HISTORY OF MARINE ARCHITECTURE.

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sheaves fixed in the head of the mast: when it was neccessary to drop it, theypulled it with two iron hooks, and, after loosening the haulyards, doubled ittogether in its several folds ; but this operation was inartificial, and required agreat deal of time. The Chinese too, to save themselves trouble, suffered thesail to remain set during a calm; and it is easy to conceive, that the enormousweight of it, which acted on the mast as on a lever, must have plunged thewhole of the prow into the sea, had they not, to counterbalance its force, takencare to stow the greater part of the lading abaft: from this circumstance ithappened, that when the vessel was at anchor, her prow was almost entirely out ofthe water, while the poop w'as nearly sunk. Owing to the magnitude of the sail,and its forward situation, a great portion of w'ind was undoubtedly collected be-hind ; but, on the other hand, with a scant wind, they could not keep thehead up, but must inevitably fall to leew'ard ; to say nothing of the danger oftacking, when suddenly forsaken by the breeze.

In fair weather, this vessel carried, together with a sprit-sail and tcp-sail, alarge species of driver or studding sail, fastened to the side of the sail, which waswithout a sheet; these, with a square sail on the mizen, were all made of calico.The poop was hollowed in the middle, to make room for the rudder, whichwas in a sort of chamber, that sheltered it from the waves in foul weather. Thischamber was formed by the two sides of the poop, which, leaving a large openingoutward, approached each other gradually within, where they formed a re-ceding angle, flattened, or cut off, at the point, in order to give full liberty to theplay of the rudder. The rudder was suspended by two cables or ropes, the endsof which ran upon two rollers, and by means of them was lifted up, or let down atpleasure. Two other cables, which after passing under the vessel came up atthe prow, where, when loose, they were wound up by means of a third roller,supplied the place of the European pintles attached to the stern-post. It had a barseven or eight feet in length without either hook or pulley, to increase the powerof the tiller. Four ropes, two of which were attached to each side of the vessel,and of which one -on each side went several times round the bar, served to confinethe tiller in its place.

( * A rudder, however, of this description, is, after all,” observes the mission-ary who gives the account, “ exposed to several inconveniences. It could havebut little influence on the vessel, not only because the cable which confined ityielded and lengthened too easily, but also on account of the continual irregularmotion which was produced in consequence of its own incessant agitation. From

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