THE POTTEN AND THE PUJEN.

The oldest vessels known in Overijssel are the Potten and the Pujen (WITSEN, p. 170), of which few engravings are extant. The names are now no longer met with; the primitive “Potten” and “Pujen” have, however, not entirely disappeared there. The old forms have been preserved there as everywhere else and, aside from a few changes, these vessels have merely changed their names.

Clinker built hulls gave way first to those carvel built, and later the forms of the boats became less angular. The old rig has changed and the old round hatchways have made place for more simple flat hatches. By these transformations, these vessels change their appearance somewhat although the hull remains the same, but the names of “Potten” and “Pujen” have given place to those of “Sompen”, “Peggen” and “Snijboonen”, more generally met with to-day.

Already, Witsen and other authors have noted that the “Potten” and “Pujen” are distinguished from the “Smalschepen” and “Wijdschepen” by their finer bow and stern; the same difference as is now found between the Hoys on the one side and the “Snijboonen” and “Sompen” on the other. Besides, the name “Snijboon” (string bean) shows that it is a question of a long and fine boat, that is: a flat bottomed boat with lengthened bow and stern.