The southern press., 1851-04-09

divine weed unless il be the divinity that stir
within us to the unsettling Of ones breakfast
| soon returned it TO him, when he used IT will
much gusto.
The pace where we sat was elevated two
steps above the level OF the ground and covered
with roof Our position commanded a view o.
the whole field. and the mandarins attendant,
kept the space Immediately around us open BY
whacking away at the eager multitude with large
whips The soldiers bearing fire arms were
drawn up in readiness for nn exercise few rods
distant. Two large yellow flags with serrated
edges were placed ut the other extremity oI
the line, and five small ones of the same des
cription at equal distances apart, between ths
first and little in rear. Never having been
initiated into the sublime mysteries OF militia
training am at loss for the proper term by
which to describe the evolutions which were
performed on the occasion; but at given sig
nal the gongs and horns and kettle-drums sent
forth their deafening noise, the soldiers formed
themselves into variety of positions and com
menced firing--frst all together, then in com
panies. and finally each man as fast as he could
load his piece, retiring as soon he had dis
charge it, few PAGES to the rear--thus keeping
up an unbroken succession OF Shots and yet
without the least confusion They certainly
were we'll drilled Each man seemed to know
his precise position and fell into it without in
terrupting his neighbOr
The matct-locks bore some general resem-
blance to musket, but were exceedingly clumsy.
The barrel is very roughly made and the muzzle
flares out like an old fashioned blunderbuss II
has nothing that can be called q lock, but in
stead piece of iron about fourteen inches long,
fastened at the middle by pin to breech-piece
half way from the pan to the end. Working
upon this pin or pivot, one part of the iron pro-
jects below and backward, while the other pro-
jects above and forward, having its end bent
downward toward the pam This end ia forked
80 as to hold a piece of burning rope. The pan
is filled with powder, and is provided with a
cover, which the soldier takes of when he wishes
to discharge his gun. The lighted ropeis about
four inches above the powder, and is brought in
contact with it by pressing up the other end of
the iron, which serves AS trigger. A spring
keeps it in its place.
From this imperfect description you can dis
cover that Chinese gun is miserably awk-
ward affair. There are two sizes, but of the
same construction. The larger has barrel of
two inches in diameter, and requires two men
to handle it---one at the muzzle, who loads and
then places it on his shoulder, while the one at
the breech primes, adjusts the match and applies
1.-THE place of cartridge 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 West
ern nations but the best they can make is Of a
very inferior quality, and from ignorance Of the
oh vx,on no nd
mixture of the Ingredients, they cannot make
it of any given strength. The smaller sized
match-locks have a forked stick fastened to the
stock near the muzzle as a rest to be used when
the soldier fires kneeing.
One poor fellow accidentally discharged his
piece before the word of command was given,
and my friend, the mandarin, Immediately des-
patched an attendant to ascertain who it was.
When the evolution was finished, he was led to
the mandarin by two men, and as he approached
fell on his knees, explaining the cause of the ac-
cident and begging for mercy. He was severe
ly reproved and ordered to be punished.-His
cap and jacket were taken of, and four men laid
him on the ground at full length, on his face.
They then barred his legs at the thighs, and a
man with wooden paddle four feet long gave
him nine blows on the feshy part of the thighs,
but with sufficient force to discolor the parts,
but not break the skin. He groaned piteously
during the inhiction, and l was just about to in
tercede for him, when he was released.-He was
then remanded to the ranks, and performed his
part in the remainder of his exercise.
Following the review Of the Matchbox de-
partment came that of soldiers using swords,
spears and shields. The shields are round, about
two feet in diameter and made of rattan, having
he face of tiger painted on them 30 large a
to cover the whole surface. The per ormance
with these weapons were quite amusing, for the
same reason that that Of the actors in circus
is So Those cirrying the shields showed great
dexterity in warding off the blows Of their as
sailants. They would turn sDmersets, roll over
on the ground and cut all sorts OF antics in dodg
ing, while their antagonists exerted themselves
so to strike as not TO hit. They would some
times so arrange themselves that their shields
would form pyramid of fIightful 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 his shield.
When the whole was concluded, the review
! ing officer distributed rewards for conspicuous
activity and skill as promptly as he had before
inflicted punishment for remssness. To the
man who turned the best somerset he gave two
hundred copper cash, equal in value to three
cents.
On leaving, gave tracts to each of the thfee
mandarins, and disposed Of all in my possession
TO the people who crowded around me, and to
others whom met on my way home
CHkpTEG TANI or