June 21. Sick unto death, and terrified with the dismal apprehensions of my condition.  Prayed to God more frequently, but very confusedly.

June 22. Something better, but still uneasy in my mind.

June 23. Again relapsed much as before.

June 24. Mended a second time.

June 25. A violent ague for seven hours, cold and hot fits succeeded with faint sweats.

June 26. Better, but very weak, yet I scrambled out, shot a she-goat, brought it home and broiled some of it; I would willingly have stewed it, and made some broth, but had no pod.

June 27 All this day I was afflicted with an ague; thirsty, yet I could not help myself to water:  Prayed to God in these words:  Lord, in pity look upon me:  Lord, have mercy upon me:  have mercy upon me! After this I fell asleep, which I found had much refreshed me when I awaked.  I fell fast asleep a second time, and fell into this strange and terrible sort of dream.

Methought I was sitting on the same spot of ground at the outside of the wall where I sat when the storm blew after the earthquake; and that I saw a man descending from a great black cloud, and alight upon the ground.  He was all over as bright as a flash of fire that a little before surrounded him; his countenance inconceivably terrible; the earth as it were trembled when he stept upon the ground, and flashes of fire seemed to fill all the air.  No sooner I thought him landed upon the earth, but with a long spear, or other weapon, he made towards me; but first ascending a rising ground, his voice added to my amazement, when I thought I heard him pronounce these dreadful words, Unhappy wretch! seeing all these things have not brought thee to repentance, thou shalt immediately die. In pronouncing this dreadful sentence, I thought he went to kill me with the spear that was in his hand.

Any body may think it impossible for me to express the horrors of my mind at this vision:  and even when I awaked, this very dream made a deep impression upon my mind.  The little divine knowledge I had, I received from my father’s instructions, and that was worn out by an uninterrupted series of sea-faring impiety for eight years space.  Except what sickness forced from me, I do not remember I had one thought of lifting up my heart towards God, but rather had a certain stupidity of soul, not having the least sense or fear of the Omnipotent Being when in distress, nor of gratitude to him for his deliverances.  Nay, when I was on the desperate expedition on the desert African shore, I cannot remember I had one thought of what would become of me, or to beg his consolation and assistance in my sufferings and distress.  When the Portugal captain took me up and honorably used me, nay, farther, when I was even delivered from drowning by escaping to this island, I never looked upon it as a judgment, but only said I was an unfortunate dog, and that’s all.  Indeed some secret transports of soul I had, which was not through grace but only a common flight of joy, that I was yet alive, when my companions were all drowned, and no other joy could I conceive but what is common with the sailors over a bowl of punch, after they have escaped the greatest dangers.