Fig. 1.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 3.
A square or reef knot.—First make a plain overhand knot as in Fig. 1. Take the uppermost end b, place it over and under the part a, and draw the ends tightly. Then it will appear as in Fig. 2. If you pass the ends in a contrary direction, you will make what sailors call a granny knot, which is a term of ridicule to the green hands, who often tie them through mistake. A story is told that a sea-captain, who had on board of his packet a number of passengers, and was continually missing from his well-stocked larder some of his choicest bits, concluded to set a trap, and catch the thief. He was uncertain whether the latter was among the sailors or passengers, so he secured his pantry door with a piece of rope, and made a granny. The next day he found a square knot in its place, and so traced the culprit to his crew, knowing that a passenger would naturally have tied the former over again. The square knot is used mostly in tying reef points, and can be easily undone. Now if you want a knot that will not slip in doing up bundles with twine, take another turn as in Fig. 3.
Fig. 4.
Fig. 5.