I said nothing about this to my children, to avoid the vexation of a possible disappointment, but began to execute my plan.
I found a cast-iron mortar, exactly fitted for my purpose, which I filled with gunpowder.

I then took a strong oak plank to cover it, to which I fixed iron hooks, so that they could reach the handles of the mortar.

I cut a groove in the side of the plank, that I might introduce a long match, which should burn at least two hours before it reached the powder.

I placed the plank then over the mortar, fastened the hooks through the handles, surrounded it with pitch, and then bound some strong chains round the whole, to give it greater solidity.

I proceeded to suspend this infernal machine against the side of the ship near our work, taking care to place it where the recoil from the explosion should not injure the pinnace.