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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 17, Issue 953, 25 February 1871, Page 2

" What's up ? " (says the Wellington Independent, Feb. 18) was the question on everyone's lips last night about eleven, after a dreadful belch from three of the Virago's gun's fired in swift succession. A shock was sent through the nerves of both somnolent and waking, and made the whole of the town rattle. In a few minutes, the wharf was thronged with people. Several moro shots were fired at intervals which without explaining the mystery, made a large number turn out in haste and troop down the beach. After a few jokes, good humor followed astonishment, and the unseasonable firing was put down to " night practice." As everyone is not used to ways on board a man-of-war, it is not surprising that our male inhabitants were a little startled, and many women positively frightened, at such a terrific salvo in the stillness of the midnght; and a good many wished pur naval friend* outside the heads during that practice.