201 



THE SEA. 



Sands in despairing- postures, knowing that they would, as Defoe puts it, "be washed into 

 another world " at the reflux of the tide. The Mayor of Deal, Mr. Thomas Powell, asked the 

 Custom House officers to take out their boats and endeavour to save the lives of some of 

 these unfortunates, but they utterly refused. The mayor then offered, from his own pocket, 

 five shillings a head for all saved, and a number of fishermen and others volunteered, and 

 succeeded in bringing 200 persons on shore, who would have been lost in half an hour 

 afterwards. The Queen's agent for sick and wounded seamen would not furnish a penny 

 for their lodging or food, and the good mayor supplied all of them with what they required. 

 Several died, and he was compelled to bury them at his own expense ; he furnished a large 



THE STORM IN THE THAMES AT CAPPING. 



number with money to pay their way to London. He received no thanks from the Govern- 

 ment of the day, but some long time after was re-imbursed the large sums he had expended. 



"Nor/' says Defoe, "can the damage suffered in the river of Thames be forgot. It 

 was a strange sight to see all the ships in the river blown away, the Pool was so clear, that, 

 as I remember, not above four ships were left between the upper part of Wapping and 

 Ratcliffe Cross, for the tide being up at the time when the storm blew with the greatest 

 violence, no anchors or landfast, no cables or moorings, would hold them, the chains which lay 

 across the river for the mooring of ships, all gave way. 



"The ships breaking loose thus, it must be a strange sight to see the hurry and 

 confusion of it ; and, as some ships had nobody at all 011 board, and a great many had 

 none but a man or boy just to look after the vessel, there was nothing to be done but 

 to let every vessel drive whither and how she would. 



"Those who know the reaches of the river, and how they lie, know well enough 

 that the wind being at south-west-westerly, the vessels would naturally drive into the bite 



