Fanning's Account of an Entertainment Given by Jones on the _Ariel_.
Possibly the date is wrong. It may be that recorded in the _Ariel's_
log on "September 2nd. 1780----"
About the tenth of December Great preparations were made on board
of our ship in consequence of a great number of people of the first
characters in L'Orient. One prince of the blood royal, and three
French admirals, with some ladies of the first quality, having had
cards of invitation sent them by captain Jones, inviting them on
board of his ship the next day to take dinner with him precisely
at 3 o'clock in the afternoon; and also informing the company
that captain Jones would in the evening of that day, on board of
his ship, exhibit to them a sham sea fight; and that it should in
part represent his battle with the Serapis, particularly her tops.
To go through with a minute detail of all and every circumstance
that related to this scene would, I fear, tire the patience of the
reader; I shall therefore be as concise as possible in my relation
of this exhibition. First then, all the boats belonging to our ship
were busily employed with their respective crews from the time the
approaching scene was known on board, (which was the day before it
was to take place, at ten o'clock in the morning, till about twelve
at night on the day on which the company were to dine, in passing
to and coming from the shore, bringing off all the articles wanted.
And the reader may rest assured that neither cash nor pains were
spared in order that the scene every way should appear magnificent.
In a short time our quarter-deck had the appearance of a lady of
qualitie's drawing-room. Over head was suspended an elegant awning,
the edges of which were cut in scollops, and decorated with a variety
of silk roses, tassils, &c. from a little below the awning: at the
sides were hung thin canvass lined with pink coloured silk, and which
fell down so as to reach the quarter-deck. These sides were hung
with a great variety of French pictures and looking glasses; some
of the first had been drawn by one of the most finished artists in
France, and many of which were quite indecent, especially to meet
the eyes of a virtuous woman. However, in these days they made a
part of French etequette on such an occasion. The quarter-deck of
our ship was covered with the most elegant carpets, the plate alone
which was made use of on this singular occasion was estimated to
be worth two thousand guineas (for my own part I believe it might
have been rated at double that sum.) French cooks, and waiters or
servants, were brought from the shore to assist in this business
and for nearly twenty hours preceding the serving up of dinner, we
were almost suffocated with garlick and onions, besides a great
many other stinking vegetables. A French lady (who was said to
be a great connossieur in the art of cookery, and in hanging and
arranging pictures in a room where the first companies went to dine)
was gallanted on board by captain Jones the evening before the day
on which the company were to dine, and was by him directed to take
upon herself the superintendance of the approaching feast. The next
day was ushered in by thirteen guns, and the dressing of the ship
with the thirteen stripes, and the colours of all nations who were
friendly to the United States. Captain Jones and his officers were
all dressed in uniform, with their best bib and band on, and we
were directed by captain Jones to conduct ourselves with propriety
and to pay implicit obedience to my _lady superintendant_ of the
ceremonies. At a quarter before 3 o'clock in the afternoon the ship's
boats (three in number, each having a midshipman who acted for this
time as cockswains; and the men who rowed the boats were all neatly
dressed in blew broad cloth, with the American and French cockades in
their hats,) were dispatched on shore to bring on board the company.
Jones received them as they came up the ship's side and conducted
them to their seats on the quarter-deck with a great deal of ease,
politeness, and good nature.[30] Dinner was served up at half past
3 P.M. The company did not rise from table till a little after the
sun set, when captain Jones ordered his first lieutenant to cause
all hands to be called to quarters, which was done just before the
moon was rising. I of course, mounted into the main top, which had
always been my station as long as I had served under Jones (of which
and the men at quarters there, I had the command.) Orders were given
before we mounted into the tops that we must be well supplied with
ammunition blunderbusses, muskets, cowhorns, hand granadoes, &c. The
same as if we were now to engage with an enemy; and when the signal
was given (which was to be a cannon fired upon the fore-castle, and
as soon as the gun was fired, the sham fight was to commence.) At 8
o'clock it began, and lasted about one hour and a quarter without
any intermission. Such a cracking of great guns, swivels, small
arms, cowhorns, blunderbusses, &c. such a hissing and poping of hand
granadoes, stink pots, powder flasks, was now heard as they fell
into the water alongside, as was never the like in the harbour of
L'Orient, seen or heard. Some of the ladies were much frightened,
and the sham fight would have continued longer had it not been that
some of them intreated captain Jones to command the firing to cease.
The fight over, a band of music which had been ordered on board by
the commandant, and who had been paraded upon the fore part of the
quarter-deck, now played their part, and all was glee and harmony.
At about twelve at night the company took their leave of captain
Jones, and the boats set them safe on shore, in the same order and
regularity as they came on board, excepting a few who were landed
_half seas over_; these the midshipmen assisted along to their
lodgings, and returned on board to give an account to captain Jones
that we saw all the company safe at their respective places of abode.
For several days after this nothing of any note was to be heard in
conversation among the French at L'Orient, in their coffee houses and
private dwellings, but captain Jones's feast and sham fight. Upon
the whole, I believe it must have cost himself as well as the United
States a vast sum of money. There was certainly a great quantity of
powder burnt, and an abundance of wine (besides other liquors) drank.
The cost of the whole of this entertainment, including the powder,
amounted (by an estimate made by the American agent's first clerk,
and who it seems paid the cash for sundry bills relative to this
business, to 3,027 crowns at 6s. 8d. each, Massachusetts currency.)
Whether captain Jones charged the whole or any part of the expences
of this business to the United States I never learned.
[Footnote 30: The company was superbly dressed, and the prince was
distinguished from the rest by a brilliant star which he wore upon
his left breast.]