358 PUNT FOK A 



to the birds ; and this part surrounded with bulwarks 

 which continue rising, in proportion as the punt be- 

 comes lower forward, to about four inches high in 

 front ; and ending in a little stem, or bow, forward, 

 that takes away, and lets down the gun when you 

 want to approach the birds. So much of this punt 

 may be thus shut up, and made air tight, that it 

 would be almost impossible to sink her ; and although 

 the sides amidships and the bow are not four inches 

 above the water (and she is therefore hardly visible, 

 except just round her bulwarks, which appear like 

 the smallest launching punt), yet she would drown 

 all the gunning-punts I ever saw ; and (if I shut up 

 the open part with oiled Russia duck, and lash it 

 round the shooters), would outlive half the boats of 

 the navy, in a heavy sea, was any one foolish enough 

 to venture there for pleasure. The newly engraved 

 frontispiece will tolerably well explain the shape of 

 her ; except that the deck should have a gradual rise, 

 to the bulwarks, of at least two inches from the sides 

 amidships, and above four inches from the bow. She 

 may then be much lower at the bow, and at .the 

 sides, than the punt in this engraving : and for this 

 plan she should be longer forward, and more shut up 

 with the deck. The mast may be shipped, on either 

 side the gun, in little water-proof cylinders that go 

 through, arid are independent of, the deck ; which is, 

 therefore, air tight. A punt on this plan is so stiff 

 in the water, that a man may step out on the deck, 

 and load his gun without inconvenience. 



