Sentence:  And besides here are none of the old-time machines as elsewhere along our front; not a catapult, or <WSD>bricole,</WSD> or bible—as some, with wicked facetiousness, have named a certain invention for casting huge stones; nor have we yet heard the report of a cannon, or arquebus, or bombard, although we know the enemy has them in numbers. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  An ancient kind of military catapult.