Captain Landais, when he disobeyed Paul Jones' order to join in line of battle, spread the sails of the _Alliance_, and went quickly toward the enemy as though to make an attack. But when very near to where the _Serapis_ lay, he changed his course, and sailed away to a place where the battle could be seen without harm. About half-past seven in the evening, the _Richard_ rounded to on the side of the _Serapis_ within pistol-shot. Captain Pearson of the _Serapis_ hailed, saying: "What ship is that?" The answer came: "I can't hear what you say." Captain Pearson repeated: "What ship is that? Answer at once or I shall fire." Paul Jones' reply was a shot. This was followed by a broadside from each vessel. At this first fire, two of the guns in the lower battery of the _Richard_ burst. The explosion tore up the decks, and killed many men. The two vessels now began pouring broadsides into each other. The _Richard_ was old and rotten, and these shots caused her to leak badly. Captain Pearson saw this, and hailed, saying, "Has your ship struck?" The bold reply came: "I have not yet begun to fight." Paul Jones saw, that, as the _Serapis_ was so much the better ship of the two, his only hope lay in getting the vessels so close together that the men could board the _Serapis_ from the _Richard_. All this time the vessels had been sailing in the same direction, crossing and re-crossing each other's course. Finally Paul Jones ran the _Richard_ across the bow of the _Serapis_. The anchor of the _Serapis_ caught in the stern of the _Richard_ and became firmly fastened there. As the vessels were swung around by the tide, the sides came together. The spars and rigging were entangled and remained so until the close of the engagement. With the muzzles of the guns almost touching, the firing began. The effect was terrible. Paul Jones, who had only two guns that could be used on the starboard side, grappled with the _Serapis_. With the help of a few men, he brought over a larboard gun, and these three were all that he used during the rest of the battle. Meanwhile the other ships of the American squadron did strange things. The _Pallas_, alone, did her duty. In a half hour she had captured the _Countess of Scarborough_. The _Vengeance_ simply sailed for the nearest harbor. Worst of all was the conduct of Captain Landais and his ship _Alliance_. For a while he looked quietly on as though he were umpire. At 9:30 o'clock he came along the larboard side of the _Richard_ so that she was between him and the enemy. Then he deliberately fired into her, killing many men. Many voices cried out that he was firing into the wrong ship. He seemed not to hear, for, until the battle was over, his firing continued. The _Poor Richard_ had an enemy on each side.