PUNT CARRIAGES, WAGONS, AND HOUSES 221 
punt and expediently mount the latter on it. In launching, 
the roller serves as a ‘“‘run off” without excessive friction or 
scraping on the punt’s bottom. A punt carriage should always 
be built twice as strong as thought necessary. Then it will 
stand rough usage—a thing it is unavoidably bound to meet. 
High mounting in a punt carriage is a bad thing. The punt 
is hard to get on, and when mounted and going the least 
obstruction under the wheels will shoot the punt forward and 
off its carriage. Set the carriage as low as the nature of the 
ground usually to be travelled over will permit. With the 
lowest setting, the line of traction—or, in other words, a line 
drawn parallel to the ground at the height of the axle-pins— 
will seldom cut above half the loaded weight. Avoid carrying 
a punt in a lever-lifting boat carriage. This kind of vehicle is 
a pair of wheels with an arched axle, to which the boat is 
slung and lifted by means of a lever. They are generally 
used for running boats on sandy beaches. These carriages 
strain punts, especially when the latter are slung in them with 
ropes. 
Punt-carriage wheels should have a fair amount of ‘ dish.” 
This, with the axle-pins correctly ‘‘ set,” will give the carriage 
better life when travelling, and also a more workmanlike 
appearance. The punt carriage should have every care 
given to its working parts, for probably it has to do the 
roughest job of any article connected with punting. If 
a good carriage and well attended to, it will last a long 
time, and prove itself of invaluable assistance. Wheels 
between three and four feet diameter are about the size suitable 
for a punt carriage. They should in all cases be strong. 
Light wheels soon give out when used over rough ground. 
The top of the body of the carriage should come about 
level with a line drawn through the centre of the axle- 
pins. This lowering of the carriage on its wheels brings the 
punt to a convenient height for pushing, and gives a swing to 
