By this time the Serapis, having the wind of the Bonhomme Richard, drew ahead, intending to lie across the latter’s bows and rake her. But the captain miscalculated his distance, got too far down in front, yawed off, and then putting his helm alee, came to the wind fair in front of the Bonhomme Richard. A minute later the Bonhomme Richard ran her jibboom over the stern of the Serapis, and then, because no great gun would bear on either side, the fire, save for an occasional musket shot, ceased.
For a moment the two ships hung together in silence, and then the voice of Captain Pearson was heard asking if the American ship had surrendered. And John Paul Jones replied:
“I have not yet begun to fight.”
By the shifting of sails the two ships drifted apart. Once more the commander of the Serapis strove to get into position to rake, but as the Serapis wore around, the Bonhomme Richard forged ahead. Jones was determined to keep close to the enemy, and soon the jibboom of the Serapis fouled the starboard mizzen rigging of the Bonhomme Richard.
DIAGRAM OF THE SERAPIS-BONHOMME RICHARD BATTLE
Note.—At 7.30 o’clock, when John Paul Jones said, “I have not yet begun to fight,” the bow of his ship was against the stern of the Serapis. He then backed his sails and went astern while the enemy, with full sails, went ahead until, say, 7.45, when the Serapis backed her foretopsail and wore around, bow from the wind, and came back. Meantime Jones had filled away, and the two ships got together at, say, 8.10 o’clock just where they had first touched. They then drifted westerly until 9 o’clock, when the Serapis anchored.
Turning to Carpenter Stacy, who was near at hand, Jones ordered a hawser brought. When it came he helped with his own hands to lash the jibboom of the Serapis fast to the mizzenmast of the Bonhomme Richard. While doing this the hawser fouled in some way and Stacy began to curse.
“Don’t swear, Mr. Stacy,” said Jones. “In another moment we all may be in eternity, but let us do our duty.”
They did their duty, and the ships were held hard and fast, and John Paul Jones emphasized his faith in what had been done by saying: