Wesley Corpus

Wed. 28.--I took horse between three and four, and came to St. Mewan at eight. It rained all the time I was walking to the green, which was the usual place of preaching. But the moment I began to speak the rain ceased, and did not begin again till I had done speaking. It rained with little intermission all the day after; which made the roads so bad, that it was pretty dark when we came within two miles of Crimble Passage. We were in doubt, whether the tide would allow us to ride along the sands, as we do at low water. However, it being much the shortest way, we tried. ‘The water was still rising ; and at one step our foremast man plunged in, above the top of his boots. Upon inquiry we found his horse had stumbled on a little rock, which lay under water. So we rode on, reached the passage about seven, and the dock a little before eight. We found great part of the congregation still waiting for us. They attended again at four in the morning. At five we took horse, and, by easy riding, soon after eight came to Tavistock. After I had preached, we hasted on, rested an hour at Oakhampton, and soon after sunset came to Crediton. We could willingly have stayed here, but John Slocomb had appointed to meet us at Collumpton. Soon after we set out, it was exceeding dark, there being neither moon nor stars. The rain also made it darker still, particularly in the deep, narrow lanes. In one of these we heard the sound of horses coming toward us, and presently a hoarse voice cried, ** What have you got?” Richard Moss understood him better than me, and replied, ‘‘ We have no panniers.”” Upon which he answered, “ Sir, I ask your pardon,” and went by very quietly. There were abundance of turnings in the road, so that we could not easily have found our way at noon day. But we always turned right; nor do [ know that we were out of the way once. Before eight the moon rose. We then rode cheerfully on, and before ten reached Collumpton. Fri. 30.--I preached at eleven in Taunton; at three in Bridgewater; at seven in Middlesey. ‘ 440 REV. J. WESLEY’S JOURNAL. [ Oct. 1748.