[ 3 6 7 ] 
did not laft longer than half a Second ; we looked 
over head, and found our Maintopmaft (battered 
into above an hundred Pieces, and the Mainmafl: 
rent quite down to the Heel. There were fome of 
the Spikes, that nail the Fifh of the Mainmaft, drawn 
with fuch Force out of the Mart, that they (luck in 
the Main Deck fo faft, -that the Carpencer was 
obliged to take an Iron Crow to get them out : 
There were five Men knocked down, and one of 
them greatly burnt, by the Explofion. We believe, 
that when the Ball, which appeared to us to be of 
the Bignefs of a large Millftone, rofe, it rook the 
Middle of the Main Topmaft, as the Head of the 
Malt above the Hounds was not fplintered : We had 
a very hard Gale of Wind, from the N. by W. to 
the N. N. E. for two Days before the Accident, 
with a great deal of Rain and Hail, and a large 
Sea : From the Northward we had no Thunder nor 
Lightning, before nor after the Explofion. The Ball 
came down from the N. E. and went to the S. W. 
This Account was given by Mr. Chalmers , who 
was, when the above-mentioned Accident happened, 
on board his Majefty’s Ship the Montague ^ under the 
Command of Admiral Chambers. 
A a a 2 
XX. 
