SIR THOMAS STAMFORD RAFFLES. 67 
lefi^ that we coulil a^'ain approach the sUip*; For she 
was now one i^pK'ndid dame, f'urc and aft, atiit aloft, 
her mmis and sailii hi a bla^e^ and rocking to and 
fro, threaieiiiag to fati In an instant. There goea 
her mizeii mast ; pull away niy boys. There goes 
the gutipowtior. Thank God tliaiik God ? 
" You may judge of our situatton without farther 
partii'ulars. The abrro wom gtf'en at about twenty 
jniiiuies p'list eight, and in Jesa than ten minutes she 
was in flamos. I'hi.'re was not a soul on board at 
half- past ei;j:hi, and in less than ten minutes after' 
wanU she wast one grand mass of fire. 
My only apprehension was lite want of boats to 
hold ih(* people, SLH there wm not time lo liave got 
out the loni^ boat, or to makf a ratt ; all we fiad to 
rely upon were two aniatl quarter bo3t», wliieb for* 
tunalely were lowered without accident ; and in these 
two small open hoala, without u drop of water or 
grain of food, or a rag of co^'ering, except what we 
happened at the momient to ha^e oa our back^f we 
embarki-tl on the oiean, thankful to God for hiit 
mercies ! Poor Sophia, liaviijg been taken out of 
her bed, had nothini^ on hut a wTapper, neither slioes 
nor Btockings, The children were just i^h taken out 
of bed, where one had been nnatched after the Hninea 
had attacked it ■ — in sbnrtf there was not time for 
any one to think of more than two things. Can the 
ship he saved? No, Let m mvB ourselves then. 
All else was swallowed up in one y:rand ruin, 
" To make tha best of our misfortune, we availeU 
