- On the Ocean 137 



her top-sails, and bore down under short fighting 

 canvas; while the Frolic removed her main-yard 

 from the casks, lashed it on deck, and then hauled 

 to the wind under her boom main-sail and close- 

 reefed foretopsail, hoisting Spanish colors to decoy 

 the stranger under her guns, and permit the convoy 

 to escape. At 1 1.32 the action began the two ships 

 running parallel on the starboard tack, not 60 yards 

 apart, the Wasp firing her port, and the Frolic her 

 starboard guns. The latter fired very rapidly, de 

 livering three broadsides to the Wasp's two, 41 both 

 crews cheering loudly as the ships wallowed through 

 the water. There was a very heavy sea running, 

 which caused the vessels to pitch and roll heavily. 

 The Americans fired as the engaged side of their 

 ship was going down, aiming at their opponent's 

 hull ; 42 while the British delivered their broadsides 

 while on the crests of the seas, the shot going high. 

 The water dashed in clouds of spray over both 

 crews, and the vessels rolled so that the muzzles 

 of the guns went under. 43 But in spite of the rough 

 weather, the firing was not only spirited but well 

 directed. At 11.36 the Wasp's maintop-mast was 

 shot away and fell, with its yard, across the port 

 fore and foretop-sail braces, rendering the head 

 yards unmanageable; at 11.46 the gaff and miz- 

 zentop-gallant mast came down, and by 11.52 every 

 brace and most of the rigging was shot away. 44 It 

 would now have been very difficult to brace any 



41 Cooper, 182. 4 Niles* Register, iii, p. 324. 



48 Do. " Capt. Jones' letter. 



