Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-08-27

etluS way ~ kAulIiy lOlStu HHeuu, utE
helm was sbiN Jed TO port and the YES
sci slowly swung across the bow of
the Scraps, which had Just begun to
I'll away again as Pearson saw that
he had nearly backed out Of action.
The bow of the Scraps struck the
starboarl quarter of the Richard, the
jib boom thrustng itself violently
through the mi2zrn rigging. There
was a terrific crash ut tho moment
of impact and second later the Eng
fish, cheering, frantically, jumped upon
the heel OF the bowsprit and clambered
upon the rail of their ship.
They were led by tall, distin-
| guishcd looking officer, who attracted
double attention as he wore the red
uniform of the English army. AS
their heads appeared over the rail the
powerful voice of Tones could be heard
shouting. "Boardcrs away" Not wait
ing for the men who camc springing up
on the quarter dock in obedience to his
summons. the dauntlcss captain seized
q pike from the rack and hurled it
through the air at the leader OF the
Englshmon. Good fortune guided his
hand, ana the steel head of the lance
struck fair in the bosom of the soldier
The British wavered a moment as their
officer fell. and Jones discharged his
pistols full among them. Then De
Chamillard and those of his marines
/ left alive upon the deck. by well dl-
rcctcd point blank vollny, drove back
the boarding party of the English.
The two slips were grinding against
each other, and the wind on the after
sail Of the Scraps slowly forced her
around until she swung parallel to tho
Richard The iih boom snapped off
short under the strain and her star
board anchor CAUGHT in the tangled rig
cling of the American friCato. and sta
cey. the sailing master, Sprang to lash
the ships together Stacey snatched a
rope from tho rattle on the deck and
strovc to overhaul it, 1t was tangled
and he found great difficulty in clear
ing it. An impatient man at best and
now greatly excited, he swore roundly
as he tuggcd at the vcxHtious roro.
Don't swear, Mr. Stacey" said
| Jones calmly, coming to his assistance.
"In another moment we may all be in
eternity, but let us do our duty"
With his own hands Jones passed the
flashing.
On the gun deck below, the batteries
We're being fought ficrcely. The two
ships were lying side by side, one head
| ing in, the other out. The bow of one
| by the stern Of the other the stArboard
side of the Scraps closely touching the
starbOard sido Of the Richard. In the
hope that the Richard wOUld drift clear,
i Captain Pearson now dropped his port
anchor In vain. No bulldogs ever
chung to foes with more tenacity Of
grip than did those two ships in deadly
Crapplo Joined together. Tn" Richard
and the Scraps We're fast locked for
good, and the two sllirs swung to tho
tidal current. the wind being again
almost entirely killed. In that positio
they lay for the next two hours, or un-
til the battle was over,
AS the Englishman had not hitherto
engaged on the starboard side, tie port
shutters had not been opened, and the
close contact of the two ships rendered
it impossible to open them then. TIE
Scraps men were therefore compelle'
to fire through them, blowing off the
port lids. II was necessary for tlr
men on both ships to extend the LONG
handles of the hammers and sponCes OF
the guns through III" ports into the
other ship in order to properly load
their own cannon. Eadin9gc of a char
acter easily to be imagined passed bnc!,
and forth between thu two crows
thorrh mott 'nG iNr vr;pt d the steady
and persistent discharge Of the bat
tcrioS. Tie battle below was literally
a hand TO hand conflict with great
guns, all tie advantages in number and
size being with the English.
At this juncture new note was add
cd TO the conflict. Jones, whose eyes
were everywhere in The battle, oh
served a black shadow come darling
athwart the two fighting ships, shut
ting off the moonlight 1t was the AL
lance.
"Ah," he said to himself, "Iandais
has seen the folly Of his disobedience
and has come to our assistance"
AS the American ship. with her
French captain and half English crew
doomed up between him and the bright
moon he thought Of course that she
would range down upon the unengaged
side of the Scraps and with a few
broadsides compel her TO strike al
once. But no, the Alliance under full
sail stood on. Her men were at quar-
ters, ports triced up, lanterns lighted
She was passing the bow of the Sera
pis now. Why did she not fire? The
insane and treacherous Landais held
steadily on until he was standing
squarely across the stern of the Rich
ard. Now she was drawing past az
well. A command rang out GOO,
God! What was that?
Jones was well nigh petrified will
establishment when at short range thu
Alliance poured in a raking broad
side, of which the Richard received thu
brunt, though it was apparently dis
charged impartially at the two ships
AS Landals drew past the stern tn
helm of the Alliance was shifted. Sh
swung parallel to the Richard. pourcc
in anotheE broadsidc, circled the Rich
ard forward and raked her again! Tn
last discharge was a frightful one, Tn
shot at close range swept the crowded
decks of the American ship, whicl
seemed actually to culver and fine
at this treacherous blow. This broad
al II lii