THE TOWN SET ON FIRE. 627

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 door, which the boatswain and two more
kept with their bayonets in the muzzles of their pieces, and de-
spatched all who came that way. But there was another apart-
ment in the house, where the prince or king, or whatever he was,
and several others were; and these 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 burned together.

All 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
frightened 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 Jeffery.

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 just by me.

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

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