If a man-of-war is met, care should be taken to be always the first; and here it is proper to dip one's ensign three times, as is it also to any large and important vessel, such as an European steamer moving along in all her majesty: she will not neglect to answer the politeness.

In entering harbor, especially if there are other yachts lying at anchor, it has become customary, at the same moment that the anchor is dropped, to discharge a gun announcing one's arrival; and, if there are other yachts present to whom the yacht is known, she will receive probably a salute from each in return.

In coming alongside of a yacht at anchor, all persons who are not guests of the captain, or especially invited, or of some rank or consequence, should come to the port gangway. The starboardside of a vessel at anchor is the captain's side, as is that side of the deck which is the windward-side when she is under way. Ladies always come on board on the starboard-side, if the yacht be large enough to enter into all these niceties of quarterdeck etiquette.

Every yacht that is large enough to admit of it should be fitted with a ship's clock with watch movement, a swinging-lamp, and an aneroid barometer; all of which are of great use, -the clock to give the time which courses have been sailed; the lamp, light to the chart upon the table; and the barometer, admonition of a change in the weather.

It is of great importance that an "anchor-watch," as it is called, should be kept on all yachts, for many reasons. For instance, to see that none of the sails get adrift in the night, should it come on to blow; and to see that the anchor holds well, or to pay out more cable, if necessary; to watch the lantern in the fore-rigging, and take care that it does not go out, leaving the yacht at the mercy of the first lumber-man that may come pitching into her.

Do not anchor too near the shore, so that good sea-room cannot be obtained, should it be desired to get under way, to run out of the harbor, or to pay out cable to hold on.

It is very easy to row to the shore in a tender, with the yacht well out, but very hard to make an inch sometimes, when it becomes a lee-shore.

These may seem trivial matters to be so careful about; but it is looking out for all contingencies, and yet being without a particle of fear, that makes the true yachtman, — always ready, and every thing always on hand. It is for this very reason of being prepared, that fear is driven out; whilst, with the careless one, in times of emergency the ropes foul, the gaskets are missing, the anchor is not bent on, the lamp wants oil, the lead-line can't be found, and the jib-halliards, not being properly belayed and coiled down, unreve from the masthead block, and every thing is "at sixes and at sevens."

CHAPTER VI.

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Cross-Bearings. - Two Examples. - Table of Proportional Distances. Table for Determining the Distance that an Object at Sea can be seen in Statute Miles. — Determining Distance by the Flash of a Gun. To find the Difference between the True and Apparent Direction of the Wind. To find the Distance of an Object on Shore from the Yacht, by two Bearings of the Compass. Use of the Charts. Soundings. Lead Line. Eight Bells and Watch and Watch. - Boxing Velocity of the Wind. - The Log Reel and Half-minute Glass. - Buoys.

the Compass.

CROSS-BEARINGS.

PERHAPS there is nothing more useful in simple coast-sailing and entering harbors than to know how to find one's exact position upon the chart, at a moment's notice, by means of taking what is called cross-bearings. Nothing is necessary for this purpose, but a pair of parallel-rulers, a compass, and a sight of any two well-defined objects in view, that may be known upon the chart by their general relative positions, such as lighthouses, lightships, buoys, churches, headlands, &c.

The parallel-rulers are two rulers attached by

means of two brass swivels, so that they can be moved over the surface of a chart in any parallel direction to that from which they are first started; and are used to define direction upon any part of the chart. For instance, being placed upon the printed compass upon the chart, say upon the line of N.W. and S.E., they can be moved about the chart, carrying this same direction N.W. and S.E., to any other part of the chart. The two objects decided upon to be taken should be in such a direction as to form somewhat nearly a right angle with the yacht to obtain the most perfect results. All depends upon the aptitude with which the observer can line the object to be observed, i.e., its bearing by compass.

The writer knows of nothing so important and useful as this simple method of knowing just where one is at any moment, and thus be enabled to know just how to steer to avoid all dangers. These sights, or cross-bearings, can be taken every ten minutes with ease in fine weather, and the position of the yacht exactly defined.

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EXAMPLE I. (see diagram, Fig. 1). Bring the compass in its box on deck (it should be of large size, so as to guide the eye; and small pocket-compasses are useless for this purpose), and, standing behind it, line with the eye with great care the bearing of the north lighthouse by the compass, this we will suppose to be N.W. by N.; mark this upon

a slip of paper, and then move the person so as to see the south lighthouse in the same way across the face of the compass,

North Light Ho

Fig. 1.

N.

South Light Ho

W.

S.PY

Position of Yacht

which is always between the observer and the object to be observed; and line the bearing of this lighthouse by compass, in the same manner, which we will suppose to be S.W. With these two results marked upon pa

per, refer to the chart, and place the parallelrulers upon the printed compass, designed upon the chart, upon the line of N.W. by N. and S.E. by S. (its opposite), and move them by means of the pivots till one part of them rests upon north lighthouse; then draw a line of indefinite length upon the chart. Take up the rulers, and in the same manner place them upon the printed compass on the chart, on the line of S.W. and N.E., and carry them forward, keeping Position this angle, till some part

Light Ho

W.

S.W. B. S.

of Yacht

Fig. 2.

Light Ship

rests upon south light

house; then draw a line which will at some point

intersect the former line,

which, if the bearings have been correctly taken,

will be the exact position of the yacht at the time of the observation.