the Purſe with the Tongs, holding it ſo long till the Tongs burnt thro’ the Purſe, and then he ſhook the Money out into the Pail of Water, ſo he carried it in. The Money, as I remember, was about thirteen Shillings, and ſome ſmooth Groats, and Braſs Farthings.
There might perhaps, have been ſeveral poor People, as I have obſerv’d above, that would have been hardy enough to have ventured for the ſake of the Money; but you may eaſily ſee by what I have obſerv’d, that the few People, who were ſpar’d, were very careful of themſelves, at that Time when the Diſtreſs was ſo exceeding great.
Much about the ſame Time I walk’d out into the Fields towards Bow; for I had a great mind to ſee how things were managed in the River, and among the Ships; and as I had ſome Concern in Shipping, I had a Notion that it had been one of the beſt Ways of ſecuring ones ſelf from the Infection to have retir’d into a Ship, and muſing how to ſatisfy my Curioſity, in that Point, I turned away over the Fields, from Bow to Bromley, and down to Blackwall, to the Stairs, which are there for landing, or taking Water.
Here I ſaw a poor Man walking on the Bank, or Sea-wall, as they call it, by himſelf, I walked a while alſo about, ſeeing the Houſes all ſhut up; at laſt I fell into ſome Talk, at a Diſtance, with this poor Man; firſt I asked him, how People did thereabouts? Alas, Sir! ſays he, almoſt all deſolate; all dead or ſick: Here are very few Families in this Part, or in that Village, pointing at Poplar, where half of them ave not dead already, and the reſt ſick. Then he pointed to one Houſe, There they are all dead, ſaid he, and the Houſe ſtands open; no Body dares go into it. A poor Thief, ſays he, ventured in to ſteal ſomething, but he paid dear for his Theft; for he was carried to the Church Yard too, laſt Night. Then he pointed to ſeveral other Houſes. There, ſays he, they are all dead; the Man and his Wife, and five Children. There, ſays he, they are ſhut up, you ſee a Watchman at the Door; and ſo of other Houſes. Why, ſays I, What do you here all alone?
