-GALLANT-SAILS HOME.]

[Illustration: SAIL ON THE STARBOARD TACK.]

[Illustration: REEFING TOPSAILS.]

[Illustration: DOUBLE-REEFED TOPSAILS.]

There are three principal masts in a complete ship: the first is the
main-mast, which stands in the centre of the ship; at a considerable
distance forward is the fore-mast; and at a less distance behind, the
mizen-mast. These masts, passing through the decks, are fixed firmly in
the keel. There are added to them other masts, which can be taken down
or raised--hoisted, as it is termed at sea--at pleasure: these are
called top-masts, and, according to the mast to which each is
attached--main, fore, or mizen-topmast. When the topmast is carried
still higher by the addition of a third, it receives the name of
top-gallant-mast. The yards are long poles of wood slung across the
masts, or attached to them by one end, and having fixed to them the
upper edge of the principal sails. They are named upon the same plan as
the masts; for example, the main-yard, the fore-top-sail-yard, and so
on. The bowsprit is a strong conical piece of timber, projecting from
the stem of a ship, and serving to support the fore-mast, and as a yard
or boom on which certain sails are moveable.

According as the wind blows from different points, in regard to the
course the ship is sailing, it is necessary that the direction of the
yards should be changed, so as to form different angles with the central
line or with the keel; this is effected by ropes brought from the ends
of the yards to the mast behind that to which these belong, and then,
passing through blocks, they come down to the deck: by pulling one of
these, the other being slackened, the yard is brought round to the
proper degree of inclination; this is termed bracing the yards, the
ropes being termed braces.

* * * * *

THE CHOICE OF HERCULES.

When Hercules was in that part of his youth in which it was natural for
him to consider what course of life he ought to pursue, he one day
retired into a desert, where the silence and solitude of the place very
much favoured his meditations. As he was musing on his present
condition, and very much perplexed in himself on the state of life he
should choose, he saw two women, of a larger stature than ordinary,
approaching towards him. One of them had a very noble air, and graceful
deportment; her beauty was natural and easy, her person clean and
unspotted, her eye