A good time to attempt this is when, after you have parried prime, he does not recover quickly to his guard. You should then step forward quickly with the left foot, and, seizing the rifle, pull it down and towards you, so that he cannot reverse it to strike you with the butt.
PLATE XXIX.—HOW TO SEIZE THE RIFLE AFTER PARRYING QUARTE.
PLATE XXIX.
How to Seize the Rifle after Parrying Quarte.
Or you may sometimes get hold of it after your parry of quarte, when he is slow in recovering. It will not then be necessary to step forward with the left foot, as your parry will almost send his weapon into your left hand.
Some men when thrusting leave go of the rifle with the left hand. When your adversary does this and you get hold of it, a quick and sudden pull will draw it out of his other hand, or perhaps pull him on his knees.
Dress.
The dress should be the same as that worn when practising with sabres, except that the man using the bayonet should have the pad on his left leg, and both should wear a well-padded fencing or boxing glove on each hand.
ON SWORDS.
It will be useless for me to say anything about the length and shape of swords, as in the British, and, I believe, every other service, an officer, whether he belong to the army, the navy, or the reserve forces, is compelled to wear the regulation sword of the corps he belongs to.