Year: 1875




give is taken from statement drawn up
and authenticated by the signature of
one Of the survivors, a gentleman whose
station and character would be a sufficient
guarantee for its correctness, if, indeed,
the simplicity of the tale did not give to
it the impress of truth The gentleman,
Mr. William Boys, was a native of Deal,
in Kent, and descended from one of the
most respectable families in the county.


When only fourteen years of age, he
went to sea, and, after serving ten years
in the navy, embarked rs second mate
in the ship Luxborough Galley, of $40
tons and twenty-six guns, employed by
the South Sea Company for supplying
Spanish America with slaves and Euro
pean goods.


''On the 23d of May 1927" says Mr..
Boys, in his narrative, eve sailed from
Jamaica to London, and on the 25th day
of June were in latitude Al degrees 45
minutes north, and longitude 20 degrees
80 minutes east, from Crooked Island.


'tAbout half an hour past noon, the
captain s cook discovered flames of fire
through the lining of the forecastle, and
ran in CONSERVATION to the quarterback
to give the alarm. At the same instant,
the head of a puncheon of rum burst out
with loud explosion, resembling the
report of canon, which at once alarmed
the whole ships company.


'It appeared that two black boys had
been sent by the steward to the store
room to draw off bottle of rum, and, d,
observing some liquor on the deck, out
of an unhappy curiosity to discover
whether it was spirits or water-for the
water-casks were all there-had put their
candle to it, and in an instant the whole
was in blaze. Finding themselves
unable to extinguish the flame, they left
the place and hid themselves.


''The third mate, the surgeon, the
carpenter, and myself got forward i'm
mediately, ripped off the tarpaulin, open
ed the fore-hatchway, and there saw the
lazaretto, or store-room, in liquid fire.
We went below and endeavored to stife
the flames with swabs, rugs, blankets,
our own clothes, and things of that sort !;
but finding all our efforts in this way
Intellectual, we set the pump to work in
the head, whence the water was handed
down to US. In the meantime, the cap
tain indiscreetly ordered scuttle to be
cut through the deck of the forecastle,
with q view to pour water directly on
the fire but this made the flame rage
with redoubled violence, and the whole
forecastle was soon in a blaze.


"We who were down below, finding
the fire to increase very much upon us,
desired the people on deck to get out
the boats, while we would still endeavor
to quench the flames, which they promis-
ed to do but when we could stay no
longer below for the great heat, and
came upon deck, we found not the least
preparations made to hoist out the boats,
the captain and greatest part Of the crew
being on the quarterback, crying to
Heaven for help, without using any
means to save themselves.


"When I afterward questioned the
captain, in the boat, as to the inactivity,
he told me they expected every moment
the powder void take fire, and blow up
the ship. This powder was directly
under the scuttle where the fire was rag
ing, circumstance we did not think of,
or we might have done as they did.


sIimmediately endeavored to persuade
the people that the boats were our only
resource, and proceeded myself to pre-
pare and apply the tackle to the yawl.
I was hoisted out in this boat by desire
of the chief mate, for fear, when she
should be in the water, the men would
run away with her before the long-boat
could be got out.


'As she was lowering down, he hand
ed me the oars, one of which fell over
board, so we had but three By the
time she was in the water, there were
seven or eight men in her. I entreated
them to return to the ship, again, in or
der to get out the long-boat, but they
weare unwilling to goback unless would
accompany them. upon which I took
hold of rope, and was stepping into
the ship, when 1 observed the captain
droppning into the boat.


81 pressed him TO go back with me,