Page:History of Paul Jones.pdf/11

 former of which sailed on the 6th, and the other on the 24th March, 1779, amidst the acclamations of all on both shores of the Tyne, but they were not so fortunate as to fall in with the enemy, for he reappeared off Tynemouth in the month of May following, and again in the middle of August the same year, when he lay off Newbiggin for nearly a whole day, and was seen by great numbers of spectators.

The following winter, Jones commanded the Bon Homme Richard, of 40 guns, with a complement of 370 men, in which he acted as commodore; having under his command also the Alliance frigate, of 36 guns, and 300 men; the Vengeance brig, of 14 guns and 70 men: and a cutter of 18 guns, all in the service of the American Congress. The Pallas, a French frigate, was also added to his squadron. He sailed with this small, yet formidable squadron, from Port l'Orient in July, 1779, and made his appearance off the coast of Kerry, where he sent his boat's crew ashore, in order to bring off some sheep; but the people having assembled to defend their property, they secured the assailing party, and sent the prisoners to Tralee gaol. From theneethence [sic] he sailed northward, ran down the eastern coast of Scotland, making captures in his progress of a store-ship from QuebeeQuebec [sic], and many other valuable prizes, all of which he ordered to sail to France. On the 14th of September he was off Dunlear, and seen to capture two prizes close in shore. No adequate foreo being at that period in the north, a circumstance of which he appears to have been well apprised, he dispatched his ships in various directions, and at last resolved on the bold and hazardous attempt of burning the shipping in the harbour of Leith, and collecting tribute from the undefended towns on the coast of Fife, boldly entered the Frith of Forth, and dashing up, came