PUNT CARRIAGES, WAGONS, AND HOUSES 221 



punt and expediently mount the latter on it. In launching, 

 the roller serves as a "run off" without excessive friction or 

 scraping on the punt's bottom. A punt carriage should always 

 be built twice as strong as thought necessary. Then it will 

 stand rough usage — a thing it is unavoidably bound to meet. 

 High mounting in a punt carriage is a bad thing. The punt 

 is hard to get on, and when mounted and going the least 

 obstruction under the wheels will shoot the punt forward and 

 off its carriage. Set the carriage as low as the nature of the 

 ground usually to be travelled over will permit. With the 

 lowest setting, the line of traction — or, in other words, a line 

 drawn parallel to the ground at the height of the axle-pins — 

 will seldom cut above half the loaded weight. Avoid carrying 

 a punt in a lever-lifting boat carriage. This kind of vehicle is 

 a pair of wheels with an arched axle, to which the boat is 

 slung and lifted by means of a lever. They are generally 

 used for running boats on sandy beaches. These carriages 

 strain punts, especially when the latter are slung in them with 

 ropes. 



Punt-carriage wheels should have a fair amount of "dish." 

 This, with the axle-pins correctly "set," will give the carriage 

 better life when travelling, and also a more workmanlike 

 appearance. The punt carriage should have every care 

 given to its working parts, for probably it has to do the 

 roughest job of any article connected with punting. If 

 a good carriage and well attended to, it will last a long 

 time, and prove itself of invaluable assistance. Wheels 

 between three and four feet diameter are about the size suitable 

 for a punt carriage. They should in all cases be strong. 

 Light wheels soon give out when used over rough ground. 

 The top of the body of the carriage should come about 

 level with a line drawn through the centre of the axle- 

 pins. This lowering of the carriage on its wheels brings the 

 punt to a convenient height for pushing, and gives a swing to 



