This is a Spanish harquebus. To load it, the harquebusier pours some gunpowder down the muzzle (the end of the barrel), takes a lead bullet and wraps it in cloth or paper so that it fits tightly down the barrel, and uses a ramrod to stuff it all down. At the base of the barrel you'll notice the serpentine, which looks like this up close:
The bit of cord is a slow-match, which is lit by the harquebusier before the battle and can stay burning for a long time. There is a small pan into which the harquebusier pours a tiny amount of gunpowder (called the primer).
Pulling the trigger drops burning slow-match into the pan, igniting the primer. The flame from the burning primer travels down a hole through the barrel, igniting the main charge and propelling the bullet down the barrel.
Advantages:
- Easier to load and aim than earlier forms of gun
Disadvantages:
- Extremely slow to reload
- Cannot be carried ready-to-fire
- Totally useless in damp weather, let alone rain or snow
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