EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURES. 307
an hour after the admiral left It, when he happily got into a boat from the ftern-Iadder, and was put fafe on board the Alderney floop. I mull be deficient even to attempt a defcription of the melancholy fcene that was before me ; fhriek- ings, cries, lamentations, bemoan- ings, raving, defpair, and even madneis itfelt prefented themfelves. It was now high time to think of taking care of myfelf. I looked from every part of the fhip for my prefervation, and foon faw three boats off the Hern of the fhip. I went immediately to my cabin, and offered up my prayers to God, particularly thanking him for giv- ing me fuch refolution and com- pofure of mind. I then jumped in- to the fea from one of the gun-room ports, and fwam to a boat, which put me fafe on board the Alderney floop. There are near 300 people faved, and more might have been faved, had the merchantmen behav- ed like human creatures; but they kept a long way to windward the whole time; and ifpolfible, to their greater Ihame be it fpoken, inftead of faving the men that fwam to their boats, they were employed in taking up geefe, fowls, tables, chairs, and whatever elfe of the kind came near them.
From Mr, Parry, an officer, dated as abo've.
ABOUT half paft one at noon, being in the office adjoining to the cabin, I faw the admiral run out, with two or three officers ; on enquiring the caufe, I was alarmed with the (hip's being on fire forwards, and it was believed in the boatfwain's fore ftore-room j every method was taken to extin-
guifh it, but the fmoke was fo vio- lent, no perfon could get near enough to find where the fire was. About half paft two we made the fignal of dillrefs ; but to render our fituation more wretched, the fog came on very thick, and the wind frefhed, and it was near four before the Glafgow and Alderney got in- telligence of our condition ; when they repeated the fignal, hoifted out their boats, and Hood towards us; but'they not knowing we had taken care to float our powder, were under fad apprehenfions we might blow up, and therefore could not (confiftent with their ovv'n fafe- ty) give us the affillance our de- plorable condition rendered us fo much in need of. We attempted to fcuttle the decks to let the water on the file, but the people could not ftand a minute without being near fufrocated. About half pall four the fmoke increafed, and the flames began to break out ; the admiral then ordered the boats to be hoifted out, got the barge out, and went off, promifing to bring a (hip along-fide of us. I obierved her fo full, her gunwale was almofli: with the water, and, in a few mi- nutes after, fiw her fink at fome diftance a-llern, and not above three or four were faved out of neai* forty, among whom it pleafed God to preferve the admiral. The weather was now become clear^ but none of the merchantmen would come near us. Our oiHcers behaved well, and endeavoured to keep the people to the pumps and dr.'.wing water, but they now were becomequite ungovernable. Abouc a quarter befor'- five Captain Pay- ton left the (hip, atid promifed as the admiral ; but was not able to accomplilhit. About five the long- X a boat
