knock them on the head, still calling and hallooing one to
another to remember Tom Jeffry.

While this was doing, I must confess I was very uneasy, and especially
when I saw the flames of the town, which, it being night, seemed to be
close by me. My nephew, the captain, who was roused by his men seeing
such a fire, was very uneasy, not knowing what the matter was, or what
danger I was in, especially hearing the guns too, for by this time they
began to use their firearms; a thousand thoughts oppressed his mind
concerning me and the supercargo, what would become of us; and at last,
though he could ill spare any more men, yet not knowing what exigence we
might be in, he took another boat, and with thirteen men and himself came
ashore to me.

He was surprised to see me and the supercargo in the boat with no more
than two men; and though he was glad that we were well, yet he was in the
same impatience with us to know what was doing; for the noise continued,
and the flame increased; in short, it was next to an impossibility for
any men in the world to restrain their curiosity to know what had
happened, or their concern for the safety of the men: in a word, the
captain told me he would go and help his men, let what would come. I
argued with him, as I did before with the men, the safety of the ship,
the danger of the voyage, the interests of the owners and merchants, &c.,
and told him I and the two men would go, and only see if we could at a
distance learn what was likely to be the event, and come back and tell
him. It was in vain to talk to my nephew, as it was to talk to the rest
before; he would go, he said; and he only wished he had left but ten men
in the ship, for he could not think of having his men lost for want of
help: he had rather lose the ship, the voyage, and his life, and all; and
away he went.

I was no more able to stay behind now than I was to persuade them not to
go; so the captain ordered two men to row back the pinnace, and fetch
twelve men more, leaving the long-boat at an anchor; and that, when they
came back, six men should keep the two boats, and six more come after us;
so that he left only sixteen men in the ship: for the whole ship's
company consisted of sixty-five men, whereof two were lost in the late
quarrel which brought this mischief on.

Being now on the march, we felt little of the ground we trod on; and
being guided by the fire, we kept no path, but went directly to the place
of the fl