[55] Hardly less valuable is Adm. Jurien de la Gravière's _Les Derniers Jours de la Marine à Rames_ (Paris, 1885). It contains an admirable account of the French galley system, the mode of recruiting, discipline, and general management; a description of the different classes of vessels, and their manner of navigation; while a learned Appendix of over one hundred pages describes the details of galley-building, finishing, fitting, and rigging, and everything that the student need wish to learn. The chapters (ix. and x.) on _Navigation à la rame_ and _Navigation à la voile_, are particularly worth reading by those who would understand sixteenth and seventeenth century seamanship. [56] A galleasse was originally a large heavy galley, three-masted, and fitted with a rudder, since its bulk compelled it to trust to sails as well as oars. It was a sort of transition-ship, between the galley and the galleon, and as time went on it became more and more of a sailing ship. It had high bulwarks, with loopholes for muskets, and there was at least a partial cover for the crew. The Portuguese galleys in the Spanish Armada mounted each 110 soldiers and 222 galley-slaves; but the Neapolitan galleasses carried 700 men, of whom 130 were sailors, 270 soldiers, and 300 slaves of the oar. Jurien de la Gravière, _Les Derniers Jours de la Marine à Rames_, 65-7. [57] So says Jean Marteille de Bergerac, a galley-slave about 1701, quoted by Adm. Jurien de la Gravière, _Derniers Jours de la Marine à Rames_, 13. [58] Morgan, 517. [59] In 1630 a French galley's company consisted of 250 forçats and 116 officers, soldiers, and sailors. [60] Dan, _Hist. de Barbarie_, 268-71. See the cut of Tunisian galleots on p. 183. [61] _Topographia_, 18. [62] Dan, 270-1. [63] The Corsairs prided themselves on the ship-shape appearance of their vessels. Everything was stowed away with marvellous neatness and economy of space and speed; even the anchor was lowered into the hold lest it should interfere with the "dressing" of the oars. The weapons were never hung, but securely lashed, and when chasing an enemy, no movement of any kind was permitted to the crew and soldiers, save when necessary to the progress and defence of the ship. These Corsairs, in fact, understood the conditions of a rowing-race to perfection. [64] Haedo, 17. XVII. THE TRIUMPH OF SAILS. 17th Century. [Illustration: GALLEASSE OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY. (_Jurien de la Gravière._)]