5S4 SIGNALS USED IX TlIK IISIIKIIY. [aI'I'. X" VI. 



5. Distant Signals. — IJcsides these signals, the sails of the 

 ship are frequently used as distant signals. Thus, tojvgal- 

 lant sails loosed but kept cleared up, is a recall for the boats 

 when at such a distance that the bucket cannot be seen ; the 

 jib half hoisted is a signal for a fish a-head of the ship, &c. 



II, Particular Signals are such as are contrived by the cap- 

 tain of any ship for the direction of his harpooners when on 

 the fishery, to whom they are addressed ; or such as may be 

 agreed upon between any two or more captains, for making 

 certain communications to each other when at a distance. 

 The former, which are of most general use, consist of xcav'mg 

 or pointing in a particular way and manner with a kind of 

 screen, hat, or speaking trumpet, whereby a single boat can, 

 at a short distance, be very accurately directed. A bugle- 

 horn has been adopted for the same purpose, in combination 

 Avith other signals ; but signals with balls are of all others the 

 most expressive, and at the same time perhaps the most sim- 

 ple. This kind of signal has been occasionally adopted, but 

 only very partially, and has been generally abandoned on ac- 

 count of the mistakes on the part of the seamen to whom they 

 were addressed, owing to the want of simplicity in the signals 

 themselves. By means of a signal yard, placed across a pole 

 erected at the top-gallant-mast head, three distinct positions 

 for signals are obtained, the two yard arms and the pole end 

 or signal-mast head. Now, by the different arrangement of 

 balls in these three positions, not exceeding three in num- 

 ber, thirty-one distinct signals may be made. It may, how- 

 ever, be observed, that in accomplishing this number, it is al- 

 ways necessary that the people in the boats to a\ hom the sig- 

 nals are addressed, should be able to distinguish the stai'- 

 board from the larboard yard-arm. This will be self-evident 

 when they are ahead or astern of the ship, provided they can 

 see which way the ship is lying ; and when the boats are a- 

 beam of the ship, the starboard yard-arm may always be dis- 

 tinguished by bracing it forward. In addition to this, the 

 starboard 3'ard-arm might be painted red, and one of the 



