Word: breech
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 1880-1889
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...generally useful. This is the main deck." - It was broad and very smooth and clean and sunny - "These old guns are not much use now; they're muzzle loading smooth bores and would stand no chance against a modern iron-clad; those two on the other side are breech loading steel guns, and are used for salutes." Tables were placed between the guns, and at each was a crowd of fine specimens of the American marine, some playing dominoes, some writing letters and some reading. Above from the beams were hooks from which hung at night the hammocks...
...number of players was much larger then than now, sometimes as many as three hundred; the distance between the goals was usually 500 or 600 yards. In those early days the exercise was thought to be a "severe and tempting one." The players wore little clothing beside the breech-cloth. The night before a game was devoted to fasting and prayer; the great Yo He Wah, the Deity, was invoked. The skill displayed in these games was much greater than at present. We are told that the ball was sometimes kept from striking the ground during the whole contention...