OF WINDS. 283 



they should not take in too much wind, and are chiefly 

 made use of when there is not much wind. 



27. Sails being placed in a direct line, one behind the 

 ! other, of necessity those sails which stand behind must 

 I steal the wind from the foremost when the wind blows fore- 

 , right ; wherefore, if they be all spread out at once, the 

 ; force of the wind hath scarce any power but in the main- 

 ! mast sails, with little help of the lower sails of the boar- 

 sprit. 



28. The best and most convenient ordering of sails, in a 

 ! direct wind, is to have the two lower sails of the foremast 



hoisted up, for there (as we said before) the motion is most 

 effectual, let also the topsail of the mainmast be hoisted 

 up, for there will be so much room left under it, that there 

 may be wind sufficient for the foresails, without any notable 

 stealing of the wind from them. 



29. By reason of the hinder sails stealing of the wind 

 away from the foresails, we sail swifter with a side wind 

 than with a fore wind. For with a side wind all the sails 

 may be made use of, for they turn their sides to one another, 

 and so hinder nor rob not one another. 



30. Likewise, when a side wind blows, the sails are 

 stifflier stretched out against the wind, which somewhat 

 restrains the wind, and sends it that way as it should blow, 

 whereby it gains some strength. But that wind is most 

 advantageous which blows cornerly between a fore wind 

 and a side wind. 



31. The lower boarsprit-sail can hardly ever be unuseful, 

 for it cannot be robbed from gathering the wind which 

 way soever it doth blow, either about the ship sides, or 

 under the rest of the sails. 



32. There is considerable* in the motion of winds in ships, 

 both the impulsion and direction of them. For that direc 

 tion, which is made by the helm, doth not belong to the 

 present inquisition, but only as it hath a connexion with the 

 motion of the winds in the sails. 



Connexion. As the motion of impulsion or driving for 

 ward is in force at the beak, so is the motion of direction 

 in the poop ; therefore, for that the lower mizenmast sail 

 is of greatest concernment, for it is, as it were, an assistant 

 to the helm. 



33. Seeing the compass is divided into two and thirty 

 points, so that the semicircles of it are sixteen points, there 



* i. e. to be considered. 



