But some man may say, this fayleth in some fishes and beasts. Which I must confesse to be true; but these eyther are part terrestryall, and part aquatile, as the mare-maide, sea-horse, and other of that kind, or have their breeding in the fresh, and growth or continuall nourishment in the salt water, as the salmond, and others of that kinde.
Sheathing of shippes.
In little time, if the shippe be not sheathed, they put all in hazard; for they enter in no bigger then a small Spanish needle, and by little and little their holes become ordinarily greater then a mans finger. The thicker the planke is, the greater he groweth; yea, I have seene many shippes so eaten, that the most of their plankes under water have beene like honey combes, and especially those betwixt wind and water. If they had not beene sheathed, it had bin impossible that they could have swomme. The entring of them is hardly to be discerned, the most of them being small as the head of a pinne.[156] Which, all such as purpose long voyages, are to prevent by sheathing their shippes.
And for that I have seene divers manners of sheathing, for the ignorant I will set them downe which by experience I have found best.
In Spaine and Portingall.
In Spaine and Portingall, some sheathe their shippes with lead; which, besides the cost and waight, although they use the thinnest sheet-lead that I have seene in any place, yet it is nothing durable, but subject to many casualties.
With double plankes.
Another manner is used with double plankes, as thicke without as within, after the manner of furring; which is little better then that with lead; for, besides his waight, it dureth little, because the worme in small time passeth through the one and the other.
With canvas.
A third manner of sheathing hath beene used amongst some with fine canvas; which is of small continuance, and so not to be regarded.