The Old Punt. 25 



water. It was a wild duck, and was speedily on 

 board. 



Stepping the mast and hoisting the sail, we 

 drifted before the faint breath of air that now just 

 curled the surface, steering straight across the open 

 for the stony barren islands at the mouth of the bay. 

 The chart drawn in pencil what labour it cost us ! 

 said that there, a few yards from the steep shore, 

 was a shoal with deep water round it For some 

 reason there always seemed a slight movement or 

 current a set of the water there, as if it flowed into 

 the little bay. 



In swimming we often came suddenly out of a 

 cold into a stratum of warm water (at the surface) ; 

 and perhaps the difference in the temperature may 

 have caused the drift, for the bay was in shadow 

 half the day. Now, wherever there is motion there 

 will fish assemble ; so as the punt approached the 

 shoal the sail was doused, and at twenty yards' 

 distance I put the anchor into the water not drop- 

 ping it, to avoid the splash and let it slip gently to 

 the bottom. 



Then, paying out the cable, we drifted to the 

 edge of the shoal without the least disturbance, and 

 there brought up. Orion had his bait ready he 

 threw his line right to windward, so that the float 



