which was going back again: but at last it turned about, and for half an hour we went to the north-west again, and then due east for a long time, till we came to hills upon hills that were very difficult to pass. We were obliged to alight at many of them, and walk them up and down, which was a delay of many hours: but we did it at last, and came into a large fandy opening, that had a number of rapid ftreams, breaking over it, that fell from the mountains, and with the forest on the furrounding hills, formed a very wild and pleafing scene. Over this we went for half a mile, and then came to a long glin, so very deep and narrow, that it was quite night when we got to the bottom of it, though the fun was not yet down; and it brought to my remembrance Anchifes's fon, the wandering prince of Troy, when he defcended to the fhades below. It had the appearance indeed of fome fuch pafs, and was a frightful way, as hills, like Caucafus and Atlas, were close on either hand of us, and a river roared through the bottom of the steep descent; which we were obliged to walk down on foot. This could not be the right road, I was certain. Azora and Antonia could never pafs this deep and rapid flood. It was too much for any man to venture into, without knowing where the

torrent

torrent went, or how the channel of the river was formed.

Up then I came again to the day, and refolved to pass the night at the foot of one of the woody hills, on the margin of the ftreams that founded fweetly over the shores: but how to proceed the next morning I

knew not.

As my paper of directions did not mention the dark steep descent we had been down, but a little valley that lay due eaft, through which we were to go: no fuch vale could we fee, and of confequence, in fome turning of the road, we had gone wrong.

When I came among the trees, on the fide of one of the mountains, I began to look for fome convenient refting place, while my two boys were picking the bustard, and preparing a fire to roaft it for fupper; and wandered a good way till I faw a pretty hermitage in an open plain like a ring, and going up to it found the skeleton of a man.. He lay on a couch in an inward room without any covering, and the bones were as clean and white as if they had come from the furgeons hands. The pifmires to be fure had eaten off the flesh. Who the man. was, a paper lying on the table in a strong

crying enormities and impurities of my life. All my crimson crimes were held as in a mirror before me: the moft diabolical impieties against heaven, and the most fhocking cruelties to men; the numbers I had drank to death, and secured in the fervice of hell; the men I had fent to the other world by combat at pistol and fword; and the women I had ruined, not only in this life, but perhaps, for evermore; the miferies I had brought upon families, and the manifold afflictions I had been the author

of, for years after years, by night and by day;--all these offences I faw like the hand-writing on the wall, and in a horror and confternation of mind, that words cannot describe, lay a miserable spectacle for two nights and two days. Tormented, perplexed, and confounded, I rolled from fide to fide, and condemned myself and my folly in the most doleful complaints; but dared not look up to a juft Judge and offended God. No flumber for this time did approach my eyes; but in agonies I fhook with a frightful violence, and thought every moment, that the demons my fancy had in view, were going to force my miferable foul away to everlasting inflictions, in the most difmal cavern of hell. Spent, however, at last, I fell into a short sleep. I had half an hour's reft, and in that

flumber

flumber imagined, I heard a fmall voice fay,--As I live, faith the Lord, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way, and live : Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Ifrael. Rent your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, flow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

Upon this I awaked, and found my pains were gone. To heaven I lift my eyes, and as the tears poured down my face, cried out to God for mercy. O God be merciful to me a finner. Have mercy on me duft and fin, the vileft of all finful créatures. To me belongs nothing but shame and confufion of face eternally. My portion fhould in juftice be the lake of everlasting fire and brimstone. But, O Lord God most mighty, O boly and most merciful Father, to thee belongeth infinite goodness and forgiveness. O remember not my fins and tranfgreffionsmy great and numberless provocations, and my trefpaffes that are grown up even unto heaven. Have mercy upon me, O God, after thy great goodness, and according to the multitude of thy mercies, do away mine offences. I have a bearty fenfe and deteftation of all my abominations, and with a true contrition of heart, I

repent

repent of all my iniquities. Wash me, then, I beseech thee, O Father of mercies; wash my polluted foul in the blood of the holy Jefus, and forgive me all my fins, as I offer up a troubled Spirit, and a broken and contrite heart, which thou haft promifed not to defpife. -And grant, O Lord God, my Father, that I may from this hour, by the guidance and direction of thy fanctifying fpirit, bid a final adieu to all ungodliness and iniquity; and confecrate myself intirely to thee, to ferve thee with humility, love and devotion, and for the remainder of my life, give thee the facrifices of righteousness, through Jefus Christ our Lord.

When I had thus implored the mercy of the Almighty, in a torrent of tears, with ftrong cryings, I found my heart quite eafy, and my mind fo filled with delights and comforts, that I cannot defcribe the ftrange happiness of my condition: but how to fecure this felicity was the queftion. I was afraid of the world, and trembled when I thought of its temptations: befides, the great wickedness of my paft life made it neceffary that I fhould live in an extraordi nary state of penitence, and by great mortification and piety, make what amends I could for finning against heaven in the most atrocious manner; and wilfully, for a long feries of years, breaking every law

of