I Then Called For An Axe, With Which We
Wrenched Up The Plank As Softly As Possible, Under Which Was A Hole
Through Which The Largest Trunk Or Pack In Our Warehouse Might Have Gone
Down.
I immediately took three of our men armed, and went to the house
whence the mine came.
Leaving one at the door, with orders to let no
person out, I went into the house with the other two of my men, where we
found three men in one of the rooms. There were two more in another
room, who immediately fled on hearing us, by means of a back-door which
we did not know of. After a few blows, we made the three men prisoners,
and brought them away. One was an inhabitant of the brewer's house, but
we could prove nothing against the others, yet we laid all three in
irons. I immediately sent Mr Towerson to the regent, to give him an
account of the matter, and to desire the villains might be sought out
and punished. He promised this should be done, but was very slack in
performance. The Dutch merchants, hearing we had taken some of the
incendiaries, and fearing the Chinese might rise against us, came very
kindly to us armed, and swore they would live and die in our quarrel.
After laying out such of our goods to dry as had been wetted in
extinguishing the fire, we examined the person who dwelt with the
brewer, who told us the names of six who were fled, but would not
confess that he knew any thing about the mine, or setting our warehouse
on fire.
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