Spunge

( ecouvillon, arrou ement, griffon, Fr. ) A long staff with a roll at one end, covered with a sheep’s skin, of the bigne of the bore of a gun, to scour it after firing; and to prevent any sparks from remaining. It is sometimes called Merkin, from its artificial texture of hair at the end of the staff. Pyrotechnical Spunges . Spunges which constitute the black match or tinder that is brought from Germany, for striking fire with a flint and steel. These spunges are made of the large mushroom, or fungous excrescences which grow upon old oaks, ash trees, firs, . These are steeped in water, boiled and beaten, and then put in a strong lye made of saltpetre, and afterwards dried in an oven. To Spunge the gun , ( écouvillonner le canon , Fr. ) To cool and cleanse the bore of a piece of ordnance by means of a wet spunge which is fixed to the end of a long pole.