he main-mast in its folds: and the loud
roar with which it ascended proved the violence and rapidity of the
combustion below and how little time there was to be lost. The lower
and main decks were now so filled with smoke that no one could remain
there: some few poor fellows sick in their cots had long been smothered,
for they had been forgotten. The swell had much subsided, and there was
not a breath of wind: the smoke which rose from the hatchways ascended
straight up in the air, which, as the vessel had lost all steerage way,
was fortunate. The boats were soon in the water, and trusty men placed
in them: the spars were launched over, arranged by the men in the boats
and lashed together. All the gratings were then collected and firmly
fixed upon the spars for the people to sit upon; and Philip's heart was
glad at the prospect which he now had of saving the numbers which were
embarked.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

But their difficulties were not surmounted--the fire now had
communicated to the main-deck and burst out of the port-holes
amid-ships--and the raft which had been forming alongside was obliged to
be drifted astern where it was more exposed to the swell. This retarded
their labour, and, in the mean time the fire was making rapid progress;
the main-mast which had long been burning, fell over the side with the
lurching of the vessel, and the flames out of the main-deck ports soon
showed their points above the bulwarks, while volumes of smoke were
poured in upon the upper-deck almost suffocating the numbers which were
crowded there; for all communication with the fore-part of the ship had
been for some time cut off by the flames, and every one had retreated
aft. The women and children were now carried on to the poop; not only
to remove them farther from the suffocating smoke, but that they might
be lowered down to the raft from the stern.

It was about four o'clock in the morning when all was ready, and by the
exertions of Philip and the seamen, notwithstanding the swell, the women
and children were safely placed on the raft where it was considered that
they would be less in the way, as the men could relieve each other in
pulling when they were tired.

After the women and children had been lowered down, the troops were next
ordered to descend by the ladders; some few were lost in the attempt,
falling under the boat's bottom and not re-appearing; but two-thirds of
them were safely put on the berths they were