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Final Details
Thisledtotheirworkingatnight,bylightproducedinavacuumbymeansofRuhmkorff’sapparatus,whichthrewanartificialbrightnessintothedepthsoftheColumbiad.Therethecartridgeswerearrangedwiththeutmostregularity,connectedbyametallicthread,destinedtocommunicatetothemallsimultaneouslytheelectricspark,bywhichmeansthismassofgun-cottonwaseventuallytobeignited.
Bythe28thofNovembereighthundredcartridgeshadbeenplacedinthebottomoftheColumbiad.Sofartheoperationhadbeensuccessful!Butwhatconfusion,whatanxieties,whatstruggleswereundergonebyPresidentBarbicane!InvainhadherefusedadmissiontoStonesHill;everydaytheinquisitiveneighborsscaledthepalisades,someevencarryingtheirimprudencetothepointofsmokingwhilesurroundedbybalesofgun-cotton.Barbicanewasinaperpetualstateofalarm.J.T.Mastonsecondedhimtothebestofhisability,bygivingvigorouschasetotheintruders,andcarefullypickingupthestilllightedcigarendswhichtheYankeesthrewabout.Asomewhatdifficulttask!seeingthatmorethan300,000personsweregatheredroundtheenclosure.MichelArdanhadvolunteeredtosuperintendthetransportofthecartridgestothemouthoftheColumbiad;butthepresident,havingsurprisedhimwithanenormouscigarinhismouth,whilehewashuntingouttherashspectatorstowhomhehimselfofferedsodangerousanexample,sawthathecouldnottrustthisfearlesssmoker,andwasthereforeobligedtomountaspecialguardoverhim.
