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We had in our party a breach-loading rifle, which weapon is perhaps an appreciable moment of time quicker than the ordinary muzzleloader, and this the poor loon could not or did not dodge.
The goral was lost, and as though the Fates were laughing at us, ten minutes later a puff of wind sucked the cloud out of the cañon as swiftly as it had come, and above us shone a sky as clear and blue as a tropic sea. He was a remarkably intelligent man and mastered the safety catches in a short time even though he had never before seen a breach-loading gun.
Repeating and magazine small arms, breach-loading cannon, and Gatling guns with other repeating artillery, were brought out or improved with wonderful variety of form and of demonstrable excellence. The regular army influence was generally against such innovations.
Stevens had been employed by General Fremont as an agent on the behalf of government, as is shown with clearness in the report, and on hearing of these muskets telegraphed to the general at once: "I have 5000 Hall's rifled cast-steel muskets, breach-loading, new, at 22 dollars."