C 29 1 ] 
It mud likewife be remarked, that the yards, 
which lay in a horizontal pofition, were not touched 
or hurt. Indeed they are always covered with lamp 
black and tar, as the heels and heads of the mail: 
are, and this frequently repeated ; yet they had many 
and large rents in them ; but whether the matter, 
which covered them, or their horizontal pofition, was 
the reafon of their efcaping the thunder, is left to 
the learned to determine. For in this fituation you 
have nothing to do but to fit with your arms acrofs, 
and compofe yourfelf in expectation of your fate. 
I muft alfo take notice, that no part of the rigging 
was hurt ; for although the middle part of the top- 
gallant-mad, which was 18 feet long, and 9 inches 
diameter, was entirely burfl: to pieces, and carried 
away 3 yet the rigging, which furrounded the upper 
part, was neither burnt, fcorclied, nor broke. Nei- 
ther did it touch the caps on the mad heads, nor the 
top, or round fcad'olding on the mad, and in this fhip 
it was 18 feet broad ; and thefe as well as the yards 
were covered with tar and lamp black, and made of 
three inch deal. 
I mud likewife take notice, that upon the upper 
deck of the fhip are two convenient boxes built, di- 
vided into two and into three parts, wherein are placed a 
lamp, which burns in the night, and a compafs, where- 
by the {hip is deered. One of thefe was placed very 
near to the main-mad in the middle of the fhip, and 
the other clofe to the mizzen-mad, and both the 
lamps were burning at the time of the fil'd explo- 
fion ; and immediately, upon orders given, all the 
lights in the fhip were extinguifhed before the burd- 
ing of the fecond clap ; the officers imagining the in- 
P p 2 flammable 
