280 NATURAL HISTORY 



25. And it is likewise certain, contrariwise, that here 

 below the air hath been very still, when above the clouds 

 have been carried with a fresh and merry gale ; but that 

 happens more seldom. 



An indirect experiment. 



Likewise in waves sometimes the upper water is swifter, 

 sometimes the lower ; and sometimes there are (but that is 

 seldom) several currents of water, of that which is upper 

 most, and that which lieth beneath. 



26. Nor are Virgil s testimonies altogether to be rejected, 

 he being not utterly unskilful in natural philosophy. 



Together rush the east and south-east wind, 

 Nor doth wave calling south-west stay behind. 



And again : 



I all the winds have seen their battles join. 



We have considered of the motions of winds, in the na 

 ture of things: we must now consider their motions in 

 human engines ; and, first of all, in the sails of ships. 



The Motion of Winds in the Sails of Ships. 



1. In our greatest Britain ships (for we have chosen those 

 for our pattern) there are four masts, and sometimes five, 

 set up one behind the other, in a direct line drawn through 

 the middle of the ship. Which masts W 7 e will name thus : 



2. The mainmast, which stands in the middle of the 

 ship; the foremast, the mizenmast (which is sometimes 

 double), and the spritmast. 



3. Each mast consists of several pieces, which may be 

 lifted up, and fashioned with several knots and joints, or 

 taken away ; some have three of them, some only two. 



4. The spritsail-mast from the lower joint lies bending 

 over the sea, from that it stands upright ; all the other 

 masts stand upright. 



5. Upon these masts hang ten sails, and when there be 

 two mizenmasts twelve ; the mainmast and foremast have 

 three tiers of sails, which we will call the mainsail, the top 

 sail,, and the main-topsail ; the rest have but two, wanting 

 the main-topsail. 



6. The sails are stretched out across, near the top of 

 every joint of the mast, by certain beams which we call 

 yards, to which the upper parts of the sails are fastened, the 

 lower parts are fastened with ropes at each corner; the main 

 sails to the sides of the ship, top and main-topsails to the 

 yards which are next below them. 



