- Home
- Life aboard ship
- The roar of the cannons
- Small arms aboard the two ships
The Dauphine yielded a number of small-scale vestiges related to the presence of small arms. These arms included six pistols and several rifles, as well as three blunderbusses whose markings identify them as an English origin. Other vestiges found in the aft section of the ship include five cartridge pouches in elm, perforated with fifteen holes for powder charges, and a number of gunflints and lead balls.
Two complete swords with iron guards were found in the aftmost part of the ship; these no doubt belonged to officers. Three iron sabres with antler grips were found in the fore section, and these were probably owned by crew members.
Hand grenades were also discovered in the aft area of both ships. These consisted of a hollow, cast-iron ball. Powder was placed inside, and it was then sealed with a fuse. During close combat, the fuse would be lit and the grenade tossed onto the deck of the enemy ship. Those found on the Aimable Grenot were between 8.2 and 8.4 cm in diameter, while those from the Dauphine were slightly larger, between 9 and 9.4 cm.