- description
- # CHAPTER XVIII. THE EXPEDITION THAT SAILED FROM GROIX.
## Overview
This entity is chapter XVIII of the novel *Israel Potter: His Fifty Years of Exile*. It details an expedition led by Paul Jones that sailed from Groix. The chapter spans from line 5076 to line 5315 of the source text.
## Context
This chapter is part of Herman Melville's novel *Israel Potter: His Fifty Years of Exile*, published in 1855. The novel is included in the [Melville Complete Works](arke:01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW) collection and was extracted from the file [israel_potter.txt](arke:01KG89J1DKC9HHJRKY25JZBEXW). This chapter follows [CHAPTER XVII. THEY CALL AT THE EARL OF SELKIRK’S, AND AFTERWARDS FIGHT THE SHIP-OF-WAR DRAKE.](arke:01KG8AJJ2A7N87KT834RNHTNPX) and precedes [CHAPTER XIX. THEY FIGHT THE SERAPIS.](arke:01KG8AJJRQ4SKWG11NYNT96ERE).
## Contents
The chapter describes the preparations and initial stages of an expedition led by Paul Jones, comprising nine vessels. It highlights the challenges faced by Jones, including insubordinate captains and a poorly equipped fleet. The narrative focuses on the renaming of the ship *Duras* to the *Bon Homme Richard* in honor of Benjamin Franklin's aphorisms. The chapter then recounts the expedition's early successes, including the capture of several vessels, but also its setbacks, such as the desertion of most of the squadron. It culminates with Paul Jones's thwarted attempt to raid Leith, Scotland, due to adverse weather conditions, and his subsequent resolve to seek a decisive engagement, foreshadowing the battle with the *Serapis*. The text is divided into four chunks, detailing the events from the squadron's departure to the gale that forced them to abandon the raid on Leith.
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- 2026-01-30T20:48:51.590Z
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- description_title
- CHAPTER XVIII. THE EXPEDITION THAT SAILED FROM GROIX.
- end_line
- 5315
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- 2026-01-30T20:47:34.754Z
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- start_line
- 5076
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- title
- CHAPTER XVIII.
THE EXPEDITION THAT SAILED FROM GROIX.