18 JOURNAL OF A 
she was not hound to the coast of Guinea for slaves, as those who 
had yesterday been on board suspected. There is no doubt, how- 
ever, that the slave-trade is secretly carried on under various pre- 
tences, notwithstanding the severity of the laws, and the vigilance 
of government. 
I read to-day part of a " Collection of Anecdotes," in a German 
work, professedly written to promote morality. What pains are tak- 
en to adorn the dead body, and make it look alive! to tie good fruit 
upon rotten branches; and, like the prophets of Baal in the days of 
Elijah, to expect fire from heaven sent by a god of man's own making. 
The effects of the writings of sentimental foreigners and their nev/- 
fangled systems of philosoph}^ having so clearly proved of what va- 
lue they are in reforming the minds and manners of mankind, by 
the late commotions in the world, ought long ago to have excited 
more attention to the truths of revelation, which declare man to be 
by nature, "dead in trespasses and sins," and unable to do good with- 
out a change of heart, wrought by faith in Jesus Christ our Saviour. 
But both in this, and in some other modern publications, there is yet 
a studied attempt to prove, that it does not signify, whether a man 
be a Christian, a Jew, a Turk, a Heathen, or a Deist, if he but now 
and then do a good action, and show himself less a slave of passion 
than others. Then, say they, you are acceptable to God, and this 
is called enlightening! May God in mercy preserve us from such 
delusion! 
11th. Poison having been spread about the lower part of the ship 
to kill the rats, an intolerable smell kept me awake great part of the 
night. The perishing carcases of these creatures are surely a greater 
nuisance, than their existence. I repented, that I had complained 
some days ago that one of them had run over my face in the night. 
13th. We encountered a heavy squall Avith thunder and rain, by 
which we gained some gallons of sweet water. This was the more 
acceptable, as for some time past, the water in our casks sent forth 
a very offensive smell, being hardly fit to drink, except when filtered 
/through a dripping-stone, made of Maltese fossil-limestone. 
