Page:History of Paul Jones.pdf/5

 appearance in his new and desperate character, for the first time, in the neighbourhood of his native place, and immediately proceeded to put in execution a well-digested plan for burning and destroying the town and shipping of Whitehaven. Having made the land, in order to avoid observation, he cautiously kept the offing; but, at the close of evening, having made the necessary preparations, he stood in towards the shore; and at midnight, having approached sufficiently near, he despatched his boats, with thirty daring fellows, well armed, who pushed off in deep silence from the vessel. The bay and entrance of the harbour was commanded by a small battery, and it was necessary to secure this before they could venture to proceed farther. Having made good their landing, the party rushed upon the small garrison before any alarm could be given, and made them prisoners. They immediately spiked all the guns of the battery, and every thing promised complete success to the daring enterprise of the assailants. It was low water, and the vessels in harbour were laying close together, and there seemed no chance of escape from total destruction, should they be once fired, and the flames get a-head. Having no expectation of such an unwelcome visit, no watches were set on board the ships, and the inhabitants of the town were quietly reposing in their beds, in supposed security. In the fullest confidence, therefore, the armed party dispersed themselves, and deposited matches ready primed, amidst combustibles, on the decks and in the riggings of the several vessels in the harbour. Nothing more was now required to complete their destruction, than the signal for setting fire to the trains. At this critical conjuncture the inhabitants of the main street were alarmed by a loud knocking at their doors, and an alarm was spread in every direction. The