Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 3.djvu/190

 17^ COMIMERCE WITH Malays call Darnar^ and with quicklime. The bow is flat, like the stern, but much smaller, hav- ing no keel, or cut-water. The stern has an im- mense channel, or chamber, in which the rudder receives protection from the sea. The masts are from two to four in number, and very dispropor- tionate in size, the principal, or main-mast, being greatly larger than any of the rest. They consist but of a single spar each. The sails are but a single square sail on each mast, made of mats of split bam- boo, and extended by yards of that cane. They have but one deck, and the w^hole hold is divided into little cabins, or compartments, to lodge the goods, and afford accommodation to each separate adventurer. Pumps are either unknown, or not made use of. The cables are made of twisted rattans ; the anchors of iron-wood, having their flukes occasionally tipped with iron. The stand- ing and running rigging are either of rattan, or coir the fibre of the coco-nut. The whole appearance of a Chinese junk is remarkably grotesque and singular. The deck presents the figure of a crescent. The extremities of the ves- sel are disproportionately high and unwieldy, con- veying an idea that any sudden gust of wind would not fail to upset her. At each side of the bow there is a large white spot or circle to imitate eyes ! These vessels, except before the wind, are bad sail- ers, and very unmanageable. They require a nu-