316 NEW LAUNCHING SLEDGE. 



in a very short time it entirely " breaks the haunt of 

 the birds," without having yielded any material ad- 

 vantage to those who adopt the system. As some 

 corroboration of this, I need only observe, that a 

 family, who were the leaders in this way, and who 

 are by far the best launchers in Hampshire, have of 

 late been reduced to absolute distress for a livelihood ! 



For a man who goes such distances on the mud, 

 of course, it would be dangerous not to have a boat 

 that would carry both himself and his gun, in case 

 he should be overtaken by a quick flood-tide before 

 Tie could escape. But to one who was content with 

 merely having that, in which, with high land behind 

 him, he could just shove off, and catch the birds 

 under the moon (in such a place, for instance, as the 

 edge of the Southampton river, if the mud was pretty 

 level and clear of holes), I shall prescribe one much 

 lighter, and in which he can never be tempted to 

 endanger his life afloat. The drawing will at once 

 explain it sufficiently, and the only caution that can 

 be required against accident is, that, as his gun must 

 be cocked before he advances, he had better have a 

 bit of cork to intercept the flint or detonater, which 

 can be drawn away with a string (as the noise of 

 cocking a gun might spring the birds), and which 

 must not be removed till he has crawled sufficiently 

 on one side of his punt to be quite clear, in case the 

 gun should go off. 



This punt is so much lighter than any thing which 

 you can float in, that you may move it with one 



