of hissing noise, and then followed the
explosion, when he beheld the masts blown up into the air. It was very
strongly reported that several windows were broken in the Dock by the
explosion, and that in the Dock-yard much mischief was done by the
Amphion's guns going off when she blew up; but though the shock was
felt as far off as Plymouth, and at Stone-house, enough to shake the
windows, yet it is a wonderful and miraculous fact, that surrounded as
she was in the harbor, with ships close along side of the jetty, and
lashed to another vessel, no damage was done to any thing but herself.
It is dreadful to reflect, that owing to their intention of putting to
sea the next day, there were nearly one hundred men, women and
children, more than her complement on board, taking leave of their
friends, besides the company who were at two dinners given in the
ship, one of which was by the captain.

Captain Israel Pellow, and Captain William Swaffield, of his Majesty's
ship Overyssel, who was at dinner with him and the first lieutenant,
were drinking their wine; when the first explosion threw them off
their seats, and struck them against the carlings of the upper deck,
so as to stun them. Captain Pellow, however, had sufficient presence
of mind to fly to the cabin windows, and seeing the two hawsers, one
slack in the bit and the other taut, threw himself with an amazing
leap, which he afterwards said, nothing but his sense of danger could
have enabled him to take, upon the latter, and by that means saved
himself from the general destruction, though his face had been badly
cut against the carlings, when he was thrown from his seat. The first
lieutenant saved himself in the same manner, by jumping out of the
window, and by being also a remarkable good swimmer; but Captain
Swaffield, being, as it was supposed, more stunned, did not
escape.--His body was found on the twenty-second of October, with his
skull fractured, appearing to have been crushed between the sides of
two vessels.

The centinel at the cabin door happened to be looking at his watch;
how he escaped no one can tell, not even himself. He was, however,
brought on shore, and but little hurt; the first thing he felt was,
that his watch was dashed out of his hands, after which he was no
longer sensible of what happened to him. The boatswain was standing on
the cat-head, the bowsprit had been stepped for three hours; the
gammoning and every thing on; and he was directing