“All sail aloft and catch the saucy and insolent privateer!”
Then commenced one of the most interesting running actions of American naval history.
“The cursed American has no stern-gun ports,” said the British sea-captain. “So keep the ship abaft, and on th’ port quarter, where we can let loose our bow-guns and get little in return.”
This was done, but—if we are to believe an old chronicler of the period—“The British crew had been thrown into such confusion by the Pomona’s first broadside that they were able to fire only one or two shots every half hour.”
“By Gad,” cried Joshua Barney to Captain Robinson, about this time, “let’s cut a hole in our stern, shove a cannon through it, and whale the British landlubber as he nears us for another shot with her bow-chasers.”
The captain grinned.
“A good idea, Barney, a good idea,” he chuckled. “Now we can teach her to keep clear of us.”
So a three-pounder soon poked her nose through the stern, and, when the proud Britisher again came up for one of her leisurely discharges, she received a dose of grape which made her captain haul off precipitously. Nor did he venture near again for another shot at the saucy fugitive.
When daylight came, sixteen guns were counted upon the British brig.
“By George!” shouted Barney. “See those officers in the rigging. She’s a gun-ship—a regular ship-of-war.”