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Daily Yellowstone Journal
Miles City, Custer County, Montana
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A correspondent describes the traditional long, narrow boats used by natives in Ceylon, stabilized by a balance log and requiring crew to sit on it during strong winds for balance. They are effective sea boats but uncomfortable.
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The natives of Ceylon have queer boats. They are quite long, and so narrow, says a correspondent, that I could not keep in one of them without putting one leg in front of the other. The whole affair stands well up out of the water and is kept from capsizing by a long balance log about six feet out from the boat and secured to it by two lightly curved spars.
All that I saw had small square rags for sails, which could only be set with a free wind. When the wind gets strong one or more of the crew are sent out to squat on the balance log, the number found necessary for this purpose denoting the strength of the wind—thus they speak of one man gale, a two man gale and so on. They are said to be excellent sea-boats and to make good speed, but no one accuses them of being comfortable.—Foreign Letter.
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Foreign News Details
Primary Location
Ceylon
Event Details
The natives of Ceylon use long, narrow boats that stand high out of the water and are stabilized by a balance log secured by curved spars. They have small square sails for free winds. In strong winds, crew members squat on the balance log to prevent capsizing, with the number indicating wind strength, such as one man gale or two man gale. These boats are excellent sea-boats that make good speed but are not comfortable.