140 FISHERMEN OF THE UNITED STATES. 



if the wind is increasing rapidly, to put either a single or a double reef iu the mainsail. The 

 Gloucester fishermen usually put in a double reef at once. At the same time the bonnet is taken 

 out of the jib. When it has become necessary lo shorten sail to this extent the sea is always 

 rough and the speed of the vessel may be somewhat diminished, perhaps to 9 or 10 knots. 



As an instance of speed made under such circumstances, it may be stated that the schooner 

 William EL Foye, in the spring' of 1875, made a passage to the Western Bank, a distance of 380 

 miles, in about forty-two hours, or an average speed of 9 miles an hour, running almost all the 

 time under reefed mainsail, jib with the bonnet out, and whole foresail. 



Before it is necessary to shorten sail further the wind has strengthened to nearly a gale. The 

 pressure upon the foremast is now so great that it soon becomes necessary to reef the foresail, to 

 prevent the foremast being carried away. 



If the wind is increasing rapidly two reefs are at once put in the sail; if otherwise, a single 

 reef. A vessel with mainsail and foresail double reefed and the bonnet out of the jib can carry 

 that sail, while running free, until the wind blows a gale, 



The following instances illustrate the relative amount of sail carried by schooners and square- 

 rigged vessels when it is necessary to put the former under this sail : 



The schooner Ocean Bell, in the spring of 1874, while on a passage to Gloucester from the 

 Grand Bank, sailing under double reefs, fell in with and passed a large bark, head-reaching under 

 close-reefed topsails and foretop-mast staysail. Again, in the autumn of 1875, the schooner How- 

 ard, under double reefed sails, fell in with and passed a large bark lying to under a goose-winged 

 lower maintop-sail, having no other sail set. Numerous and possibly more striking instances of 

 this sort might be related. These schooners were sailing by the wind, and under these circum- 

 stances the comparative merit of the schooners appears at best advantage, although they cannot 

 carry the sails so long when sailing by the wind as when the wind is on their quarter. A 

 schooner with the wind as last mentioned may carry this sail until the wind blows a smart gale, 

 and it is more frequently the case that they have to shorten sail still further on account of the 

 roughness of the sea, and the consequent heavy lurching, than because of their inability to carry so 

 much canvas. The wind is now whistling, or, in fishermen's phrase, " squealing" through the rig- 

 ging; and even an ocean steamer, if heading the sea or in its trough, would be tossing about in a 

 manner which would be very uncomfortable and alarming to most of the passengers. 



As the sea and the wind increase, there is a danger of carrying away the main boom, the end 

 of which is frequently dipped under as the vessel lurches to leeward. The mainsail is now, there- 

 fore, taken in and furled, and in its stead the riding sail, especially on the Bank vessels, is bent to 

 the mainmast and hoisted, this sail being without a boom and considerably smaller than the two- 

 reefed mainsail, therefore causes the vessel to lurch much less than when she has the long main- 

 boom over her lee quarter.* 



Under the present arrangement of the sails, riding-sail, double-reefed foresail, and jib without 

 the bonnet, the vessel continues until the wind blows a heavy gale. 



When a schooner is going ahead under these sails an ocean steamer would be making slow 

 progress if heading the wind, and would be obliged to alter her course to avoid lying in the trough 

 of the sea if she should be Steering with the wind abeam. 



In the heavy gale of January 27, 1879, the schooner .Marion, of Gloucester, while running under 

 this sail, passed a large ocean steamer near the Western Bank, making slow progress to the west- 



* Sometimes the riding-sail is not set, but tho vessel is allowed to run under double-roofed foresail and jib. The 

 method of setting I he riding-sail as described is, however, perhaps the most common. 



