we did not differ in
points of faith, not decent in a part of the country where the poor
Indians ought to be instructed in the knowledge of the true God, and his
Son Jesus Christ. To this he replied, that conversation might easily be
separated from disputes; that he would discourse with me rather as a
gentleman than a religious: but that, if we did enter upon religious
argument, upon my desiring the same, I would give him liberty to defend
his own principles. He farther added, that he would do all that became
him in his office, as a priest as well as a Christian, to procure the
happiness of all that were in the ship: that though he could not pray
with, he would pray for us on all occasions; and then he told me several
extraordinary events of his life, within a few years past; but
particularly in this last, which was the most remarkable: that, in this
voyage, he had the misfortune to be five times shipped and unshipped:
his first design was to have gone to Martinico; for which, taking ship
at St. Malos, he was forced into Lisbon by bad weather, the vessel
running aground in the mouth of the Tagus; that from thence he went on
board a Portuguese ship, bound to the Madeiras, whose master being but
an indifferent mariner, and out of his reckoning, they were drove to
Fial, where selling their commodity, which was corn, they resolved to
take in their loading at the Isle of May, and to sail to Newfoundland;
at the banks of which, meeting a French ship bound to Quebec, in the
river of Canada, and from thence to Martinico, in this ship he embarked;
the master of which dying at Quebec, that voyage was suspended; and
lastly, shipping himself for France, this last ship was destroyed by
fire, as before has been related.

At this time we talked no further; but another morning he comes to me,
just as I was going to visit the Englishman's colony, and tells me, that
as he knew; the prosperity of the island, was my principal desire, he
had something to communicate agreeable to my design, by which perhaps he
might put it, more than he yet thought it was, in the way of the
benediction of heaven. _How, Sir,_ said I, in a surprise, _are we not
yet in the way of God's blessings, after all these signal providences
and deliverances, of which you have had such an ample relation?_ He
replied, _Nope, Sir, you are in the way, and that your good design will
prosper: but still there are some among you that are not equally right
in their actions; and r