Thursday, 21st. This morning a young lad, one of the servants being verry ill with the Fever and Ague, he begged me to apply to Mr. Jones the Cheif Mate, and told me he cou'd give him something that would cure him ;_ Mr. Jones first desired me to give him a Womite and then wrote the following lines on a slip of paper and after folding it up gave it to me, to see it tyed up in the corner of his handkirchif or Cravat and wear it at his breast next his skin with strick charge not to look at it himself nor let any other person see it or look at it untill he was got wel. The words are as follows. When Jesus saw the Cross he trembled.
The Jews said unto him why tremblest thou,
You have neither got an Ague nor a fever.
Jesus Answered and said unto them
I have neither got an Ague nor a fever
But whosoever keepeth my words
Shall neither have an Ague nor a fever.
Mr. Jones told me when he gave me the above copy it [was] a sertain cure for the fever and Ague, the paitient being first womited and then wearing the lines as above directed. But if they show it to any or look at it themselves it will have no effect.
John Harrower (1733-1777) was een Schotse koopman die naar Amerika emigreerde om er aan de slag te gaan als privé-leraar. Hij hield een dagboek bij van zijn leven daar.
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