SIR THOMAS STAMFORD RAFFLES. 
57 
left, that we could again approach the ship ; for she 
was now one splendid flame, fore and aft, and aloft, 
her masts and sails in a blaze, and rocking to and 
fro, threatening to fall in an instant. There goes 
her mizen-mast; pull away my boys. There goes 
the gunpowder. Thank God ! — thank God ! 
“ You may judge of our situation without farther 
particulars. The alarm was given at about twenty 
minutes past eight, and in less than ten minutes she 
was in flames. There was not a soul on board at 
half-past eight, and in less than ten minutes after- 
wards she was one grand mass of fire. 
“ My only apprehension was the want of boats to 
hold the people, as there was not time to have got 
out the long boat, or to make a raft ; all we had to 
rely upon were two small quarter boats, which for- 
tunately were lowered without accident ; and in these 
two small open boats, without a drop of water .or 
grain of food, or a rag of covering, except what we 
happened at the moment to have on our backs, we 
embarked on the ocean, thankful to God for his 
mercies ! Poor Sophia, having been taken out of 
her bed, had nothing on but a wrapper, neither shoes 
nor stockings. The children were just as taken out 
of bed, where one had been snatched after the flames 
had attacked it ; — in short, there was not time for 
any one to think of more than two things. Can the 
ship be saved? No. Let us save ourselves then. 
All else was swallowed up in one grand ruin. 
“To make the best of uur misfortune, we availed 
