“To say nothing of the forecastle and quarter-decks, a first-rate has three whole decks. Under the lower gun-deck is the orlop-deck, where you will find the store-rooms of the carpenter, the gunner, the boatswain, the surgeon, and the purser, as well as the cockpit, which is near the after-hatchway. Over the lower gun-deck is the middle deck, and over that the upper or main-deck. Above these are the forecastle and quarter-deck.”
“A first-rate, then, has three decks, besides the forecastle and quarter-deck and orlop-decks; and how many masts?”
“To carry the yards, sails and rigging, there are three masts, and each has three parts, so that we have the main-mast, the main-top mast, and the main-top-gallant mast; the fore-mast, the fore-top mast, and the fore-top-gallant mast; the mizen-mast, the mizen-top mast, and the mizen-top-gallant mast. Besides these, there is sometimes a small mast, still higher up, called the royal; so that there are main-top-gallant royal, fore-top-gallant royal, and mizen-top-gallant royal masts; the bowsprit runs out over the head of the ship: it may be called a mast or a boom. In books sailors are often named after the different parts of a ship; and thus we have ‘Tom Starboards,’ ‘Ben Braces,’ and ‘Mat Mizens,’ in abundance. No doubt you have heard the following words sung:—
“Here, a sheer hulk, lies poor Tom Bowling,
The darling of our crew;
No more he’ll hear the tempest howling,
For death has broached him to.
His form was of the manliest beauty,
His heart was kind and soft,
Faithful, below he did his duty,