PAUL JONES OFF FLAMBRO 1 329 



had been closed, so that the enemy could not board 

 through them, but they were quickly beaten in by the 

 enemy's shot. 



All this time the ships were locked together so 

 closely that when the crews were loading the guns their 

 rammers either struck the ships' sides or entered the 

 ports. An attempt which the English made to board 

 was checked, nor did they win in an attempt to get clear 

 of the Richard by letting an anchor go, hoping that the 

 ships would drift apart. They were too firmly lashed 

 together, and the sea was calm, with very little wind. 



The Serapis had become, to all appearances, a 

 deserted ship. Her people had been driven below, 

 where alone they could find shelter ; and now occurred a 

 dramatic and destructive incident. More cartridges than 

 were needed had been got up from the magazines by 

 the powder-monkeys of the Serapis, and they had been 

 laid alongside the guns on the main-deck. 



A Scotchman in the crew of the Richard crept out 

 to the end of the main yard-arm, carrying a bucket filled 

 with explosives. He got over the main hatchway of the 

 Serapis, and instantly dropped a hand-grenade. Some 

 loose powder which was on the main-deck was fired ; 

 this in turn exploded cartridge after cartridge, with 

 hideous results, for a score of men were killed, twenty 

 were mortally wounded, and as many were burnt or 

 otherwise injured. Some of the men were blown to 

 pieces; yet in spite of that demoralising happening 

 Pearson would not yield, and the fight went on. 

 Several times the Serapis had been on fire ; but the 

 flames had been mastered. 



For two hours and a half the bloody battle had been 



