LETTEES FEOM ALABAMA. 
131 
boast of the greenwood bowman. Some of these 
practices I had read of^ but here I find them in 
frequent use. Driving the nail ” is one of these ; 
a stout nail is hammered into a post about half 
way up to the head ; the riflemen then stand at an 
immense distance, and fire at the nail ; the object is 
to hit the nail so truly on the head with the ball as 
to drive it home. To hit it at all on one side, so 
as to cause it to bend or swerve, is failure ; missing 
it altogether is out of the question. 
Another feat is “threading the needle.” An 
auger-hole is pierced through the centre of an 
upright board; the orifice is just large enough to 
allow the ball to pass without touching ; and it is 
expected to pass without touching. A third is still 
more exciting — “ snuffing the candle.” It is per- 
formed in the night, and the darkness of the scene 
adds a wildness to the amusement that greatly 
enhances its interest. A calm night is chosen; 
half-a-dozen ends of tallow-candle and a box of 
matches are taken out into the field, whither the 
uproarious party of stalwart youths repair. One 
of them takes his station by the mark; a stick is 
thrust perpendicularly in the ground, on the top of 
which a bit of candle is fixed either in a socket, or 
by means of a few drops of grease. A plank is set 
up behind the candle, to receive the balls, which 
are all carefully picked out after the sport is over, 
being much too valuable to be wasted. The marker 
now lights the candle, which glimmers like a feeble 
star, but just visible at the spot where the expectant 
party are standing. Each one carefully loads his 
rifle ; some mark the barrel with a line of chalk to 
aid the sight in the darkness; others neglect this, 
and seem to know the position of the “ pea ” by 
K 2 
