"The blocks at the end of the topsail-yard are for the braces to pass through. These are the ropes by which the yards are set at the proper angle to take the wind. They lead to different parts of the vessel, as convenience requires. At the extreme end of the yard is the jewel-block, through which the halyard of the studding-sail passes. Across the sail are three pieces of canvas, called reef-bands, to strengthen the sail where the reef-points are placed. By the reef-tackle the leech of the sail is drawn up to the yard, and the points tied over the top of the sail. But that will do for to-day."
CHAPTER XXI.
THE RIGGING AND SAILS OF A SCHOONER.
"You did not tell us what studding-sails are," said Ash Burton, who had been deeply interested in the explanations given. "You said the halyard of the studding-sail passed through the jewel-block, and that was all."
"I have nothing to illustrate the subject with," replied the principal. "On some of the yards there are extra spars, which can be run out, thus increasing the length of the yard. On these are set the studding-sails. The extra spars are called studding-sail booms."
Captain Gildrock took the chalk, and made a rough drawing of the sails described, so that the pupils could get an idea of them. The students were then dismissed, and after supper pulled the barges over to Sandy Point, where some of them wanted to hear about the removal of Mr. Bristol's cottage from this place to its present location. After the lessons of the forenoon the next day, the work of rigging the boat was continued.
But, before the students went to the wharf, they were assembled in the schoolroom, where a diagram of a schooner was presented to them. The rig was very simple; for she was not to be fitted out as a racing craft, though some of the "kites" used were described.
"The rope, which is sometimes of wire, which passes from the end of the bowsprit to the mast-head is the jibstay, which, in our craft, does duty as the forestay. The bobstay leads from the end of the bowsprit on the under side, to the cutwater, to assist in bearing the strain of the jibstay. In a craft of this size it is not necessary to have bowsprit-shrouds and other headgear used in a large vessel. The bobstay is enough.
"We shall put two shrouds on each side of each mast. They have to be set up taut, and they will keep the jibstay tight. The rope passing from the head of the foremast to the head of the mainmast is the spring-stay, which ties the two masts together, and equalizes the strain upon all the rigging."
"A schooner has no tops; but we use a short stick placed across the mast to stay the topmast, sometimes two of them, like the cross-trees of a ship. A single backstay on each side of the topmast is enough to sustain it. From the topmast-head we have a stay, which is the fore-topmast-stay. This is really all the standing-rigging there will be on board the Lily."