iUuttrfnttg, antr Canoe Routing, 



HAMPSHIRE LAUNCHING-PUNT. 



A HAMPSHIRE punt, though very long, is made 

 so light and narrow, as just to hold one person, with 

 a gun of about seventy pounds weight, and six feet 

 in the barrel, fixed on a swivel. This gun is so 

 arranged, that it rests on the bow, and may be raised, 

 or turned a few inches, by a mere stump, which some 

 of the gunners here now have, instead of a but, in 

 order to take up less room in the punt ; and to admit 

 of their firing higher in case the birds should rise. 



They row with their backs to the gun till they 

 see the fowl, and then turn round on their faces, lie 

 down, and either work along, with a leaded stick, or, 

 if the water be too deep for this, with two paddles. 

 On having arrived within shot, they relinquish the 

 one on their right side, which, in order to prevent its 

 floating away, is made fast to the gunwale with a 

 piece of string. They then keep straight the punt 

 with the one on the left, while with the right hand 

 they regulate their aim and pull the trigger. 



The Hampshire punts are now built rounder at 



