The next naval contest, in the order of time, was that of the _Wasp_ and the _Frolic_, one of the bloodiest of the war. The _Wasp_, an American sloop-of-war, of eighteen guns, commanded by Captain Jacob Jones, was a very fast sailer, and had gone to Europe with despatches, when the war broke out. On her return she was refitted with all haste and sent out on a cruise. In the night of October 17th, about five hundred miles off Cape Hatteras, she sighted a fleet of six English merchantmen under convoy of the _Frolic_, a brig, of twenty-two guns, Captain Whinyates. Four of the merchantmen were armed. The next morning, the sea being somewhat rough, the _Wasp_ was put under short canvas and got into fighting trim, and then bore down upon the _Frolic_, which kept herself between her convoy and the enemy. She also was under short canvas, and her main-yard was on deck. About half past eleven o'clock the _Wasp_ came up close on the starboard side of the _Frolic_, and broadsides were exchanged at {074}the distance of only sixty yards. The fire of the Englishman was the more rapid, but that of the American was the more deliberate and effective. In a little over four minutes the _Wasp's_ maintopmast was shot off and with the maintopsail-yard fell across the braces, rendering the head-yards unmanageable. A few minutes later her gaff and mizzen-topgallant-mast were shot down; and before the action was over, every brace and most of the rigging was carried away. The shot of the _Wasp_ was directed mainly at her enemy's hull, and the firing on both sides was kept up with great spirit, little or no attempt being made to manoeuvre, and the vessels gradually approaching each other. At last they were so near that the American gunners touched the side of the _Frolic_ with their rammers, her bowsprit passed over the _Wasp's_ quarterdeck, and the latter was brought directly across the Englishman's bows, in position for raking. Captain Jones ordered a broadside; and when it was fired, the muzzles of two of the guns were actually in the bow ports of the _Frolic_, and the discharge swept her from stem to stern.