16 January 1764 – 22 January 1764

I rode to High Wycombe, and preached to a more numerous and serious congregation than ever I saw there before. Shall there be yet another day of visitation to this careless people? A large number was present at five in the morning, but my face and gums were so swelled I could hardly speak. After I took horse, they grew worse and worse, till it began to rain. I was then persuaded to put on an oil-case hood, which (the wind being very high) kept rubbing continually on my cheek till both pain and swelling were gone. Between twelve and one we crossed Ensham Ferry. The water was like a sea on both sides. I asked the ferryman, "Can we ride the causeway?" He said, "Yes, sir, if you keep in the middle." But this was the difficulty, as the whole causeway was covered with water to a considerable depth. And this in many parts ran over the causeway with the swiftness and violence of a sluice. Once my mare lost both her forefeet, but she gave a spring, and recovered the causeway; otherwise we must have taken a swim, for the water on either side was ten or twelve feet deep. However, after one or two more plunges, we got through and came safe to Whitney.