CHAPTER-26 RIGGING SHIP

WHEN a ship is taken in hand to be rigged, her lower masts are standing, temporarily or permanently wedged,
and with girtlines on each side of the mast-heads. The bowsprit is in place, as are also the lower dead-eyes for
the lower rigging. Hearts on the bowsprit and shackles on the bows may also be supposed in place before the
riggers begin work.
We will rig the bowsprit first, as the staying of the fore-mast depends upon it, and would otherwise be delayed.
The Gammoning of the bowsprit in modern vessels consists of one or two iron straps as shown in Figs. 293
and 294, setting up with nuts and screws. It serves to keep the bowsprit in place, and should be set up before
the ship is turned over to the riggers.
Secure the heads of two small spars together in a lashing hung from the bowsprit-end, the heels resting on the
bows, where convenient, and seized to prevent slipping. Lay boards across from one boom to the other as a
platform for the men to stand on.
The Bobstays are placed first, shackling to the cutwater, and with laniards from hearts in their outboard ends
to similar hearts under the bowsprit. There are two, or three, bobstays fitted; if three, they are
termed inner, middle, and cap bobstays.
Bowsprit-Shrouds. Shackle the bowsprit-shrouds one on each side to eye-bolts, well down on the bows. The
hearts in their outboard ends set up with laniards to similar hearts on either side of the bowsprit near the cap.
Now set up the bowsprit-shrouds and bobstays. Both may be set up by using luff upon luff on each end of the
laniard, as in Fig. 301, racking every turn after it has been hove taut, and finally seizing down the ends.
This is termed “setting up on a bight,” and the object is to keep the hearts from slueing. Or, secure one end of
the laniard and set up on the other, one turn at a time, by means of stout luffs hooked into a strap on the laniard
and into another strap on the standing part of the bobstay or shroud. Fig. 302.
Laniards for wire rigging are of the same size as
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the rigging itself; for hemp rigging as used formerly, laniards were one-half the size of the corresponding
shroud, stay, &[Link] are four-stranded hemp. It is considered better to clap straps on the laniard when
setting up than to turn in catspaws, either with or without toggles thrust in them, as the strap does less damage
to the laniard and does not nip it out of shape. All straps should be smaller than the rope around which they are
taken, to insure a good hold.
Rigging-in Bowsprit. When a vessel is fitted as a ram, the bowsprit and jib-boom must be so arranged as to be
readily gotten out of the way in clearing ship for action. For this purpose the bowsprit is either fitted to rig in,
or to be lifted clear of the bows.
Fig. 295 shows the general arrangement of a rigging-in bowsprit. The spar is rectangular in section, and
projects horizontally; its rigging is simplified as much as possible. The bobstay and fore-topmast stays go to
the cap or to a strap just inside the cap; the forestays set up inside the rail, and the bees are dispensed with. The
bowsprit runs in on the forecastle, as shown in the figure, being held in position when rigged out by a fid
forward of the heel bitts, temporary gammoning and a boom-iron (fitted with interior rollers) at the bows. The
heel of the jib-boom secures in a clamp above the bowsprit-iron, Fig. 296.
Lifting Bowsprit. Where there is no pivot-gun on the topgallant forecastle, the bowsprit of ram-bowed vessels
may be fitted to lift inboard, this plan being suggested by Admiral Porter.
Fig. 297 shows the general arrangement of such a bowsprit; Fig. 298, the process of lifting; Fig. 299, a section
of the bowsprit and plunger, and Fig. 300, the hinge, &c.
The bowsprit proper is of iron, and in the general detail of its form, stiffness, &c., is similar to the iron lower
masts previously described. It is hinged just outside the rail at n, and secured when in place by the screws o, o.
The bowsprit cap has secured to it on each side the ends of a heavy bail, g, large enough and with a motion
sufficient to pass around the bowsprit-cap from the upper to the under side of the bowsprit.
The plunger is an iron cylinder inside the bowsprit, made up of plates, secured with the usual stiffeners of
angle-iron, and equal in length to the inboard end of the bowsprit. It is rigged out by means of a heel tackle, m,
and sheave, Fig. 297, so as to project, inside the bowsprit, about half its length beyond the rail. It slides in and
out on bearings formed by the inner surfaces of the bowsprit stiffeners.
Its purpose is to strengthen the bowsprit in wake of the hinge n.
To lift the bowsprit a stout purchase is hooked to the

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bail on the cap, upper block lashed to the foremast head below the lower cap.A derrick, a, is raised on the
forecastle by means of a tackle, c, from the fore stay. The heel of the derrick pivots in a shoe, which travels on
a fore and aft guide track and is fitted with stout fore and aft tackles, f f. A derrick head purchase, b, has its
upper block on the derrick, lower block hooked to an eye, s, on the bowsprit just abaft the hinge. The derrick-
head has jaws like those on the inner end of a gaff.
Having rigged in the plunger by means of a tackle, h, hooked to its heel, slacking the heel rope, m, the clamps
at the bowsprit hinge are come up, and the head of the bowsprit triced up to the position 2, Fig. 298. Here the
bail is nearly fore and aft, and about to swing over the end of the bowsprit. The head of the derrick, a, by
means of its jaws, assists in supporting the bowsprit until it reaches the position 3, tending the derrick-head
purchase. From 3 to 4 the heel of the derrick is shifted forward by the shoe tackles from d to d’. Here the bail
and pendant tackle, having shifted around to the under side of the bowsprit, take up the weight again and land
the bowsprit in position 5, Fig. 298.
Lower Masts. Proceed now to rig the lower masts, and send up first the trestle-trees, as follows:
Trestle-trees. The mast-head girtlines should be stout enough to send up the trestle-trees; if not, send up heavy
whips on each side, and lash their blocks at the lower mast-head, over the tenon or just below it. The men
required to work aloft are sent up by the girtlines.
Place the trestle-trees on deck, forward of the mast, Fig. 307, and take out the after chock, as the forward one,
by having to support the heel of the topmast, is more securely bolted and not intended to be removed. Hitch the
ends of the whips to the forward ends of the trestle-trees, and stop down on the top side, along to the after
ends. Bend on a guy from forward, sway aloft, and as the after ends of the trestle-trees rise above the bibbs, cut
the stops and work them into their places. Send up the after chock and bolt it.
Whole Tops are sent aloft with the two girtlines used in sending up the trestle-trees, and a good-sized single or
double tackle, hooked to a strap abaft the mast and directly between the girtlines, as in Fig. 308.
Place the top on the deck abaft the mast, with the forward part uppermost. Overhaul down the girtlines and
tackle, pass the ends of the former underneath the rim and make them fast to their own parts, around the after-
part of the top, stopping them out to each girtline-hole, as in Fig. 308. Hook the lower block of the mast-head
tackle to a stout strap around the after-part (to which a guy is also attached, leading aft), and secure
the standing parts of the
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tackle and girtlines to the pigeon-hole by means of a squilgee-toggle, over which the bights are laid. Bend on a
tripping-line to the toggle (which should be greased), man the tackle and girtlines and sway away, pulling up
steadily on all. When the forward rim comes up to the block, jerk on the tripping-line (which disconnects the
parts and permits the girtlines to go out to the side, and lead off fair); sway on the tackle until the lubbers-hole
is clear of the mast-head, and lower away by means of the girtlines, sending the top aft or forward with the
tackle and guy as need be. The cross-trees are either secured to the top before sending it aloft, or sent up by
means of the girtlines [Link] Tops. The half tops are placed on deck with the outer rims uppermost, on their
respective sides of the deck. Pass a strap or lashing around the centre of each, steadying it in its place by a
small lashing through one of the futtock holes. Overhaul down the whips used in sending up the trestle-trees,
and bend each to the strap around the half top of its respective side. Sway the halves up close to the blocks, and
let them hang there until the cross-trees are sent aloft and bolted in their places. Then lower the halves down
and secure them; sway up the upper cross-trees and bolt and confine the whole with iron bands. Fig. 309.
Now send up and place the bolsters, which are made of soft wood and covered with three or four thicknesses of
tarred parcelling, and then get over the lower pendants, which are swayed up by the girtlines. If the mast needs
support while the rigging is being sent aloft, the pendant tackles may now be hooked and hauled taut, but they
are dispensed with, if possible, as being very much in the way.
Lower Rigging. As the routine of rigging is nearly identical on all the masts, the method for the forewill
answer for a description of the others.
In the merchant service, as soon as the lower pendants are over, the lower mast is steadied by the pendant
tackles, the topmast is pointed about four or five feet above the lower mast-head, and to it are attached the
girtlines for the shrouds, after the manner of a derrick. Navy-yard riggers proceed as follows:
To Send up the Shrouds. In heavy ships, two girtlines will be required to support the weight of the shroud;
the block of the main girtline being toggled to the midship girtline-hole in the top; the second, or “short”
girtline, being at the mast-head tenon and worked in the top. Send hands aloft with marline-spikes, tar, slush,
commander,* &c.
Now proceed to get the shrouds up, and over, in the
* Commander; a large wooden maul.
8

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order of their succession, Fig. 310. Knot the ends of the main girtline together, and fit a toggle in one part, just
above. Thrust this between the two parts of the first pair of starboard-forward shrouds, from out, in, somewhat
more than the length of the mast-head below the eye-seizing, and put a stop around both parts to retain the
toggle in its place. Stop the girtline along the shroud towards the eye, and at the crown, and sway aloft. When
as high as the top, bend on the short mast-head girtline just below the eye-seizing, taking the end from in, out,
and stop it as in the other case. Cut the lower girtline adrift, as the shroud comes up, and steady it to the hand
of the man aloft, who will bear the eye over the mast-head, and cast off the upper girtline. Place it fair and beat
it down with the wooden commander, being careful to carry the shroud well aft, as the angular action of the
strain, in setting up, has a constant tendency to bring it forward.*Send up the port forward pair in the same
manner. We might now rouse the legs of the shrouds well down amidships, i.e. in a line parallel with the mast,
to give the eyes, a good on the bolsters, and set up all four legs at the same time, with the pendant tackles, to
ensure getting the eyes well down, in place. But this is seldom done, and we proceed, as a rule, to get over the
other pairs of shrouds in their proper order without stopping to set up. It is well to remember that too much
care cannot be taken to beat the eyes well down in their places at once, and in this connection attention may be
called again to the effect of the eyes settling down at the mast-head, and the means suggested in the previous
chapter for avoiding slack after shrouds.
To Send up the Fore-and-aft Stays. All the shrouds having been got over, shift the girtlines from the top up
to the mast-head, and lash them to the sides and well aft. Dip them down through the lubber’s hole, and bend
the starboard one to the fore-stays below the crotch, stopping it to the starboard legs; bend the port girtline on
in the same manner to the port legs, and sway aloft, cutting the seizings as the legs reach the top, Fig. 312. Use
a third girtline overhauled down forward of the top, and bent to the stays below the crotch, to assist in raising
the stays. Pass the collar-lashings (one end of each lashing is spliced into one of the eyes of its stay), and either
rest the collars on the lower rigging or on a heavy cleat sometimes placed for the purpose on the after side of
the mast. The stays are now seized around the thimbles of their upper hearts, if this has not been done in the
rigging loft; the
* It will save trouble aloft if the eye of the shroud is bent forward before going up, and stopped to the legs,
which lays it fair for going over. Cast off the stop from the legs when the eye comes through the lubber’s-hole,
and use the stop to assist in hauling down the eye when over. Fig. 311.
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lower hearts should be found in their places shackled to the fore-stay straps on the bowsprit. These straps are
iron bands passing around under the bowsprit; one end of the strap has an eye for the heart, and the other an
eye for the forelock which secures it. Reeve off the stay [Link] the Standing of Masts. Experiment
proves that by raking masts forward, in a vessel of ordinary form, we increase the tendency to pitch, besides
increasing the difficulty of trimming the yards on account of their confinement when by the wind. The vessel is
given an increased readiness to wear, but with a corresponding indisposition for coming to, and an increased
need of lee helm to keep her to the wind. In scudding, this disposition to fall off increases the danger of being
brought by the lee.
When masts are stayed perpendicular to the keel, the wind acts in a horizontal direction on the sails, and the
objectionable features of the preceding plan are avoided.
Finally, when masts rake aft, there is an increase in the after sail of the ship, a disposition to approach rather
than recede from the wind, the tendency to pitch is obviated, and the difficulties of bracing due to forward
staying are avoided.
The general custom is to stay the foremast plumb, or with a rake aft varying from 1/4 to 1 inch to the foot, the
mainmast raking 1 1/4 inches to the foot, and the mizzen 1 1/2 inches to the foot.
Staying the Foremast. The foremast is stayed by means of a double purchase leading forward to the bowsprit,
and two pendant tackles hooked to the forward legs of the pendants, the after pendant tackles being set up to
eye-bolts well aft. Fig. 313.
With these purchases and the wedges eased up, the mast can be stayed either plumb or with a slight rake, as
required. The amount of rake, if any, is determined by the constructor, and a plumb-line is made to plumb the
deck at a distance from the after-part of the mast equal to the amount of the rake for the length of the plumb-
line used. If the line is hung from the mast-head, seventy feet from the deck, a rake of half a inch to the foot
should cause it to plumb the deck thirty-five inches from the after-part of the mast, &c. Lateral staying is
effected by measurement with a small line, secured at the centre of the after-part of the mast-head and carried
to the water-ways on either side in line with the after-part of the mast. Masts may also be stayed by the use of
battens, as explained in Appendix D. Buckling a lower mast and getting it out of a vertical plane are by no
means uncommon, and, in the absence of a practised eye, the suggestions in the Appendix will be found of
value if at any time the rake of a lower mast requires altering. In

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such a case the preparations above described for staying must be made and the wedges knocked [Link] mast
being in the right position, belay and rack the falls, put in the wedges for a full due; and put on the mast coat,
which is used to keep the water from rotting the mast at the partners. It is made of heavy canvas and painted,
and covers the heads of the wedges and the mast up to eighteen inches above the deck.
To set up the Lower Stays, Fig. 313. At a distance eight or ten feet up the stay clap on one block of a “stay
luff” (double purchase), having canvas underneath to avoid chafe, and hook the other block into a strap on the
stay laniard. Into the fall of the stay luff hook the lower block of a pendant tackle, and having got the stays
taut, rack the laniards and proceed to set up the shrouds.
To set up the Shrouds. The laniards are fitted in the rigging-loft, having a laniard knot (a Mathew Walker
knot showing two or three parts) cast into one end. This knot rests against the unscored hole in the upper
deadeye, which is forward in the starboard shrouds and aft in the port shrouds. Reeve off the laniards through
the upper and lower dead-eyes, the hauling end always coming up from the lower dead-eye.
Place canvas on the shroud about half-way up to avoid chafe, and tail the upper block of a rigging luff (gun
tackle purchase) over it. Hook the lower block of the luff to a strap on the end of the laniard, and lead the fall
of the luff up to the pendant tackles as in Fig. 315. The luff tails should be dogged on long so as not to nip the
shroud.
Set up all the shrouds in this manner, a pair on each side at a time, racking the laniards. The rigging is left
standing in this condition as long as circumstances may permit, to give it a chance of settling in its place,
when, with the same purchases used before, the stays and then the shrouds are set up for a full due. The final
setting up should not be given, if avoidable, during very wet or cold weather.
The rigging being set up for a full due, rack the laniards, seize on the sheer poles with a cross seizing to keep
the dead-eyes from slueing (on account of the tendency to unlay in the shrouds), having a strip of tarred canvas
or leather underneath to prevent chafe. Secure the ends of the laniards by hitching them around the strap of the
upper dead-eye thimble above the sheer pole, as in Fig. 318, bringing the end down inside the other parts and
securing it with three seizings. Remove the racking from the laniard to bring an equal strain on all parts.
Finally, send down the rigging luffs.
In setting up the stays temporarily, one end of the laniard is spliced around the upper heart; take two or three
turns through both hearts, set up and rack the laniard. When setting up for a full due, reeve off the remaining
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turns, set taut. cut the rackings and set up. Rack again with stout rackings; come up the tackles and pass riding
turns of the laniard, heaving each turn taut in succession. Put several good seizings on the upper turns of the
laniard, the end of the laniard being stopped in between the turns out of sight. The rackings are removed and
only the seizings [Link]. 317 shows a proposed form of dead-eye of metal. It is similar to the modern
dead-eye of the British service.
Remarks on the tension given to rigging. It is of more value to have a moderate and equal strain on each
shroud, rather than a great strain upon all the shrouds.
Much of the trouble experienced in former days with hemp lower rigging, by reason of stretching, is obviated
by our present use of wire rope. But in placing the eyes of the shrouds over the mast-head, the permanent
position of the eye may be lost sight of in the endeavor to complete the operation in as short a time as possible.
The consequence is that the eyes of the rigging keep shifting their position on the mast-head for many months
afterwards, producing slack rigging. It was suggested, after getting up the first pair of shrouds, to set up each
two pairs separately at the time they are placed over, but this is seldom done. On the other hand, the beating
down of the eye upon the mast-head should be carefully attended to, to insure a permanent and solid bearing.
With regard to the stays, particularly when the after-parts of the collars are not rested on supporting chocks,
any settling of the eyes of the rigging causes the stay to settle also, but the slack shroud is much more likely to
receive attention than the stay. The final result is a buckling of the mast at the partners, or else an attempt is
made to overcome the increased rake by setting up the topmast stay, since the rake will be more apparent at the
height of the topmast-head than at the lower mast-head. The consequence of hauling forward the head of the
topmast, with. a comparatively slack lower stay, is to strain the head of the lower mast, owing to the leverage
of the heel of the topmast and the play in the lower cap. Some officers will recollect at least one sloop-of-war
in which the lower masthead was sprung in this way. The conclusion is, that no setting up even of the two after
shrouds should be undertaken without an examination of the lower stay, which will probably be found to
require a pull even more than the rigging.
A serious evil arises from setting up rigging too taut, which is particularly noticeable in small vessels.
Let the shrouds of a schooner be pulled up as taut as harpstrings, then the liability is that when she goes to sea
she will lose her masts; for when she rolls, the shrouds, which we will further suppose to be half worn, and
with

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little give, keep the mast-head to windward, while the tendency of the rest of the spar is to buckle to leeward,
and this is particularly the case when reefed [Link] Rattle Down. Draw a line parallel to that of the vessel’s
sheer across the shroud-legs on both sides through the points where it is intended to seize on the lower ratlines,
so that the latter may correspond with the line of the sheer-poles. If these marks are continued up to the trestle-
trees at the proper distance (fourteen inches) apart, the work of rattling down can be carried on in several parts
of the rigging at once, without referring constantly to the measuring stick.
Hook or shackle the futtock-shrouds* to the plates in the top and to the futtock band, and set them up,
observing to have the points of the hooks inboard, so that bights of rope from aloft shall not catch over them.
Girt or swifter the shrouds in by securing a piece of ratline stuff to the forward shroud, take it aft and around
the next shroud and haul as taut as possible, drawing the two shrouds together. Repeat the operation with the
next shroud, and so on to the after shroud, girting all in together, nippering each turn with a hitch. Place three
or four swiftering lines in the rigging at equal distances apart. Lash oars or spars athwart the rigging, about
four feet apart, for the men to stand on while at work.
The ratlines, Fig. 319, are usually of eighteen-thread stuff, fitted with a small spliced eye, thrust once and a
half. This eye is seized on to the first shroud with marline, Figs. 320-321, or with a rope-yarn, twisted up and
rubbed smooth, placing each ratline fourteen inches from the preceding one. A clove hitch is then
formed outside around the next leg, put on so that the crossing of the hitch will lie with the lay of the rope, and
the ratline hove taut, with a marline-spike. In this manner it is made to reach the last shroud, and then seized on
as at the commencement; every fifth or sheer ratline being extended to the swifters and after shrouds, which,
with these exceptions, are omitted when there is any great spread between the swifter and shroud next abaft, or
between the after shroud and the one next forward of it.
The eye-seizing of the ratline must be passed so that the eye will lie in a horizontal plane, and with the strand
first tucked uppermost (if the other part of the splice were uppermost it would form a pocket for water).
Having spliced in the marline, pass it around the shroud through the eye of the ratline, back around the shroud,
and so on as in Figs.
* At sea there is generally an ugly chafe between the lower and the futtock shrouds, to prevent which good iron
scotchmen should be seized to the former. The practice has been to hook the upper ends of futtock shrouds to
the straps of the lower dead-eyes of the topmast rigging, the strap having an eye in its lower end which passes
through a futtock hole in the edge of the top.
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320 and 321. In cutting a ratline, say starboard side, the stuff being thoroughfooted and stretched, take one end
of the coil and carry it into the rigging at the height for the ratline. Hitch it to the after shroud, keeping end
enough to reach to the forward one, clove-hitching loosely around each shroud from aft forward. If you have
not end enough, render more through the loose hitches. When the forward shroud or swifter is reached, form
the eye in the end of the ratline and seize it on, then work back toward the after shroud, tautening the clove-
hitches. When the after-shroud is reached, you can mark the exact place for the after-eye, and cut the ratline at
the proper place without waste. If in the port rigging, proceed in the same way, except that the temporary
hitches are put on from forward aft, as riggers generally work from right to left when seizing on and hitching
the ratline for a full [Link] the eye has been badly measured, and the ratline is just too long to be seized on, but
not long enough to allow for turning in a new eye, heave turns in it with the lay of the stuff until shortened up,
or if it is too short, a few turns may similarly be hove out. This is called an Irish splice.
Now come up the girts employed in swiftering in the shrouds, which tautens the rigging. After which, square
any shroud ends which may have required turning in afresh, capping the ends. Send down the spars and
blacken down.
In sparring down rigging the forward ends should be square with each other, the spare ends aft. In rigging of
nine shrouds one man should clap on four ratlines in an hour.
The lower ratlines as far up as the ends of the shrouds, are now made of rod iron, to prevent getting out of
shape when the rigging is manned previously to laying aloft.
The description of rattling down is given here as in its natural order under the head of lower rigging; but
instead of rattling down at this stage of the work, riggers usually fit a few temporary ratlines for their own use
in getting up and down from aloft, and postpone fitting the regular ratlines until after all the rigging, masts and
yards are in place.
Topmasts. We suppose the ship to be in the stream, to show, while rigging, the methods adopted for getting
the various spars on board.
Tow the topmast alongside with the head forward,* and parbuckle it on board. Then secure a large bull’s-eye
to the hounds on each side, in the same plane with the lower sheave hole; hitch the end of a hawser at the lower
mast-
* It is recommended in all cases of getting spars on board while in the stream (where there is a tide-way), to
tow them alongside in the reverse manner -a topmast, for example, with the heel forward, &c.; then by letting
the foremost end be swept aft, by the current, during the operation of swaying it on board, there will be no
necessity for a hauling-guy to rouse the heel forward against the tide.

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head, above the eyes of, the rigging, leading through the hole in the trestle-trees, and reeve the other end
through one of the bull’s-eyes on the topmast and the sheave-Hole; thence up through the opposite bull’s-eye,
and a block lashed at the mast-head, through the lubber’s-hole, as in Fig. 322, Plate 57, leading it to the deck,
and clapping on a pendant-tackle, or take the hawser to the capstan. With this purchase, sway the mast up and
down the lowermast.* Should the topmast prove too long, the head must be swayed up outside the top rim;
then open the deck-scuttle, and lower the mast, until clear of the top rim; sway it up, and point it through the
trestle-trees and round-hole of lower cap. The latter is sent up “before all,” with the girtlines, immediately after
rigging the lowermast, by bending them on through the round-hole, and stopping them along to the after-part,
Fig. 323, observing to keep the bolts uppermost, so that they do not come in contact with the top rim, &c., in
the cap’s passage aloft. When in the top, place it right side up over the square hole in the trestle-trees fair for
pointing the [Link] pass a stout strap through the fid-hole of the topmast, to which hook both the
pendant-tackles; take off the bull’s-eyes at the hounds and mast-head, unreeve the hawser, and prepare for
shipping the CAP, which is done as follows:
To Ship the Lower Cap, Fig. 324. The topmast being pointed through the round hole of the cap, slue the cap
as nearly fore and aft as the doublings of the mast will admit, with the square hole aft. Pass a secure lashing
through the cap eye-bolts and over the topmast-head, and give the lashing as much drift as possible, for which
purpose the head of the topmast should be several feet above the upper part of the cap. Now sway up on the
pendant tackles until clear of the tenon of the lower mast, then slue the cap around, as it hangs in the lashing,
until its square hole is fair with the tenon. If the lashing has not been given drift enough to permit of slueing
the cap fair, the topmast itself must be slued by means of a long heaver thrust in the fid-hole and worked by
guys from its ends. This ought not to be necessary. Send up the capshore (with a laniard attached, to secure it
aloft) and lower away, beating down the cap into place, and tacking over a piece of sheet-lead as a protection
from the weather.
To send up the Topmast Cross-Trees. Fig. 325, Plate 58. Cast off the lashings and sway the topmast-head a
few feet above the cap. Lash a couple of stout burton-blocks to the tenon, send the falls down abaft for the
cross-trees (placed on deck well abaft the mast). Secure the lower blocks to the after ends of the trestle-
* Supposing it to be the foremast.
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trees on the upper side, and stop the standing parts along the forward ends, in the same manner as that resorted
to in sending up the lower trestle-trees; having a guy from the mainmast-head (if the fore-topmast cross-trees),
to keep them clear of the top in going aloft. Sway up on the burtons, bear off, cut the stops as necessary, and
land them on the lower cap, where they should be securely lashed, having the forward part inclined upward,
with the chock resting against the topmast. Cast off the burtons, remove the blocks from the tenon or-if
girtlines are used to get the cross-trees aloft (as is sometimes done)-shift them at once to the after-horns, ready
for the rigging; lower away on the pendant-tackles, until the cross-trees come fair over the mast-head, cutting
them forward, or aft, as may be [Link] Rig Topmast. Now sway up on the pendant-tackles, and lodge
the cross-trees on the hounds of the topmast, prying up the after-end, and beating them down in their places.
Hook the top-blocks in the lower cap and reeve the top-pendants, by passing each pointed end through its
respective block, and sheave in the heel of the topmast, and clinching it to the eye-bolts, then hook the top-
tackles to straps on the other ends, and remove the fid-strap and pendant-tackles used in pointing the topmast.
Send up and place the composition funnel (square) over the topmast, its lower edge resting on the trestle-trees
and fitted with flanges to receive the bolsters, which are well protected with tarred parcelling. The gin-bar, if
not sent up with the cross-trees must now be placed. It consists of a stout flat bar of iron placed across the top-
mast and trestle-trees between the doublings of the mast, with links for the gin-blocks.
Send up next the burton pendants which shackle to bolts in the under side of the trestle-trees. Using girtlines
from each after-horn of the cross-trees, and an eye girtline from the topmast tenon, proceed to get up the
shrouds and stays in the following order, after the manner employed in getting up lower rigging, except
that two pair, starboard and port shrouds, come up together.
First. Starboard and port shrouds, in pairs.
Second. Backstays.
Third. Fore-and-aft-stays and jib-stay, in one, the latter uppermost.
The ends of these shrouds and stays are allowed to hang down outside the top in their proper directions, on
each side, forward, or aft as the case may be.
To Send up the Topmast Cap, Fig. 326. Shift the girtlines from the cross-trees to the topmast-head, lashing
the blocks below the tenon; send down the ends for the topmast-cap, which is sent up from forward with the
after-part uppermost, the ends of the girtlines hitched to

122
the forward eye-bolts, and stopped down toward the after-part of the cap, similar to the mode of sending up
lower trestle-trees. It is slipped into place on the tenon of the topmast-head by the men aloft, cutting the stops,
as [Link] topmast cap may be shipped, with the assistance of the topgallant-mast, in a similar way to
that followed in placing the lower cap, but the method given is much the easiest.
If the topmast is fidded, and topgallant-mast is not aloft, riggers frequently handle the topmast-cap as follows,
particularly in stripping ship. A suitable small spar (studding-sail yard) is pointed through the round hole of the
cap and the cap is securely lashed to the spar. The spar is controlled by two whips whose blocks are lashed to
the masthead below the cap. The whip ends secure to the spar, one near its heel and the other a little below the
cap and not in the same vertical plane as the first whip. By means of these whips the spar (and cap) can be
lifted and slued as required.
Reeve the topmast-stays through the bees in the bowsprit, turn them around the thimbles of their hearts and
clap luffs on them to steady the mast when fidding; reeve off also the laniards of the backstays, and tend the
stays and backstays while the mast is being swayed aloft by the top-tackles and fidded. The topmast being
fidded, reeve off the laniards of the topmast rigging and prepare to set up.
To Set up Topmast Rigging. Hook the lower blocks of a rigging luff to a strap on the laniard; tail the upper
block to the shroud six or eight feet above the upper dead-eye, hook the top burton into the end of the luff.
Having given the mast the proper stay, by means of the luffs on the topmast stays and backstays, set up the
shrouds in a manner similar to that adopted in the case of lower rigging. Stays, backstays, and shrouds should
all be first set up temporarily, and later for a full due, in the order named.
For light rigging a runner may be used instead of a rigging luff, in setting up, Fig. 316, the top-burton being
hooked in the thimble of the runner. Avoid the use of catspaws in the laniards, unless the ends are long enough
to admit of cutting off afterwards. The rigging being set up, lash on the sheer poles, secure the ends of the
laniards and come up the rackings on them. Lash on the futtock staffs below the eyes of the topmast rigging
and inside of the shrouds. These are of rod iron, well served and leathered in order not to chafe the topgallant
rigging which passes over them in its course to the top. Seize the forward catharpin legs on each side to the
forward shroud, and the after-ones abaft the mast to the after-shroud on the opposite side. The two catharpins
thus cross abaft the mast

123
and are seized together in the cross. General view of eyes of topmast rigging, Fig. [Link] ready to rattle
down, girt in, and proceed precisely as in rattling down lower rigging, but without omitting ratlines at any
shroud.
Sometimes, after the lower and topmasts are rigged, a tarpaulin coat, fitting snugly, is placed over the eyes of
the rigging, as a protection from weather. This answers very well, and if painted, does not detract from the neat
appearance of the mast-head.
Jib-Boom. Being in the stream, bring the boom alongside with the head forward, and reeve a spare piece of
rope (studding-sail halliards if at hand), through the sheave-holes in each end, a sufficient number of times,
and make it fast. Overhaul down the main pendant-tackle, and hook it into a cuckold’s neck formed in the
bight of the span, having the boom to hang slightly heel heavy. Sway it up, bearing it clear of the ship’s side –
ease it inboard, and land it in the gangway; unreeve the span, and carry the boom forward, pointing it through
the bowsprit-cap, and reeve the heel-rope, which is done as follows: Pass one end through a single block,
hooked to an eye-bolt on one side of the bowsprit-cap; thence through the sheave in the heel, and clinch it to
the other bolt, on the opposite side of the cap. Man the heel-rope, and rig the boom out, until the shoulders are
just forward of the bowsprit end.* Put on the band if not already on. This band is fitted with eyes on each side
and underneath for the jib-guys and martingale.
The foot-ropes are fitted with eyes in their outer ends which seize to the jib-guys close to the shackle on the
band. The foot-ropes are then stopped out to the guys, that on the starboard side for a sufficient distance to
keep it clear of the flying jib-boom. Turks-heads are worked on the foot-ropes at equal distances, to keep the
men from slipping on account of the inclination, or steeve, of the boom. The inner ends of the foot-ropes are
formed into eyes which are seized to the upper bolts in the bowsprit cap after the jib-boom has been rigged out.
Thus fitted, the foot-ropes should be long enough to allow the men who go on the boom to stand with the
lower parts of their breasts against it. Reeve the jibstay through the inner sheave-hole of the boom end. Sway
the dolphin-striker to its place by means of a tackle from the bowsprit cap and a whip from the jib-boom end
and hook it to its eye-bolt; shackle to it the lower end of the jib-martingale and the back-ropes. Fig. 333 shows
jib-boom end, and Plate 51 general view of head-booms with detail of whisker and dolphin striker. Place the
jib-guys
* In handling a large boom, it will be necessary to have a tackle from the fore-stay hooked to a strap on the
head of the boom, to raise and guide it through the cap.

124
over the whisker ends (see Whiskers) ship the wythe for the flying jib-boom; man the. heel-rope and rig out,
placing the heel in the saddle and clamping it. Unreeve the heel-rope, set up the jib-guys, when ready, and the
jib-martingale, the latter being set up by pulling on the back-ropes. Lastly, set up the [Link] jib-netting is
made of ratline stuff, with 6-inch meshes, and laces to the guys and whiskers.
Whiskers are swayed on board with a tackle from the forward swifter. A whisker is got into place ready for
rigging by means of a jigger from the fore-topmast stay, hooked to a strap about one-third the length of the
whisker from its outer end, and another jigger from the bowsprit cap to its inner end. When far enough out the
whisker is hooked to a bolt in the bees. When hooked, put on the jib guy, which is fitted with a neat eye to o
over the whisker end, and then the whisker jumper. This jumper goes over the whisker with an eye, and sets up
to the cutwater, or it may lead through a clump block on the cutwater to the ship’s head where it is set up.
When the flying-jib-boom has been placed and rigged, the flying-jib-guys are rove through a hole in the
whisker, or through a thimble strapped (with wire rope) to the whisker, outside of all, thimble on top. Jib and
flying-jib guys set up to the bows, or cathead, with three scored hearts.
The whisker being rigged, slack the stay jiggers, which serve as lifts, and haul on the jib-guys to bring the
whiskers athwartship. For detail of rigging on whisker, see Plate 51, Fig. 305, where standing part of forward
guy is omitted to avoid confusion.
Topgallant Masts. Get the topgallant-mast on board by means of the mast rope. Hook the topgallant top-block
to a bolt in the topmast cap, and reeve the mast rope first through the block, then through the thimble of a stout
lizard, the tail of which is hitched in the royal sheave-hole; lastly, through the sheave in the heel, and cast an
overhand knot in the end, or hitch it around the mast to its own part. When the topgallant mast is on board, and
up and down forward of the lower mast, secure it there temporarily by a lashing around the head from the
lower stay collar, passed clear of the mast rope; cast off the hitch in the end of the mast rope and carry the
standing part aloft, hitching it to a bolt in the topmast cap, on the side opposite to where the block is hooked.
Fig. 327. Set taut the mast rope, cast off the stop at the stay collar and sway the mast aloft, bending a tripping-
line to a bolt in the heel to guy the mast clear on its passage up. Point the head of the royal-mast and sway it up
three or four feet above the topmast cap, taking off the lizard, which is now of no further use. When the topsail
yard is in its place, the gate, a broad iron
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band across the forward part of the trestle-trees. hinged on one side, should be opened while the mast is being
swayed aloft to enable it to pass up. The gate is closed as soon as the heel has cleared the topsail yard, and the
swinging end secured with a [Link] Rigging, &c. Lash a stout girt-line block to the topmast cap on
each side, and send down the ends of the whips abaft all for the jack and funnel, fitted in one, Fig. 328. The
rim of the funnel is rounded off to prevent chafe. A grommet fitted on the funnel acts as a bolster for the
rigging. Land the funnel on the topmast cap, lash it temporarily, lower on the mast rope till the royal mast-head
is about flush with the cap; cast off the girtline and place the funnel. Sway up again on the mast rope and point
the royal mast-head well clear of the funnel. Then with the girtline from the cap, sway aloft and get over the
stays and rigging in the following order:
First, Fore-topgallant stay.
Second, Flying-jib stay.
Third, Shrouds.
Fourth, Back stays.
The eyes of this rigging are made to fit the funnel exactly. Fig. 330.
A clump-block seized between the topgallant shrouds, below the eye, is for the topgallant lift. Pass the ends of
the topgallant shrouds over the futtock staffs, and thence into the top, where they are to be set up with hearts.
Do not clamp these shrouds into the horns of the cross-trees until swayed aloft, as it gives just so much more
gear to overhaul. The mast can be steadied sufficiently, until fidded, by the fore and aft stay and back stays.
Take the back stays to the channels, and reeve the fore and aft stay through its sheave in the jib-boom.
Royal Rigging. Send up by means of the girt-line at the topmast cap the royal band, with the rigging fitted
upon it as described in the previous chapter. Place the band on the mast-head, Fig. 329, reeve the royal shrouds
through the arms of the jack to the top, take the back stays to the channels and the fore and aft stay through its
sheave in the flying-jib-boom, when the latter is ready for rigging out.
A small clump-block for the royal lift is seized in between the shroud and back stay, below the band.
Place the truck, with signal halliards rove and spindle and lightning conductor (copper wire) attached, man the
mast rope and sway up the mast, overhauling well the royal shrouds, &c. When the mast is fidded and the
flying-jib-boom is rigged out and clamped (see below), set up the stays, back stays and shrouds with jiggers,
not forgetting to clamp the topgallant shrouds in the horns of the cross-trees before setting up.

126
The Fore-Topgallant Stay reeves through the outer sheave in the jib-boom, the fore-royal through the hole in
the flying-jib-boom, outside the sheave for the flying-jib [Link] Jib and Flying-Jib Stay reeve through the
inner sheaves or holes in their respective booms.
The Main Topgallant Stay reeves through a hole in the after-part of the fore-cap, setting up in the fore-top.
During continued exercises in sending up and down topgallant-masts this stay is frequently led down to the
deck, abaft the fore-mast.
The Main Royal Stay reeves now through the after chock of the fore-topmast cross-trees, so that if the
foretopgallant-mast goes the main royal-mast is not in danger. In sending up topgallant-masts the main can be
stayed without waiting for the fore. Sets up in the fore-top.
The Mizzen Topgallant Stay reeves over a small roller in the after-part of the main-cap. Sets up in the main-
top.
The Mizzen Royal Stay leads through a sheave in the after chock of the main-topmast trestle-trees, and down
into the main-top.
All these stays set up with hearts and laniards.
Flying-Jib-boom. Figs. 304 and 332. Sway it on board with a span, as directed for the jib-boom, and rest it on
the head-rail ready for going out. Hang the heel by a slip rope from the fore-topmast stays, reeve off the heel
rope through a block secured to the jib-guy, through the sheave in the heel of the boom, securing the end to the
neck of the wythe. Pull out on the heel rope and point the end of the flying-jib-boom through the wythe, with
the shoulders clear of the jib-boom end. Put on the head of the flying-jib-boom, the band (of iron) fitted with
eyes for the flying-jib guys on each side, and one eye underneath for the flying martingale. Reeve the end of
the flying martingale through a sheave in the end of the dolphin striker, and the guys through the holes (or
thimbles) at the whisker-boom ends. Reeve also the flying-jib and fore-royal stays in their respective sheaves,
and under the cleats on the dolphin striker. Seize the foot ropes to the shackles for the flying-jib guys, stopping
them out a short distance to the guys, and seize the inner ends (when the boom is rigged out) to the jib guys.
Rig out, taking off the slip rope from the fore-topmast stays, clamp the heel to the side of the cap, unreeve the
heel rope. Set up the flying-jib martingale, then the fore and aft stays, lastly the royal back stays, shrouds, and
flying-jib guys.
Observe that in staying all masts the stay is usually set up first and then the back-stays, if any, and lastly, the
shrouds.
Topsail Yards. Having towed the yard off to the ship, say on the port side with the starboard yard-arm
 127
forward, lash a large single block at the topmast-head, into a strap sufficiently long to permit it to hang clear of
the trestle-trees. Through this reeve a hawser down (outside of all), and bend it on to the slings of the yard,
either stopping it to the forward (in this case starboard) quarter, with stout lashings, or use a lizard, and secure
the ship’s side from chafe by fenders and skids. Hook the port pendant tackle also to a strap on the after-
quarter, and man it and the hawser (taken to the capstan), swaying the yard on board, which must be kept from
canting aft against the mast by means of a purchase or guy leading from forward. Ease the lizard (or stops) as
necessary, sway on the pendant tackle until clear of the ship’s side, and lower away, landing the yard as you
had it alongside (viz., with the starboard yard-arm forward), in the port gangway, on chocks, which should also
be placed underneath the inner quarters, to keep the yard from becoming bowed in the slings through its own
weight. Now cast off the hawser and tackle and prepare for [Link] is customary to place the fore-topsail-
yard in the port gangway for rigging, and the main-topsail-yard in the starboard.
For detail of slings see Fig. 336, of yard-arm, 339.
Quarter Blocks are iron-strapped, with friction-rollers, shackled to bands on the quarters of the yard,
underneath. In case of accident compelling the use of a rope strap, it should be single with lashing eyes. There
should be separate bands and blocks for the clewlines, as shown in Fig. 336. If not, the quarter block is either
double for the topgallant sheet and topsail clewline, or treble, if the topsail reef tackle leads under the yard.
Burton Straps. Iron bands a few feet inside of the yard-arms, with an eye in the upper part to which the top
burton may be hooked.
Bolt for Bead-Earing, Fig. 372, Plate 71. A bolt on the forward side of the yard, just inside the shoulder and
well up on the yard; or it may be an eye in the shoulder band.
Backer for Head-Earing, Fig. 372, Plate 71, is a broad piece of sennit nailed around the yard, inside and.
clear of the topgallant sheet, and fitted with a thimble in its hanging end. The head of the topsail is
hauled out by the turns of the head-earing taken through the bolt and held up on the yard by the turns taken
through the backer, as will be described more fully under BENDING SAILS. For backer, see Fig. 372.
Jack Stays for bending are of rod iron, those for reefing, on the topsail yard, may be of wire rope, rove
through staples abaft the bending jack-stay on the upper part of the yard, outer ends going over the yard-arm
with eyes, the inner ends set up to each other in the slings by

128
means of small eye-lashings. A rod iron jack-stay often replaces it. Fig. [Link] Rope. These are of hemp,
fitted with an eye going over the yard-arm. They are wormed and the splice served. The neck of the splice lies
a little abaft the top of the yard, so as to be clear of the topgallant sheets. Foot-ropes are fitted rove through the
stirrups, and the ends taken abaft the mast (when the yard is crossed), and secured to the opposite quarters on
top, by means of an eye-lashing passed over the yard, round on the forward side, underneath, up, and back
through the eye again, a sufficient number of times; after which two half hitches are taken around all parts to
secure the end. This plan of fitting them is recommended, on account of the facility with which the men can
get on and off the yard.
Instead of the eye the outer ends of foot-ropes may be fitted with hooks connecting to an eye-bolt on the after-
side of the shoulder-band, or else as described under FLEMISH HORSES. Inner ends of foot-ropes omitted in
Fig. 336 to avoid confusion.
Stirrups are fitted with an eye in the lower end (no thimble), through which the foot-rope reeves and to which
it is seized. The upper ends, fitted with small eyes, are seized to the jack-stay staples.
Flemish Horses. These are spliced around a thimble on the pacific iron for that purpose, and the eye in the
other end secured on top of the yard to the jack-stay, the length of the yardarm inside of the sheave hole, with a
rose-seizing. These are foot-ropes for the yard-arm men when reefing, &c. It would be better, as is already
done on some modern ships, to do away with the flemish horses by carrying out the foot-rope to the pacific
iron, fitting the necessary extra stirrups.*
Tye Blocks are iron-strapped and connected by a bolt to a band around the slings of the yard; or, in case of two
tyes, the tye-blocks shackle to bands fitted at the slings, at a distance apart equal to the diameter of the topmast.
The bands are joined by a span, which is used for the purchase to hook in when sending the yard up and down.
In case of an accident to the straps of tye-blocks, requiring them to be fitted with rope-straps, it is well to
remember that two single straps are needed to make the block stand fair on the yard.
Parrel. A parrel fitted of wire rope is commonly used. This consists of a long and a short leg, leathered singly,
marled together, and again leathered in the wake of
* The flemish horse was introduced when lifts and brace-block straps went over the yard-arm with eyes, and it
enabled these to be removed or put on without coming up anything but the inboard lashing of the flemish
horse. Now that all this gear is differently fitted, a separate outboard foot-rope is superfluous, and is going out
of use.

129
the mast, Fig. 336. Eyes are spliced into the ends of the two legs, and stout quarter seizings placed on both
close to the eyes of the short leg. The long leg then passes around the quarter of the yard, half the diameter of
the topmast from the centre, and secures to the short one by a rose-seizing on the upper after side. When the
yard is crossed the remaining leg is passed on the opposite side and secured in the same manner. There are
additional seizings through holes in the jaws to keep the parrel in place. In time these parrels will probably be
replaced by an iron cylinder, sliding up and down the topmast, to which the topsail yard is secured by a truss
similar to the one on the lower yard. This cylinder, or tub, keeps the yard well trussed to, and its lower edge is
low enough to keep the yard off the [Link] Blocks. Iron-strapped, with friction-rollers, and shackle to the
after-bolts in the shoulder-band, block sheave standing up and down. In case of accident to the strap or bolt,
use a grommet strap around the yard, single strap around the block, the two straps connected by lock thimbles.
Lifts are four-stranded, hemp, and blacked. Hook to the shoulder-band, reeve through lower sheave of a sister
block seized in between the swifter and next shroud in the topmast rigging, just below the eyes, thence to the
top, where they turn up through clump blocks. Set up with jiggers.
Jewel Blocks. Single, rope or iron-strapped, hook to the pacific iron with sister hooks. Not put in place until
the studding sail gear is rove off.
Tyes. Flexible wire rope. The lower end has a thimble spliced in, to which hooks the fly-block. Passing
through the mast-head gin-blocks, they reeve through the tye-block on the yard from out, in, thence up through
the topmast trestle-trees, and made fast around the mast-head. The heel of the topgallant-mast is scored out on
purpose to admit the tye.
Small ships have a single tye only, which in this case reeves through a sheave in the topmast, in stead of a gin-
block. Bell’s purchase (see TOPSAIL HALLIARDS) is used in connection with such tyes.
The length of the tyes should be such that the fly-blocks will be square with the lower cap when the yard is
down.
See that the yard is fitted with boom irons, reefing cleats, saddles (inboard from sheave holes) for topgallant
sheets, &c., and prepare for sending it aloft.*
Hook a stout double purchase from the topmast-head to the tye-band (or a strap) in the slings of the yard, Fig.
335.
* It may be noted here that the iron work, bands, &c., described in connection with the yard fittings are all in
place, as a rule, before the yard is sent on board, and are enumerated only to complete the list of the fittings. In
former times nearly all of the above described fittings were of rope.
9

130
Coil the lifts on the quarters of the yard (stopping them to, the jack-stays), and reeve marrying-lines for the
braces, observing to dip the starboard (or upper) one over the lower stay. Overhaul the top-burtons from aloft,
and hook them to the yard-arms; as also a fore-and-aft tackle to the slings to keep the yard from chafing
against the mast, as it goes [Link] the purchase and walk away, taking through the slack of the starboard-
burton, keeping control of the port (or lower) yard-arm, and placing a mat under it to prevent injury to the
deck. As soon as the upper yard-arm is well up and clear of the lower stay, commence crossing by keeping to
the slack of the fore-and-aft tackle, hauling on the lower burton and starboard brace. Reeve the lifts through the
sister-blocks, and as the yard rises above the lower cap, square it; bring to and pass the parrel. Reeve the tyes,
hook the fly-block with the halliards rove, and take the strain from the burtons and purchase, which may now
be unhooked, and the latter sent down, together with the fore-and-aft tackle. Observe, lastly, to place a block of
wood between the slings and lower cap, to keep the yard from bowing, in case the halliards should be slacked
or let go; or, as sometimes practised in large ships, have a midship-lift fitted, of such a length as not to permit
the yard to touch the cap.
N.B.-This routine supposes the yard to be lying in the port gangway, with the starboard yard-armforward.
Lower Yards. Of the many methods suggested for getting a lower yard on board, the following may be
selected as the safest and most seamanlike:
The yard is towed alongside, on the starboard side, with the port end forward. Top up the fish-boom, Fig. 337,
by its topping lift T, the upper block being hooked at the futtock band. Swing the boom around to the starboard
side with the usual forward and after guys. (For description of fish-davit, see GROUND TACKLE.) Should
there be no sheave in the boom, as at A, lash a block at that point. Lash together two large single blocks, as at
B and C. Reeve a pendant through A and B, securing the outboard end to the head of the boom, and take a turn
with the other end of the pendant at the sheet bitts.
Through the block C reeve a hawser, make fast to the bight above C the lower block of a treble purchase from
the topmast-head. The other end of the hawser is secured at the slings of the yard, and stopped along the port
yard-arm to the pacific iron, with rope stops.
Protect the hammock rail where the yard is to be landed by blocking up in the netting above the level of the
rail.
When ready, tow the after (starboard) yard-arm out from the ship, keep it end on to the vessel with a guy from
forward. Walk away with the treble purchase, and as the
 131
yard comes over the rail, cast off the stops in succession; the pendant easing the yard in to the mast. Use, in
addition, a fore-and-aft tackle, and thwartship jiggers to assist in placing the yard across the nettings.*Sling-
bands. These are two stout iron bands going around the yard, each side of and near the centre, and connected
by an iron span, to which the slings are attached by means of the slip-hook, or “pelican” hook. Plate 36.
There may be two additional bands, one en each side, for preventer slings, or for the jeer-blocks, if the latter
shackle to the yard instead of lashing.
The Chain-slings are sent aloft by one of the top-burtons, and fit over the lower cap in a saddle for the
purpose, or they may be fitted with two shackles that secure to the eyes of a crescent, bolted over the cap.
A back-lashing abaft the mast, about one-third the doublings from the mast-head, keeps the strain on the slings
in a vertical direction. Plate 36.
Truss-bands. Iron bands, outside the sling-bands, to which the arms of the truss are secured. sling-bands, also
Fig. 338.
Backer and Staple for Head-earing. There is usually an eye in the shoulder-band for the head-earing. In its
absence, a grommet strap of small rope is put on the yard-arm first, with a thimble seized in on top. Backer of
rope plaited, fitted similar to the one on topsail yard.
Lifts, are four-stranded, hemp, blacked. In large ships they are rove as luffs, with the double block at the cap,
and single block hooking to the shoulder-band. The standing part hooks to the breech of the yard-arm block, or
to a bolt on the shoulder-band. In smaller vessels the lift is a gun-tackle purchase, the standing part hooking to
the breech of the upper block. Lower lift blocks at the cap are of iron, the fore usually has additional sheaves
(the after ones) for the lower boom topping lift.
The end of the lift on deck is turned up around a thimble, into which a double (or lighter) purchase is hooked.
Brace-blocks. Iron strapped, with friction-rollers, hook to shoulder-band, sheave up and down.
Quarter-Blocks for the topsail-sheets, are iron-strapped and shackle to the band, underneath the yard,
* For the main yard the fish-boom is taken aft and the heel secured in one of the jeer bolts forward of the mast.
In the case from which this description is taken, the main-yard of the “Colorado” was the spar handled. There
were no precautions necessary, except as above stated in protecting the netting. The ship was in port, at Hong
Kong, the waistboats remained hoisted, and the gangway ladder shipped. The spar, 110 feet long and weighing
nearly 10 tons, was landed on board inside of 20 minutes. Treble purchase 6-inch fall,; hawser 10-inch,
pendant 4 1/2-inch hemp, stops on the yard and hawser 2 1/2-inch manilla. In the absence of the fish-boom,
use any suitable spar as an outrigger.

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Plate 36. In case of accident to the strap or bolt, seize the quarter-block into a doubled grommet-strap with a
round seizing, the bights being secured to the yard on top by a [Link]-Garnet-Blocks, Plate 36, are
iron-strapped with friction-rollers, and hook to a band around the yard, being forward and inside of the
quarter-blocks. They should be fitted with a link or swivel. In case of accident requiring them to be rope-
strapped, use single strap with lashing eyes, the latter seized together on top of the yard.
Quarter-Irons, Fig. 347 b, for the topmast-studding-sail-booms, are screwed to iron bands on the yard about
two-thirds out, and are fitted to clamp and unclamp around the boom.
Boom Irons for the same spars are keyed to the ends of the pacific-irons, and fitted with a roller in the lower
part. Fig. 334, also Fig. 347.
Burton Straps. Iron bands with eyes at top, fitted to the yard inside the sheave for topsail sheets.
Jackstays, both for bending and reefing, are of iron, the former with staples, the latter passing through eye-
bolts on the yard above the bending jack-stay.
Foot Ropes. Fitted similar to those on the topsail yard; the outer end hooks to the shoulder-band, Fig. 334. The
foot-ropes cross forward of the mast, each inner end secured to the opposite arm of the truss and seized to the
arm on its own side. The two foot-ropes are seized together where they cross.
The necessary cleats, &c., having been attached to the yard, it is sent aloft by the jeers; should these not be
available, use two pendant-tackles. In either case, hook both top-burtons to the burton-straps on the yard, and
reeve and man the braces and lifts-the latter rove single until the yard is aloft. Keep the yard clear of the mast
by a fore-and-aft tackle.
The jeers are two double (better treble) purchases, the upper blocks in small vessels being secured permanently
to the chain slings aloft. (See JEER BLOCKS).
The lower blocks lash around the yard on either side of the slings; the upper blocks hang by long lashings or
chain slings from the lower cap, over the forward part of the top rim.
Sway aloft, keeping control of the fore-and-aft tackle; when high enough key the truss, hook the slings, square
the yard by the lifts and braces, unhook the jeers, bur-tons, &c.
The cross-jack yard differs somewhat in its fittings from the fore and main, as no sail is set upon it. The braces
hook to a band well inside the shoulders, so that the brace (which leads forward) may clear the main topmast
back-stays.
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The cross-jack yard is got on board by a purchase from the topmast head, and swayed aloft by the same
purchase and the [Link] lower yard is sometimes taken first in order, in rigging ship, but by sending the
topsail-yards up first, time may be saved.
Topgallant-Yards. The yard being alongside, sway it on board with the yard-rope, rove through the sheave-
hole in the topgallant-masthead, hooking it to the slings, and stopping it down to the forward yard-arm.
The fittings are as follows, Figs. 340 and 341:
Slings. An iron band around the center of the yard, with a link for the hooks on the yard-rope.
Parrel. A grommet on each side of the slings fits around the yard and the jaws, a score being cut in the latter.
Both grommets are leathered, and are seized to form eyes abaft, abreast the opening of the jaws. A third
grommet strap, also leathered, is seized to one of the eyes, and, when the yard is crossed, passes around the
mast, and lashes to the other eye. In port, exercising, a single lashing is substituted for the third grommet-strap.
Instead of the first two grommets there might be eyes in the jaws, but these foul in sending the yard up and
down, and are liable to get knocked out.
If the topgallant-yard is not provided with jaws the parrel is formed as above, or with a long and short
grommet. The larger strap is long enough to go around the yard and meet the short one, being secured by a
lashing of small stuff. Both straps leathered.
Quarter Blocks. These are double, iron-strapped, friction-rollers, and hook to a band on the yard.
Strap for the Lizard. A grommet strap slipped over the yard with a thimble seized in the bight, on top of the
yard, the strap itself being a few feet from the slings, and called a quarter-strap. To prevent slipping this
quarter-strap should be seized to the jackstay.
Backer and Cringle for Head-earing. Backer same as on top-sail yard. Instead of a head-earing staple, there
is a small cringle worked into the eye of the foot-rope, clear of the royal sheet. Figs. 341, b.
Foot-Ropes, Fig. 341. Fitted with eyes to go over the yard-arms. At sea the inner ends generally cross abaft the
mast (preventer parrel) and in port they cross forward of the mast. These inner ends are variously secured.
They may be fitted with an eye, lashing to the yard with a flat-seizing, eye abaft and on top of the yard. Or, for
convenience in shifting, these ends of the foot-ropes may be fitted, as in Fig. 340, with sister hooks to connect
with the thimble of a strap on the quarters of the yard. Or, finally, if the neck of the eye-bolt for the quarter-
block is long enough, the ends may hook there.

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Bending Jack Stay, of iron. There is no reefing [Link], Fig. 341 a. Single, with a round eye, the splice
of which is served. The eye goes over the yard-arm when swayed up for crossing. The lift is cut long enough to
reach the top after reeving through the bull’s-eye or clump-block between the topgallant shrouds. It is marled
to the eye of the brace, so that both lift and brace go on and off together, the double eye being leathered.
The lift and brace may have their ends secured to eyes projecting from an iron ring which is leathered and goes
over the yard-arm.
Braces. Fitted with an eye in the end, marled to the lift, or hooked into the iron ring above described. It may be
single or a whip and pendant.
Snorters, Fig. 341 a, are in length a little less than half the yard, the outer end spliced into the thimble of an
eye-bolt at the yard-arm; the inner end has an eye for the tripping-line, and is secured by a stop to the slings
when not in use.
To Cross a Topgallant Yard, Fig. 342. The yard rope, having a lizard attached (overhauled down forward, and
outside of all), is rove through a good-sized grommet passed over the upper yard-arm and hooked to the link in
the sling-band, the lizard being rove through the upper quarter-strap thimble, and hitched to the one on the
opposite quarter. Take the eye of the lower lift and brace in the topmast rigging, and that of the upper one to
the opposite side of the topmast cap, and sway aloft. When the upper yard-arm rises within reach of the man on
the topmast cap, take off the grommet, slip on the lifts and braces over the snorters, gathering up the slack of
the lower one, and sway away until the slings of the yard are well above the topmast cap, take through the
slack of the lower lift, then take a turn of the parrel-lashing abaft the mast, through the eye in the opposite
strap, tend the lifts and braces, slack up the lizard, and “sway across,” squaring the yard, and passing the parrel
for a full due.
NOTE.-The outer ends of snorters are generally plaited like sennit, that they may lie flat, and permit the eye of
the lift and brace to fit over snugly.
Royal Yards. The routine of rigging and crossing is precisely similar to that of the topgallant yards; the
differences being that the quarter-blocks are single, there are no backers, and the foot-ropes never cross abaft
the mast.
In many ships small hand grommets are worked around the jack-stays for the men to hold on by when at sea.
 135
TRYSAIL-MASTS, GAFFS AND BOOMS.
These spars are usually swayed on board by means of the fore or main yard and stay tackles; purchases most
frequently in use, and convenient at this stage of the equipment.
Trysail-Masts. The trysail-mast is shipped by means of a tackle hooked to a strap above the futtock-band, the
head being pointed through a hole in the after-chock, and the heel (over which the hoops are passed) stepped in
a socket or mortise, on the fife-rail, or on the deck. After which, the head is secured by a lashing through a B-
cleat underneath the top, or with iron keys; copper having been put on in the wake of the gaff.
The spanker-mast may be fitted with an iron spindle m the heel, stepping into the heel-strap of the spanker-
boom.
Gaffs. Figs. 343 and 344. The plan at present generally adopted in the service for trysail and spanker gaffs is to
fit them with jaws and in connection with a trysail-mast, there being hoops on the gaff and trysail-mast for
bending the sail. Gaffs may be seen in some vessels secured directly to the lower mast by means of eye-bolts
within each other, like lock thimbles. Another plan is to have a scored batten secured on the after side of the
mast in place of a trysail-mast, with metal slides furnished with bending loops sliding up and down in the
groove of the batten. In this case the gaff attaches to a sliding chock, which also moves up and down in the
score of the batten, “railway fashion,” as it is termed.
The ordinary gaff first described may be fitted with a permanent span of wire rope or chain, from the shoulder
band to the after part of the cap, and a similar throat pendant shackling to the upper part of the gaff between the
jaws and to a bolt under the top; or, the span and throat pendant may be replaced by peak and throat halliards,
sometimes rove in one, as described under running rigging. The blocks for these halliards are iron-strapped.
Vangs are fitted with a pendant that hooks into a band on the shoulder of the gaff.
The vang pendants having been hooked, the gaff is sent aloft by means of its halliards, or by a top burton
hooked into a strap around the peak pendant and another tackle from under the top, shackling the pendants as
soon as the gaff is aloft, and passing the jaw rope or parrel.
In view of the frequent use of trysail gaffs as derricks in raising weights through the hatches which they plumb,
the gaffs and their fittings should be as substantial as possible.
A very important part of the fitting of a gaff is the saddle (a), Fig. 344, Plate 64. This consists of a block of
wood, which bolts in between the jaws and is hollowed out

136
to fit the mast. It facilitates the hoisting of the gaff, for at whatever angle it may be, the same smooth surface of
the saddle is presented to the [Link] are particularly useful in small vessels where the gaff is frequently
lowered and hoisted.
The spanker-gaff should always be fitted with throat and peak halliards to hoist and lower, as necessary; for
otherwise it would be almost impossible to reef the sail. In brigantines and schooners it is not unfrequently the
case that eye-bolts are attached to each side of the jaws, for preventer lashings in heavy weather; and a single
block (grommet-strapped) is put over the gaff end for a down-haul; vangs being dispensed with as useless, on
account of the sharp angle at which they act, in consequence of the height of the gaff.
Booms. That for the spanker is neatest if shipped with a goose-neck to an eye-bolt on the mizzen-mast, Fig.
345, and fitted with an iron band over the boom-end for the topping-lift and the guys, both of which connect to
it with sister hooks. The sheet-blocks are best if strapped with rope-grommets, on account of the jerks and
checks in jibbing, which render eye-bolts liable to snap and break at the neck. These blocks are fitted with clip-
hooks if the eye is up and down. The foot-ropes hook into a band on the boom end, and seize to eyes on the
sheet band. Fig. 346.
The topping-lifts (one on each side) are usually fitted with sister hooks in the end and hook to an iron band,
about one-fifth of the extreme length of the boom from the outer end; while the running parts reeve through
blocks at each side of the mizzen tressle-trees, and thence to the deck, where gun-tackle purchases are
attached. In men-of-war of the smaller class, and in the merchant service, the topping-lift is not unfrequently
single, and rove through the gaff-end, and a roller in the after-part of the mizzen-topmast tressle-trees; the end
is turned up around a thimble into which a jigger is hooked.
On the main-boom of brigantines and schooners the topping-lift is usually fitted with the standing part secured
at the mainmast-head by hooking in an eye-bolt of the wythe; while the lower end is spliced around a double
block, in which a fall is rove, leading through a single one, and a sheave in the boom. In this class of vessels
the clew of the sail shackles to a band around the boom. A heavy strap (which is cleated forward), with
thimbles at each side, is put around the boom at the sheet-block for the boom-tackle pendant, which is fitted
with a hook in the after-end and a thimble in the forward, and is used only in going large.
The boom is got in its place by means of the throat-halliards and topping-lift, assisted by guys and thwartship
tackles, as requisite.
Studding-Sail Booms. That for the lower
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studding-sail is fitted with an iron goose-neck and key, which connects to a bolt in the forward part of the fore-
channels, and is shipped either by means of the fore and main yard-tackles, or with tackles on the fore topmast
back-stay and forward swifter of the fore-rigging. On the outer end, about two-thirds from the goose-neck, an
iron band is fitted on the boom, having eye-bolts on the forward, upper, and after sides, for the topping-lift and
the guy-blocks; mooring pendants with large thimbles in the lower ends for the boats, and a Jacob’s ladder are
hooked, when in port, to the boom. The eyes for the pendants are underneath the boom, and those for the
Jacob’s ladder are on the upper after [Link] topping-lift is of hemp, it hooks to the upper eyebolt in the band
on the boom, reeves through a metal block hooked to an eye in the bolt which shackles the fore brace-block to
the yard, thence through a block at the lower cap, usually the after sheave of the lift-block. The inboard end of
the topping-lift is turned up around a thimble, into which a purchase is hooked.
The guy-blocks are iron-strapped and hook to the band.
When the boom is rigged out in port a life-line is seized to the topping-lift, about breast-high from the boom,
with its inner end secured inboard in the chains, in line with the boom.
When the boom is not in use it is hauled alongside by the after-guy, and rests in cranes, shipped for the purpose
in the waist, the topping-lift being unhooked and triced up out of the way.
The lower boom is so called at sea, and is known as the swinging-boom in port.
Topmast Studding-Sail Booms. Round, spruce, or yellow pine spars, unpainted excepting their projecting
ends. The outer end is fitted with a permanent tack block, swivelled upon it, Fig. 347, and in line with the axis
of the boom, or else there is an iron pin driven through the boom vertically, near its outer end, Fig. 348.
The inner end, or heel, has a deep score for a heel-lashing when the boom is rigged out. Outside of this score
there are two holes bored in the boom, one up and down, and one fore and aft, Fig. 347. A grommet strap is
worked through each hole, one having a thimble for the in-and-out jigger, and the other a thimble for the
tricing-line.
The inner strap is fitted through the hole bored fore and aft, in line with the score. It is used for the boom
tricing-line. Splice a heel-rope around the neck of this inner strap.
Unclamp the quarter iron, Fig. 347 b, on the yard, and prepare for sending the boom aloft.
Carry out a whip on the fore-yard, secure it well up on the fore-lift. Hook a clew-jigger from the lower cap to
one of the grommets on the heel of the boom; the whip from the fore-yard is hitched to the boom far enough
out to clear

138
the quarter-iron, using the heel-lashing for a back-lashing. Have a guy from forward, sway away on whip and
clew-jigger, keeping the outer end uppermost. Land the boom on the quarter-iron. Now sway up on the heel
and point the boom fair through the boom-iron. The blocks for the lower studding-sail halliards and topmast
studding-sail tack, when placed, go over with straps fitted to go neatly around the boom-end, and are kept from
slipping in by the iron pin above referred [Link] the tack-block is a permanent one, with a swivel, the
halliard-block hooks with sister-hooks to the neck of the swivel for the tack.
The above blocks are taken off in port, except the swivelling tack-block, which, when fitted, is a fixture.
Clamp the quarter-irons, hook the boom tricing-line, rig out to the square mark and take off the clew jigger and
whip. Lastly, seize a hook horizontally on the yard, just inside the burton strap, with the point outboard, for the
purpose of securing the boom, when setting the sail,* and shift the in-and-out jigger ready for use.
Top-gallant Studding-sail Booms, Fig. 349, are rigged nearly in the same manner, but have no halliard-block
at the outer end, and the tricing-line goes directly through the inner hole in the boom (no grommet), with a
Mathew Walker knot in the end. There is no quarter-iron; instead, a quarter-strap of rope may be fitted. This
forms a figure eight around the yard and boom, seized where it crosses on the yard. One end is split to form
two eyes. The other end has one eye (all eyes leathered), and the two ends are held together, when the boom is
rigged out, by a toggle. The toggle is taken out as soon as the boom is rigged in, to be ready for tricing up. Fig.
350.
Instead of the rope quarter-strap, some ships use a rope jackstay, seized to the eye of the topsail lift, and set up
to its opposite in the slings of the yard. In this case a becket is fitted in the heel of the boom, which toggles to a
travelling bull’s-eye on the jackstay.
The tricing-line leads from the top up through a single block seized to the forward swifter of the topmast
rigging, close up to the eyes, thence down to the boom, where it is rove through a single block, and is then
secured to the heel of the boom. When it is required to rig the boom out, the tricing-line is converted into an in-
and-out jigger, thus:- The tricing-line is let go in the top, and the single block, through which it passes at the
heel of the boom, is taken out on the yard, taking out the bight of the tricing-line with it, and hooks to a
thimble on the yard.
The boom, when required for setting the sail, is secured
* The heel-lashing is passed over the hook, and back through the score in the boom, and two half-hitches taken
with the end around all parts.

139
by means of a lashing passed over a hook on the yard, like that for the topmast studding-sail boom, already
[Link] booms on the topsail-yard are usually sent up by the halliards, rove through a block, secured to
the forward-swifter of the topmast rigging, the boom being slung in a span.
RUNNING RIGGING.
Besides enabling us to measure for and cut standing rigging, a fore-and-aft draft of the ship gives the length of
all running rigging. To measure for main-topsail clew-lines, for example, supposing them to be double, take
twice the distance from the clew of the main-topsail, Fig. 284, Plate 43, to the quarter-block on the topsail-
yard, to which add the distance thence to the deck, plus end enough to lead out; double this to get the other
clew-line and divide by six to reduce it to fathoms, and so for any other rope. One half of each upper yard
should be represented as on the cap, in order to measure for lifts, &c.
When a rope leads direct and is not exposed to unnecessary friction, it is said to have a clear or afair lead, an
extremely desirable condition, and one too frequently neglected.
Rope supplied in coil has had turns hove in it in the coiling. To get these turns out, the rope must be “thorough-
footed.” To do this, if the rope is right-handed, lay the coil flat, with that end inside which goes around “with
the sun” (to the right), now haul that end up through the coil and. coil it down, left-handed. Then dip the new
upper end down through and coil again left-handed, and repeat a third time. The rope is then stretched, and the
gear cut and rove off. First in importance may be mentioned:
BRACES.
Fore-Braces, Fig. 351. Hemp, left-handed, standing part of wire to extend forward of smoke-stack. Standing
part hooks to eye-bolts in the bibbs or to the neck of the brace-block bolt at the bibbs, as in Fig. 351b, thence
through blocks on the yard from up, down, back through other blocks on the outside of bibbs and down to
sheaves in the fife-rail (usually from aft, forward).
Main-Braces. Standing part hooked into the bumpkins aft, or into an eye in the breech of the block, then
through brace-blocks from down, up, back to others on the bumpkin (inside the standing parts) and through
sheaves or leaders in the bulwarks.
On board large ships where there is much drift to the

140
main-brace, it will be found very convenient to fit the standing part with a jigger, thus: Into the end of the
brace splice a single block, and to the eye in the strap of the brace-block on the bumpkin, hook the double
block of a jigger. Reeve the fall, the hauling part leading in through the bulwarks with the hauling part of the
main-brace. After hauling the main-brace moderately taut in the usual way, a few hands on the jigger fall on
the standing part will get the brace as taut as desirable.* Fig. [Link] is usual to have a permanent timenoguy**
leading from the mizzen rigging to the main-brace, the object being to keep the bight of the brace from fouling
the quarter-davits while working ship.
The same has been found needful on board very long ships in the main rigging to avoid fouling the waist
davits.
The timenoguy is seized to the standing part of the brace, the hauling part reeving through a thimble.
Cross-jack Braces. The standing parts hooked into the strap of a double block*** hooked to an eye-bolt on
each side of the mainmast, in a line with the yard****-thence to the brace-blocks fromdown, up, and back to
the inner sheaves of those on the mainmast.
Fore-topsail Braces. Standing parts fitted with eye-splices lashed together abaft the main topmast-head, laid
along in the doublings of the collar of the main topmast-stay, and stopped down on each side to and below the
crotch, to avoid chafe from the foot of the sail and brace blocks; thence forward and down through the brace-
blocks to clump-blocks, seized to the main-stay, Fig. 351, at the fork. Thence through blocks at the bibbs to the
main fife-rail. Lead there through sheaves, usually from forward, aft.
Main-topsail Braces. Standing part hooks to an iron traveller, which moves up and down the mizzen topmast
to shift the strain lower down as it becomes greater (if the mizzen-topsail is reefed or taken in), thence to the
yard and down to hanging blocks on the mizzen-mast, about half way between the top and the deck.
Mizzen-topsail Braces. The standing parts hook to the strap of a block at each side of the main cap; thence to
the yard from down, up, back to the blocks, and so down through the lubber’s-hole to the deck.
All the above braces are of hemp, left-handed.
Fore-top-gallant Braces are usually rove single, the standing parts going over the yard-arms with
* The same principle may he variously applied, as to a main-tack, the sheet of a schooner’s lug foresail, &c.
** A timenoguy is any piece of rope placed to prevent rigging from chafing or fouling.
*** The outer sheave is for the mizzen top-bowline.
**** Otherwise, the angular action of the brace would cant the yard either up or down, and consequently slack
one or the other of the mizzen-topsail leeches.
 141
the lifts, thence through span-blocks on the main-topmast-stay collar, and others, under the eyes of the topmast
rigging-whips (the standing parts of which are secured to the deck) being attached to the ends, in large ships.
The whip-blocks should be iron bound with swivel-eyes. Brace of hemp, whip [Link]-top-gallant
Braces. Vide preceding, and substitute mizzen for “main.” Brace hemp, whip manilla.
Mizzen-top-gallant Braces. Through small blocks, underneath the main-topmast cross-trees, or seized to the
main-topmast backstays. Brace single, manilla rope.
Fore-royal Braces are single (without whips), and rove like the top-gallant braces, except that they are taken
to the main-top-gallant mast-head. The blocks are now generally made of metal, and hook to eyes in the
funnel, or are seized to the top-gallant rigging.
Main-royal Braces. Same as fore-royal braces, except taken to mizzen-top-gallant mast-head.
Mizzen-royal Braces. Single. and through sheaves in the after-chock of the main-topmast cross-trees. All
royal braces are of manilla rope.
Topmast Studding-sail-boom Braces may be either single, going over the boom-end with a running-eye and
leading through a tail-block on the forward swifter of the main rigging; or double, with a pendant and whip
leading to the main rigging.
Preventer Braces are fitted with a pendant and whip, the former going round the yard, hooking to its own
part, and the latter led to the deck, well aft, when for bad weather. When rove for action, they are led forward.
HALLIARDS.
Topsail-Halliards. Where double tyes and gins are used, the standing part of the halliards is spliced to a single
block (which is iron-strapped and fitted with a swivel), in the channels, on each side, and then rove through a
double one hooked to a thimble in the end of its respective tye. A double purchase is used in heavy ships.*
* Bell’s purchase, as usually fitted for the mizzen-topsail halliards. The tye used is single, of flexible wire,
reeving through the sheave in the topmast. The four blocks are single (see Fig. 354); block A shackles into tye
abaft the mast, blocks B and C are in the after part of the mizzen chains, one on each side of the ship; block D
is at the height of the lower mast-head when the topsail-yard is on the cap, but close down to the leading block
on deck when the yard is hoisted. The parts marked 1 and 2 are securely seized together at A. Power gained is
as 7 to 1, friction not considered. Fig. 355 shows a similar purchase for heavier yards.

142
Top-gallant Halliards; rove off on going to sea. The top-gallant yard ropes being rove in the jack-blocks, a
“short yard rope” reeves through the sheave in the mast with sister-hooks in one end, hooking to the slings of
the yard, and a thimble is then seized into the other end, for the top-gallant purchase. This is a tackle hooked
into the lower trestle-trees, fall sent on deck. To unreeve the short yard rope on going into port, turn out the
[Link] long yard rope is coiled down in the top, ready for use in sending down the yard if necessary.
Royal-Halliards are best, if fitted with a gun-tackle purchase, thus: The yard-rope, being rove in a leader on
deck, is passed through a single block fitted with a strap having an eye, and toggled on abreast the top, as
represented in Fig. 352, Plate 65. In the event, then, of having to send the yard down, it is only necessary to
take off the, block, which will leave the yard-rope clear for running.
The strap of the block may be a temporary one and made of a selvagee and the yard-rope, Fig. 352 (a).
Throat-Halliards. If for a spanker or trysail, they usually consist of a purchase rove through double and single
blocks; the former hooked to a bolt on the under side of the after lower chock, and the latter to a band and eye-
bolt at the jaws of the gaff; the hauling part leading through the upper block from aft forward, to the deck. In
brigantines and vessels with a boom-mainsail, both blocks are double,
Peak-Halliards. The best plan for peak-halliards is to reeve them as follows: Hook the standing part into the
breech of the mast-head block (which is double), and reeve thence through the innerblock of the gaff, from aft
forward; then up through the port sheave of the mast-head block, out through the block at the gaff-end,
from forward aft; and lastly, back to the sheave of the mast-head block.
The merit of this system will be apparent, if we consider that the hauling part, by being rove last, at the gaff-
end, permits the peak to drop the instant the halliards are let go.
The standing part may be rove through the third sheave of the block (treble) at mast-head, and have a small
single block spliced in the end, through which reeve a whip; this enables the peak to be pulled up taut. The
latter plan is adopted by all large schooners and sloops, and is on the same principle as applying a purchase to
the standing part of the main brace.
Storm-Staysail Halliards. The fore-storm staysail-stay, fitted of rope of the proper size, having in its upper
end a stout iron toggle covered with leather, toggles into the crotch of the fore-stay. The lower end, after
passing through the hanks of the sail, reeves through a stout bull’s-eye strapped to the bowsprit, and sets up
with a luff. The halliards are sometimes a luff, and sometimes a gun-tackle

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purchase. The lower block hooks to the head-cringle of the sail, the upper to an eye-bolt under the top, or to a
strap around the collar of the [Link] gear is rove only on the probabilities of bad weather.
Jib arid Topmast-Staysail Halliards are rove through the upper sheave of iron fiddle-blocks, hooked to a
bolt in each side of the topmast trestle-trees, thence through hanging blocks in the after-part of the trestle-trees,
to keep them clear of the topsail tyes and lifts. The jib-halliards are double, and reeve through a block in the
head of the sail, with the standing part half-hitched and lashed to the crotch of the stay collar. Halliards of
manilla. The staysail-halliards are single, with sister-hooks to the head-cringle and a whip, the block of which
comes just below the hanging block when the sail is taken in. Pendant hemp, whip manilla.
The lower sheaves of the fiddle-blocks serve for the topsail buntlines.
The jib-halliards should be led on the starboard side, and those for the staysail on the port-a rule which is self-
evident, when we remember that the latter is set on the port topmast-stay. The method of fitting these halliards
with whips, is not approved of by seamen generally, on account of the liability to tangle and get foul in hauling
down the sail; and the obvious necessity of separating the parts widely from each other.
NOTE. Whenever a whip is used, as in the foregoing, it is well to use an iron-strapped swivel-block, splicing
the pendant into the eye of the swivel, to avoid cable-laying.
Flying-Jib Halliards, manilla, are rove single, through a small iron fiddle-block hooked to an eye in the lower
rim of the funnel (on the port side) under the eyes of the rigging, and connected to the head-cringle on the sail
by means of sister-hooks. In large ships, however, they are sometimes rove double, and the standing part
seized to the splice of the stay on the under side. The small iron fiddle-blocks are for flying-jib halliards,
topgallant buntlines, and topgallant bunt-jigger.
All iron hanging blocks, like those above described for head halliards, as well as those for the topsail-tyes, are
commonly known as “gin” blocks.
Gaff-topsail Halliards are single, and in barks and ships, are rove through a sheave in the topgallant mast-
head, and attached to the yard with a fisherman’s bend; or if the sail is triangular in shape, to the headcringle,
with a sheet-bend. On board of schooners and hermaphrodite brigs, they are rove through a sheave in the
topmast-head.
Lower Studding-Sail Halliards. The outer halliards reeve through the lower sheave of a fiddle-block, which
is strapped with a long pendant, and hooks to

144
a strap around the topmast-head above the eyes of the rigging; thence to the halliard-block at the end of the
topmast studding-sail-boom, and attached to the yard with a fisherman’s bend, or a studding-sail halliard-bend.
The upper sheave of the fiddle-block is for the topmast studdingsail-boom topping-lift, when one is used. Or
they are rove through a span lock on each side, which is secured with lashing-eyes above the topmast rigging,
and forward of the shrouds, the hoisting part leading on deck through the cross-trees and the lubber’s-hole.
The inner halliards are usually formed out of the fore clew-jigger, hooked to the inner head-cringle of the sail
and to the [Link] Studding-Sail Halliards are rove on each side through a single block hooked to the
topmast cap; thence abaft the topsail-yard, through the jewel-block, and so to the deck, where they are attached
to the central part of the studding-sail yard with a fisherman’s or studding-sail halliard-bend.
By Plate 32, the halliard-block may hook to the link in the crescent on the topmast cap.
Topgallant Studding-Sail Halliards are rove on each side, through a single block (which is fitted with a rope-
strap and tail), hitched above the eyes of the topgallant rigging; thence abaft, to the jewel-block, and so to the
top, where they are bent to the studding-sail yard, in the same manner as the halliards previously mentioned,
the hoisting part being sent down to the deck abaft, and clear of all.
The halliard-blocks at the mast-head are much neater when fitted with lashing-eyes.
All the studding-sail halliards are manilla.
SHEETS.
Fore and Main Sheets. The standing parts are connected to eye-bolts on the outside of the bulwarks with
sister-hooks, just forward of the sheaves for the hauling parts; thence they are roveup through the blocks at the
clews of the sail, and back, inboard through the bulwark sheaves. Hemp, tapered. Fig. 357.
Topsail Sheets. When double, as on board of first-rates, the standing parts are clinched around their own parts
and go around the yard-arms outside of all, and thence rove from out in, through the sheet blocks to the yard
sheaves, and the quarter-blocks in the slings; being led, lastly, to the bitts on deck, forward of the mast. If
single, they are simply secured to the clew-cringle with hooks; but where chain is used, they are connected by
small stout iron shackles.
Topsail sheets are usually hemp, Fig. 356.

145
Topgallant and Royal Sheets are always single. The former hook to the clews of their respective sails, and
the latter have a sennit eye, which fits over a toggle on the clew of the royal. Topgallant sheets reeve through
the topsail-yards, to the after-sheaves* of the quarter-blocks, thence they are led through the lubber’s hole to
the deck. Royal sheets are rove in the same way, except through the sheaves and quarter-blocks of the
topgallant yards, and thence through thimbles on the futtock-staffs of the topmast rigging (abreast of
the second shrouds), to the top or deck, as may be [Link] sheets are of hemp.
Storm-Staysail Sheets are temporary purchases, and consist usually of stout luffs hooked (and moused) to the
clew-cringles, and brought well aft, in order to form, as near as possible, a line with the foot of the sail. The
hauling part should then lead from the forward-block, by which a greater purchase is obtained; although the
reverse of this is advocated by many seamen, on account of the difficulty sometimes experienced in getting a
turn with the belaying-end, in consequence of the flapping of the sail; but this objection will be entirely
overcome, if the sheet be hauled aft, and the foot taut, before hoisting.
Trysail Sheets. The best plan for fitting these is to have a pendant attached to the clew of the sail for the sheet
to hook into, as it saves the trouble of “lighting up” the blocks to hook and unhook in shifting the sheet, as in
wearing ship, &c. The sheet is an ordinary luff and hooks well aft to an eye-bolt in the deck.
Jib wad Topmast-Staysail Sheets. Both of these are fitted with a hemp pendant and manilla gun-tackle
purchase, as follows:
The pendant, which is wormed and served, shackles into the clew-iron, and has a single block spliced into the
inboard end. The other block of the purchase hooks to an eyebolt in the deck. A third single block is often
hooked into the deck abaft the purchase-block, as a leader for the hauling part.**
The deck blocks for the staysail sheets are forward of those for the jib.
The standing parts of these head sheets hook into beckets in the breech of the pendant block.
Flying-jib Sheets, may be single, but are generally
* In vessels where the quarter-blocks are threefold, the topgallant sheet is rove in the middlesheave.
** The position of the bolts and blocks (or sheaves) must be such, that the sheet, when taut, shall form a line at
right angles with the luff of the sail-for otherwise, either the foot or the leech would become slack, and the jib
thus be deprived of a great portion of its efficacy. Head sheets should have a cuckold’s neck in the end to
prevent unreeving, by accident, as in a squall.
10

146
fitted with a pendant and whip, hemp and manilla. The pendant shackles or hooks into the clew-iron, the
standing part of the whip secures to the whisker or to the head-rail, and the whip reeves through a block on the
end of the pendant, a thimble on the whisker and in on the forecastle, forward of the stay-sail [Link] object
of the pendant is to keep the weather whip-block to windward of the stay, if possible, and it is fitted
accordingly, sometimes reeving, itself, through the thimble on the whisker, the whip coming inside of it.
Spanker Sheets, are rove in one with the guy. The standing parts are hooked to the shoulder-band, and rove to
the (double) block in each quarter; thence through the sheet-blocks on the boom from forward aft, and back to
the second sheaves of the double blocks.
Boom-mainsail Sheets. In small craft, as schooners, &c., a purchase of double-blocks, and working on a
traveller, is used; but in larger vessels, two (attached by separate straps, and hooked to eye-bolts in each
quarter) are employed to manage the boom-the hauling parts in either case leading from the upper block. This
latter method is by far the better, as every one who has had to “jibe” a boom-mainsail, with a single sheet and
crotch-ropes, in heavy weather, will bear witness to.
Gaff-topsail Sheets are formed of a single piece of rope, which is middled, and the bight passed through the
clew-cringle of the sail; the ends being thrust also through the bight, are led down on each side of the gaff to a
belaying cleat on the boom, near the jaws.
Studding-sail Sheets. Those for the lower studding-sail consist of a single piece of rope, passed through the
inner clew-cringle like those for the gaff-topsail (or the two parts may be seized together), and in setting the
sail, one sheet is rove from forward aft, through a thimble or block on the goose-neck, in order to bring the
clew close down to the boom, and the other led inboard over the hammock-rail, on the forecastle, by which to
haul on board the sail, when taking it in.
In fitting a topmast studding-sail, two sheets are also required, which are attached to the clew in the same
manner as those for the lower studding-sail. One (called the short sheet), being passedforward of the topsail,
and aft through a thimble (seized to the jack-stay or quarter-iron) on the outer quarter of the lower yard, into
the top, where it is belayed to a cleat; and the other, or deck-sheet, being led to the forecastle, forward of the
yard. The sheets and down-haul are always made up with the sail.
The top-gallant studding-sail sheet is simply spliced into the clew of the sail (having parcelling on it for two or
three feet below, to avoid chafe from the foot-rope of the topsail-yard), and led into the top, where it is hitched
around the

147
forward-swifter, or it may be led on deck, where it may be made of much service when taking the sail in, in a
fresh breeze. The above sheets are manilla.
TACKS.
Fore and Main Tacks are hemp, tapered, rove double, Fig. 357 (except now and then on board of small
vessels, where they are single). The standing part, which is wormed and served for a fathom or so from the end
(as a protection from wet), is hooked to the bumpkin* and rove through the tack-block at the clew of the sail-
then back through a leading-block inside of the standing part, and a hole in the bulwarks.
Studding-sail Tacks, manilla, hook to the tacks of their respective sails, and are rove from in out, through the
blocks at the boom-ends. That for the topmast studding-sail is led aft, through a tail-block on the forward-
swifter of the main-rigging; and the tack of the top-gallant studding-sail, through a leader tailed around the
dead-eye of the after topmast shroud.
The top-gallant studding-sail tack is bent, not hooked.
NOTE. The double block in the main rigging for the tack and boom-brace should not be tailed to the shrouds,
as it hauls them out of line and stretches them unduly. It should rather hook to the eye of a long pendant, which
hooks far enough aft in the main-chains to form a line with the tack, and passes through a lizard at the proper
place in the main rigging.
Spanker and Boom-mainsail Tack (Lashings), are passed through the cringle (into which they are spliced),
and an eye-bolt on the upper side of the boom.
The spanker-tack lashing is more frequently passed around the spindle of the spanker-mast step.
Trysail-tack Lashings are passed around the foot of the trysail mast, on a line with the foot of the sail, or
through an eye-bolt in the after part of the fife-rail.
Where the trysail is fitted “railway-fashion,” the lower end of the grooved batten has a chock to keep the
sliding hanks in. This chock has an eye for the tack lashings.
NOTE. In laying-to, in a small vessel, under a balanced-reefed (boom) mainsail, the tack of the sail should be
lashed up to the jaws of the gaff, and the whole hoisted several feet up the mast by means of the throat-
halliards. In this way the sail is elevated to the wind above the waves, and
* The main tack hooks to a bolt and block in each of the waterways, or deck, forward of the gangway, being
rove like the fore, through the block on the clew of the sail, standing part forward.

148
in the event of being boarded by a quarter sea, it cannot lodge in the belly of the sail, but will pass between it
and the [Link] of Head Sails. All head sails have a cringle in the tack with an iron thimble. To secure
the jib tack there is a bail, Fig. 333, or horse-shoe of iron, spanning the upper part of the jib-boom, inside the
stay. The two ends of the bail have eyes, through which passes. the pin for the sheave of the jib-stay. On this
bail are sister-hooks, which hook into the tack thimble.
The flying-jib tack is fitted in precisely the same way, the bail being held in its place by the pin of the sheave
for the flying-jib stay. Fig. 332.
Both bails have projecting eyes, well down, for the down-haul blocks.
For the staysail is fitted a long strap, with sister-hooks in the upper end. The strap is seized to the topmast-stay.
and has drift enough for the foot of the staysail to clear the heel of the jib-boom. The hooks in the strap hook
into the staysail tack thimble.
This does away with the necessity of tack lashings.
CLEWLINES.
Clew-Garnets are used only on the courses. Lead from the deck to the clew-garnet block under the yard
from in out, through the clew block in the sail, standing part taken between the head of the sail and the yard,
and made fast to the arm of the truss.
Topsail Clewlines. For small ships may be single, or single with a whip. For large vessels rove as follows:
From the deck through the forward sheave of the quarter-block on the topsail-yard, thence through the clew-
line block on the sail, the standing part taken up between the head of the sail and the yard, and made fast to the
neck of the tye-block.
It would be far better to have a separate block in the quarter of the yard for the clewline, the same as is fitted
for clew-garnets. This enables the clewline to be unhooked and shifted to the cap (as is often done) without
interfering with the topgallant sheets. Moreover, such a block has enough play to give a fairer lead to the
clewline when the sail is bellied out by a strong breeze, and the sail is always hauled up snugger. Fig. 336
shows such a block, fitted.
Topgallant and Royal Clewlines, are both single, are bent to the clews of the sails, and rove through the
quarter-blocks of their respective yards, and thence to the deck by way of the lubber’s-hole. Topgallant
clewlines rove double in large ships, standing part secured to the neck of the quarter-block.

149
Lower Studding-sail Clewlines, are simply bent to the clews and reeve abaft the sail, through small single
blocks on the inner end of each lower studding-sail yard, and thence are led inboard to a tail-block on the
forward swifter in wake of the futtock rigging. This clew-line becomes the gear tricing-line when the sail is in.
The clewlines are frequently led through a glut in the belly of the [Link] and Main Clew-jiggers. Each
consists of a gun-tackle purchase, hooked to the clews of the courses forward and to eye-bolts underneath the
forward part of the tops. In furling sails, they are found very useful for rousing the clews and leeches up
forward of the yard; while they also serve the purpose of inner halliards for the lower studding-sails, and are
often employed as yard-arm jiggers in bending or as reef-tackles in reefing.
Topsail clew-jiggers. Like those for the courses. They are found very convenient in taking the clews well up
above, and forward of the yard, greatly facilitating the operation of furling. Upper block hooks under the
topmast trestle-trees, or to a strap fitted around the forward cross-tree, close in.
The lower blocks of clew-jiggers are secret and fitted with a pendant and sister-hooks. All clew-jiggers should
be long enough to reach to the deck.
Fore and Main Buntlines. Usually rove double (i.e., with two legs on each side), a double block hooked
under the top and a swivel-block are used in reeving off each pair of legs. The swivel-block resembles a fiddle-
block in appearance, except that both shells are of equal size, and their ends connected by a swivel.
Reeve the standing part of the buntline through the upper sheave of its swivel-block, then take both ends of the
standing parts through the sheaves of the block under the top, from aft forward, and toggle these ends, which
are fitted with eyes, to toggles on the foot of the sail.
Through the lower sheave of the swivel-block is rove a whip, standing part made fast on deck, hauling part led
through a sheave in the fife-rail.
Where there is but little drift between the top and the yard for the buntlines (and leechlines) there are fitted
instead of blocks under the top a pair of double blocks on each side, hanging by the legs of a short pendant
from a bolt in the forward part of the lower cap; sister-hooks in the bight of the pendant hooking to the bolt.
The inside double block is for the buntlines, the outboard one is for the leechlines. Fig. 358.
Topsail Buntlines are single, and rove through the lower sheaves of fiddle-blocks* under the eyes of the
* Upper sheaves of fiddle-blocks at the fore for the jib and fore-topmast stay-sail halliards. At the main and
mizzen for topsail bunt jigger and main and mizzen topmast staysail halliards, when rove.

150
topmast rigging, thence forward through the thimbles of lizards hitched around the neck of the tye-blocks and
down to the foot-rope of the sail, to which they toggle-the hauling part leading to the deck through the
lubber’s-hole. They should be cut long enough to land the topsail on [Link] Buntlines lead through
the blocks under the eyes of the topgallant rigging and toggle to the foot of the sail, the hauling parts leading
on deck.
They are sometimes fitted with two legs, one toggled to the foot, the other to the leech of the sail, so that when
the sail is taken in, the leech is brought along the yard ready for furling.
Topgallant buntlines have lizards at the slings the same as topsail buntlines.
In small vessels there is but one buntline. It is spliced around a span, both ends of which are toggled to the foot
of the sail.
BOWLINES.
Fore Bowlines. A single rope; the standing part made fast to the breech of a single block, hooked to a span
between the fore-stays; the hauling end rove through the bull’s-eye hung from the bowline bridle, back through
the block at the stay. In tacking, &c., let go the hauling end, and re-reeve when on the other tack.
Main Bowlines consist of a whip and runner the latter reeving through the thimble in the bridle, and belayed to
the fore fife-rail; and the former passing through a block in the end of the runner, led well forward-the standing
part of the whip being secured to an eye-bolt at the fore fife-rail, and the reeving end over a pin.
In tacking, when it is required to let go the main bowline the standing part of the runner is cast off, and the
whole shifted to the opposite side, ready for reeving.
Top-Bowlines. The fore toggle to the bridles, and lead forward through blocks hooked to the bees and back,
inboard, to the forecastle. The main reeve through single blocks, connected to bolts in the after rim of the fore-
top, and thence to the deck; and the mizzen, through the outer sheaves of the cross-jack brace-blocks on the
main-mast.
DOWN-HAULS.
Jib and Flying-Jib Down-hauls, are each

151
bent to the head cringle of their respective sails, and after being rove through a few of the upper hanks, and a
single block hooked to the bail (see TACKS) are led inboard. Jib down-haul portside, flying-
jib starboard [Link] the bail carry away, both the tack and down-haul blocks would be adrift; it is
therefore safer to seize the blocks to their respective guys.
Topmast Staysail Down-haul. Rove same as above, comes inboard on the port side, down-haul block seized
to the stay, or an eye-bolt in the bees.
Studding-sail Down-hauls. That for the topmast studding-sail is bent to the outer end of the yardarm and rove
thence through a thimble on the leech, to the down-haul block at the tack, leading on deck, forward of the
foresail, across the forecastle to the opposite side. That for the topgallantstudding-sail is merely bent to the
inner yard-arm of the sail, and led abaft all to the top.
Gail-topsail Down-haul (and Clewline) is led from the after clew of the sail (to which it is bent), through a
single block at the head of the sail and thence through the hanks on the mast down to the deck.
OUT-HAULS.
Spanker Out-haul. Hooks to an eye in the shoulder-band on the boom, reeves through a block on the clew of
the sail and through the sheave in the boom, belaying to a cleat on the boom.
Peak Out-haul consists of a whip and pendant. The latter is bent to the peak of the sail, rove through the
sheave in the gaff, and at a distance equal to the length of the gaff, has a single block turned in, through which
the whip is rove. The standing part of the whip is made fast under the top, the running part leads through a
single block and thence on deck.
Lower Studding-sail Out-haul is connected by sister-hooks to the outer clew of the sail, and led through a
single block (hooked to the boom with clip hooks) to a sheave above that for the guy in the bulwarks.
Gaff-topsail Out-haul is hitched to the clew of the sail, and rove through a sheave at the gaff-end, down to the
deck, where it is belayed to a cleat on the boom.
Trysail Out-hauls. They are always single, and attached to the outer head-cringle of the sail, being rove
through a sheave in the gaff-end to a leader hooked under the top, and having a whip, which is led thence to
the deck.
 152
REEF TACKLES.
Topsail reef-tackles reeve up through the lubber’s-hole, through the upper sheave of a sister-block in the eyes
of the topmast rigging (or better, through a single block at the topmast cap), thence through a sheave in the
topsail yardarm and a secret block on the leech of the topsail. The end of the standing part secures around the
pacific-iron.
Sometimes the reef-tackles are fitted thus: The standing part is spliced to the strap of a bloc] shackled to the
leech of the sail, below the close-reef bald, thence led upward through the forward sheave of a double block on
the yardarm outside of all, down through the block on the leech, up to the remaining sheave of the double
block, and so to the after sheave of the quarter-block, and lastly, through the lubber’s-hole to the deck. In this
case the quarter-block is three-fold, if there is no special block for the clewline.
Fore and Main Reef-pendants are hooked to the cringle and rove through a single block with lashing eyes,
fitted to the yard just outside the lift. There is a thimble in the other end to which hooks the lower block of the
clew-jigger, upper block being hooked at the cap.
Instead of these pendants regular lower reef-tackles are being fitted. These consist of a gun-tackle purchase,
the lower block hooked to the reef-cringle, upper block to an eye-bolt on the under forward part of the yard-
arm. The hauling end leads to the deck through a block seized to the arm of the truss. These reef-tackles are cut
long enough for yard-arm jiggers in bending sail.
LEECH-LINES.
These are confined to the courses and are clinched to the leech-outer one about one-third down from the head-
earing cringle, and the inner one about two-thirds-and thence rove up through leading blocks on the bending
jack-stay* to the inner and outer sheaves (respectively) of a double block hooked under the top, the hauling
part of the leech-line reeving through fair leaders on the lower rigging to the side rack, on deck.
See also lead described under BUNTLINES. Fig. 358.
* These blocks should be so placed that the leech of the sails will be taut along the yard when hauled up, and
fitted with straps, which permit them to bang about a foot below the yard-a plan obviating the necessity of
attending the leech-lines in bracing up. The hauling parts of the leech-lines, after passing through the double
block are often rove through a large thimble or hank tailed to the lower part of the forward futtock-shroud.
This keeps them from being jammed between the yard and the rigging when braced up.

153
NOTE. In large ships they are sometimes temporarily rove on the topsail-yards (through tail-blocks on the
forward swifters) for furling sails, where the leeches are heavy.
BRAILS.
Spanker and Trysail Brails are middled, and the bights secured to their respective eyelet holes on the leech of
the sail by cross-seizings, the ends rove through single blocks seized to the hanks on the trysail-mast.
In addition to the brails there is a down-haul for hauling the head of the sail down on the gaff, rove through a
block hooked in the jaws of the gaff. On the opposite side, through a similar block, is rove a clew rope for
taking the clew up toward the throat.
A Slab Line is sometimes used on the foresail. It is rove through a tail-block secured to the slings of the
yard, abaft, and hanging down clear of the yard. The end is taken down abaft the sail and spliced around a span
fitted with eyes, which toggle to the inner buntline toggles.
GUYS.
Lower Boom Guys. When double, the standing part of the forward one has an eye, seizing to the jib-guy just
forward of the whisker, seizing to cross at every turn to make the eye lay flat. Rove thence through a single
block on the boom, and back to a block with clip hooks at the bees, the hauling part leading inboard to the
forecastle. When single, they connect to the boom by sister-hooks, and the block at the boom is omitted.
The after guys are rove in the same manner, except abaft, to a bolt in the side and a sheave in the chess-tree,
just forward of the gangway,
Spanker-boom Guys. Vide SHEETS.
BUNT-JIGGERS.
Bunt-jiggers are used for the topsails, courses and sometimes topgallant-sails. Courses and topgallant sails
have single bunt-jiggers (or bunt-whips), topsails, a whip and pendant. The topsail bunt-jigger pendant for
the fore leads through a single block lashed to the topmast-stay collar, close in to the trestle-tree. For
the main and mizzen through the starboard and port upper sheaves, respectively, of the fiddle-blocks at the
mast-heads. From the block the bunt-jigger leads down forward of the topsail, under the

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foot, and hooks to the upper glut. The after end of the pendant has a single block (an iron-bound swivel)
spliced in and a whip rove, abaft all, to the [Link] bunt-jiggers of the courses lead in the same way, through
a single block under the top. Rove single.
Topgallant bunt-jiggers lead in a similar way through a small iron block at the topgallant mast-head, and into
the top.
In many vessels topsail bunt-jiggers* are led through a single block hooked to the eye-bolt in the heel of the
topgallant-mast. This gives a better lead. When sending the mast up and down, the block is transferred to a
small strap on the collar of the topmast-stay.
CHANGES IN THE LEAD OF RUNNING RIGGING.
The above list comprises the principal running rigging of men-of-war, together with the leads usually adopted.
It sometimes happens that the lead of the gear on deck is modified for special reasons. For instance, in vessels
with little quarter-deck space, the hauling part of the fore-brace is often ledaft, and that of the fore-topsail
brace, forward. The object is to have the foretopmen nearer to their own parts of the ship when bracing in to
reef, and to keep them out of the way of the men on the main-topsail brace.
Lead of Gear about the Smoke-Stack. In making long passages under steam against a prevailing contrary
wind, it is not unfrequent to see the lead of gear in the neighborhood of the smoke-stack, temporarily altered
for the preservation of the rope. The hauling part of the fore topsail-brace and both parts of the fore-brace are
brought down; the standing part of the fore-brace being hooked to a band on the mainmast ten or twelve feet
above the deck, or to a launch’s davit, if waist launches are carried.
Main-topsail-sheets are unrove from the quarter-blocks; gear about the mainmast is hauled up and covered
with tarpaulins. All this takes little time to do, and in the event of a favoring slant, the gear can be readily rove
off for making sail. The head braces have a fair lead when shifted as above described, and if a favoring breeze
freshens, or seems likely to hold, preventer braces can be clapped on, and the regular ones shifted to their
proper places aloft without shortening sail.
Temporary changes similar to the above are unobjectionable, in so far as they affect the lead aloft. But care
* The term bunt-jigger is preferred by many officers to the more correct word, bunt-whip. The latter is likely to
cause confusion in hailing the men aloft, from the similarity of its sound to bunt-line.

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should be taken not to alter leads about the deck except for good cause. So much of the handling of gear is
done in the dark that the men may be confused, perhaps at a critical moment, if the position of any running
rigging is frequently varied from that sanctioned by well-established custom.