Note 19 — AN UNIVERSAL DICTIONARY OF THE MARINE. (continued 4)

“The carabine is a sort of musketoon, the barrel of which is riffled spirally from the breech, so that when the ball, which is forced into it, is again driven out by the strength of the powder, it is lengthened about the breadth of a finger, and marked with the riffle of the bore. This piece has an iron rammer.

“The barrel of the carabine is three foot long, including the stock. It has a much greater range than the fusil or musket, because the riffle of the barrel impedes the ball, which thereby makes the greater resistance at the first inflammation of the powder, and, giving time for the whole charge to take fire before it goes out of the bore, it is at length thrown out with greater force than from the common musket.” Le Blond’s Elements of War.

The coehorn is a sort of small mortar, fixed on a swivel, and particularly used to discharge grenadoes, or cast bullets from close quarters in merchant vessels when boarded.

The fire-arrow, dard à feu, is a small iron dart furnished with springs and bars, together with a match, impregnated with powder and sulphur, which is wound about its shaft. It is intended to fire the sails of the enemy, and is for this purpose discharged from a musketoon or swivel-gun. The match being kindled by the explosion, communicates the flame to the sail against which it is directed, where the arrow is fastened by means of its bars and springs. As this is peculiar to hot climates, particularly the West-Indies, the sails being extremely dry, are instantly inflamed, and of course convey the fire to the masts and rigging, and finally to the vessel itself.

The powder-flask and stink pot are described in the article Boarding: and the organ is no other than a machine consisting of six or seven musket barrels fixed upon one stock, so as to be fired all at once.