OF THE OLD WORLD. 487 



hundred yards, and kneeling at every longer range. 

 The best position for taking a steady aim without 

 artificial appliances is by kneeling on the right knee 

 and sitting on the right heel, the rifle being firmly 

 grasped and steadied by the left hand, the left elbow 

 resting on the left knee so as to form a support. 



Should the novice meet with any difficulty in aim- 

 ing correctly, the inspector should cause him to snap 

 caps at a lighted candle placed about a yard distant, 

 when, if the aim is properly directed, the candle will 

 be 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 indifi'erent to the re- 

 port. 



This practice is most excellent for forming 

 " marlcsmen," for besides saving ammunition, it 

 may be continually resorted to, even in a room, the 

 bull's-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 pro- 

 perly ascertain when firing ball, on account of the 

 smoke of the discharge. The constant handlinjr 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 



