Before the manoeuvre of reefing, in the gale, was begun, Mr. Fluxion was sent forward.  Bitts was placed in the fore rigging, Peaks in the main, and Leach in the mizzen, to see that the young tars did not needlessly expose themselves, and that they used all proper precautions to avoid an accident.  All the officers were at their stations.

“Man the topsail clewlines, and buntlines, and the weather topsail braces,” shouted Haven, the first lieutenant who always handled the ship when all hands were called.  “Stand by the lee braces, bowlines, and halyards.”

The clewlines are ropes fastened to the corners of the topsail, passing through blocks on the topsail yard, and leading down to the deck through the lubber’s hole.  They are used in hauling the corners of the sail up when they are to be reefed or furled.

The buntlines are two ropes attached to cringles, or eyes, in the bottom of the sail, which are used for hauling up the middle, or bunt, of the topsail.

The braces are the ropes secured to the ends of the yards, leading down to the deck, directly, or to a mast first, and thence below, by which the yards and the sails attached to them are hauled round so as to take the wind.  They are distinguished by the terms “weather” and “lee,” the former being those on the side from which the wind comes, the latter on the opposite side.  They also have their specific names, as the “weather fore-top-gallant brace,” the “lee main brace.”

The bowlines are ropes attached to the leeches of square sails to draw the edge forward, so that they may take the wind better.  They are fastened to the bridles, which are loops like those of a kite, two or three of them extending from the side of the sail.

The halyards are the ropes by which any sail is hoisted.  For square sails they are secured to the yards, which, with the exception of the lower one on each mast slide up and down.

“Clear away the bowlines,” said the first lieutenant when all hands were reported ready for the manoeuvre which had been ordered.

At this command the bowlines on the topsails and courses were unfastened.

“All clear, sir,” reported the officers from their stations.

“Round in the weather braces, ease off the lee braces!” was the next order.  “Settle away the topsail halyards!  Clew down!”

To round in the weather braces was simply to haul them up as the lee braces were slacked, so that the yard was squared.  As the command was executed, the sail was “spilled,” or the wind thrown out of it.

“Haul out the reef tackles!  Haul up the buntlines!” continued the executive officer.

To reef a sail is to tie up a portion of it, so as to present less surface of canvas to the force of the wind.  Topsails are reefed in the upper part; a portion of the sail nearest to the yard from which it is suspended being rolled up and secured by strings to the yard.  Fore and aft sails, like the spanker, the fore and main spencers, or the mainsail of a schooner, are reefed at the foot, the lower part being tied down to the boom.