[ 287 ] 
alarm, that an houfe was on fire in Goat- ft reef. I 
readily fufpedted the caufe, and foon after went to 
the place, in order to inquire into particulars, and 
was informed, that three houfes were damaged in 
that place. 
The firft houfe I entered into was inhabited by 
Mr. William Loft, a cuftom-houfe waterman, which 
was almoft untiled on the weft fide, and being of 
timber, was very much fplit and fhattered : fome of 
the weather-boards were thrown outwards to the 
bottom of the garden, to the diftance of about thirty 
feet from the houfe, and the windows were forced 
inwards ; but no damage was done to this houfe by 
fire. 
Jt may not be amifs to mention, that feveral fmall 
pieces of giafs, in the leaded windows, were impel- 
led with fuch force, as to ftick very faft in a door 
which was oppofite, and in the hard plaiftered parti- 
tion ; fome of which I drew out of both, which, 
together with fome bits of melted window-lead, you 
will find in the box N° 1. 
The fecond houfe, that I examined, was that of 
Mr. Arthur Tawke, a fail-maker, on the oppofite 
fide of the ftreet, to the eaftward. This was the 
houfe faid to have been on fire ; and here I found the 
following accidents and effects ; viz. the window- 
fhutters of the back parlour, on the eaft fide, were, 
flattered, and moft of the bell- wire in this room 
melted ; its track on the wainfcot much Tcorched, 
but more fo at the cranks: a. hole was burnt in a 
copper-plate print, which hung under the wire; and, 
along the fame fide of the room, feveral rufh-bot- 
tomed chairs were burnt in fpecks a^ad holes of dif- 
ferent 
