_To Mr. ――――._
_On board the Wilmington, Oct. 20, 1744._
_My dear Friend_,
YOU know in what a poor state of health I was, when I embarked. The
length, and seeming tediousness of the voyage, hath occasioned no small
addition to the violent pain in my side; however, blessed be GOD, in a
week or two after we sailed, we began to have a church in our ship. Two
serious _New-England_ friends finding how I was served at _Portsmouth_,
came from thence to _Plymouth_ in order to bear me company. We had
regular public prayer morning and evening, frequent communion, and days
of humiliation and fasting. Being time of war, and sailing out with
near 150 ships, we had several convoys. Their taking leave of each
other at their several appointed places, was striking: but ours was
ordered to convoy us all the way. We were soon, and have been often
alarmed. Once with the sight of a _Dutch_ fleet, whom we took for an
enemy; and again at the sight of Admiral _Balchen_, who rode by us
receiving the obeisance of the surrounding ships, as though he was Lord
of the whole ocean. It was full six weeks ere we reached the _Western_
Islands, off which it being calm weather, we continued floating for
some days; during which interval we were like to suffer much damage.
The wind having brisked up a little, and orders being given for tacking
about, one of the ships, I know not by what accident, having missed her
stays, in turning, came directly upon us; I happened at that time to
be singing a hymn upon deck with my little family, and thinking it best
to keep there to receive the shock, I had the opportunity of seeing
what passed. The ship struck her mainsail into our bowsprit, but our
ship being of a large, and theirs of a smaller size, our hull received
but little damage, whilst theirs received such a blow, that when
disentangled from us, they were immediately apprehensive of sinking. As
they again passed by us, when we expected another touch, their cries
and groans were awful. O how eagerly did they cry for some signal to be
given! It was done. A little after that, we came up with the convoy,
and our captain informed them of what had happened. The answer was,
“This is your praying, and be damned to ye.” With many expressions of
the like nature. This, I must own, shocked me more than the striking of
the ships. I called my friends together, and broke out into these words
in prayer: “GOD of the sea and GOD of the dry land! This is a night of
rebuke and blasphemy: shew thyself, O GOD, and take us under thy own
immediate protection; be thou our convoy, and make a difference between
those that fear thee and those that fear thee not!” The disabled ship
was taken into tow. Next morning they were saluted in like manner as
the night before, and orders were given us to follow our convoy into
_Fial_; but on a sudden a violent euroclydon arose, which not only
prevented our going into _Fial_, but battered and drove away our
convoy, so that we saw him no more all the voyage. For my own part, I
thought it no loss; we sailed very comfortably on, ’till we were again
alarmed with the sight of two ships, making up to us with all the sail
they could well croud, and which our captain took to be enemies. The
preparations for an engagement, to me, who you know am naturally a
coward, were formidable. Guns mounting, chains put about the masts,
every thing taken out of the great cabin, hammocks put about the sides
of the ship, and all, except myself, seemed ready for fire and smoke.
My wife, after having dressed herself to prepare for all events, set
about making cartridges, whilst the husband wanted to go into the holes
of the ship, hearing that was the chaplain’s usual place. I went, but
not liking my situation, and being desired by one of my _New-England_
friends to say something to animate the men, I crept up on deck, and
for the first time of my life beat up to arms by a warm exhortation.
The men seemed pleased, the apprehended enemy approached, but upon
nearer view we found them not only to be friends, but the two masts
ships that were going with us under the same convoy. This pleased us
all. The captain taking this opportunity to clean the cabin, said,
“After all, this is the best fighting:” with which you may be sure I
readily concurred, praying, and believing at the same time, that all
our various conflicts with spiritual enemies might, and would under
the conduct of the all-conquering captain of our salvation, at last
terminate in a thorough cleansing, and an eternal purification of the
defiled cabin of our hearts. Committing you to his almighty guidance
and protection, I subscribe myself,
Yours, &c.
_G. W._