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Hostilities.   317

clutch your steed's muzzle with both hands, to prevent his neighing.

Hurried retreat of a Party.-When a party, partly of horsemen and partly of footmen, are running away from danger as hard as they can, the footmen lay hold of the stirrupleathers of the riders, to assist them. (See " Litters for the Wounded," p. 23.)

Securing Prisoners.-To take a strong man Prisoner singlehanded, threaten him with your gun, and compel him to throw all his arms away ; then, marching him before you some little distance, make him lie flat on his face and put his hands behind him. Of course he will be in a dreadful fright, and require reassuring. Next take your knife, put it between your teeth, and, standing over him, take the caps off your gun, and lay it down by your side. Then handcuff him, in whatever way you best can. The reason of setting to work in this way is, that a quick supple savage, while you are fumbling with your strings, and bothered with a loaded gun, might easily spring round, seize hold of it, and quite turn the tables against you. But if the gun had no caps on, it would be of little use in his hands, except as a club ; and also, if you had a knife between your teeth, it would be impossible for him to free himself by struggling, without exposing himself to a thrust from it.

Cord to be well stretched.-It is an imperfect security to tie

an ingenious active man, whose hands and feet are small, unless the cord or whatever else you may use, has been thoroughly well stretched. Many people have exhibited themselves for money, who allowed themselves to be tied hand and foot and then to be put into a sack, whence they emerged after a few minutes, with the cords in a neat coil in their hands. The brothers Davenport were notorious for possessing this skill. They did not show themselves for halfpence at country fairs; but, by implying that they were set free by supranatural agencies, they held fashionable seances in London and created an immense sensation a few years ago. Two of these exhibitors were tied, face to face in a cupboard, respectively by two persons selected by the audience. The