IX.—The Bon Homme Richard.
One day, when Paul Jones was reading "Poor Richard's Almanac," written by Dr. Franklin, he found a paragraph which set him to thinking. It was: "If you would have your business done, go; if not, SEND."
He sent no more letters, but went at once to the French court and pleaded his case there in person. As a result, he was soon after made commander of a vessel which he named the Bon Homme Richard, which means Poor Richard. He did this out of gratitude to Dr. Franklin.
The Bon Homme Richard was an old trading vessel, poorly fitted out for war. But after his long months of waiting, Paul Jones was thankful even for this.
He was also given command of four smaller vessels. One of these, the Alliance, had, for captain, a Frenchman named Pierre Landais, who was afterwards the cause of much trouble. Paul Jones was ordered to cruise with his small squadron along the west coast of Ireland and to capture all the English merchant vessels he could find.
RICHARD DALE.
The officer next in command to Paul Jones was Lieutenant Richard Dale, who has since been remembered not only for his bravery during that famous cruise, but for his service to the country at a later period.
On the 14th of August, 1779, the ships put to sea. When they reached the southern point of Ireland, one of the four small vessels was left behind and deserted.
Cruising northward, the squadron soon captured two valuable prizes. Without asking the permission of Paul Jones, Captain Landais sent these captured vessels to Norway.
On the way, they were taken by the Danes, who returned them to England. The value of these prizes, thus lost through Captain Landais, was about £40,000, or nearly $200,000.
The squadron sailed round the north of Scotland, and down the eastern coast until it came to the Firth of Forth. Here was the town of Leith, and in its harbor lay some English war vessels.
Paul Jones wished to capture these. The winds were favorable, and a landing could easily have been made but for Captain Landais.
Paul Jones spent a whole night persuading this troublesome captain to help him. It was only with a promise of money that he at last succeeded. But in the morning the winds were contrary.
That day the Richard captured an English merchant ship. The captain promised Paul Jones that if he would allow his vessel to go free, he would pilot the squadron into the harbor.
The people, seeing the fleet piloted by the English vessel, supposed the visit to be a friendly one. So they sent a boat out to the Richard, asking for powder and shot to defend the town from the visit of "Paul Jones the pirate."
Jones sent back a barrel of powder with the message that he had no suitable shot. It was not until the vessels were nearing the harbor that the object of the visit was suspected. The people, in their fright, ran to the house of the minister. He had helped them when in trouble at other times, and could surely do something now.
The good man, with his flock following him, ran to the beach, where he made a strange prayer.
He told the Lord that the people there were very poor, and that the wind was bringing to the shore that "vile pirate," Paul Jones, who would burn their houses and take away even their clothes. "I canna think of it! I canna think of it! I have long been a faithful servant to ye, O Lord. But gin ye dinna turn the wind aboot and blaw the scoundrel out of our gates, I'll nae stir a foot, but will just sit here till the tide comes in."
Just then a violent gale sprang up, and by the time it had abated the squadron had been driven so far out to sea that the plan was given up.
Long afterward, the good minister would often say, "I prayed, but the Lord sent the wind."