CARE OF GUNS AND GEAR 233 
the sheave-pins, their ropes neatly coiled and tied up all together 
and hung up. The sail (should there be one) must be well 
dried and free from damp, before rolling and placing it in a dry 
place for storage, or else it will fall to pieces in one season. 
The ammunition chest or punter’s magazine should be always 
kept in a moderately dry place, though not necessarily a warm 
one. The punt-carriage can be slung up where it will be 
out of the way, after seeing it is in working order, and in 
better safety than if left on the punt-house floor when put by 
for the season. Rudders, and whatever elevating gear a punt 
may be fitted with, should have attention before it is put 
aside for any length of time. 
With such treatment as described in the foregoing para- 
graphs, everything will take little harm and be in as good con- 
dition as ever when the happy time of another season arrives. 
Always remember that paint is very important with regard to 
a punt and many other parts of gear connected with it. It 
doubles the life of the punt. Without paint she would soak with 
water when in use, and become almost as heavy as lead, and 
during her first season out of water she would begin to rot. 
Punts should be painted a colour outside that will blend with 
the nature of the surroundings where they are to be used. Dirty 
white outside is very general. Paint inside and the bottom 
(both sides) with two thin coats of red lead and boiled oil only, 
each year. Give plenty of time to dry. Paint poles, oars, 
gun-rest, and all ironwork (which should have been previously 
galvanised) the same colour as the outside of the punt. When a 
punt is old and her bottom planks lose their original firmness, 
she may be coated on the outside of the bottom with Stockholm 
tar three parts, pitch one part, mixed together. Do not use 
coal-tar, which will search through the wood, blister off the 
paint inside, and, as the wood is already old, will assist in 
furthering decay in a marked manner, as though the wood 
had been half burnt. 
