The Ship
When you are out sailing and see a vessel with three masts, all square rigged, you are looking at a ship proper, though ship is a word often used loosely for any sort of a boat ([Fig. 159]).
The bark is a vessel with square-rigged foremast and mainmast and a fore-and-aft rigged mizzen-mast ([Fig. 160]).
The brig is a vessel with only two masts, both of which are square rigged ([Fig. 158]).
The brigantine has two masts—foremast square rigged and mainmast fore-and-aft rigged ([Fig. 155]).
The barkentine has three masts—mainmast and mizzen-mast fore-and-aft rigged and foremast square rigged. (See [Fig. 154].)
CHAPTER XI
KNOTS, BENDS, AND HITCHES
How to Tie Knots Useful on Both Land and Water
The art of tying knots is an almost necessary adjunct to not a few recreations. Especially is this true of summer sports, many of which are nautical or in some manner connected with the water.
Any boy who has been aboard a yacht or a sail-boat must have realized that the safety of the vessel and all aboard may be imperilled by ignorance or negligence in the tying of a knot or fastening of a rope.
With some the knack of tying a good, strong knot in a heavy rope or light cord seems to be a natural gift; it is certainly a very convenient accomplishment, and one that with practice and a little perseverance may be acquired even by those who at first make the most awkward and bungling attempts.
A bulky, cumbersome knot is not only ungainly, but is generally insecure.
As a rule, the strength of a knot is in direct proportion to its neat and handsome appearance.
To my mind it is as necessary that the archer should know how to make the proper loops at the end of his bow-string as it is that a hunter should understand how to load his gun.
Every fisherman should be able to join two lines neatly and securely, and should know the best and most expeditious method of attaching an extra hook or fly; and any boy who rigs up a hammock or swing with a "granny" or other insecure knot deserves the ugly tumble and sore bones that are more than liable to result from his ignorance.
A knot, nautically speaking, is a "bend" that is more permanent than a "hitch." A knot properly tied never slips, nor does it jam so that it cannot be readily untied. A "hitch" might be termed a temporary bend, as it is seldom relied upon for permanent service. The "hitch" is so made that it can be cast off or unfastened more quickly than a knot.
It is impossible for the brightest boy to learn to make "knots, bends, and hitches" by simply reading over a description of the methods; for, although he may understand them at the time, five minutes after reading the article the process will have escaped his memory. But if he take a piece of cord or rope and sit down with the diagrams in front of him, he will find little difficulty in managing the most complicated knots; and he will not only acquire an accomplishment from which he can derive infinite amusement for himself and a means of entertainment for others, but the knowledge gained may, in case of accident by fire or flood, be the means of saving both life and property.
The accompanying diagrams show a number of useful and important bends, splices, etc. To simplify matters, let us commence with [Fig. 57], and go through the diagrams in the order in which they come:
The "English" or "common single fisherman's knot" ([Fig. 185], I) is neat and strong enough for any ordinary strain. The diagram shows the knots before being tightened and drawn together.
When exceptional strength is required it can be obtained by joining the lines in the ordinary single fisherman's knot ([Fig. 185], I) and pulling each of the half knots as tight as possible, then drawing them within an eighth of an inch of each other and wrapping between with fine gut that has been previously softened in water, or with light-colored silk.
An additional line or a sinker may be attached by tying a knot in the end of the extra line and inserting it between the parts of the single fisherman's knot before they are drawn together and tightened.
Fig. 185.—Some useful knots.
The "fisherman's double half knot," [Fig. 185] (II and III). After the gut has been passed around the main line and through itself, it is passed around the line once more and through the same loop again and drawn close.
[Fig. 185] (IV, V, and IX). Here are three methods of joining the ends of two lines together; the diagrams explain them much better than words can. Take a piece of string, try each one, and test their relative strength.
[Fig. 185] (VI). It often happens, while fishing, that a hook is caught in a snag or by some other means lost. The diagram shows the most expeditious manner of attaching another hook by what is known as the "sinker hitch," described further on ([Fig. 185], D, D, D, and [Fig. 186], XIV, XV, and XVI).
[Fig. 185], VII is another and more secure method of attaching a hook by knitting the line on with a succession of half-hitches.