MAST

A long piece or system of pieces of timber. placed nearly perpendicular to the keel of n ve el to support the yards or gall's on which the sails aro extended. When the mast is one entire piece, it is called a pole-mast, but in all larger ve els it is composed of several length.". called loicer, tup, and topgallant masts: sometimes a fourth, called a royal mast. The method of supporting each mast on the one next below it Is peculiar. On the sides of the lower mast, some feet below the head, are placed cheeks: on these are fixed horizontally two short pieces of wood, fore and aft, called trestle trees. Acro these at right nngles are laid, before and abaft the mast, two or more longer and lighter pieces, called cro trees, which give the name to the entire system. On the mast head itself is a cap. The topmast being placed up and down, the fore side of the lower mast is sicayed up between the trestle trees, and through the round or foremast hole in the cap. When raised so high that the heel of the topmast is nearly up to the surface of the cro trees, a piece of iron, called the fid, is put through the hole in the heel for the purpose; and on this fid, of which the ends are supported on the trestle trees. the topmast rests. When Added, the topmast is stayed, and the rigging or shrouds set up to the dead eyes in the ends of the cro trees. These dead eyes pull from the lower rigging below, and thus the cro trees serve merely to extend the rigging. The topgallant is supported in the same manner on the topmast. When the mast is to be taken down, it is first raised to relieve the fid; which being drown out, the mast is lowered. The masts are supported by a strong rope, leading for ward, called the stay; by others, leading aft on each side ot the ship, called, in general, backstays; and by others abreast, called shroteds, and also breast backstays. [s. 739]