But Jones had only admiration for his gallant
foe. He longed to say something to comfort him, but he looked so
sad and dignified that he knew not what to say. At length he spoke.
"Captain Pearson," he said "you have fought like a hero. You have
worn this sword to your credit, and to the honour of your service.
I hope your King will reward you suitably."
But Captain Pearson could not answer, his heart was still too sore.
Without a word he bowed again and turned away.
While this terrible fight had been going on the Pallas had engaged
the Countess of Scarborough, and captured her, and now appeared,
not much worse for the fight. But the Bonhomme Richard was an
utter wreck, and was sinking fast. So as quickly as possible, the
sailors, utterly weary as they were with fighting, began to move the
wounded to the Serapis. The crew of the British ship, too, worked
with a will, doing their best to save the enemies of the night
before. At length all were safely carried aboard the Serapis, and
only the dead were left on the gallant old Bonhomme Richard.
"To them," says Jones, in his journal, "I gave the good old ship
for their coffin, and in it they found a sublime sepulchre. And the
last mortal eyes ever saw of the Bonhomme Richard was the defiant
waving of her unconquered and unstricken flag as she went down."
So this strange sea-duel was over.
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