184 
JOURNAL OF A 
ourselves perfectly safe, and on level ground, ^ve were suddenly 
brought into trouble, by this unlooked-for event. We were hum- 
bled under the mighty, but merciful hand of our God and Saviour, 
and commended ourselves anew to His protection, of which, even 
now, we have experienced a singular proof, in the manner in which 
we met with this accident, as above stated. One of the company 
observed, that in every dispensation, with which the Lord visits His 
people, there is a voice, a word of admonition, reproof, or encou- 
ragement, and it would be right and profitable, on the present oc- 
casion, for each of us to be attentive to it; for if we are His sheep, 
we shall be taught to know His voice, and well to distinguish it 
from the voice of a stranger. 
During the night, not being disposed to sleep, I thought much 
on our situation, uncertain what injury Brother Stein might have 
received, and whether, perhaps, our progress might not be inter- 
rupted, if not our plans frustrated, by this circumstance. When- 
ever I perceived him stirring on his mattrass, I asked softly, how 
he felt, and always received that comforting answer, that he did 
not think, that his arm was broken. He begged no alteration in 
our plan might be made on his account, and expressed his trust 
in God, that no further harm was done, than that he was for a time 
disabled, and we should miss his assistance on the journey. Mean- 
while we all waited anxiously for the morning, and considered it as 
very providential, that it did not rain. Rain would have rendered 
our situation much more inconvenient and distressing, and the 
small stock of fuel we had brought with us, served us and our peo- 
ple no longer than was necessary to cook some victuals. 
30th. The morning's dawn showed us the surrounding country: 
a dreary waste, a valley without water, enclosed between barren 
hills. The same careless fellow, who had been the immediate cause 
of all the mischief, had left the oxen to stray so far from the wag- 
gon, that all search for them seemed to be vain. In about three 
hours, Jeremias discovered and brought them back. Meanwhile, 
