Page:Boating - Woodgate - 1888.pdf/37

 with respect to propulsion were identical with, or very similar to, those of the medizval galleys of Genoa or Venice. Lut the mediayval galleys were essentially mezecrota, or one-banked vessels, though they may haye been double-banked or treble- banked in the sense that two or three men were employed upon one car.

Another distinction that it is necessary to note with refer- ence to the ancient galleys is that they were called Aphract or

Kataphract according as the upper tier of rowers was unpro- tected and exposed to view, or fenced in by a bulwark stout enough to protect them from the enemy's missiles. The sys- tem of side planking is observable as already adopted in some of the Egyptian vessels, though of the Greeks the Thasians are credited with the invention.

In the year 1834, during the process of excavating some