DRESSING FOR PUNTS AND CANOES. 393 



If you want good white lead for paint (instead of 

 whiting and water), you can have it from Messrs. 

 Walker, Parker, & Co., at the shot manufactory. 



Have 'the outside of all your punts and canoes 

 painted, with the very best white lead; and to make 

 them drab, for sun or moon, use a little distemper 

 colour, such as the scenes of the theatres are painted 

 with ; and this, either with, or without size, may be 

 mopped off in a few minutes. Some of the gunners 

 use a wet clod ; but you must beware of salt mud, as 

 that would stain your punt. 



For shooting off at sea, when there is a breeze, a 

 tint of lead colour has the best deception. But I 

 seldom use it, unless very light, for two reasons the 

 one, that it is a bad colour for shallow water ; and 

 the other, that no prudent man ought to go off to sea 

 in a punt. 



To stop a chink, or crack, force in, with a caulking 

 iron, some oakum, or stiff brown paper, before you 

 pour in any kind of mixture. Hot rosin also does 

 very well by itself, if you do not wish to have the 

 trouble of mixing the other ingredients. 



