rs overpowered their better judgment, and
one of the rafts was launched overboard. It was with some difficulty
that it could be kept alongside. They fitted it with a mast and sail,
and a few casks of provisions, but no water was to be found, except in a
small keg.

While some of the people who intended to embark on it were looking for
more, a fresh puff of smoke forced its way up near the mainmast; and
this so frightened the emigrants, that a general rush was made to get on
the raft. About thirty were already on it, and so alarmed were they
lest the number crowding on it might capsize it, that, ill-provisioned
as they were, they cut it adrift. What became of them I know not; for
the night coming on, they were soon lost sight of, and we never saw them
again. That night was far more dreadful than the first; for, though the
terror of the people was not so loud, their despair was more pitiable.
The remainder of the crew still worked, spell and spell, at the pumps,
but the fire gained upon us. At length some of the steerage passengers
broke into the cabins, which they rifled of everything on which they
could lay their hands, and unfortunately discovered several cases of
brandy and wine.

Now began the most horrible orgies imaginable. Men, women, and even
children, became speedily intoxicated, and entirely forgetful of their
fears and awful position. They were, in fact, like the fiercest
savages, and, like them, danced and shouted and sang, till some of them
fell down in fits on the deck. In the cabins they found several
muskets, and, taking it into their heads that the crew had been the
cause of the disaster, they set upon Mr Bell and those of us who
remained, and, had we not struggled desperately, would have thrown us
overboard. They could, fortunately, find no powder and shot, or they
would certainly have killed some of the people in the boats. We
retreated before them forward and then, aided by Flint, and some of the
more reputable English who had kept sober, we made a rush at them and
wrenched their arms from their grasp. So infuriated had they become,
that while some of us worked at the pumps and rafts, the rest had to
stand guard and keep them at bay. Fortunately the wind fell, and the
sea went down with the sun, or it would have been still worse for us.

In one respect the calm was bad, as no ship was likely to come to our
rescue. One might have passed within a very short distance of us, and
would not