It is for this reason that WITSEN speaks of the “Amsterdamsche binnenlichters”, as being “een plomb gebouwd zonder zeil of mast overdekt met hooge ronde luiken” (a heavily built boat, without masts or sails, covered by high round hatches).
They were generally poled and had no masts; and carried a small deckhouse aft.
An engraving of a “lichter” of the XVIIth century, also bears this distich:
“Te lichten menich schip bequaem
Daar af voert dit schip zijnen naem.”
(The name of this boat comes to it because it is able to raise many another).
Later, larger “Lichters” were built, known as “Lichter” of Nigtevecht, Brouwershaven, Wieringen, etc.
All have the same massive form raised a little forward and aft. A few carry a “statie”. The waist of the boat is always straight. The larger size involved the necessity of a rig, and the “Lichters” so rigged were called “Kraken”, a name which has nothing in common with that of the Spanish caracks.