He showed us, too, some Minie rifles, and whole
ranges of the old-fashioned Brown Bess, which had helped to win
Wellington's victories; also the halberts of sergeants now laid aside,
and some swords that had been used at the battle of Sheriffmuir. These
latter were very short, not reaching to the floor, when I held one of
them, point downward, in my hand. The shortness of the blade and
consequent closeness of the encounter must have given the weapon a most
dagger-like murderousness. Ranging in the hall of arms, there were two
tattered banners that had gone through the Peninsular battles, one of
them belonging to the gallant 42d Regiment. The armorer gave my wife a
rag from each of these banners, consecrated by so much battle-smoke; also
a piece of old oak, half burned to charcoal, which had been rescued from
the panelling of the Douglas Tower. We saw better things, moreover, than
all these rusty weapons and ragged flags; namely, the pulpit and
communion-table of John Knox. The frame of the former, if I remember
aright, is complete; but one or two of the panels are knocked out and
lost, and, on the whole, it looks as if it had been shaken to pieces by
the thunder of his holdings forth,--much worm-eaten, too, is the old oak
wood, as well it may be, for the letters MD (1500) are carved on its
front. The communion-table is polished, and in much better preservation.
Then the armorer showed us a Damascus blade, of the kind that will cut a
delicate silk handkerchief while floating in the air; and some inlaid
matchlock guns.
Pages:
717
718
719
720
721
722
723
724
725
726
727
728
729
730
731
732
733
734
735
736
737
738
739
740
741