Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1851-05-05

, lime mysteries Of military training, an
at loss for the proper terms by which Il
{ describe the evolu,ions that were performe,
on the occasion; but at given signal tn,
gongs and horns and ket,ledrums sen
forth their deafening noise, the soldier
formed themselves into a variety Of posi-
tions and commenced firing, first all togeth
Ter, then in companies, and finally eact
man as fast as he could load his piece, re-
l,iring as soon as he had discharged it few
PAGES to the rear-lhus keeping up an un.
broken succession Of shots, and yet without
the leas, confusion. They certainly were
we'll drilled. Each man seemed to know
his precise position, and fell into it without
interrupting his neghbor.
The match:locks bore some general re.
semblance to a musket, but were exceed
ingly clumsy. The barrel is very rough.
ly made, and the muZzle flares out like an
old fashioned blunderbuss. 1t has nothing
that can be called q lock, but instend, a
piece Of iron about fourteen inches long,
fastened at the middle by pin 10 the
breech- piece, half way from the pan TO the
end. Working upon this pin or pivot, one
part Of the iron projects below and back
ward, while the other projects above and
forward, having its end bent downward TO-
wards the pan. This end is forked so as to
hold piece o. burning rope. The pan is
filled with powder and is provided with a
cover, which the soldier takes off when he
wishes TO discharge his gun. The lighted
rope is about four inches above the powder,
and is brough, into contact with it by pres
sing up the other end Of the iron rod.
which serves as q trigger. A spring keeps
it in its place. -s..- .E .-.r
From this imperfect description you Gun
discover that Chinese gun is miserably
awkward affair. There are two sizes, but
Of the same construcucn. The larger has
barrel Of two inches in diameter, and re.
quires two men to handle it-one at the
muzzle, who loads and then places it on his
souldier, while the one ut the breech primes
adjusts the match, and applies it. The
place Of cartridges is supplied by small
pieces of bamboo, each containing the
quantity of powder necessary for single
load, and these are carried in belt around
the waist. The Chinese manufactured gun
powder hundreds Of years probably before
it was discovered by western nations, but
the bes, they can make is Of very inferior
quality, and from ignorance Of the chemical
properties as well as the proper admixture
Of the ingredient, they cannot make it Of
any given Strength. The smaller sized
match locks have q forked stick fastened 10
the stock, near the muzzle. as u rest to be
used when the soldier fires kneeling.
Cne poor fellow accidentally discharged
his piece before the word of command was
given, and my friend the mandarin imme.
diately dispatched an attendant to ascertain
who it was. When the evolution was fin.
ished, he was led up before the mandarin
by two men, and as he approached fell on
his knees, explaining the cnuse Of, the acci-
dent and begging for mercy. He was Sc
verely reproved and ordered 10 be punished.
His cap and JACKET we're taken off and four
men laid him on the ground at full length,
on his face. Then barred his legs at the
thighs, and a man with wooden paddle
four fee long gave him rine blows on the
feshy part of the thighs, with sufficien,
force to discolor the parts, but not to break
the skin. He groaned pi,eously during the
infiiction, and was just about 10 intercede
for him when he was released. He was
then remanded to the ranks. ond performed
his part in the remainder Of his exercise.
Following the review of the match.l lock
department, came that Of soldiers using
swords, spears, and shields. The shields
are round, about two feet in diameter, and
made Of rattan, having the face of tiger
painted on them SO large rs to cover the
whole surface. The performance with
these weapons was quite amusing, for the
same reason that that of the actors in cir
Gus is so. Those carrying the shields show.
ed great dex'erity in warding off the blows
of their assailants. They would turn som.
erse,s, roll over on the ground, and cut all
sorts OF antics in lodging, while their an
tagonists exerted themselves so to strike as
NOT to hit. They would sometimes so ar
range themselves that their shields would
form pyramid of frightful tigers faces,
while no part Of those holding them could
be seen. Then, again, they would separate
and each man fall down upon the ground,
completely covering his body with bis
shield. -ua 1 -.t
When the whole was concluded, the re.
viewing officer distributed rewards for con.
spicious activity and skill as promptly as he
had before inflicted punishment for remiss-
ness. 70 the man who turned the best
somerset he gave two hundred copper cash,
equal in value to thirteen cents.
On leaving, | gave tracts to ench Of the
three mandarins, and disposed Of oil in my
possession TO the people who crowded
around me, and to others whom | met on
my way home.
0ss..- CHARLES TAYLOR
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