After this we went to NARRAGANSET, about twenty miles from Rhode Island; and the governor went with us. We had a meeting at a justice’s house, where Friends had never had any before. It was very large, for the country generally came in; and people came also from Connecticut, and other parts round about, amongst whom were four justices of the peace. Most of these people had never heard Friends before; but they were mightily affected with the meeting, and a great desire there is after the truth amongst them; so that our meeting was of very good service, blessed be the Lord for ever! The justice at whose house the meeting was, and another justice of that country, invited me to come again; but I was then clear of those parts, and going towards Shelter Island. But John Burnyeat and John Cartwright, being come out of New England into Rhode Island, before I was gone, I laid this place before them; and they felt drawings thither, and went to visit them. At another place, I heard some of the magistrates said among themselves, “If they had money enough, they would hire me to be their minister.” This was, where they did not well understand us, and our principles; but when I heard of it, I said, “It was time for me to be gone; for if their eye was so much to me, or any of us, they would not come to their own teacher.” For this thing (hiring ministers) had spoiled many, by hindering them from improving their own talents: whereas our labour is to bring all men to their own teacher in themselves. I went from hence towards Shelter Island, having with me Robert Widders, James Lancaster, George Pattison, and John Jay, a planter of Barbadoes. We went in a sloop; and passing by POINT JUDITH and BLOCK ISLAND, we came to FISHER’S ISLAND, where at night we went on shore; but were not able to stay for the mosquitoes which abound there, and are very troublesome. Wherefore we went into our sloop again, put off from the shore, and cast anchor; and so lay in our sloop that night. Next day we went into the SOUND, but finding our sloop was not able to live in that water, we returned again, and came to anchor before Fisher’s Island, where we lay in our sloop that night also. There fell abundance of rain, and our sloop being open, we were exceedingly wet. Next day we passed over the waters called the TWO HORSE RACES, and then by GARDNER’S ISLAND; after which we passed by GULL’S ISLAND, and so got at length to SHELTER ISLAND; which, though it was but about twenty-seven leagues from Rhode Island, yet through the difficulty of the passage we were three days in reaching.