The mariners magazine, or, Sturmy's mathematical and practical arts containing the description and use of the scale of scales, it being a mathematical ruler, that resolves most mathematical conclusions, and likewise the making and use of the crostaff, quadrant, and the quadrat, nocturnals, and other most useful instruments for all artists and navigators : the art of navigation, resolved geometrically, instrumentally, and by calculation, and by that late excellent invention of logarithms, in the three principal kinds of sailing : with new tables of the longitude and latitude of the most eminent places ... : together with a discourse of the practick part of navigation ..., a new way of surveying land ..., the art of gauging all sorts of vessels ..., the art of dialling by a gnomical scale ... : whereunto is annexed, an abridgment of the penalties and forfeitures, by acts of parliaments appointed, relating to the customs and navigation : also a compendium of fortification, both geometrically and instrumentally / by Capt. Samuel Sturmy.

SECT. XXX. How to Load and Fire a Piece of Ordnance like an Artist.

BEfore we shoot at a Mark, it is best to Load our Piece, in which, first observe the Wind, and be sure to lay your Budge-Barrel, or Cartredge of Powder to Wind-ward of your Piece, and place your Linstock to Lee-ward, clear the Touch-hole, and Spunge her well, and strike the Spunge on the Muzzle to shake off the foulness two or three blows.

Then let him stand on the right side of the Gun, and hold the Barrel, so that his assistant may thrust in the Ladle; being full, give it a shog, then strike off the heaped Powder, he being on the right side likewise, with his Body clear of the Muzzle, put the Ladle home to the Chamber stedily holding your Thumb upon the upper part of the Ladle-staff, then turn the Staff until your Thumb be quite under it, and give a shake or two to clear the Powder out of the Ladle; as you hale him out, keep him up that you may bring no Powder out with the Ladle; then with the Rammer put the Powder home gently, and after put in a good Wad, and thrust it home to the Powder, and give it two or three stroaks, to gather the loose Powder together, and it will fire the better; be sure your assistant have his Thumb on the Touch-hole all this while; then put in the Shot with the Rammer home, and after him another Wad, and then with the Rammer give two or three strokes more to settle it home, that there may be no vacuity between the first Wad Bullet, and last Wadde; your Budge-Barrel and your self standing to Wind-ward always, and your Piece by the Dispert directed to the Mark, Prime her, and let the Powder come from the Touch-hole to th•• Base-ring, your Leg standing for∣ward, and fire the Powder on the Base-ring, and draw back your Hand, and you have fired like the best of Gunners; but if you had given fire upon the Touch-hole, the Powder there would have endangered to have blowed the Cole and Linstock and allon of your hand; therefore you must have a care of a great Touch-hole.