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would sail soon, his kind mother provided a number of articles, which she thought he would need
at sea. After different things were attended to,
however, preparatory to his departure, to the surprise of all his friends, he suddenly gave up the
voyage, — This singular step, some no doubt will
imagine, proceeded from timidity; but it does not
appear, from his own account of it, that he had beforehand apprehended any danger, or anticipated
aught but pleasure, and a restoration of his health.
He could assign no reason for it, save that he had
lost all desire to go: — he accordingly let his friend
sail without him.
When the voyage was nearly completed, two of
the crew made an attempt one night to seize the
vessel; and, in the prosecution of their diabolical
design, all on board, except a little boy, perished
by their hands. After perpetrating the horrible
deed, they gave themselves up to intoxication, and
in this state, while in sight of the Island of St. Thomas, it so happened, providentially for their speedy
detection, they ordered the boy to row them ashore.
He did so; and then, as soon as out of their
power, informed against them. A vigorous search
was instantly made for the wretches. One fled to
St. Eustatia, but was there seized and broken upon
the wheel. The other, whose name was
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PAGE 067: CHAPTER II
Anderson, was taken in St. Thomas's sent back for trial
to New York, and here executed "upon an Island
in the Bay, near the city, which, from that circumstance, has ever since been called, Anderson's, or
Gibbet Island."
Had Mr. L. accompanied his friend, in adherence to his first determination, speaking after the
manner of men, he would never have returned; —
and it will readily be supposed, that upon hearing
of the melancholy event, he was much affected
with the thought of his own wonderful deliverance
from a tragical death. He saw, in the preservation
he had experienced, the protecting hand of a good
God: — he knew that the Almighty had compassed
him with favour as with a shield, and wrought that
change in his inclination, which was the means of
saving his life: — he therefore blessed the Lord,
who had thus seasonably interposed to redeem his
life from destruction. — It is a circumstance not
altogether unworthy of notice perhaps, that the
Great Being, who determines the bounds of our
habitation, so ordered the place of his residence
afterwards, that, for a great many years, "Anderson's, or Gibbet Island," was frequently before his
eyes as a memento of the singular mercy; — and
never to the day of his death, did he forget it, or
relate it to his friends, without connecting with the
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