2-979-615 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Chinese Infernal Machines, 1857. '...floated down at night with the view to blow the ship [H.M.S. Encounter] up...a sampan, towed by a canoe...The fuze was lighted in the bamboo tubes in the side...Two rafts, moored together...in each caisson at least 17 cwt. of gunpowder in open tubs and jars... A pair of vessels...about eight inches long; the fuze, with a tin box containing punk over the fuze; then a cover with lighted march on top: this had a string to it, which, when pulled, drew out the centre partition, and communicated the fire to the punk, to allow the fellows who swam off with them towards the ship to make their escape; but they got frightened...and by accident one went off with a fearful explosion on the starboard bow, about sixty yards...One of the men was caught and brought on board here, and had his brains blown out at the port gangway'. From "Illustrated London News", 1857.