Almost all Indian boats have considerable rake both at stem and stern. The fastest have long, sharp, and generally hollow bows, and the stern is often as sharp and tapering as the bow; but those used for the purposes of trade have less graceful proportions.

The Indian method of construction differs from the European in many respects. Instead of nailing and clinching the planks, they are carefully rabetted together in a neat and durable manner; and although such a method occupies a vast amount of time and labour, the vessels so constructed seldom require caulking, all the seams and interstices being filled with cotton stuff, and the whole exterior served over with pitch, or other resinous substance. The wood used by the Indians in boat and ship-building is chiefly teak, which is well known as a hard, tough, and durable material.

INDIAN PLEASURE-BOATS.

Indian pleasure-boats of the class above illustrated sail very fast with a free wind, but, generally speaking, are too long and tapering for turning to windward with effect. They are usually flat and full amidships, but drawn out to great extremes at each end.

The common mode in which Indian boats are rigged is the lateen. A kind of lug-sail is also a very general form of rig in some parts.

The style of rigging the lateens of India differs from that of the Mediterranean. The Indian lateens have seldom more than two masts, of which the hinder one is much the smaller; but some of the modern pleasure-boats have three, and a bowsprit besides. The sails, instead of being right-angled triangles, like true lateens, have the foremost angle cut off, so that they are nearer the principle of the old settee sail. A great advantage, however, is, that lateen sails so cut may be reefed at the foot with every facility, which is not generally the case with lateen sails.

BOATS OF THE PUNJAUB.

The pleasure-boats of Punjaub are of a long and graceful form, but broad amidships, with a cabin or house. They are, however, very shallow, and drawn out to great length at the bows. They are decked all over, excepting the part occupied by the cabin, and they have a railing along each side of the deck. These boats are gilded, painted, and ornamented with considerable good taste.

BOMBAY FISHING BOATS.

The Bombay fishing clippers rank among the fastest of their class in India, and are worthy of imitation in many respects. Some of them are splendid sea-boats, but not so quick in staying, nor so convenient for turning to windward in narrow channels, as the boats of some other nations. Their greatest draught of water is forward—which is the reverse of the English and American systems. They have also a very sharp and hollow bow. The breadth of beam is carried well aft, and finishes with an overhanging stern. The rig consists of two lateen sails, but no bowsprit nor sail of any kind is set beyond the stem. Both masts rake forward. The mizzen-mast is generally a trifle more than half the length of the main-mast, and the yards in the same proportion. Some of these boats measure from twenty to thirty tons, the main-yard for which is nearly a hundred feet in length. The head, or fore-leech, of the sail is of the same dimensions as the aft-leech. Neither

shrouds nor rigging are used in these boats, the main-halliards being the only stay to the mast. The tack of the main-sail is managed with a luff-tackle purchase at the stem, in the same manner as the clew by the main-sheet, the double block being seized into the tack, and the single block strapped to the mast. In wearing, both sheet and tack are eased off; but in tacking, the sail and yard are shifted to either side of the mast without being lowered. The mast, in such case, must be rather above the yard at the slings, to allow a little play for the halliards, and must also have considerable fore-rake. (1) The manœuvre could not be performed with advantage on an upright mast.

6

In the International Exhibition of 1851 was a model of the Bombay yacht Wave.' The model was taken from a fishing boat of Bombay.

One remarkable peculiarity about this yacht is, that the keel is curved in a crescent-like form, so that the fore end is two feet lower than the level of the keel amidships, and so acts as a gripe, or lee-board—the intention being to make the boat weatherly. This vessel has a comparatively flat floor, hollow entrance, and a sharp flat run. Its length over all is fortysix feet, entrance breadth twelve feet, and depth amidships three feet eight inches. The length of the spars is as under :— Mizzen-mast 22 ft. long Mizzen-yard 40

Main-mast
Main-yard.

36 ft. long
65

The sails, as already stated, are of lateen shape, and made of drill, sewn in narrow cloths.

The 'Wave,' it is stated, was built as a pleasure-yacht, but more particularly for the regattas and sailing matches for which Bombay has of late years become truly famous. This yacht, when ballasted, has won many prizes. No boat of European form and construction had, up to that time (1850), been found able to compete with her successfully in point of sailing in moderate weather. (2) ·

(1) This method is adopted in some of the lateen boats of the Mediter

ranean.

(2) Vide Official Catalogue of the International Exhibition, 1851.

BOMBAY COTTON-BOATS.

These boats belong entirely to the port of Bombay. They are called cotton-boats on account of their being constantly employed in conveying cotton from the shore to ships, bound for China and Great Britain, loading with that article. They are, in fact, the only boats made use of in loading and unloading the numerous kinds of outward and inward cargoes of ships visiting the port.

They measure in length from twenty-five to thirty-five feet, and in breadth from ten to thirteen feet, and three and a half to four feet in depth. They are very roughly but strongly built, and the largest of them will carry fifteen tons of dead weight. They are also employed in bringing the produce of the Island of Salsette-such as grain, grass, vegetables, &c.-to Bombay; also for the conveyance of troops, with their baggage, to and from Panwell.

The inside of the cotton-boat is lined with bamboo matting, to protect the cargo from bilge-water. These boats are generally navigated by a crew of six men and a tindal—principally Mahommedans-who live in the boat.

On one side of the mast is a fireplace, and on the opposite side a cask or tank, containing fresh water. The bottom of the boat, outside, is annually, or oftener, paid over with a mixture of chunam, or lime, and vegetable oil, which hardens, and is a good protection against worms. They have one mast, which rakes forward, and a yard of the same length as the boat. The cost of one of the best of these boats, complete, is about seven hundred rupees. They are mostly hired by the day, at a rate varying from two to five rupees, according to their size and the season of the year.

BOMBAY DINGHY.

(See Engraving.)

The dinghy, dingee, or bum-boat of Bombay, is a small boat, from twelve to twenty feet in length, five to seven feet in breadth, and eighteen inches to two feet in depth. It is very similar in form and size to the cotton-boat before de