114 MANUAL FOE YOUNG 'SPORTSMEN. 



ous stream, with great successive rapidity, almost in a 

 minimum space of time. 



For the latter, to fire two or three shots almost iixsia - 

 taneously, either at one animal constantly in motion, fi::.l 

 increasing its distance from the firer, or at two, or poss'b!y 

 at three animals starting before him, simultaneously, :u..l 

 going from him at great velocity, is the ne plus ultra. 

 Of revolvers, there are several kinds recently introduced, 

 two of which are noticeable. Colt's and Porter's patent 

 revolving arms — the former, on account of its celebrity 

 and excellence, as a pistol, for use in brief, rapid encoun- 

 ters ; the latter, on account of its utter worthlessness for 

 any purpose. As applied to a military rifle, Colt's revolv- 

 ing chamber fails, for several reasons. First, it cannot 

 be made of sufficient calibre to carry any ball of telling 

 weight, at long range, without being monstrously unsym- 

 metrical and unwieldy. Secondly, after four or six shots 

 have been discharged, the cylinder must be removed and 

 roloaded by a slow and complex operation, during which 

 the bearer is virtually unarmed, and liable to be ridden 

 over by horse or charged with the bayonet, while unablo 

 to offer any resistance. Thirdly, it is difficult to be 

 cleaned. Fourthly, it cannot be loaded, at all, but by 

 means of its own peculiar apparatus — which lost, it is all 

 but useless. Lastly, if injured, or out of order, it cannot 

 be repaired by any ordinary armorer or gunsmith. 



As a military weapon, therefore, it may be pronounced 

 useless — this objection not being understood as applying 

 to cavalry or boarding pistols, to be used only during 

 close, rapid combats of a few seconds or minutes' duration, 



