iracle; though even the manner of
its preservation might have made me own it as a wonderful event of God's
kind providence.

It was about the latter end of June when the ears of this corn ripened,
which I laid up very carefully together with 20 or 30 stalks of rice,
expecting one day I should reap the fruit of my labour; yet four years
were expired before I could allow myself to eat any barley-bread, and
much longer time before I had any rice. After this, with indefatigable
pains and industry for three or four months, at last I finished my wall
on the 14th, of April, having no way to go into it, but by ladder
against the wall.

_April_ 16. I finished my ladder, and ascended it; afterwards pulled it
up, then let it down on the other side, and descended into my new
habitation, where I had space enough, and so fortified that nothing
could attack me, without scaling the walls.

But what does all human pains and industry avail, if the blessing of God
does not crown our labours? Or who can stand before the Almighty, when
he stretcheth forth his arm? For one time as I was at the entrance of my
cave, there happened such a dreadful earthquake, that not only the roof
of the cave came rumbling about my ears, but the posts seemed to crack
terribly at the same time. This put me in great amazement; and running
to the ladder, and getting over the wall, I then plainly knew it was an
earthquake, the place I stood on sustaining three terrible shocks in
less than three minutes. But judge of my terror when I saw the top of a
great rock roll into the sea; I then expected the island would be
swallowed up every moment: And what made the scene still more dreadful,
was to see the sea thrown into the most violent agitations and disorders
by this tremendous accident.

For my part I stood like a criminal at the place of execution ready to
expire. At the moving of the earth, I was, as it were, sea-sick; and
very much afraid lest the rock, under which was my fence and habitation,
should overwhelm it and myself in a lasting tomb.

When the third dreadful shock had spent itself, my spirits began to
revive; yet still I would not venture to ascend the ladder, but
continued fitting, not knowing what I should do. So little grace had I
then, as only to say _Lord have mercy upon me!_ and no sooner was the
earthquake over, but that pathetic prayer left me.

It was not long after, when a horrible tempest arose, at the same time
attended with a huricane