356 PUNT FOR A 



it would be by their filling and sinking, but not 

 upsetting, as the before-mentioned boats might do ; 

 and, as a still further guard against which, these 

 boats may be decked all the way from " stern to 

 mid-ships ;" and even half way round the sides. 



The most destructive gunning-punt, for one hand, 

 that I had seen up to 1824 (when I adopted my new 

 plan), was about nine inches high, and drew scarcely 

 two inches of water, with a man and his gun. This 

 punt should be full three feet broad, from about a yard 

 before the stern, decked all the way from the gunning- 

 bench to the bow ; and so sharp forward, that, when 

 required, the bow may be shoved for several feet up 

 the edge of the ground, so as for the gun to be raised 

 at the but, rested on the " stem," and fired over the 

 mud, before the tide flows high enough for a large 

 gun to bear in the ordinary way. But, as in this 

 case the recoil must be checked by the shoulder, or 

 a rope- breeching, which is but little better, I have 

 only superficially described this punt, knowing, of 

 course, that very few who shot for pleasure would 

 adopt the system. Moreover, by fully explaining it, 

 I should, instead of serving sportsmen, be only taking 

 the bread from Buckle, the man who showed me the 

 minutiae of it, to put in the mouths of his rivals, 

 whom he says he will, and, I believe, he safely may j 

 give seven years to find it out, and be perfect masters 

 as to building this punt, and then knowing how to 

 use that and the gun. Although as much as is here 

 mentioned may, of course, be known by every one 



