[13] THE SCHOONER GRAMPUS. 449 



heads, is carried around in a semi-circle on the after side, from one rail to 

 the other, over the heel of the bowsprit, and between this and the ex- 

 treme bow is fitted in an adjustable triangular-shaped white oak grat- 

 ing covering the forward part of the heel of the bowsprit. 



Rudder. — The rudder is made of oak and pine ; the front and back of 

 it being of oak. It is hung with three sets of best quality composition 

 braces. 



Fife-rails. — There is a fife-rail around each mast, in form something 

 like those ordinarily put on fishing schooners. The life-rail around the 

 foremast has the bitts, which are 6 inches square, on the after side of 

 the mast, and the rail, which sets upon stanchions, curves around the 

 forward side of the mast ; a straight piece of rail extends from one 

 stanchion to the other abaft the mast. There are bolts going through 

 the stanchions and rail, and these are set up by a nut underneath the 

 beams and mast bed. 



The bitts of the main fife-rail are 9 inches square and extend down 

 through the deck until they reach the after side of the well. The 

 heel of each bitt is chamferred to fit the angle of the well, to which it is 

 bolted with f -inch galvanized iron bolts ; it is also securely fastened to 

 the deck- frame. These bitts stand forward of the mast on each side of 

 it, and are made and fastened in the manner specified in order that they 

 will sustain a heavy strain, since it is expected that the towing line of 

 the beam trawl will be fastened to them. A rail extends from one bitt 

 to the other in front of the mast, and another curves around abaft the 

 mast, and is supported by several stanchions, which are fastened in the 

 same manner as indicated in the description of the forward fife-rail. 

 The rail, stanchions, and bitts are made of white oak. 



Coamings. — The hatch-coamings are of the best quality of white oak, 

 5 inches thick, and worked with proper moldings all around. The 

 upper edges of the coamings are rabbeted so as to receive skylights or 

 booby-hatches. The coamings are bolted to the beams with f -inch gal- 

 vanized iron, clenched underneath the beams over galvanized iron rings. 



Booby-hatches. — There is a booby-hatch made to fit over the main- 

 hatch; it rests upon the deck with an entrance on its after end. It 

 is built of white pine 2-inch plank, side and ends, and covered with 

 lighter material. It is held in place by stout galvanized iron hasps on 

 the inside, which hook into staples on the hatch-coamings, and also by 

 rope lashings through ringbolts in the ends of the booby-hatch and on 

 the deck. 



There is a booby-hatch over the after-hatch, built in a similar man- 

 ner, with the opening on the starboard side, and constructed to fit down 

 over a rabbet in the hatch coaming. It is held in place by hasps in- 

 side and metal plates screwed to the outside. 



Cabin-house or trunk. — The house or cabin-trunk is 15 feet long, 14 

 feet 7 inches wide on forward end, 12 feet 6 inches wide at after end, 

 and 27J inches high. The coamings are hard pine, 5 inches thick and 

 H. Mis. 133—29 



