part of muriatic acid and three parts of

water.

THE LEAD LINE.

The hand lead weighs fourteen pounds. The line to which it is attached is twentyfive fathoms long, and is marked as follows: At two fathoms, leather with two ends; at three fathoms, leather with three ends; at five fathoms, white muslin; at seven fathoms, red bunting; at ten fathoms, leather with hole in it; at thirteen fathoms, blue serge; at fifteen fathoms, white muslin; at seventeen fathoms, red bunting; at twenty fathoms, strand with two knots in it. By the different feel of the materials used it is easy to distinguish the marks in the dark. In sounding when the boat is in motion, swing the lead round and heave it as far forward as you can. By filling

the hollow at the base of the lead with grease or tallow, a sample of the bottom mud or sand adheres to it, which may be useful in verifying the position of the boat by comparing it with the chart on which the nature of the bottom is indicated.

The first fathom of the hand lead line for use in a boat of light draught may be marked off in feet in any legible manner satisfactory to the marker.

The marks on the deep sea lead line commence with two knots at twenty fathoms, another knot being added for every ten fathoms, and a single knot at each intermediate five.

A hand lead for use in a small craft need not be so heavy as fourteen pounds.

It may not be generally known that all watches are compasses if used according to the following instructions. Point the hour hand to the Sun, and the South is exactly half-way between the hour and the figure XII on the dial. For instance, suppose it is four o'clock; point the hand indicating four to the Sun, and II on the dial is South. Suppose again it is eight o'clock; point the hand indicating eight to the Sun, and the figure X on the dial is South. Some cranks carry a compass card in their watch case so that they may always determine without delay or trouble the direction of the wind whenever the Sun is visible.

XIV.

RULE OF THE ROAD AT SEA.

T

'HE boat sailer must possess a knowledge of the rule of the road

at sea, unless he wants his sport brought to an untimely end by collision. He should become thoroughly familiar with the International Steering and Sailing Rules, so that if he encounters steamships, fishing craft, pilot boats, etc., he will be able so to maneuver his own vessel as to escape collision.

The prudent skipper of a little vessel should always give steamships and ferryboats a wide berth. Big steamships sometimes are slow to answer their helms, and often will not get out of the way of small craft, although compelled to by international law. Should your boat be run down by one of these monsters of the deep you, of course, have your remedy in a court, but you are apt to find litigation very expensive when suing a steamship company, and a suit often lingers for years until, having exhausted every process, it finds itself at last on the calendar of the Supreme Court of the United States.

It is not advisable to attempt to cross the bows of a steamer unless you have plenty of room and you are a good judge of distances. Steam vessels go at a faster rate than they seem to, and the

momentum of their impact is very great. Instead of crossing a steamer's bow go about on the other tack, or haul your foresheet to windward till she has passed. Discretion is always the better part of valor. Not to monkey with ocean steamships or ferryboats is as valuable advice as that time-honored warning to boys not to fool with the buzz-saw.

Do not get "rattled," whatever you do, but keep your eyes "skinned" and your head clear.

Skippers of ferryboats often try to show off their smartness by steering as close as possible to small pleasure boats and then giving them the benefit of their wash, sometimes swamping their unfortunate victims. It is fun for the fellow in the ferryboat's pilot-house, but it is the reverse of pleasant to the man wallowing in the seething water. Therefore, do not court danger by approaching too near these unwieldy marine brutes, but if you are so luckless as to get into their wash handle your boat so that she shall not get into the trough of the waves, but take the sea on the bluff of the bow, where it will do the least harm.

Navigation by daylight in fine, clear weather is easy, but when it is dark and foggy special precautions must be taken or collision is inevitable. I do not propose to reprint in this little book the full text of the international regulations for preventing collisions at sea, but I have prepared an abstract, which will be sufficient for the practical purposes of an amateur sailor.