The Boy's Own Book of Indoor Games and Recreations / A Popular Encyclopædia for Boys

by C. Stansfeld Hicks; John Nevil Maskelyne; Gordon Stables

The hammock is made of canvas, which is suspended at each end by a number of small cords, termed clews, which are made fast to hooks in the beams.

A mattress, with the usual quantity of blankets, a pillow, etc., rests upon the canvas, which, owing to the manner in which it is hung—i.e., up to the beams—assumes an oval shape, and is really one of the most comfortable things in the world to sleep in. Its only drawback is the number of opportunities it gives to mischievous messmates to play off practical jokes upon a youngster who is making his first trip at sea.

Of course this is discountenanced in the Navy, but it is impossible altogether to prevent it; and no doubt many a victim to a slippery hitch could bear witness to the truth of this.

A slippery hitch, we may as well inform our readers, is a species of slipknot tied in the lanyard which connects the clews and the hook in the beam. It appears all right to a casual observer, but when the victim gets into his hammock his weight begins to tell, and the knot slips away and precipitates the sleeper on to the deck.

Then, again, there was the custom, which we hope and believe has gone out of fashion now, of ‘cutting down,’ which was effected by applying a sharp knife to the lanyard, and letting the sleeper down, generally head foremost.

Fig. 1.

Now with respect to making a hammock, the first thing necessary is a piece of strong canvas, about 5 ft 8 in. in length and 3 ft. wide. In the Navy hammocks are made in two pieces ([Fig. 1]), which are stitched together down the centre (B). The sides and ends must be hemmed, and then the eyelet-holes for the clews to be fastened to must be made (A A). The eyelet-holes are twenty-four in number, at equal distances along the edge, at each end of the hammock. They are usually made in the following manner, although it is not absolutely necessary to be so particular.

A number of small rings made of white line (a kind of whipcord) are prepared, which are called grummets. These are placed in the eyelet-holes, and then sewn over all the way round with thin twine.