DRILL. 149 



extinguished. The novice should be attentively 

 watched during this practice, until all tendency 

 to wink or flinch is overcome, and his countenance 

 shows that he has become indifferent to the report. 

 This practice is most excellent for forming 

 " Marksmen" for, besides saving ammunition, it 

 may be continually resorted to, even in a room, 

 the bulls'-eye being a small black wafer on the 

 wall at one end, and the stand taken at the other. 

 By snapping caps only, the young beginner is 

 enabled to see whether the muzzle of the barrel 

 wavers when he presses the trigger, which he 

 cannot properly ascertain when firing ball, on 

 account of the smoke of the discharge. The 

 constant handling of the rifle in a proper manner, 

 by aiming at various objects at different distances, 

 enables the " finger to work in unison with the 

 eye," and gives great steadiness of position 

 before, during, and after pressing the trigger, 

 which is all that is required in making good ball- 

 practice at a target of which the distance is 

 known. 



