in and myself having dared hitherto to sleep in my House since
the Day of our Disaster. The Consul and his Family have been saved,
and are all well, in a Country House near this City. Those with me
at present are the _Dutch_ Minister, his Lady, and their three
Children, with seven or eight of their Servants. The rest of my
Company of the better Sort consists of several Merchants of this
Factory, who, for the most part have lost all they had; though some
indeed, as Messrs. _Parry_ and _Mellish's_ House, and Mr. _Raymond_,
and _Burrell_, have had the good Fortune to save their Cash, either
in whole or in part. The number of the Dead and Wounded I can give
no certain Account of as yet; in that respect our Poor Factory has
escaped pretty well, considering the number of Houses we have here.
I have lost my Good and Worthy Friend the _Spanish_ Ambassador, who
was crushed under the Door, as he attempted to make his Escape into
the Street. This with the Anguish I have been in for these five Days
past, occasioned by the dismal Accounts brought to us every instant
of the Accidents befallen to one or other of our Acquaintance among
the Nobility, who for the most part are quite Undone, has greatly
affected me; but in particular the miserable Objects among the lower
sort of His Majesty's Subjects, who fly also to me for Bread, and lie
scattered up and down in my Garden, with their Wives and Children.
I have helped them all hitherto, and shall continue to do so, as long
as Provisions do not fail Us, which I hope will not be the Case, by
the Orders which _M. de Carvalho_ has issued in that respect.
One of our great Misfortunes is, that we have neither an _English_ or
_Dutch_ Man of War in the Harbour. Some of their Carpenters and
Sailors would have been of great use to me on this occasion, in
helping to prop up my House; for as the Weather, which has hitherto
been remarkably fair, seems to threaten us with heavy Rains, it will
be impossible for the Refugees in my Garden to hold out much longer;
and how to find Rooms in my House for them all I am at a loss to
devise; the Floors of most of them shaking under our Feet; and must
consequently be too weak to bear any fresh number of Inhabitants.
The Roads for the first Days having been impracticable, it was
but yesterday I had the Honour in Company with _M. de la Calmette_,
of waiting on the King of _Portugal_, and all the Royal Family at
_Belem_, whom we found encamped; none of the Roy