CHAPTER XXIV. 



PUNTING BY DAYLIGHT. 



" Wary they gaze our boat in silence glides, 

 The slow-moved paddles steal along the sides." 



ALEXANDER WILSON, 



PUNTING is the art of pursuing- wild-fowl in a small boat, termed a 

 gunning-punt.* One of the rudiments of the art is, that of pro- 

 pelling the punt ahead by means of a pair of paddles when in deep 

 water ; and in shallow, the punt is sometimes pushed ahead with the 

 assistance of a pole, termed a setting pole ; in absence of which, an 

 oar answers the purpose of the latter. The punter, when using either 

 paddles or setting pole, lies prostrate on the floor of the punt, upon 

 his chest or stomach ; and in that position approaches, and shoots the 

 birds, either as they sit upon the water, or just at the moment of their 

 taking wing. 



A considerable deal of practice is necessary before a man can 

 become a proficient in this, la creme de la creme of the sport of wild- 

 fowl shooting. Col. Hawker, speaking of the art of punting, says it 

 is " least understood of any sport in existence :" and certainly at the 

 time when the Colonel wrote, punting was in its infancy. 



When once a man has made himself master of the art, and become 

 familiarized with the habits of wild-fowl, there is no sport more 

 winning, or requiring more skill, and creating greater excitement 

 than punting by daylight. 



For moving about the water in pursuit of sport, the punter uses 

 a short pair of sculls, sitting with his back to the prow, as in all 

 other rowing boats. But when in the immediate expectation of 

 finding birds, he turns round and faces the other way; and, by a 

 back stroke of the sculls, propels the punt with nearly equal facility 



* Vide, page 116. The Gunning-punt. 



