oners, as our boats could not carry
them. After all my people had embarked, I stood upon the pier for a
considerable space, yet no person advanced. I saw all the eminences
round the town covered with the amazed inhabitants."

As his boat drew away from the blazing shipping, Jones looked
anxiously across the harbor to the spot to which Lieut. Wallingford
had been despatched. But no flames were seen in that quarter; for,
Wallingford's torches having gone out, he had abandoned the
enterprise. And so the Americans, having regained their ship, took
their departure, leaving only one of the enemy's vessels burning. A
most lame and impotent conclusion it was indeed; but, as Jones said,
"What was done is sufficient to show that not all the boasted British
navy is sufficient to protect their own coasts, and that the scenes of
distress which they have occasioned in America may soon be brought
home to their own doors."

CHAPTER VII.

CAREER OF PAUL JONES CONTINUED. -- HIS DESCENT UPON THE
CASTLE OF LORD SELKIRK -- THE AFFAIR OF THE PLATE. -- THE
DESCENT UPON WHITEHAVEN. -- THE BATTLE WITH THE
"DRAKE."-LIEUT. SIMPSON'S PERFIDY.

We now come to the glorious part of the career of Paul Jones upon the
ocean. Heretofore he has been chiefly occupied in the capture of
defenceless merchantmen. His work has been that of the privateer, even
if not of the pirate that the British have always claimed he was. But
the time came when Jones proved that he was ready to fight an
adversary of his mettle; was willing to take heavy blows, and deal
stunning ones in return. His daring was not confined to dashing
expeditions in which the danger was chiefly overcome by spirit and
rapid movements. While this class of operations was ever a favorite
with the doughty seaman, he was not at all averse to the deadly naval
duel.

We shall for a time abandon our account of the general naval incidents
of the Revolution, to follow the career of Paul Jones to the end of
the war. His career is not only the most interesting, but the most
important, feature of the naval operations of that war. He stands out
alone, a grand figure in naval history, as does Decatur in the wars
with the Barbary pirates, or Farragut in the war for the Union. The
war of 1812 affords no such example of single greatness in the navy.
There we find Perry, McDonough, and Porter, all equally great. But in
'76 there was no one to stand beside Paul Jones.

When the "