THE GUN, AND HOW TO USE IT. 107 
with a piece of wash-leather, and it is ready for recon- 
struction. ; 
“To put them together again, put in tumbler, and 
screw on cock, so as to be down. 
“ Put cock rather backward, and screw on scear-spring. 
“ Push cock back as far as it will go; put pivot of 
scear into its proper hole, and then taking hold of scear 
with the thumb, and of the top of the cock with the fore- 
finger of the right hand, ifa right-hand lock, and vice versd 
if a left, compress the spring, and move the lock forward 
and down. 
“ Push forward the swivel, so that it may not interfere 
with the screw, and drawing the cock a little forward, slip 
the two holes in the bridle upon the heads of the scear 
and tumbler pivot, and screw on the bridle. 
“ Having let down the cock, and pushed forward the 
swivel as far as it will go, cramp the main-spring, hook 
the end of it on the swivel, move it up to its place on the 
lock plate, and unscrew the cramp.” 
When a fine gun is to be laid aside for any considerable 
length of time, during the absence of the owner, or under 
such circumstances that it cannot be readily examined and 
overhauled, the following plan will be found admirable for 
its preservation. 
Stop the orifices of the nipples with small pegs of pine 
wood, plunge the barrels, breech downward, into hot water; 
pour into the muzzles melted lard, tallow, or suet, carefully 
tried out and clear from salt, until the barrels are com- 
pletely full; oil them copiously, without, with pure clari- 
fied neat’s-foot oil, or loon-skin oil, which is better; and if 
