SPORT ANCIENT AND MODERN 



and Mr. W. S. Everitt ' of North Cove Hall 

 and Oulton Broad near Lowestoft. 



1 The last-named gentleman (father of the present 

 writer) is one of the oldest living punt-gunners ; he 

 contributes the following interesting notes on the 

 equipment of the sportsman in the days of the flint- 

 lock : — 



' In the thirties percussion guns began to supplant 

 flint-locks. Two or more methods were adopted in 

 conversion. One was to screw in a plug at the side 

 to take the place of the pan, with a nipple for a per- 

 cussion cap screwed into this plug protruding from 

 the gun so that the hammer fell upon it and caused 

 ignition ; the other was to tap the bottom of the 

 barrel and screw on the end a chamber which was 

 fitted with a nipple. This was by far the best method 

 known, and rendered an old gun equal to a new one. 

 Most converted guns were fitted with these so-called 

 "patent breeches". 



1 Just before percussion ignition was introduced, 

 waddings were invented and old playing cards were 

 much in demand ; but sheets of specially manufac- 

 tured wadding paper enabled sportsmen using a gun- 

 wadding punch to provide themselves with wads. 

 Old beaver hats were also used for this purpose, and 

 an enthusiastic sportsman would cut up his father's 

 hat before the owner considered it had done duty in 

 its original capacity. Some old-fashioned sportsmen 

 came into the field with strings of papers attached to 

 their button-hole. In the forties one of these worthies 

 in a party, however much he might be respected, was 

 a nuisance, as he would double the paper in his own 

 particular fashion before ramming it down, and thus 

 prolonged his loading quite unnecessarily. A loader 

 was not the fashion amongst orthodox sportsmen. 

 Should a shooter happen to be using waddings which 

 had been cut without a dent in the rim, to enable the 

 air to escape, the entire charge of powder would 

 often escape through the touch-hole ; then the wad had 

 to be drawn before the charge of powder could be 

 renewed, and this caused a good deal of what at the 

 present day may be called Parliamentary language. 

 When the wind was high the powder was often blown 

 out of the pan of a flint-lock, and a careful sportsman 

 made a practice of examining this every time a point 

 was made before considering himself ready, and if 

 the powder in the pan proved deficient he had to add 

 a little from his powder horn. The correct thing to 

 carry was a bullock's horn with a measurer at the top 

 on which one placed a finger, inverting the horn and 

 pushing up the spring cutter so that the measure 

 filled with powder. The nozzle of the measure was 

 then placed in the muzzle of the gun to pour the 

 powder down the barrel. There were awful risks 

 attending this process, because in loading a double- 

 barrel gun, one barrel of which had been fired, the 

 hand was constantly over a loaded barrel at full cock. 

 Powder horns were also made of copper, brass, or 

 block tin, and just as muzzle-loaders went out of use, 

 an improvement was invented whereby the measure 

 of the powder horn was turned up, so that when it 

 was inserted in the barrel, the powder horn itself was 

 not immediately over the loaded barrel, and there- 

 fore less likely to burst in one's hand if the charge 

 accidentally exploded ; an accident of not uncommon 

 occurrence in those days. Shot was carried in a long 

 belt which was hung over the left shoulder with a 

 measure at the lower end fitted to withdraw. An 

 improvement upon this were the shot pouches, leg-of- 



About a hundred years ago, more than 100,000 

 acres of rough fen land in the north-west of the 

 county were, according to the agricultural survey, 

 out of cultivation, but this estimate did not in- 

 clude the vast stretches of ' meal' marshes, saltings 

 and sandhills adjacent to the big estuaries on the 

 east and south-east. Apart from the effects of 

 steam drainage the county has not materially 

 altered in its outward aspect, and wild fowl are 

 found to-day in all parts, especially on the coast 

 and where big estuaries penetrate far inland, or 

 where they can rest undisturbed. By reason of 

 modern arterial drainage the fen lands of Milden- 

 hall, Lakenheath, and Brandon are rapidly closing 

 up, and the number of wild fowl visiting them 

 annually decreases. Old meres and pools are 

 also being converted into marsh land, and many 

 of the decoys which in former times were 

 valuable properties are now become rush-grown 

 swamps. The Suffolk decoys 2 still working are 

 those at Iken, Chillesford, Orwell Park, Bixley, 

 or Purdis Hall, Nacton (two), Fritton (two). 

 Disused decoys still exist at Lakenheath, Benacre, 

 Friston, Brantham, Flixton, Worlingham, and 

 Campsey Ash. Iken decoy is about six miles 

 south-east of Saxmundham on the shores of the 

 River Aide. It covers 16 acres, 2 of which are 

 open water, and has six pipes. It dates back 

 150 years. During the seasons l88oto 1885, 

 inclusive, 4,896 duck, 5,183 teal, and 1,169 

 wigeon — total 11,248 — were taken. Chilles- 

 ford decov is three miles south-west of Iken, and 

 close to Butley Creek, which enters the River 

 Ore at Havergate Island. It covers 20 acres, 

 2 acres of which are open water ; it is over 100 

 years old. The average annual take is about 

 250. Orwell Park decoy lies nearer Levington 

 Heath than the park from which it takes its 

 name. It was designed and made by Sir Robert 

 Harland about 1830. Colonel George Tomline, 

 the succeeding owner, considerably improved the 

 decoy, which he bequeathed to Captain Pretyman, 

 who now owns it. The annual take rarely 

 exceeds 1,000, but the returns were much 

 heavier when the decoy was first opened ; a 

 three-years' average, 1853-5, giving 2,150 per 

 annum. During a period of eighteen years 

 27,990 wild fowl were taken, of which 5,700 

 were wigeon. The Nacton, Bixley, or Purdis 

 Hall decoys were opened many years ago (date 



mutton shape, with spring clip ends to automati- 

 cally measure the charge. 



' Rattling ramrods up and down the guns was a 

 terrible process, and for hard shooting a loading stick 

 with a good knob at the end was often carried, which 

 with proper wadding accelerated the process and 

 enabled one to withdraw the rod when it stuck, a 

 thing likely to occur at the end of a hard day's shoot- 

 ing, owing to the burnt powder that fouled the 

 barrel. That our forefathers were able to shoot as 

 they did with all these drawbacks, misfires and hang- 

 fires, speaks volumes for their patience and skill.' 



' Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey. 



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