THE SAILING-PUNT. 1G3 



the same manner as with a yacht or sailing-boat, an excellent flying- 

 shot may frequently be made. 



The sailing* punt should not be taken into rough water. Inde- 

 pendently of the danger, no sport could be had ; it being impossible to 

 shoot with any certainty, whilst the punt is rising and pitching to 

 every wave ; to say nothing of the danger of its getting filled with 

 water or swamped. And when an open punt cannot live in a sea-way 

 without water-deck and. wash-streaks, it is impossible to carry the 

 gun in its proper berth on the head of the punt ; therefore, how errone- 

 ous it must be to fit out such a craft with an idea of using the punt- 

 gun in bad weather ! The sailing-punt can only be used in smooth 

 water, the few inches it sits above the surface rendering it unsafe 

 under any other circumstances. When it is desirable to go after 

 wild-fowl in'water too rough for a punt, the sailing-fcoa* to be herein- 

 after described will be the proper craft to venture in. It is not the 

 strength of the wind which produces the danger ; for if the water be 

 smooth, and the punt built according to the directions here laid down 

 (with keelson and long flat floor), sail may be carried fearlessly 

 in an ordinary, and even a stiff breeze. But the inexperienced are 

 warned against the peril of carrying sail on a punt in any but smooth 

 water. The effect of venturing into rough water with a long low craft 

 whilst pressing her ahead, under sail, would be to drive her bows 

 under water ; and the weight of the gun on the head of the punt 

 must tend to increase the danger 5 to say nothing of the barrel 

 becoming filled with water ; and the gun, in consequence, with its 

 charge, being rendered useless. If the punter moves forward to lower 

 the sail, his extra weight thrown suddenly upon the bows would, in 

 such a case, inevitably send the punt under water, head first ; and, in- 

 dependently of such a glaring indiscretion, it is impossible to prevent 

 the water from flying over the gunwales in a heavy sea. Therefore, 

 once more, the wild-fowler is cautioned not to venture into rough 

 water with the sailing-punt ; for a sportsman's life is of more value 

 than that of a duck. 



