 | A musketeer holding his musket across the front of his body at port. He would normally assume this postion when he was loaded.
To fire he took the glowing end of his machcord and place it in the jaws of the serpent. The serpent is the curved piece of metal just below his left hand. The glowing end was positioned to enter the priming pan when the trigger was pulled. In this photo the priming pan is protected from the rain by his right hand. At the command 'present your piece' the musketeer pointed the muzzle of the musket at the enemy and brought the butt up into his shoulder.
At the command "Prepare to give fire" the priming pan cover was opened. At the command "Give fire" the trigger was pulled. The made the serpent turn bringing the glowing end of the match to touch the fine black powder (gunpowder) in the priming pan. This ignited the powder in the riming pan and some of the resulting flash went down the touch hole and ignited the main charge in the barrel. |
Scone Palace, Perth, Scotland 1997