PRACTICAL HINTS, ETC. 283 



her in by her sides. As above stated, sail will in this case have 

 been previously taken in, if set, and the boat will have been 

 rowed or backed in by oars alone. 



On the other hand, on a steep beach it is the general prac- 

 tice, in a boat of any size, to sail right on to the beach, and, in 

 the act of landing, whether under oars or sail, to turn the boat's 

 bow half round towards the direction in which the surf is run- 

 ning, so that she may be thrown on her broadside up the beach, 

 where abundance of help is usually at hand to haul her as 

 quickly as possible out of the reach of the sea. In such situa- 

 tions we believe it is nowhere the practice to back a boat in 

 stern foremost under oars, but to row in full speed as above 

 described. 



[This agrees with my own practice during many years of open 

 beach boating. J. C. W.] 



The following extract is also appended : 



PRACTICAL HINTS FOR THE CONSIDERATION AND GUIDANCE 

 OF SEAMEN AND OTHERS HAVING CHARGE OR COMMAND 

 OF BOATS. 



1. Acquire the habit of sitting down in a boat, and never 

 stand up to perform any wo/k which may be done sitting. 



2. Never climb the mast of a boat, even in smooth water, to 

 reeve halliards, or for any other purpose, but unstep and lower 

 the mast in preference. Many boats have been upset and very 

 many lives lost from this cause. The smaller a boat, the more 

 necessary this and the foregoing precaution. 



3. All spare gear, such as masts, sails, oars, &c,, which are 

 stowed above the thwarts, should be lashed close to the sides of 

 a boat ; and any heavy articles on the boat's floor be secured, 

 as well as possible, amidships, to prevent them all falling to 

 leeward together on a heavy lurch of the sea. 



[To prevent ballast shifting, see p. 253. J. C. W.] 



5. Boats may ride out a heavy gale in the open sea in safety, 



if not in comfort, by lashing their spars, oars, &c., together, and 



riding to leeward of them, secured to them by a span. The 



raft thus formed will break the sea ; it may either be anchored 



