sail. This is a true indication with regard to the jib, which has no sail before it to disturb the direction of the wind. But the luff of the mainsail sometimes will shiver with the eddy wind out of the foresail and jib, and with a big balloon jib we have seen a third of the mainsail rendered practically inoperative from this cause (for in cannot be said to be doing much good if it is shivering). Thus the yacht is not necessarily too close to the wind because the luff of the mainsail is thus misbehaving itself. So we say, steer by the jib, or the feel of the wind on your face, or when you get used to your craft and know the feel of your tiller, you may shut your eyes and steer by the pressure of the helm alone, although the latter is not advisable, except as an experiment.

Do not sail your yacht too close to the wind, as what she gains by going a lesser distance she more than loses by the loss of speed. Of course there are times when, to clear some object, such as a buoy in a race, without tacking, you must sail her as close as you can, and if the tide or current is in your favour, you may go very close indeed. If the breeze is fresh enough to get some way on the yacht, you may luff her up and let her shoot to windward by her own momentum, and then let her pay off on the same tack again before her way is stopped. You will creep a little to windward every time you repeat this manœuvre,

Squalls.-Look out for squalls, but do not be frightened at them. Try to see them before they come. Their advance along the water is generally marked by a darkening of the surface, if they are of ordinary strength, and by a whitening if they are severe enough to take off the crests of the waves.

If you are sailing close hauled luff up just as they strike you, so as to ease off their force, but do not let the boat lose way, or their force will be felt much more.

It does not hurt a yacht to be laid lee rail under, but, if the

squalls are severe, ease your jib and begin to luff up before you are stricken flat, and haul in the jib as the squall passes.

In squally weather do not have too much canvas set. It does you no good, and may turn out to be more than is safe if the squall is a prolonged one.

In sailing under the lee of the land just notice its conformation. If you see a valley or ravine running down to the shore, that is the place where the gusts will sweep down, and there you must look out for squalls. Last spring, while sailing in a half-decked boat up the north-east coast against a strong north-wester, we came to such a gully, and, after a hard tussle with a short rough sea and some howling gusts, we had to run back to the shelter of an island and bale out. Three times did we essay to pass this stormy track in the line of the valley, but finding that the boat really could not live in it, we thought discretion the better part of valour, and gave it up.

Reefing.-Always have one reef pennant fitted, and, if the weather looks stormy, have two, before starting. The reef pennant has a knot on one end, and it passes through the cleat or hole on one side of the boom up through the reef, or cringle, on the leech of the sail and down through the sheave or hole on the other side of the boom. To reef the mainsail, slack away the throat and peak halyards sufficiently, bowse down the reef cringle to the boom, and secure it with the earing, roll up the sail and tie the reef points, cast off the tack, set up the sail and bowse down the tack, which will be hooked on to the next cringle. Where the sail is laced to the boom, the tack cringle is the first to be secured.

To Heave-to.-Heaving-to, or lying-to, is the mode of rendering a vessel nearly motionless, and is done by hauling the head sails to windward, so as to counterbalance the action of the mainsail, which is hauled in flat. The yacht may be left

to herself and the tiller to its own devices. She will ride head to wind, making no progress, the mainsail preventing her head falling off, and the headsails preventing her coming round.

Anchoring. When sailing on a wind keep her in the wind's eye, lower the headsails, and when her way has stopped let go the anchor and let the cable run out until she has enough to ride safely with. To anchor when you are going free lower the headsails, drop the peak of the mainsail, put the helm down, and haul in the main-sheet until she is head to wind and has lost her way, when let go the anchor.

Moorings.-These may be taken up in the same way, but it is better to keep the sail set until the buoy rope is picked up, as if you miss it you will have to get way on and sail up to it again.

When safely moored, the sails will be lowered and the mainsail neatly furled up and confined by the sail tyers, and the waterproof sail cover put on and tied. The weight of the boom is received by a crutch, which is set up on the counter. This takes the weight off the masthead and prevents the boom swaying. The jib is taken in and stowed in the sail-room, or forepeak, or wherever it is convenient to stow it.

CHAPTER XIV.

THE YAWL.

THE only difference between the cutter and the yawl is that the latter has a mizenmast and sail in addition to the other sails. There has of late been considerable discussion as to the comparative merits of the cutter and yawl rigs, and the general opinion appears to be that, in yachts of equal tonnage, the cutter is the fastest, but on account of her immense mainsail and lengthy and heavy boom, she requires the most labour to work, while the yawl, having smaller sails and more subdivided, is easier to work when hands are few or when a man is alone. As we are confining our observations to yachts of ten tons and under, we have nothing to do with the exploits of larger boats, but have simply to consider the question of choice between a cutter and a yawl in the smaller classes. It may at once be said that for racing a small yawl is out of the question, but for cruising comfortably the rig has many advantages. The cruise of Mr. Macgregor alone in the yawl Rob Roy, and Mr. Middleton's venturous voyage around England in the Kate, also alone, are instances of the uses to which small snugly-rigged yawls may safely be put. The sails, being smaller, are more within the compass of a man to set. In a squall the mizen is a trusty friend behind you, which will bring the yacht's head to the wind if it should be necessary to ease off the mainsail as well as the headsails. She can be sailed without the mizen by setting smaller headsails, and this is as good as a big reef taken in; and,

if occasion requires, she can be sailed fairly well with mizen and head sails alone. So that for seagoing cruising, short handed, the yawl rig is one to be commended, and those who are thinking of adopting this rig will do well to read Mr. Macgregor's and Mr. Middleton's books.

With regard to the management of the mizen there is absolutely nothing special to say, except that when tacking it is advisable to haul it in as taut as possible, because it helps the boat's head round, and in beating up a very narrow fairway or river it may be sheeted as flat as possible and kept so. This will make the boat carry more weather helm and be very quick in stays.