After the Conference I rode to English Harbour, where we have a fmall Society. This harbour is the finest and most commodious of any perhaps in America, except that of Halifax in NovaScotia. I alfo preached on the eftate of Sir George Thomas, where I had the large Hall full of a ferious praying people.

After preaching on fome other eftates, I returned to St. John's, the metropolis of Antigua. This Inland has been lately vifited with an epidemic diforder, which carried off about fifty of the principal inhabitants, besides a great number of Negroes. It is worthy of remark, that whenever there is a large crop of fugar, the people are obliged to pay for it by a great mortality. The heavy rains neceffary for a large crop, and the confequent dampnefs of the air in this low Island, never fail to produce an epidemic fever. Mr.. Pearce, one of the Miffionaries, who had before enjoyed a remarkable fhare of health, was seized with the reigning diforder, and brought to the point of death; but the Lord has raifed him up again from the bed of fickness, and kindly spared him for his Church a little longer. He was given over by his phyficians; who were aftonifhed to find him next day entirely out of danger. Our dear and much respected brother Mr. Baxter, has also experienced fome attacks on his conftitution, which have much impaired his health. But religion makes ample amends for all the temporal evils and incoveniences; for genuine piety has here raifed up her head, and flourishes. abundantly, both among us and our Moravian Brethren.

February 15th, I embarked for Barbadoes with Mr. Graham, and Mr. Pearce and his family. In our way we made another visit to St. Vincent's, but ftill found the door of usefulness fhut against us by that most iniquitous act, which has been already mentioned. Even fome of the Whites, who have no connexion with us, complain that

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the legislature are banishing the gospel from the Inland. However, our Societies in and near the towns of Kingston and Caliaqua, ftill affemble together in fmall companies, for finging, prayer, and Christian converfation. "O God, upon my "bended knees, I pray thee, to remove the iron "hand of perfecution, which now refts upon thy "little flock.. Can it be confiftent with thine "holy attributes, that thefe should perish through "the malignity and wickedness of thine enemies? "That-be far from Thee, to do after this manner, "to flay the righteous with the wicked: and that "the righteous fhould be as the wicked, that be "far from thee: fhall not the Judge of all the "earth do right ?"

On the 26th, we landed at Bridgetown, Barbadoes, when my worthy old friend, Mr. But ton, merchant, received me with great hofpitality. After waiting on the Governor, and preach ing twice, I fet off on my country-vifits. I had received intelligence that Mr. Henry, a gentleman of property and refpectability, had made frequent inquiries concerning my name, perfon, &c. adding, "He certainly is my old friend Coke,, with whom I was fo intimate at Oxford." Imade one of my first visits to him: and as foon as we came in: fight of each other, we mutually recognized an old and intimate acquaintance, and embraced with all that warmth of affection which juvenile friendships infpire into the breaft. I fpent a great part of two days with him, repeating old adventures, and endeavouring to mix with them ufeful obfervations. His houfe and eftate have been already opened to the Miffionaries: and, I doubt not, he will be a real friend to them, if it were only for the fake of his old acquaintance, whom he has loved long and loved well. I alfo spent a day or two at Mr. Harding's the manager of a large plantation, who has befides an eftate of his own. He is our friend indeed: both he and his family are truly actuated by the fear of God;

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and fome good has been done among his Negroes by Mr. Lumb. Indeed I have met with but few families in the Islands like to this. Another white family alfo, who refide about a mile from Mr. Harding, have received much benefit from Mr. Lumb's ministry. After visiting Colonel Skeate, Sir Philip Gibbs, and other gentlemen of the Ifland, and preaching upon many of the eftates, I returned to Bridgetown.

The little Society in this town, is, I think, proportionably to its numbers, the moft devoted to God of any in the Windward Iflands; for this there is much due, under the grace of God, to the labours of Mr. Pearce. Nor must I forget to acknowledge that our faithful brother Mr. Lumb, with his colleague Mr. Kingfton, has been indefatigable in his labours. The Negroes of Barbadoes, for fome reasons which I cannot explain, are much less prepared for the reception of genuine religion than of any other Iflands in the Weft-Indies: but conftant dropping, 'tis faid, will wear out a stone. I therefore trust that the day will foon arrive, when the Lord will give us fuch an access to their hearts and understandings, as we have not at prefent.

Barbadoes is the most like England of any Island I have ever feen. The inland part has much of the appearance of the finest lands in the Weft-Riding of Yorkshire. The numerous houses which are fcattered about, and most of them white wafhed, with the hills at a little distance,, make a very fine view. There are more white inhabitants in Barbadoes than in the great Ifland of Jamaica; a confiderable part of it being broke into very fmall eftates of only a few acres; fo that many of the whites are very poor; nay, fome are even fupported by the parish; a circumftance, I believe, not known in any other part of this Archipelago. I therefore expect we shall do much good among the whites in Barbadoes, the luxury and intemperance of the rich not being within

within the reach of the poor. The Lord has raised up two Local Preachers here: one (Mr. Brown brother in-law to Mr. Pearce) who is concerned in the Fishery-business; and another who is in the Artillery. I am in hopes that the former will foon give himself wholly to the work of a Miffionary: he is one of the moft pious men I know. But I cannot omit mentioning Mrs. Shoreland, an aged widow-lady, and her fon, at whofe houfe I preached in the courfe of my tour through the Ifland. They seem to breathe the spirit of the English Methodists; and made me feel myself perfectly at home.

On the 22d of March, I fet fail, in the Duke of Cumberland Packet, from the Island of Barbadoes for Kingfton in Jamaica. A French Count, an English Officer, and myfelf, were the Paffengers. The Count was a very pleafing man, and, like his countrymen in general, all life and fpirit, even in the midlt of misfortunes. He informed us that he had been a Member of the Affembly of the States General in France, and confequently of the firft National Affembly; but his fervent Loyalty for the King obliged him to fly to England; and his eftates in France, which were confiderable, were confiscated. He had two eftates in St. Domingo, and was going to Jamaica in hopes of procuring fome information concerning them. But he was dreadfully frightened when he came within fight of Hifpaniola, and could neither eat, drink, nor fleep, for fear of being taken by a French frigate or privateer. At our first meal on board, he turned round to me, and with all the pathos of the Frenchman, cried out, Sir, they have murdered my King! Then he addreffed the company and faid, " I beg your pardon that I have been born a French

man !"

When we were near the Island of St. Vincent's, which lay in our way to Jamaica, the English Officer defired to be fet on fhore, in order to fee a friend, to which the mafter of the packet, John

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John Long, immediately confented; I earnestly intreated the fame favour, but the furly man refused, although the boat was along fide our veffel, and I was deprived of the opportunity of taking another farewell of my friends in the liland.

On the 29th, we arrived at Kingston, with the news of war. Our Society in this town is fmall, in proportion to the fize of the place. It hardly exceeds 200: many of them, however, are much devoted to God. We have alfo fome Local Preachers here, both among the Whites and Blacks, who promife to be useful. Mr. Forzbrook, a merchant's Clerk, (whofe mother was a member of our Society in Caftle-Dunnington, Leicestershire,) is well qualified to be a Travelling Preacher. I hope, the impediments which his prefent fituation throws in his way, will foon be removed. Mr. Guirey, alfo, a young man from America, is, I believe, a tolerable Exhorter his Father had been a refpectable Merchant in Philadelphia, but met with misfortunes in life, which the greateft integrity, and moft genuine piety, could not prevent. O how difficult is it, and yet how comfortable, to believe that all things work together for our good:" Mr. Guirey, the Father, did thus believe; and though reduced from affluence to a low eftate, continued to truft fully in the Lord.

Young Mr. Guirey arrived lately from Cape Francois, the Capital of the French part of the Inland of Hifpaniola. Soon after he landed at Cape Francois, he he was informed, that, being an American, he might fafely vifit the NegroArmy. He accordingly went; and, being furrounded by a body of troops, was brought before the General. The General was a Sam-boy, i. c. the offspring of a Mulatto and a Black, with whom he dined. Several of the General Officers dined with him: and when one of them, whose face appeared perfectly black, accidently opened his breaft, Mr. Guirey juft obferved that the fkip

was