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 greasy part only being carried away. The head of the top-gallant-mast, from the rigging upwards to the spindle, was entire, as was also its heel, for the lightening did not touch the heel, but missed the whole both of top-gallant-mast and top-mast, that lay betwixt the cap and upper end of the greasy part of the mast. Of the top-mast great pieces were carried out, of many feet in length, and 9 or 10 inches in thickness, and this on different sides of the mast, for the whole length of the greasy part. From the top of the main-mast to the upper end of that, which is covered with turpentine, there was no damage; but, from thence downwards, the cheeks were started off from the middle part, and pieces taken out winding aslant down the mast, and out of the fir part many feet in length, and 6 and 7 inches deep, and near the upper deck a piece as large as the body of a man, and 11 or 12 feet in length.

I imagine, that the vapour having insinuated itself into the rents and cracks of the mast, takes fire, and expanding itself every way, is the occasion of pieces of the mast being carried to the most distant parts of the ship; and, as a proof of this, the oak cheeks above-mentioned, though extremely well fixed to the middle part of the mast, which was of fir, by spikes and bolts, which were clinched, they having shrunk, and thereby having left the jointure a little open, had made way for the vapour to insinuate itself, which might be the occasion, that the cheeks were started off at the lower part, and the rope, wherewith they were woolded together to the middle part in four different places, with 12 turns of 2 $3⁄4$ inch rope in circumference, were burst all to pieces. It