en
followed very heavy rain and thunder more dreadful than ever I had
heard: the heav'ns roared, and the earth trembled at it: I was highly
affected and cast down; in so much that I wept sadly, and could not
follow my relations and friends home.--I was obliged to stop and felt
as if my legs were tied, they seemed to shake under me: so I stood
still, being in great fear of the Man of Power that I was persuaded in
myself, lived above. One of my young companions (who entertained a
particular friendship for me and I for him) came back to see for me: he
asked me why I stood still in such very hard rain? I only said to him
that my legs were weak, and I could not come faster: he was much
affected to see me cry, and took me by the hand, and said he would lead
me home, which he did. My mother was greatly alarmed at my tarrying out
in such terrible weather; she asked me many questions, such as what I
did so for, and if I was well? My dear mother says I, pray tell me who
is the great Man of Power that makes the thunder? She said, there was no
power but the sun, moon and stars; that they made all our country.--I
then enquired how all our people came? She answered me, from one
another; and so carried me to many generations back.--Then says I, who
made the _First Man_? and who made the first Cow, and the first Lyon,
and where does the fly come from, as no one can make him? My mother
seemed in great trouble; she was apprehensive that my senses were
impaired, or that I was foolish. My father came in, and seeing her in
grief asked the cause, but when she related our conversation to him, he
was exceedingly angry with me, and told me he would punish me severely
if ever I was so troublesome again; so that I resolved never to say any
thing more to him. But I grew very unhappy in myself; my relations and
acquaintance endeavoured by all the means they could think on, to divert
me, by taking me to ride upon goats, (which is much the custom of our
country) and to shoot with a bow and arrow; but I experienced no
satisfaction at all in any of these things; nor could I be easy by any
means whatever: my parents were very unhappy to see me so dejected and
melancholy.

About this time there came a merchant from the _Gold Coast_ (the third
city in Guinea) he traded with the inhabitants of our country in ivory
&c. he took great notice of my unhappy situation, and enquired into the
cause; he expressed vast concern for me, and said, if my parents would