were speedily
brought; much water was poured on it, and some holes opened because
this place was not easily reached; all this in hopes of extinguishing
the fire. Our people, especially the soldiers, who were valiantly urged
on by their commander, worked assiduously, but all in vain, for no
diminution could be perceived in the fire, but only increase. Divers
guns were fired as signals of distress, in order to procure help, but
fruitlessly, as the other vessels afterwards pretended they did not
know what such firing signified.

"Thus the captain was obliged to send our lieutenant in the small
cutter to the surrounding vessels, to acquaint them with our unhappy
condition, to entreat the aid of their cutters and boats, and procure
some pump-hose. They came, it is true, but stopped at a distance; for
the fire was very near the place where the powder, which used to lie in
the fore-part of the ship, was kept, and it was impossible, on account
of the great heat, to bring it away; so every one feared that the ship,
and we all, one with another, should be blown up, if the flames were to
reach it. On this account many of the seamen gave up the work, and
retreated into the boats and the large cutter behind the ship, or made
away in foreign boats, however much we implored of these not to carry
off our people.

"To those in our boat and great cutter, the captain called out from the
cabin window, that they should remember the oath they had sworn to him
and the magistracy, and not abandon him, but return on board, as at
present there was no danger, and by God's help the fire might be
extinguished.

"These certainly obeyed the command, and began to work again earnestly,
but it all was of no avail for the fire increased more and more. After
working assiduously but fruitlessly for two hours, the lieutenant and
shipmaster, as also the other officers, went to the captain, and
informed him that, alas! there was no more help, that it was impossible
to save the good ship, and it was now high time to save themselves, if
they did not intend to be burned in the ship or blown up with it. For
between the fire and the powder there was now only a plank of a
finger-breadth remaining. But the captain, who still thought to
preserve the ship, and prized his honour more than life and everything
in the world, answered that he would not leave the ship, but would live
and die therein. His son fell on his knees before him, and besought him
for God's sake