70 



ANIMAL MECHANICS 



regular interweaving of the yarn, if we may so 

 express it, so that every fibre deviates from the 

 parallel line in the same degree, and, conse- 

 quently, receives the same strain when the tendon 

 is pulled. If we seek for examples illustrative of 

 this structure of the tendons, we must turn to the 

 subject of ship-rigging, and see there how the 

 seaman contrives, by undoing the strands and 

 yarns of a rope, and twisting them anew, to make 

 his splicing stronger than the original cordage. 

 A sailor opens the ends of two ropes thus : * and 



places the strand of 

 one opposite and 

 between the strand 

 of another, and 

 so interlaces them. 

 And this explains 

 why a hawser-rope, 

 a sort of small ca- 

 ble, is spun of three 

 strands ; for as they 

 are necessary for 

 many operations in the rigging of a ship, they 

 must be formed in a way that admits of being 

 cut and spliced, for the separation of three 

 strands, at least, is necessary for knotting, spli- 



1 A, Strands and yarns opened. 



B, Ends opened and laid for splicing, in a manner exactly 

 like the interlacing of the tendon. 



FIG. 19. 



