mbing the upright pole, the feet, legs, knees, and hands touch the
pole. Taking a high grasp of the pole, the climber raises himself by
bending his body, drawing up and holding fast by the legs, and so on
alternately.

THE ROPE LADDER.

The climber must keep the body stretched out, and upright, so as to
prevent the steps, which are loose, from being bent forward.

The oblique rope must be climbed with the back turned towards the
ground, the legs crossed and thrown over, so that the rope passes under
the calf, and thus he must work himself up by raising his hands one
above the other alternately.

The exercises on the ladder are:--1. To ascend and descend rapidly. 2.
To ascend and descend with one hand. 3. Without using the hand. 4.
Passing another person on the ladder, or swinging to the back to let
another pass.

THE SLANT BOARD.

[Illustration]

This should be seized with both hands, the feet being placed in the
middle. The board should be considerably aslant when first attempted,
and gradually brought towards the perpendicular.

VAULTING.

This exercise may be practised on that part of the balancing bar between
the posts. It may be performed with or without running: it should,
however, be commenced with a short run. The height should be, to
commence, about the pit of the stomach, which should be increased to the
height of the individual.

BALANCING.

There are two kinds of balancing to which we shall allude; namely, the
balancing of other bodies, and the balancing of our own.

All feats of balancing depend upon the centre of gravity being uniformly
preserved in one position. The centre of gravity is that point, about
which all the other parts exactly balance each other. If a body be
freely suspended upon this point, it will rest with security, and as
long as this point is supported, it will never fall, while in every
other position it will endeavour to descend to the lowest place at which
it can arrive. If a perpendicular line were drawn from the centre of
gravity of a body to the centre of the earth, such a line would be
termed the line of direction, along which every body supported
endeavours to fall. If this line fall within the base of a body, such a
body will be sure to stand.

[Illustration]

When the line of direction is thrown beyond its centre, unless the base
be enlarged to counterbalance it, the person or body will fall. A person
in stooping to look over a deep hole, will bend hi