Wesley Corpus

I have, therefore, taken my leave of these ferries; considering we save no time by crossing them, (not even when we have a ready passage,) and so have all the trouble, danger, and expense, clear gains. I wonder that any man of common sense, who has once made the experiment, should ever ride from Pembroke to Swansea any other way than by Carmarthen. An honest man at Kidwelly told us there was no difficulty in riding the sands; so we rode on. In ten minutes one overtook us who used to guide persons over them; and it was well he did, or in all probability we had been swallowed up. The whole sands are at least ten miles over, with many streams of quicksands intermixed. But our guide was thoroughly acquainted with them, and with the road on the other side. By his help, between five and six, we came well tired to Oxwych in Gower. Gower is a large tract of land, bounded by Brecknockshire on the north-east, the sea on the south-west, and rivers on the other sides. Here all the people talk English, and are in general the most plain, loving people in Wales. It is, therefore, no wonder that they receive “the word with all readiness of mind.” Knowing they were scattered up and down, I had sent two persons on Sunday, that they might be there early on Monday, and so sent notice of my coming all over the country: But they came to Oxwych scarce a quarter of an hour before me; so that the poor people had no notice at all: Nor was there any to take us in; the person with whom the Preacher used to lodge being three miles out of town. After I had stayed a while in the street, (for there was no public-house,) 194 REv. J. wesLEY’s [Aug. 1764. a poor woman gave me house-room. Having had nothing since breakfast, I was very willing to eat or drink; but she simply told me she had nothing in the house but a dram of gin. However, I afterwards procured a dish of tea at another house, and was much refreshed. About seven I preached to a little company, and again in the morning. They were all attention; so that even for the sake of this handful of people I did not regret my labour. Wed.