1852.] DESTRUCTION OF THE VESSEL. 395 
i 
and sails also burnt, and flames were seen issuing from 
the fore hatchway, showing how rapidly the fire was 
i spreading through the combustible cargo. The vessel, 
having now no sails to steady her, rolled heavily, and 
'! the masts, no longer supported by the shrouds, bent and 
creaked, threatening to go overboard every minute. The 
main-mast went first, breaking off about twenty feet 
: above the deck ; but the fore-mast stood for a long time, 
' exciting our admiration and wonder, at the time it re- 
; sisted the heavy rolls and lurches of the vessel ; at last, 
I being partly burned at the bottom, it went over, more 
than an hour after its companion. The decks were now 
I a mass of fire, and the bulwarks partly burnt away. 
I Many of the parrots, monkeys, and other animals we 
' had on board, were already burnt or suffocated; but 
several had retreated to the bowsprit out of reach of the 
! flames, appearing to wonder what was going on, and 
quite unconscious of the fate that awaited them. We 
tried to get some of them into the boats, by going as 
near as we could venture ; but they did not seem at all 
aware of the danger they were in, and would not make 
any attempt to reach us. As the flames caught the base 
of the bowsprit, some of them ran back and jumped 
into the midst of the fire. Only one parrot escaped : he 
was sitting on a rope hanging from the bowsprit, and 
this burning above him let him fall into the water, 
where, after floating a little way, we picked him up. 
Night was now coming on. The whole deck was a 
mass of fire, giving out an intense heat. We deter- 
mined to stay by the vessel all night, as the light would 
attract any ship passing within a considerable distance of 
