Mr. McCormack related to me the following circumstance which occurred to him in a vessel trading along the Gold Coast, and by which he was placed in a situation of great peril.  In the middle of the night he heard a sudden cry of “Fire,” and at the same moment a volume of flame issued from the fore-hatchway; in a few seconds after another burst forth from the main hatchway; so that before he had time to collect his thoughts as to what ought to be done, the whole of the middle of the vessel was in a blaze.  The crew were thrown into consternation, and speedily crowded the deck in a state of confusion, bordering on frenzy.  The despair of their situation was increased by a knowledge of the fact, that a great quantity of gunpowder, which had been embarked for the coast trade, was stowed below, while there was but one available boat to get off the men before the ship should be blown into the air, which they momently expected.  But there was no time for reflection:  each man looked to his own safety, and a rush took place, through the fire, towards the after-part of the deck, to reach the boat.  The poor fellows who thus risked a passage through the flames, that now curled up fearfully, and swept the whole surface of the vessel, were dreadfully burned, and looked more like demons than men.  But, at last, after much difficulty, they succeeded in lowering the boat into the sea.  Those, however, who got in first, seeing that the whole crew must inevitably perish if they suffered a greater number to crowd the boat than she could with safety contain, pushed off from the ship as speedily as they could.  If they had yielded to the impulse of their feelings, every soul must have perished; for, although they might have escaped from the fire, they must, of necessity, have swamped the boat.  Fortunately, however, the boat got off in safety; but she had made a very short distance when the vessel blew up.  Several poor wretches, seeing that their fate was not to be averted, had leaped into the sea, and were drowned; while others, who clung despairingly to the vessel, were annihilated by the force of the explosion.  One poor black boy, nerved by desperation, flung himself overboard, and swam after the boat, which, with great exertion, he overtook.  Through Mr. McCormack’s interposition he was taken on board.  The crew of the boat, so sudden was their resolution taken, had not time to provide themselves with a supply of provisions, although they were a considerable distance from the shore:  they snatched up such trifling articles as happened to be at hand in the hurry of their departure, and trusted themselves to Providence for the rest.  This melancholy accident was occasioned by the insubordination of some of the sailors, who forced their way through the bulk-head into the fore-hold, to get at a cask of spirits.