gear consists of worming, parcelling, roundings, battens, and service
of all kinds--both rope-yarns, spun-yarn, marline and seizing-stuffs.
Taking off, putting on, and mending the chafing gear alone, upon a
vessel, would find constant employment for two or three men, during
working hours, for a whole voyage.

The next point to be considered is, that all the "small stuffs" which
are used on board a ship--such as spun-yarn, marline, seizing-stuff,
etc.--are made on board. The owners of a vessel buy up incredible
quantities of "old junk," which the sailors unlay, after drawing out
the yarns, knot them together, and roll them up in balls. These
"rope-yarns" are constantly used for various purposes, but the
greater part is manufactured into spun-yarn. For this purpose
every vessel is furnished with a "spun-yarn winch;" which is very
simple, consisting of a wheel and spindle. This may be heard
constantly going on deck in pleasant weather; and we had employment,
during a great part of the time, for three hands in drawing and
knotting yarns, and making them spun-yarn.

Another method of employing the crew is, "setting up" rigging.
Whenever any of the standing rigging becomes slack, (which is
continually happening), the seizings and coverings must be taken
off, tackles got up, and after the rigging is bowsed well taught,
the seizings and coverings replaced; which is a very nice piece of work.
There is also such a connection between different parts of a vessel,
that one rope can seldom be touched without altering another.
You cannot stay a mast aft by the back stays, without slacking up
the head stays, etc. If we add to this all the tarring, greasing,
oiling, varnishing, painting, scraping, and scrubbing which is
required in the course of a long voyage, and also remember this