Turks saw a chance to help
his captain and made a vicious blow at his opponent with his scimiter.
Reuben James, a sailor, who was so wounded in his arms that he could not
use them, thrust his head forward and received the stroke upon his
skull. The wound was a frightful one, but, beyond dispute, it saved the
life of Decatur, who never forgot the man that had done him this
inestimable service.

Reuben James was one of the volunteers who helped Decatur destroy the
_Philadelphia_. He recovered from his terrible wound and did excellent
service in the war of 1812. In one battle he was three times wounded
before he would allow his comrades to carry him below. He lived fully
twenty years after the death of his beloved commander, dying at a good
old age, though he was scarred with sabre cuts, wounded times
innumerable by bullets, and compelled to suffer the amputation of a leg.

The bombardment of Tripoli was less successful than expected. The
shells were of such poor quality that no impression was made on the
defences. All naval operations have proven that, as a rule, ships are
comparatively powerless for aggressive work against forts and batteries
on shore.

An investigation into the cause of the failure of so many shells sent
into Tripoli brought out several interesting facts. Captain Bainbridge,
who carefully noted the results of the bombardment while a prisoner in
the city, stated that out of forty-eight thrown on one day only one
exploded. It was found that the fuses in many of the bombs had been
choked by lead that was poured into them. This was probably done by
French agents in Sicily.

At the beginning of hostilities, the Tripolitans placed great reliance
upon their ability to fight at close quarters. Undeniably, they did
better in such position than in handling their ships. They had all the
viciousness of wild cats, and it has been shown how fiercely they fought
in hand-to-hand encounters; but their experience with the Americans
taught them that they were to be dreaded in any situation where their
anger was aroused, and, as a consequence, the Turks became less eager
for tests of individual strength, skill and bravery.

CHAPTER X.

The Bomb Ketch--A Terrible Missile--Frightful Catastrophe--Diplomacy in
Place of War--Peace.

Whenever a war is under way a number of persons on each side are certain
to come forward with ingenious schemes for injuring their opponents,
through improvements upon the accepted