During their voyage from Scotland to France he fell in with an English vessel called the _Drake_; a sharp conflict ensued, which lasted more than an hour, when the _Drake_ surrendered, and was towed in safety into Brest, a seaport of France. On the very day of his arrival at Brest, Jones wrote the following eccentric epistle to Lady Selkirk, which one of his biographers calls “the queerest piece of epistolary correspondence extant.” “MADAM,—It cannot be too much lamented, that in the profession of arms, the officer of fine feelings and real sensibility, should be under the necessity of winking at any action of persons under his command which his heart cannot approve; but the reflection is doubly severe, when he finds himself obliged, in appearance, to countenance such actions by his authority. This hard case was mine, when, on the 23d of April last, I landed on St. Mary’s Isle. “Knowing Lord Selkirk’s interest with his king, and esteeming as I do his private character, I wished to make him the happy instrument of alleviating the horrors of hopeless captivity, when the brave are overpowered and made prisoners of war. It was, perhaps, fortunate for you, madam, that he was from home, for it was my intention to have taken him on board the _Ranger_, and detained him until, through his means, a general and fair exchange of prisoners, as well in Europe as in America, had been effected. “When I was informed by some men whom I met at landing, that his lordship was absent, I walked back to my boat, determined to leave the island. By the way, however, some officers who were with me could not forbear expressing their discontent, observing that in America no delicacy was shown by the English, who took away all sorts of moveable property, setting fire not only to towns and to the houses of the rich, without distinction, but not even sparing the wretched hamlets and milch-cows of the poor and helpless, at the approach of an inclement winter. “That party had been with me at Whitehaven; some complaisance, therefore, was their due. I had but a moment to think how I might gratify them, and at the same time do your ladyship the least injury. I charged the officers to permit none of the seamen to enter the house, or to hurt any thing about it; to treat you, madam, with the utmost respect; to accept of the plate which was offered, and to come away without making a search, or demanding any thing else. I am induced to believe that I was punctually obeyed, since I am informed that the plate which they brought away is far short of the quantity expressed in the inventory which accompanied it. I have gratified my men; and when the plate is sold, I shall become the purchaser, and will gratify my own feelings in restoring it, by such conveyance as you may please to direct.