The Cerf was sent to reconnoitre the coast, and to endeavor to recover the two lost boats, the barge and the boat sent in pursuit of it. Approaching near the shore, the Cerf, to avoid detection, raised English colors. Mr. Trent, catching sight of the hostile flag, fearing capture, ran his boat ashore, where he and his crew were made prisoners. They were thrown into a wretched dungeon, where the unhappy Mr. Trent lingered until death came to his relief.
Thus the Richard lost two important boats. In the afternoon, Pierre Landais came on board the Richard, and, even assuming an arrogant air of superiority, affirmed, in a very insulting manner, that Captain Jones had lost two boats and their crews from his folly in sending boats to capture a brig. He erroneously supposed that the lost boats were the two which had first been sent out; whereas they had been entirely successful, and had triumphantly accomplished their mission. Captain Jones listened calmly to his impertinent tirade, and then, with the courtesy of a true gentleman, replied:
“It is not true,” Captain Landais, “that the boats which are lost, are the two which were sent to capture the brig.”
The irate Frenchman, almost insane with passion, whirled upon his heel, and exclaimed, to an officer who accompanied him, “He tells me I lie.”
The gestures of Landais were as rude and insulting as his language. Lieutenants Weibert and Chamillard endeavored to soothe the unreasonably angry man. But all was in vain. He raved like a maniac. Through all this scene, so disgraceful to the Frenchman, Captain Jones maintained a tranquil spirit. The conduct of Landais was so violent and so utterly unreasonable, that Captain Jones charitably excused him, on the supposition that there was a vein of insanity in his nature.
The Cerf was utterly lost in the fog. The next night a violent storm arose, and the cutter, finding itself hopelessly separated from the squadron, returned to France. The privateer Granville, which mounted fourteen guns, having secured a prize, hastened with it back to a French port. The moderation displayed by Captain Jones under annoyances sufficient to drive most men mad, is worthy of all praise. In his journal for the king he wrote:
“It was my intention to cruise off the southwest coast of Ireland for twelve or fifteen days, in order to intercept the enemy’s homeward-bound East India ships. I had been informed that they would return without convoy, and would steer for that point of land. But Captain Landais, of the Alliance, began to speak and act as though he were not under my command. He made great objections to remaining on the coast, expressing apprehension that the enemy would send a superior force.”
On the evening of the 26th, as a violent storm was raging, Landais refused to obey the signal from the Richard, and altering his course, was not seen again for five days. The Pallas also, in the fearful gale, lost her rudder, and became in a great degree unmanageable. When the morning of the 27th of August dawned luridly upon the tempest-lashed ocean, the Bon Homme Richard found herself alone with the Vengeance.
On the 31st of August, as the Richard and the Vengeance were in hot chase of an English privateer, mounting twenty-two guns, the Alliance, by chance, again appeared in sight. They were then off the extreme northwestern coast of Ireland, within sight of the Hebrides. They had run along the western shore of Ireland. The Alliance had captured a valuable prize, bound from Liverpool to Jamaica. The Richard and Vengeance soon overtook the vessel they were pursuing, and captured it, almost without a struggle. It proved to be the Union, bound from London for Quebec. It had a cargo of great value, consisting of sails, rigging, anchors, cables, and other essential articles, for the war-vessels England was building on the lakes.
Captain Jones, having manned from his crew the brig which he captured off the northwest of Ireland, and having lost the deserters who filled the barge, and twenty of his best men who were sent in pursuit of them, probably could not well spare enough men to man the guns of the prize, so as to take her into some safe port. Landais sent the following insulting message to Captain Jones: