Page 202 - INDIANNAVYV1

170 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY, ;
"the Persian Admiral fired a sliot at the ' Eagle ' and ' Success.'
At halt'-j)ast four the ' Eaj^le,' being advanced near to them,
returned their fire with a broadside, which was followed by the
'Success.' As soon as we arrived within gunshot — one of our
lieutenants having been burnt on the 26th of March, and
remaining dangerously ill, I acted in his place—the Persians
kept driving through the narrow reach (it was now strong ebb
tide with the wind contrary) continuing to fire at us, which the
' Eagle ' and ' Success ' returned whenever the guns could be
bronght to bear on them, on the different tacks. Presently
after we received a shot through our jib, another through our
ensign, and another through a spare topmast in the booms. The
Pasha's tw^o ketches and galivats could not keep up with us, and
the two former got twice aground. The cannonading on both
sides continued brisk, but we never could get near enough to do
any execution with our musketry. At half-past five we had our
main top-gallant yard arm shot awaj^ much of our rigging cut,
and two of our gun ports in the steerage beat in, at which hour
two balls struck and lodged in the ship's starboard side, between
the two after-guns, and were buried in more than half their
diameter. Soon after this the Persians fled, the dull sailers
rowed, being towed by those that sailed best. At six they all
got in close to the Persian shore and anchored in shoal water
we anchored abreast of them as near as our draft of water would
permit, when a furious cannonading commenced at the distance
whitewash, made the same as that between the sheathing and planks, and this coat
is renewed everj season they put to sea. These vessels, though often brig-rigged,
when formerly used for war purposes by the Joasmi and other pn-atical tribes,
had, generally, only one mast and a lateen sail. The yard is the length of the
vessel, and we have seen a dhow having a spar 100 feet in length : the mast rakes
forward, for the purpose of keeping the ponderous weight clear, in raising and
lowering. The tack of the sail is brought to the stem head, and the sheets ait in
the usual -way ; the haulyards lead to the tail'rail, having a pendant and treble-
purchase block, which becomes the backstay, to support the mast when the sail is
set this, with two or three pairs of shrouds, completes the rigging, which is very
;
simple, the whole being of coir rope. Dhows may be distinguished from baghalahs
by a long gallery projecting from the stern, which is their peculiar cliaracteribtic.
The Pattamars are a class of vessel which may be considered the best sailers in
India, and the most useful as stowing a good cargo. They belong principally
to Bombay merchants, and carry on the whole of the coasting trade to that port.
They are grab-built, and the dimensions of the large class are 7fi feet 6 inches in
length, 21 feet 6 inches in breadth, 11 feet 9 inches in depth, and about 200 tons
burthen. They are planked, says Mr. Edye.with teak, upon jungle-wood frames,
and are really very handsome vessels, being put togetlicr in the European
manner, with nails, bolts, &c., and their bottoms are sheathed with inch board,
and have the preparation before described. Some of the smaller class of these
vessels of about 60 tons burthen, are sewed together with coir, like other native
boats. Tiie small class have one, and the large class two masts, with the lateen
sail ; the foremast raking forward for the purpose of keeping the ponderous yard
clear. The yard is slung at one-third of its length the tack of tlie sail is
;
brought to the stem head through a fixed block, and the sheet hauled aft at
the side as usual. The haulyard is a pendant and treble block from the mast-
head aft to midships ; thus acting as a backstay for the mast's security, together
with about two pairs of shrouds.