportion as 
 the old settlers were active in instructing the* 
 new ones, their own inquiries of us became 
 more frequent and more important ; conse- 
 quently we encouraged this employment as 
 much as possible. 
 
 We now began to hint at our approaching 
 departure, which occasioned universal sorrow. 
 Their minds revolted against the idea of our 
 leaving them. They said every thing would 
 go wrong if we left them, but we assured them 
 our affairs at home would not permit us to 
 remain much longer. We put them in re- 
 membrance of God's presence being with 
 them, and the certain hope of our soon meet- 
 ing in a better and happier world if we held 
 the beginning of our confidence in Jesus sted- 
 fast to the end. They asked, when we would 
 visit them again ? To this we could make no 
 other reply than that we could make no prom- 
 ises respecting that point, but would write to 
 them, on our return home. 
 
 We got all the sailors on shore who could 
 be spared with safety from the ship, to assist 
 in erecting barns for holding grain, when 
 there should be occasion for it, and a small 
 mill for grinding it. We likewise ejected a 
 school-house, for the instruction of children — 
 and a large well aired house for the reception 
 of their sick : and enclosed about an acre 
 
Alfred and Gulba, lo5 
 
 of ground, behind the Chapel for a burying 
 place. 
 
 While all this was going forward, our 
 meetings for all kinds of instruction were 
 never omitted ; and many made remarkable 
 progress in reading, writing, and understand- 
 ing the French language, in which all the 
 books we had given them were written. 
 Some were so attached to the information 
 which they had acquired, that we believe they 
 would continue to instruct their countrymen 
 in the same things after we were gone — and 
 as we were to leave with them a considerable 
 quantity of writing paper, we hoped when a 
 leaf of their Bibles or other books failed, they 
 would replace it. by copying it on a white leaf, 
 and pasting it in instead of the decayed one. 
 
 The day previous to that fixed for our de- 
 parture now arrived — we spent it in social and 
 fervent prayer to God for his constant counte- 
 nance to the colony-— that He would perfect 
 the work he had begun, by preserving peace, 
 union and love amongsi them., and by making 
 ail of them heirs and partakers of the incor- 
 ruptible inheritance. This meeting, resem- 
 bled Paul's, with the Elders at Ephesus. 
 There were many tears ! 
 
 Next morning, the sun arose to witness our 
 separation ; it appeared to hasten to the scene, 
 for when noon arrived we were all surprised. 
 The sailors had just completed taking on 
 board the necessary quantity of water, when 
 they told us that the ship was now ready to 
 get under weigh. 
 
136 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 We then look to our boats, and accompani- 
 ed almost by every person on the island in 
 their canoes, we went on board, and sat down 
 together on the quarter deck to a plentiful 
 repast, after which we gave a farewell address 
 to the Indians, commending them to God and 
 the word of his grace. They stepped into 
 their canoes with sorrowful hearts, and we set 
 sail, without being able to speak any more to 
 our dear friends. They followed us, till we 
 begged them to return, lest they should be 
 overtaken with a storm ; but they would not 
 till they had almost lost sight of the island ; 
 when i hey began to row back. 
 
 We had not left them above an hour, when 
 a very violent gale sprung up from the south 
 east, which we saw by our glasses soon separ- 
 ated the little fleet of canoes, at least ten miles 
 from the island. Immediately the captain 
 ordered about the helm that we might sail to 
 their assistance. Before we had sailed ten 
 miles, we picked up four canoes full of peo- 
 ple who must otherwise have perished. We 
 saw others reach the island in safety, but some 
 were driving fast out to sea. After these we 
 directed our course, but could not reach them 
 before darkness concealed them from our- 
 view. We kept in the same course, hanging 
 out our lights, that they might see us, though 
 it was impossible for us to see them. The 
 sea ran mountains high, and there was every 
 reason to conclude they had gone to the bot- 
 tom. How were we astonished at midnight 
 to 'find six of our old friends climbing up the 
 sides of the ship ! — They had most providen- 
 
Alfred and Galka. 13? - 
 
 tially been in the tract in which we were 
 sailing, and got hold of some of our ropes as 
 we were passing them. They had called out 
 with all their might when they came near us, 
 but the noise occasioned by the wind and 
 waves, prevented us from hearing. What a 
 narrow escape ! They certainly were thank- 
 ful — they expressed it in the most affecting 
 manner, at the same time that they felt great 
 concern for the safety of their companions. 
 
 We continued sailing in the same course all 
 night, anxiously desiring the dawn of the 
 morning. When it arrived, we could neither 
 discover island nor canoes. After making 
 several long tacks, we espied two black spots 
 on the ocean at a great distance, which we 
 hoped were the two canoes that were missing. 
 We made towards them, and to our great joy 
 they were the canoes, still above water. 
 Three of the children, however, had died 
 during the night. The remainder were half 
 dead. We got them hoisted on board, put 
 into comfortable hammocks, and gave them 
 some warm drink. They were almost per- 
 fectly recovered before the afternoon. The 
 storm continued for two days. It was not till 
 the third that we regained the island. We 
 put them all ashore, and charged them not to 
 follow us a single mile. After taking a sec- 
 ond affectionate farewell, we sailed directly, 
 with a fair wind. 
 
 We returned to Europe by the same tract 
 
 as on the former voyage, only we doubled 
 
 Cape Horn instead of going through the 
 
 Straits of Magellan. The weather there wa c . 
 
 M 2 
 
138 Alfred and Galba. 
 
 very tempestuous, but God preserved us. 
 Our passage afterwards was speedy and 
 pleasant — and the old captain stood the voy- 
 age remarkably well. Our friends at Brest 
 received us with much affection, and so did 
 our relatives at Montpellier. We found that 
 God had evidently superintended our temporal 
 affairs during our absence, so that we had 
 reason to sing of his mercy and goodness. 
 
 The author has only to add that the whole 
 he has detailed was a dream. 
 
ABDALLAH AND SABAT 
 
 Abdallah and Sab at were intimate 
 friends ; and being young men of family in 
 Arabia, they agreed to travel together, and to 
 visit foreign countries. They were hoth 
 zealous Mohammedans. Sabat is son of 
 Ibrahim Sabat, a noble family of the line of 
 iteni-Sabat, who trace their pedigree to 
 Mohammed. The two friends left Arabia, 
 after paying their adorations at the tomb of 
 their prophet at Mecca, and travelled through 
 Persia, and thence to Cabul. Abdallah was 
 appointed to an office of state under Zemaun 
 Shah, king of Cabul ; and Sabat left him 
 there, and proceeded on a tour through Tar- 
 tar y. 
 
 While Abdallah remained at Cabul, he was 
 converted to the christian faith by the perusal 
 of a Bible, belonging (as is supposed) to a 
 christian from Armenia, then residing at 
 Cabul.* In the Mohammedan states, it is 
 death for a man of rank to become a christian. 
 Abdallah endeavoured for a time to conceal 
 
 * The Armenian christians in Persia ba»v£ 
 among them a few copies of the Arabic Bible. 
 
1 40 Abdallah and Sabat. 
 
 his conversion ; but finding it no longer pos- 
 sible, he determined to flee to some of the 
 christian churches near the Caspian Sea. He 
 accordingly left Cabul in disguise ; and had 
 gained the great city of Bochara in Tartary, 
 Avhen he was met in the streets of that city by 
 his friend Sabat, who immediately recognized 
 him. 
 
 Sabat had heard of his conversion and flight, 
 and was filled with indignation at his conduct. 
 Abdallah knew his danger, and threw himself 
 at the feet of Sabat. He confessed that he 
 was a christian ; and implored him, by the 
 sacred tie of their former friendship, to let 
 him escape with his life. ' But, Sir,' said 
 Sabat, when relating the story himself, ' I 
 had no pity. I caused my servants to seize 
 him ; and I delivered him up to Morad Shaw, 
 king of Bochara. He was sentenced to die ; 
 and a herald went through the city of Bochara, 
 announcing the time of his execution. An 
 immense multitude attended, and the chief 
 men of the city. I also went, and stood near 
 to Abdallah. He was offered his life if he 
 would abjure Christ, the executioner stand- 
 ing by him with his sword in his hand. 
 ' No !' said he, as if the proposition was im- 
 possible to be complied with, * I cannot ab- 
 jure Christ I 9 Then one of his hands was cut 
 off at the wrist : he stood firm, his arm hang- 
 ing by his side with but little motion. A 
 physician, by the desire of the king, offered 
 to heal the wound if he would recant. He 
 made no answer, but looked up steadfastly 
 towards heaven, (like Stephen, the first mar- 
 
Abdallah and Sadat, 141 
 
 tyr) his eyes streaming with tears. He did 
 not look with anger towards me : he looked 
 at me, but it was benignly, and with the 
 countenance of forgiveness. His other hand 
 was then cut off. ' But Sir,' said Sabat, in 
 his imperfect English,* l he never changed, 
 he never changed. And when he bowed his 
 head to receive the blow of death, all Bochara 
 seemed to say, " What new thing is this ?" 
 
 Sabat had indulged the hope that Abdallah 
 would have recante-d when he was offered his 
 life ; but when he saw that his friend was 
 dead, he resigned himself to grief and re- 
 morse. He travelled from place to place, 
 seeking rest and finding none. At last he 
 thought that he would visit India. He, ac- 
 cordingly came to Madras, about five years 
 ago. Soon after his arrival, he was appointed 
 by the English government a Mufti, or ex- 
 pounder of Miiammedan law; his great 
 learning, and respectable station in his own 
 country, rendered him eminently qualified for 
 that office ; and now the period of his own 
 conversion drew near. 
 
 While he was at Vizigapatam,t in the 
 northern Circars, exercising his professional 
 
 * Sabat resided for some time in the house of 
 Dr. Buchanan, to whom he related the chief part 
 of the account here given. 
 
 | Messrs. Cran and Desgranges, Missionaries at 
 Vizigapatam, have frequently mentioned Mr. Sabat. 
 He often visited them ; and, we have reason to believe 
 derived much advantage from their conversation. He 
 was mentioned in the Evangelical Magazine in January, 
 1807 ; and more than once in the Missionary Traiv 
 actions. 
 
142 Abdallah and Sabat. 
 
 duties, Providence brought in his way a New 
 Testament in Arabic* He read it with dt;ep 
 thought, the Koran lying before him. H^ 
 compared them together ; and, at length, 
 the truth of the word of God fell on his 
 mind, as he expressed it, like a flood of light. 
 Soon afterwards he proceeded to Madras, a 
 journey of 300 miles, to seek christian bap- 
 tism ; and having made a public confession 
 of his faith, he was baptized by the Rev. Dr. 
 Kerr, in the English church in that place, by 
 the name of Nathaniel, in the twenty-seventh 
 year of his age. 
 
 Sabat now found by experience the truth of 
 that declaration, that they who " will live 
 godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecu- 
 tion," and (as it often happens in such cases) 
 * a man's foes shall be they of his own house- 
 hold ;' for when his family in Arabia had 
 heard that he had followed the example of 
 Abdallah, and become a christian, they dis- 
 patched his brother to India (a voyage of two 
 months) to assassinate him. While Sabat was 
 sitting in his house at Vizigapatam, his 
 brother presented himself in the disguise of a 
 faquecr or beggar, having a dagger concealed 
 under his mantle. Jie rushed on Sabat and 
 wounded him ; but Sabat seized his arm, and 
 his servants came to his assistance. He then 
 recognized his brother. The assassin would 
 have become the victim of public justice ; 
 but Sabat interceded for his brother, and sent 
 
 * One of those copies sent from England by the 
 ' Society for promoting Christian Knowledge. 5 
 
W**r*' 
 
 Abdallah and Snbat. 14: 
 
 liim home in peace with letters and presents 
 to his mother's house in Arabia. 
 
 Being desirous to devote his future life to 
 the glory of God, he resigned his secular 
 employ, and came, by invitation, to Bengal, 
 ■where he is now engaged in translating the 
 Scriptures into the Persian language. This 
 work has not hitherto been executed, for 
 want of a translator of sufficient ability. The 
 Persian is an important language in the East, 
 being the general language of Western Asia, 
 particularly among the higher classes, and is 
 understood from Calcutta to Damascus. But 
 the great work which occupies the attention 
 of this noble Arabian, is the promulgation of 
 the gospel among^his own countrymen ; and 
 from the present fluctuations of religious 
 opinion in Arabia, he is sanguine in his 
 hopes of success. 
 
 His first work is entitled, u Neama Besha- 
 ratin lil Arabi," " Happy News for Arabia ;" 
 written in the Nabuttee, or common dialect 
 of the country. It contains an eloquent and 
 argumentative elucidation of the truth of the 
 gospel, with copious authorities admitted by 
 the Mohammedans themselves, and particu- 
 larly by the Wahabians. Prefixed to it is an 
 account of the conversion of the author, and 
 an appeal to the members of his well-known 
 family in Arabia, for the truth of the farts. 
 
 the. end 
 
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