12

HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.

CHAPTER THE THIRD.

Of the different Vessels intended for commercial , and other Pnrjiofes not warlike , inuse among the Ancients—Their Form , their Names , and the Materials of which

they were built.

HE first rude attempts made by mankind in the art of navigation were

directed, as we have already observed, merely to the gratification of aninvincible propensity, planted by Nature in our hearts, curiosity, and thenecessity, in some degree, of promoting colonization. I he second originatedin the desire of gain. It is a general idea, founded, we believe, on the bestinformation and opinions now to be procured, that the first species of com-mercial vessel in most frequent, as well as extensive use, among nations widelyseparated from each other, was the Raft; a collection of planks, or rathertrees, rudely fastened together with ropes, formed, most probably, from the barksof the very trees which constituted the float, or from some other coarse materialwhich the dawning genius of our early ancestors had discovered to be applicableto that purpose. Experience soon taught the navigators, that they were deficientin the power of guiding or directing the course of this unwieldy machine, so as to becertain, in spite of the natural opposition of wind and current, of reaching insafety the precise spot they wished. To remedy this defect a simple additionwas first contrived, and, unlike most other primary inventions, though extremelyartless, was, to say the truth, tolerably well calculated to remove that inconve-nience, to the cure of which it was applied. It consisted of nothing more than afew thick planks of wood thrust down into the water, to the depth of three or fourfeet, between the joints of the raft, or rather between the trees which com-posed it; these being raised or lowered according to the wish of the untutored pilot,were found, by experience, to aid him considerably in the management of his vessel.

Floats exactly answering the same description with those in use among theancients, having been found in the South Seas within the present century, it. mayprobably be thought not improper to give the following description of them,extracted from the “ Relacion Historica del Viage a la America Meridional,

necho