With these reflections I worked my mind up, not only to a resignation to the will of God in the present disposition of my circumstances, but even to a sincere thankfulness for my condition; and that I, who was yet a living man, ought not to complain, seeing I had not the due punishment of my sins; that I enjoyed so many mercies which I had no reason to have expected in that place; that I ought never more to repine at my condition, but to rejoice, and to give daily thanks for that daily bread, which nothing but a crowd of wonders could have brought; that I ought to consider I had been fed even by a miracle, even as great as that of feeding Elijah by ravens, nay, by a long series of miracles; and that I could hardly have named a place in the uninhabitable part of the world where I could have been cast more to my advantage; a place where, as I had no society, which was my affliction on one hand, so I found no ravenous beasts, no furious wolves or tigers, to threaten my life; no venomous creatures, or poisons, which I might feed on to my hurt; no savages to murder and devour me.
Deze overwegingen maakten mij niet alleen onderworpen aan den wil van God, in mijn tegenwoordigen toestand, maar zelfs opregt dankbaar voor denzelven. Ik bedacht, dat ik, die nog in leven was, mij niet mogt beklagen, daar ik geenszins de regtmatige straf voor mijne zonden had ontvangen; maar dat ik dagelijks mij verheugen en dankbaar zijn moest voor dat dagelijksch brood, dat mij als door een wonder geschonken was, een wonder zoo groot, als dat van de voeding door de raven van den Profeet Elias, of liever door eene reeks van wonderen.