STANCHION GUN. 36l 



which, on a stanchion, could not be done without a 

 second, or higher, support. The stanchion should 

 be " shipped" into a block of elm, which ought to be 

 fixed to nothing but the centre plank, and this plank, 

 just where the bolts go through, should be left two 

 inches thick. (The block and centre plank of the 

 punt that I built are carved in one solid piece ; but 

 for this I was forced to cut down a fine elm tree on 

 purpose.) The gun should be fixed a little on one 

 side. To do this nicely, put your punt afloat, lie 

 down to your gun, and see that all is " in trim" 

 ercri/ way, before you bore the holes for the bolts. 

 By this means of fixing the knee, or block, the jar of 

 the gun is all thrown on one strong point, and every 

 thing else is carried back with it ; and therefore the 

 sides, and every other part of the boat, may be quite 

 as light as those of one which is only required for a 

 shoulder-gun. 



Every thing should be slightly tacked together, 

 and balanced afloat, with the gun " shipped," and 

 the gunners on board, before the deck is put on, or 

 the knee fixed ; otherwise when the shooter lies 

 down, to the left of his gun, the chances are ten to 

 one that he finds his punt out of " trim." If means 

 of easing the recoil are adopted, the punt may then 

 be made of even lighter materials than the Poole 

 canoe. I need scarcely observe, that a punt, of the 

 ftutne she, which is light, will drown a heavij one ; 

 as the latter, for want of " life," labours in a sea, and 

 gets filled; while the other flies over every thing, 



