" SUN-SPEAKING:' 129 



could be readily procured. They might also, perhaps, 

 solve the problem of reducing the specific gravity of 

 the weapon sufficiently to enable it to float in the event 

 of its escaping from the hands of the operator. "An in- 

 genious transmogrification of the old salmon-leister," I 

 fancy I hear some bilious censor exclaim : "Just such > 

 a transmogrification, sweet-tempered angel, as is a nine- 

 teenth-century salmon-rod of Miss Juliana Berners' 

 wattle !" 



Any small boat (always excepting " punts "), well 

 up in the bows to enable the spearsman to stand up- 

 right over the cutwater without sinking it too deep 

 in the pool, will answer the purpose. Should it be 

 deficient in this quality, a boulder or two placed 

 astern will help to right the balance as well as patent 

 ballast. Though the craft is chiefly impelled by the 

 spear alone in the act of looking for the game, a pair 

 of short handy oars are indispensable companions. 

 The thorough management of a boat is too obvious a 

 necessity in this amusement to be insisted on here ; 

 for though water be a very pleasant playmate, it is 

 not always safe to trust too far. Observing that there 

 may be risk of immersion, the novice may possibly 

 ask, " What kind of dress would be suited to the occa- 

 sion ?" the obvious answer to which would of course 

 be a "bathing-dress.'' But he must not be put off 

 with this ambiguous answer. As fashion rules at 

 present, I would recommend a Garibaldi suit for the 



K 



