THE SEAMAN'S FRIEND; CONTAINING A TREATISE ON PRACTICAL SEAMANSHIP, WITH PLATES, A DICTIONARY OF SEA TERMS; CUSTOMS AND USAGES OF THE MERCHANT SERVICE; LAWS RELATING TO THE PRACTICAL DUTIES OF MASTER AND MARINERS. BY R. H. DANA, JR., AUTHOR OF "TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST." FIFTH EDITION. BOSTON: PUBLISHED BY THOMAS GROOM. 1847. Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1841, BY R. H. DANA, JR., in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Massachusetts. STEREOTYPED BY GEO. A. & J. CURTIS, NEW-ENGLAND TYPE AND STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY. Transcriber's Note: Minor typographical errors have been corrected without note. Irregularities and inconsistencies in the text have been retained as printed. The cover of this book was created by the transcriber and is hereby placed in the public domain. To all sea-faring persons, and especially to those commencing the sea life;--to owners and insurers of vessels;--to judges and practitioners in maritime law;--and to all persons interested in acquainting themselves with the laws, customs, and duties of Seamen;--this work is respectfully dedicated by THE AUTHOR. CONTENTS. PART I. A PLAIN TREATISE ON PRACTICAL SEAMANSHIP. CHAP. I.--GENERAL RULES AND OBSERVATIONS, pages 13--18. Construction of vessels, 13. Tonnage and carriage of merchant vessels, 14. Proportions of spars, 14. Placing the masts, 16. Size of anchors and cables, 16. Lead-lines, 17. Log-line, 17. Ballast and lading, 18. CHAP. II.--CUTTING AND FITTING STANDING RIGGING, 19--25. Cutting lower rigging, 19. Fitting lower rigging, 20. Cutting and fitting topmast rigging, 21. Jib, topgallant and royal rigging, 21. Ratling, 23. Standing rigging of the yards, 23. Breast-backstays, 25. CHAP. III.--FITTING AND REEVING RUNNING RIGGING, 26--29. To reeve a brace, 26. Fore, main, and cross-jack braces, 26. Fore and main topsail braces, 26. Mizzen topsail braces, 27. Fore, main, and mizzen topgallant and royal braces, 27. Halyards, 27. Spanker brails, 28. Tacks, sheets, and clewlines, 28. Reef-tackles, clew-garnets, buntlines, leechlines, bowlines, and slablines, 29. CHAP. IV.--TO RIG MASTS AND YARDS, 30--36. Taking in lower masts and bowsprit, 30. To rig a bowsprit, 31. To get the tops over the mast-heads, 31. To send up a topmast, 31. To get on a topmast cap, 32. To rig out a jib-boom, 32. To cross a lower yard, 33. To cross a topsail yard, 33. To send up a topgallant mast, 34. Long, short, and stump topgallant masts, 34. To rig out a flying jib-boom, 34. To cross a topgallant yard, 35. To cross a royal yard, 35. Skysail yards, 35. CHAP. V.--TO SEND DOWN MASTS AND YARDS, 36--38. To send down a royal yard, 36. To send down a topgallant yard, 37. To send down a topgallant mast, 37. To house a topgallant mast, 37. To send down a topmast, 37. To rig in a jib-boom, 38. CHAP. VI.--BENDING AND UNBENDING SAILS, 38--42.