On the evening after the combat between the _Indienne_ and the Drake,
and which, notwithstanding our ignorance in naval matters, we have
attempted to describe to our readers, Lusignan had related to Paul the
history of his whole life. It was a very simple one, and contained but
few incidents. Love had formed the principal event in it, and after
having been its only joy, it had become its greatest grief. The
adventurous and independent life of Paul, his station, which had placed
him beyond the trammels of society, his caprice which was superior
to all laws, his habit of supreme command on board his own ship, had
inspired him with too just a sense of natural rights to obey the order
he had received with regard to Lusignan. Moreover, although he had
anchored under the French flag, Paul, as we have seen, belonged to
the navy of America, whose cause he had enthusiastically espoused.
He continued, therefore, his cruise along the shores of England; but
finding there was nothing to be done on the sea he landed at Whitehaven,
a small port in Cumberland, at the head of twenty men, among whom was
Lusignan, took the fort, spiked the guns, and put to sea again, after
having burnt the merchant vessels in the roads. Thence he sailed for
the coast of Scotland, with the intention of carrying off the Earl
of Selkirk and taking him as a hostage to the United States; but this
project had miscarried from an unforeseen circumstance, that nobleman
having unexpectedly gone to London. In this enterprise, as in the other,
Lusignan had seconded him with the courage we have seen him exhibit
in the battle between the _Indienne_ and the Drake; so that Paul
congratulated himself more than ever upon the chance which had enabled
him to oppose an injustice. But it was not enough that he had saved
Lusignan from transportation, it was necessary to restore his honor,
and to our young adventurer, in whom our readers will doubtless have
recognised the celebrated privateersman, Paul Jones, it was a more easy
matter than to any other person; for having letters of marque from Louis
XVI., against the English, he had to repair to Versailles to give an
account of his cruize.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account