290 TIN TKADE BETWEEN BRITAIN AND ALEXANDRIA, 



"has been lost also that which was of good." But the Saint 

 again ordered that ten pounds of gold coin should be given to 

 hun, enjoining him not to mix it with other money. 



Thereupon the master bought another chest, and sailing one 

 day in a violent gale, he was driven on shore and lost ship and 

 all without saving anything but the lives of the crew. The 

 master was now so utterly confounded and distressed that he 

 would have killed himself. But God, Avho ever makes provision 

 for the saving of men, revealed this to the blessed Patriarch, who, 

 when he heard what had happened, sent for the man and told 

 him to come to him without scruple or fear. Then the ship- 

 master, having sprinkled himself with dust and rent his garment, 

 presented himself in that unseemly state to the Saint, who, when 

 he saw him in that condition, remonstrated with him and said : 

 '^ The blessed Lord God have mercy upon you. I trust in him 

 *' that from henceforth no such calamity shall again befal yOu for 

 " the rest of your life. This has happened to you, because your 

 "very ship itself had come into your possession by some unjust 

 " means." 



The Patriarch then caused to be delivered to the man a great 

 ship full of corn, containing 20,000 bushels, being one of the ships 

 which were in the service of Holy Church. In command of this 

 vessel the ship-master sailed out of Alexandria on his voyage. 

 On this occasion he made the declaration following : — " For twenty 

 days and nights the "wind blew so hard that we could not ascertain 

 our course either by the stars or appearance of the coast ; except 

 that the pilot saw the Patriarch at the helm with him, who bade 

 him not to fear, for he was on the right course. After the twentieth 

 day we were in sight of the islands of Britain, and going on shore 

 we found a great famine prevailing there. When we informed the 

 chief authority of the place that we had a cargo of wheat on 

 board, he said : ' It is well ; God has brought you hither ; now 

 ' make your choice as you please, selling your corn at so much 

 'money per bushel, or taking an equal weight of tin.' There- 

 upon we sold half the cargo in one way, and half in the other." 



The story that follows is indeed incredible to those who know 

 not the beneficence of God ; but to those who have experienced 

 his marvels it is credible and received with faith. 



On the happy return of the ship to Alexandria, we anchored 



