i68 THE COMPLETE WILDFOWLER 



than compensated for in the fact that it is easier to keep a 

 single gun clean, they will stow closely alongside in the cock- 

 pit, and are lighter and handier to use and carry over bad 

 ground ashore, and as breech-loaders they are quite fast 

 enough in their working. The single-handed punter will, 

 no doubt, find nothing to beat a double gun for his work, as, 

 being all alone and having everything to do himself, he can 

 possibly use to better advantage his first two shots than any 

 following ones. With a single-handed punter a double gun 

 does not seem in the way of working the punt, as in the case 

 with double-handed craft. Both single and double guns, if to 

 be employed as "cripple-stoppers," should be sound and well 

 made, and, for preference, ejectors. It is grievous to see, even 

 with care, what rough treatment '* cripple-stoppers " are subject 

 to. If much used, even the best do not last more than a few 

 seasons, although every care has been taken to keep them free 

 of rust. All that can be done is to regularly clean and oil them, 

 yet with handling them the grease is removed, and the con- 

 sequence is they rust immediately. Thus we may not be 

 carrying the point too far by saying it is practically impossible 

 to keep " cripplers " from rapid decay, especially when fowling 

 on the tide. Of course, if one's purse will permit, it is always 

 best to use good guns, but in the case of punt-shooting this is 

 looked upon by even wealthy persons as a matter of extrava- 

 gance, for the guns seem to rust more than actually wear away. 

 Personally, we use strong, cheap guns, and are satisfied if they 

 last three seasons. Some of the Yankee firms turn out strong, 

 cheap guns, which answer the purpose of a shoulder gun for 

 a punt-shooter. They are sold in the British Isles bear- 

 ing English Proof-house marks. I should not advise the 

 purchase of very common guns. These are dangerous and not 

 cheap. A repeating shot-gun to take five or six cartridges 

 makes a good " cripple - stopper. " The universal 12-bore 

 standard is the gauge generally employed for punt work. 



