THE LOG OF THE BON HOMME RICHARD 53

dered altogether useless; her four guns which she could manage
annoyed us very much and did our ship considerable damage.
"About this time the enemy's light sails which were filled
onto the Serapis's cranes over her quarter deck rails, caught fire:
This communicated itself to her rigging, and from thence to ours;
thus were both ships on fire at one and the same time; therefore
the firing on both sides ceased till it was extinguished by the
contending parties, after which the action was renewed again.
"By this time, the top-men in our tops had taken possession of
the enemy's tops, which was done by reason of the Serapis's yards
being locked together with ours, that we could with ease go from
our main top into the enemy's fore-top, and so on from our fore-
top into the Serapis's main top. Having knowledge of this, we
transported from our own into the enemy's tops —stink pots,
flasks, hand grenadoes &c which we threw in among the enemy
whenever they made their appearance.
"The battle had now continued about three hours, and as we
in fact had possession of the Serapis's top which commanded her
quarter deck, upper gun deck, and forecastle, we were well as
sured that the enemy could not hold out much longer, and were
momentarily expecting that they would strike to us, when the fol
lowing farcical piece was acted on board our ship :

"It seems that a report was at this time circulated among our
crew between decks, and was credited among them, that Captain
Jones and all his principal officers were slain ; the gunners were
now the commanders of our ship ; that the ship had four or five
feet of water in the hold (this was told the gunner by the carpenter
who certainly had a right to know) ; and that she was then sinking.
They therefore advised the gunner to go upon deck, together with
the carpenter and master-at-arms, and beg of the enemy Quarters,
in order as they said, to save their lives. These three men being
thus delegated, mounted the quarter deck and bawled out as loud as
they could QUARTERS, QUARTERS, FOR GOD'S SAKE,