The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1861-04-24
Something About Vessels and
Navigation.


Something About Vessels and
Navigation.
The following extracts 10 regard to the
different kinds Of Ocean vessels, the diff.
ferent parts Of vessel, and the duties OF
the officers and men, VIC take from mar.
rative of voyage from Baltimore to Rio
Jauero, Published in the ST. Clsirsvilei
! Gazette: af; 81 laa .rsH s.s'g7
! Our vessel is q brig; which means one
with two masts, square rugged. To be
sqnare rugged is 10 have the yards CT poles
to which .he sails are attached placed
across the nssts at right angles .au0 pro-
Ij.cling on each side. schooner is
Two pasted vessel but not Fqaare rigged;
that is the. yards or apparatus TO which
the sails are attached projects only on enc
side of the masts. A ba! qae has three
mastr; the foremost add main or middle
mast square rugged, the hinder or "mIzxan
mast" net sqlaee rigsad. A ship has
three mss's sqna:e rigged. aa. : The
forsaid deck is called the main deck, and
) Lit has around it halustrade nearly 4 feet
| high. Oa il stands the gallery or kitchen,
and forecastle or s.ilors' quarters. All
behind The main deck they call the "poop
deck or commonly Aft This is ST
fest higher Than ths main deck; the top OF
!, the cabin, as already s,id.- abeui 81 feet
| higher than the poop deck. they call the
. "housc.' The main mast is $50 feet
high, or 20 above deck. I. has sail'
, attached TO It. F.rst, the fore aod af'
main sail rugged ike schooner's sail.
}, on only one side OF The mast. Il is at
4 iachcd below to the jib. boom,' long
y beam which extends 40 feet or moro TO the
cx,reme back part of the vessel, and must
be changed from side to side as the wind
or airection Of the vessel changes Nek'
i is the square. main sail. attached to th,
, Grst yard Of The main mast. Next The
main top gallant SAIL On the fore masl
= is tie fore main sail,' the fore top Sail,
,t.fore top gallant sail and ro. ai,' email
sFseil on tho top. There are sometime,
sails ran. up on each side Of the fore
, main sail'- seldom set The bowsprit, Z
Kind of mast which slopes out from tht
bow at about 40 or IS dcgs., has TO it
: small sails, which are called respectively
outer, inner jb, and fore stsy sail, he
cause it runs up on The forward stay
S!aps axe !a-ge ropes which hold the mast:
in place Between the fore and main
mast is run up sail called main stay
: SAIL because or fore stay of main sail
: Thus our brig carries 9, and sometimes
8 IA sails. The rigging will not attempt
. to describe, as I know hardly any of the
|, great number of ropes, which all have
. names
b A captain's orly business is to navi.
n CUTE the vessel-has no work to do. He
8 is not considered as having any business
Q of the poop deck or forward of the main
!. mast. Properly he should not give or
il ders to the men himself; but to the mates
}. who then order the men. Captain and
d first mate take the altitude of the sun in
it the morning cr evening, and at noon
r whereby they make out their reckoning
e or latitude and longitude, with the chre-
n nometer. First mate keeps the log book
y or record of the voyage, and calculates
the reckoning by courses and distances
. Captain has exclusive right of windward
d side of poop deck; DO one else passing i,
n when he is on deck. Our Captain is no,
g very particular and We 60 where we wish
o. First and second mates have each his
4 watch, and each has half the sailors A
e watch is four hours long Whichever is
Q on wa:ch, his men stand turn about at the
a wheel and pump ship, aud at night keep
5 watch forward. Each mate is thus alter.
j.. nate nights four and eight hours above
/. or below, as the case may be- When only
hours below at night; he is entitled to
four hours in forenoon to make out hi,
eight. All are liable 20 be called up a,
any time, however, when needed. Excep,
: at times In storm. or gale. sailors have
not hard labor. From about 8 n
they are generally employed in making
). mats for rigging, wrapping or nendiDe
rigging. where it may chafe, or making
and mending sails Sailors are class Of
their own. and queer one at that. A
Captain seldom kHows anything abou,
. bis men until after he starts, unless some.
!, times his officers. They roam where they
: please, seldom 60 twice in the same yes
sci; see only the worst class generally on
shore, and many might say truly, "No
, man cares for my soul.' Daring this vey-
: age cur crew have been in from six to
aeven different nations.