Page:History of Paul Jones.pdf/6

 servants now perceived that they were discovered, and nothing remained for them but to begin in haste their work of destruction; for the alarm having been general, crowds were observed running towards the piers, attracted by the lights which the marauders, on their retiring, were hastily throwing on board the vessels, and fortunately without effect, only one being seriously scorched, as the crews, aided by the townsmen, succeeded in extinguishing the flames before they reached the rigging:—Foiled in their desperate attempt, the privateer's men reached their boats, and putting off in sullen chagrin, got on board their ship in safety.

On mustering the crew, one of the party was missing, and it was to that man the people of Whitehaven were indebted for the preservation of their lives and property; for, influenced either by conscientious or self-interested motives, he had quitted his companions when they were busy in the harbour, and proceeded hastily up the main street, knocking loudly at every door, by which he had roused the inhabitants from their beds, and called upon them to save their lives and property.

Jones having completely failed in this enterprise, made the best of his way across the Solway Frith towards the coast of Scotland, and entered the river Dee, forming the harbour of Kirkeudbright, with the dawn of the morning. A little above its junction with the sea, the river Dee expands into a kind of estuary. Here, where the river is about a mile and a half in width on a promontory, or rather island, stands the castle of Lord Selkirk, St Mary's Jole, within a very little distance of a spot endeared to Jones by the strongest ties, and the earliest associations; and here a little after sun-rise, Jones dropped his anchor. Early in the morning the privateer had been observed making her way up the river—her guns and warlike appearance, at-