FIRST INSTRUCTION IN MUSKETRY.

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 351, 5 March 1861, Page 4

FIRST INSTRUCTION IN MUSKETRY.

It was so cold in tbe Orders for the week, because it is rather a .fine phrase. I believe, bowever, that the real technical unvarnished name of this performance is " Preliminary Drill for cleaning Arms." A select class attended Captain Strong Low's first instruction lecture on the Wednesday evening, but I shall be better able to give an account of their proceedings by adopting the dramatic form.,

Scene.-—Captain Stropgbow's room.-, Evening. Moderator lamp alight in centre. Captain Strongbow at head of table, a Long Enfield Rifle, and two very omiuoiis looking red books by his side. Privates and sergeants of' tbe Corps gathered round him: Ensign Rivers standing immediately behind the Captain, where be has the least chance of being seen by him, and looking doubtfully on. The opening portion of the lecture has already been given.

Captain StroDgbow (proceeding): Now, gentlemen, I will once more run through, what I bave said before questioning you.., ; Now, gentlemen, the principal parts of the rifle are the Stock and the barrel. (He takes up rifle and points to each part as he names, it.) The stock is divided into the nose-cap, the upper, middle, and lower bauds, the swell, projections, lock side, bead, small, trigger-guard, trigger-plate, trigger, butt, and heel-plate. Once more ! (He repeats all the names.) Now, Mr. Lobjoit, what is this called ? (Laying hia hand ou the pose-cap,) -s Lobjoit (who is a horsy man, aud is always wishing we were cavalry): Nose-bag ?

Capt. S. (disgusted): Wbat do you say, Mr. Pruffle?

Piuffle (a slow, middle-aged gentleman, who has entered the force with the sole object of learning how to defend his large family): Night cap.

Captain S. (more disgusted) • Now, Mr. Skull, what is it ?

Skull (looking blankly at it through bis spectacles) : Pon my soul, I don't know !

Capt. S. (profoundly disgusted): Really, this is too bad! Is there no gentleman present who can remember what this is called ?

Sergeant Fluke: Eh? of course, yes! loan! It's the—the—the Uo9e-cap, of course 1 Aside to next neighbor.) Gad! what a good shot!

Capt. S. Overjoyed); Very good, very good, indeed, Seigeant Fluke ! Ensign Rivers, I must trust to your honor not to prompt the gentlemen !

Ensign R.: You may rely upon my doing nothing of the sort, sir! (N.B. This is strictly corrtct, as iftosign Rivers knows rather less about It than any one iu«the room.) Capt. S.: Now, Sergtant Fluke, can you touch any other parts of the stock, and tell me tbeir names ?

Fluke: Ob, yes, of .course! Gliby.) This is the barrel, and .

Capt. S.: Parts of the stock, I said; the stock and the ban el are too distinct things. Private J. Miller (the funny man of the Corps—-aside to his neighbor): Not a cooper's or a brewer's there, ih'e barrels constitute the stock!

Private Miller's neighbor (derisively): Ho ! ho! ain't you funny!,

Capt. S.: Silence, gentlemen, pray ! Now, Sergeant Fluke ?

Fluke: Well, you know, this is the trigger, and this is the butt.

Capt. S.: wbich is the heel of tbe butt, Mr. Pruffle ?

Pruffle (touching the wrong end): This, sir.

Capt. S.; No, no ! that's not the heel, that's the toe!

Private Miller: Heel and toe! I say, Pruffle, my pipkin, which is the double shuffle ?

Capt. S.: Mr. Miller, I shall be compelled to call on you to retire, if you persist iv this buffoonery 1 (Private Miller makes a grimace of preternatural ugliness behind his neighbor's back hums the Dead March in Saul, and crosses his hands to stimulate a handcuffed deserter about to be shot.)

Capt. S.: Now, then, let us take tbe barrel. Private Miller : Ah! some of us have taken to that kindly.

Capt. S.: Taken to wbat ? Miiler: To the barrel, sir! Don't mind me ! Go on!

Coptain S. (touching them): The muzzle foresight, back or elevating sight, ripple, breech, breecu-pin. Component parts of the breech-pin : face, tangj and breech nail-hole. What are the component parts of the breech-pin, Mr. Lobjoit ?

Lobjoit (rapidly): Face, fangs, and breeches nails!

Capt. S. (in despair): This is dreadful! I don't know what they'd say to you at Hythe! J

Miller: He'll never go there, sir, no more shall I, I sa y > Lobjoit, old boy, fancy their caic»i„g us playing at Hythe, among the Sikb ß .

Capt. S. (with dignity): I shall leave you out of the course, Mr. Miller ! (Miller feigns to weep, and dry his eyes oa the back of his hand.) Now, once more, before I give up;

The component parts of tbe back or elevating sight are tbe flanges, flap, slider, spring, and bad. Name them, Mr. Skull ? Skull (yawning): The principal part of the back sight is the spring-bed. Capt. S. (rising in disgust): No more at present !

(Exeunt all but Strongbow, who sits up half the night studying the theory of trajectories.) — All the Year Round.