Instructions in All Kinds of Gymnastic Exercises (extract)

21 which a boy stands ready to place a ring upon the hook when required. Each leaper is provided with a pointed wooden sword, with which he takes an aim at the ring-, at the moment he makes the leap over the cord. The leapers follow in the same successionas in the preceding- exercise: he who gets most rings out of a given number is conqueror; but a ring is not fairlywon, if only knocked off the hook; it must remain upon the sword; and whoever touches the cord for­ feits a ring, if he has already won any. 4. The leaping-stand is widened as much as possible, and the leapers go over the cord, in succeedingranks of two, three, or four at a time. In advancing to the cord, they should be made to step together in a slow trot. THE LONG LEAP. This is the art of forcing the body over a certainspaceof ground, water, or otherwise, eithermerely by the elasticpowerof the lower members, or by means of this with the aid of a quick preparatory run. This kind of leap is, therefore, alsoperformed eitherwith­ out or with a run. The first is an excellent