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CHAPTER III.

On the 5th of August, 1736, Mr. John Wesley took leave of his brother at Charlestown, whence he returned to Savannah; and on the 11th Charles went on board to commence his voyage to England. On his entrance upon the ship, he had a specimen of the treatment which awaited him; but he little suspected the dangers that he would have to encounter. Had it not been for the skill and fidelity of the Mate, according to all human probability, the ship and all its hapless inmates must have perished. "I found," says Mr. Charles Wesley," the honest Captain had let my cabin to another. My flux and fever that have hung upon me forced me, for some nights past, to go into a bed; but now my only bed was a chest, on which I threw myself in my boots, and was not overmuch troubled with sleep till the morning. What was still worse, I had no asylum to fly to from the Captain; the most beastly man I ever saw: a lewd, drunken, quarrelsome fool; praying, and yet swearing continually. The first sight I had of him was upon the cabin-floor, stark naked, and dead drunk."

Towards the end of the month, the perilous situation of the ship's company became apparent. "August 28th," says our voyager, "after a restless, tempestuous night, I hardly rose at eight. Our happier Captain, having got his dose, could sleep a day and a night upon the stretch, and defy either pumps or squall to wake him.

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August 30th. At noon we were alarmed by an outcry of the sailors, at their having continued pumping several hours, without being able to keep the water under. They desired the Captain to put into some port, before they were got out to sea too far for returning; but he was too drunk to regard them. At five the sailors came down in a body to the great cabin, waked and told him, it was as much as their lives were worth, to proceed on the voyage, unless their leaks were stopped that he remembered it was as much as ever they could do to keep the ship above water in their passage from

Boston, being forced to pump without ceasing that the turpentine fell down upon and choked up the pumps continually; nor was it possible for them to get at it, or to hold out in such continual labour, which made them so thirsty, they could not live on their allowance of water: that they must come to shorter still, through his neglect to take in five more hogsheads of water, as his Mate advised him: that he owned they had no candles for half the voyage. On all which accounts they begged him to consider whether their common safety did not require them to put in at some land for more water and candles; and, above all, to stop their leaks. The Captain, having now slept out his rum, replied, 'To be sure, the men talk reason;' and, without consulting any of his officers, immediately gave orders to stand away for Boston.

"Sept. 15th. This is the first time I have heard a sailor confess 'it was a storm.' We lay under our mainsail, and let the ship drive, being by conjecture about sixty leagues from Boston, upon George's Bank, though, as we hoped, past the shoals upon it. The Captain never troubled himself about anything; but lay snoring, even in such a night as the last, though frequently called, without ever stirring, either for squalls, soundings, or shoals.

"In the afternoon the Mate came down, having sounded, and found forty, and soon after twenty, fathoms; told the Captain he apprehended coming into shoaler water still; and therefore it would be necessary to reef the foresail and mainsail in readiness, that in case we fell foul of the shoals, (being upon George's Bank, and in a storm,) the ship might have head-way to get clear again. This the Captain absolutely refused; and though told it could do no possible harm, and might be the saving of the ship and us, persisted in his obstinacy; so that the Mate left him to sleep, and the ship to take care of itself. But it pleased God to abate the storm, and on Thursday, about twelve, entirely to remove it.

"Sept. 20th. At seven Mr. Graham, the first Mate, came to ask for directions, as he constantly does, the Captain as constantly shifting him off, and leaving the whole management of the ship to him, or chance, or any body. The conversation being somewhat remarkable, I took it down in short-hand as they were speaking it.

"MATE.-Captain Indivine, what would you have us do? What course would you have us steer to-night?

"CAPTAIN.-Even what course you will: we have a fair

wind.

"M.-Yes, Sir; and it drives us full upon the land, which cannot be many leagues off.

"C.-Then, I think, you had best keep forward.

"M.-Would you have us go on all night, and venture running upon the land?

"C.-I do'nt know. Go on.

"M.-But there are shoals and rocks before us.

"C.-Why then, have a good look out.

"M.-But you ca'nt see twice the ship's length. What would you order me to do?

"C.-These rebels and emissaries have excited you to come to ask for orders. I do'nt know what you mean. "M.-Sir, nobody has excited me. I come, as it is my duty, to my Captain for directions.

"C.-Have you a mind to quarrel with me?

"M.-I have a mind to know what you will do.
C.-Nay, what will you do, if you come to that?
"M.-Am I your Captain, or you mine?

C.-I am your Captain, and will make you know it, Mr. Man. Do what I order you; for you must and shall.

"M.-Why, Sir, you order me nothing.

"C.-You would not have me come upon deck myself,

sure?

"M.-If you did, I should not think it would be much amiss. Some Captains would not have stirred off deck a moment in such a night as this. Here you lie, without so much as ever once looking out, to see how things are. "C.-Yes, I have been upon deck this very day.

"M.-But you have taken no account of anything, or given yourself the least trouble about the ship, for many days past.

"C.-It is all one for that. I know where we are exactly. "M.-How far do you think we may be from land? "C.-Why, just thirty-five leagues. I am sure of it. "M.-How is that possible? You have taken no observation this fortnight; nor have we got one these four days. "C.-No matter for that. I know we are safe.

"M.-Sir, the most skilful sailor alive cannot know it. Be pleased only to declare what you would have done. Shall we sail on? Shall we lie by? Shall we alter our course? Shall we stand in and off?

"He went on repeating such questions again and again: but as to giving an answer, the Captain chose to be excused; till the Mate, quite out of patience, having waited an hour to no purpose, left him; and the Captain concluded with, ‘Jack, give me a dram.'

"Sept. 21st. The sailors, who were upon deck all night, saw three large ships, as they supposed, coming out of the Bay; but in vain attempted to speak with them. At three I was waked by a cry of Land !' The Mate said we were just upon it, for he saw the light of the watch-house; and if they did not tack about immediately, they would be upon the rocks, which lay just before them, under the water. At the same time it blew a storm. The uproar was so great, that it even waked the Captain, who started up, ran to his rum, drank a hearty draught, and then looked upon deck: but, not much liking things there, came down again immediately, cried, 'Ay, ay, all will be well;' and dropped asleep again.

"Sept. 22d. Having sailed some hours without discovering land, we began to think the light which the Mate had seen was of some ship, and not the light-house. At two we made land; which the men soon found to be Cape-Cod, about eighteen leagues from Boston.

"Sept. 24th. Being within sight of the light-house, at nine in the morning, the pilot came on board us. At two I gladly obeyed his hasty summons, and went into his boat, with the other passengers, bidding a hearty farewell to our wretched ship, and more wretched Captain; who for the two last days had, most happily for us, lain dead drunk on the floor, without sense or motion."

Mr. Charles Wesley remained in Boston, waiting to re-embark, for more than a month. During this time he was treated with great kindness by several respectable residents, whose spiritual benefit he laboured to promote. He preached in two or three of the churches; and once, in a private company, he was delighted to meet with a lady who had taken her views of religion from the writings of William Law; his own "guide, philosopher, and friend." "While I

was talking at Mr. Chicheley's," says he, "on spiritual religion, his wife observed that I had much the same way of thinking with Mr. Law. Glad I was, and surprised, to hear that good man mentioned; and confessed, all I knew of religion was through him. I found she was well acquainted with his 'Serious Call,' and has one of the two that are in New-England. I borrowed it, and passed the evening in reading it to the family (Mr. Williams's) where I have been some days. His daughter and he seemed satisfied and affected."

Of the Mr. Chicheley who is here mentioned Mr. Charles Wesley says, "He seems to have excellent natural parts, much solid learning, and true primitive piety: is acquainted with the power, and therefore holds fast the form, of godliness: obstinate as was my father in good, and not to be borne down by evil."

While Mr. Charles Wesley remained at Boston, the illness which he so frequently mentions increased, so as to cause great suffering, and even to endanger his life. He was attended by three or four Physicians, one of whom came all the way from Charlestown to afford his advice; yet for some days he obtained little or no relief. At one period of his illness he seems to have been apprehensive that his end was near; and states that, in his extremity, he obtained spiritual strength and comfort in the use of Pascal's prayer in affliction. As the time of embarkation drew near, his friends urged him to give up all thought of proceeding on his voyage till his health was greatly improved. But he was deaf to their entreaties, declaring that nothing but death should hinder him from fulfilling his charge. He was entrusted with important despatches to the Trustees of Georgia, in his official character as Secretary to the Governor, and for Indian affairs; and he would neither commit them to the care of any other person, nor delay the delivery of them himself, whatever might be the effect upon his own life and health. For nothing was he more remarkable than a noble hardihood and daring in all matters that concerned his conscience and duty.

"Oct. 5th. I waked," says he, "surprisingly better, though not yet able to walk. This morning Dr. Greaves came over from Charlestown, to see me; gave me physic and advice,

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