The kedge-anchor

209.—FORE BOWLINES.

The fore bowlines have an eye in one end, to go over the toggle, and are rove through a single block, seized into a single strap, and secured to the fore-stay collar with a seizing passed through an eye left in the strap, and the other end led in on the forecastle.

The fore and main clue-garnets are hitched to the yards, then rove through a block lashed in the clews of the sail, up through a block on the quarter of the yard, down to the fife-rail.

210.—FORE-TOPSAIL CLEWLINES.

Topsail clewlines are fitted the same as clew-garnets, and sometimes with a whip; they come on deck through lubber’s hole.

When fitted with a whip, a piece of rope nearly equal to the double clewline, is rove through the quarter-block, and an eye spliced in one end, which is secured with a seizing round the clew, when the sail is bent. In the other end, splice a single block, and reeve a fall through it; one end splice into a bolt in the deck, and the other reeve through a leading-block, well apart from the standing-part.

211.—TOPSAIL BUNTLINES

Are toggled to the foot of the sails, and rove through single blocks at the mast-head, underneath the rigging, and through lubber’s hole on deck. Cheeks or sheaves set in the foremost end of the trestle-trees are best, as they keep the buntlines clear of the belly of the sails. Blocks in bolts will do equally as well, but do not look so neat. I would recommend fitting a shoe-block underneath the eyes of the rigging, on each side, in preference.

Buntline-spans are short pieces of rope, with a thimble in one end, and the other end whipped; the buntlines are rove through these thimbles, before being bent to the sail, or rove at the mast-head. At sea these spans are knotted together, abaft the tye-blocks on the yard, and stopped to them. When in harbor, they are let go, to allow the sails being triced well-up to furl, or hauled out to dry, by the bowlines, when toggled to the foot of the sail.

212.—FORETOP BOWLINES

Have an eye spliced in one end to go over the toggle on the bridle; the other is rove through a block at the bowsprit-cap, strapped into a bolt, or a sheave cut in the after end of the bees and led in on the forecastle.

213.—MAIN BUNTLINES.

There are two on each quarter, and reeve on the bights. Reeve first through the large sheave in a shoe-block, then reeve both ends, from forward, through the double block under the fore part of the main-top, and bend or clinch both ends to the holes in the foot of the sail for the purpose. Sometimes toggles are fitted into the holes, with double straps, and an eye spliced into each end of the buntlines. If no shoe-block is to be got, seize two single ones into one strap. Through the other sheave of shoe-block, reeve a fall; clinch one end to the main-stay by the foremast, or splice an eye and seize it round it. The other end reeve through a leading block, seized into a single strap, leaving an eye to seize it to the stay, or through a sheave or leading block in the fore-bitts.

214.—FORE BUNTLINES

Generally toggle to the foot of the sail, and are sometimes clinched; then rove through a double block under the fore part of the fore-top, and through fair leading sheaves in the racks to the bulwarks. The buntline should be long enough to allow the sail to belly. The outside leg of the buntline is sometimes rove through a thimble strapped into the foot of the sail, and clenched into a cringle put into the bolt-rope, a few feet above the clew.

215.—MAIN BOWLINE

Is a runner and tackle, and is rove and unrove as required. It is rove through the thimble seized on the bowline bridle; the end of the runner is secured round the fore-bitts, or to a cleat. The lower block of the gun-tackle purchase is fitted with a hook, and hooked to a strap close to the end of the runner, for the purpose. I have seen the main-bowline boused up to the weather-forecastle bulwarks, which I think preferable, not seeing any very great advantage from its being hauled amidships; particularly when it is considered that the main-topsail yard, on a wind, is braced abaft the main-yard.

216.—TOPGALLANT SHEETS

Are rove through the sheave in the topsail-yard, then through the after sheave in the double block in the quarter of the topsail-yard, and through a leading sheave or block on deck. The upper end is bent to the clew of the topgallant-sail; sometimes a long-eye is spliced, which goes over a toggle in the clew of the sail. They are also fitted with sister-hooks, which is the latest and most improved plan.

217.—TOPGALLANT CLEWLINES

Are bent through the clew of the sail, and secured with a sheet-bend; it is then rove through the foremost sheave on the quarter-block on the yard, and sent down through lubber’s hole on deck.

218.—FORE TOPGALLANT BOWLINES

Are toggled to the bridle of the sail. The fore one is rove through a single block at the jib-boom end, one on each side, and led in on the forecastle through fair leaders. These blocks are strapped like span-blocks, and lashed together on the upper side with two lashing-eyes; they are sometimes strapped singly, and go over the boom-end, or seized to the guys. Double blocks are also sometimes put in these straps, and the two inner sheaves used as jib-brail-leaders.

219.—MAIN TOPGALLANT BOWLINES

Are toggled to the bridle of the sail, then rove through sheaves cut in the after part of the fore-topmast-crosstrees, and through lubber’s hole, through fair leading sheaves on deck. Single tail-blocks are sometimes used, clove-hitched round the after shroud in the fore-topmast rigging, close up to the futtock-stave, or seized.

220.—MIZEN TOPGALLANT BOWLINES

Are toggled to the bridle of the sail, and rove through single blocks on each side of the main-mast head, and through fair leading blocks on deck. A double block is often used instead of two single ones on each side, one sheave for the brace, the other for the bowline. They should be led from lubber’s hole abaft all, between the cat-harpen legs, or futtock-shrouds.

221.—TOPGALLANT BUNTLINES

Are seldom used in light weather, although very necessary in taking in sail, when blowing fresh, as they save much time, and in some instances a man’s life. On a wind it spills the sail, and prevents its getting over the lee yard-arm; and going free enables the men to furl it much easier. A strong proof of their utility may be inferred from the fact that merchant vessels, who have as little rope rove as possible, and are generally weak-handed, have their sails fitted with buntlines.

They are fitted as follows:—A piece of rope with a thimble on it, is spliced into two eyelet-holes, worked in the foot of the sail, about a third from each clew.⁠[22] Splice the end of the buntline round the thimble; reeve the other end through a single block, seized into a single strap, and secured round the topgallant mast-head by a lashing passed over all; send the end of the buntline through lubber’s hole, on deck before all to the fife-rail.

222.—ROYAL BOWLINES.

The fore royal-bowline is rove through a block at the flying-jib-boom end, and led in on the forecastle, through a fair leader, the same as the topgallant-bowline, and the main-royal bowlines through the chock at fore-topmast head.

223.—REEF-TACKLES

Are sometimes double, and also fitted with a whip, as clewlines, or pendant and burton. When double, a single block is seized into a single strap, having a thimble in it, and the seizing passed between the block and thimble. This block goes on the bridle, or cringle, in the leech of the topsails. One end of the reef-tackle is clinched round the neck of the boom-iron, the other rove through the block, up through the sheave in the yard-arm, and through the upper sheave in the sister-block, through lubber’s hole, and through a leading block or sheave on deck.

When single, an eye is spliced in the end of the pendant, to go over a toggle fitted to a bridle, as above; the other end rove through the yard and sister-block, a single block spliced into the end, and a whip rove, as on the clewline.

224.—LEECH-LINES.

The forward leech-lines are rove through the upper sheave-hole of a shoe-block; both parts are then rove through a double block, hooked with a pendant to the lower cap, then through two single blocks seized to the jackstays on the yards, and are clinched to the leeches of the courses, forward of the sail.

The lower legs are rove through the other sheave-hole in the shoe-block, and the standing-part made fast to the fife-rail; the other end being used to haul up the sails.

The after leech-lines are rove through blocks on the underneath part of the yard, and clinched to the courses abaft the sail, to the same places as the forward ones.

225.—SLAB-LINES

Are bent to the middle of a span at the foot of the sail, led up abaft, and rove through a block lashed to the grommet or span, around the straps of the quarter-blocks of the lower yards, and down on deck. These are very necessary in light weather, and in rough weather, may be converted into spilling-lines.

226.—ROYAL CLEW-LINES

Are bent to the clews of the sail, rove through the quarter-blocks on the yard, and led either in the tops, or on deck.

227.—FITTING TACKS AND SHEETS, BUMKIN-GEAR, &c.

A single block is seized into a single strap, leaving an eye to fit the bumkin; this block is made with a shoulder, which lays on the bumkin when the block is on.

Bumkin-braces are now generally chain; one is hooked to the bow, and two to the cutwater; and set up with a lanyard rove through span-shackles in their ends, and others on the bumkin, or with a turnbuckle.

Reeving the tack.—Clinch the large end round the bumkin, outside the block, having been well wormed, parceled, and served, far enough towards the small end to take the block on the bumkin, when the sail is reefed. Reeve the small end through the block in the sail, then through that on the bumkin, and in on the forecastle through a hole in the bulwarks, for the purpose.

Fore sheet.—The large end is served the same as the tack, and is hooked into a bolt in the side for the purpose; the small end is rove through the block in the sail, and through a sheave in the side, or gangway bulwarks. Large ships generally work the fore-sheet in the waist (main-deck), but it is often worked on the gangway, (spar-deck).

228.—YARD TACKLE TRICING-LINES.

If no cheek on the yard, take the pendants taut along from the yard-arm, and then secure a single tail-block. On the foremost shroud, well up, seize another single block, fitted with a single strap, leaving room when seized-in, for the seizing with which it is secured to the shroud. Round the fiddle-block in the pendant, between both sheaves, secure the tricing-line with a running-eye; then reeve the other end through the cheek, or tail-block, and then through the single block on the shroud, and on deck.

229.—TO REEVE AND TOGGLE ROYAL-HALLIARDS.

Take a round-turn with the yard-rope, well up round the strap of the block, with the long-eye; reeve the bight through the eye and put the toggle in it; then bring the end up from the block seized to the eye of the shroud, and reeve it through the one on the yard-rope, send the end on deck, and reeve it through a leading block.

When half-hitched, the lower block is fitted as described, and secured; the upper one is strapped with a thimble in the strap—reeve the yard-rope through the thimble, and then through the lower block, up through the upper one, and on deck through a leader.

230.—FORE STORM-STAYSAIL GEAR.

To fit the stay.—Take a piece of good rope of proportionable size to the sail; fit one end with two legs as a stay, and lash them abaft the foremast-head, the legs being placed underneath those of the standing-stay. Take a piece of rope the round of the bowsprit, inside the fore-stay collar; splice an eye in each end, and seize a thimble in the bight—splice a lashing in one eye, and secure the strap round the bowsprit, by passing it through both eyes, until sufficient turns are taken to secure it. Reeve the end of this stay through the hanks for the sail, then reeve it through the thimble in the strap, and set it well up with a luff-purchase; the double block hooked to a strap well up the stay, the single one to another strap on the end; then pass a round-seizing round both parts, close to the thimble—come up the luff, and pass another seizing between it and the end, but not at too great a distance, as it will prevent the sail from coming close down.

Halliards.—Have a good strap to go round the foremast-head, close to the stay. It can be fitted with two lashing-eyes, and when so fitted can be easier taken off, and put on. When the sail is to be set, hook the double block of a luff-tackle to this strap, and the single one to the head of the sail; the hauling-part being sent down abaft the fore-yard, and through a leading block on deck.

Downhaul.—A single block is secured to the parts of the strap round the bowsprit—the downhaul is spliced to the head of the sail, then rove through the hanks, through the single block, and led in on the forecastle. When a stay is fitted, the downhaul block is seized to the strap round the bowsprit.

The downhaul is often double; if so, a single block is secured to the head of the sail, the standing-part of the downhaul secured to the strap on the bowsprit, and the hauling-part led in as before.

Sheets.—Deck-tackles are generally used, one on each side; they are hooked to the clew of the sail, and the hooks well moused. When the sheet is aft, the weather one is overhauled. The after blocks are hooked to eye or ring-bolts, as convenient, and should not be too high or too low; if too much up and down, they slack the foot of the sail; if too high, the after leech. The falls are rove through leading blocks, and all the hooks should be well moused.

231.—MAIN STAYSAIL GEAR.

The stay is fitted the same as the fore, and sets up round the cross-piece in the fore bitts, after being rove through the hanks.

The halliards are fitted the same as the fore.

The downhaul is rove through a block strapped round the bitts for the purpose. If rove double they are fitted in the same manner.

Instead of iron hanks, I have seen grommets used, made of pieces of rope, with a wall-knot worked on one end, and an eye spliced in the other; these are long enough to go round the stay and becket. They are secured to eyelet-holes in the sail with a seizing, and are always kept to it. I have seen the sails set on the spring-stays, when fitted in this way, but prefer separate stays.

There are also other ways of setting storm-staysails, but those I have mentioned are in most general use. When a main-trysail can be got, mizen-staysails should never be drawn, as a ship will keep much better to windward with trysails and fore-staysail, than under the staysails alone.

232.—MIZEN-STAYSAIL GEAR.

The halliards are hitched to the collar of the staysail-stay, rove through a block in the head of the sail, then through a leader, and led down on deck.

The downhaul is clinched to the head of the sail, and rove through the hanks down the mizen-stay. The mizen staysail-sheet is a runner, leading through a snatch-block and thimble. A gun-tackle purchase is most commonly used, which answers all purposes.

233.—TOPMAST STAYSAILS, &c., &c.

Fore.—The standing part of the halliards is seized or hitched to the fore topmast spring-stay, then rove through a block in the head of the sail, up through a leading block under the eyes of the topmast rigging, then down on the larboard side of the deck abaft the foremast. The downhaul is hitched to the head of the sail, rove through the hanks, then through a block seized to the tack of the sail, and led in on the forecastle, through a fair leader. The tack is a simple lashing.

The fore topmast staysail and jib-sheets are pendants lashed to the clew of the sail, with a block in the end, through which the sheets are rove; the standing part is hooked to an eyebolt in the bows, and the running part is led in on the forecastle.

Main.—The standing part of the halliards is hitched to the collar of the main-topmast spring-stay, reeving through a block at the head of the sail, then through a block at the main-topmast head, and led down on deck. The downhaul is fitted the same as the fore, and led down by the fore-mast. The tack is rove through a block in the weather fore-rigging, or top.

The main topmast staysail-brails are seized to the leech of the sail, led up through the hanks to a block seized to the upper hank, and can also be used as a downhaul.

The middle, lower, and upper topgallant-staysails and jackstays, may be fitted in one. In this case a double block is turned in, and lashed to the after part of the fore-topmast crosstrees, or mast-head; the lower part is set up in the fore-top, and the upper part at the fore-topgallant mast-head.

The middle staysail-stays are rove through a single block, strapped to the topmast, down on the cap.

The lower and upper topgallant staysail-stays, are rove through blocks fitted to traverse the jackstay, with lock-thimbles, the former being rove through the other sheave of the double block at the topmast cross-trees; the latter through a block at the fore-topgallant mast-head, and both led on deck.

The downhaul blocks are single, and are seized to the straps of the tricing-line blocks. The halliards are whips hitched to the collars of the stays, rove through blocks in the head of the sail, through leading blocks at the mast-head, and down on deck. The tacks are single and led in the fore-top; the sheets are also single, leading in the gangways.

234.—SETTING UP RIGGING FOR A FULL-DUE.

Have all the luffs on deck; fore, main, and mizen pendant-tackles hooked, and tackle-falls laid along for pulling up; new lanyards ready for reeving, seizings, marling-spikes, levers, mallets, grease, small spars for ratling-down, triangles rigged ready for hoisting up the mast, to secure the futtock-shrouds and cat-harpen legs, (if used;) burton-falls sent on deck and rove—all the temporary ratlines cast-off—spars got up underneath the bowsprit with the gratings for the men to work on—topgallant-masts and flying jib-boom housed; and also men stationed at the dead-eyes to turn in if required. Let everything go abaft the masts, commence turning in the dead-eyes, and reeve the lanyards—set up the bowsprit-rigging and secure it. Then man the pendant-tackles, set taut the after-swifters—(if wedges in) get the mast well forward in its place, and secure the stays. Cast off the cat-harpen legs (if fitted), and futtock-shrouds.⁠[23] Set up the rigging for a full-due, observing the same precautions as when it was first set up.

The lanyard is now rove full, and when racked, take the end and form a clove-hitch above the dead-eye, then rack the surplus-end to the inside parts of the lanyard, until the end is expended. The hitch is formed between the dead-eye and shroud, around both parts, in the space left by stretching—some use a half-hitch taken over all round the shroud, hove well back, the lanyard expended, and the end seized. The ends of the shrouds are then cut square and capped, and the mats laced on.

Rigging-mats are made with small rope, three-quarter-inch, and are called sword-mats. They are generally the breadth of the dead-eye, and long enough to take in both—the lanyards are laced inside. They are hardly ever used on topmast rigging; they look heavy, and are of no use, except on the forward shrouds and backstays.

235.—STAYING MASTS.

The practice of “staying masts with the wedges in,” has been already denounced as contrary to every received system of seamanship. The stays may be set taut with the wedges in, but the masts should be always free in the partners, whenever there is occasion to alter the position of their standing; because it is impossible but that the precise situation of the mast must be altered a little, rendering necessary corresponding alterations in the wedges. When these are made and the wedges firmly fixed, there can be no inequalities of play or pressure—the whole becomes a solid mass, yielding naturally and uniformly to the motion of the ship. Whereas, if in setting up the rigging the wedges be kept fast, the mast pressing unequally against them, having too much play in one part, and too little in another, it must inevitably get crippled.

In preparing to set up the rigging, though the stays may not appear to require a pull, it is well to have the luffs and tackle ready; for after lifting the wedges, there is great probability of its being found necessary.

236.—BLACKING RIGGING.

The most convenient method of blacking rigging, is with the topgallant masts on deck, but royal and topgallant rigging placed at the mast-heads; for then men who ride down and black the topmast-stays, can then at the same time easily black the topgallant and royal-stays; or, what is handier still—let the men at the mast-head haul over and black these small stays, and pay them down forward when done. The men also who black down the topmast-backstays, can carry on at the same time with the topgallant and royal-backstays. By this method the masts are kept clean.

Scale-draft of a First-Class Frigate.

If, on the other hand, topgallant-masts be kept up when blacking, the small stays and backstays must be let go, in order that they may be got at by the men on the topmast-stays and backstays; consequently the masts must be adrift, are likely to be daubed over with blacking, and if it should come on to blow fresh, so as to render it necessary to get the topgallant-masts on deck, much injury must result to the blacking.

The topsail and lower lifts should be blackened first, the men having to stand on the yards to do them.

Previous to commencing, the decks should be well sanded, and the paint-work and head covered with old canvass. The quarter-tackle should be clapped on one side of the main-yard, and also a burton hooked, ready for clearing boats.

The finer and warmer the day, the better—the blacking will lay on so much the smoother and thinner; but commencement should be delayed until the dew is well dried off. A dry calm day is the best; for the blacking will not take effect, unless the surface it is laid upon be dry.

237.—STATIONING THE CREW.

In dividing the crew into watches, care should be taken that the physical force is as equally distributed as possible, and that there be as many seamen, ordinary seamen, boys, and marines, in one watch as in another.

Petty officers should be chosen from among the seamen, and those selected who have been long in the service, and have proved faithful. Forecastle men should be middle-aged seamen, with a few ordinary seamen and landsmen. Young active seamen should be selected for topmen, also a few ordinary seamen, landsmen and boys. After-guard, a few elderly seamen, with ordinary seamen and landsmen. Waisters are chiefly landsmen, with a few ordinary seamen; in single-decked vessels, where there are no waisters, more men should be stationed on the forecastle and in the after-guard, in proportion to the number of the crew of the different classes of vessels. Idlers are excused from keeping watch—they are officers’ servants, cooks, &c., &c.

Divide each watch into first and second parts, and appoint a captain to each part; number the men belonging to the forecastle, having all the larboard watch even, as two, four, six, and the starboard odd; have the numbers painted on canvass, and let each man sew it on his bag and hammock; having also for greater distinction, the larboard painted red, and the starboard black. The men should be below alternately, so that when one watch is below, there should be an equal number of the other watch on deck.

238.—STATIONING THE CREW AT QUARTERS.

Captains of the guns should be chosen from among the seamen who have been long accustomed to them, steady, with good sight, and quick motion. The largest and stoutest men should be chosen to man the long guns, the others the cannonades. The boarders should be stout men—the firemen and sail-trimmers, active young men. Be particular to station them as near where they are accustomed to do their duty as possible, in order to prevent confusion. Let all the first part of the gun’s crew be in one watch, and the second part in the other, so that in the event of going to quarters in the night, the watch on deck can clear away the guns, while the watch below will clear away the hammocks.

To a twelve-pounder cannonade are stationed four men and one boy. All the men stationed at the long guns of a double-decked ship, should be armed with cutlasses, and called “boarders”—the first of the gun’s crew to be called second boarders, and vice versa. They are only to be called on when required to “board,” or in a case of great emergency to “repel boarders,” and then every man will repair to the upper-deck, except the firemen, quarter-gunners, and powder boys, who will remain below to protect the ports, or to assist in extinguishing a fire.

All the men stationed at the cannonades should be boarders and sail-trimmers. As boarders, the first part should be armed with pikes; the second part with small-arms, who are to repel the boarders, but not to quit the ship.

In a single-decked ship, all the men stationed are boarders; the first part to be armed with cutlasses, and the second with pikes.

The battery being manned, distribute the rest of the crew as follows:—have a quarter-master at the signals, when in a squadron—topmen and marines in the tops, to repair damages, and act as small-arm-men—a quarter-master and two men at the relieving tackles—men stationed at the passages, to pass full and empty boxes; also others at the shot-lockers. Mastmen to see the rigging clear—cook, and armorer at the galley—the carpenter and his mates at the pumps and wings—the master-at-arms, and ship’s corporal in the light-room—the gunner, his mates, quarter-gunners, and cooper, in the magazine, and the surgeon and assistants in the cock-pit.

239.—STATIONING THE CREW FOR MOORING AND UNMOORING.

In stationing the men, place the same number of men, of each watch, to perform a piece of duty. When in a squadron, have quarter-masters at the signals, and also in the chains—men at the wheel—quarter-gunners to overhaul the fish, and grapple the buoys—men to overhaul and hook the cat, and attend the back-ropes; also others at the mast, to see the rigging clear. Boatswain’s mates in the gangways; carpenter’s mates to ship and unship the capstan bars, and attend the stanchions, with the music at the capstan—some fore-topmen to put on nippers, or selvagees, some main-topmen to take them off, and boys to carry them forward. Hands to rouse up and veer away the cable, to attend the stoppers, and light forward the messenger. The yeoman in the store-room—master-at-arms, and ship’s corporal on the berth-deck, and cook at the galley—tierces in each tier, or chain-locker, and the remainder of the men at the capstan.

240.—LOOSING AND FURLING.

Take the same number of men from each watch, and station them at the same rope, &c. The topmen are to man their respective yards—hands are to attend the boom-jiggers and tricing-lines—forecastle men to attend head-sails, trysail and foresail—main-yard men to look out for the main-sail—after-guard, for the spanker and main-trysail—for the main-topmast staysail, the fore-top-men—for the main-staysail, the gunner’s crew—hand stationed to sheet home, and hoist the topsails, and when coming to an anchor, the same men to man the clew-lines, bunt-lines, and weather-braces; and when loosing sails to dry, to man bowlines, or buntlines. In furling, the captains are to be in the bunt, in reefing, at the earings.

241.—STATIONING THE CREW FOR TACKING AND VEERING.

Station the men from the “watch bill”—have hands at the jib-boom end, to overhaul the jib-brails, and light over flying-jib sheets. On the bowsprit end to light over jib-pendants—hands on the bumkins, and in the chains, to overhaul tacks and sheets, and backstay-falls. On deck, at the wheel, spritsail-braces, jib-sheets, jib-brails, braces, bow-lines, clew-garnets, tacks and sheets, backstay-falls, lifts, trusses, spanker-sheets, guys, vangs, and topping-lifts. Aloft, to overhaul lifts and trusses—attend outriggers, and bear the backstays abaft and abreast—the mast-men to see the rigging clear, &c., &c.

For reefing.—The men are stationed as in furling, with the exception of the captains, who are stationed at the earings. When the yards are down, the men from the clew-lines and bunt-lines will haul out the reef-tackles.

242.—GETTING READY TO BEND SAILS.

It is customary to bend the light sails first, such as jibs, spankers, and trysails. Overhaul the jib and flying-jib stay, and halliards, in on the forecastle. Have the lashing spliced into the sheets ready for passing, and seizings to the hanks.

Overhaul down into the top the reef-tackles, and stop the blocks to the foremost shrouds, (or the end if single.) Overhaul the topsail-sheets from the yard-arm, and half-hitch them round a dead-eye, or foremost futtock-plate. Bunt-lines into the top, and stop them to the foremost shroud, above the topsail-yard, or to the tye-blocks—clew-lines into the top, and stop them to the eye of a shroud, and get the harbor-gaskets on the yards. A rope-yarn stop will be quite sufficient for all these purposes. Both burtons should be overhauled on deck before all.

Overhaul down the leech-lines, slab-lines, bunt-lines and clew-garnets, and stop them so as to prevent their flying about.

Take two selvagee-straps, put them round the neck of the boom-irons, and to them hook the double-block of a long jigger; the single one overhaul down, and hook to a ring or eye-bolt in the bulwarks, and the fall led through a leading block a-midships.

United States’ Ship-of-the-Line Columbus, at Anchor.

Lower down the gaffs—overhaul the brails, and have seizings of two-yarn spun-yarn ready, to secure them to the sails. If hoops, seizings should also be put on them, with both ends rove through the bight.

Topgallant yards should be got out of the rigging, and laid on deck out of the way, ready for bending the sails. Top-burtons overhauled down forward of all, for the topsails.

243.—BENDING SAILS.

Call all hands to bend sails—get the courses, jib, topsails, and spanker, on deck. Open them out, and see that they are whole and complete; with the bowline-bridles, head and reef-earings, rope-bands, reef-points, sheet, clew-line, and reef-tackle blocks all in their proper places. Bight the topsails down in their respective places forward of the masts, with the clews out. Hook the lower block of the burton to the slings passed round the centre of the sail, and mouse the hook—reeve the fall through a snatch-block or leader, and keep the sail clear of the top as it goes up.

Overhaul the courses athwart the deck, shackle on the sheet, and also the tack, and clew-garnet blocks—reeve and bend the gear—stop the head of the sail to the bunt-lines, use the clew-jiggers for yard-ropes, hooking to the first reef-cringle, and stop the head earings to the block.

The end of the jib-stay having been brought in on the forecastle, reeve in the hanks, and stop the luff of the jib—hook on the halliards—reeve the downhauls—fit the brail-block and reeve the brails—hook on the sheet-blocks, or pendants, and reeve the sheets.

Lower the spanker-gaff—pass the throat and peak-earings, and lace the head to the gaff—seize on the brails, and reeve them and the outhauler. All being ready,

To man the gear.—First, man the top-burtons and sway the topsails clear of the deck—man the jib-halliards and downhaul—yard-ropes, clew-garnets, clew-lines, bunt-lines, reef-tackles, and gaff-halliards: at the word run out the jib, reeve and set up the stay, and seize the tack. Sway the topsails and courses up to the yards, where some hands are ready to receive them. Bend the gear and haul out; then take a turn with the earings—ride down the heads and pass the earings exactly; make fast the rope-bands, fit the leech-line block of the courses—seize on and reeve the leech-line. In the mean-time some hands are employed in seizing on the hoops of the trysails and spanker, as they go aloft. After the sails are all bent, it would be well to let them fall, to see that all the gear is bent clear, if so, clew up and furl the courses and topsails, and stow the jib, spanker and trysails.

The topgallant-sails, royals, and studding-sails are bent on deck.

Send the staysails into the tops, fit the jackstays and tricing-line blocks, seize the head of the luff; reeve the halliards, downhauls, and brails, bend the tacks and sheets; stow the staysails and haul all taut.

244.—BENDING SMALL SAILS.

By small sails are meant topgallant-sails, royals, flying-jib, studding-sails and staysails.

It is only in ships in good order where the men go through this manœuvre with smartness and method, after being exercised, and having become familiar with the ship and their stations.

First, all the yards, topgallant, royal, and studding-sail, should be got out of the rigging, and down on deck at the same time. Next, a proportion of hands should be sent to each sail, and all bent together, including flying-jib and staysails.

When the topgallant-sails, royals, and studding-sails, are all bent, they should be swayed into the rigging all together, and not one after another.

If the topgallant-yards happen to be across, the best plan, if circumstances will permit, is to bend all the other small sails first, except the flying-jib, and then to wait until the yards are sent down at sunset, to bend topgallant-sails and flying-jib.

Topgallant sails ought not to be bent while the yards are across, because the earings must then be hauled out, and passed over the lifts and braces, which precludes the possibility of unrigging the yard afterwards, without unbending the sail. Sometimes one of the two sets of topgallant-yards are appropriated in harbor to exercise, (sending up and down) while the other is kept below, with the sail bent, ready for crossing.

In bending topgallant-sails, the earings are passed the same as the topsail, and the sail seized to the jackstay, the yard-rope bent, the sails furled, and the yard got into the lower rigging. In furling, bring the leeches taut along the yard, and keep the clews in the bunt, then roll the sail up from the yard-arm, and pass the gaskets. Put the grommet over the yard-arm, man the yard-rope and sway the yard up and down; put the lower yard-arm into the snotter, over the foremost dead-eye; secure the upper yard-arm with a lanyard spliced round the shroud for the purpose; it is called a stop. The lizard should be singled, ready for going aloft, by reeving it once through the thimble on the yard-arm, and half-hitch round the yard-rope with the bight.

Trysails and storm-staysails should be bent at this time, if they are to be bent at all before leaving harbor.