140 
RAISING 38-TON GUN FROM MUD. 
passing a parbuckle rope under the gun, the gun was revolving slowly 
on its axis.* 
At this time the gun was covered by the tide at high water, till the 
neap tides on the 22nd were kept out by a small dam, some 2' thick, 
of mud thrown up from the pit. 
It was now considered impossible to dig holes deep enough and 
numerous enough under the gun for parbuckle skids, because the gun 
rolled into even the small hole. A, cut for the parbuckle rope; in fact. 
* The proposal to parbuckle the gun out of the mud involved digging holes, three in number— 
1st, for parbuckle rope, all round the gun; 
2nd, for breech skids, 2' 6" wide at least; 
3rd, for muzzle skid, 1' 3" wide at least. 
1st. This was attempted and found almost impossible, because the mud was so soft that no 
man could get under the gun to dig out the portion AA. 
2nd. The gun showed already a disposition to revolve in the direction , in consequence 
of the first hole being dug, and it was obvious that the holes BB would increase this tendency 
even if the sinking could be checked in time. 
