On the Ocean 227 



now seen to have stern-way on and to be paying 

 slowly off ; so the Shannon put her helm a-starboard 

 and shivered her mizzen top-sail, so as to keep off 

 the wind and delay the boarding. But at that mo 

 ment her jib stay was shot away, and, her headsails 

 becoming becalmed, she went off very slowly. In 

 consequence, at 6 P.M. the two frigates fell aboard, 

 the Chesapcake's quarter pressing upon the Shan- 

 non's side just forward the starboard main-chains, 

 and the frigates were kept in this position by the 

 fluke of the Shannon's anchor catching in the Chesa- 

 peake's quarter port. 



The Shannon's crew had suffered severely, but 

 not the least panic or disorder existed among them. 

 Broke ran forward, and seeing his foes flinching 

 from the quarter-deck guns, he ordered the ships 

 to be lashed together, the great guns to cease firing, 

 and the boarders to be called. The boatswain, who 

 had fought in Rodney's action, set about fastening 



dore Bainbridge, writing from Charlestown, Mass., on June 

 2, 1813 (see "Captains' Letters," vol. xxix, No. 10), says: 

 "Mr. Knox, the pilot on board, left the Chesapeake at 5 

 P.M. ... At 6 P.M., Mr. Knox informs me, the fire opened, 

 and at 12 minutes past six both ships were laying alongside 

 one another as if in the act of boarding; at that moment an 

 explosion took place on board the Chesapeake, which spread 

 a fire on her upper deck from the foremast to the mizzen- 

 mast, as high as her tops, and enveloped both ships in smoke 

 for several minutes. After it cleared away they were seen 

 separate, with the British flag hoisted on board the Chesa 

 peake over the American." James denies that the explosion 

 was caused by a hand-grenade, though he says there were 

 some of these aboard the Shannon. It is a point of no 

 interest. 



