I sent directly for Lasmeel to be my amanuensis, and to work we went upon the translation.
We began at the creation, and descending to the flood, went on to the Jewish captivity in Egypt and deliverance by Moses, leaving out the genealogies and all the Jewish ceremonies and laws, except the Ten Commandments. I translated the books of Samuel and Kings, down to the Babylonish captivity. I then translated such parts of the Prophets as were necessary to introduce the Messiah, and discover Him; the books of Psalms, Job, and the Proverbs, and with the utmost impatience hasted to the New Testament. But then considering that when I had done, as only Lasmeel and myself could read it, in case of our deaths, the translation must die with us, I chose out six of the junior ragans, and two of the elder, to learn letters; and in less than twelve months I had brought them all to read mine and Lasmeel's writings perfectly well.
I instructed these ragans at spare hours, whilst I went on with my translation; but finding my paper grow low, having had a great supply of coarse linen, and a sort of calicoes from the isles, in return for our metals, I set up a manufactory from that, and some gums of the trees, which we boiled with it to a pulp in iron pans, and beating it to pieces, made a useful paper which would bear ink tolerably. But I could find nothing to make ink of, though I sent over all the country to search for every herb and fruit not commonly used; till at last I found an herb and flower on it, which, if taken before the flower faded, would, by boiling thoroughly, become blue; this, by still more boiling in a copper pan till it was dry and burnt hard to the bottom, in some measure answered my purpose, and I fixed upon it as the best I could obtain from all my experiments.
When the ragans were masters of their pens, I set six of them to copy what Lasmeel had finished, and the other two to teach their brethren; and in two years' time, by a pretty constant application (for I made them transcribe it perfectly fair and intelligible), we finished our translation, and two fair copies.
I then ordered the ragans to read a portion of it to the people constantly, in the mouch; they, from the novelty of the story, at first grew so exceeding fond of it, that upon the proper expositions of it I taught the ragans afterwards to make, they began to apply it seriously to religious purposes.