mast first, and thence below, by which
the yards and the sails attached to them are hauled round so as to take
the wind. They are distinguished by the terms "weather" and "lee," the
former being those on the side from which the wind comes, the latter on
the opposite side. They also have their specific names, as the "weather
fore-top-gallant brace," the "lee main brace."

The bowlines are ropes attached to the leeches of square sails to draw
the edge forward, so that they may take the wind better. They are
fastened to the bridles, which are loops like those of a kite, two or
three of them extending from the side of the sail.

The halyards are the ropes by which any sail is hoisted. For square
sails they are secured to the yards, which, with the exception of the
lower one on each mast slide up and down.

"Clear away the bowlines," said the first lieutenant when all hands were
reported ready for the manoeuvre which had been ordered.

At this command the bowlines on the topsails and courses were
unfastened.

"All clear, sir," reported the officers from their stations.

"Round in the weather braces, ease off the lee braces!" was the next
order. "Settle away the topsail halyards! Clew down!"

To round in the weather braces was simply to haul them up as the lee
braces were slacked, so that the yard was squared. As the command was
executed, the sail was "spilled," or the wind thrown out of it.

"Haul out the reef tackles! Haul up the buntlines!" continued the
executive officer.

To reef a sail is to tie up a portion of it, so as to present less
surface of canvas to the force of the wind. Topsails are reefed in the
upper part; a portion of the sail nearest to the yard from which it is
suspended being rolled up and secured by strings to the yard. Fore and
aft sails, like the spanker, the fore and main spencers, or the mainsail
of a schooner, are reefed at the foot, the lower part being tied down to
the boom.

The topsails of the Young America had three reef bands, or strips of
canvas sewed crosswise over them, in which were the reef points, or
strings by which the sail is tied up when reefed. When the first or
highest row of reef points was used, the sail was single reefed; when
the second was used, it was double reefed; and when the third row was
used, it was close reefed. On each side of the sail, at the end of each
reef band, was a cringle, or eye, in which the reef pendent was
fastened. The reef tackle consists o