374 THE FOWLER IN IRELAND. 



Sailing in a duck-punt should be quite a 

 secondary consideration, unless she is built for the 

 purpose, and then, depend upon it, she does not 

 answer well except in deep water for manoeuvring 

 the fowl. A sail should be so simple that a fowler 

 can take it and the mast in his hands and raise 

 or lower it at once. 



For the best kind of sails, swivel-shackle for 

 boom, and methods of stepping-mast (see sketches). 

 To reduce canvas in the " leg o' mutton," all you 

 need do is to take the boom, and hinge it up along- 

 side the mast, and turn the loose sail round the two 

 spars the work of a few seconds. 



The mast and sail can be lifted out, or set again 

 this way very quickly as wanted, or sail shortened 

 instantly in a squall, without trouble or danger. 



If, instead of a square-footed mast, it is round, 

 mast and sail will then swing across together when 

 on the other tack, and you do not need the swivel- 

 collar, but can fasten the boom by a " goose-neck " 

 of cord. 



