terry's breech-loading rifles. 27 



both came to the conviction that as sporting weap- 

 ons they were nearly worthless, and were infinitely 

 more troublesome and difficult, both to load and 

 to clean, than the common muzzle-loader. While 

 looking at these rifles in the shop of the inventor 

 and patentee, I had formed a high opinion of them, 

 and the result only showed how difficult it is to 

 form an accurate opinion of any fire-arms without 

 the test of actual practice in the field. I may add, 

 that the principle seems to me to be still more in- 

 applicable to military weapons than to sporting 

 ones, as the mechanism is far too complicated to 

 stand wear and tear and rough usage. I dare say 

 the authorities at the Horse-Guards have since 

 found out this for themselves, as I understand a 

 number of these breech-loaders, in the form of rifled 

 carbines, were contracted for, for the cavalry. 



The gale having abated, we sailed again on the 

 morning of the 17th, but the wind continuing N.E. 

 we had to beat the whole way north, and did not 

 reach Hammerfest until the 23d. 



