In a man-of-war, too, the
topgallant-rigging is never rattled down, as a Jacob's ladder leads from
the topgallantmast-head down to the crosstrees; but this Jacob's ladder
arrangement is found in many clippers.
Another detail in which a man-of-war differs from a merchantman is in
the rigging of the bowsprit, the man-of-war generally having whiskers,
and the merchantman taking the pull of the shroud direct from the
forecastle along the catheads, the whiskers being the spars across the
bowsprit, which take the purchase of the bowsprit shrouds as the
dolphin-striker takes the purchase of the stays.
On each mast the lower yard, lower topsail-yard, and lower
topgallantsail-yard do not hoist up and down; the others do.
The "lifts" by which the yard is hung and "topped" run from the
yardarms--the ends of the yards--to the head of the mast which the
yard crosses.
From the yardarms also come the "braces," by means of which the yards
are swung so as to set the sails at the proper angle. These braces come
down to the ship's sides, or to the heads of the masts fore and aft of
those on which the yard is swung; all the mizzen-braces working on the
mainmast; the maintopgallant, mainroyal and skysail braces working on
the mizzenmast; and the foretopgallant and foreroyal braces working on
the mainmast, as is clearly shown in our illustration.
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