It was seven o’clock in the evening when the Bon Homme Richard and the Serapis approached within hailing distance of each other. The Alliance stood sullenly aloof from the conflict. The Vengeance, for some unexplained reason, remained far to the windward, and did not come into action. She had been commanded to assist in any way she could in the battle, or in taking or destroying the merchant-ships. The Pallas, under Captain Cottineau, bore down bravely upon the Countess of Scarborough, and after the bloody conflict of an hour compelled the white cross of St. George to bow to the Stars and the Stripes of the almost nameless republic. Thus the Richard was left alone to contend with the Serapis. The Richard had forty guns. Six of these were eighteen-pounders. The rest were twelve, nine, and six pounders. Three hundred and seventy-five men served these guns. The whole weight of iron balls she could throw at one discharge of them all, was four hundred and seventy-four pounds. The Serapis carried forty-one guns. Twenty of these were eighteen-pounders. There were three hundred and twenty-five men to work these guns. The whole weight of metal the Serapis could throw, at one discharge, was six hundred pounds. The Serapis was one of the finest of British frigates, agile and very obedient to her helm. The Richard was an old and clumsy merchantman, very unwieldy, and poorly fitted for warfare. There was a gentle breeze which swelled the sails, and an almost unrippled sea. The sun had been set for more than a hour. But the moon rose in full splendor, and, shining down from a cloudless sky, shed almost noonday brilliance over the scene. The vessels were but three miles from the rugged cliffs of Flamborough, which seems but a short distance when looked upon over the water. Those cliffs were blackened with the multitudes who had hurried to witness the strange, sublime, and yet awful spectacle. The coast line and the piers of Scarborough seemed also to be crowded with spectators. The breeze was so light that the vessels had approached each other very slowly. When within pistol-shot, and abreast, with bow to bow, the Serapis hailed the Richard with the question: “What ship is that?” The answer came back, “What is it you say?” Again the shout came from the Serapis, “What ship is that? Answer immediately, or I shall fire into you.”