SIR THOMAS STAMFORD RAFFLES. 57 



left, that we could again approach the ship ; for she 

 was now one splendid flame, fore and aft, and aloft, 

 her masts and sails in a blaze, and rocking to and 

 fro, threatening to fall in an instant. There goes 

 her mizen-mast ; pull away my boys. There goes 

 the gunpowder. Thank God ! thank God ! 



" You may judge of our situation without farther 

 particulars. The alarm was given at about twenty 

 minutes past eight, and in less than ten minutes she 

 was in flames. There was not a soul on board at 

 half-past eight, and in less than ten minutes after- 

 wards she was one grand mass of fire. 



" My only apprehension was the want of boats to 

 hold the people, as there was not time to have got 

 out the long boat, or to make a raft ; all we had to 

 rely upon were two small quarter boats, which for- 

 tunately were lowered without accident ; and in these 

 two small open boats, without a drop of water or 

 grain of food, or a rag of covering, except what we 

 happened at the moment to have on our backs, we 

 embarked on the ocean, thankful to God for his 

 mercies ! Poor Sophia, having been taken out of 

 her bed, had nothing on but a wrapper, neither shoes 

 nor stockings. The children were just as taken out 

 of bed, where one had been snatched after the flames 

 had attacked it ; in short, there was not time for 

 any one to think of more than two things. Can the 

 ship be saved ? No. Let us save ourselves then. 

 All else was swallowed up in one grand ruin. 



" To make the best of yur misfortune, we availed 



