SIR THOMAS STAMFORD RAFFLES. 65 
and s^iilfd at tiayliplit for Englaml with a fnir wintl, 
anil every piuspect of a quiel and conifortalile pas- 
sage. 
'* The ship was every thing we couUl wish, and 
havini^ elosed my i'harjje here much to iny HBiisfac- 
tlon, it was one of tlie happiest ilays of my life. W© 
were perliapa too hapjjy, lor in the evenin|^ tame a 
sail reverije. Sophia had just gone to bed* and I 
bad thrown off half my t'loihHs, whfn a cry of Fire, 
fir(3 1 roused ua from our talm content, and in five 
minutes the whole ship was in flames! I ran to 
examine wlience tfie flames principally issm^d, and 
found thnt tlie lire liad its orljrin inimi'difvtely under 
our cahin. Dowa wiih tti*i hoats, Wlu-rc is So- 
phia ? Here. Thp children ? Herf*. A rope to 
this side. LowtT LB<ly Raffles. Give her to me, 
Bnya oiif ; I'll take her, Hays the captain. Tlirow 
the gunpowder over board. It cannot be got at; it 
is in the miigHzinc clone to the fire. Stanti clear of 
the powder, ISkuttle the water-casks. Water! 
Water ! Wliere's Sir Stsimhird ? Cnine into the 
boat, Nilson I Nilson, coau* into the hnjit. Pii'^h 
off" — putih aiW Stand clear of the after [tart of ll»e 
eliip. 
All this pas?!ed mncli quicker than I can write 
it. We puHlu'tl olF, and a» we did ho, the flainea 
bunt out of our cabin window, and the wfiole of the 
after part of the ship waw in flameH. The mastn ami 
Bailn now tfddni.' fire, we moved to a distance sudi- 
cient to av oid the immediate explosion ; but the 
