XI.—Honor to the Hero.
After this great victory, Paul Jones was everywhere received as a hero. The king of France presented him with a gold sword.
He also sent word, through his minister, that, with the consent of Congress, he would make Paul Jones a Knight of the Order of Military Merit. To avoid delay, the gold cross of the order had been sent to the French minister in America, who would present it to Paul Jones when permission to accept it had been received from Congress.
The hero traveled about in Holland and France, from city to city, enjoying his great triumph. Crowds of people were everywhere eager to see him, and a word with him was thought to be a great honor.
The most serious fault in the character of Paul Jones was his vanity. He had always been very fond of praise and glory, and now his longings were partly satisfied by all this homage.
Dr. Franklin wrote him a letter, praising him for his bravery. He thanked him, most of all, for the prisoners he had captured. There were so many of them that, by exchange, every American, held by the English, could be set at liberty.
While Paul Jones was enjoying this praise, Captain Landais was going about also, claiming for himself the glory for the capture of the Serapis, and trying to make people believe that he was the real hero.
When Dr. Franklin heard from the sailors how he had fired upon the Richard, he ordered him to Paris to be tried.
During the next year, Paul Jones made a few short cruises, but accomplished nothing more than the taking of a few prizes.
At this time the army of George Washington was sorely in need of clothing and military supplies. Word was sent to Dr. Franklin to buy them in France and send them to America by Paul Jones.
Fifteen thousand muskets, with powder, and one hundred and twenty bales of cloth, were bought and stored in the Alliance and the Ariel. Dr. Franklin told Paul Jones to sail with these goods at once. This was early in the year 1780.
The summer came and passed away, and the ships were still anchored in the French harbor. Paul Jones gave excuse after excuse until the patience of Dr. Franklin was about gone.
Captain Landais had been one cause of the delay. Instead of going to Paris for trial, as Franklin had ordered, he had gone back to the Alliance to stir up mutiny against Paul Jones. He caused one trouble after another and disobeyed every order. Finally, by intrigue, he took command of the Alliance and sailed to America.
But Captain Landais never again troubled Paul Jones. His reception in America was not what he had expected. Instead of being regarded as a hero, he was judged insane, and dismissed from the navy. A small share of prize money was afterward paid to him. On this he lived until eighty-seven years of age, when he died in Brooklyn, New York.
Another reason Paul Jones gave for his delay in France was that he wished to get the prize money due for the capture of the Serapis, and pay the sailors. This gave him an excuse to linger about the courts where he could receive more of the homage he loved so well.
Then, too, he spent much time in getting letters and certificates of his bravery from the king and the ministers. He wished to show these to Congress when he should arrive in America.
Finally, one day in October, he set sail in the Ariel. He had not gone far when a furious gale forced him to return to port for safety.
For three months longer he waited, hoping still for the prize money that was due. One day he gave a grand fête on his ship. Flags floated from every mast. Pink silk curtains hung from awnings to the decks. These were decorated with mirrors, pictures, and flowers.
The company invited were men and women of high rank. When all was ready, Paul Jones sent his boats ashore to bring them on board.
He, himself, dressed in full uniform, received them and conducted them to their seats on the deck. At three o'clock they sat down to an elaborate dinner which lasted until sunset.
At eight o'clock, as the moon rose, a mock battle of the Richard and the Serapis was given. There was much noise from the firing of guns, and a great blaze of light from the rockets that were sent up. The effect was beautiful, but the din was such that the ladies were frightened. At the end of an hour this display was ended.
After a dance on the deck, the officers rowed the company back to the shore.