THE SHOOTING-BOAT. 227 



coiling 1 apparatus upon the flush-deck, at the bows ; and must be 

 placed so as to swing clear of the forestay, that a shot may be fired 

 from either bow. 



The best form of rig* for this boat is the " sloop rig 1 / ' by which the 

 fore-stay, instead of being- made fast to the stem, stands farther out 

 to the extreme end of the standing bowsprit; thus giving more 

 room for the sportsman to work the stanchion-gun clear of ropes, and 

 enabling him to place it in a more advantageous position. 



A pair of sweeps* should form part of the equipment, so as to 

 guard against calms ; a cripple -net for the purpose of picking up dead 

 and wounded birds should also be carried. It is desirable that a 

 small punt should accompany the boat, to assist in recovering the 

 strongest of the cripples. 



An engraving of the most modern form and rig of a shooting-boat, 

 under sail, may be seen on reference to the Frontispiece. 



The shooting-boat affords the wild-fowler a very pleasant and ex- 

 citing means of pursuing the sport, more especially to him who can 

 endure the cold without inconvenience ; to those who cannot, we 

 recommend the shooting-yacht, where there is a cabin and fire to re- 

 sort to as frequently as the shivering amateur may desire. 



The method of approaching birds with the shooting-boat is iden- 

 tical with that of the shooting-yacht already explained under the head 

 " Wild-fowl Shooting under Sail j" the same motionless silence must 

 be observed, and the same skill is required on the part of the helms- 

 man in luffing the instant the birds rise from the water : thus giving 

 the sportsman who always stands at the prow of a shooting-boat 

 the best possible chance of a shot. 



The sportsman will require one man only besides himself, to manage 

 a boat of this description, provided he occasionally assists in hauling 

 on a rope, taking in a sail, and such-like light duties ; and he may 

 be accompanied by two or three friends, who may provide themselves 

 with small shoulder guns, for the purpose of despatching winged 

 birds in a cripple-chase. 



The pursuit may be followed in a boat of this kind on moonlight 

 nights, if desirable ; but it will be found far pleasanter by daylight. 

 Open boats used for wild-fowl shooting should be furnished with two 

 or more strips of oil-cloth, each about six feet in length, by two in 

 breadth, one edge of which should be tacked lengthways on each side 



* Long two-handed oars. 



