"There are two of them; but we will let the sails rest until we have disposed of the spars," replied the principal. "Now we will return to the masts. You perceive that there are three of them; but they are not always separate sticks, the two upper ones generally being in one piece. The three lower ones are called simply the masts, and sometimes the lower masts when it is necessary to distinguish them more particularly. The three names I have given you—fore, main, and mizzen—are applied to them, as to all the other masts above them.
"The next mast above is the topmast (13); then comes the topgallant-mast (15); above which is the royal-mast (17). The mast above this is the skysail-mast (45), when there is one. Now I shall point to the different masts, and you will give me the names of them," continued Captain Gildrock, as he placed his pointer on one of them.
"Main-topmast," promptly replied the scholar indicated (51).
The principal moved his pointer.
"Mizzen-royal-mast" (69).
Another was pointed out.
"Fore-topmast" (13).
The principal continued this exercise some time longer, until every student could name any mast of the fifteen in the picture. They were willing, then, to agree with the principal, that the system removed all complications and difficulty; and some of them were quite proud to know so much about a ship.
"There are a few other spars to be remembered," continued the captain, as he fixed his pointer again. "This is the aftermost sail of the ship; and it is called the spanker, though it occupies the place of the mainsail in a schooner or sloop. The stick at the bottom of it is the spanker-boom (76); the one at the top of it is the spanker-gaff (75). There is also a gaff on the mainmast (59), and another on the foremast (30), called spencer-gaffs, with the keywords 'fore' and 'main.'
"At the point where the lower masts join with the topmasts are tops, to the outer edges of which the topmast rigging is set up. At the head of the topmasts are the cross-trees, to which the topgallant rigging is secured. The round piece of wood at the tip of each royal or skysail mast is the truck, in which holes are made for the passage of signal halyards, used in hoisting the burgee or other signal-flags."