I shall now dismiss Read with a sketch of his launching-gun, and his mode of fixing it, by which it will be seen that there cannot be the least strain or jar, on any part of the punt, except just at the stem-piece. POOLE CANOE. (For shooting from the creeks, with a large shoulder gun.) The Poole canoe is built sharp at both ends, on the plan of the Greenland whale-boat, except being so flat at the bottom as to draw but about two inches of water, and so light as to weigh only from sixty to a hundred pounds. For this canoe, &c. see the plates and instructions, with the assistance of which a carpenter ought not to mistake in building one. DIRECTIONS. Dimensions. From stem to stern, 12 feet; length of bottom, 10 feet; bottom, at centre, 3 feet 2 inches; width at ditto, from gunwale to gunwale, 3 feet 7 inches; height, 11 inches at centre, rising to 13 ditto fore and aft; weight, about 100 lbs. N. B. Timbers yew or oak. Bottom to be three pieces of elm or pine, an inch thick. Each side one plank of elm, one third of an inch thick. Caulk the seams with oakum: then pour in hot rosin, softened with a little oil to prevent it from cracking: and paint the bottom (outside) with red lead. CANOE FORESHORTENED. For a guide to builders, if ordered inland or abroad. SETTING POLE. The bit of lead round fork makes it sink better. Put your foot into C, with your heel hard against D; place one of the small ropes on each side the foot, and under C; then over it, and under D. Having done this, draw the ropes together, as tight as the foot can bear them, and tie them over your instep. These boards are, of necessity, larger, and fitted up with stronger rope than the others, because the Poole ground is so very soft. 66 But the Hampshire boards with our improvements of double splicing, and having strong pot-line, to lash over, are now by far the best, and the quickest to "ship and unship." In making all canoes for gunning, the builder should be careful to have the bottoms of them a little rounded (say about half an inch of convex, "amidships," for a bottom three feet broad); and, what is of still more consequence, a little "kammelled," or sprung; that is, gradually rising "fore and aft," in order to "give them life." They will otherwise row miserably heavy, and when they get aground, suck |