Page:The costume of China, illustrated in forty-eight coloured engravings.pdf/137

 A SEA VESSEL UNDER SAIL.

Ships of this construction are employed by the merchants, in conveying the produce of the several provinces to the different ports of the empire.

The hold for the stowage of the various commodities, is divided into several partitions, which are so well caulked, with a composition called chu-nam, as to be water-proof; by this contrivance, in the event of a leak, the greater part of the cargo is preserved from injury, and the danger of foundering considerably removed.

The main and foresails are of matting, strongly interwoven, and extended by spars of bamboo running horizontally across them; the mizen and topsails are nankeen, the latter of which is (contrary to the European method) never hoisted higher than is seen in the drawing. The sails are braced up or eased off, by means of ropes attached to the extremities of the spars in the sails, which are known by the name of a crowfoot; and thus the ship is tacked with very little trouble.

The prow, or head is, as usual with Chinese vessels, without stem; they are likewise without keel, and consequently make considerable leeway. The two anchors are made of a ponderous wood, called by the Chinese tye-mou, or iron wood, the several parts of which are strongly lashed and bolted together, and pointed with iron, though sometimes they carry large grapnels of four shanks. The arched roof of matting is the cabin, in which the seamen sleep, &cc. and the bamboo spars on the quarter, are conveniently carried in that situation for the uses of the ship.

The several flags and ensigns are characteristic of the taste of the Chinese.