Frank Fordyce was here, there, and everywhere; while Griffith, like
a gallant general, fought the foe with very helpless unmanageable
forces. Villagers, male and female, had emerged and stood gaping
round; but, let him rage and storm as he might, they would not go
and collect pails and buckets and form a line to the brook. Still
less would they assist in overthrowing and carrying away the faggots
of a big wood-pile so as to cut off the communication with the
offices. Only Chapman and one other man gave any help in this; and
presently the stack caught, and Griff, on the top, was in great
peril of the faggots rolling down with him into the middle, and
imprisoning him in the blazing pile. 'I never felt so like Dido,'
said Griff.
That woodstack gave fearful aliment to the roaring flame, which came
on so fast that the destruction of the adjoining buildings quickly
followed. The Wattlesea engine had come, but the yard well was
unattainable, and all that could be done was to saturate the house
with water from its own well, and cover the side with wet blankets;
but these reeked with steam, and then shrivelled away in the intense
glow of heat.
However, by this time the Eastwood Yeomanry, together with some
reasonable men, had arrived. A raid was made on the cottages for
buckets, a chain formed to the river, and at last the fire was got
under, having made a wreck of everything out-of-doors, and consumed
one whole wing of the house, though the older and more esteemed
portion was saved.
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