322 NORTH SEA FISHERS AND FIGHTERS 



of just retaliation, I should, without advertisement, lay it 

 in ashes." He, however, nobly forbore, until he had 

 given the people of Leith a chance of paying a ransom 

 of ,200,000. 



This concoction was penned when the Richard was 

 at anchor in Leith Roads, on i7th September 1779 ; but 

 the colonel who was detailed to deliver it did not do so, 

 for the simple reason that a gale forced Jones to put to 

 sea. 



His audacious appearance had terrified and amazed 

 the Scots on the coast, for so close to the shore did he 

 sail that at one time he was not more than a mile away 

 from Kirkcaldy, in the Firth of Forth. The I7th was a 

 Sunday, and the good Mr. Shirra, a dissenting minister 

 of the town, abandoned his kirk and held a service on 

 the beach, to a congregation largely composed of scream- 

 ing women and of children who raised their voices in 

 sympathetic chorus. The minister, in impassioned dia- 

 lect, prayed loudly and fervently for the defeat of the 

 "piratical invader, Paul Jones." The story goes that 

 the lamentations of the congregation inspired the pastor 

 to declare that he had been long a faithful servant of the 

 Lord, and that, unless the Lord saw fit to turn the wind 

 about and drive the " vile piret " out to sea, he, the pastor, 

 would not stir a foot, but would just sit down till the 

 tide came. When the suppliant was afterwards credited 

 with having wrought well with Providence he modestly 

 replied, " Na, na / prayed; but the Loral sent the 

 wind ! " 



Jones had gone to sea, taking his ultimatum and his 

 colonel with him. His great design had failed, but he 

 made amends by capturing small fry that were unable 



