nt lost all
the booty they had obtained.

Soon after this the whole street was on fire. All idea of preserving
their property was therefore abandoned by the inhabitants, and they
thought only of saving themselves. Hundreds of half-naked persons of
both sexes rushed towards Thames-street in search of a place of refuge.
The scene was wholly without parallel for terror. Many fires had
occurred in London, but none that raged with such fierceness as the
present conflagration, or promised to be so generally destructive. It
gathered strength and fury each moment, now rising high into the air in
a towering sheet of flame, now shooting forward like an enormous dragon
vomiting streams of fire upon its foes. All at once the flames changed
colour, and were partially obscured by a thick black smoke. A large
warehouse filled with resin, tar, and other combustible matters, had
caught fire, and the dense vapour proceeded from the burning pitch. But
it cleared off in a few minutes, and the flames burnt more brightly and
fiercely than ever.

Up to this time, none of the civic authorities having arrived, several
persons set off to give information of the calamity to the lord mayor
(Sir Thomas Bludworth), and the other magistrates. A small party of the
watch were on the spot, but they were unable to render any effectual
assistance. As the conflagration advanced, those occupying houses in its
track quitted them, and left their goods a prey to the numerous
plunderers, who were now gathered together pursuing their vocation like
unhallowed beings amid the raging element. The whole presented a scene
of the wildest alarm, confusion, and license. Vociferations, oaths,
shrieks, and outcries of every description stunned the ear. Night was
turned into day. The awful roaring of the flames was ever and anon
broken by the thundering fall of some heavy roof. Flakes of fire were
scattered far and wide by the driving wind, carrying destruction
wherever they alighted, and spreading the conflagration on all sides,
till it seemed like a vast wedge of fire driven into the heart of the
city. And thus it went on, swallowing up all before it, like an
insatiate monster, and roaring for very joy. Meanwhile, the incendiaries
had met, as concerted, near the foot of the bridge, and all except
Philip Grant seemed to rejoice in the progress of the conflagration.
Chowles made some comment upon his moody looks and silence, and
whispered in his ear, "You have now an opp