You remember that, during the war, Captain Landais had sent two valuable
ships to Norway, and so caused the loss of much prize money. Denmark
had taken these ships, by force, and given them back to England.
Paul Jones determined to go to Denmark to try to induce that country to
pay for these ships. In November, 1787, he left America for the last
time.
On the way to Denmark, he stopped in Paris. Here he heard some news
which pleased him very much.
For some time Russia had been at war with Turkey, and the Russian navy
had lately met with several disasters on the Black Sea.
The Russian minister in Paris had heard a great deal about the hero,
Paul Jones. So he sent word to the Empress Catherine, who was then the
ruler of Russia, that if she would give Paul Jones the command of the
Russian fleet, "all Constantinople would tremble in less than a year."
When Paul Jones heard that this message had gone to Russia, he was sure
that a chance would come to win still more glory and fame.
He was more anxious than before to go to Copenhagen, the capital of
Denmark. He would then be nearer to Russia and could more quickly
answer the summons of the empress.
He was not disappointed in this. He was in Copenhagen but a few weeks,
when he received the offer of a position in the Russian navy, with the
rank of rear-admiral.
He gave up the hope of the prize money, and started in April, 1788, for
St. Petersburg.
The story of his trip to Russia shows what a fearless man he was. No
danger was too great for him to brave, in order to accomplish any
purpose he had in mind.
In order to reach St. Petersburg with the least delay, he went to
Stockholm, Sweden. Here he took an open boat and crossed the Baltic Sea,
which was full of floating ice.
He did not let the boatmen know of his intentions until they were well
out at sea. Then, pistol in hand, he compelled the unwilling men to
steer for the Russian shore.
For four days and nights they were out in the open boats, carefully
steering through the ice, and many times barely escaping death.
When, at last, they arrived safely at a Russian port on the Gulf of
Finland, he rewarded the boatmen and gave them a new boat and provisions
for their return. Scarcely would any one believe the story, as such a
trip had never been made before, and was thought to be impossible.
He hurried on to St. Petersburg, where he was warmly welcomed. The story
of his trip across the Baltic, added to other tales of his bravery,
caused the empress to show him many favors.