CORACLE (Welsh corwg-1, from corwg, cf. Irish and mod. Gaelic airsick,

See also:

• BOAT (0. Eng. bdt; the true etymological connexion with Dutch and Ger. boot, Fr. bateau, Ital. battello presents great difficulties; Celtic forms are from O. Eng.)

boat)  , a species of ancient British fishing-boat which is still extensively used on the Severn and other rivers of Wales, notably on the Towy and Teifi . It is a light boat, oval in shape, and formed of canvas stretched on a framework of split and interwoven rods, and well-coated with tar and pitch to render it water-tight . According to early writers the framework was covered with horse or bullock hide (corium) . So light and portable are these boats that they can easily be carried on the fisherman's shoulders when proceeding to and from his work . Coracle-fishing is performed by two men, each seated in his coracle and with one hand holding the net while with the other he plies his paddle . When' a fish is caught, each hauls up his end of the net until the two coracles are brought to touch and the fish is then secured . The coracle forms a unique link between the modern life of Wales and its remote past; for this primitive type of boat was in existence amongst the Britons at the time of the invasion of Julius Caesar, who has left a description of it, and even employed it in his Spanish campaign .