CHAPTER XXIV. 



PUNTING BY DAYLIGHT. 



" Wary they gaze — our boat in silence glides, 

 The slow-moved paddles steal along the sides." 



Alexander Wilson, 



Punting is the art of pursuing- wild-fowl in a small boat, termed a 

 g'unning-punt.* One of the rudiments of the art is, that of pro- 

 pelling- the punt ahead by means of a pair of paddles when in deep 

 water ; and in shallow, the punt is sometimes pushed ahead with the 

 assistance of a pole, termed a setting- pole ; in absence of which, an 

 oar answers the purpose of the latter. The punter, when using* either 

 paddles or setting- pole, lies prostrate on the floor of the pimt, upon 

 his chest or stomach ; and in that position approaches, and shoots the 

 birds, either as they sit upon the water, or just at the moment of their 

 taking- wino-. 



A considerable deal of practice is necessary before a man can 

 become a proficient in this, la creme de la creme of the sport of wild- 

 fowl shooting-. Col. Hawker, speaking- of the art of punting-, says it 

 is " least understood of any sport in existence :" and certainly at the 

 • time when the Colonel wrote, punting- was in its infancy. 



When once a man has made himself master of the art, and become 

 familiarized with the habits of wild-fowl, there is no sport more 

 winning-, or requiring* more skill, and creating- gTeater excitement 

 than punting by daylight. 



For moving about the water in pursuit of sport, the punter uses 

 a short pair of sculls, sitting* with his back to the prow, as in all 

 other rowing* boats. But when in the immediate expectation of 

 finding birds, he turns round and faces the other way ; and, by a 

 back stroke of the sculls, propels the punt with nearly equal facihty 



* Vide, page 116. — The Gunning-punt. 



