As no sign of submission had come from the enemy, Captain Jones was about to repeat the raking, but was prevented by the impetuosity of his crew. A sailor named John Lang, who had once {075}been impressed on a British man-of-war, hot for revenge, sprang upon the bowsprit of the _Frolic_, cutlass in hand, and was followed by Lieutenant Biddle and an impromptu boarding-party. They met no opposition. Two or three officers, wounded and bleeding, were standing on the after-part of the deck; there was a cool-headed old seaman at the wheel; and dead and wounded sailors were lying about in all directions. The officers threw down their swords, and Lieutenant Biddle sprang into the rigging and hauled down the British flag. The battle had lasted forty-three minutes. On board the _Wasp_, five men had been killed and five wounded. The loss on the _Frolic_ has never been ascertained, it was at least seventy-five. Captain Whinyates, in his official report, said that not twenty of his men escaped injury. The two vessels were separated, and in a few minutes both masts of the _Frolic_ fell. Arrangements were made for sending her into Charleston with a prize crew, while the Wasp should repair damages and continue her cruise. But before this plan could even be fairly entered upon, the British ship-of-the-line _Poictiers_, carrying seventy-four guns, hove in sight, and speedily made prize of both vessels and took them to Bermuda. On the same day when this action took place. {076}Commodore Stephen Decatur, cruising in the frigate _United States_, captured the British packet _Swallow_, which had on board a large quantity of specie. He continued his cruise eastward, and only a week later (October 25th), at a point about midway between the Azores and the Cape Verd Islands, sighted a large vessel to windward, which proved to be the English frigate _Macedonian_, carrying forty-nine guns, Captain Carden. She was somewhat smaller than the _United States,_ and had fewer men. Decatur made up to the stranger; but she had the advantage of the wind, and for some time managed to keep out of reach. At length, after considerable manoeuvring, the distance was shortened, and both vessels opened fire with their long guns. The gunnery of the American was superior, and while sustaining little injury herself she inflicted serious damage upon her antagonist. At the end of half an hour, the distance had been still more diminished, so that the carronades were brought into use. A carronade is a short gun, throwing a comparatively large ball with not very great velocity. The size of the ball and its slower motion cause it to splinter and tear a ragged hole in the side of a ship, where a smaller shot with a greater velocity would pass through and make a smooth round hole, which could easily be plugged up again. {077}As the _Macedonian_ became disabled, she fell off to leeward, while the United States passed ahead and to windward, and then tacked and came up under her lee.