Marine archaeologists have an encounter with a 400-year-old cannon:
The barrel of the cannon had been plugged with a tampion of wood and sealed with candle wax by sailors more than 400 years ago.
The stale air of another age whistled out with a hiss when the seal was broken finally last week. Archaeologists gathered around the weapon could smell the gunpowder and hydrogen sulphide as it escaped.
Mr Mensun said: “When we opened it there was a spontaneous combustion of gun powder. It started to smoke.” The historians ran in all directions, fearing a discharge.
This from a cannon that had been underwater for 400 years. *grins*
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