as Sambo tried to persuade him and his Krumen to make
more efforts to put out the fire before they lowered the boats. With
the sea then running, indeed there was every probability that they would
be swamped. We set them the example, by rigging the pumps, and filling
buckets from alongside to heave down the hold. Thus encouraged, they
laboured for a short time, but finding their efforts of no effect, they
abandoned the work and began to lower the boats.

The wind had happily by this time somewhat moderated; while most of the
people were engaged in launching the long boat, Paul and I with two
other men set to work to lower one of the smaller boats. We had not
forgotten the poor captain, and as the smoke had not yet made its way
into his cabin, I did not intend to let him know what had occurred till
the last, when I hoped, with the assistance of Paul and others, to get
him lowered safely into one of the boats.

All hands were working away with frantic haste, for we could not tell at
what moment the flames might burst forth, and render the deck untenable.
At length the long boat was launched, and the boatswain and the Krumen
leaped into her. They called to Sambo and the rest to follow. I
thought Sambo would have remained faithful to the captain, and have come
to assist him, but at that moment a forked flame burst up from the hold,
so alarming him, that he followed the rest. Paul and I entreated the
other men to remain by the smaller boat, while we went into the cabin to
bring up my poor friend the captain. As I was descending the companion
hatch, I heard the boatswain shouting to the other men, and caught sight
of them running to the side. Still I hoped that should they desert us,
Paul and I might be able, after placing the captain in the boat, to
lower her in safety.

"The ship on fire," exclaimed Captain Willis, when I told him what had
occurred, "Heave water down the hold. Do all you can to save our rich
freight, that must not be lost on any account."

I told him that we had done what we could, and that the rest of the crew
had already deserted the vessel.

The captain sank back on his pillow, "I Have no strength to move," he
murmured, "and you and Paul cannot lift me."

"We will try, Massa Captain," said Paul.

I proposed that we should lift him in his cot through the skylight. The
captain at length agreed to this. I sprang on deck, intending to secure
a tackle to the main boom, by which we might carr