On the Ocean 109 



including Captain Byron. The President had lost 

 ground by yawing, but she soon regained it, and, 

 coming up closer than before, again opened from 

 her bow-chasers a well-directed fire, which severely 

 wounded her opponent's main-top mast, cross-jack 

 yard, and one or two other spars ; 5 but shortly after 

 ward she repeated her former tactics and again lost 

 ground by yawing to discharge another broadside, 

 even mode ineffectual than the first. Once more she 

 came up closer than ever, and once more yawed ; 

 the single shots from her bow-chasers doing consid 

 erable damage, but her raking broadsides none. 6 

 Meanwhile the active crew of the Belvidera repaired 

 everything as fast as it was damaged, while under 

 the superintendence of Lieutenants Sykes, Bruce, 

 and Campbell, no less than 300 shot were fired from 

 her stern guns. 7 Finding that if the President 

 ceased yawing she could easily run alongside, Cap 

 tain Byron cut away one bower, one stream, and two 

 sheet anchors, the barge, yawl, gig, and jolly boat, 

 and started 14 tons of water. The effect of this was 

 at once apparent, and she began to gain, meanwhile 

 the damage the sails of the combatants had received 

 had enabled the Congress to close, and when abreast 

 of his consort Captain Smith opened with his bow- 

 chasers, but the shot fell short. The Belvidera soon 

 altered her course to east by south, set her starboard 



* James, vi, 119. He says the President was within 400 

 yards. 



Lord Howard Douglas, "Naval Gunnery," p. 419 (third 

 edition). 



1 James, vi, 118. 



