pe. With his single boat he pressed with all possible
speed within the enemy's line, and running aside the offending boat,
bounded over the gunwale, followed by eleven Americans, all that were
left to him. Then followed the most desperate hand to hand fight
conceivable, the issue being in doubt for twenty minutes.

There have been many accounts of Decatur's exploit on this Tripolitan
gunboat, with considerable variation as to particulars. That which
follows is the story as it was told to me by Admiral Stewart, who
received it from Decatur himself, immediately after the fight. Decatur
presented the weapon, called an espontoon, to Stewart, and I naturally
examined it with great interest. The handle was of ivory and the blade
perhaps eight or ten inches long, being very narrow and curved like a
scimetar. It had no edge, was sharply pointed, and evidently made for
thrusting.

Nothing could stay the fury of Decatur. He easily identified the
commander by his immense size and gorgeous uniform. He eagerly sought
out the American and they instantly came together in the fight to the
death. Decatur had a cutlass, and the Turk a pike. The latter
inflicted a slight wound on Decatur's breast, and in parrying the
stroke his sword broke off at the hilt. Flinging the weapon aside, the
American sprang like a tiger at his antagonist. The two fell to the
deck, Decatur under, and flat on his back. The Turk had the weapon I
have described in the front of his sash and attempted to withdraw it
to give the finishing thrust. Decatur flung his legs over his back and
with one arm held his enemy so tight against his body that he could
not force his hand between. In this position, Decatur with his free
arm drew a pistol from near his hip, reached over the back of the Turk
and fired downward, directly toward himself.

"It was just like Decatur," said Stewart; "the chances were ten to one
that the bullet would pass through both their bodies, but luckily it
met a bone and the huge barbarian rolled off dead. The two were
half-smothered by others fighting and tumbling over them, and it was
with the utmost difficulty that Decatur freed himself from them and
rose to his feet."

While this fierce struggle was going on, a Turk fought his way forward
and aimed a fearful blow at Decatur, who was not aware of his danger.
Reuben Jones, an American sailor, so desperately wounded that he could
not use his arms, flung himself between them and received the blow