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100 DICK SANDS, THE BOY CAPTAIN. persévère in makîng his way towards the east Accord- ngly he lest no time in puttîng his shîp before the wind. On a schooner the fore-mast usually carrîes four square sails ; on the lower mast a fore-sail ; on the top-mast a top-sail ; on the top-gallant a top-gallant-sail and a royal. The maîn-mast carries only a main-sail and a top-sail. Betvveen the masts upon the fore-stays can be hoisted a triple tier of triangular sails ; vvhile the bowsprit with its jib-boom vvill carry the three jibs. The jibs, the main-sail, the main-top-saîl and the stay- sails are ail managed with comparative ease, because they can be hoisted from the deck vvithout the necessity of ascendîng the mast to let fly the robbins, by which they are fastened to the yards. With the sails on the fore-mast it is altogether a more difficult business. In order either to unfurl them, to take them in, or to reef them, it is necessary for a man to clamber up by the shrouds, either to the fore-top, or to the top-gallant cross-trees, and thence mounting by loose ropes, extended below the J^ards, to hold on by one hand whiist he does his vvork with the other. The opération requires alike the head and arm of an expcrîenced mariner ; and when a fresh breeze has been blowing, it is a casualty far from uncommon that a sailor, confused by the flapping of the canvas and the pitching of the vessel, should be blown overboard in the act. For the unpractised negroes the danger would necessarily be very great. However, the wind at présent was very moderate, and the ship ploughed her way over the waves without any violent oscillations. At the time when Dick Sands, in obédience to the signal he received from Captain Hull, proceeded to make his way to the scène of the dîsaster, the " Pilgrim," as she lay to, was carry ing only her jibs, main-sail, fore-sail, and fore-top-sail. In order, therefore, to put her as near as possible to the wind, it had been merely necessary to counter-brace the fore-sail yard, a manœuvre in which the negroes had rendered ail the assistance that was necessary. It was requisite now to do something more. To enable