NOTES. 247 



is taken, and the rope jams on itself, but can be cast 

 loose instantly by pulling the end back out of the 

 grip of the cleat. Manila ropes of the best quality should 

 be used ; they are finer and take up less room in the 

 punt and last longer than cheap ropes. The colour is 

 conspicuous when they are new, so I daub the last 

 ten feet or so over with green or brown paint, and the 

 ropes soon change their colour when they get a little mud 

 and dirt well into them. 



All anglers' punts should be fitted with rod-rests, one 

 on each side. The rods lie on the rest and the well, 

 and are kept above the feet when you are punting ; if 

 they are allowed to lie flat in the punt, an accident 

 is certain to occur sooner or later through stepping on 

 them. Brass rod-rests are better than iron ones ; they 

 bend if kicked, while the iron ones break short off. The 

 novice will get very wet when learning to punt, particu- 

 larly about the knees and arms; and light waterproof 

 leggings, reaching over the thigh, will save a lot of dis- 

 comfort. The pole should be kept as much as possible 

 on the leeward side in windy weather, as much of the 

 wet then blows overboard and not into the punt. A 

 straight-sided biscuit tin is a good bailer. 



Punts should be re- varnished or painted, as the case 

 may be, every year ; if neglected, they soon go to pieces. 

 A punt that is carefully seen to will amply repay the 

 expense, and her value is practically the same for very 

 many years. Punts not intended for use in the winter 

 season should be taken out of the water and housed, not 

 left in the water, perhaps half full of dead leaves and 

 water, to " perish " the varnish and get sodden. 



The charge for passing a punt through a Thames lock 

 is threepence, which includes the return journey if per- 

 formed in the same day. Passing through the lowest 

 lock on the Wey costs eighteenpence, but the punt is 

 freed for several locks. 



In chubbing, it frequently happens that the punt can 

 be tied to the boughs, which avoids any little disturbance 

 caused by dropping a weight, but the angler should take 

 care not to shake the boughs more than can be helped. 



If the angler wish to keep his rods in good condition, 

 he must look after them. Rods should be dried with 



