WEXFORD HARBOUR. 25 



or eight, nearly all live on the Point of Rosslare, a bar 

 of sand hills three miles long that protects the harbour 

 from the sea. From this " coign of Vantage " these 

 men can spy the whole extent of ooze and water on 

 which the birds are wont to alight. Their fowling is 

 still very primitive, most of their big guns being 

 ignited by flint. The punts, or " floats " as they 

 are there called, are about fifteen feet long, and 

 twenty-eight inches wide amidships. The sides are 

 nearly upright with little flare, the stem, stern, and 

 plank all round being nine to ten inches high. 

 They have little or no spring in the bottom, so that 

 they are bad boats in every way. These craft are 

 also quite open and devoid of any deck, either fore 

 or aft. Though built very light as regards wood and 

 knees, the guns used in them are of fair size, and carry 

 from a pound to a pound and a half of shot. These 

 are made fast to a ring in the bow (for stem proper 

 they have none) by light breeching ropes about two 

 fingers in thickness. The barrel lies in a deep groove 

 on the upper surface of the small bowpiece that does 

 duty for stem. The breech and short stock rest on 

 a plain thwart, and between two pegs to keep it 

 steady and fairly in the centre of "the float ; the 

 muzzle projects a foot or more beyond the bow. 



The shooter lies face downwards, and paddles over 

 either side if the water be deep ; but if shallow, he 

 pushes with two short setting poles. He directs his 

 craft as straight on the fowl as he can steer her, and 

 pulls the trigger by hand when in shot, dropping at 

 the same time his paddles or poles, which, as usual, 

 are secured by strings to the gunwale. The eleva- 

 tion of the gun cannot be altered, and a flying shot 

 is wellnigh impossible. The Wexford men, never^ 



