432 THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES

low, and thatched with flags or rushes, of which the country is full,
so they presently made some wild-fire, as we call it, by wetting a little
powder in the palms of their hands; and in a quarter of an hour
they set the town on fire in four or five places, and particularly that
house where the Indians were not gone to bed. As soon as the fire
began to blaze, the poor, frighted creatures began to rush out to save
their lives, but met with their fate in the attempt, and especially at
the door, where they drove them back, the boatswain himself killing
one or two with his pole-axe: the house being large, and many in it,
he did not care to go in, but called for a hand-grenado, and threw it
among them, which at first frighted them; but when it burst, made
such havoc among them, that they cried out in a hideous manner.

In short, most of the Indians who were in the open part of the house,
were killed or hurt with the grenado, except two or three more, who
pressed to the oor, which the boatswain and two more kept with the
bayonets in the muzzles of their pieces, and despatched all who came
that way. But there was another apartment in the house, where the
prince, or king, or whatsoever he was, and several others were ; and
they kept in till the house, which was by this time all of a light flame,
fell in upon them, and they were smothered or burnt together.

Ail this while, they fired not a gun, because they would not waken the
people faster than they could master them; but the fire began to waken
them fast enough, and our fellows were glad to keep a little together
in bodies; for the fire grew so raging, all the houses being made of
light combustible stuff, that they could hardly bear the street between
them, and their business was to follow the fire for the surer execution.
As fast as the fire either forced the people out of those houses which
were burning, or frighted them out of others, our people were ready
at their doors to knock them on the head, still calling and hallooing to
one another to remember Thomas Jeffrys.

While this was doing, I must confess I was very uneasy, and espe-
cially when I saw the flames of the town, which, it being night, seemed
to be just by me.

My nephew, the captain, who was roused by his men too, secing
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 should become of
us; and at last, though he could ill spare any more men, yet, not
knowing what exigencies we might be in, he takes another boat, and
with thirteen men and himself, comes on shore to me.

He was surprised to see me and the supercargo in the boat with ne