56 MEMOIR OF 



flames were now coming out of the main hatchway, 

 and seeing the rest of the crew, with the captain, 

 still on board, we pulled back to her under her bows, 

 so as to be more distant from the powder. As we 

 approached we perceived that the people on board 

 were getting into another boat on the opposite side. 

 She pulled off we hailed her ; have you all on 

 board ? Yes, all save one. Who is he ? Johnson, 

 sick in his cot. Can we save him ? No, impossi- 

 ble. The flames were issuing from the hatchway. 

 At this moment, the poor fellow scorched, I imagine, 

 roared out most lustily, having run upon deck. I 

 will go for him, says the captain. The two boats 

 then came together, and we took out some of the 

 persons from the captain's boat, which was over- 

 laden ; he then pulled under the bowsprit of the 

 ship, and picked the poor fellow up. Are you all 

 safe? Yes, we have got the man all lives safe. 

 Thank God ! pull off from the ship. Keep your 

 eye on a star, Sir Stamford. There is one scarcely 

 visible. 



" We then hauled close to each other, and found 

 the captain fortunately had a compass, but we had 

 no light except from the ship. Our distance from 

 Bencoolen we estimated to be about fifty miles in a 

 south-west direction. There being no landing-place 

 to the southward of Bencoolen, our only chance was 

 to regain that port. The captain then undertook to 

 lead, and we to follow, in a north north-east course, 

 as well as we could, no chance, no possibility being 



