72 



HISTORY OF THE SEA. 



Indus fleet, of which we shall hereafter speak more particularly, 

 were blue, white, and yellow. Those of pirates were sea-green, 

 and those of Cleopatra, at the battle of Actium, were purple. 



The cordage used was of various sizes and strength. In the 

 first place, thick and broad ropes ran in a horizontal direction 

 around the ship from stem to stern, for the purpose of binding 

 the whole fabric strongly together. They ran around in several 

 circles and at fixed distances from each other. Their number 

 varied according to the size of the ship, a trireme usually requir- 

 ing four, and six in case they were intended for very boisterous 

 weather. These ropes were always held in readiness in the Attic 

 arsenals. A second-sized rope was used for the anchors, while 

 those attached to the masts, sails, and yards were altogether 

 lighter and made with greater care. One of these ran from the 

 top of the mainmast to the prow, corresponding to the modern 

 mainstay. 



The bulwarks were artificially elevated beyond the height 

 intended by the builder of the frame by means of a wickerwork 

 covered with skins. These served as a protection from high 

 waves, and also as a breastwork against the enemy. They appear 

 to have been fixed upon the upper edge of the wooden bulwark, 

 and to have been removed when not wanted. Each galley had 

 four, two of which were "white," and two "made of hair." 

 What these distinctions were is quite unknown. 



The anchors of Greek vessels, in the earlier periods, were 

 stones or crates of sand, but soon came to be made of iron, and 

 to be formed with teeth or flukes. The Greeks used the several 

 expressions of lowering, casting, and weighing anchor precisely 

 as we do, and the elliptical phrase "to weigh" meant then, as now, 

 to " set sail." Each ship had several anchors : we learn, from the 

 twenty-seventh chapter of Acts, that the vessel of St. Paul had 

 four. The last and heaviest anchor was considered " sacred," 

 in the same way as it is now regarded as "a last hope." The 

 sailors, m casting it, recommended themselves to the protection 



