SIR THOMAS STAMFORD RAFFLES. 55 



and sailed at daylight for England with a fair wind, 

 and every prospect of a quiet and comfortable pas- 

 sage. 



u The ship was every thing we could wish, and 

 having closed my charge here much to my satisfac- 

 tion, it was one of the happiest days of my life. We 

 were perhaps too happy, for in the evening came a 

 sad reverse. Sophia had just gone to bed, and I 

 had thrown off half my clothes, when a cry of Fire, 

 fire ! roused us from our calm content, and in five 

 minutes the whole ship was in flames! I ran to 

 examine whence the flames principally issued, and 

 found that the fire had its origin immediately under 

 our cabin. Down with the boats. Where is So- 

 phia ? Here. The children ? Here. A rope to 

 this side. Lower Lady Raffles. Give her to me, 

 says one : I'll take her, says the captain. Thiow 

 the gunpowder over board. It cannot be got at ; it 

 is in the magazine close to the fire. Stand clear of 

 the powder. Skuttle the water-casks. Water ! 

 Water ! Where's Sir Stamford ? Come into the 

 boat, Nilson ! Nilson, come into the boat. Push 

 off push off. Stand clear of the after part of the 

 ship. 



" All this passed much quicker than I can write 

 it. We pushed off, and as we did so, the flames 

 burst out of our cabin window, and the whole of the 

 after part of the^ship was in flames. The masts and 

 sails now taking fire, we moved to a distance suffi- 

 cient to avoid the immediate explosion ; but the 



